Edited by author 07-03-2005 06:22 AM
I personally feel that USPS wants this extension for reasons that are apparent to me if not others. I have reason to believe that our national officers have already become aware of what management's plans are for closings and consolidations and it is a shame that the APWU elite do not wish to discuss this with us. If they want it bad enough they will come back with another offer if the current one is rejected.
Supporting this one-year extension will not make our organization stronger, as some have argued.
Being a loyal and good member of the union does not demand supporting something because the APWU tells you to do it. There would be no reason for a ratification vote if that were the case. Being President of this or any Union does not make one infallible. Getting elected by a large majority does not make one an apostle. I'm sure that Bill Burrus does not believe that.
Years ago, the membership rejected the initial 1978 proposed contract and got a better one.
You can vote “NO” on this agreement and not be afraid. You should be afraid if you vote in favor of it.

Greg Sumrall Indianapolis Area Local #130 gslesea@hotmail.com

Edited by author 07-03-2005 07:17 AM
What we are all missing is why is mgt will to extend a contract, well if you look at postal reform if they get the no bargining added to the reform well all the unions would be hit at the same time like jack the giant killer they would have our number.

.

If you Burrus Bashers know anything about the history of our contract negotiations then you know that a lot of our current contract language was written by Bill Burrus. Those who write and say he can't, won't or is afraid to negotiate simply do not know the truth. Moe was great, but Mr. Burrus knows the contract and what should go in it.

Edited by author 07-09-2005 02:58 PM
For those of you who are interested, here is link to the official "Rank and File Committee statement" concerning the contract extension: http://apwu.org/news/nsb/2005/nsb09-070805.htm#statement

Yours in Solidarity,
Linda Cordova
http://www.lindac1973@aol.com

IS YOUR PHONE POLICY LIKE MINE?

TENTATIVE CONTRACT EXTENSION
I am sending this message to all the local websites who have support the memberships ideals. This post is lenghty, so bear with me:

As a member of the Rank and File Committee I was tasked, along with the other twelve brothers and sisters of this Committee, to study the tentative contract extension proposal between American Postal Workers Union and the United States Postal Service.
I came to work with an open mind. After extensive discussions with the Committee and asking serious questions of President Burrus, the craft officers and national officers, I voted against this extension. I did so for the following reasons.
We have not discussed non-economic craft issues in five years. There are major changes needed in the clerk craft, maintenance craft, and M.V.S. craft. These changes are not just technical, but rather in depth on a myriad of issues affecting every brother and sister in this great union.
The Craft Conference resolutions become almost non-existent if we are not able to negotiate for change. I believe upgrades are divisive among the crafts. We should negotiate for wage increases for all A.P.W.U. members to avoid this continued division.
I believed at the outset of discussions there would not be pilot programs for the four day work week; now the reality is there are pilot sites.
Initially the framework of this extension was to be an absolute right to transfer when excessing occurs. The U.S.P.S. now says those seeking a transfer will receive priority consideration. My fear is that this language will be interpreted by some managers as a way to deny such transfers.
The U.S.P.S. is now going to allow those brothers and sisters who put in for VERA to retire when they petition OPM. This was agreed to on the last extension, and the U.S.P.S. reneged and forced us to file in Federal Court. They know they can’t win and part of the agreement is to have A.P.W.U. withdraw that case if the extension is approved. I don’t trust the employer. They renege on agreements before the ink is dry.
Brothers and sisters, I don’t see the urgency to extend rather than negotiate. I realize there will be a raise and two COLAs, and we risk losing a COLA if we must arbitrate, but that risk always takes place when we are forced to arbitrate. The U.S.P.S., in my opinion, will not now or next year negotiate a contract; they will force us to arbitrate.
The U.S.P.S. is in very good shape financially. I’m not confident this will be the case next year, especially if we absorb the CSRS payments rather than shift them to the Treasury Dept.
I realize President Burrus is trying to secure more for A.P.W.U. in the months after the expiration of this contract, however it is my belief we can negotiate and arbitrate, if necessary, and put forth a strong case for a good contract for several years.
If this extension is approved, all four unions’ contracts will end on November 20, 2006. All in all, there isn’t the urgency for an extension now compared to the last extension. I voted in favor of that extension due to the tenor of the times.
I realize unions in America are taking hits and the climate is not ideal to negotiate, but the climate is never good to negotiate, but we must jump in and address all issues now.
I believe the U.S.P.S. wants this extension more than A.P.W.U. If this extension is not passed by the membership, we will enter into negotiations. They will be hard pressed to back off on monetary gains after offering a raise and COLAs now.
In closing, the membership - the highest ruling body in American Postal Workers Union - will decide whether we agree to this extension or not. In my humble opinion, I would like to forego this extension and enter into full blown contract negotiations as the largest Post Office union in the world.

Yours in Union Solidarity,

Moe Lepore, General President
Boston Metro Area Local 100

http:www.moelepore@aol.com

Thanks to Brother Moe Lepore for telling it like it is. Vote NO on the contract extension!!!

Why I will vote "no" on the contract extension, is that excessive "work-sharing" discounts needs to be negotiated in our next contract. The postal service is subsidizing a lot of these companies that presort mail for us. We still do it cheaper that they can (presort). Most of our problems are related to that. USPS is quickly buying automation and they've given so much work away through excessive "work sharing" discounts that the automation is becoming more and more idle.

I thought I would pass this along to those who are interested:
NEW from apwu.org: "Ask President Burrus" It says: "Do you have a question that you would like me to respond to on the APWU Web site? If so, write to me at: http://www.askthepresident@att.net. I will periodically respond to questions from APWU members."

From this website: "...The tentative agreement to extend the contract includes the second highest wage increase in our history. Over the 34 years of contract negotiations that began in 1971, the wage increase of 1.6 percent -- or $728 for a Level 5 Step 0, employee..."
No sale, Mr. Burrus! My NO vote went into the mail stream a short while ago. Not only is the raise less than it was in 1998, but the dollar is worth a lot less, as well.
In 2006, they will have us all right where they want us. The cost to the USPS for 1.6%, two COLA's, and the status quo is insignificant to the what they will get from the recommendations of the Bush Commission being legislated in "conference" when the Republican Senate and House majority get together to iron out the differences in the Postal Reform Bills in 2006.
"Just be patient and wait your turn - there are places in the lifeboats for everyone."

Although my local favors and supports the one year contract extension, I would like to voice some concerns about Sales & Services Associates (Window Clerks). Postal Services stated that window clerks are de-skilled because everything is on the key on the POS-1 flat panel. This is not true, lots of technical question are still being answered verbally by clerks, the computers do not answer the question and solve the problems while most supervisors and managers of customer service are afraid to come out and face the complain. Window clerks are working under stressful circumstances between customers and managers on the daily basis.
Since the three Postal Unions' contract will all expire in the year of 2006 with this extension, I am not sure whether this is part of the reason of this extension, but I do urge our National leader to continue the effort of the merging of all Postal Unions, especially NALC, a union has no interest in Sunday premium, night differentials, a union that is favored by the management and have their level upgraded much easier than us.
This is the second time 90,000 window clerks are being ignored and not being upgraded. I am also expecting "One Union One Contract" in the year of 2006.

"Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate." -- John F. Kennedy 1961

David Nguyen Southwest Coastal (CA) Area Local APWU http://www.sobdavid@aol.com

While talking with most of my co-workers, I found out that almost all of them voted YES on the contract extension. I asked the reasons why they voted yes for it and it was overwhelmingly due to the enclosed material in the ballot envelopes. The general consensus was they were "scared" into voting "yes" for the extension by the information they received. Most felt the National APWU should have seen to it that the dissenting views had been part of the ballot mailings, or otherwise, just the facts (Extension Agreement) mailed with the Yes or No ballots. The national controlled the election committee and they got what they wanted, which was to steamroll any opposition to their point of view. Giving a pro and con to the membership before they vote is the last thing that they want to do. They want it to pass and will do everything they can to make it so. At the next convention in Las Vegas, I think the grassroots officers should challenge Burrus and ask him why he is shafting and steamrolling the membership? He is acting just as tyrannical as the postal management he opposes.

Attrition.
Does anyone remember when gas station attendants filled your tank, checked your oil and washed your windows? As gas stations began to offer self service pumps, they quickly realized that they no longer needed an attendant to perform those tasks. Has anyone noticed the postal kiosks popping up around the country?
When was the last time you walked into a large bank and saw a teller at every window? The allure and convenience of direct deposit and 24-hour ATM’s coupled with bank services now offered on-line has greatly reduced the need for bank tellers. Has anyone noticed that the on-line Click-N-Ship service becoming more widely accepted?
Do you remember when every piece of mail was sorted by a postal clerk or mail processor who actually looked at every address to determine its routing? Has anyone noticed the ratio of in-plant workers/machines change over the past couple of decades? Machines and employees both make errors and both breakdown (or get sick). In most cases, machines move mail faster. They don’t file grievances, they don’t need breaks or overtime pay (or any pay for that matter) and they don’t need health insurance or a new contract every few years. So in the long term, who do you think will win the battle between the APWU and the USPS?
"Attrition." That word will remain a thorn in the side of the APWU for many more years to come. We may not like it, but at least we should see it coming.

Some numbers for you:

220,000 ratification ballots sent.
78,964 sent in the ballots.
141,036 threw ballots in the garbage.
A paltry 35 percent showed interest in the ratification.
90% of the ratifiers favored the extension or 69,763.
10% opposed the extension or 9,201.

We have too many apathetic leeches in the APWU!