Susan Kaminitz Resigns as
Assistant Clerk Craft Director
by Dennis Enderson, President
Susan Kaminitz has announced she is resigning from her position as the Assistant Clerk Craft Director of the Denver Metro Area Local APWU. In accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws, the Recording Secretary will post notices requesting applications from individuals interested in applying to fill this officer vacancy. We thank Susan for her service to the membership and wish her well in the future.
Denver Metro APWU
Remains Strongly Organized
by Dennis Enderson, President
We are pleased to report that the Denver Metro Area Local APWU remains one of the best-organized large locals in our union. Our overall percentage of membership stands at 82%. At the end of calendar year 2005, our total membership was at 2255, with 1802 Clerks, 306 Maintenance Craft employees, 145 Motor Vehicle Craft employees, 1 Mailhandler Craft employee and 1 active retiree (paying full dues). Our non-member level stands at 501, which includes 387 Clerks, 83 Maintenance Craft employees, and 31 Motor Vehicle Craft employees. Our most recent organizing drives have been highly successful, and have been instrumental in helping us to achieve these excellent results. However, 501 non-members are far too many, and we must continue to work towards a 100% organized local.
Please remember that we have an ongoing and continuous policy of paying a $100 new member sign-up bonus to any member who recruits a new member into the Denver Metro Area Local APWU. (Such new member’s name must appear on the latest non-member list and would not normally be a newly hired employee to qualify the recruiter for the $100 bonus.) To claim your new member sign-up bonus, just write your name as the recruiter at the top of the new member’s Form 1187,which is used to join the APWU. Blank Form 1187/s and the latest non-member lists are available from your steward, or from the union office by contact us at 303-365-1524. Please step up and help us to remain strong by signing up a non-member today! It’s your future you will be helping to protect!
Even the USPS Doesn’t Blame This One on Us
Burrus Update #02-06, Jan. 10, 2006 – by William Burrus, President
Effective Jan. 8, 2006, postage rates were increased 5.4 percent, changing the first-class rate from 37 cents to 39 cents for a single, one-ounce letter. This means it will now cost the average American citizen 2 cents more to pay their gas bills, send birthday cards, and make mortgage payments. Unlike previous rate increases, this price hike is not related to increases in USPS operational costs: It is not the result of increased energy costs for the largest vehicle fleet in the country, or increased costs for health benefits, or improved employee wages. Even the Postal Service doesn’t blame this rate increase on the workers!
This rate increase is the direct result of the actions — or inaction — of Congress and President Bush. In 2002, a review by the Treasury Department revealed that the Postal Service was overpaying into the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), and that if the payments continued, the USPS would over-fund the government pension program by more than $70 billion. However, instead of permitting the Postal Service to reduce payments to the fund, Congress required the USPS, beginning this year, to place the annual $3.1 billion payment in an escrow account that would be unavailable to pay general operating expenses.
Postal Reform legislation is pending that would release this $3.1 escrow payment and permit the Postal Service to use the funds to pay for increased operational costs, but legislative activity has stalled because the president has indicated that he will veto any legislation that returns control of this money to the Postal Service. This rate increase is solely for the purpose of replacing the $3.1 billion currently held hostage and unavailable to be used to cover increased postal costs.
Tina Desautels Elected President
Of the Boulder Area Labor Council
by Dennis Enderson, President
We are very pleased to announce that our very own Political Director Tina Desautels, has been elected as the new President of the Boulder Area Labor Council. Tina was unanimously elected at the BALC’s meeting on January 17, 2005, and replaces former president Herman Romero, who has chosen to retire from this position after many years of excellent service to the labor movement. The Boulder Area Labor Council is one of several Central Labor Councils in the state of Colorado that serve as the voice of numerous AFL-CIO affiliated locals within various areas of jurisdiction. As president of the BALC, Tina will be speaking for AFL-CIO employees in many industries, not just the Postal Service. We are very proud that one of our own will now serve in this prestigious position, and we look forward to working with her in her new role. Tina will remain as a field representative for our local and will continue to serve as our Political Director as well.
Plans Underway for 2006 Membership Picnic
by Dennis Enderson, President
At our regular meeting on Friday, January 20, 2006, the Denver Metro Area Local APWU Executive Board decided that we will go forward with plans for a Membership Appreciation Picnic in 2006. Maintenance Craft Director Miguel Salazar has graciously volunteered to head up a committee that will plan and put on the picnic. With an eye on the budget, this year’s picnic will emphasize the participation of volunteers and will minimize the need for hiring outside companies. A specific date and location for the picnic should be selected very soon, and we will share this information with our membership as soon as it becomes available. We are very excited about the plans Miguel has shared with us and very optimistic that this year’s Membership Picnic will be one of our best ever. Please watch future news bulletins for announcements and plan to attend this year’s picnic along with your family members!
Clerk Craft Upgrades Will Have Ripple Effect
APWU Web News Article #03-06, Jan. 12, 2006
Upgrades to take place in March that affect Bulk Mail Clerks (and 13 other positions) also may be significant to other APWU-represented workers. Because Sales and Services Associates (SSAs) and Sales, Services and Distribution Associates (SSDAs) who handle bulk mail will be performing higher-level work when they accept and verify business mailings, the union has negotiated an agreement to make sure they are compensated at a higher rate during times when they take on such duties.
The Postal Service and the APWU have agreed to a series of Questions and Answers about how to apply the National Agreement after the March 18, 2006, upgrades. The parties hope to preclude grievances over higher-level work assignments by establishing “mixed-duty” assignments with work in two separate pay levels.
The upgrades from were part of last August’s one-year extension to the Collective Bargaining Agreement. This means that none of the incumbents who hold duty assignments under these position descriptions will have their assignments reposted. Bulk Mail Clerks, Air Records Processors, Time and Attendance Clerks will be upgraded from PS-5 to PS-6; Ramp Clerks will become Level 7. The Q&A was signed on Jan. 3, and establishes that any employee who performs the duties of bulk-mail acceptance must be compensated at the Level 6 rate.
It’s An Election Year!
by Dennis Enderson, President
Believe it or not, 2006 is a federal and state election year! Every single seat in the United States House of Representatives and a third of the seats in the United States Senate are up for grabs. In Colorado, we will have a governor’s election, along with elections for seats in both the State House and Senate. We are now ramping up our efforts for our local voter registration, voter education and Get Out the Vote drives. We have updated our local database to identify our unregistered members. We will soon begin sending out voter registration forms and vote by mail applications to our membership. We will also start providing you with information that will help you to understand which candidates will best represent your interests if elected to office. We will once again ask you to support these labor-endorsed candidates, and vote for them this November. Please be ready to respond to our calls for help in this vital election year. We are counting on the power of our unity to protect our future!
Moe Biller Scholarship Applications Reminder
by Dennis Enderson, President
We hope you saved your last copy of the Mountaineer. In this issue we published the rules and the form needed to apply for one of our five $500 Moe Biller Scholarship awards. Applications will be accepted until May 31, 2006. If you lost your Mountaineer, please contact the union office at 303-365-1524 to request a copy of the rules and blank application form. Last year we received only a few applications. Please make sure that you or your immediate family member submits an application this year or the program may be discontinued. Don’t delay! Get your applications in right away!
New Steward Apprentices Appointed
by Dennis Enderson, President
At our regular meeting on Friday, January 20, 2006, the Executive Board approved the appointments of three new steward apprentices. These individuals are Brenda Dreith (Clerk Craft – Denver GMF – Tour 3), Tim Feuerstein (MVS Craft – Main VMF – Tour 2), and Tim Diguglielmo (Maintenance Craft – Denver MPA – Tour 2). These new stewards will serve a minimum 90-day apprenticeship, after which the Executive Board will evaluate them for possible final appointment as stewards. If you meet one of these new stewards, please thank them for stepping up to offer their services to our membership!
Union Meeting Reminder
by Dennis Enderson, President
Our next regular Membership Meeting will begin at the union hall at 9:00 AM on Saturday, January 28, 2006. At this important meeting we will review and vote upon our proposed 2006 operating budget. We will also accept nominations to serve as delegates for the 2006 APWU National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Food will be served. We urge you to attend this meeting and make your voice count!
Denver GMF Steward Room Renovated
by Dennis Enderson, President
We have recently completed a renovation project on our union steward office at the Denver General Mail Facility. While many individuals deserve credit for helping out with this successful and much needed facelift, special thanks go to Maintenance Craft Director Miguel Salazar and Sergeant at Arms Bobby Rollins for volunteering to plan and coordinate this project.
Staffing Restructured at
Denver Downtown Station
by Dennis Enderson, President
Management has decided to restructure staffing at the Denver Downtown Station. This situation is being caused by a management decision to shorten the hours due to a lack of customer traffic. We are doing everything in our power to minimize adverse impacts on bargaining unit employees. Our thanks go to Field Coordinator Chris Arellano for spearheading our efforts to protect the rights of our members. We will soon meet with impacted employees to discuss the changes that will occur.
Local Investigating
Acid Spill at Northglenn Station
by Dennis Enderson, President
Several weeks ago, an acid spill on the dock at Northglenn Station caused potentially serious health problems for several Motor Vehicle Craft employees who were exposed to toxic fumes. There are serious questions about whether management took proper actions to protect the health and safety of these employees. It is our understanding that an Area level investigation is underway to determine whether corrective actions need to be taken. We will carefully monitor this process to ensure that the contract is followed to the maximum possible extent. Western Area APWU Safety and Health Coordinator Rick Romero is overseeing the union’s efforts to follow up on this serious event. We will do our best to ensure that no APWU employee is exposed to any unnecessary hazards at work.
After 14 Years of Struggle,
A Major Accomplishment
Burrus Update #01-06, Jan. 9, 2006 – by William Burrus, President
In a major victory for the APWU, the use of Transitional Employees has been terminated in all postal facilities except REC sites, effective Dec. 31, 2005. Arbitrator Richard Mittenthall awarded the Postal Service the authority to hire Transitional Employees (TEs) in a decision issued June 12, 1991, “to fill anticipated impacted positions as a result of automation.” The ruling was a significant blow to the union’s goal of achieving an all-career, all-regular work force. During the arbitration proceedings for the 1990 Collective Bargaining Agreement, management had argued that temporary employees were needed for a short period during the USPS transition from mechanized equipment to automation. But TEs remained on the rolls long after automation was in place. Beginning in the early 1990s, thousands of TEs were hired to fill vacancies caused by attrition and positions that were slated for abolishment once automated equipment was deployed.
Despite our best efforts, TEs were denied the most basic rights that career employees often take for granted: Because they were ineligible for cost-of-living raises, their wages lagged behind those of career employees. The APWU fought long and hard simply to win protection for TEs against unjustified discipline. The USPS made no contribution to health insurance, making such benefits prohibitively expensive. The number of Transitional Employees ranged from a high of 24,000 in 1992 and 1993 to a low of 4,000 in years 2002 through 2005. The use of these non-career employees also caused hardship for the career workforce: As a result of the use of TEs, career employees were often denied the opportunity to work overtime during periods of peak volume; full-time employees were deprived of the opportunity to bid on vacant positions, and part-time flexible employees were denied the opportunity to be converted to regular.
After 14 years of struggle, as a result of provisions of the 2000 Collective Bargaining Agreement, the category of Transitional Employee has been terminated for use in all postal facilities with the exception of Remote Encoding Center (REC) Sites, effective Dec. 31, 2005. (The use of REC TEs is covered under a separate agreement.) Local presidents are encouraged to review local staffing compliments to ensure that all Transitional Employees at non-REC sites have been terminated or converted to career or casual status. After years of struggle, this is an important achievement for the American Postal Workers Union.
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