National Association of Letter Carriers

The numbers in the title of my article aren’t a secret code or the answer to a riddle, they are actually quite simple. January 1, 2011 is when I started my presidency and I have served as President for 11 years and 11 months. That’s a lot of ones!

But, the Presidency is not about “1’s”; in the case of Branch 25 the presidency is currently about the 949 active members, the 571 retired members, and yes even the 28 non-members that fall within the umbrella of the branch. The President is responsible to ensure that those 1548 letter carriers receive representation, receive their contractual rights and benefits. No President can do that alone, and any President that tried would be a fool.

Fortunately, I’ve had a lot of help over the course of my presidency. When I became President a particular carrier who was a steward at the time, approached me at a branch meeting and told me that he would walk through a wall for me, that he would go into battle without batting an eye. He knows who he is. I am forever grateful that I have had stewards and officers that have served ALONG SIDE (not under) me throughout my career and I ask that another generation of members take up the call for the next President.

Since I started the article speaking about numbers, I’ll point to a few more numbers now. The branch has grown by roughly 500 (total active and retired) members with the mergers of the former Branch 33 and Branch 212, and the treasury has grown over $200,000 dollars. Grievance activity has decreased to less than 300 grievances a year. Some may think that a decrease in grievances is a bad thing. It’s not, a decrease in grievance activity indicates less discipline and more contract compliance. Of course there are the outlier offices where management doesn’t get it, they issue frivolous discipline and they don’t comply with the contract, but those offices are addressed through the grievance procedure.

There are clichés that people use at times like “I looked forward to going to work every day of my career”. Let me tell you, there were many days that I dreaded going to work. That dread was/is the result of the deplorable staffing conditions that are spreading like a disease through the branch and through the entire Post Office. The dread comes from realizing that the job is becoming more difficult and less appealing almost daily. The dread comes from realizing that today, if you are a single parent, it is next to impossible to maintain this job because the demands on your time, the forced overtime both on a regular scheduled day and on your day off, are not sustainable.

But then, just when it seems that dread is beginning to become insurmountable, a little ray of hope peaks in. These small rewards may be in the form of a conversation on a workroom floor where one carrier tells another carrier to be sure to take their lunch and breaks. Where in the same conversation the carrier tells the other carrier not to be intimidated by management saying that carrier X finishes the route before 4 o’clock every day so you are expected to do the same. That is the kind of advice that gives hope to a union official, knowing that there are people that over the years have taught themselves something about the contract and are trying to spread their knowledge to others.

The vast majority of Branch 25 letter carriers are AWESOME LETTER CARRIERS!! DON’T LET A SUPERVISOR OR POSTMASTER TELL YOU ANYTHING DIFFERENT! I don’t want to use my last article to denigrate management, but I will say this, continue to strive to be better than them. When I started, there were far more good managers, good people as managers, than there presently are. That’s a shame. But, there are still some good ones and if you happen to be in an office that has a good environment, you are fortunate.

Over ten years ago, I wrote an article (link to the online version right here) where I quoted a song by Argent. Some lyrics are below:

“And if they stare — just let them burn their eyes on you moving. And if they shout — don’t let it change a thing that you’re doing.”

If there’s one thing that I’d like to leave you with it’s that you are incredible. I may not have loved coming to work every day over my entire term, but I have always loved being your President and doing my very best to serve you. I hope I have contributed to your career in a positive way.

Thank you. Thank you for letting me be your President, thank you for your support, and thank you for the support you have shown each other.

Stay Well & Stay Informed!

Happy Holidays!

Dave

I have written about it several times in the past, but it bears repeating, IF YOU HAVE HAD COVID 19 FILE A CA-1! The earliest cases were in early 2020, soon it will be 2023 so as the title says, time is running out to file a claim. We have no idea what any potential long-term effects of COVID might be, so it is imperative that you file a claim so that you are covered in the future.

You can not always plan for everything. We changed the branch by-laws to have meetings on the second Tuesday of the month. We did so for things like holiday schedules that are frequently around the first Tuesday of the month and we also took election day into account. We didn’t want meetings to interfere with people voting. Well, this year, election day is on the second Tuesday of the month. That is because election day is on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. What’s that expression about the best laid plans?

There is some very good information on the following pages and there is also some sobering information. Particularly distressing is the information contained in Dan Wheeler’s article regarding robberies of letter carriers. If you’re ever in a situation where it’s your safety or the mail, make the right choice, take care of yourself.

Tony Bossi’s article references the 12/60 workhour limits. A 12/60 violation used to be extremely uncommon. However, having gone through time records of multiple offices investigating potential overtime equitability grievances, I discovered that these violations are fairly common now. If you work over 12 (11.5 if you’re not on the overtime desired list) hours in a day, or 60 hours in a week, file a grievance! It is an automatic win, and that can’t be said about any other grievance.

So, here we are at about 3/4 of the way down the column, seems like a good spot for the next piece of information. This is my penultimate “President’s Message” in the Wake-Up! Effective December 19, I will be beginning the next phase of my Union career, working out of the NBA’s office as a Regional Workers Compensation Assistant. My responsibilities will include Region 14 and Region 11, so I will still serve the members of Branch 25, just in a different capacity. If you are injured on the job, be certain to reach out for help.

A couple of you have noticed that I have been writing and speaking frequently about the newer officers. I have the utmost confidence and pride in every member of the executive council. I look forward to watching the direction that they lead the branch in. If you haven’t been involved to this point, get involved now. One of the biggest challenges of a President or officer is reaching the members. Reach out to him to help out.

This month we will receive a 1.3% wage increase, and there will be a new step added to the pay chart. The new step, Step P, will be $444 higher than the current Step O. After these two increases all that will be left is a potential COLA for January of 2023.

It will soon be time for high school seniors to sign up to take the MA AFL-CIO Scholarship Exam. Unfortunately, at press time the link is not active (UPDATE: link now active @ https://massaflcio.org/scholarships). That being said, the deadline to register is December 16, 2022. The exam will be administered through the student’s local guidance department between February 6 and February 10, 2023. The Branch awards two $1,000 scholarships. Last year, NO ONE APPLIED!!. Not only does registering entitle you to be in the running for the Branch 25 Scholarship, but many AFL-CIO affiliated Unions award scholarships through the program that are open to anyone. It is well worth registering and taking the exam.

The last thing I would like to cover is the FEHBP open season. This year, open season runs from November 14 through December 12, 2022. This is the time when you can either sign up for or make changes to your health benefits. When a CCA is converted to a career employee, they have 60 days to sign up for health insurance. Some CCA’s miss this window. Now is the time to sign up to ensure you are covered for the rest of your career. Those that are nearing retirement must also be certain that they are in the program for the five consecutive years before they retire so they can carry insurance into retirement.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Stay Well & Stay Informed!

Dave

For more years than I can remember I have ended my article with the words “Stay informed”. It is absolutely necessary for us, in order to protect our rights, to stay informed. Unfortunately, with the explosion of access to news as a result of the Internet and social media, people can “stay informed” of the truth ... and the untruth.

There are many websites, many blogs, and many pages on Facebook that put out “information”. To many of those that control these outlets, it is NOT important to them whether or not the information they present is true, it only matters that they get the “clicks” and the “likes” and the followers.

I spend part of every day scanning through social media to see if any of the members of Branch 25 are putting themselves in harm’s way. Some of you may have received a text message or phone call from me over the years suggesting that you take down a picture that you may have posted that you shouldn’t have posted. Maybe a picture of mail where the customer’s name and address is visible, or maybe a picture that was taken inside the post office. Either way, these are things that can land you out of work.

This month, I want to warn you about something else that can land you on the outside looking in; Talking to the Media. About a month ago there were rumors that multiple offices (Andover, Wakefield, Tewksbury, North Reading and Middleton) would be moving into the facility in Woburn on Washington Street. I got phone calls at the time and I said that they were just rumors. About a day later, I was informed that Postal Headquarters had informed NALC Headquarters that such a move was indeed in the works.

Fast forward to last week when I received a call from a citizen activist looking for comment. It is alleged that a letter carrier in one of the affected offices was chirping to customers about the foolishness of such a plan. This citizen activist sent a letter to the local newspaper that was picked up nationally by other citizen activists and now there is a meeting scheduled at the local library in October for anyone that wants to criticize the plan and ask questions. There are names attached to the meeting that may claim to have “information”, but as far as I can tell all they have is speculation.

This is one town and one meeting. If you are in that town, you know where I am talking about. I have to caution you: active letter carriers can NOT cast the Postal Service in a bad light. Active letter carriers can NOT speak to the media to offer negative opinion or analysis of postal initiatives.

That being said, I would hope that no letter carrier, active or retired, would speak without FACTS. Right now, there are no facts. Right now, there is only speculation. Speculation about costs and savings.

Our national union has taken no position yet. Why? Because they are waiting on facts. There are some that fear that carriers will be working longer hours if they move to Woburn. Again, it is impossible to know precisely how many hours will be worked, but I can emphatically say that when the travel time to and from Woburn is calculated into your work day, you will most assuredly qualify for a special inspection and your route will have to be adjusted to 8 hours. That means that part of your street duties will be simply driving back and forth to Woburn. Would you rather drive for an hour a day or deliver that equivalent hour in the elements?

I’m not trying to overly simplify things but I must point out that this is not the first time that a work station has been moved. I started my career reporting to Burlington and then three years later began reporting to Woburn. Many of the Bedford carriers started their careers working in Bedford and now report to Burlington. Some of us ended up with a shorter ride to work and some of us a longer one. The point is, we still reported to work and we still deliver mail, just less mail once the routes are adjusted for the travel time.

I don’t know the bottom line on the savings due to the elimination of mail runs to 5 stations. I don’t know how much efficiency will increase for the same reason. I don’t know how many routes will be gained once the move takes place (if the move indeed takes place). I do know that I have done my job as President and contacted our National Business Agent Rick DiCecca and I do know that Rick is doing his job and having conversations with the Area Vice President of the Postal Service.

I will not tell you something I don’t know to be fact. I’ll instead wait for the facts. I’m asking that you do the same. There is an activist from the other side of the country that believes strongly in what he believes is a just cause. Said activist presented resolutions at the recent National Convention in August and said resolutions were resoundingly defeated by the membership in attendance at the convention. So ... anyone claiming to speak on behalf of the members is NOT speaking on behalf of the members if their resolutions were defeated by the members. Similarly, no one should be speaking for you if you are one of the affected carriers. You are NOT represented by citizen activists, you are represented by the NALC and we are doing our best to ensure your rights are preserved. Please don’t talk to the press, please don’t post about it on social media, please contact your Union representatives if you have questions and we will do our best to answer them.

Stay Well & Stay Informed!

Dave

There had been rumors for awhile, but then, aren’t there always rumors? Then, on the Wednesday of the National Convention in Chicago, our National President Fred Rolando did not hand the gavel to Executive Vice President Brian Renfroe to accept nominations for the office of National President. At that moment it was confirmed that Fredric V. Rolando would not be our President after this term. Fred’s accomplishments over the years are too many to mention, and I certainly couldn’t do him justice by writing a flowery article about the same, so instead I’ll relay a personal observation that I made. When Fred became President in 2009, I was the Executive Vice President of Branch 25. I ran into Fred at a Committee of Presidents’ Meeting and when I said hello to him he responded “How you doing Dave?” (I was not wearing a name badge). Fred was the first national officer that used my name instead of calling me brother. Now, I admit, I don’t have instant recall of all the members of Branch 25, I wish I did but I don’t. But Fred, and seemingly his entire team, know the members. It may not seem like much, but I can tell you, it made a lasting impression and was and still is gratifying to know that your name and knowing who you are, is important and that is something I have always appreciated.

It was a good convention, particularly good for Branch 25. As is evidenced by some of the other articles in the Wake-Up!, we had a couple first-timers. Your entire delegation represented you well, participating in the general meetings, attending classes, and absorbing knowledge that will benefit the branch in the future. Yes, the future is bright for Branch 25.

It was also a rewarding convention in that Branch 25 was recognized in two areas that are critical to the success of the Union and indeed of the Postal Service. First, Branch 25 is the 3rd most organized branch for branches our size in the entire country. That is no small feat! The credit for that goes to the organizers that explain the benefits of Union membership at the Carrier Academy and to the stewards and veteran carriers that watch out for the members in their office. Thank you for a job well done!

The other accomplishment was that Branch 25 was first in the nation for branches our size for the increase in the percentage of our members that donate to the Letter Carrier Political Fund. First! That distinction belongs entirely to YOU! Thank you.

As proud as I am of these accomplishments, I think we can do better, particularly in regards to the Letter Carrier Political Fund. Less than 10% of our members contribute. At the beginning of the current national agreement, top step letter carriers earned $65,752/year or $31.61/hour. With the latest COLA, the top stop letter carrier now earns $73,802 year or $35.48/hr. That’s an increase of $8,050/year or $3.87/hr. I’m asking that you strongly consider taking a portion of that 87 cents/hr and contributing it to the Letter Carrier Political Fund. Even if you presently contribute, and many of you have been contributing $2/pay period forever, and that’s great, but just consider boosting your contribution or beginning to contribute (12.5 cents/hour comes out to $5/week, please think about it). Postal reform, and preservation of the COLA may not have been possible without the power that the Letter Carrier Political Fund gives us. By the way, if you look at the cover of the Wake-Up! this month you will see a lot of grey t-shirts. Those of us at the convention lead by example as those t-shirts signify that those that are wearing them contribute to the Letter Carrier Political Fund. I’d love to ask our rep for a whole bunch of t-shirts for Branch 25 members!

As I stated earlier, Fred Rolando will not be running for another term. There will be a national election for various national officers. VOTE! But, before you vote, educate yourself. There’s a lot of misinformation on the Internet about everything in life. I’m sure there will be misinformation about accomplishments and false promises. I will answer any questions that I can if you choose to call the office. Look in next month’s Wake-Up! to see if there is a voting incentive. The Executive Council of Branch 25 is going to propose such an incentive to the membership at this month’s meeting. Details will be made available at the branch meeting and in next month’s Wake-Up!

This month, two Branch 25 offices will have “live weeks” under the new Technology Integrated Alternate Route Evaluation and Adjustment Process (TIAREAP). Those offices are Dracut and Sudbury and their live weeks will be 9/24 thru 9/30 & 9/10 thru 9/16 respectively. During these weeks data will be collected from the scanners and will be dissected by representatives of the Union and management. Subsequently, adjustments will be made by representatives of the Union and management. As I stated in last month’s article, please do your job by the book each and every day. That is the only way to get a fair adjustment that is truly representative of your route.

It has again recently been brought to my attention that some offices are telling employees that they are not to use the interactive voice response system when reporting unscheduled absences (calling in sick). Some say that your office “doesn’t participate in the program”. That’s just BS. If you call the number and you get a confirmation number, that confirms that your office participates. If you are instructed not to use the system, please make the Union office aware immediately so that we can get the issue straightened out. I am not aware of any office in the branch that has approval not to participate.

For your convenience, the information regarding the Interactive Voice Response System is reprinted below:

The Postal Service is reminding employees how to report their absences when they take unscheduled leave. You must call the Interactive Voice Response system at 877-477-3273 to report any unscheduled leave as soon as possible. To request unscheduled leave, select option 4 when prompted. Here are some additional tips to remember:

• Have your employee identification number ready. You’ll be asked to enter the number to report your absence via phone.
• You can key in your responses. You’ll also be asked to specify the type of illness and the amount of time you expect to take. For example, if you have strep throat and expect to be out for two days, you should specify “illness or injury” and “16 hours.” Other options include “personal emergency,” “community disaster” and “wounded warrior.”
• If your illness restricts your ability to talk, you can use your phone’s numerical key pad. Also, if you are reporting your illness the morning before your shift and expect to miss one day, you should report “today” as both the start and end dates.
• You will receive confirmation. When your call is completed, you’ll receive a confirmation number. You should record this number as your receipt.

I would like to make an appeal to carriers in our offices that don’t currently have shop stewards. Unfortunately, offices that don’t have stewards usually don’t have them because the stewards were driven away from the job. You’re probably thinking that they were driven away because it became to miserable dealing with management. You’re wrong. In almost every instance of a shop steward resigning, there is usually a group of carriers that want to make deals or that lash out at the steward for enforcing overtime rules or other contractual requirements that make the steward’s work life (and sometimes home life) miserable. It does take thick skin and a great deal of resolve to do the job of a steward, and up until recently there was no compensation. However, the branch submitted a by-law change that was approved on July 18 of this year that authorizes the payment of shop stewards. It is not a boat load of cash, it is reimbursement of your Union dues on a quarterly basis. I can’t think of any steward that is doing the job for the money, but it is nonetheless nice to be recognized and with the approved by-law change the stewards are now recognized financially. If you are interested, please contact me at the Union office and we can discuss training and the role of the steward. I hope to see you on September 13!

Stay Well & Stay Informed!

Dave Barbuzzi

The first five COLA’S (Cost of Living Adjustments) of the 2019-2023 National Agreement have totaled $4,035. The final COLA, which will be announced shortly after you receive this issue of the WAKE-UP! is currently at $2,517. The final number will be announced in early to mid August and it could go up or down depending on what the July index shows. Gas has dropped slightly in price over the last few weeks, so that $2,517 could drop. If it remains at or above $2,000 that means that our total COLA pay increases would be over $6,000 for this contract. It is difficult to be happy about this number as it means that goods and services have risen dramatically in price over the past three years. What we can be thankful for, however, is that even though so many other workers have lost the benefit of a COLA, we still have it!

Elsewhere in this month’s Wake-Up! you should read Vice President Dan Wheeler’s article about the new route adjustment process. Danny talks about data and selection periods. I won’t know whether management has placed any Branch 25 offices into the process until next week when the selections are announced. I have not placed any Branch 25 office into the process for the July selection period as I don’t want the existing data used for adjustment. I want Branch 25 carriers to be able to sharpen their skills so that they can produce better data for adjustments.

So, what does that mean? I know that as much as I have preached against carriers working off the clock, there are those that still do. I also know the same goes for carriers casing DPS, FSS, and circulars. All these things that reduce your street time will hurt you and there won’t be anything that we can do about it if you continue to do them.

I also know that there are those that punch to the street and then go back to their routes to continue office work. Guess what? The scanner knows where you are! The scanner knows you’re not on the road. If you continue doing this, you will have lost both the street time and office time associated with these false clock rings.

I attended a Webex meeting put on by our National Business Agent Rick DiCecca and his staff the other night. After 3.5 hours my head was spinning and I consider myself well-educated on the route inspection and adjustment process. What got my head spinning is just how deep the Postal Service is digging with the data that they collect from the scanners. The scanners produce “pictures” of your daily activity much like what you would see on an app like Waze or Google Maps. Each delivery point on your route is represented where it actually is on the property. There are also different icons for different types of mail boxes. The program also differentiates between whether you are walking or driving. So, they can tell by using this program if you are properly delivering your route. You see, if there is one color line going through the neighborhood indicating that you were walking, then you were park and looping the neighborhood. If there is a different color line then you were driving and dismounting. They KNOW!

I’m gonna lay it on the line here. I know that in many offices, due to staffing and mismanagement, the job of a letter carrier stinks (substitute another word and add profanities if you so choose) right now. Many of you aren’t on the list and you’re working 10 hours and also working your day off. Many of you try to make appointments on your day off only to have management bring you into the office for a PDI because you don’t show up to work your NON-SCHEDULED DAY!

Here’s the problem though; if you continue to work off the clock, skip your lunch or breaks, take unsafe short cuts like leaving your vehicle running or not properly securing it, not ringing the doorbell when delivering parcels your conditions won’t improve. Many of you don’t want to use the vehicle load tool. That’s a very unwise choice on your part! Not only does the tool take time, it also can help you if you are accused of having a parcel and not delivering it when all along said parcel was mis-sorted to another route!

I am not trying to sound like an alarmist, to the contrary, I am a realist. Management (no, not your local supervisor or postmaster, not even the POOM. We’re talking about Washington-type management) is watching what you do and they want to capitalize on it. They want to balance the budget on your backs. If you continue to be foolish, they WILL balance the budget on your backs. Your routes will get longer, more people will get injured and quit, and the resulting workforce will not be able to maintain the pace established by those that are working off the clock and skipping lunches and/or breaks.

So, what do you do? It’s not going to be fixed overnight, but with perseverance it can be fixed. There are offices in the branch that stuck together and did the right thing for several months and then were inspected and gained routes. I can recall the resistance in one office to ringing doorbells for parcels. The person that was most concerned about it did it and her route was then cut by a decent amount as a result.

Some of the veteran carriers may think that it doesn’t matter what they do during the year, they can establish a street time during the week of inspection. NOPE! That’s not how it works. Some of the junior carriers don’t know what all the proper procedures are. Call the office or email the office at nalcbranch25@gmail.com. We will answer any questions that you have in order to make the future more manageable. But we can’t come to your office and carry your route, you have to do that.

There is another important aspect of getting proper credit for your job ... your edit book. It is extremely important that your edit book be up to date. Every delivery point must be documented and every delivery type as well. The edit book differentiates between business and residential deliveries. It also differentiates between box on post, box on house, NCDBU and other. You must have accurate information in your edit book in order to get accurate time credit for your route. There have recently been multiple instances where the District bean counters have instructed management to walk with a carrier because he or she has taken too much time (or so they thought). In these instances, the examiner walking the carrier has gotten to a delivery point where they have asked the carrier “What’s that address, it’s not showing on my paperwork?” Why wasn’t it showing? It wasn’t showing because the carrier’s edit book wasn’t up to date. You have the RIGHT to update your edit book whenever there is a change. Insist on your right. Let management know that you need time to go through your edit book to check for accuracy and correct any errors. This small step can save you a world of grief down the line.

It’s never too late to start doing the job properly. You may deal with a little grief from your supervisor because now it’s taking you longer, but stand your ground. You have the contract, handbooks and manuals on your side and you have your Union alongside you to enforce the contract handbook and manuals.

Believe it or not, I am still hearing from people who have filed COVID-19 CA-1’s and have not received their OWCP benefits for them. If you fall into this category, please contact me at the Union office so that we can get you taken care of. Hope to see you at the September meeting!

Stay Well & Stay Informed!

Dave Barbuzzi

On the cover of this month’s “Wake-Up!” you’ll see Doug Murray, Juliana and Artem Sidelnikov. Artem is a sailor with the United States Coast Guard who was recently assigned to California. This assignment put the family in a tough spot as Juliana was (key word here) a letter carrier in Beverly. Juliana applied for transfer and was denied. Doug filed a grievance and then I handled the grievance after it wasn’t resolved at the local level. Long story short, Juliana is a letter carrier in sunny California now.

While waiting for everything to be sorted out, Artem’s commanding officer was apprised of the situation. At the June branch meeting, Artem asked if he could address the members, and when he did he read a letter from his commanding officer and presented Doug and me with challenge coins from the boat he’s assigned to on behalf of his Lieutenant. I have to tell you, it ranks up there with one of the most memorable moments of my entire Union career, and definitely has a spot in my “life memories”. I look at the letter, and the challenge coin, and I am filled with pride and I “accept the challenge” to continue fighting the fight.

Your shop steward accepts the challenge every day as well. He or she steps on the workroom floor under less than ideal conditions and fights to protect and enforce your rights. There are a few offices where we need people to “fight the fight”. I can assure you, if you step up as a steward, you will receive the support that you need from the branch officers. Give it some thought, sometimes there’s a very satisfying feeling that comes from helping others.

I’m not sure how many members are aware, but our very own Dan Wheeler and Tony Bossi both “fight the fight” for carriers beyond the scope of Branch 25. Dan, on multiple occasions, has represented Region 14 letter carriers during the various cooperative route adjustment processes, including the current process. Tony is often called on to perform work on behalf of our National Union. Both Dan and Tony also occasionally work at our National Business Agent, Rick DiCecca’s office. Of course, you all know that Rick is a member of Branch 25 as well.

To round things out, James Metilinos is an instructor at the carrier academy, getting first crack at new CCA’s while they’re at their most impressionable state. And last but not least, Bill Anderson is the Union representative on the B Team. You wanna talk about thankless jobs? Try being the guy that has to decide grievances and dealing with upset branch leaders 50% of the time. That’s a whole different fight!!

This weekend, I will be traveling to Maryland to undergo extensive training from NALC for workers’ compensation (OWCP). Branch 25 has always had our fingers on the pulse of OWCP. For years Ron Noviello set the standard for local OWCP Reps, assisting countless members in getting their claims approved. The NALC is under no contractual obligation to provide this service, but we do anyway to all members. As the catch phrase says, “membership has its privileges”. Ultimately, the training I receive will provide a direct benefit to the members of the branch.

I know that I welcomed the members of the former Branch 212 to Branch 25 last month, but as of the mailing of the last Wake-Up! we did not have all of the mailing list. As a result, the retirees of Branch 212 did not receive a Wake-Up! So ... WELCOME RETIREES OF THE FORMER BRANCH 212 to Branch 25! I look forward to meeting you and hearing from you. Hopefully, you may be able to make it to a branch meeting in the near future. I hope that by the time this issue of the Wake-Up! arrives in your homes, you will have received the check that was mailed on June 8. If you are a retiree of former Branch 212 and you have not yet received the check, please contact the Union office as soon as possible. If you have received the check, please be sure to cash it as soon as possible so that we can balance the books.

I’d like to offer all members a few reminders in the next few paragraphs. First and foremost, if you’re a CCA, bid a hold-down before prime time is over (the contractual term is “opt” a vacant assignment). At any rate, once you have 60 days in you can exercise your RIGHT to opt on a vacant assignment. That means, if you’re the #1 CCA, take a look at the vacation calendar and plan the rest of your summer. Look at the “best” routes, and do them when the regular goes on vacation. If you have any questions, contact the union office.

Download the OSHA Heat Index app. This is near and dear to me. I don’t want any of our members suffering the ill-effects of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. You will get scanner messages telling you to take your “authorized” breaks in air conditioned buildings. I’m telling you if you need to take “ADDITIONAL” breaks due to the high heat and humidity, DO SO! Contact your office and let them know that you are doing so. The best way to contact your office is by scanner message, just realize that scanner messages are broadcast NATIONALLY, so don’t text anything stupid. Again, if you get any pushback, contact the office.

We need your help letting us know if there are any residual vacancies in your office. A residual vacancy is the route that doesn’t get bid after a bidding cycle. Someone retires, their route goes up for bid and someone bids it. This process continues until no one bids the posted route. That is a residual vacancy. We need to know about this in the office so we can get the next person promoted.

Last, but certainly not least, I’d like to talk to you about some things you need to know about Workers’ Compensation, OWCP. First, you may think that you’ll never get injured, but the odds are that during the course of your career you will. Register on ECOMP now. It’s free. If you ever are injured, you will need to file and upload forms through ECOMP, so you may as well take the first step now and be prepared.

By the way, COVID-19 IS a workplace injury as long as you worked within the 21 days preceding your positive test. It is extremely important to file a CA-1 if you have had COVID as we don’t know if there will be any long-term effects. All claims (provided you have a positive test administered by a medical professional) will be approved. PERIOD.

For any other injuries, there are different forms to fill out. In the most simplistic terms, if you have an injury that occurs during one work shift (traumatic injury), you need to fill out a CA-1. If you have an injury or illness that develops over time, you need to fill out a CA-2.

The medical documentation for your claim is typically the “weak link”. Doctors aren’t writers and some doctors can’t be bothered with such trivial tasks as providing proper medical for you. Also, some doctors may refuse to help you because you may have a pre-existing condition like arthritis and they perceive filing a claim involving that to be fraudulent. What many people, and many doctors don’t understand is that your job doesn’t have to cause your injury in order for your claim to be accepted. All it has to do is aggravate or accelerate your injury. For example, you have arthritis in your knees and you dismount the two steps of your LLV 130 times a day to deliver parcels, not to mention the 8-10 miles you walk (much of it on uneven terrain). Get the picture? Your job aggravates your condition! Contact the Union office for assistance and file that claim!

Frequently, our members will file claims and then receive a letter in the mail saying that there are things that haven’t been established in order to accept your claim. The member is in a panic thinking that their claim was denied. It wasn’t. The letter is called a “development letter” and it lists exactly what is needed from you and/or your doctor in order to get your claim approved. Believe it or not, the claims examiners at workers’ comp are supposed to help you get your claim approved! So, get in touch with the office so that we can help you get what you need.

In the coming months, I’ll try to pepper my articles with more information about workers’ comp. In the meantime, if you have any questions whatsoever, about anything, either call the office or email me directly or though the Branch Website.

I hope everyone has a safe, enjoyable summer and I hope to see you in September at the branch meeting on September l3.

Stay Well & Stay Informed!

Dave

I received an email from the Manager of Human Resources today and the subject line was “Welcome Back”. I thought to myself “I haven’t gone anywhere” but let me open the email and see what’s up. Perhaps there was to be an announcement that the MA-RI District would be communicating with Union representatives.

Well, I was wrong. The email outlined a new program to “Welcome Back” employees the day they return from being out sick. Included with the email was a copy of a service talk that you probably have already received by now. The first step in the “welcoming” procedure is to “Pull the employee’s badge and keep it with the 3971 in a secure location.” I have to ask, how welcome will you feel if you have to seek out your supervisor in order to get your badge to clock in?

The rest of the service talk explains that your attendance will be reviewed with you, a copy of the “USPS Attendance Regulations” will be given to you, you may be provided with FMLA and/or EAP information, attendance expectations will be reinforced, and, if all that isn’t welcoming enough, the “Welcome Back” visit and review will be documented on the back of the employee’s 3972. Who could possibly consider this welcoming? Why not come up with a more accurate name for the program like “Since You Called In Sick We’re Gonna Try to Intimidate You So You Don’t Do It Again Soon”?

I have a very simple solution. This program is designed to control “Unscheduled Absences”. Just make sure your absences are “scheduled”. How do you do that? Again simple; you “schedule” medical appointments on a work day and use your sick leave to go to these appointments. Of course, schedule them in advance and when possible make them for the beginning or the end of the day. You are allowed to use sick leave for the reasonable amount of time necessary to attend a medical appointment.

While I’m on the topic of sick calls, it has come to my attention that some offices have attempted to tell letter carriers that they can’t use the Postal Service’s Interactive Voice Response System. That is simply not true. If you get a confirmation number, that means that your office participates in the program. An individual office can not opt out of the program unless they get permission from the area. The Postal Service’s own literature contains the following:

“The Postal Service is reminding employees how to report their absences when they take unscheduled leave. You must call the Interactive Voice Response system at (877) 477-3273 to report any unscheduled leave as soon as possible. To request unscheduled leave, select option 4 when prompted”.

Now that that’s out of the way, I want to take this opportunity to welcome all the letter carriers from the former Branch 212 into our fold. The “Lawrence” branch served Lawrence, Methuen, and North Andover and now Branch 25 serves these communities. I look forward to meeting and serving the new members and I hope to see as many as possible in the coming months at Branch meetings.

Speaking of Branch meetings, I wanted to thank national Executive Vice President Brian Renfroe for having recently attended our May meeting. Also in attendance in May was LPO Marc Ashmon and Regional Workers’ Compensation Specialist Dave Picconi. We had a regular who’s who for the meeting. I also want to thank all the members that attended and were so attentive to all the important information that was provided. I had warned everyone in the May edition of the “Wake-Up!” that the meeting would run long, and it did. It should be business as usual moving forward.

We are coming off a weekend where temperatures topped 95 degrees and it’s only May!! Every year I strongly recommend that ALL carriers download the OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool. You can get it for either Apple or Android devices and it could save your life. The app gives real-time heat indexes that prove invaluable in planning your day and responding to current conditions. It also provides guidelines for water intake, necessary time to get in the shade or an air conditioned building, and when extra breaks should be taken. Please take heat seriously. The Postal Service has lost too many letter carriers to heat-related deaths. With that being said, if you are ever made to feel that you shouldn’t be taking extra breaks to get out of the heat, please contact the Union Office IMMEDIATELY! Also, if you ever feel the effects of heat stress, heat exhaustion, or heat stroke, CALL 911. There will be time to call your supervisor AFTER you call 911.

Vice President Dan Wheeler talks a little about the new route inspection process in his article. I suggest you read it. I also suggest you stop casing DPS, FSS, and circulars and by all means stop working off the clock if you are. Your reward for doing these things will be a longer route! Believe it or not, there are actually locations where letter carriers get upset with their steward or the Union in general because we attempt to safeguard their rights. It is more important to them to make deals for today than it is to create a better work place for tomorrow. Hopefully they smarten up before it is too late.

Finally, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Rich Donlon for his years of dedicated service to the NALC. Rich has resigned his position as Assistant Health Benefits Representative.

Stay Well & Stay Informed!

Dave Barbuzzi

There, I said it, I’ve got your attention, but I can explain. There is one day a year where skipping your lunch may be an acceptable thing to do. The NALC/USPS Food Drive held on the second Saturday in May (this year May 14) is a joint effort that is supposed to be a no loss no gain venture. That means that the time it takes for you to collect food and bring it to the food pantry or other designated collection spot is your gift to those unfortunate families that rely on us. It is not a gift to the Postal Service.

I have written about this in the past, but as the last actual food drive was in 2019, these words bear repeating. Historically, food drive day is one of the most sought after annual leave days, right up there with the day after Thanksgiving, the day after the Superbowl, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Unfortunately, if the leave calendar is filled, there is a high incidence of sick calls. That’s unfortunate.

Think of it this way. There are those that are much less fortunate than you. You have a job, a living wage and benefits. I realize that many of you are not living the “high life”, but you’re not living in your car or in a shelter either. Volunteering is something that makes a tremendous difference to countless peoples’ lives. On the second Saturday in May, you have the opportunity to volunteer from your postal vehicle or while walking your route. You don’t have to get up on Saturday morning to go to a soup kitchen, you don’t have to go somewhere after work, you simply have to pick up the bags of food that customers leave in or around their mail boxes and bring the food to whatever location your office has designated. IF that takes you longer than your route would normally take you (which would be a good thing because that would mean that you’re picking up a lot of food), then donate your lunch to the cause. I hope you’ll feel great for having done it.

As the late Ed Sullivan would say: “We have a really big show”. I’m referring to the May Branch 25 regular monthly meeting on May 3 at 8:00PM at the Knights of Columbus in Wilmington, MA. First off, the $1,000 door prize will be given out this night as the backup attendance pool has reached $1,000 as well. Cash money is always a great motivator. There will also be some significant votes taken at this meeting. We will be voting on the proposed merger with Branch 212 Lawrence (merger agreement published in last month’s “Wake-Up!”). And finally, we will be voting on multiple proposed changes to the Branch 25 By-laws, most significant in my eyes is the proposal to compensate shop stewards. All the proposed language and existing language is printed in the following pages of this month’s “Wake-Up!”.

Last, and certainly not least, our National Executive Vice President Brian Renfroe will be attending our branch meeting. It is always extremely informative to hear a National officer speak. Every member should try to take advantage of any opportunity they can during their career to experience it. I’m sure Brian will be speaking about the recently passed Postal Reform, explaining its nuances and answering questions about its impact. Hopefully, Brian will also peel back the curtain just a bit to let us know whatever he can about potential agreements on route inspections and other matters presently being discussed at the National level. Each month in the Wake-Up! and at our branch meetings the officers of Branch 25 try to fill you in on what is happening in the branch, and at the national level. On May 3, you will be able to cut out the middle man and hear the news from one of the principles. I have to advise you that this month’s meeting will most likely go a tad longer than usual, but with everything that I’ve just told you will be happening, it will be well worth the time spent attending.

As the summer approaches, and more specifically as prime time begins, staffing will become even worse than it is presently. I want to remind all Shop Stewards, letter carriers AND managers that windows of operation are NOT a free pass to violate the provisions of Article 8 of the National Agreement. If management in your office works carriers overtime that are not on the overtime desired list (ODL) off their assignments because they don’t want to work the ODL carriers beyond the dispatch of value, there is most likely a contract violation taking place. I say “most likely” because the contract has a phrase that reads: “ ... while recognizing that bona fide operational requirements do exist that necessitate the use of overtime from time to time.” That language is partially clear, but then the “from time to time” is thrown in to gum up the works. “From time to time” is not defined. That is why we have to look at each incident on its own merits to determine whether a grievance exists. When prime time is in full swing, if carriers are working off the list and off their assignment day after day, and ODL carriers are only working until the dispatch of value, that would most assuredly be a grievance. Contact your steward or the branch office so that we can address it. Remember, however, that if you are not on the ODL management does not have to pay an ODL carrier penalty time to save you from working regular overtime on your own route. Easy peasy right?

Stay Well & Stay Informed!

Dave Barbuzzi

If I were a Shop Steward (I am the Chief Steward for the branch) in one of Branch 25’s offices, I would do everything I could to attend the next two regular Branch meetings. I’m gonna let you in on a little inside information, we are going to read a proposed amendment to the Branch by-laws that would provide compensation to our shop stewards. The proposed amendment will require that 15 members sign it as a sort of “sponsor” if you will. There will be no discussion on the proposed by-law change at the April meeting. The discussion, and the vote, will take place at the May meeting. So as I said, make every effort to attend the meetings and bring a few of your co-workers along as well.

On the back page of this edition of the Wake-Up! you will see a merger agreement that was negotiated between members of Branch 25 and members of Branch 212. President McColley and myself signed this agreement and now it will be up to the members to decide whether to approve the proposed merger prior to sending it to our National President, Fred Rolando, for approval. As with any other merger, the goal is to provide representation to all members of the current and future Branch 25. Further, hopefully we can expand our talent pool and develop current and future members to be the future leaders of their offices and of the Branch as well.

At the end of April, NBA Rick DiCecca will be conducting a RAP Session that will go from April 30 - May 2. Both National President Fred Rolando and National Executive Vice President Brian Renfroe will be there. There will be a motion at the April meeting to determine who from the Branch will attend this RAP session. This is yet another reason to attend the April meeting, so that you can have input into this decision.

It’s time for the obligatory mention of Workers’ Compensation and ECOMP. New rules were recently passed which require ALL CLAIMS TO BE SUBMITTED ONLINE THROUGH ECOMP. There is both positive and negative with this change. The positive is that if you are computer savvy, it really is a piece of cake and it is much faster with much less chance of delay. The negative is that many of our members are not computer savvy.

For those that struggle with computers, there are options. You can still fill out a form hardcopy, but then you will have to rely on someone else to enter the form for you. Your supervisor can do it, a co-worker or family member can help you, or you can come to the Union office and we can get your claim filed online for you. Personally, I would choose to come to the Union office to get it taken care of but I’m biased. Just remember, we have a greater stake in your success than your supervisor does.

If you are one of the people that has a claim filed through ECOMP and you haven’t heard anything for some time, get in touch with us at the office. Although I have nothing but good things to say about the people that are working in Injury Comp right now, they are understaffed and overworked and overwhelmed. Most times, a carrier contacts me, I contact them, and the carrier gets notified the same day that their case has gone to the next level or their payroll adjustment is done that day.

In the case of COVID claims, local management has been instructed to pay continuation of pay (COP) provided the carrier has filed timely and provided an actual PCR test or a home test that has been confirmed by an MD’s diagnosis. If you are out and you have supplied the above information and are not receiving COP, contact us immediately so that we can get it taken care of. There is still a backlog of cases, but it is getting smaller as the new infections are slowing down.

I would like to take this opportunity to encourage anyone that has the NALC Health Benefits Plan to take advantage of Hinge Health. Hinge Health is a proactive program of exercises designed to improve your quality of life. If you sign up, you will receive an Android tablet free of charge along with sensors that you put on your body to measure your activity and progress and a yoga mat. You complete a survey about your concerns, whether it’s back pain, shoulder pain, knee pain, you get it. A stretching routine will be designed based on your answers to the survey. You put the tablet on the supplied stand, and there are videos that demonstrate each of the exercises that have been selected for you. The sensors measure whether you are stretching enough or too much.

Both my wife and I have been following the lower back plan for about a month now and have seen improvement. Sure, there is still pain getting up in the morning or getting up out of a chair after awhile, but the pain isn’t as bad and it doesn’t last as long. Anyone that deals with chronic pain can tell you that if you can reduce the severity of the pain and the duration of the pain, that’s a huge win-win. Hinge is a huge win-win!

Mark your calendars for “late 2023”. That is when we should start seeing the new fleet of postal vehicles in an office near you. According to Postal News, the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV) will feature air conditioning, improved ergonomics, and some of the most advanced vehicle and safety technology — including 360° cameras, advanced braking and traction control, air bags, a front-and rear-collision avoidance system that includes visual, audio warning, and automatic braking. The vehicles will also have increased cargo capacity to maximize efficiency and better accommodate higher mail and package volumes.

Stay Well & Stay Informed!

Dave Barbuzzi

I look forward to the day that there will be no mention of COVID-19 in the Wake-Up! ... but that day has yet to arrive. That being said, this month I simply want to reiterate that if have been infected with COVID or if you become infected with COVID, please fill out a CA-1. It is easiest to do so online at ecomp.dol.gov. There has been a release by the Department of Labor recently that addresses a couple of things with regard to COVID. First, it has been determined that if you are reinfected with COVID within 90 days of recovering, the reinfection is considered a recurrence. Second, I had been advising carriers to get home tests confirmed by physicians as I didn’t think home tests would be accepted on their own. The release confirms what I thought. Home tests alone are not sufficient to have a claim approved. A doctor would have to diagnose COVID in order for a claim to be approved.

This month, March, our regular branch meeting will be via ZOOM. The meeting address is on the back cover of the Wake-Up!, but it is even easier to go to the branch website (nalcbranch25.com) where you will find a hyperlink. All you have to do is click on the link, and the meeting will launch. I would hope that we can have a good turnout for the meeting. After all, you can sip your favorite beverage (hot cocoa or spirits), relax in your recliner, and participate in the meeting. We do our best to keep the meetings brief, usually about an hour, so I hope to see you Tuesday, March 1, 8:00 PM, via ZOOM.

If you are a steward, keep your eyes open for a training that is being scheduled by National Business Agent Rick DiCecca. Date and location are not yet confirmed, but it seems like late April early May would be the preferred time. I’m fairly certain that the branch will vote to send any steward that wants to go to the training. Contact me at the branch office if you are interested in attending.

Sometimes, I think the Postal Service is engaged in a horrible game whereby they push their employees to the limit to see what it takes to break them. Even though staffing is beyond pushed to the limit, the limit has been breached; the service is still operating as if everything were great. Case in point, the service recently picked up more zones where we are providing last mile service for UPS. Also, in the near future, same day delivery is going to be tested based upon our Express Mail network. You did not misread that, SAME DAY DELIVERY! Now look, if we were in a position that we had the staffing to accomplish these tasks, I would be an enthusiastic cheerleader for the programs. However, we have to right our own ship before we can try to take on more of a burden, especially a time sensitive burden. I will pass along more details as I become aware of them.

On January 29, 2022, there was a blizzard that affected the entire state. The district management failed every employee at least in the state of Massachusetts. Countless employees reported to work as scheduled, only to find that there was no DPS mail available, very few parcels and sparse FSS. The reports I received from the field were that there was a morning collection done, only to have the mail collected on Saturday sit in the buildings until dispatch on Monday! What was the point of the collection? The only thing I can guess is that management wanted scans on collection boxes.

In Gloucester, the social media page for the Department of Public Works displayed a message that the plows had been called off the streets of Gloucester because it was unsafe for them to be out. Yet, those that are in charge of making decisions for the post office didn’t update the 800 emergency call line and tell employees not to report to work.

We have resolved grievances in some of the stations that filed them to obtain guarantee time for those carriers that reported to work. Those carriers were required to either sit in the office while the conditions worsened, or they were allowed to come home if they used their own leave. Each carrier that was faced with this decision was placed in harm’s way by the district management. Your local managers were also placed in harm’s way. I can’t tell you not to report to work, I would be terminated for creating a work stoppage. I will tell you to exercise extreme caution and make your decision based on your own safety whenever a storm occurs during your career.

Recently, I sent an email to all the Postmasters in the branch regarding the use of private vehicles. Apparently, CCA’s (and other employees) are being asked to use their private vehicles to deliver mail. That is bad enough on a sunny spring day, but this has been occurring during inclement weather, whether it be the ice storm or snow storms. There is a form to fill out if a CCA voluntarily agrees to use their own vehicle. I won’t list the form in this article as I’d rather you call me so I can explain to you that it’s a bad decision to use your own vehicle. The biggest reason is that you would be financially liable if you were involved in an accident. In order to be covered by insurance, you would have to obtain a rider to your insurance policy.

The weather should start getting better. Along with the snow melting comes the muddy yards. Be careful cutting lawns in the early spring as soggy yards can cause slipping injuries and twisted knee injuries if your feet sink into the ground.

Stay Well & Stay Informed!

Dave Barbuzzi

I’m going to start my Article this month by urging you to read the rest of the Articles carefully. There is quite a bit of timely information on the pages of this newsletter. As a matter of fact, if you read the Wake-Up! each month I would bet that questions that you may have will be answered at some point.

It has been very busy lately. I describe the Union office right now as similar to an emergency room during a full moon; crazy busy with weird stuff happening.

Both NBA DiCecca and Vice President Wheeler write about COVID. I won’t elaborate on what they’ve written but I wanted to add a bit. I have seen reports that have predicted that EVERYONE will eventually be infected with COVID. I don’t know whether that prediction will come to fruition but I do know that if infected you should file a CA-1. There is a lot of bad information out there designed to discourage you from filing. For instance, just this week I have spoken to carriers that have said they’ve been told if they file a CA-1 they will have that proverbial “target on their back”. Carriers have also been told that they don’t receive full pay if they file a CA-1. Finally, apparently some managers have attempted to “shame” carriers out of filing a CA-1 saying that the carriers probably got COVID somewhere other than work.

Forget about the target on your back. There won’t be one and if for some reason one appears, we’ll address it. If you file a CA-1 and choose continuation of pay, you will receive full pay, not 2/3 or 3/4 as some are saying. Continuation of pay is full pay for 45 days. If you are out less than 14 days, the first 3 days will be your own leave but then you won’t be using your leave. That 3 days will be restored if you are out for more than 14 days. Finally, the Department of Labor has determined that if you are a letter carrier, and you have been to work within 21 days of contracting COVID, you got it at work. File the claim!

Perhaps worse than any of the misinformation referenced above is that there are managers that are trying to discourage carriers from getting tested for COVID. I’ve heard of supervisors saying to carriers things like: “Don’t go home, it’s probably just the flu”, or “You already had COVID so you’ll probably test positive no matter what because it’s in your system”. Management is so desperate to not lose more workers they are casting aside good judgement and endangering everyone. If you are under the weather, assume you have COVID and get tested. Your coworkers and customers will thank you for keeping them safe. Home testing kits are now available, and the government is giving any household that asks for them 4 free ones. That’s fine, but if you’re going to be filing a claim with workers’ comp, be sure to have a DOCTOR confirm your diagnosis. I’ve been told that doctors are doing so over the phone or via ZOOM.

I have also recently become aware of CCA’s being sent to Lawrence for a month at a time. If this has happened to you or to anyone in your office, notify the Union office IMMEDIATELY. Management is allowed to send you to another installation on an “occasional” basis. Occasional is not defined but I’m willing to test at arbitration that a month at a time is not occasional. I have also recently been made aware that carriers (mostly CCA’s) that have been required to work in offices other than their home office have not been being paid mileage for their travel to the other offices. If your commute to the other office is longer than your commute to your home office, you are entitled to be paid mileage for the difference in commutes. If you have worked in another office and have not been paid mileage, get in touch with your steward or the Union office IMMEDIATELY.

Holiday schedules are always a nightmare, but they are even more problematic when they deal with the actual day of a Holiday where there is a hub delivering parcels to spokes. In such a situation, the hub office is responsible for delivery of parcels and the hub office must follow the pecking order contained in their LMOU. For instance, recently we a hub where parcels were delivered on MLK Monday. The hub should have had a holiday schedule. Unfortunately, the pecking order would have required the people who’s n/s day was Monday to work. The overtime desired list doesn’t come into play. Everyone else had Monday as their holiday.

Then, if there weren’t enough Monday n/s people to get the parcels delivered, everyone else in the office would be forced by juniority, regardless of whether they are on the overtime desired list. CCA’s from other offices could be used, but regulars from other offices could not be used. This means that regulars from the hub may be delivering parcels in the spoke offices. Don’t shoot the messenger. I don’t like this arrangement, but that is what the contract dictates. If something other than this has happened, please make your steward and the Union office aware immediately.

Finally, as mentioned elsewhere, there is a backlog of people waiting to be cleared to return to work. If you are one of them, be sure to talk to your steward and/or the union office so that we can grieve on your behalf.

Stay informed & stay well!

Dave Barbuzzi

Happy New Year! I hope that everyone made it through peak season unscathed. There didn’t seem to be any shipping horror stories this year, nothing in the news about packages going in the opposite direction of their intended destinations. Give yourselves a hand for coming through in spite of the adverse conditions that you’re working under.

Well, here we are, on the eve of 2022. I’m not one for making resolutions, but I’m going to ask that everyone reading this makes one. Learn more about your contractual rights and benefits! The National Agreement and the JCAM are available online. You can find both of them in the Steward Resources section of the Branch 25 website (nalcbranch25.com). Read five pages of the JCAM each day and before long you’ll know a lot more than you presently do.

Don’t want to read? Fine. Resolve to call the Union office when you have a question instead of talking to another carrier that may or may not know the contract. Don’t get me wrong, veteran carriers are great resources for job advice, but not too many people are trained in the contract and all the nuances contained therein. Pick up the phone and put us to work.

With a little more than a week left in the year, the grievance count for the branch stands at 285. That is neither good nor bad. When a grievance is necessary, it is filed. Of course, we’d like to have management always follow the contract and letter carriers always follow the rules, but we deal with reality and stuff happens. Each year my goal is for that number to decrease, but with 36 stations and twelve months in a year. I can live with less than l grievance per station per month.

This past year I put an emphasis on trying to educate letter carriers about the workers’ compensation process. If you are a Union member, the branch can assist you with every step of the process. In the last few months, we have been able to help several carriers obtain favorable decisions on appeal of initial claim denials. As I’ve said many times in the past, it is much easier if you contact us BEFORE you submit your CA-1 or CA-2. We can often spot potential problems at this stage so you can correct them. Submitting a proper claim and getting your case approved from the beginning is always easier than having to overturn a decision on appeal.

In this month’s issue of the Wake-Up!. Branch Secretary Tony Bossi writes about Weingarten Rights. I strongly encourage you to read the article closely. Weingarten Rights are near and dear to me as I have witnessed far too many letter carriers over the years who have not exercised their rights.

Specifically, unsavory Postal Inspectors and even more unsavory (read scumbag) Office of Inspector General (OIG) Agents deceive letter carriers into thinking they don’t need representation. Following are a couple examples of their deceitful behavior:

In one instance, a letter carrier was called off the road by his Postmaster and told he had to return to the office to complete some “training”. When he walked into the conference room for “training”, two OIG Agents were waiting for him and proceeded to interrogate him. Caught off guard and relatively new, he didn’t think to assert his right to representation.

In another instance, management scheduled a PDI between a grievant and myself. When I showed up early to meet with the grievant, I asked management where he was. I was informed that he was “up front with the OIG”. Do you think it was a coincidence that the OIG was there at the precise time that the PDI was scheduled? I don’t think so.

Don’t get me wrong, the truth is the truth and we deal in the truth. We as a Union don’t want our members breaking the law. However, the OIG doesn’t only get involved when a law is broken. They manufacture problems that don’t exist. You can take that to the bank.

With Christmas having fallen on a Saturday this year came a bonus for letter carriers. There were no parcel drops from Amazon or UPS so therefore no parcel delivery on Sunday, December 26. There was still Express Mail delivery. This past Sunday was the first time in quite some time that almost all carriers were able to rest, and a much-needed rest it was! Speaking of rest, I hope that those that attended the December branch meeting enjoyed being served by your branch officers. It truly was a feast. and it was fitting that we had the opportunity to serve you in that way. I personally want to thank all my fellow officers for “working the line” and dishing out the delicious spread.

I hope everyone has a healthy and Happy New Year! I hope to see new faces at the Branch meetings. and I hope to see more members get involved in YOUR UNION!

Stay informed!

Dave Barbuzzi