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Local 480 Sponsored Bowling
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Saturday, August 14, 2010

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An APWU Pamphlet About The
Rights Of Excessed Employees

Contact Your
U. S. Representative

Contract Negotiations

Larry Miller, President

lmiller@apwu480.org

I have just returned from Washington D.C. where I attended the first meeting of the Rank and File Bargaining Committee. It's an honor to be selected for this committee by the Executive Board of our National Union. I will be returning to Washington on and off for the next several months as needed to review and discuss the upcoming contract negoations with the members of the committee and our national officers as well. The following is from the national website about our first meeting.

Larry Miller

Preparation for Contract Negotiations
Rank & File Bargaining Panel Meets
APWU News Bulletin 02-2010, June 16, 2010

"This will not be a giveback contract," APWU President Burrus told members of the union's Rank and File Bargaining Advisory Committee at their first meeting on June 16. "Negotiations may be difficult," he said, "but it is our job to find a way around the obstacles we face." Contract negotiations are scheduled to begin on Sept. 1; the current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires Nov. 20.

Burrus stressed the significant role the committee will play in contract negotiations. "The union negotiating team will rely upon your views as we bargain."

In accordance with the APWU Constitution and Bylaws, any tentative agreement between the union and management must be approved by a majority of the committee before it can be submitted to members for a ratification vote. Each member of the union's National Executive Board names one person to the committee; a 14th member, appointed by the president, is a representative from the APWU Deaf/Hard of Hearing Task Force.

The union president also remarked on the significance of bargaining. "What more could we ask for than the opportunity to speak for ourselves through contract negotiations?" Burrus asked. "The right to bargain for improvements in wages and working conditions is not a birthright. It is the result of union activity," he said. "Many in our society do not enjoy that right."

Director of Industrial Relations Greg Bell explained the negotiation process with the committee, and reviewed some of the union's tentative proposals.

"We expect management to make many concessionary demands," Bell said. "But we must fight to improve the wages and working conditions of postal employees."

William Burrus
President

Seated, left to right, are Danny Pride, Cleveland Area Local; Carolyn Pierce, Broward County (FL) Area Local; Committee Chair Clarice Torrence, New York Metro Area Local; and Gwen Ivey, Philadelphia Area Local. Standing are Chuck Pugar, Pittsburgh Metro Area Local; John Driver, Greater Los Angeles Area Local; Mike McDonald, Massachusetts APWU; Robert Johnson, Greater CT Area Local; Larry Miller, 480-481 (MI) Area Local; Bob Dempsey, Boston Metro Area Local; Debra McDaniel, Mail Equipment Shop Local (DC); MacLawrence Ford, Indianapolis Area Local; Marcie Ryan, Deaf/Hard of Hearing Task Force; and Koquise Nolan, Oklahoma City Area Local.

Support 6 Day Delivery

Dear Union Members -

The Postmaster General is out spreading disinformation across this nation. The USPS locally is destroying service under the guise of saving it. Click the link below send this link to others in your family.

We have the numbers - we have the voice - tell your reps hands off this company. Keep the service in the Postal Service and remind these people that everyone of their constituents benefits from an efficient - and inexpensive postal service.

Click and be heard....

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Crucial Postal Bill Clears First Hurdle

Legislation to restore financial stability to the Postal Service cleared its first hurdle July 21 when the House postal oversight subcommittee approved H.R. 5746. The bill would alter the methodology for allocating the Postal Service's share of pension costs for employees whose careers spanned the former Post Office Department and the USPS. This could improve the Postal Service's financial position by 50 to 75 billion dollars!

"This is an important first step," said Myke Reid, APWU Legislative and Political Director, "but we still have a long way to go." The bill must be considered by the full Oversight and Government Reform Committee before it can be voted on in the House. "It is imperative that APWU members build support for this legislation by contacting their U.S. representatives and asking them to sign on as co-sponsors," Reid said.

Click here to send a message of support to your U.S. House Representative.