APWU MANCHESTER AREA LOCAL #230: News

 

August 18, 2010

 

 

Dear Union Members,

I want to take this opportunity to welcome Dan Provencher to the position of Area Business Agent A. Dan was appointed to this vacant position by the Executive Board. With the recent mergers of Lebanon, Durham and Dover, which are all now complete, I have redistributed the representation of the AO's between Dana Coletti and Dan. This will now keep them in the same geographical location.

Our offices have been extremely busy for several reasons. With the early retirement last year and management subsequently reverting most of those positions as well as excessing Clerks out of the installations many of our offices are short-staffed. This short-staffing has led to numerous contract violations as well as some of our members taking short cuts which could lead to their removal.

I can not stress enough that we are not required to make up for any lack of staffing. Our contract does not contain any work standards or productivity goals, we are only required to give a fair days work for a fair days pay. Many times I get calls from members who are stressed claiming they need help in their work area, that they have worked through their breaks, delayed their lunch, window clerks waiting on more than one customer at a time or taking financial short cuts and on and on. When I ask who in Management directed them to work that way, there is no response. I understand it is human nature to make an effort to get the work done or the line of customers moving but staffing or the lack thereof is a management right. You have no responsibility to make up for the lack of staffing. If you continue to work in that manner I can guarantee Management will not provide you with any help because there will be no need to! Ultimately when there is an accident or a financial shortage management will attempt to hold you accountable through discipline. Again you cannot go wrong if you provide a “fair days work for a fair days pay”. We do need to make sure that management or other crafts do not attempt to perform our work to make up for the lack of staffing. If in fact you witness these contract violations please document the incident and report it to your union representative.

Our national convention is fast approaching. Six Executive Board members will be attending as delegates; myself, VP Chris Howe, Clerk Craft Dir. Mark Wiggin, MV Dir. Randy Turgeon, L&DC Dir. Deb Smith and ABA A Dan Provencher. ABA B Dana Coletti is attending through his position as NH/APWU President. We leave for Detroit on Saturday, August 21^st returning late on Friday, August 27^th. Sec/Treas. Dave Webster will be on prime time as well that week with Maintenance Craft Dir Paul Desfosses in OK on training. Legislative Dir. Janice Kelble will be attending the convention while on assignment from national. Two officers, Rich Derby and Kim Beck will be here as will be the stewards. I will forward the union hall phone to my cell phone to retrieve messages and the craft directors will be in contact with their stewards to address issues. There is also a nationally negotiated extension of time limits on any grievances and appeals to arbitration that would expire between August 16^th and September 3^rd. I am very pleased President Burrus assigned one of our Motor Vehicle members, Mike Lafayette, to attend the convention as one of the 35 or younger group. The delegates will decide the direction of our union for the next two years. We will be debating and voting on resolutions affecting contract negotiations which start September 1^st. Contract negotiations are never easy and these negotiations will be no different.

As usual the summer is flying by, I hope you have taken the time to enjoy it! Our next membership meeting is scheduled for Sunday, September 12^th at 10 AM. Hope to see you there.

  

In Solidarity,

 

Pat Ahern, President

 

Download PDF File _5_Talking_Points_-_5_Day.pdf

As dictated by the Manchester Area Local-APWU Constitution, tallying of returned ballots were completed on Saturday, March 6, 2010. Official results of the election were announced at the regularly scheduled local meeting on Sunday, March 7, 2010. The candidates elected for the contested positions are:

Secretary-Treasurer: David Webster

Director-Clerk Craft: Mark Wiggin

Director-L&DC: Debra Smith

As a result of the election, the following elected Officers will represent the Manchester Area Local-APWU:

PRESIDENT: Patricia Ahern

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT: Christopher Howe

SECRETARY-TREASURER: David Webster

DIRECTOR-CLERK CRAFT: Mark Wiggin

DIRECTOR-MAINTENANCE CRAFT: Paul Desfosses

DIRECTOR-LOGISTICS AND DISTRIBUTION CENTER: Debra Smith

DIRECTOR-MOTOR VEHICLE CRAFT: Randy Turgeon

AREA BUSINESS AGENT A: Vacant

AREA BUSINESS AGENT B: Dana Colletti

SECRETARY: Rich Derby

HUMAN RELATIONS DIRECTOR: Kim Beck

LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR: Janice Kelble

 

The 3 year term of office commences April 1, 2010.

Congratulations are in order to all duly elected officers.

The Election Committee, individually and collectively, offers thanks to the members for the honor and privilege of serving them.

 

Yours in solidarity,

Tony Turner

for the Election Committee

Brothers and Sisters,

In accordance with our Local Constitution February is the month I must provide the membership with our annual State of the Union address.  This report is not reflective of one person’s efforts but rather a collective of the entire administration, Officers, Stewards and member volunteers.  

Grievances:  Last July this local conducted a week long grievance review with a team consisting of myself, VP Howe, NBA Tom O’Brien and two Management Area Labor Representatives.  We discussed each of our outstanding grievances in an attempt to settle them.  In the end some were still not resolved but many were to the tune of approximately $50,000 to our members.  This made room in the system for the multitude of new grievances that were filed in large part to the constant changes to our bid jobs.  The Manchester installation experienced a number of bid realignments as well as district job abolishment’s due to the consolidation with Maine.  
No installation is spared when it comes to Management’s short staffing models with the L&DC going through the same realignments.  Unfortunately theirs included an excessing of Clerks from the installation.  The initial notice called for an impact of twenty Clerks but in the end we lost seven to the Mailhandler craft at the L&DC and one reverting to PTR status with no employees then forced to leave the facility.  

Arbitrations:  Recently we have received two great wins with regard to removals.  It is very rewarding when our system works and employees are vindicated.  The stewards involved did a fantastic job in documenting and proving their grievance on Managements lack of just cause.  The local expended the funds last year to send VP Chris Howe to a week long arbitration school and a request has been submitted to President Burrus asking for Chris’s appointment to arbitration advocate status.  I have every expectation he will be an excellent advocate for this local.  

Associate Offices:  Excessing in the AO’s has been ramped back up.  There was a moratorium with the most recent VERA but since that was lifted at the end of October Management feels a need to put this action into high gear.  I attended an Area meeting last month with our new Northeast Regional Coordinator, John Dirzius and I was impressed with how the meeting was conducted.  He presented our arguments for each office but insisted on a follow up meeting to hear from Management on what actions if any they would take on our arguments.  As usual for the most part our input was dismissed but at least Management actually had to say for the record their reasons for the dismissal.  I was happy we were successful in having the excessing cancelled for the Salem office due to Management’s manipulation of the bids in that office.  Currently we are looking forward to welcoming Lebanon, Dover and Durham into our ranks.  The Manchester Area Local has a well known reputation for providing the best possible representation therefore when the small locals are ready to become part of a larger force they turn to us.  I must say working with our National on the process of merger is frustrating at best with it taking up to six months or longer to complete.  Our new national Secretary/Treasurer, Liz Powell has made a commitment to streamline the process.  

Conventions, Education and Conferences:  In order to live up to our reputation and provide quality representation our Officers and Stewards must receive training and information.  Our maximum allocation of delegates (26) attended the 2009 State Convention with most attending the day of training provided by the NH/APWU.  Seven of your Executive Board members attended the All Craft Conference last October.  Three days of classes taught by National Officers was an invaluable learning experience for all of us.  We also have a presence at each National President’s Conferences.  The NPC’s provide for updates on issues at the national level while also giving a perspective on how local’s across the country are dealing with the same struggles.  

Legislative Activity and COPA:  The Manchester Area Local consistently reaches our annual goal set by President Burrus for COPA contributions.  I want to thank all of our members who make those contributions.  Each year our raffle is a success and is the catalyst that puts us over the top.  Last February the NPC included a legislative conference with each of us visiting our representatives in Washington DC to discuss issues important to postal workers.  It was a good feeling to actually be welcomed by the majority of NH’s reps!  

Functions and Events:  With the addition of a new Human Relations Director to our administration many of our ideas have turned into reality.  She is a dynamo!  She coordinated the gathering of donations and backpacks for our own homeless veterans in NH and made our Toys for Tots project an overwhelming success.  

Finances and Expenses:  All of the above costs money.  Expenses are approved either through the budget, motions or constitutional language.  I am personally disappointed we experienced deficit spending in 2009 but with the financial cushion created by this administration in 2007 and 2008 it was easily absorbed.  The 2010 budget presented by the budget committee today and voted on at our March meeting provides for the cost cutting measures we will need to adhere to this year in order to maintain our financial viability.  Last July the Department of Labor conducted an audit of the Local’s finances for the year 2008 citing relatively few minor issues but mainly mostly positive comments on our financial practices.  

I want to extend my sincere thanks to the entire staff, officers and stewards.  They do not get the recognition they deserve.  They remain diligent in their efforts to do the best job possible and I appreciate that more than I can say.  I also want to thank you the membership for your support and encouragement.  

Yours in Union Solidarity,


Pat Ahern, President
Manchester Area Local

Dear Union Members,

Every three years we have the opportunity to choose the representatives that will lead the Local in our continuing struggles. Through acclamation, I have been re-elected to my second term as your president. I am honored to accept this position and want to take this opportunity to thank you for your trust and support. I am looking forward to continuing the work this administration has done in moving the Manchester Area Local forward. I am also very pleased to announce Chris Howe has been re-elected to the position of Executive Vice President. Chris is a dedicated, hard working union official and certainly makes my job easier as well as current officers, Human Relations Director, Kim Beck; Legislative Director, Janice Kelble and Area Business Agent B, Dana Coletti who have all been elected to their respective positions through acclamation.

Starting their term of office on April 1st please welcome Rich Derby as Secretary, Paul Desfosses as the Maintenance Craft Director and Randy Turgeon as the Motor Vehicle Craft Director.

I want to recognize and thank outgoing officers who will vacate their positions on March 31st, Rich Whelan, Recording Secretary; Keith Moore, Maintenance Craft Director; David Belcher, Motor Vehicle Craft Director and April Caswell, Financial Secretary for their hard work and dedication to the Local. It takes a special heart to step up and represent your co-workers and a simple thank you never seems adequate but thank you none-the-less!

The next three years will be difficult as management continues their attempt to balance their budget on the backs of the bargaining unit. This year will create what has been called the perfect storm with APWU national elections, the bi-annual convention and contract negotiations. As with any new National Collective Bargaining Agreement a window will be created where local unions will have the ability to renegotiate their local agreements. Management has also ramped up their excessing efforts since the moratorium ended. We have a start on the best possible group of people to face any challenges.

Again thank you!


Yours in Union Solidarity,


Pat Ahern,
President