THE BULLETIN BOARD
May 2004
[May 25th]DOL Aids Rood Trucking in Delinquent Pension Abuse
By John Van Brederode
As our Union representatives have told us from day one "relying on the laws and government agencies to win our fight for us is not a sure bet".
Well they were right. The Department of Labor (DOL) has informed Louise M. Slaughter (Member of Congress), and I, that they consider Rood Trucking Co. up to date on our pensions up to the end of their investigation, ending in August 2003. They have closed the case and feel no further investigations necessary.
To put it simply, Rood will not have to answer to the government for their abuse of the McNamara O'Hara Service Contract Act (SCA), in failing to deposit our pension money no longer than quarterly over the last few years.
Continue reading the entire column....
[May 18th]Mutual Trade Wanted
Current Position:
PTF, Level 5, Mail Processor
Atlanta P&DC, Tour 3
Please Reply to:
Eugenia Knight
1402 Vesta Ave. #A
Atlanta, GA 30344
412-661-7184
Interested parties please contact the above named member.
[May 18th]2004 Patrick McShane Scholarship Winners
The winners of the 2004 Patrick McShane Scholarship were chosen at the May 15, 2004 Membership meeting.
Michael Mazurek— Son of Donald Mazurek, Clerk GMF
Elizabeth Majersky— Daughter of Robert Majersky, Maintenance GMF
Drew Underwood— Son of Lois Underwood, Clerk Bridgeville
Each winner will receive a $500.00 scholarship for the 2004-2005 school year.
Congratulations to the winners and thanks to all who entered.
[May 18th]Maintenance Skill Development Program
An Open house will be held for any employee interested in training to become qualified on the MPE-8 and the MM5 registers.
Open Houses will be held:
Monday, May 24, 2004 at the GMF PEDC, Rm. 2318 from 2 pm-6 pm.
Tuesday, May 25, 2004 at the BMC from 2 pm-6 pm.
Attendance will be no loss, no gain. If you are interested in registering for training at the GMF PEDC, you should attend the GMF PEDC Open House. If you are interested in registering for training at the BMC, you should attend the BMC Open House.
It is very important that you attend one of these open houses, as this will be the only opportunity to take the general aptitude test to qualify for this program.
Should you have any questions please contact the Maintenance Craft Director, Greg Katchmark at 412-359-1445.
[May 14th]House Committee Adopts Postal Reform Bill,
Rejects Recommendations of President's Commission
(from the Burrus Update #7-2004)
The House Government Reform Committee voted unanimously May 12 to approve the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2004. In doing so, it resoundingly rejected the anti-worker and anti-consumer recommendations of the President's Commission on the U.S. Postal Service.
None of the Bush Commission's proposals to cut workers wages and benefits were adopted by the House Committee, and a Commission recommendation to authorize large-scale post office closings was also discarded.
In addition, the committee members voted to prohibit excessive 'worksharing' discounts that subsidize the mailing industry; granted the USPS greater flexibility in rate-setting; approved the transfer of military retirement costs of postal veterans to the Treasury Department; approved the release of retirement funds from escrow; and embraced the principle of uniform rates. These were all issues the APWU had identified as crucial to meaningful postal reform.
The Senate Governmental Affairs Committee released a "discussion draft" of its postal reform bill on May 12 as well. Although the union is withholding judgment on the Senate bill until we have analyzed it further, we have serious concerns about several provisions. We are especially concerned by proposals that would gut OWCP, and those that would continue excessive postage discounts.
[May 14th]APWU NBA Greg Poferl Sentenced to 90 Days After Protest at SOA
Reposted from last month's Bulletin Board, 4/2/04
Greg Poferl, a well-known St Paul union activist and US Army veteran will enter federal prison in Waseca, Minn., on April 6 to serve a 90-day sentence imposed as a result of participation in a protest at the United States Army's School of the Americas at Fort Benning, Georgia, earlier this year.
Poferl was sentenced along with 26 other protesters tried in Columbus, Georgia in January for "crossing the line" during the annual demonstrations at the SOA last fall.
The US Army's School of Americas, renamed the "Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation" by the Bush administration, and known to many as "The School of the Assassins," is based in Fort Benning. SOA/WHISC graduates are responsible for some of the worst human rights abuses in Latin America. In 1996 the Pentagon was forced to release training manuals used at the school that advocated torture, extortion and execution.
In an open letter to APWU members, Poferl cited a close personal connection to Latin American postal workers whom he had met at a postal workers caucus during an international labor meeting in Puerto Rico in 2000.
"(APWU) President (Moe) Biller assigned me to represent APWU at the conference. (Workers) recounted the stories of union organizers who had been assassinated or disappeared in Latin America. They were an inspiration to all of us at the conference. I was humbled by their courage."
Messages of solidarity can be sent to Brother Poferl at FCI, PO Box 1731 1000 University Drive SW, Waseca, MN, or to American Postal Workers Union, 8009-34th Av So, Bloomington MN 55425
Read the complete article online, available at Workday Minnesota.org
[May 4th]Solidarity Picnic 2004
Please visit the Events page to get all the details and a link to a printable form for registering for this year's Solidarity Picnic. Deadline for completed applications to be received in the office is June 4, 2004.
[May 3rd]Former Postmaster General Runyon Dies
Runyon, 79, died early Monday at his home in Nashville of a lung disease, according to Vicki Kessler, a spokeswoman for the public relations firm Runyon's wife founded.
Read the full article at the WashingtonPost.com website.
[April 27th]COPA Awareness Walk
Reposted from last month's Bulletin Board
Pennsylvania Postal Workers Union President LeRoy Moyer will be walking 150 miles, from Philadelphia, PA, to Washington DC to raise public awareness regarding Postal reform and raise funds for APWU COPA.
All members are encouraged to sponsor Brother Moyer during this effort. Sponsor sheets are available from your steward, by contacting the Local office, or by a printable downloaded form (link below.)
The APWU National office has advised me that discussions are being held with the USPS regarding employees who did not respond to the Union by February 2, 2004, and are still interested in the early-out opportunity.
Postal reform is a real and serious threat to the rights and benefits we enjoy. We must all do our part to defeat the efforts of those who would destroy our way of life. Sponsoring Brother Moyer is an easy, painless way to do our part.
Thank you in advance for your support.
Click here for a printable (PDF format) sponsoring form.
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