It is now 3 months into my second term as the President of the APWU AFL-CIO Aurora, Colorado Local and I am proud.  I have had the great opportunity to serve you, the membership, and to serve a union that, in spite of the tragic economic conditions, has been successful in negotiating our wages, securing our jobs, and protecting our rights as workers, just to name a few. The fight will continue.

I want to thank Bob Burton for his service to this local as Vice President for the past two years and his continuous service to his union brothers and sisters as a steward.  Thank you Sec/Treas. Dan Van Minnen for the excellent job you have done and continue to do, and for your continued dedication to this local.  Congratulations and welcome to our newly elected Vice President Clinton “Boogie” Whitfield who in three months has not only gotten legislatively involved and assumed his responsibilities as the steward at the Aurora Main Post Office, but he has made himself available to do whatever needs to be done to serve the membership. A special thanks also to Tom Sullivan who has been serving this local since long before the day I arrived in Aurora in 1998.  He has served as Secretary Treasury, a delegate and continues do an excellent job fighting the fight as the steward at the Altura station and as a trustee for the Colorado Postal Workers Union.

As Officers and Stewards we often take it home. We spend time away from our families. We live it, we breath it and we are asked time and time again why we do it.  My only response would be a quote from our new Vice President “Boogie” - Do the right thing for the right reasons.  We have been blessed thus far with wage increases while wages are declining in America.  We have health benefits while many do not.  We have a no layoff clause while Americans are getting laid off and the list goes on and on.  Why?  Because we are Union Workers.  These were not just free gifts - they were all negotiated and we have the jobs that we have today because someone before us fought and made sacrifices, and it is our responsibility and obligation to continue the fight!  It is OUR Collective Bargaining Agreement!

So thank you to the membership. Because of the dues paying members a Collective Bargaining Agreement can be negotiated.  Because of the dues paying members the Contract can be enforced when violated.  Because of the dues paying members we have what we have.  Without the dues paying members we have nothing.

The Truth is All That Matters

I don’t have to mention names I know who they are, you know who they are and they know who they are.  Everyday mail is delayed, mail is hidden, mail is not returned to the sender in a timely manner, mail volumes are not accurately recorded, box mail is sometimes up at 5:30 PM and not reported as such, Business Reply sits for days and the public trust is violated on a daily basis.   The OIG Hotline number is 1-888-USPS-OIG or you can go to their website at  www.uspsoig.gov to find answers to your many questions if such incidents occur.

Medical documentation requested for absences of three days or less

Management is consistently asking employees to provide medical documentation when they call in for three days or less. It is the union’s position that this is a violation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and you need to request to see a union steward.  Make sure to keep records of the expenses you incurred to obtain this documentation including Co-pays, mileage and time spent.  Beware!!!  Some Managers and Supervisors have taken it upon themselves to red flag some employees even though they have assured the union they have not.  What does this mean for you?  It means if you are red flagged and you call the Attendance Hotline it will ask you for documentation.  In my opinion it is a form of misuse of authority and in some cases can be construed as a discriminatory action depending on the circumstances.  Again request to see a steward, you can report it to the OIG if you believe it to be a misuse of authority or if you believe you are being discriminated against then you have a right to file an EEO complaint at 1-888-336-8777.

Add Insult to Injury

The issuing of discipline has almost become a daily occurrence.  If you are injured, you get disciplined.  If you miss a scan of any kind, you get disciplined.  If management believes you did not conduct the perfect transaction on the window, you get disciplined.  Does Postal Management have a quota?  Or does it have something to do with their Pay for Performance?

I was hired to do a job just like all of you and I believe I do my job well as do you.  I do not ever want to be injured on the job as I believe nobody does.  I will take responsibility for my mistakes as I believe you are willing to do also.  I once was discussing an incident with the Postmaster that took place in a break room in which a Supervisor was yelling and screaming. This had caused a bad environment for those who were trying to enjoy their break time.  His response was “Nobody is perfect”.  I am in agreement with that response - if this incident is not of a reoccurring nature.  That is why I must ask “Why the different set of standards for the union represented employee and EAS employee?”

Management has recently developed a new Mystery Shopper Program.  Two employees have already being disciplined and charged with failure to use G.I.S.T.  The Mystery Shopper Program was implemented to evaluate the retail experience and to be utilized to develop ways of improving that experience.  Postal Management has finally succumbed to the fact they cannot use the Mystery Shopper Program to discipline employees.  So they have rolled out a new program that entails an EAS employee outside of the city entering the line and using the Form 4000B to perform an observation of an employee and then reporting the results of their observation to local management. If they state you did not perform the perfect transaction you will then be disciplined.   It is the union’s position that the Immediate Supervisors should be performing these observations, utilizing this form. The use of this form is to measure skill level, not to discipline employees.  Request a steward immediately -  it is a violation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

I applaud the Sale & Service Associates because you are the expert in your field and you do an excellent job.  In your defense I must address the latest letter sent out and signed by Customer Service and Sales District Manager Selwyn Epperson in which he expressed the customer’s deep dissatisfaction with the Retail Experience.  I have one thing to say; when will Postal Management except responsibility for the dissatisfaction of the customer.  Our Sale & Service Associates do an excellent job with the tools they are given.  Long lines are what customers are dissatisfied with!  The removal of the clocks in the lobbies does not trick the customer - they have watches, cell phones with clocks and an internal clock that tells them they have been waiting too long to be served.  Postal Management controls the staffing. They revert window jobs or they revert Clerk/Special Delivery Messenger jobs - and then pull Window Clerks to deliver Express Mail.  They send Window Clerks home with a line out the door to avoid the use of Penalty overtime  (Pay for Performance).  Supervisors and Carriers are then used on the window to perform Lobby sweeps, which is a violation and you the clerk need to report this!  Take responsibility! Do not continue to look the other way!

APWU Clerk Bargaining Unit Work

Forthcoming will be the implementation of the new Flat Sorting Machines.  At this time I do not know how that will affect the clerks in Aurora.  But I do know if a Carrier is doing anything other then delivering mail, if a supervisor is doing any type of work other then computer work, scheduling, signing your leave slip etc. you better be asking for a Steward.  Do not except management telling you it is OK for them or carriers to perform this work, the work is usually clerk craft work.  If they are continually changing your schedule or working you outside your principle assignment area, you must request to see a union steward!  We must protect our work!  Comments have been made that they will attempt to reduce the clerk craft to 65 clerks and excessing to areas outside the city will occur.  If you continue to give your work away or continue not to report a violation of the collective Bargaining Agreement you will have nobody else to blame but yourself for allowing this to happen. Your steward cannot be everywhere, all of the time.  You are their eyes and ears.  Rumor has it Supervisors have been calling employees into their office after they have requested to see a steward to inform the employees they do not need to see a steward because there is no violation.  This in itself is a direct violation of the National Labor Relations Act and you have a right to file Labor Board Charge.  Go to www.nlrb.gov or call 303 844-3551 to file that charge.

In closing I will say that I know, you know and they know who they are, and I would like to say Thank You to those Supervisors and Managers that know the meaning of treating their employees with dignity and respect and know the meaning of “Bargaining in Good Faith”. I will stay hopeful for the rest.

Again thanks.

Your Union Sister,

Shelly Alvarado.

April 2008

The Reality of the Situation is…

by Shelly Alvarado