Go Go Chiefs, we are right around the corner to another Super Bowl Championship from KC.
All but a few of you know that I am running for Vice-President. I do so out of my love for the City Letter Carrier. I strongly urge every member to demand an absentee ballot, as It seems that the current bylaws are anti-democracy, as they do not require a ballot be mailed to each member that is eligible to vote. Could you image being forced to drive from Los Banos or Coalinga to Fresno just to vote for President of the United States?
The biggest challenge faced by those of us who embrace lasting change in the NALC, is voter apathy. This was clearly demonstrated at the national NALC Convention in the great city of Boston.
Only you, the rank and file can change this. Currently there seems to be at least 2 members running for President, and VP. Of the other 17, or so elected positstions in NALC Branch 231 I am not sure who, or if anyone is running. One of the most important elected positions you can run for is one of the five trustee positions. I urge every member to go to nalc.org go to the members only section and review the presentations. They all are fantastic, and will get you a jump start for whatever you are running to be. As a side note, I will include the wasted money on leasing a copier. LOL To be up front with the rank and file we the opposition at that meeting voted against this lease, but we lost that vote. That is how things work in a democracy, though.
Everyone knows, I was against the current raises for steward of $25. If you think paying $25 to your current stewards is money well spent, I support you 1,000,000%. If you are like me, and believe that steward work should be done on the USPS dime as required by the National Agreement then you are correct in your thinking. Currently, we have stewards that believe carrying a route assigned to them, and doing steward work paid by your dues off the USPS clock is the correct approach to take. I will tell each, and everyone of you that under the NLRA the USPS is required to pay each, and every steward to file grievances. If you are not sure if your steward is clocking into 613 time make a call the NALC Branch 231, and find out the truth. I am 100% sure you may be surprised, if they actually loves the City Letter Carrier as much as I do they wouldn’t be doing steward work off 613 time.
I, on a continuing basis receive feedback from the rank and file about their mistreatment from management types. Currently as the zone 22 steward(until removed as such) will fight tooth & nail for you. While I have asked for certain formal stewards to handle grievances sent up from informal it is beyond my scope to make those decisions until I am NALC Branch 231 Vice-President. At that time I “should” be able to assign formal grievances to the best qualified stewards at formal. This is what many of the management type witnesses fear.
If the management type witnesses are successful in their alleged Article X charges to prevent me from running as VP I am 1,000,000,000,000% confident that it will be overturned at national. Unfortunately the management type witnesses will have “won” as I will not be your Vice President. Only you voting at the meeting and being on the committee can alter the management type witnesses plans.
If this unfortunate event were to happen, the only recourse is to file with the nlrb.com. In the past 2ish years, or so the nlrb.com has either supported, or overturned union elections. Honestly it seems like a mixed bag, so if you pursue that path I wish you the most success in your journey. Allegedly, the NALC 2022 election has been overturned, and will be held either late 2024 or early 2025 according to David Noble.
Remember that nlrb.gov, osha.gov, dol.gov are some of the many agencies that are there to help you with the abuse you receive from management type and management type witnesses.
Know your rights:
https://www.nlrb.gov/about-nlrb/rights-we-protect/your-rights/weingarten-rights
http://mseries.nalc.org/M01242.pdf
http://mseries.nalc.org/M00341.pdf
http://mseries.nalc.org/M00972.pdf
http://mseries.nalc.org/M00994.pdf
http://mseries.nalc.org/M00458.pdf
http://mseries.nalc.org/M00111.pdf
http://mseries.nalc.org/M00833.pdf
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/29/158
NLRB link to file
https://www.nalc.org/workplace-issues/resources/body/MI-EL-670-2021-4.pdf
https://www.nalc.org/workplace-issues/contract-administration-unit/fmla
https://www.osha.com/blog/general-duty-clause
https://fromatoarbitration.com/episodes/
Here in Fresno, management types seem to like to complain that some stewards are being “difficult”. To this I say we are the least “difficult” bunch around, if you treat the City Letter Carrier humanely.
Go Go Chiefs the Super Bowl Champions, isn’t Chiefs red so beautiful. Winning the Super Bowl 3 times in a row will be a great achievement.