Denver District Tightening Belt
by Dennis Enderson, President
The Denver Metro APWU has learned that the Denver office has been instructed to tighten its belt. It’s no secret that Denver provides some of the best service in the entire Postal Service. However, quality service represents only half of the equation. The other important consideration is efficiency. Unfortunately, we are not performing nearly as well with regard to budgetary considerations. The Denver office has been tasked with cutting at least nine percent from its operating budget during the next fiscal year.
What does this mean to bargaining unit employees? We can expect management to press all of us to do more with less. This means less overtime, less staffing, less incidental leave and less patience on the part of supervisors. It also means more pressure on employees to work efficiently, more operational changes, more staffing adjustments, and more employee frustration caused by management’s actions. In a nutshell, it’s going to be a difficult year for all of us. I wish I could tell you that the APWU could wave a magic wand and make all of our struggles go away. However, I cannot and will not sugar coat what is going to happen, and I will not lie about it. Sooner or later, your office and your job will be impacted. We have already begun to experience some effects of the belt-tightening at the Denver GMF. Management is experimenting with short-staffing the FSM 100’s. They are hoping to prove that we can get the same work done with fewer employees. Only time and experience will determine the success or failure of such initiatives.
The union’s view is that you cannot squeeze blood out of a rock. As with computers, if you put garbage in, you will definitely get garbage out. We do not disagree that management should pursue increased efficiency. However, we will not tolerate nor condone any mistreatment of craft employees, nor will we ignore clear contractual violations. We need your help to protect our jobs and to ensure contractual compliance. Please see your steward if you experience any harassment, intimidation, or any other types of abuse from your supervisors. Contact the union to report any instances of supervisors or employees from other crafts doing APWU work. Rest assured that we will fight to preserve our work and our jobs with every resource at our disposal.
The apparent conflict between quality service and budgetary constraints is nothing new. Every business in the United States deals with this conundrum all the time. However, we believe that the American people are willing to pay for good service, and that the budgets should never be balanced by trampling on the rights of workers. We count on the Postal Service to succeed, but not at the cost of core principles. Please stand with us as we face these vital struggles in the months and years ahead.
Help Us Protect Our Work
in Customer Service
by Dennis Enderson, President
Long time Denver Steward Connie Archuleta is very concerned that we not turn a blind eye as management tries to compensate for staffing shortages by having others do our work. Connie has asked me to remind our members that we need to remain constantly vigilant to protect what we have. We cannot afford to allow supervisors, mailhandlers, light duty carriers and others to take over our work, or we run the great risk of losing it forever. This is your job security we are talking about. If you stand idly by while this work slips away, then you are contributing to the demise of your livelihood. As human nature goes, we all know there are tasks we find annoying or difficult. However, those tasks are the foundation of our work, and there are others who would gladly take them away. Job erosion is not an overnight process. If happens very gradually, one grain at a time. However, it eventually adds up to a massive loss of jobs, and the destruction of our job security. Please monitor, document and report any such contractual violations to your union steward as soon as possible. We cannot afford apathy and indifference. Take a stand! Fight with your union to save our jobs!
Notary on Staff
A Notary is on staff at the Denver Metro Area Local APWU Headquarters. Rita Burns, Office Manager is a Notary and is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM and on Wednesday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. If you are in need of a Notary, stop by our office to use this member only service! There is no fee for this service.
Membership Input Wanted
for Future Bulletins
by Dennis Enderson, President
The Denver Metro APWU is asking for your input to help us reconnect with our membership. All too often, union publications focus entirely on struggles and conflicts, and we rarely take note of the positive and uplifting events that happen in the lives of our members all the time. We would like to change this focus. Only with your help can we make this happen. We are asking you to send us information about important events, milestones and accomplishments in your lives. This could include births, graduations, weddings, celebrations, cultural events or any other items of interest. We plan to create a regular column to share this information with our membership, if we get enough input from our members. Please take a moment to pass something along that we can publish. Your participation and assistance would be greatly appreciated!
Denver Metro APWU Donates
$5,000 for Hurricane Relief
by Dennis Enderson, President
On Friday, September 9, 2005, the Denver Metro APWU Executive Board unanimously approved an immediate donation of $5,000 to the American Red Cross to assist with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. This donation represents the maximum allowed by the local’s Constitution and By-Laws. Additional donations can be approved by the membership at a regular union meeting.
As reported in the past, our local is focused on budgetary restraint in acknowledgment of the financial realities we are facing in the Postal Service. However, given the enormous and obvious needs of the American citizens whose lives were destroyed by the hurricane, we know our members wanted to extend a helping hand. We know the people of the Gulf Coast will appreciate the generosity of our membership.
We offer our well wishes and hopes for a brighter future to all of those who were impacted by this catastrophe.
Reaching Out to Postal Workers,
Other Hurricane Katrina Victims
by William Burrus, President APWU
APWU members are joining together to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina, which included thousands of postal workers and their families.
The APWU is urging union members to make contributions to the Postal Employees’ Relief Fund (PERF), a charitable organization established by postal unions, management associations, and the USPS. It benefits active and retired postal workers who have suffered significant property loss or damage from natural disasters.
The need will be great: Approximately 6,000 postal employees lived in areas affected by the hurricane. Eleven days after the storm, 2,000 workers still had not contacted the USPS to report their whereabouts.
To donate to the fund, please make checks or money orders payable to PERF and mail them to PO Box 34422, Washington, DC 20043-4422. Donations also can be made via credit card on the organization’s Web site, www.postalrelief.com. The Postal Service announced Sept. 7 that it will make a $250,000 contribution.
Union members who want to do more than “just write a check” are encouraged to solicit contributions from their co-workers.
The union is also coordinating an effort to match postal families that need temporary housing with postal workers who can accommodate them. People who wish to volunteer their time or other services should contact their local Red Cross or the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Because of the logistical problems associated with storing, sorting, transporting, and distributing goods, these organizations have indicated that volunteers should not collect or send supplies.
The APWU Web site, www.apwu.org, has been providing frequent updates with information for postal victims of the hurricane as well as ways union members can help.
Displaced workers have been asked to call the USPS at 1-877-477-3273 to provide contact information. Administrative leave continues for affected employees in some locations until further notice. Workers are advised to continue to check the status of their work location by calling 1-888-363-7462. Eleven days after the storm, more than 100 post offices were still closed or “have ceased to exist,” and almost 200 were offering only partial services.
“We are deeply saddened by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina,” said union President William Burrus. “APWU members and other postal workers have responded to the hurricane with an outpouring of offers of support and donations. We thank each and every member who has contributed to the relief effort – but a great deal remains to be done.”
Members Housing Members
by William Burrus, President APWU
Efforts are under way to find temporary housing for APWU members and other postal employees who have been displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
APWU Human Relations Director Sue Carney is compiling a list of APWU members and postal workers near disaster and shelter areas who are willing to open their homes for this purpose. The effort is being coordinated with Southern Regional Coordinator Frankie Sanders.
Individuals who are willing to volunteer should call (202) 842-4271. Please be prepared to provide contact information, your APWU local, the number of adults and children you can house, and for how long.
Union Meeting Scheduled
for September 24th
by Dennis Enderson, President
The next regular membership meeting is scheduled to begin at the union office at 9:00 AM on Saturday, September 24, 2005. Please mark your calendar now and plan to attend.
Get Well Soon Wishes to Charlie Fedor
by Dennis Enderson, President
Brother Charlie Fedor is a long time member and activist in the Denver Metro APWU. For many years, Charlie has volunteered to keep our bulletin boards updated and to pass out union news bulletins at the Denver GMF. We have learned that Charlie is recuperating from a serious personal illness. All of us send our best wishes to Charlie for a speedy recovery. Get well soon Charlie! We need you back!
Delegates to Attend
Colorado AFL-CIO Convention
by Dennis Enderson, President
Beginning Friday, September 16, 2005, seven delegates from the Denver Metro APWU will attend the Colorado AFL-CIO Convention in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Our delegates are Dennis Enderson, Gary Scott, Paul Pearman, John Ancona, Tina Desautels, Joe Quintana and Steve Claeson. One vital issue to be considered is the adoption of a proposal to establish an assessment of fifty cents per member per month to cover an enormous shortfall in the budget caused by the departure of several large unions from the AFL-CIO. SEIU, the Teamsters and UFCW were three of the largest unions in the AFL-CIO, representing over a third of all affiliated members in the federation.
While we agree with some of the reforms wanted by these large unions, we deplore their decision to break away from the house of labor. The strength of organized labor is derived from unity. It is impossible to build up the labor movement by tearing it apart.
Needless to say, these large unions took their affiliate fees with them when they departed, decimating the AFL-CIO’s budget at a time when we need resources more than ever. Even though the proposed assessment will take a large bite out of our local budget at a time when we are trying to control expenditures, I will never turn my back on the union movement in a time of need. Our delegation will support the proposed assessment and encourage other unions to do the same. I hope someday our sisters and brothers in the wayward unions will come to their senses and return home to the House of Labor where they belong.
/rb
opeiu #5
afl-cio
