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Updated
October 3, 2005
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No. 05-16 September 1, 2005 |
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Topics in this issue:
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| In South Florida! |
900 Leaders Brave Hurricane
To Attend National Conference
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Issues Facing Union in 2006 Discussed |
| Is Sweeney ‘Trying to Force the NALC Out?’ |
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President Young and National Officers appear before nearly 900 members at National Rap Session at top left. At top right, Young addresses gathering on critical issues facing union. Lower left shows large crowd at one of eight well-attended workshop sessions. At bottom right, Atlanta Br. 73 President Robert Henderson and Houston Br. 283 President Prissy Grace join in discussion during Rap Session. |
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Critical issues affecting all of the NALC’s 305,000 members in the remainder of this year and throughout 2006 were discussed and debated by nearly 900 Branch leaders and other activists at a National Conference and Rap Session August 27-28 in Hollywood, Florida. The sessions took place only hours after Hurricane Katrina made a direct hit on South Florida before cutting a path of death and destruction through the Gulf States.
| Don't Fly Northwest!
NALC President William H. Young made it clear at the Rap Session how he feels about those who suggest that union members cross picket lines at Northwest Airlines just because the striking union is not affiliated with the AFL-CIO.
“I want you to know that the guy you elected president does not cross
picket lines,” Young said to rousing applause. “I will not cross picket lines,” adding that he was sure that no letter carrier in the audience would either.
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Despite countless airline delays, power outages, and widespread flooding in the area causing an estimated $2 billion in damage in South Florida, the NALC branch officials assembled in four important workshops throughout the day on August 27 on city delivery, contract administration, secretary-treasurers’ duties, and safety and health and retirement.
NALC President William H. Young opened a three-hour Rap Session on August 28 by praising those who would not be deterred by the threat of a hurricane to come to Florida. Sadly, as word came in that Katrina was strengthening in the Gulf, Young later would end the Conference by asking for prayers and thoughts for those awaiting its wrath in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi.
Putting aside the hurricane concerns for a few moments, NALC national officers and the branch activists engaged in serious discussion about the issues that will make the rest of 2005 and all of 2006 among the most important periods in the history of the union with contract negotiations, postal reform, congressional elections, the Las Vegas convention and the future of the AFL-CIO on the agenda.
● POSTAL REFORM – As S. 662 awaits Senate floor action with some troubling provisions – especially those on “banking” unused pricing authority and ‘exigency’ rate increases – President Young cautioned that the battle is far from over, saying the next few weeks will shape the future of the Postal Service for decades to come. He also expressed concern over a threat of a White House veto and whether anti-worker provisions would be added in House-Senate conference committee after Senate passage. He said the NALC will reevaluate its support if major changes are made.
● CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS – The NALC has begun working on negotiations for a new National Agreement to replace the contract due to expire Nov. 20, 2006. “During the next round of bargaining, NALC will seek pay and benefits commensurate with the contribution letter carriers make to the success of the USPS,” Young said, adding that the union’s goals include retaining our COLA clause; improving working conditions, and serving the interests of letter carriers everywhere.
● MESS AT THE AFL-CIO – A spirited, and sometimes emotional, discussion occurred about the disaffiliation of several major unions from the AFL-CIO and its effect on the NALC and labor movement. Young said that despite the NALC remaining under the AFL-CIO tent at present, he found actions by AFL-CIO leaders undemocratic and insulting toward the NALC membership. “I think our union was disrespected,” he said. ”Given this, it makes you wonder if (AFL-CIO President) John Sweeney is trying to force the NALC out of the AFL-CIO.” Later, Young concluded: “I believe the NALC should use the next year leading up to the Las Vegas convention to calmly and seriously reconsider our relationship with the AFL-CIO.”
● CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS – In preparation for the 2006 Congressional elections, Young announced that the number of payroll checkoffs for COLCPE had reached 3 percent and set a goal of 6 percent in time for next year’s elections to help elect pro-letter carrier candidates in both parties.
● LAS VEGAS CONVENTION – Young reported that plans were well underway for the Las Vegas convention to be held August 14-18, 2006. The convention site was moved from Miami to Las Vegas due to the lack of unionized facilities in Miami. It was announced that the Las Vegas Hilton, close to the Convention Center, has been designated the Headquarters Hotel and will host the popular dinner honoring retiring national officers.
● CITY DELIVERY – Young said the union has filed a National-level Grievance regarding the use by USPS of the Delivery Operations Information System (DOIS) and that the union currently is awaiting a response from the Postal Service. During a workshop session, Executive Vice President Jim Williams described DOIS as “fundamentally flawed” as it is currently configured. He said the USPS needs to let letter carriers input the data to make it functional.
Young and other officers expressed appreciation to National Business Agent Judy Willoughby and Miami Br. 1071 President Mike Gill for their assistance in setting up the conference. |
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| Hurricane Katrina Victims Eligible for PERF Grants |
| Young Urges Carriers to Donate to Fund |
Help Katrina Victims
Branches and individuals interested in making a donation to help postal victims of Hurricane Katrina can send a check to: Postal Employees’ Relief Fund, P.O. Box 34422, Washington, DC 20043-4422, or by designating the Postal Employees’ Relief Fund (CFC #9891) for a donation during the upcoming Combined Federal Campaign.
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Assistance grants to help hundreds – and possibly thousands – of active and retired postal employees rebuild and repair their homes following the destructive path of Hurricane Katrina through Florida, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi will be available from the Postal Employees’ Relief Fund, the special charitable fund established by postal unions and management associations and the U.S. Postal Service.
PERF grants range from $2,000 to $35,000 depending on the amount of out-of-pocket loss after insurance and payments from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or other relief agencies.
NALC President William H. Young urged NALC members to help by donating to the PERF. “We can best help our postal brothers and sisters in the Gulf Coast states by making a donation to the Postal Employees’ Relief Fund,” Young said.
The fund is designed to assist both active and retired postal employees in reconstruction and repair of homes and properties damaged by natural disasters and fires. It does not provide emergency assistance. Such assistance is normally available from FEMA, the Salvation Army, American Red Cross or other relief agencies.
The Postal Employees’ Relief Fund was very active following the four major hurricanes that struck Florida in 2004. More than $1 million in grants have already been distributed to postal employees who incurred damages from those disasters.
Application forms and eligibility information are available on the PERF website: www.postalrelief.com or writing: Postal Employees’ Relief Fund, P.O. Box 34422, Washington, DC 20043-4422. |
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| National Emergency Hotline |
The U. S. Postal Service has established a toll-free National Emergency Hotline to help letter carriers and other postal employees in the Gulf States affected by Hurricane Katrina deal with the crisis.
Postal employees in the Gulf Coast states can call the Postal Service’s Employee Service Line at 1-877-477-3273 to get the latest information about postal operations and to make arrangements to receive their paychecks.
NALC President William H. Young has been in close contact with top USPS management about the situation. “I look forward to working with the Postal Service to help our members in the affected areas recover from this national tragedy,” Young said.
Letter carriers in the areas hit by Katrina can call the office of their respective National Business Agent to receive additional information. Letter carriers in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi can call NBA Lew Drass at (256) 828-8205. Carriers in the Florida panhandle can call NBA Judy Willoughby at (954) 964-2116.
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| September 28 Ceremony! |
Maine Merged Br. 92 Letter Carrier
Named National ‘Hero of the Year’ |
| Selma, California Carrier ‘Top Humanitarian’ |
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David Heald |
Juan Cordero |
Maine Merged Br. 92 Member David Heald, who used his Navy life-saving skills to prevent a motorcyclist from bleeding to death after an accident, has been chosen as NALC National Hero of the Year for 2005 by a panel of independent judges.
NALC President William H. Young will present the National Hero of the Year award to Heald at a special ceremony September 28 at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill hotel in Washington, DC.
Heald, 42, was driving home from work when he came upon a gruesome accident in which a motorcyclist had smashed into a sedan, severing his leg three inches below the hip. Using life-saving skills he learned in the Navy, the letter carrier took off his shirt and covered the injury and then used a leather bungee strap to create a tourniquet to stop the bleeding.
According to police, had Heald not made the tourniquet and applied it correctly, the motorcyclist would have died before paramedics arrived.
The union’s annual National Humanitarian of the Year award will be presented to Juan G. Cordero of Central California Br. 231 who has made it his mission to refurbish bicycles and then present them to children from low-income neighborhoods. Cordero, 46, began when two kids from his route in Selma, 15 miles southeast of Fresno, said they received no presents for Christmas, so Cordero went out and bought two scooters. Soon, he was looking for bikes to repair for other children.
Proud Tradition
In announcing the awards, Young said the award winners this year are a proud addition to the long list of letter carriers who have performed heroic and humanitarian acts throughout the union’s history.
“We are extremely proud of these men and women who have continued the tradition of letter carriers coming to the aid of those in need along their postal routes, often at risk of personal danger,” Young said.
Paula R. Peiper, a member of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Br. 500, was named the recipient of the Special Carrier Alert Rescue Award for her quick action after noticing that an 88-year-old customer along her route in Carlisle had not picked up his mail for a few days. She contacted a family member who discovered the elderly man lying on his floor suffering from a stroke.
Minneapolis Branch 9 and St. Paul, Minnesota Br. 28 were jointly selected for the Branch Service Award for setting up a Letter Carrier booth at the Minnesota State Fair for people to send greetings to American troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo and elsewhere overseas. More than 10,000 did so, with the U.S. Postal Service providing postage.
Regional Heroes
Three regional heroes will also be honored at the September 28 event:
● Willie G. Hayward of South Florida Br. 1071 was named Eastern Region Hero for rescuing an elderly couple from their burning apartment, including dashing back into the smoke-filled apartment to pull out a man asleep in his bed.
● Thomas L. Ortosky of Cleveland, Ohio Br. 40 was named as Central Region Hero for saving two young girls from a pack of dogs by distracting their attention to him until dog wardens arrived to capture them.
● Richard A. Bergonzi of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Br. 458 was named Western Region Hero for rescuing an 8-year-old recovering from brain surgery and other family members from their burning home.
Judges were Jordan (Bud) Biscardo, AFL-CIO Community Services liaison at United Way of America; Shelby Hallmark, Director, U.S. Labor Department’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs, and Phil Guercio, Chief of Montgomery County (MD) Fire and Rescue Services. |
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| Anaheim Chosen for 2010 Convention |
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The NALC Executive Council, meeting for a week in Hollywood, Florida following the National Conference, voted to conduct the union’s 67th Biennial National Convention in 2010 in Anaheim, California, not far from Disneyland.
The event, the first NALC national convention ever in Anaheim and the first in California since 1982, will be hosted by Garden Grove Branch 1100.
Anaheim bested Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Chicago in the final consideration.
The 65th Biennial Convention will be held next August in Las Vegas. The 2008 convention is set for Boston, Massachusetts. |
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© 2001-2005 National Association of Letter Carriers, AFL-CIO |
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