Local Newsletter | APWU - South Jersey Area Local 0526

President’s Report

(This was originally in the SJ Area Local Newsletter of June 2019. Written by: Rob Armentani)

Join the South Jersey Area Local in boycotting the Postal Pulse Survey!!!
It’s that time again for the USPS to ask for you to help them hurt you by the means of the Postal Pulse Survey formally known as the “Voice of the Employee Survey.” You remember the one PMG Runyon used against us in contract negotiations. Not to mention that there have been Climate Surveys performed in the South Jersey District for Offices, including the P&DC, that are under the jurisdiction of the South Jersey Area Local and when those surveys have come back grossly negative in regards to management’s treatment of employees at those targeted offices what has management done with those surveys? NOTHING!!!

All members in good standing that turn in their unopened Postal Pulse Surveys to the Union will be entered into a drawing at the June 9th General Membership Meeting for a chance to win one of two $50 (Fifty-Dollar) prizes.

You can turn your unopened surveys into your steward, the Union Office or bring them in person to the June 9th GMM. You do not have to be present at the GMM to win.

Contract Update
Since we were unable to negotiate a contract our National Leaders are preparing for interest arbitration. In the interim the parties have entered mediation in an attempt to reach a voluntary agreement. A neutral mediator was appointed by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) and has already began to meet with the principals from the parties. Mediation meetings are also scheduled between the APWU and USPS for each craft. Your craft officers will be meeting with the Postal Service in these sessions. If a voluntary agreement can be reached through mediation, it will be presented to the Rank and File Bargaining Advisory Committee for their vote to send to the membership for ratification. You can visit our National and Local websites at APWU.org and/or apwusjal0526.org for continuing updates.

Proposed Constitutional Changes
In accordance with the Local’s constitution and By-Laws, resolutions to amend the constitution may be presented by a member at any meeting, after which they will be turned over to the Constitution Committee for their recommendations. The resolutions with the committee’s recommendations are then printed in the newsletter, and voted upon at the June General Membership Meeting, which is on June 9, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.

Several resolutions were submitted this year are printed in this newsletter with the recommendations from the committee.

The committee members as appointed by SJAL Local President Rob Armentani are Julio Cebollero, Chairperson, Jerome Green and John Whartnaby.

LMOUs
I again would like to remind everyone to start thinking about the Local Memorandum of Understanding in your office and any changes that you would like us to seek. Once a decision is made regarding our Collective Bargaining Agreement, we will need to determine if we want to open local negotiations in each office. The LMOUs for most of our offices can be accessed on our website apwusjal0526.org If you cannot access the website or your LMOU is not on the website please contact the office for a copy. You can submit any suggestions or questions regarding your LMOU to myself at RArmentaniSJAL@Yahoo.com or Frank Bollinger at b_frank@comcast.net

National Elections
This year we will vote for our National Officers. It is going to be a highly contested election. So far there are officially three separate tickets running. As I look at each ticket, I see quality individuals on each. However, I see a few individuals that I’m not so sure I would want to see holding a National Office. With this in mind I would encourage each and every member to look at each individual running and make individual selections for each office and “DO NOT” vote for everyone on one ticket unless you believe each individual on that ticket is the best qualified person to represent us in Washington. When the Executive Board meets in June, we will discuss our endorsements and make it known to the membership who we believe would serve us best in National Office.

Now the hard part. Getting the members to cast their ballots! Election after election, be it National or Local, I plead with all of you to get out the vote. When all is said and done, we have a pathetic turnout. That’s right I said pathetic! I can’t understand why anyone wouldn’t want to participate in the selection of your Union leadership! Let’s do something different this year, let’s get out the vote and let our National Leaders hear the voices of the South Jersey Area Local membership!

THANK YOU MIKE!
Mike Gallagher, our current Eastern Region Coordinator, has announced his retirement at the end of his current term. Mike has been a National Officer for almost 30 years and has done an amazing job. Prior to becoming a National Officer Mike was the President of the Philadelphia BMC Local. This is where I cut my teeth as a steward and Union representative. As a matter of fact, it was Mike and current NBA Vince Tarducci who trained me as a steward. His advice and guidance through the years have helped to lead me to where I am in the APWU. When I became President of the South Jersey Area Local Mike was there to help me get through the jitters and the doubts that I could actually do a good job in this position. I always could count on Mike to be there for the South Jersey Area Local and will miss him when he goes. I would like to thank him for all he has done for our Local and personally want to thank him for all he has done for me as a mentor and as a friend. Enjoy your retirement Brother, you and Lynn deserve it!

Business Agent’s Report

(This was originally in the SJ Area Local Newsletter of June 2019. Written by: Frank Bollinger)

Hazmat Questions
Management is currently on a kick regarding the Hazmat questions, more specifically making the selection from the Clerk’s side of the screen and not the customers unit. They have went as far as claiming it is a safety issue instead of just a failure to follow instructions type charge.

I believe when a clerk is called out on this and possibly set to receive disciplinary action, we should as one of our arguments challenge management as to why they still have the option on the Clerk’s screen if they are forbidden from making the selection? Though that may be a mitigating factor in our argument the best route to go is just not selecting it from your side. Overall though try to remember to just let the customer make the selection and save yourself some headaches, I know it can be hard especially when you are short staffed.

Amazing Security
Upon a visit to an office for a wholly unrelated matter it was brought to my attention that not all window clerks have secure spots to place their drawers. They are actually using priority boxes sealed up just sitting in the safe as their measure of security. On top of that, for a few, the drawers they are issued to not fit the new drawer holders at the window units so their cash drawer is being set out on the side the whole time.

This is unacceptable and is being addressed. Please if this is happening at any other office let us know. 28.1.A requires that management provide adequate security. The previously described conditions are in no way adequate security of the clerks fixed credits.

Speak Out, Stand Together!!
Below is a modified version of German pastor Martin Niemöller‘s poem of cowardice. We have to remember to always stand together united as not only members, but the core of the APWU South Jersey Area Local.

First, they came for the bulk mail techs, and I did not speak out —
Because I was not a bulk mail tech.

Then they came for PSE’s, and I did not speak out —
Because I was not a PSE.

Then they came for the custodians, and I did not speak out —
Because I was not a custodian.

Then they came for the window clerks, and I did not speak out —
Because I was not a window clerk.

Then they came for me —
and there was no one left to speak for me.

Director of AOs Report

(This was originally in the SJ Area Local Newsletter of June 2019. Written by: Mike Wright)

Misconceptions
As much information as we, as a Local put, out there both through our Website, Facebook Page, and the members email line, it still astounds me how our members buy what management sells at times. I’ll give two classic examples, one by an employee of less than five years, another by one with more than twenty.

A carrier compliments the clerks for doing a good job, the clerk responds “thanks, but we’re a half hour behind”. I asked the clerk what they were a half hour behind from. Their answer was “the up-time”, with disappointment. I offered the clerk twenty dollars to find the language “up-time” regarding morning operations in either the CBA or the JCIM. They wouldn’t take my offer.

While management is permitted to post goals, there are no standards as per Article 34, we need to work safe. Too many times I’ve seen clerks pulling (when they should be pushing) sometimes up to 4 APCs across the floor and in 2017, with a Function 4 team present. If you’re doing this and hurt yourself in the process, guess whose CA-1 gets denied and, depending on the supervisor, getting a PDI for working unsafe? You. Work safe.

Another scenario, a Lead Clerk was told they had to train a new SSA from the academy. They were concerned because they work the window alone often and the office in question does a ton of passports. Their main concern was failing a “mystery shop” and getting in trouble. I reminded them, that management could not successfully discipline an employee for failing a mystery shop, most managers are aware of this. There are past National cases on this issue.

Don’t rush through the line in fear of failing a mystery shop, if you make a financial mistake, it’s you that will be getting a Letter of Demand that we must fight. One customer at a time.

HAZMAT Question
We’re getting horror stories from other locals across the country on how clerks are being disciplined for answering the HAZMAT question for the customer. Don’t do this. While we haven’t heard anything at all to date regarding the attempt to discipline for this issue, not sure how long before management tries to act on this.

MDAT
We’ve finished the Swedesboro study and a new 40-hour FLEX-NTFT position was created. Additional studies in Vineland, Voorhees, Cherry Hill and Maple Shade due to the number of hours worked by NTFTs, PTFs, and PSEs, along with the amount of overtime being worked by FTRs in these offices. This local has been successful since the implementation of MDAT and hopefully the success continues so we can create desirable duty assignments for our members.

In closing
If you are not on the members email chain (known as the information line) you can email me at mjwrightapwu@hotmail.com, and you will be added. In closing, BOYCOTT ALL USPS SURVEYS.