Don’t Let Anti-Labor Politicians Stop You From Voting:

Guffey to Union Members:
Don’t Let Anti-Labor Politicians Stop You From Voting

APWU News Bulletin 08-2011, April 28, 2011 | PDF

Some very powerful politicians have set their sights on postal employees, APWU President Cliff Guffey has warned, and union members must respond decisively.

“Anti-labor members of Congress have said the union’s tentative Collective Bargaining Agreement [PDF - members only] is too favorable to workers,” the union president noted. “They favor contracting out virtually all of our jobs.

[download flyer - PDF] | [order copies]

“I have a simple response,” he said. “I encourage every APWU member to get actively involved in union affairs — and to start by voting on ratification of the tentative Collective Bargaining Agreement. We also must get much more involved in the legislative arena.

“Don’t let these naysayers discourage you from voting.”

At an April 5 hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) and other Republicans repeatedly criticized Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe and members of the USPS Board of Governors for agreeing to the union’s demand during negotiations to retain protection against layoffs. They also said the Postal Service needed more freedom to close postal facilities and cut the workforce.

“This is an attack on our collective bargaining rights,” Guffey said. “The APWU and the Postal Service reached an agreement that would benefit both sides — and now anti-union legislators are attempting to undermine it.”

More Attacks

Influential lawmakers are also proposing legislation that would weaken postal unions by changing our bargaining process, Guffey pointed out. A bill sponsored by Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) to ease the USPS financial crisis also would require arbitrators to “consider the financial health” of the USPS when contract negotiations reach an impasse. Although the bill (S. 353 [PDF]) has some beneficial provisions, it would give management an unfair advantage in bargaining.

“With governors and state legislatures across the country chipping away at the rights of teachers, nurses, and firefighters to engage in collective bargaining, this issue should not be taken lightly,” Guffey cautioned.

In addition, on March 28, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) introduced an amendment to S. 493, a bill to reauthorize small-business programs, that would dramatically increase the cost of health and life insurance premiums for postal employees, and that would void provisions of the Tentative Agreement. The amendment would set postal contributions to health and life insurance coverage at the same rate other federal employees pay, increasing postal workers’ contributions substantially.

In addition to McCain’s amendment, Sens. Tom Coburn (R-OK) and Richard Burr (R-NC) introduced a bill that would deny federal workers hired after 2012 the right to participate in the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). If approved, S. 644 [PDF] would end the defined benefits portion of the FERS program and leave in place only the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). It also would reduce the employers’ pension contributions, and force employees to pay more toward their retirement benefits.

Good News

Fortunately, pro-worker lawmakers also have introduced legislation to help solve the Postal Service’s financial problems, Guffey said. Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) has submitted H.R. 1351 [PDF], which would correct the methodology used by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for computing the Postal Service’s pension liabilities. An improper funding formula has led to USPS overpayments into the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) of more than $50 billion and overpayments into the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) of approximately $7 billion.

“I urge APWU members to contact their U.S. representatives and ask them to co-sponsor this important bill,” Guffey said.

“APWU members cannot afford to sit back and watch while others determine our future,” Guffey said. “Every member must get involved.”

[more contract news]

A terrible proposal:

from NALC Activist Alert:

““Average citizens and small businesses would be hit the hardest. This sounds remarkably similar to paying automotive industry and bank executives huge salaries and inflated bonuses while the men and women on the street struggle.” Dave Sherman of MetroWNY

“As the battle to save the Postal Service continues in the halls of congress, one thing has remained clear: The battle to save six-day  mail delivery service will be at the center of the conversation.

Despite the Postal Regulatory Commission’s report discrediting the amount of money the Postal Service thinks it might save by reducing delivery frequency, some members of Congress and the Postmaster General seem intent on heading in that direction anyway…”

READ MORE

Community Shred-It Day:

This coming Saturday, April 23rd, Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana, Goodwill Industries, Shred-It Mobil Paper Shredding and Recycling along with the Carmel, Lawrence, Greenwood, Indianapolis Metropolitan, Speedway Police Departments and the Boone County Sheriff's Office are hosting Community Shred-It Day, from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

The specific places to take your personal documents for shredding, computers and electronics for recycling and prescription medications for disposal:

Getting rid of all of these items in one quick stop would be a good start to your Spring Cleaning.

Thanks and have a great day.

courtesy of S. Gordon

Continued Right Wing Attack on Postal and Federal Workers:

from APWU:

Tax Delinquent Bill Aimed at Federal Workers
Passes House Oversight and Government Reform Committee

APWU Web News Article 045-2011, April 15, 2011

Anti-labor legislators are endorsing another measure aimed at federal employees — including postal workers. On April 13, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, led by Chairman Darryl Issa (R-CA), approved The Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2011 [PDF], which would require the Postal Service and other federal agencies to terminate any employee who is delinquent in his or her federal taxes.

The bill would exempt workers on active military duty and employees who are making a “good faith” effort to pay their taxes.

Support for the bill, which was introduced by Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) on Feb. 28, was split along party lines. Democratic representatives deemed the measure unnecessary, as existing laws allow for garnishment procedures in cases of unpaid taxes. They also pointed out that terminating delinquent employees would be counterproductive, because it would deny the government any real opportunity to collect taxes from fired workers.

Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL) offered an amendment that would have excluded postal workers from the measure because they are not paid with tax dollars. He also argued that any actions taken against postal workers would be subject to their collective bargaining process. Those arguments fell on deaf ears and the amendment was defeated by Republicans on the committee.

The only concession was the adoption of an amendment that would require a waiting period before the termination process begins. The delay would give employees the opportunity to pay the delinquent taxes or challenge the liability. Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) offered an amendment calling for a 90-day waiting period, but the committee settled on 60 days.

Despite acknowledgement by both parties that more than 96 percent of current federal and postal employees pay their taxes on time, the bill will now go before the full House for a vote. A companion bill, S. 376, has been introduced in the Senate by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) and has been referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Government Reform.

2011 Local Elections Polls and Results:

The ‘Polls’ were unscientific and just for fun.

Not OFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS!!!!
I am out of the country and do not have secure access to information, these vote results are based on what was sent to me but I understand there has been a lot of ‘drama’ over the vote count and some challenges may be pending.

Participation was light but here are the cumulative results after three weeks with the change from week 2 to week 3: 

President:	Wk 2	Change Week 1 to 2	Wk 3	Change Week 2 to 3	Actual Vote
MacLawrence Ford	0%	Change 0%	34%	+34%	138 24%
Latonia Smith	0%	Change 0%	5%	+5%	74 12%
David Whitaker	66%	Change –9%	39%	-27%	131 22$
William Wright	33%	Change +8%	21%	-12%	229 40%
Vice President:	Wk 2	Change Week 1 to 2	Wk 3	Change Week 2 to 3	Actual Vote
Staci Williams	17%	Change -17%	47%	+30%	220 41%
Steve Vaughn	83%	Change -17%	52%	-31%	323 59%
Secretary Treasurer:	Wk 2	Change Week 1 to 2	Wk 3	Change Week 2 to 3	Actual Vote
Martha Foote	50%	Change 0%	23%	-27%	160 28%
John Guthrie	0%	Change 0%	42%	+42%	145 26%
Helen Scott	0%	Change 0%	0%	0%	11 1%
Nancy Helms	33%	Change +8%	14%	-19%	138 24%
Jeffrey Offutt	17%	Change –8%	19%	+2%	103 18%
Membership Coordinator:	Wk 2	Change Week 1 to 2	Wk 3	Change Week 2 to 3	Actual Vote
Charlotte Hiatt	0%	Change 0%	50%	+50%	181 54%
Loretta Maydwell	100%	Change 0%	50%	-50%	352 66%
Recording Secretary:	Wk 2	Change Week 1 to 2	Wk 3	Change Week 2 to 3	Actual Vote
Kathy Woods	60%	Change –15%	26%	-34%	252 48%
Janine Yowell	40%	Change +15%	73%	+33%	272 52%
Maintenance Craft Director:	Wk 2	Change Week 1 to 2	Wk 3	Change Week 2 to 3	Actual Vote
John Mike Hale	83%	Change +8%	45%	-38%	113 87%
Larry Robinson	17%	Change –8%	55%	+38%	16 13%
MVS Craft Director:	Wk 2	Change Week 1 to 2	Wk 3	Change Week 1 to 2	Actual Vote
Gregg Jones	80%	Change +14%	57%	-23%	45 69%
Glenn Woods	20%	Change –14%	43%	+23%	20 31%
Assistant Clerk Craft Director:	Wk 2	Change Week 1 to 2	Wk 3	Change Week 1 to 2	Actual Vote
Diane Coleman	50%	Change +17%	20%	-30%	149 46%
Vickie Crouse	50%	Change –17%	80%	+30%	176 54%
Sergeant @ Arms:	Wk 2	Change Week 1 to 2	Wk 3	Change Week 1 to 2	Actual Vote
Chantel Beckwith	83%	Change +8%	38%	-45%	219 44%
Charles Jamison	17%	Change  -8%	62%	+45%	280 56%
Trustee:					Actual Vote
Charles Finney	-----------	--------------------	---------------	------------------	147
Vincent Norris	-----------	--------------------	---------------	------------------	191
Don Packwood	-----------	--------------------	---------------	------------------	326
N.K. Balahushna “Kush”	-----------	--------------------	---------------	------------------	255
Linda Daniels	-----------	--------------------	---------------	------------------	271

 

Candidate	National	Position	State	Position
Loretta Maydwell	294	1	241	1
Helen Scott	49	38	54	37
N.K. Balakushna “Kush”	200	10	191	13
Tony “Superman” Moore	134	23	124	22
Greg Jones	124	25	119	25
Eddie Beaver	214	7	210	7
Janine M. Yowell	214	7	205	8
Big John Guthrie	206	9	199	10
Rebecca LaFeber	36	36	52	39
Vincent Norris	135	21	140	21
Latonia Smith	183	17	181	15
Staci L. Williams	194	13	178	17
Charles E. Finney	72	32	61	36
William Wright W.W.	258	2	238	2
Don Packwood	225	6	217	6
Vickie Crouse	123	26	119	25
David Whitaker	254	3	238	2
Julie Alums	85	31	91	31
Jeffrey “Bull” Offutt	183	17	169	19
Larry Robinson	66	35	78	32
Diana Coleman	104	29	108	28
Charles Jemison	133	24	123	23
Martha Foote	195	12	197	11
D.D. “Moody”	72	32	71	33
Glenn Littrell	173	19	177	18
Kathy Woods	199	11	201	9
Lorenza R. Tucker	72	32	67	34
Roy L. Barnett Jr.	39	39	53	38
Glenn Woods	105	28	108	28
Chantel L. Beckwith	121	27	111	27
Nancy Helms	184	16	196	12
Robin Miles	93	30	94	30
Linda Daniels	135	21	123	23
Trina Y. Webb	58	37	65	35
John “Mike” Hale	147	20	152	20
MacLawrence Ford	188	14	180	16
Stevie “Ray” Vaughn	235	4	233	4
Debra Gilbert	226	5	224	5
Charlotte Hiatt	187	15	182	14

www.postal-indy.com

www.postal-indy.com

The Attack on Middle Class/Working Class America Continues:

The attacks didn’t start with state workers across the country… the right wing anti-worker, anti-union/pro-corporate, campaign has been ongoing for years. Facing a potential stalemate in a divided Congress the emphasis shifted from Postal Workers and large private sector unions to waging war on the middle class working family by attacking public service employees. This shift however is not a change in the anti-working family agenda of the right-wing conservative it is just a broadening of the frontal assault that was brought on by inflated Tea Party victories of the 2010 elections.

The right-wing conservative members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform have focused their sites, as promised, on attacking the biggest public service workforce of them all, Postal Workers. [see links and video below]

It is estimated that about 40% of APWU members are more conservative than liberal [the figure is higher when you factor in non-members [free-loaders]]. It is this group that is slowest to acknowledge the threat to their jobs and tend to ignore the right-wing attacks on their jobs. They tend to feel that those attacks are directed towards their co-workers, not them, or they feel comfortable that their seniority will protect them. What they fail to realize is that Wisconsin working families also didn’t think the right-wing attacks were directed at them individually and they also felt their seniority would protect them too. Now they know better.

Wisconsin workers now realize that they have been voting against their best interest by supporting candidates who only give lip service to family values issues every election, but give true service to a pro-corporate agenda that finances their political campaigns. In several of the states that worker rights are under attack there have been some  type of pro-corporate tax cut or tax subsidies for high income individuals or corporation. How did they go from their ‘create jobs’ campaign during the election to their ‘job destruction’ agenda across the country? The events of the last six months in Wisconsin has highlighted that working class America, middle class America, family values America, union families and unemployed working families are not distinct groups, but are overlapping, entwined and inseparable from the fabric of our society. These realizations should not be lost on Postal Workers, liberal as well as conservative, because the fight against the working class is not going to be limited to your co-worker or state employees.

The attacks on postal workers continue now with House hearings attacking our recently negotiated contract. If these attacks are successful or the membership votes down this contract is anyone foolish enough to think we are going to get a better deal? Even with its flaws the first reaction of most Postal Workers was to wipe the sweat from their forehead and breath a sigh of relief that there weren’t facing give backs or pending arbitration.

During World War II it was the working class that fought the war and built the war machines. Following the war it was the working families that expanded our infrastructure and fought the Korean War. This working class, the working families, their unions and the GI Bill is what built the American middle class following the depression. It wasn’t the middle class that caused the Great Depression anymore than it was the middle class that caused the current ‘Great Recession’. It was Wall Street and Corporate greed that caused both. It is time that we realize that the pro-corporate mantra that ‘What is good for business is good for America’ is a fallacies and adopt the more proven observation that what is good for the working family is good for America. Business has and will always take care of itself.

GlennDL

If there is any doubt that right-wing conservatives are pro-privatization, anti-union, anti federal worker and specifically anti-Postal Workers then check out these articles from this website and others:  NEW EXAMPLE… FOXNews-Phony Bailout Headline

• Rachel Maddow: “This little ‘Republicans hate the post office’ hearing”
• They’re coming to take you away, ha, ha: Your job that is.
• Congressman’s Call for Concessions Should Drive Postal Workers to the Polls
• Another anti-postal worker rant from the right
• Your Job Security Under Attack!
• Will Postal Workers Be Among The First ‘To Feel The Wrath’?
• “Economist” who predicted Dow 36,000 tries his hand at postal finances
• The Real Facts and Figures Behind the Postal Service. 
• The History of Postal Privatization And How It Works

As we see the attacks on and the damage done to state level workers play out, Postal Workers should consider the words of Pastor Martin Neilmoller:

They’ve attacked everyone who disagrees with them as ‘socialist’, now their attacking state public servants and unions, and we’ve heard their plans for postal & federal workers. When will you realize that you are not exempt from their list of transgressors just because you think you’re one of them.

They aren’t Nazi’s or Fascist and this isn’t pre-war Germany, but the tactics are similar and proven. Divide and conquer use fear and hate to push their anti-worker agenda. Stand-up speak-out before its too late.

Local’s 2011 tri-annual election

We are only a few days away from the end of the Local’s 2011 tri-annual election. This Friday morning the votes will be counted and the winners announce. The next day will be our April General Membership meeting and installation of officers.

It is important that win or loose everyone remain involved in the workings of this Local. Too often losers disappear for three years and then return to ‘save the union!’ Loosing the election is no reason to abandon the Local for three years, it only puts us in another 3 year deeper hole.

While I will be leaving for Florida on Friday and will miss the meeting I hope everyone will consider some [3] items in the wake of some of the rhetoric and attacks that have been made this last month. The first step towards transparency is openness.

During this election Executive Board members, and other Candidates, have posted publicly; the minutes of Executive Board meetings, minutes of General Membership meetings, Budget Reports, Audit reports, etc., etc.  For years the same members have promoted a cloak of restraint on the dissemination of information to the membership for fear that non-members and management might witness it. The argument has always been moot because the cloak of restraint has only guaranteed that management and non-members would get the information faster than dues paying members. Now the argument is meaningless as it seems to apply only until a self-serving purpose can be found to ignore it.

So in light of the taboos that have been broken let us cast them aside as archaic and self defeating. Let’s do this by considering these policy changes immediately:

• End Closed Door E-Board Meetings: It is common practice for unions to conduct E-Board meetings in an open environment [for example the Central Indiana Labor Council does so]. Nowhere does our constitution allow closed meetings. The size of our meeting room with the room dividers [installed but never used] could allow for open meetings. Members could observe only, not participate. The E-Board could adjourn tot the conference room for personal matters to be discussed with a time limit.
  Executive Board members need to realize that the days of walking through the conference room door for the first meeting of a new 3 year cycle and transforming into a loyal, status quo E-Board Member has got to stop. Elected positions are leadership positions, not follow the leader positions. You are elected and not appointed because you are supposed to be independent, representing your members, not the President or the E-Board. The President can assign some additional duties as per the Constitution, but he can not remove duties or define your job as an elected officer. Keep your steward job and the duties assigned to you by the president separate from the duties, job, you were elected to do.
• Make E-Board meeting minutes available with the General Membership meeting minutes. There is no Robert Rules or Constitutional justification for not doing this.
   
• Whenever possible require all motions for the spending of money be submitted in writing at the beginning of meetings with a break down of expenditures

In the coming months I intend to pursue the above changes, if anyone is interested in helping me, or supporting the ideals at a meeting let me know.

The code of secrecy has to stop. Much of the problems highlighted in this election could not have happened without the complacency of everyone on the E-Board. Standing in solidarity with someone means your standing against someone. Together as an E-Board equals against who? The membership, dissenters? Solidarity applied to small groups is a conspiracy. Solidarity is a broad principle, the broader the principle the stronger, thus ‘solidarity’. If the E-Board debates a benign issue, such as the color of t-shirts for an event it is OK to say ‘lets present a unified front when we leave the meeting’. That’s fine but: a] it must be voluntary and b] if the issue is following the constitution or spending union money every E-Board member is obligated to continue the debate on the floor of the General Membership meeting.

GlennDL

Where’s The Funding:

  "In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

I'm excited to tell you that yesterday over 1,000 actions took place not only around the country but around the world in remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his assassination 43 years ago. We were able to talk about his role in the Memphis sanitation workers' strike and unionization campaign and how he viewed unions as a path way to a true democracy. It was with this thought, honor, and respect that we fought to keep progressing the struggle for social and economic justice moving forward yesterday. SLAP, Jobs with Justice and United States Student Association took part in over 50 of the actions yesterday, ranging from rallies to teach-ins held on campuses.

In Philadelphia: Over 1,000 community members, faith, students, young people and workers came out to rally in solidarity with the labor movement and battles happening around the country.
In Ann Arbor: At the University of Michigan, hundreds of students covered the campus as they demanded the right to an affordable and accessible education and demanded that our communities be run by us, not corporations.
In Atlanta: Hundreds of workers, students, young people, faith and community came out to a march and rally to stand against the attacks being launched on our communities that included MLK III as a speaker.

These actions did not go unheard, either. The New York Times uplifted USSA's role in an article re-capping the actions and explaining Martin Luther King, Jr.'s role in the day of action.

But the fight is just beginning - and we have more to say. Today SLAP is proud to be participating in a national teach-in lead by Francis Fox Piven and Cornel West called: "Fight Back USA!" that will discuss austerity, debt, and corporate greed and how we as young people can fight back. You can tune into the national broadcast that will be online from 2-3:30 EST and then there nearly 225 local teach-ins scheduled.

And after today more will be happening. The United States Student Association Board of Directors, composed of students from around the country, have declared April a month of action. We will be fighting every day to make higher education a priority, workers' rights mandatory and scale back the corporate greed that is trying to take over our country.

It is in this struggle that all members of our communities - elderly and young, working and unemployed - share the same interests. The fight happening right now is simply "public need verses corporate greed." It is time for us to set our priorities as neighborhoods, communities, cities, states and a country.

In Solidarity,
Chris Hicks
Student Labor Action Project Coordinator

The Results From The 2nd Straw Poll On The 2011 Local Elections Are In:

Unscientific and just for fun.

Participation is still light but here are the cumulative results after two weeks with the change from week 1 to week 2:

President:

• MacLawrence Ford  0%     Change 0%
• Latonia Smith          0%    Change 0%
• David Whitaker      66%    Change –9%
• William Wright      33%    Change +8%

Vice President:

• Staci Williams        17%   Change +17%
• Steve Vaughn         83%   Change  -17%

Secretary Treasurer:

• Martha Foote                      50%     Change 0%
• John Guthrie                         0%      Change 0%
• Helen Scott                          0%      Change 0%
• Nancy Helms                      33%    Change +8%
• Jeffrey Offutt                       17%     Change –8%

Membership Coordinator:

• Charlotte Hiatt          0%   Change 0%
• Loretta Maydwell   100%   Change 0%

Recording Secretary:

• Kathy Woods        60%   Change –15%
• Janine Yowell        40%   Change +15%

Maintenance Craft Director:

• John Mike Hale       83%   Change +8%
• Larry Robinson       17%    Change –8%

MVS Craft Director:

• Gregg Jones          80%  Change +14%
• Glenn Woods        20%  Change –14%

Assistant Clerk Craft Director:

• Diane Coleman    50%  Change +17%
• Vickie Crouse      50%  Change –17%

Sergeant @ Arms:

• Chantel Beckwith       83%   Change +8%
• Charles Jamison        17%   Change  -8%

The new pole starts now click here

Value of Unions:

from starrpress.com

In Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania and a host of other states including Indiana, Republican politicians and the corporate interests who own their souls are trying once again to destroy the few remaining effective labor unions.

Their so-called "right-to-work" propaganda has eaten away public support for labor organizations in the same way the Colorado River over the ages has cut the Grand Canyon.

But here are some of the consequences as revealed by a study conducted by the Urban Economic Development Center and written in a New York Times article by Karen Garcia: "In one week 26 percent (of workers surveyed) were paid less than minimum wage; 73 percent were denied overtime compensation for extra hours worked; 19 percent were not paid at all for extra work; 17 percent were required under threat of dismissal to work 'off the clock' for no pay at all; 18 percent were denied meal breaks; 11 percent suffered mealtime interruptions by employers or supervisors; 12 percent worked through their meal breaks; 4 percent were paid late; 57 percent got no pay stubs, and 20 percent had their pay illegally docked."

These are just some of the ways in which employees not protected by strong unions can be and are abused by their bosses.

Garcia goes on to say, "Forget the president, forget the state and national governments. The only people willing to stand up for poor people are their fellows."

Remember this the next time you get a chance to vote.

Indianapolis Area Local Monthly Meeting:

Membership Meeting & Installation of Officers.

Counting of Ballots on Friday:
4-8-11
Installation of Officers:
4-9-11

Election Ballots Due: Friday, April 8, by 8AM [by mail only]

Members can observe the ballot count at the union hall on Friday morning. The ballots are picked up, by the election committee, at 8AM. They are brought to the Union Hall and counted by machine in full view of the membership present. The process isn’t that long so if you want to attend feel free to do so.

“IT WAS DETERMINED AT THE MARCH GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING THAT SOHO’s SOLUTION TO THE ORIGINAL BALLOT/PRINTING ERROR WAS NOT ADEQUATE. ….SOHO was instructed to void all ballots and redo the ballots from scratch with a new mailing and new dates for returning the ballots. …the new ballots will …must be returned by [by mail] 8am, Friday, April 8, 2011:”