Brothers and Sisters,
Hopefully you all enjoyed the summer with family and friends. If you had an opportunity to join us at the summer picnic I hope you all had a great time. The Mail Handlers Union appreciated the invite so expect it next summer as well…we lost the softball game…it’s under protest. I would also like to extend my appreciation to the members for sending the delegates to the National Convention in Las Vegas. You would have been proud of your delegates for they rose to speak on several motions and called out our National leaders on issues concerning retirement benefits. Our leaders at National seem to have some nice benefits when it comes to retirement. For instance, FERS employees get 1% from the Postal Service but our National officers have 3%…why not negotiate for us as well? Another hot issue was the forcing of smaller locals into larger locals…this was defeated soundly. Lastly, the convention was really an Obama endorsement…nothing wrong with that. It is very important for us that McCain does not get elected. We, as postal workers, will not survive another 4 years of the Bush mentality. Obama discussed labor issues and states he will change the way the Department of Labor conducts business. He also spoke about keeping and/or expanding the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Important issues for us all.
On the Local level things are getting real tense to say the least. The Plant is currently expecting a new face-lift. Management plans on eliminating parts of tour 2 with the hopes of moving the majority of employees between the hours of 2PM and 730 AM. Management has had this so-called plan for nearly 4 months now. Management wants to implement this plan by October 1st of this year…yeah right! We are talking about 70-80% of the work force being affected. So with the clock ticking management suggested the union become involved. Where were they 4 month ago? With 12 days left I have yet to receive any conformations for a meeting…typical isn’t it? You see brothers and sisters we are officially under attack from the postal service. Jobs are being reverted, abolished, employees are being watched by supervisors…secretly I might add…on their work habits with illegal forms, motor vehicle employees have been on standby for nearly 3 months so they can eliminate more runs, safety is a joke, discipline is continuing at a blistering pace, and the plant manager could care less! So now management wants me to sit down and HELP them turn my brothers and sisters lives upside down? You can kiss my French ASS! My proposal to management is this…”it’s your plan you implement it”…we will grieve any and all injustices created from this mess.
I have been working very close with Jack Prairie, President of the Mail Handlers union, and for the first time we both have been battling management as ONE! The mail Handlers had a labor/management meeting scheduled for September 15th. Management was notified…Jim Tavares, Labor…that a representative from the APWU would be attending. On the day of the meeting I wish I had a camera to take a picture of Ric Quental, Plant Manager, Gary Fahey, Lead MDO, and Jim Tavares. It looked like someone was shot. They all asked, “what are you doing here?” We stated that Mr. Tavares was notified… “Did you think we were kidding?” Management’s concern was that the APWU and the Mail Handlers could not have the same issues. Think again…we have the same issues and we are going to address them TOGETHER! It was the first time that I saw the power of being TOGETHER…Management cancelled the meeting until September 22nd. I will keep you all posted on the outcome of that one.
In closing I would like to remind the members on the importance of being TOGETHER. It really works…as I stated earlier. To see the look on management’s faces when they realized we were not alone was priceless! We need to look out for one another during these difficult times…we must. The union will do it’s part but in order for us to truly be a union the members need to come TOGETHER.
Yours in Solidarity,
Ronald Mathieu, President APWU/PRIAL 387