The Vice President's Corner

CCAs: On the Horns Of a Dilemma

It’s no secret that since the birth of the expanded non-career workforces within the Postal Service, retention rates of new employees are horribly low. Both union and management realize this is not good for the business.

In hopes of improving retention in the city letter carrier craft, an updated Carrier Academy is being rolled out across the country. New City Carrier Assistants will complete a shadow day with an experienced letter carrier prior to spending time and money on training.

One thought is that many people have no idea what our job actually entails and some will decide the job is not for them prior to the postal service spending time and money on training. Another thought is this will help the CCA better understand and retain what is being taught at the Carrier Academy.

I applaud the efforts by our union and management but it’s my opinion the high turnover rates and even the decision by some quality workers to not accept a position, or not even apply, are attributed to things other than training.

Prior to the elimination of new employees being hired as a Part Time Flexible (career employees) few applicants turned down the letter carrier job or quit once hired. The primary reason? A benefit package!

Sure the work has changed some but PTF’s were the majority of the auxiliary workforce, treated the same way CCA’s are today.

I can speak from experience. I was a PTF three times in my career due to voluntary transfers for about a total of 4 years. I was told I wasn’t fast enough, I was disciplined, I was given the “crappy” assignments, and there were occasions I was brought in for 2-4 hours only to be sent home.

However, what made it an easy decision to choose the letter carrier job, tolerate unpleasant conditions and stick with the job, was that I received health benefits, employer matching contributions to the TSP, life insurance, sick leave and annual leave increases. And all time spent as a PTF counted toward retirement.

The following is a perfect example. Someone close to me, in his mid-twenties, has applied and has received a CCA job offer from the USPS and has a tough decision to make. He just began a new full time 40 hour guaranteed job at a good size company that has a solid, company-paid stock ownership plan and a company match 401k plan (not as generous as the postal service match but respectable).

The company also pays for a good portion of the health benefits, life insurance, provides up to 4 weeks paid vacation (based on years of service), 6 paid holidays, 6 days paid sick leave yearly, holiday cash bonuses of 1-3 weeks of pay, 3 days bereavement pay, tuition reimbursement, and has a reputation in the business industry of treating their employees well.

The job requires working some evenings and weekends and pays a few dollars less than a CCA and will not reach the top salary of a career city letter carrier, and there is no union. However, there are growth opportunities as assistant and department managers making slightly more than current top letter carrier pay. Oh, and there’s no wait for most of the benefits which begin after a 90-day probationary period.

I understand not all companies offer this type of benefit package, but do you see the dilemma facing this young, hard working individual looking for a career job?

And do you see the Postal Service’s dilemma by not offering benefits to CCA’s similar to those of career employees?

Right now, depending on circumstances, it appears it could take about 4 years for this person to convert to career (benefits and guaranteed 40 hours) if he chooses the CCA job. Four years of no benefits and limited work-hour guarantees.

Sure there’s overtime, but that isn’t guaranteed. This is the reason for the high turnover rate and some people not choosing a career in the postal service. Some CCA’s get lucky with the timing of their hiring and career openings within one to two years; however most CCA’s are not so lucky!

The defined career path for CCA’s was a step in the right direction but these new candidates for employment and current CCA’s looking for a company to call home are placed in a quandary. They ask themselves: how old am I and how long can I go without benefits and guarantees? Is it worth a few dollars more an hour and will it cover my health benefit premiums? Can I afford to wait four more years to begin saving for retirement? What if it takes more than four years? How long must I work till it begins to count toward my retirement?

Let’s be clear, don’t blame the NALC; this was all management. USPS management pushed for this new non-career employee classification and was awarded it during arbitration.

It’s not that all new employees are lazy, don’t want to work and quit. Many simply cannot put themselves or their family in this waiting game predicament and decide to leave. Others choose a different company and turn down the job offer altogether. This waiting game for benefits also limits the pool of applicants. Some workers won’t consider applying when they hear how long it may take to receive benefits.

If the USPS wants to attract and keep workers to make this a career, then they need to start treating them like career employees and provide a benefit package like they did with PTF’s. I don’t know what decision the young man will make. I would be proud to welcome him into the city letter carrier craft and sign his Form 1187 to join our union. But I will understand and fully support his decision if he turns down the CCA job offer.

Letter Carriers Always Adapt

I think most of you would agree with the statement: If you don’t like change, then the U.S. Postal Service is not the job for you. Long-time carriers like me and others have seen and dealt with many changes over the years. Changes including horizontal flat cases, vertical flat cases, routers, DPS, FSS, scanner use, MSP, GPS, the type of vehicles we use and even the many changes to our local supervisor, station manager and postmaster. One constant amidst all these changes are letter carriers.

Another change we’ve seen is in our letter and flat mail volumes, and that is nothing to treat lightly. The current digital world has led to less and less of what is considered traditional mail, which has always been the bread and butter of the postal service. This decline has no doubt, contributed to the financial strain on the postal service. However, the postal service has evolved over the years and it will once again need to reinvent itself to compete in the electronic age.

To be successful, legislative reforms will need to be passed by Congress. These reforms would allow the postal service to maximize the value of its unique retail, processing and delivery networks. Examples of some reforms would allow postal banking or providing state government services, like the processing of hunting and fishing licenses similar to some European postal services.

Another reform would allow for the delivery of beer and wine. Small craft breweries and wine makers currently find it difficult getting their items distributed to merchants and establishments. Letter carriers are currently testing the deliveries of groceries, bottled water, and same-day delivery of online purchases.

For the Postal Service to continue providing affordable, universal service it must take advantage of the boom in e-commerce deliveries. Letter carriers will deal with these changes and adapt, like we always do.

Although we’ve seen a decrease in traditional mail types, letter carriers are dealing with the changes associated with the large increase in our parcel volumes. It seems like every other day there’s a new instruction on scanning, handling or delivery procedure. Often, these changes in procedure are not in accordance with our National Agreement or Postal Handbooks and Manuals.

One concern I have is when postal management instructs letter carriers to just ring the doorbell and leave the parcel at the door, no need to wait for the customer to come to the door. Oh really? So on a curb line route I’m to leave the package after ringing the bell and while I’m walking back to the vehicle the customer opens the front door, picks up the parcel and now they need to walk out to the curb line box to collect their other mail. Or as I’m walking to the vehicle, they holler out, “Do I have any other mail?” I guess I’m to say, “Yes I put in in your mail box, I thought you could use the exercise!”

Of course management’s only concern is the time it takes and not with good customer service. They’re not even concerned with the parcel delivery procedures they developed instructing letter carriers of their duties and responsibilities found in Handbook M-41. You know, that Handbook they always cite when they discipline a letter carrier.

Contractually, your supervisor can not arbitrarily change the instructions from that of the M-41. Equally, letter carriers may not change procedure, especially because you just want to get the route completed quicker.

Below you will find Sections from the Handbook M-41 instructing letter carriers on how to deliver parcels. I’d suggest we all do what the postal service requires us to do, what the customer saw in our commercials and what they paid for, no matter how long it takes.

Parcel Post, Section 322.31states in part: For any parcel that does not fit into the customer’s mailbox or parcel locker (when available), an attempt to deliver must be made at the customer’s door.

Delivery of Parcel Post, Section 631 states in part: 631.1 Determine if someone is available at the address by ringing the doorbell or knocking on the door. Section 631.2 While waiting for the customer to respond…

It’s very clear by the Handbook M-41instructions: the postal service wants letter carriers to interact with the customer. You need to ring the doorbell or knock, determine if someone is available to accept the parcel by waiting for them to come to door.

As we continue to compete for the growing parcel delivery and non-traditional mail types of delivery, we will need all the customers we can get. Providing good customer service is a step all letter carriers can take.

Fueled By Our Members

NALC State Associations date back to at least 1892, when letter carrier representatives from 17 smaller Massachusetts cities met to discuss the equalization of wages. By July 1903 gatherings of NALC State Associations were promoting mutual support, the sharing of opinions, and opportunities for members to meet their Congressmen. (Source: Carriers In A Common Cause).

As quite a few years passed, it seemed State Associations and their members got away from being a legislative network lobbying force and a more contractual training agenda seemed to evolve. This may have been attributed to the Postal Reorganization Act of 1970 becoming law, when the NALC achieved the right to collective bargaining for wages, hours and working conditions through binding arbitration.

Prior to achieving collective bargaining with our employer, letter carriers needed to contact their elected representatives in Congress if they wanted a wage increase or better working conditions. This was known as “collective begging.”

Fast forwarding to about 10 years ago, our national officers felt there was a need to refocus NALC State Association priorities to a time when they were originally formed and the role they played prior to gaining collective bargaining. Similar to today, there was much talk of privatization, the Postal Service began contracting out work (contract routes), and there were attacks on federal employee benefits.

The goal of the NALC was to re-strengthen our legislative and political machine fueled by our members. Remember, what legislation is passed by Congress and signed into law by the President of the United States, can also be taken away by the same process. The need to educate our elected representatives through communication is still needed.

Today, State Associations continue to assemble members to contact their elected representatives on behalf of NALC supported legislation, encourage voting for union-endorsed candidates, and contributing to the Letter Carrier Political Fund (LCPF), our political action committee.

State Associations also conduct legislative and political training sessions and forums. (Source: Carriers In A Common Cause).

You may have heard that the heartbeat of postal reform is beating again in Congress. In January, NALC National President Fred Rolando testified at a Senate Committee Hearing, along with The USPS Postmaster General, government officials, and other stakeholders in the mailing industry. Their testimonies and answers were based on consensus reforms relating to stabilizing the Postal Service’s finances.

Now that all the major stakeholders have agreed to these reforms, it is now time to convince those who may be voting on them in the future that these reforms are necessary and good for the Postal Service, all stakeholders and our customers.

When a grievance is filed regarding a workplace issue, it is a reaction to something management has done. But on this legislative issue, “Postal Reform,” we cannot wait for the final legislation to be voted upon before we act. We all need to take action now!

With a limited schedule for Congress in Washington this year, it’s important that letter carriers connect with their elected representatives. Just about each month Congress has scheduled district work days in NC. While your representative is back in their home district, you need to educate them on these new consensus reforms to stabilize the Postal Service and NALC supported legislation.

With your help we can work to pass legislation that stabilizes the Postal Service and provides our customers with prompt, reliable, and efficient universal postal services, six and seven days a week.

For more information on the Congressional calendar (back home district workdays), NALC Fact Sheets (explaining our positions) and other information, go to the NALC Government Affairs tab at NALC.ORG or visit our State Association website: nclettercarrier.com. You can also contact your Congressional District Liaisons listed in this publication or on the

State Association website.

Service, Freedoms and Choices

Things may not always be perfect here in the U.S. but the citizens are better off than other places in the world and I wouldn’t want to live in any other country. As I prepare this writing, Veteran’s Day is fast approaching. I want to thank all of our veterans for their service to our country and those who live here. Through your service and sacrifices our country remains a democratic, free society.

Since the Revolutionary War there have been over 45 million U.S. military service members during wartime. The service member number increases when you include service members outside of wartime who continued to safeguard our freedoms, freedoms that are often taken for granted such as the freedom to vote, freedom to own property, freedom to protest, freedom to choose what we watch on TV or listen to on the radio or freedom to choose a religion without persecution.

And other freedoms such as choosing your job, like the current 113,000 veterans who chose to work for the United States Postal Service; and of course the ultimate worker freedom, the freedom to join a labor union like the NALC.

When you get right down to it, you can say all of our rights and freedoms that were set in our US Constitution and developed over the years to define our republic, have come as a result of our U.S. military protecting those rights and freedoms.

Similar to our military securing our national freedoms, so did members of our union fight to secure rights and benefits we letter carriers enjoy today. Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not comparing the blood, sweat and ultimate sacrifice of our military service members to fighting for union rights. I’m only saying the underlying principle of standing up for what you believe and securing a better way of life is similar. The similarities should not be a surprise based on our NALC history. The first gathering of letter carriers in an attempt to form a union was in August 1889. The date was chosen to coincide with the reunion of the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of Union veterans from the Civil War. A resolution was passed at that gathering to form the National Association of Letter Carriers.

Every benefit and right that we enjoy as letter carriers has been secured and protected by an army of past and current letter carriers, many who volunteer their time for you and your family. The right to paid annual and sick leave, workers compensation for injured employees, health and retiree benefits, overtime pay, lunch and break periods, seniority and the right to collectively bargain with our employer to improve our pay and working conditions, all gained by fellow union members.

Those of you who don’t know the history, let me tell you, the Postal Service did not voluntarily give these things to you. In fact, often the Postal Service leadership, including your local management, can often be found trampling on or attempting to take away your benefits and acting like it’s no big deal! CCAs, things like your right to a defined career path, your right to hold downs, annual leave, your pay increases and your right to be represented by the NALC, all fought for by the NALC.

It’s often said by our members that the reason they’re not involved in their branch or our organization is that no one ever asked. Well, here it is. If you want to maintain or improve upon all we currently have, then I’m asking you to get involved. I’m asking you, will you use your freedom of choice to attend branch meetings, read the NALC’s monthly magazine The Postal Record? Will you choose to contribute to the NALC’s political action committee, “The Letter Carrier Political Fund”? Will you choose to become politically, legislatively and contractually knowledgeable? Will you become involved and have a role in shaping your future and your union’s future? Will you help those who are trying to help you?

Until next time, be safe and have a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and an involved New Year!

Focusing On Service

I would like to thank the delegates to our NC State Convention for allowing me the opportunity to serve our membership for another two years.

When I think of service, I think of many things. Things like how I serve our membership; the service I receive when dining out; and even the service we provide as letter carriers. Encarta dictionary defines service as: “Work done by somebody for somebody else as a job.”

I feel customer service is lacking nowadays. All too often when the family and I go out for a meal either someone’s order is screwed up or the wait staff forgets that you’re even there. Excuse me, hellooo, can I get a refill? Or excuse me, we ordered the potato skins appetizer. And then they show up after your entrée. Yeah, oh, we don’t want those now. Ok, I’ll put them in a to-go box. Don’t bother. And I won’t be paying for them either!

Eating establishments aren’t the only service business with this problem. I’m sure you have your own examples of poor customer service. At times it’s so bad you start to wonder if you’re being pranked and start looking for the hidden camera.

Businesses today are ignoring the old-age business model of quality over quantity to achieve some short term profits. Eventually after customers continue to receive poor service, they will stop using your service. Marketing professionals say it takes 12 positive experiences to make up for one terrible experience. Also, businesses only hear from about four percent of their disgruntled customers. Disgruntled customers just tell everyone else of their bad experience. Word of mouth can be your best friend or worst enemy.

The Postal Service is no different than any other service business and letter carriers need to provide good service to our customers while working in a safe manner.

If you’re a carrier who leaves notices instead of delivering parcels to the door, or leaves parcels sticking out of curb line boxes without box lid closed because you’re either too lazy to take it to the front door or in a hurry; or you mis-deliver parcels to the wrong address, or you leave parcels on the front door/porch without waiting to see if a customer was there to receive it, then that, my friend, is not good customer service.

I know mistakes will be made from time to time, but if you’re making misdelivery mistakes several time a week, then you need to read the entire address and use the necessary time to do so. If you’re distracted by a radio or some other electronic device, then you need to discontinue the use and focus more on delivering the mail correctly and providing good customer service. Would you like it if this type of delivery was happening to your mail items? Our mailing customers pay for your service and actually pay your salary. Read the back of your paystub; it says from our customers.

Maybe the cause of poor customer service plaguing some of our letter carriers is due to management’s disregard for good customer service by putting quantity over quality. Sure they preach it, but then they want it completed in an unreasonable amount of time.

In society today there also seems to be the lack of wanting to get it done correctly the first time. The attitude seems to be: “Its ok, we can fix your mistake.” You may be able to correct the mistake but you may not be able to fix the customers impression of your service.

I say it’s time all letter carriers, new

and old, take action for those who truly pay us, our customers.

Also, for you newer carriers, if a more senior carrier or union representative talks to you about taking the necessary time needed to work safely, and delivering correctly, well, they are only trying to help. Better they talk to you before management does.

Report on My Past Two Years in Office

I am privileged to serve our members as the Vice President of the North Carolina State Association of Letter Carriers. I am honored by the confidence you have in me and truly appreciate your support.

During the past two years I’ve chaired all meetings of the Executive Board and attended all training sessions.

I attended the Region 9 Rap session and the National Convention in Philadelphia. As part of my duties, I served as one of our association delegates to the NC State AFL-CIO Convention. I also worked as a release for the Labor 2014 campaign, coordinating volunteers and phone bank facilities and making phone calls in support of our candidates.

I’ve had the opportunity to attend local branch meetings, CLC meetings, congressional meetings, candidate meet/greets and screenings, all in an effort to educate NALC members, other unions and political candidates about issues important to letter carriers and working families. All of these meetings were important because of the continued assaults on letter carrier jobs and postal and federal employees.

Our employer’s existence began when in 1775 the Second Continental Congress appointed Benjamin Franklin the

first postmaster general. It wasn’t until the Constitution of 1787 that Congress was granted the power “To establish Post Offices and Post Roads.”

However, it wasn’t until 1792 and 1794 when comprehensive postal legislation was approved by Congress and officially established the Post Office as a permanent part of the federal government, and today remains an independent agency of the federal government. This is why letter carriers need to be well informed and proactive on issues pertaining to Federal employees and the U.S. Postal Service.

Being well informed on issues and proactive with Congress isn’t something new. Letter carriers and their families have been at it before the NALC was formed in 1889. Yes, the issues may change but the venue of the fight (Capitol Hill) remains the same. Famed author, George Eliot wrote: “It will never rain roses: when we want to have roses, we must plant more roses.” Neither the USPS nor Congress will voluntarily bestow on you the right to work and earn a decent wage with benefits. Just like a rose garden, they need to be nurtured and encouraged.

The USPS, some private businesses, and even some members of Congress, continue to push for reduced days of

delivery and ending door delivery, both of which will cut letter carrier jobs. “Think tanks” such as the CATO Institute (with ties to big business) call for privatization and blame the Postal Service’s financial crisis on excessive labor costs stemming from things like six day delivery and “lucrative compensation packages” for employees secured by postal unions (see Privatizing the U.S. Postal Service by Tad DeHaven: www.downsizinggovernment.org/usps#7).

Recently, the House of Representatives approved a 2016 federal budget that targets retirement and health benefits of postal and federal employees. The plan would require federal employees to pay more out of their own pocket towards these benefits. The Thrift Savings Plan, G Fund interest rate would be slashed to nearly zero.

The budget refers to the Simpson-Bowles plan that calls for all federal worker contributions under CSRS and FERS to increase to 6 percent. This for example, would essentially be a pay cut of more than $3500 annually for a top letter carrier (Step O). Employees would also see an increase in their premium costs under The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. In addition, the bill outlines service cuts affecting changes to mail frequency and type of delivery.

Think about your current situation. Do you need this job to keep your current lifestyle? Have you earned the right to retire comfortably? Do you like or need the benefits you’ve earned? CCA’s would you like to keep your job and in the future receive the benefits career letter carriers are now getting. Do you have too much money or too many benefits? The simple question comes down to this—Do you want more roses, or at least keep the ones you have? Make no mistake, all of these attacks are aimed at you! You need to help nurture what others have planted for you. Contribute to COLCPE, sign up for e-Activist and make calls to Congress. Help yourself, get involved!

On a personal note, thank you to my wife Darilyn, and my sons Matt and Zach for understanding the amount of time I spend on union activities and for their continued help and support of our union causes.

CDRAAP and the Workhour Workload Report

The City Delivery Route Alternative Adjustment Process (CDRAAP) memorandum (M-01845) between the NALC and USPS was signed on September 23, 2014 and will be in effect for the duration of 2015, unless either party terminates the agreement.

During the life of the agreement CDRAAP is the only process to evaluate and adjust routes. There are a few exceptions to this rule such as M-39 Section 271, a locally developed process approved by the national parties, or where the area/regional team jointly agrees the process cannot be used for a unit.

All carriers need to be vigilant in their role in the process for the entire year, whether the routes in your zone have been selected for evaluation and adjustment or not. CDRAAP allows for the joint addition of zones during the year, so if your zone is not currently in the process, there’s a possibility it may be at a later time. There is also the possibility of a review, using days 30—75 following the date of implementation.

The NALC has negotiated checks and balances for letter carriers throughout the process, one of those being the daily posting of the previous day’s Workhour Workload Report (All Routes) in each office. This allows letter carriers an opportunity to verify on a daily basis the current recording of times and volumes for their assignments. This requirement can be found in M-01846, which provides the mutual understanding of issues related to M-01845.

CDRAAP uses the times and volumes on this report to determine an actual office and street time as well as a standard office time based on cased letters and cased flats. It is imperative for letter carriers to review this form daily to ensure accuracy for a fair route evaluation. If this report is not being posted in ALL zones/units (CDRAAP or not), or not being posted daily, notify your shop steward immediately.

The NALC Contract Administrative Unit in their “Contract Talk” section of the November 2014 issue of The Postal Record explains how to read the Workhour Workload Report. You can also find it in the “NALC Letter Carrier Resource Guide” which can be downloaded at www.nalc.org/workplace-issues/city-delivery-resources.

As I travel the Mid Carolinas District as the NALC CDRAAP District Lead Team representative, many carriers tell me they don’t know how to read the report. Below I will focus on the office, street and volumes sections of the form used for CDRAAP, but would encourage you to visit the link above or read a hard copy of the “NALC Letter Carrier Resource Guide” for an in depth look at this report as well as explanations of duties and important forms carriers should be familiar with.

Keep in mind that all times listed on the Workhour Workload Report are taken from carrier moves on the Electronic Badge Reader, aka time clock, unless a mistake was made and needed correcting, or you have a dishonest supervisor/manager altering time clock entries.

Let’s begin.

Office Time: First, find your route number under the far left column labeled Route. Now read the row left to right with the corresponding columns. Act AM= Actual office time used in the morning by the Letter Carrier assigned to the route for the date indicated at the top of the report. AM Asst = Actual Office Assistance time recorded for any auxiliary assistance provided in the office in the morning for the date indicated at the top of the report. Disregard the Proj AM and AM Var columns. Be advised that as far as the NALC is concerned, these figures are meaningless projections, not reality. Pay no attention to them.

Next, you’ll see Act PM = Actual Office time used upon returning to office time from street time by the Letter Carrier assigned to the route for the date indicated at the top of the report. PM Asst = Actual Office Assistance time recorded for any auxiliary assistance provided in the office in the afternoon/evening to the route for the day indicated at the top of the report.

Again, disregard Proj PM, PM Var and OEI.

Street Time and Total Time--Act Str= Actual street time, minus 30 minute lunch period, recorded for the Letter Carrier assigned to the route for the date indicated at the top of the report. Str Asst = Actual street time recorded for any auxiliary street assistance provided to your route for the date indicated at the top of the report. Act Total = Actual AM office time + AM office assistance + Actual PM office time + PM office assistance + Actual street time + Auxiliary street assistance = Actual Total time recorded for the route for the date indicated at the top of the report.

Volumes: Total Cased Letters, Total Cased Flats, total number of DPS pieces, total number of FSS pieces, total sequenced pieces (Seq), number of parcels (PP), and total delivered pieces recorded for the day indicated at the top of the report.

There are generally three things you should check daily:

1. Check your actual a.m. office time, a.m. office assistance time, actual p.m. office time and p.m. office assistance time to see if they resemble what really occurred on the route for the previous day.

2. Check your actual street time and street assistance to see if they resemble what really occurred on the route the previous day. Remember, your Actual Street time will be 30 minutes less than what you actually clocked, to account for your 30 minute lunch period.

3. Check your total volumes in each column to see if they are in line with the volumes you handled on the previous day.

If the information on the report is not accurate, notify your supervisor and make a note of those errors. If your supervisor isn’t willing to correct the errors, ask to see your shop steward. Management has only ONE day to correct any cased volume issues, so act immediately if it needs correcting.

I hope this clears things up.

Remember, an educated NALC member makes the best Letter Carrier.

Democracy Or Something Else?

Well, Election Day has come and gone and although things didn’t go as labor had hoped, we will carry on and continue to fight for letter carriers and working families.

Low voter turnout could very well be the reason why the labor-backed candidates failed to win their races. Sure I’m disappointed our endorsed candidates weren’t elected, but what bothers me so much more is that so many American’s did not vote. Nationally, only 36.4% of eligible voters came out to vote. Here in North Carolina just over 44% of eligible voters cast their ballots.

I’ve read and heard many reasons such as: my vote doesn’t matter; it’s a mid-term election; they shortened early voting; I can only vote at my precinct.

Don’t misunderstand me, I don’t agree with the changes to the voting rules that our state legislature made, but these reasons sound more like excuses. Historically, mid-term elections do turn-out less voters but in 2012 when electing our President only 58.2% came out to vote. A little more than half the voter’s came out and voted; that’s sad.

Voting to elect those who will draft, debate and vote on legislation that will define our country is one of the most patriotic actions any of us can do. With Veteran’s Day just passing, I can’t help but think of all those who have served in our military and those who’ve paid the ultimate price of dying to protect our democracy and our freedom to cast a vote.

Voting is the cornerstone of our democratic (government by the people) way of life and what differentiates us from many other countries. However, many American’s did not always have the right to vote. Over the years both men and women have been beaten, shot at, jailed in inhumane conditions and killed right here at home, fighting for the precious right to vote; to have a say in our country’s democracy.

Women didn’t receive the right to vote until 1920 with the ratification of our Constitution’s 19^th amendment.

Although blacks in southern states had the right to vote as early as the 1860’s, the unfair obstacle’s purposely placed in front of them kept them from the voting booth. Not until 1965 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the Voting Rights Act of 1965 did things begin to change.

When only a small percentage of voters participate, our democracy begins to take another form. It no longer is government by the people; it becomes a voted in oligarchy (government by the few). The power and/or vote are held by a small number of people that does not represent the whole.

I hope you will share this information and explain the importance of voting to those people who didn’t vote or those teenagers reaching voting age. Maybe then they’ll think that voting is something all American’s must take part in. And then maybe we can stop the government for the few, by the few and get back to government by the people, for all the people.

On another note, this apathy or lack of participation occurs in our own union. The NALC works very similar to a democracy. When members do not participate it hurts our union. You are wanted and you are needed for our union to succeed in representing all members. Attending meetings, participating in branch activities, this is what binds our brotherhood and sisterhood together, not just the workplace.

Newer member points of views blending with long time members experience. This is what it means to be a union member. Strength in numbers; it’s good for America and good for the NALC and your local branch.

In closing, I’d like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday’s and a healthy New Year!

Understanding How Things Work

I’d like to thank all our members who offered their condolences with the passing of my father. It meant so much to me and my family. During the two days of his funeral services I was continually hearing people tell me how much I looked like my dad and those who really know me would add that I act like him as well. I’ll take that as a good thing.

During his life my dad taught me so many things. He came from the generation that didn’t throw things away when they broke. Nope. You fixed them yourself. He definitely passed that down to me.

I’ll spend days attempting to fix something. It becomes a battle. It’s washing machine or clothes dryer versus me. And I won’t go down without a fight. That is until my wife says she’s had enough and buys a new one. LOL!

My dad taught me it’s best to understand how things work; know what the individual parts do to make something work. Many people my age and younger are from the disposable generation. If it doesn’t work, throw it out. It’s easier to buy a new one. Those who really don’t care how something works— just turn it on, that’s good enough, or call someone to fix it—when it breaks. Any more than that would be too involving.

That type of thinking lends itself to more than machinery. Take a look at some of our members. Long-time carriers and new CCAs alike don’t want to be involved. Many don’t care to understand how our contract works. Others don’t care to understand how politics or legislation affects our work and livelihoods.

There are letter carriers working in both large and small offices who allow management to walk all over them without saying a word because they don’t care to know their own rights.

And then there are others who will just call on the shop steward to fix every little thing because they don’t care to educate themselves. NALC headquarters puts out so much information on the NALC’s website, nalc.org, to educate letter carriers and most members never even look at it.

But it’s not all gloom and doom. Recently, I conducted a union orientation with new CCAs. Afterwards, I was having a conversation with two CCAs. One CCA began to explain why he was joining the union. Every point he made had the word “me” in it. It was all about himself.

Before I could get the chance, the other CCA began to explain that joining the union wasn’t only about what was good for him but rather for the good of all carriers. I immediately thought: There is hope for us.

The following day a CCA from a branch with little local representation that I signed up at orientation about a year ago, called me regarding management violating her opting, hold down rights. She said, like many carriers say, I don’t want any problems, I just want what is right. I explained that management would continue violating her rights as long as she allowed it.

The CCA said, Okay, I’ll say something and stand up to them. I assured the CCA she wasn’t alone, she had me and the NALC behind her. And I gave her the NBA’s phone number in case a grievance needed to be filed. These two CCAs get it.

To all CCAs: You became a letter carrier with the plans for long term career employment. You need to understand what is happening in Congress if you want to see career and long term employment. Reduction of services, reduction of delivery days and elimination of door delivery is not good for you or our customers.

If you like what the career carriers have and look forward to having those benefits when you become career, then you better learn how all this stuff works. You are the NALC along with the active and retired career members. The postal service did not give you or any career carriers anything. It was all secured through the hard work of your union and letter carriers before you. Your contractual rights can be found at nalc.org. I urge you to educate yourself through NALC websites and publications.

Be professional and take the necessary time to do your job in a safe and accurate manner. And remember, it’s our customers who ultimately pay your wages, so give them the service they deserve.

Grab the Wheel

As I write this we’ve just completed the 22nd NALC “Stamp Out Hunger” Food Drive and, as in the past, volunteers came out to aid us in our efforts. Many of those volunteers were children of letter carriers. It made me very proud when both my children, Matt, age 21, and Zach, age 18, took time off without pay from their jobs, putting in nearly 10 hours of work picking up food along routes, unloading food from vehicles at the pantry and preparing food for transport from the post office.

The icing on the cake though: I didn’t ask or tell them to help; they told me they were going to help. Sure, they’ve helped in the past, but this seemed different. They’re not little anymore and at their young adult ages understand it’s not just about them and the right thing to do is to help others in need. They also have learned many of those in need are working people and retired seniors struggling to make ends meet. I often wondered if they were hearing what I’ve been saying all these years. I guess they were paying attention after all.

More and more working people need assistance to feed their families and pay for basic living expenses. Low wages and a lack of employer paid benefits are to blame while CEO and shareholder income soars.

Former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich explains in his movie that I highly recommend, “Inequality For All,” why of all developed nations, the U.S. has the most unequal distribution of income.

Reich states that from 1947-1977 the economy boomed and income inequality was very low. Labor unions securing decent wages and benefits for their members, that also boosted the non-union work force, helped narrow the gap creating a thriving middle class and a strong economy.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in 2013 that union members had median usual weekly earnings of $200 more than non-union members. The report also noted that in 2013 only 11.3 percent of workers in the U.S. were union members, with fewer than 7 percent being in the private sector, levels not seen since 1932. Oh, did I mention North Carolina had the lowest union membership rate at 3.0 percent? This leaves no one to look out for the American worker and a middle class evolving into the working poor.

If this mentality and type of economics, more for the top and less for all others is going to change, then we need to look to ourselves and lead that change. George Bernard Shaw said, “To be in hell is to drift; to be in heaven is to steer.”

We need to grab the wheel and steer the anti-union conversation in a positive direction and stop drifting along as if we can’t do anything about it. Just as we educate our children on doing the right thing, we need to do a better job of educating our children, family and friends on what unions have done and continue to do for workers and the middle class. We must explain to them a well-paid working class with benefits has far more purchasing power than a handful of billionaires and that the middle class purchasing power is what makes an economy thrive. A well-paid workforce will also rely less on public assistance, thereby aiding in the reduction of our national debt.

Don’t fool yourself into thinking the scale of the issue is too large for you to make a difference. Little by little, one family member at a time, you can help change this lopsided distribution of income.

For every action there’s a reaction. Let’s stop blaming the 1 percent and anti-union politicians and start enacting change ourselves. Educate your children so they understand what you have is because of your union. Then, maybe one day you’ll witness them doing or saying something in support of workers and the middle class, and you’ll say to yourself: I guess they were paying attention after all.

Light the Way

Most often in life, darkness represents a negative, an unpleasantry, just the opposite of a bright positive, comfortable feeling. People and animals can suffer from forms of depression during the dark gloomy days of winter. Many small children are afraid of the dark, fearing what they can’t see. It’s more difficult to see in the dark. Driver’s use high beams to see better while driving when it’s dark. Metaphors are often used figuratively. Christians believe Jesus is the light of the world shinning in the darkness of everyday life. High school and college graduates are wished a bright future, meaning good things for them. To shed some light on a topic, means to explain the issues for better understanding evolving from the word enlighten. Webster’s New World College Dictionary defines ‘enlighten’ this way: “To give light of fact and knowledge; to make clear the facts; inform.” No matter how it’s put - light literally removes darkness.

We (NALC) have a serious problem facing us. Many of our members go through their work life in the dark, and I mean that figuratively speaking. It can’t be due to a lack of information available to us. I talk with many of our state members, some who’ve been delivering mail for years who don’t know the various websites like our national association website, nalc.org or our state association website nclettercarrier.com. Some may know the websites but rarely visit them or don’t read the bulletins posted on NALC boards at their work station. Others don’t read the Postal Record or the NC Letter Carrier mailed to their address or don’t attend their local Branch meetings.

If when driving in the dark you use your high beams to shine more light to help you understand the bumps, curves and avoid mishaps, then why wouldn’t you shed some light on one of the most important things in your life: your profession, your way of maintaining your lifestyle and providing for your family needs?

Folks we have an ongoing fight regarding postal legislation which in turn will affect your work life and your family life. Until favorable legislation is passed, we will continue to have attacks against our bargaining rights, health, retirement and workers compensation benefits. Within our state and across our nation frontline supervisors and postmasters are incorrectly educating letter carriers on working conditions and contractual issues. If you are reading this, I ask you to enlighten yourselves concerning these issues for the betterment of our organization and our jobs. The national, state and local leaders can’t do this alone. We can provide you with information but we can’t make you read it or put it to use. Ask any NALC union representative and they will tell you much of their knowledge has been achieved through self-education with materials supplied by the union. Knowledge is power and the more members who understand and act the better off we all will be.

Recently, amended Senate legislation S.1486 was voted out of committee. This legislation would threaten full and part-time jobs; lead to pension cuts; weaken our position in contract negotiations; eliminate Saturday delivery after 2017 and door-to-door delivery for new deliveries; allow the USPS to further reduce service and delivery standards, and the list goes on of harmful changes.

This legislation is very damaging to letter carriers, other postal employees and our customers. S.1486 also fails to relieve the USPS of the pre-funding requirement of future retiree health benefits, responsible for the service’s financial losses.

What’s with these people? Apparently they’re in the dark. This is why we need all members to turn on their high beams to fully understand the consequences of this and any future harmful legislation and shed some light on the topic to anyone who will listen.

Also of interest:

NALC: Senate Committee Reports Out S. 1486, 9 to 1

Republicans and Democrats Push Senate Bill to Further the Destruction of the USPS

Sen. Jon Tester Says Postal Bill Moves the Postal Service Closer to Privatization

Letter Carrier Heroics: Beaufort Letter Carrier Mac Wright

During the year Letter Carriers who have performed heroic and humanitarian acts while at work are recognized by the NALC by having their stories published in the “Proud to Serve” section of our union national magazine The Postal Record. From those acts of helping someone in crisis and perhaps saving a life found within the “Proud to Serve” pages, the NALC selects one national and three regional Heroes of the Year, who are honored in a ceremony in Washington, DC, along with a Humanitarian of the Year.

Also this year, a Special Carrier Alert and Branch Service honors were awarded. If you haven’t already, you can read about these recipients and their stories in the November issue of the Postal Record or online at nalc.org.

While the NALC hero of the year award recognizes actions while on duty, I’d like to recognize McArthur (Mac) Wright a 48-year-old Beaufort, NC, letter carrier for an act of heroism that occurred off the clock on Halloween night at approximately 10:20 p.m.

It has been reported that a serious domestic situation between a brother, age 51, from Durham and his sister, age 63, started at the sister’s home across the street from the Wright’s home.

The brother was brandishing a shotgun and the sister fearing for her life ran to Mac’s home across the street. Mac recognized his neighbor needed help and putting his well-being aside, he allowed the sister into his house.

The brother chased his sister and as Mac closed the door the brother fired a shotgun blast through the closed front door leaving our union brother with gunshot wounds to his torso, requiring him to be medivacked to Vidant Medical Center in Greenville for surgery and Intensive Care.

The brother entered Mac’s home and began beating his sister. The police arrived on scene within two minutes of the 911 call made by Mac’s wife, Felicia, who was held up in a bathroom closet fearing for her life while knowing her husband had been shot.

The first officers to the scene entered the home where the brother was reloading the shotgun and aiming it at the sister. The brother was shot dead after he refused multiple demands by the officers to put the weapon down.

If not for the aid of Mac, his wife and the police officers, the neighbor would not be alive today.

I’ve met Mac a few times while assigned outside steward work in Beaufort and I know he’d be the first to tell you he only did what everyone else in that situation would’ve done. But in this day and age, I’m not sure. Would everyone have opened their door in that situation? Is Mac a hero? I’d say so! A good person who helped someone in crisis, who was about to lose their life, what else would you call him?

Mac spent about a week in the hospital after surgery and is now recovering at home from his wounds. Felicia Wright, Mac’s wife, is a second grade teacher at Newport Elementary School. This is a family who through their kindness and concern for others has had their lives suddenly changed.

This act of unselfishness will keep Mac out of work for an undetermined length of time. The following website has been established by the elementary school’s Sunshine Committee to help the family: www.youcaring.com/other/help-the-wright-family/102169. Along with the website, a fund has also been established for the family through Wells Fargo Bank. Donations can be made to any branch of Wells Fargo in Carteret County.

In closing, I’d like to wish you and your families a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a safe and healthy New Year.

Delegates Raise Concerns at State Convention

Another successful NC State convention has come and gone. Thank you to the delegates for electing me to another term and for their confidence in my work and abilities. Welcome to our newly elected executive board members; Jamal Mattocks-Area 2 Rep., Reggie Gentle-Area 4 Rep. and Gerald Brown-Area 6 Rep. Also, congratulations to newly elected NC State AFL-CIO delegate Fred Vance. I look forward to working with each of them along with our re-elected board members and AFL-CIO delegates.

Cliff Davidson Sr., Richard Koritz and Jerome Hoffart did not seek re-election to the executive board. All three of these leaders have been instrumental in promoting the rights and benefits of letter carriers and working families. Cliff, prior to his retirement was a pit bull when it came to protecting the rights of carriers while dealing with hostile managers at the Chapel Hill post office. Some results stemming from his grievances have had an effect on many carriers throughout the country. Richard protected the rights of carriers at the branch level and educated carriers as an Area Rep. However, he is possibly best known for his push for unionism as a whole, workers’ rights and equality for all. He is a voice against injustice and one of the strongest activists I’ve ever met. Jerome was one of the few letter carriers who worked tirelessly to organize and work the Labor 2008 campaign in Asheville/western NC. His efforts were successful in electing working-family friendly candidates. The work he did educating union members has reached into the public sector which has helped in forming new coalitions. On behalf of all letter carriers I wish to thank Cliff, Richard and Jerome for their hard work and wish them well.

Overall, the convention ran quite smooth. Timothy O’Malley, National Executive Vice President was in attendance and provided a state of the USPS/Congressional activities/NALC action plan presentation to the delegates. A question and answer period followed the presentation. Most questions asked by delegates had nothing to do with the presentation and the tone of this segment changed dramatically. Some delegates raised questions and concerns regarding hostile work place issues; management’s total disregard for our contract; disconnect between our national officers and the workroom floor and the rank and file; and a Step B grievance process that needs repairing. They wanted answers and assurances these concerns would reach President Rolando. Afterward, some people commented that they thought of it as being rough on and disrespectful to a visiting national officer. Well, I don’t! Yes, the delegates were direct, spirited and passionate but none were disrespectful or meant to be disrespectful. Our members and stewards are frustrated with a number of workplace issues and need reassurance that our national officers have not lost touch with those of us who are delivering the mail and filing grievances. I believe this is the exact place to air concerns; in a convention of delegates elected by our membership, to represent our membership. Brother O’Malley assured the delegates their concerns were clear and would share with President Rolando at the national level.

One of the concerns raised by delegates were Step B grievances being sent out of our Greensboro and Mid-Carolinas Step B teams to be decided by teams in other areas of the country. This has led to inconsistent decisions and remedies. For example; recently the Greenville Branch had a grievance they appealed to Step B that was sent outside North Carolina. In the decision it stated the union proved its case by a plethora of evidence. That’s pretty strong language. This was a mandating grievance where a non-overtime carrier was improperly mandated to work overtime when an overtime carrier was available and not used. Management clearly violated and now for the remedy. The branch provided numerous past Step B and Formal A settlements proving continual violations. The branch asked for the normal contractually correct remedy. The overtime carrier to receive one and one-half of the hourly rate (the overtime rate) for the time not afforded to work and compensation to the non-overtime carrier due to continual violations. The Step B team gave the non-overtime carrier compensation but the overtime carrier only received 60% of the straight-time rate; not the contractually correct and common150% (the overtime rate). What?? Where did this remedy come from? I’m still shaking my head. Remember, these Step B decisions are precedent setting for the installation. This is only one example of a problem that needs to be addressed by our national officers. Similar issues were raised to Brother O’Malley.

Later in the evening, following the question and answer period, I spoke with Brother O’Malley. He told me he understood the frustration and did not feel disrespected. Let’s face it Brother O’Malley is a seasoned national officer, with years of dealing with management. I’m sure a few questions and comments from members didn’t offend him. If you still disagree with my opinion, then ask yourself this question: Where would we be today if a rank and file member named Vincent Sombrotto and members like him didn’t stand up with their concerns? Concerns of rank and file members are what formed this union and no officer should be offended when these concerns are brought to them.

America's U.S. Postal Service, NOT the PMG’s

Within minutes of the opening of the Feb. 9, 2013 NALC National Rap Session attendees erupted in support of the following words told to Post– master General (PMG) Donahoe by NALC National President Rolando and now being expressed to attendees: “We will spare no expense or resource to stop this action (5 day delivery).” Legal remedies, contractual actions, lobbying efforts, grassroots mobilization, and media campaigns; no expense,” said Rolando.

After a full day of briefings, political updates, strategies and a new contract review, attendees were given three tasks by National President Rolando: (1) Mobilize our members, their family, friends, and neighbors and educate all on why 5day delivery is not a good idea. (2) Take our issue to the public state by state and (3) Organize our new NALC represented CCA employees. I’d like to use this space to address items one and two.

As I write this article we are preparing for a March 24th national day of action to defeat PMG Donahoe’s reckless attempt to overstep Congress and disobey the law by ending six day delivery that will begin the destructive death spiral of the U.S. Postal Service. You may be reading this after the day of action, but our fight cannot end on March 24th and you are an essential piece of the fight.

You may be thinking: ‘I call my congressmen.’ Well that’s a step in the right direction, but that will not be enough at this time. Or you may be drinking the poison the PMG’s pouring out and believe this is a good thing for the postal service. This is not the case; an earlier 2011 GAO report found that moving to five-day service would put mail volumes and revenues at risk. In other words, it could help push the USPS further down the spiral.

“If we’re doing things that actually reduce the mail volume and reduce profitability, we’re heading in the wrong direction,” Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) said during a recent Senate Committee hearing on the topic.

Reducing our delivery days by 17 percent will create greater losses in comparison to the $2 billion savings guesstimate touted by PMG Donahoe, which by the way doesn’t take into account the revenue losses related to reducing to 5 day delivery. So in actuality the savings will even be much less. Long term: our customers will find other ways to get their mail items delivered, prices will go up, less people will use the postal service, leading to more cuts in delivery days and eventually the postal service is a thing of the past, opening it up for private corporations to do as they please, putting profits over service.

Look, this isn’t solely about us keeping a job. The consequences reach way beyond postal employees. For Americans this is their Postal Service, their institution. From our elderly customers who wait for our arrival for their brief social interaction, knowing their letter carrier is looking out for them, while delivering medications and other important necessities.

This is little Joey’s postal service, anxiously awaiting his birthday card or present from Grandma and Grandpa living in another part of the country. This is the business owner’s postal service using our services to earn a modest living while providing to the local economy. This is the postal service of citizens living in rural America where there is no internet access, who rely on our mail delivery six days a week, also in part because other delivery businesses don’t want to travel there.

The U.S. Postal Service is a part of Americana that doesn’t need to be dismantled piece by piece because our current PMG and some of his business friends in Congress have no vision, or worse, have visions of dollar signs dancing in their heads by privatizing our beloved institution. Our customers, the American citizens deserve better. This is their U.S. Postal Service not the PMG’s.

The U.S. Postal Service and delivering mail six days a week is what we do, this is what we know, this is our life and we are part of Americana, just like apple pie. It will take ordinary citizens standing with us to preserve it. People who believe in what we do and believe our part of Americana is more important than corporate greed.

Do your part in seeing that the words of our first President of the United States forever hold true: “Let us bind these people together to us with a chain that can never be broken.” – George Washington.

The Vice President's Corner Craig Schadewald