The Local Line
“A PPA Award
Winning Publication”
The Official Voice Of
The
American Postal
Workers
Phone: 630-833-0088 Fax: 630-833-0248
Jackie Engelhart – President Alan Czerwinski - News Director
August 03, 2007
Local Update by Jackie Engelhart
Candidates for National Business Agent (A)
In the order they appear on the ballot are:
1. Patrick A. Chrornoby 2.
Robert E. Henry
(
3. Linda J. Turney 4.
William Bill Scutt
(
5. Raymond Novakoski 6. Alan
J. Czerwinski
(
The nomination process was extended because of the
untimely death of Percy Harrison Jr. who passed away on June 18. Candidates'
statements are due on August 3rd and will be mailed to all eligible
Clerk Craft voters in the Chicago Region. Voting for National Business Agent
(A) will take place at the same time as for all other candidates for APWU
national positions. Ballots will be mailed on or after Sept. 12, but no later
than Sept 15. Completed ballots must be received in the designated post office
box by Friday, Oct 5 at 2 pm.
New District Manager on August 4th.
Robert A. Hart
will act as District Manager for the Northern Illinois District. He is currently the District Manager for the
Greater Michigan District. E. Lynn Smith, currently the Northern Illinois District
Manager, will act as District Manager for Greater Indiana. We welcome the
change in leadership and hope to work with Mr. Hart in his new position. We are
always ready to work with the senior leadership, until such time as we find that
they are not interested, and we had reached that point with Mr. Smith. APWU Stewards
at
NBA Zimmerman Wins CMSH Key Handling!
The maintenance craft has again won a major grievance for
subcontracting work to the contractor "Key Handling Systems" for
installation of a new tray line conveyor system at CMSH. The grievance was
filed in April of 2001, and the award was issued on July 24, 2007. The Award
Summary states "The grievance is sustained. The Service violated Article
32 of the Agreement when it did not ''..give due
consideration to public interest, cost, efficiency, availability of equipment & qualification of employees ... " until after the work for the
installation of a new tray line conveyor system at CMSH was put out for bid.
Article 32 requires such consideration be given " ...when evaluating the need to subcontract,” not after the
work is put out forbid. As a remedy, the matter is remanded to the parties for
formulation of a remedy in accord with the procedure set forth in this opinion.”
This is our third Key Handling win.
"The Fall Mailing Season"
Last year we were informed at both Carol Stream & Palatine that Clerk casuals would be hired for the "fall mailing season". The fall mailing season lasted from Labor Day and well into the spring. The last Clerk casuals left shortly before management began excessing Clerks in both facilities to the Mail Handler craft.
Cancellation of Withholding for Palatine
P&DC on July 24th.
On July 24, 2007 APWU Central Region Coordinator Sharyn Stone was notified by the Postal Service that "the
excessing activity at the Palatine P&DC is complete. In summary nineteen
(19) employees attrited and a total of twenty-one (21)
were reassigned to other crafts within the installation and one (1) veteran
preference eligible clerk was reassigned outside the installation.”
Notification on Clerk Casuals for Palatine P&DC on
Aug 2nd.
On August 1, 2007 I was informed by Palatine Senior MDO Danny
Bracket that clerk casuals would be hired for the "fall mailing
season" at the end of August. I received (as requested) written
notification of this on August 2, 2007."The Fall Mailing
season is approaching and because of this, Palatine P&DC will be hiring 18 clerk
casuals. The will be utilized to reduce the on hand volumes and overtime. If you
have any questions, feel free to contact me...
Here's my question:
Who would bring 18 clerk casuals into a facility where you
just finished excessing 21 clerks and not replacing 19 others.
To reduce on hand volumes and reduce overtime? Couldn't
you use those 21 clerk (mall handlers) to do that? Answer : Ronald Woodall.
Thank-you Doreene Motley!
This thank-you is overdue. Doreene has been diligently working as a National Advocate assigned to arbitrate cases from our Local. She works extremely hard and is always 100% prepared. She has been assigned to some of the most difficult discipline and contract cases, but she does not let that stop her. She goes to work and prepares her case thoroughly. It takes a skilled and dedicated person to do arbitration, and Doreene has come back to be that person for our Local. We owe Doreene Motley our gratitude for stepping up when we needed her, and adding "Arbitration Advocate" to her other duties as a Tour 3 Steward at Carol Stream.
Carol Stream Gets Birthdays Off Per LMOU, but
Vice President Dave Baskin reminded me to inform Carol
Stream APWU employees that management agreed to allow them off on their birthday,
in the new LMOU. We had asked both plants to consider this, and at
Any Good News?
Postal management continues to attack APWU at all levels
and in all crafts. We have fallen out of favor, as we make too much money and
we file too many grievances. USPS continues to give clerk work to other crafts,
and to subcontract Maintenance and MVS work. That is why we continue to file jurisdictional
disputes, crossing craft, and subcontracting grievances. The good news is we
won't win anything back if we don't keep filing, because management will not
stop taking our work. The Key Handling win at CMSH means our maintenance craft employees
will be getting paid there, just as they did at Palatine and
AFL-CIO Presidents Forum at Soldier Field on August
7th.
Two busses will leave our building in