August 2007

Dan’s Tool Box

Today in the Labor Movement,

Locally the Struggle Continues

by Dan Van Minnen

Today in the labor movement, we face the most serious economic challenge of our generation: declining living standards for a majority of American workers.  We as Postal workers are a bit more fortunate as we benefit from the fruits of not only our labor but that of our ability to collectively bargain because we have a Union.  It is from this rare opportunity of the demise of our country’s ability to produce any product and because of outsourcing and the attitude of corporate greed and corruption in big business.  An attitude that solely seeks to profit from cheaper labor costs and to take and take while giving nothing but scraps back to the all workers, yes it is this attitude that allows us to be in the situation to do something by building a stronger movement to change not only Postal policies but also the economic policies in this distressed nation and in the process to build an America that works for all.  In the words of AFL-CIO Secretary Treasurer Richard Trumka, “We have a real opportunity to turn things around for working families by changing the rules to build an economy that works for all of us.”  

Watching the demise of the auto industry brings back memories of all the years that we watched commercials that shared how well the Company CEO’s and other corporate executives respected their workers.  Only to blame the workers that belonged to unions in the end in order to hide the lack of leadership and the underlying tones of corporate official laziness, overpaid executives and unaddressed corruption to pad golden parachutes.  Can you smell what the USPS and PMG Potter are cooking with their transformation plan?  Just remember that a pay for performance is their driving motivator, not customer service and not their employees.  While this may sound harsh, I must admit that I feel this way because Postal workers are some of the most productive workers in the world and they work longer hours than anybody else in any other developed country.  It is also no secret that we have some of the best paying jobs around while working for some of the most lazy and inept people in not only our business but our industry.  Now I am not suggesting that all Managers or Supervisors are like this.  I want to merely point out that the only product that the USA produces today is SERVICE and our Clerks are knowledgeable and experienced and nobody does it better!  So the question becomes why are the clerks treated so poorly by local management in Aurora, CO?

I think I may have an answer: certain local managers and supervisors were allowed to run around unchecked and not held accountable as far as we know as employees under our previous Post Master Victor Benevides and we all know Victor was a coercive style of manager that treated bargaining unit employees one way but allowed his managers and supervisors to sexually harass, fraternize with bargaining unit employees and in some cases even  influence the promotion and transfer with mitigating circumstances while denying others with transfer requests.  Now I know that you old timers are saying Dan it just gets worse as time goes on so just pay attention.  I suggest to you that it is our union activism and debate that will lead to pro-action in our struggle.  I ask you only to consider the following questions and seek answers.  Is it our problem that our National Agreement is violated daily because our leaders refuse to staff adequately?  Is it our problem that local managers, (such as a certain self appointed discipline guru who just happens to be a Supervisor of Customer Sales and Service at the Main or a certain acting Station manager at Tower who feels he has an exclusive right to use sick leave and other employees don’t), must resort to discipline measures because they miserably fail to run each operation that they are involved in due to a lack of people skills?  Is it our problem that Management can’t manage by treating employees with dignity and respect?  I know that Article 3 gives them the right to Mismanage but I will not accept that as an answer.

I would suggest to upper management that the OIG be brought into Aurora to investigate the millions of dollars in fraud waste and abuse practices because they have EAS personnel such as those that I mention here that can’t even follow simple patterns of behavior as those outline by the District in their Comprised six values of Principled Leadership letter to all Postal all employees in the CO/WYO District.  We all got the same letter and it states what the values are.  I have even included a copy of it with this edition of the newsletter.  I only wonder if the Postal Update could publish some sort of calculation like that of our VOE Surveys that we all know are a pay for performance agenda item!  When will Postal Management get it?  The customers are not going away - in fact they love the service and attention they receive from you, the hard working window clerk.  Hell, they wait in line 30 minutes or more, (primarily because of the poor staffing of our windows, another substandard decision that management has made and placed the burden on us to resolve because they think that our lobbies can be managed via a webcam) just to deal with the professional United States Postal clerk that had to have a background check to get hired.  The window Clerks are the ones that do not get a pat on the back or a thank you from our inept supervisors or managers. They are however, quickly pulled in to for an investigative interview to start a predetermined ARTICLE 16 “Disciplinary” proceeding because some managers, such as the ones mentioned in this article, lack the skills noted. Maybe someone can coach them or possibly teach them like our patient Post Master, Mr. Les Caruthers?  Maybe they can go back to Management 101 for some remedial brush up. Maybe / Maybe Not?  I don’t know?  All I am saying is that the Principled Leadership values hold the answer my friends and their success will be determined by the pendulum of public opinion.  Not only from Postal employees as a whole but by our customers who are now complaining publicly and outside of Aurora just the same as those decent tax paying residents of Albuquerque, New Mexico that desire and pay for the service that we provide in our lobbies.  You guys remember our brothers and sisters that we have been closely following.  Hell they had to talk to Congress to get resolve.  But guess what?  We found out that new Postal facilities were being built and over 300 jobs have been created.  Not only clerk but carrier jobs as well.  Not TE, casual, EAS, 204B or detailed jobs but FULL TIME CAREER WORKFORCE POSTAL JOBS!  So they can hide behind their doors if will, declare WAR on the Aurora, CO Local American Postal Workers Union in the parking lots and break areas and through out the city and even paper the workroom floor with frivolous Article 16 paperwork if they must.  But they will reap what they sow because workers are uniting and we will prevail because this struggle is ours as well as theirs and we determine their successfulness as based by their treatment of us because we do our jobs and do them well.  In Solidarity Brothers and Sisters.