APWU 480-481 Area Local

Members: Reach Out

Photo by Eric Seals, Detroit Free Press

Now is the time for members to reach out to our communities to oppose the proposed closing of 300 plants and 3000 Post Offices.

Up until recently I thought nobody cared that much, but I keep seeing articles about communities up in arms over these cutbacks – from rural Oregon to the Bronx, NY. The more I read, the more optimistic I get about our chances of fighting these drastic cutbacks – if we utilize our greatest resource – our members.

If you are into social networking, go ahead and spread the word through Face Book or Twitter. If you need assistance formulating your message, I can help you and so can other Officers.

If your child, grandchild, niece or nephew goes to a school with a sympathetic teacher, principal or professor, maybe you can arrange an APWU guest speaker at their school. Same if you have a sympathetic priest, minister, rabbi, imam, etc.

If you belong to a veterans’ organization like the VFW or American Legion, make sure you spread the word about how these cutbacks will harm veterans – not just those currently employed but also those about to return home seeking employment.

Speak up at meetings of your block club, parent-teacher organization, or any community group you belong to.

There are people in every city, town and village who will be adversely affected by these cutbacks. It takes an army of APWU members to reach them.

Most people are unaware of the real cause of the USPS deficit. This deficit was not the inevitable result of the Internet making mail obsolete; the USPS financial problems were caused directly by Congress.

Of course, we need to continue to contact our elected representatives in Congress, but now is the time to raise our activism to another level. Every member can reach out in whatever manner makes you feel comfortable.

Don’t be afraid that you aren’t an “expert” and therefore can’t convince anyone. The E Board will provide you with resources – but the most important resource is human beings talking honestly and openly to other human beings (without a long list of statistics and dry facts).

You can play an important role. And you’ll feel good about yourself when you get involved in the struggle for our jobs, livelihood and the nation’s mail service.

Paul Felton

E-Mail links are intended for questions of a general nature and are not for formal administration of the grievance procedure. Individuals with specific questions and or problems must contact their steward within 14 days in order to protect grievance time limits.

The 480-481 Area Local maintains offices at 810 Livernois in Ferndale, Michigan 48220 and represents all APWU members in the following USPS installations: Almont, Allen Park, Anchorville, Belleville, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Brighton, Carleton, Chelsea, Clarkston, Clawson, Davisburg, Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Fair Haven, Flat Rock, Garden City, Grosse Ile, Hartland, Hazel Park, Highland, Keego Harbor, Lake Orion, Marine City, Marysville, Michigan Metroplex, Milan, Milford, Mt. Clemens, New Baltimore, New Boston, New Haven, New Hudson, Novi, Oxford, Pickney, Plymouth, Port Huron, Richmond, Rochester, Rockwood, Romeo, Romulus, Royal Oak, South Lyon, South Rockwood, St. Clair, Sterling Heights, Trenton, Union Lake, Utica, Walled Lake, Warren, Washington, Waterford, Wayne, Westland, Willis, Wixom, Wyandotte and Yale.

The Union office is normally open from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday and the telephone numbers are (248) 543-3262/3263/3264. The 24 hour number is (248) 543-3262. FAX: (248) 543-2750.