The upcoming State Convention for 2023
will be hosted by Sacramento Area Local 0066
and is set for MAY 20th - 21st

The Times Are a Changing

This isn’t your Grandma’s Post Office anymore. When I began my postal career, there was plenty

of letter mail and very few packages. We had a lot more clerks than we did mail handlers. Now

the Postal Service is moving to a parcel processing business model. We can’t turn back the hands

of time so we need to adapt and fight for our survival. The Postal Service is under attack from

outside companies as well as from within from the Postmaster General, Louis DeJoy. DeJoy

has destroyed mail delivery standards. In today’s world of instant gratification, who wants to

wait 5-10 days for a first-class letter to arrive? That is exactly what Postmaster General Louis

DeJoy is doing to the United States Postal Service and the publics mail. We need to work with

Congress to fire Postmaster General DeJoy. The next time the APWU asks you to call or write

your Congressional representatives, please do it.

State Convention

The California State Convention was well attended and a huge success. We were joined by

President Mark Dimondstein, Vice President Debby Szeredy, Secretary-Treasurer Liz Powell,

Clerk Division Director Lamont Brooks, Industrial Relations Director Charlie Cash, Human

Relations Director Daleo Freeman, Legislative Director Judy Beard, Organizing Director Anna

Smith and Retirees Director, Nancy Olumekor. The training was focused on how to file

grievances to save Clerk Craft work. The Clerk Craft NBAs were joined by Lamont Brooks as

he addressed the Clerk Craft training session and updated the delegates on the current issues we

are facing. We thank all of our National Officers who contributed to the success of our

convention.

 

Protecting Clerk Craft Work

The Postal Service is hell bent on eliminating as many clerk craft jobs as possible. Management

is doing this by reverting jobs, cutting the hours of our PSEs, reducing overtime, issuing

discipline as aggressively as they can, having Carriers and Mail Handlers do our work and

having management perform our Clerk Craft work. We need to put a stop to managements attack

on the Clerk Craft. We can’t win this battle without everyone’s help. Just paying dues to the

Union is not enough in these troubled times. You don’t have to be a shop steward to help but we

do need you to be the eyes and ears for the Union in your office. Let your steward know what is

going on and write statements. The Union can’t win grievances and stop managements attack

without statements from our members.

Consolidations

The Postal Service has begun their consolidation plan to eliminate small offices and create super

plants. This will result in excessing of clerks from their offices as well as the elimination of

many career positions. The Postal Service is determined to cut work hours and eliminate

positions with no consideration for actually delivering the mail in a timely manner.

 

Supervisor Apprentice

The Postal Service has fought the Union tooth and nail on allowing Lead Clerks to actually

perform the duties of their bids. Lead clerks can run the operation and do everything a supervisor

can do except issue discipline and authorize overtime. Lead clerks are level 7 employees. So, in

the Postal Services wisdom they are now introducing a new supervisor position called an EAS-

16 Supervisor Apprentice. Why let a level 7 clerk do the work when you can pay someone level

16 to do the same thing. Then they wonder why the Postal Service is having financial problems?

If an employee enters this program, they immediately lose their bid. If an employee fails to meet

any of the requirements of the program, management must consult with local Labor Relations to

determine the next step. Sounds like the Postal Service doesn’t have a clue what will happen to

you if you go down this treacherous trail and they decide you failed to meet their requirements. I

didn’t know there was any requirements to be a supervisor.

Unemployment Benefits

If you are a PTF or PSE and management has reduced your hours, you have a right to file

for unemployment. You don’t have to be fired to collect unemployment benefits. A reduction in

hours will qualify you for the benefits you deserve. Don’t let management get away with

reducing your hours and then not pay you for the benefits you earned.

Hostile and Abusive Management

Hostile and abusive supervisors have been a problem in the Postal Service since I began my

career over 36 years ago. The APWU has sent every member a Workplace Environment Survey

requesting your feedback. It is imperative that everyone takes the time to fill out this survey and

send it back. You can also fill out the survey on line. Make sure your coworkers fill out their

survey also. If you don’t fill out your survey, you have no right to complain about your abusive

treatment. The Postal Service is aware of our survey and they will be watching how many we get

back. If it is a small amount, the Postal Service will take the position that this supports that there

is not a hostile working environment since very few employees complained. We all need to stand

together to stop abusive management. This process begins with you filling out your survey!

HAVE YOU FILLED OUT YOUR WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT SURVEY YET?
Chuck Locke, NBA