From The President:
Work United:
Any reasonable person must recognize
the many benefits provided by the American Postal Worker's Union. As a result of union negotiations our wages have doubled
over the past 20 years. Our union has negotiated cost-of-living increases, protection against layoffs and many other provisions
that make a profound impact on behalf of you and your family. Without the union's efforts, all postal workers would be paid
and treated like casual employees, with minimum pay and no rights.
Those who pay their dues are
responsible for improving the lives of all postal workers. There are many compelling reasons to be a member, one of which,
is fairness to your co-workers who give back and support the continuing efforts the union has fought hard to accomplish. While
many improvements in working conditions still need to be made, nothing will be gained without a collective commitment.
Unions have a substantial impact
on the compensation and work lives of both unionized and non-unionized workers. Unions raise wages and benefits by roughly
28%, and set a pay standard that causes non-union employers to follow. This is due to the dynamic known as the "union threat
effect" where employers are trying to forestall unionization. Unionized workers are more likely to have employer-provided
health insurance and statistically pay 18% lower health deductibles and a smaller share of the costs for family coverage.
Union grievance procedures, which provide "due process" in the workplace, have been mimicked in many non-union workplaces.
Unions play a pivotal role both in securing legislated labor protections and rights enjoyed by the entire workforce.
Most workers don't have the option
to join a union, but fortunately you do have the right to join one of the most productive unions available. Without the support
of union members many gains we may take for granted could not have happened. On behalf of your union co-workers I ask you
to join now and help us sustain the advantages that unionized workers enjoy and support our continuing efforts to facilitate
a stronger voice for all workers.
VOE Surveys:
Why is management interested in Voice of Employee
(VOE) surveys? One explanation could be that VOE index scores count for 33.33% of the EAS Pay for Performance (PFP) indicators.
The VOE survey index is computed by averaging the percentage of favorable responses to six of the survey questions. A favorable
response is defined as the employee selecting either of the two most favorable choices from the five options, except for number
4 of the six, which defines a favorable response by the percentage selecting “no” to the question. The six questions
are: (1) I am satisfied with the recognition I receive for doing a good job. (2) People in my work unit are held accountable
for doing their job well. (3) In the past 12 months, I have personally been sexually harassed by a postal employee. (4) I
feel excluded from my work unit because of my race, ethnicity, gender, disability, or any other factor not related to work
performance. (5) Rate your immediate supervisor on: Treating me with dignity and respect. (6) Rate your immediate supervisor
on: Ability to communicate with employees. Each questions results have equal
weight in the index. Keep in mind the VOE survey is a first class mail piece addressed to you and you may do with it as you
please. If you choose to participate and want to express your opinion regarding if and how much of a bonus management should
be credited, a true indicator will be how the six questions are responded to. The rest of the survey is moot.
The American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO has
addressed managers engaging in questionable practices when conducting (VOE) surveys. Participation is not endorsed or recommended
by the APWU, and management agrees it is strictly voluntary. The APWU position is that practices, programs, policies or activities
where the Postal Service is working directly with employees, rather than the union leadership, on issues which effect wages,
hours or working conditions, violate the 1993 Labor-Management Cooperation Agreement, and constitute unfair labor practices.
The Clerk Craft has been nationally under attack for sometime
over job abolishments and reversions, where there has been no reduction in the work that needs to be done. Decisions to cut
positions are made at District Level’s, by easily manipulating designed reports attempting to standardize operations
across the country. Management counts on the fact that most craft employees will continue to shortcut and take on more work
because they want to provide the best service to our customers. Management will intensify this tendency until you decide the
balance of customer service, realistic staffing, and respectful treatment you are entitled, and work accordingly. Management
will always contend that we can do more, and customer service and our working conditions will continue to diminish if you
allow them to bully you.
President Burrus recently published some interesting data
by computing the dollar value of wage increases from the 2000-2006 Collective Bargaining Agreement. A typical APWU represented
employee, setting aside all the additional income received from Nov. 21, 2000 through Nov. 20, 2006, would have accumulated
$19,412. He emphasized the value of our negotiated cost-of-living adjustments (COLA), beginning with the first contract negotiated
in 1971. The article summarizes the importance of protecting the COLA’S against loading all the wage adjustments into
once- a-year percentage-based increases, where no matter how high inflation rises, wage increases would be frozen at the negotiated
amount When inflation is expected to be high or if the forecast is uncertain, the inclusion of COLA’s provides us a
level of security that fewer than 10 percent of all workers enjoy. Our APWU national website is an excellent source of information
and I recommend each of you visit frequently.
The 30 consecutive day period for local negotiations will
commence between April 2, 2007 and April16, 2007 and must terminate by May 31, 2007. Written notifications of intent to negotiate
must be provided by April 16, 2007, or the previous LMOU stays in effect. Members who want their opinions considered must
provide us written notice of your proposed changes. The negotiating committee will be busy reviewing all Citrus Center Area
LMOU’S and hereby solicits your timely input.
The Economic Policy lnstitute has published a study on how unions
help all workers. Some of the conclusions are; Unions raise wages and benefits by roughly 28%. Unions reduce wage inequality
because they raise low and middle wage workers’ standards of living. The analysis by employers, that a widening gap
between union versus non-union wages and benefits creates a higher threat of non-union labor becoming union organized. The
union-threat impact alone raises the wages and benefits and living standards of all labor in some form. The most sweeping advantage for unionized workers is in fringe benefits such
as paid leave, health insurance options, guaranteed and protected retirement pensions, and grievance rights. The grievance
procedure is your voice and must be treated with utmost consideration. While I am your President, I assure you that your voice
will be represented as the Collective Bargaining Agreement dictates. I urge you to consider what you can do to support your union organization at every level. The workforce must
focus their energy, in solidarity, for us to maintain and move forward with cumulative and consistent progress on behalf of
all working class families.
Lew Amis, President
