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Maintenance Committee a Plus for Our Members By Larry Nienow, Maintenance Steward, National Arbitration Advocate Some of you know, and others may not know, that I've been doing some work for the Union at the national level recently. I'd like to give a little update on that work. One of the memorandums that was signed into the 2000/2003 contract was for the USPS and the APWU to meet, identify, discuss and propose solutions to recognized problems with the assignment of work within the occupational groups of level PS-09 Electronic Technicians. Basically, the Postal Service wanted the lowest possible level of maintenance employee, in this case, level PS-05 Maintenance Mechanics, to perform the bulk on the maintenance tasks associated with the upkeep of mail processing equipment. The APWU did not agree with that concept and we contested management's assertions about level PS-05 Maintenance Mechanics being assigned to tasks that we believed properly belonged to higher level occupational groups. The committee that was formed to address these problems was referred to as the 5-7-9 committee, reflecting the three occupational groups in the maintenance craft that were identified as having the most problems. The committee consisted of 24 people with 12 maintenance managers from all around the country representing the Postal Service and 12 members representing the APWU, also from all over the country. The 12 APWU members consisted of four level PS-05 Maintenance Mechanics, four level PS-07 Mail Processing Equipment Mechanics and four level PS-09 Electronic Technicians. I was fortunate enough to be chosen as one of the 4 level PS-07 Mail Processing Equipment Mechanics to be on this committee. I believe it was a great honor to have this Local chosen to supply a member for this national committee and I was more than happy and proud to represent this Local and the maintenance craft at these meetings. There were two sets of meetings for the committee. One week was at the USPS training center in Norman, Oklahoma, and the next meeting, several months later was at USPS headquarters in Washington, DC. During the first round of meetings the committee found a lot of common ground and I thought that we were really going to resolve some of the issues involving work assignments. The second meeting, however, dispelled any notions that we would come to an agreement on the issues that we were tasked to deal with. As we could not come to any agreement over the work assignments, the matter was referred to pending national arbitration. This all happened in 2002. Just this last July the national arbitration concerning these work assignments was held in Washington, DC. Out of the four level PS-07 Mechanics that were chosen for the 5-7-9 committee, I alone, was chosen to represent the APWU at this arbitration on defining the work assignments performed by level PS-07 Mechanics on mail processing equipment. Again, I believe that it was a great honor for our Local to be chosen to supply a witness for a national arbitration. I testified at the hearing for about three hours and the hearing will be continued in November when the Postal Service presents its case. I may or may not be needed at this portion of the hearing. I think that this Local should be proud that the national union thought highly enough of this local to request a member for a national committee and request a member for a national arbitration. You all deserve a round of applause. There’s a little side note to this time that I spent in Washington, DC for this hearing. While I was at APWU headquarters preparing for the arbitration, President Burrus called a resident officer’s meeting and spoke about the reports that had come out from the postal reform committees. He talked about how some of the proposals would not have a significant impact on the APWU while several proposals would severely impact APWU members. He also spoke on the special assessment approved by the National Executive Board that would be used to educate the public about the devastating effect that some of the proposals would have on APWU members, their families, and the general public. He was specifically making reference to the proposals for plant consolidations, plant closings, closing of low revenue offices and the like. One point that he really stressed was that this is now going to be a political battle, not a contractual battle, to retain jobs for APWU members. He stated that we cannot use union dues legally to support a political battle and we must rely on COPA donations. He stressed to the officers and all in attendance at that meeting that we cannot simply sit back and see what the politicians do with these postal reform commission proposals. He stated that we need to call, write, and support the politicians that are friendly to our causes. He said that we absolutely have to get donations from the members to support our Committee On Political Action and that our careers as postal workers depend on it! And, finally, I agree with what President Burrus said about COPA donations, and, I’m sure you’ve heard our local president speak once or twice about donating to COPA. The fact of the matter is, folks, if we don’t donate now, we may not have the chance to do so in the future. It’s hard to donate to any cause when you don’t have a job! |
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