THE BULLETIN BOARD
March 2004
[March 28th]Support Efforts to Require Fees from Non-Union Employees
An effort is underway in California to get a bill sponsored by Congresswoman Barbara Lee that would provide negotiated fees to labor organizations representing non-member bargaining-unit Postal Employees.
Take a moment to read the flyer and letter from our union brothers and sisters in Oakland who are asking for our help with this issue. They ask that we contact our own representatives in addition to contacting the Honorable Barbara Lee, and ask for their support and/or sponsorship of this bill.
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[March 13th]Senate Approves Amendment to Fund Postal Reform
During debate on the Fiscal Year 2005 budget last night, the Senate approved an amendment sponsored by Senate Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Susan Collins (R-ME) and Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) to set aside funds to enact comprehensive U.S. Postal Service reform legislation. Senators Collins and Carper plan to introduce reform legislation next month.
The Senators' amendment would establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund to accommodate postal reform. Under the terms of the amendment, if the Governmental Affairs Committee reports out a postal reform bill that is fully offset, then the Budget Committee chairman can allocate to the Governmental Affairs Committee the direct spending authority needed to bring the bill to the floor without it being subject to a Budget Act point of order.
"This amendment puts the Senate on notice that we intend to move a postal reform bill this year," said Senator Collins.
Read the entire article at the Senate Committee on Government Affairs website.
[March 8th]Petition To Amend The PMAPWU Constitution
This petition has beem submitted and signed by 24 members-in-good-standing and reads as follows:
"The Union and any official representative of the Union cannot enter into an agreement with management that is inconsistent with any part of either the local and/or the national contracts without first putting forth the agreement to the membership for a vote. The agreement can be voted on at the monthly membership meeting or by a special meeting if time is of the essence, and the membership must be informed of the full terms of the agreement at least ten days prior to the meeting in which the agreement is [sic] be put to a vote. By either a posting on the PMAPWU bulletin boards, through a mailing, or through any other means in which the whole membership can be informed of the agreement."
This proposition is found not to repeal, annul, amend or alter any part of PMAPWU Constitution and By-Laws.
It directly conflicts with other negotiation/grievance settlement authorities required by CBA Article 15 and addresses contractual, not constitutional, matters.
(See also: CBA Article 30.B., ...provided that no local memorandum of understanding may be inconsistent with or vary the terms of the National Agreement) Therefore, the petition is inappropriate and out of order.
However, be assured that the petition will be read at the March 20, 2004 Regular Membership Meeting. Full opportunities will be provided to all members to discuss this matter and the terms of the new GMF duty assignments that have caused the petition.
All members are encouraged to attend.
Sincerely and Fraternally,
Charles A. Pugar
President, PMAPWU
[March 1st]Changes to Our Website Underway
You may have noticed a slight difference in our home page. We are freshening up the site, both visually and also underneath its exterior.
As web technologies continue to grow and become more complex, we need to keep up with these changes. As a result, we ask you to be patient for the next several weeks while the changes are implemented site-wide. You will notice this logo on our homepage: 
What this means is that the coding behind our site meets all quality and programming standards as defined by the governing body, The World Wide Web Consortium.
And if you happen to find a page that has been orphaned, has a bad link, or some other glitch, please feel free to contact the webmaster with details. You can find that email address in our Contact Us section.
[March 1st]Oxi-Clean Samples in the Mail Stream
All employees should be made aware that 75,000 packets of Oxi-Clean powdered cleaner will be mailed through March. The pieces are approximately 6 1/2 by 8 inches, sent Standard Mail from Colorado Springs, CO.
Please keep an eye open for these, and while you should always maintain sharp attention to mysterious white powders in the mail stream, be aware of that these samples are headed you way!
[February 24th]Boxler Scholarship Application Available to Download
Reposted from 02/2004
The availability of this scholarship for members' children is courtest of PPWU, the Pennsylvania Postal Worker's Union. You can find a link to their website on our Labor Links page.
The application form and accompanying rules of entry can be downloaded from our site in Adobe PDF form.
Past Issues of the Bulletin Board
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