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Who the Heck Are You? By Diane North, Editor I sat in the conference room waiting for Frankie Sanders to get off his cell phone so I could interview him. While waiting, I couldn't help but eavesdrop on his conversation. He was bouncing some ideas off someone on the other end of the line about what to do with the people who are still displaced from the hurricanes in Louisiana. Do you know who Frankie Sanders is? This is what it says on the APWU website: ABOUT THE SOUTHERN REGION COORDINATOR'S OFFICE Frankie Sanders, Southern Region Coordinator 15055 Woodham Drive, Houston TX 77073-6024 Phone: 281-821-9000 Fax: 281-821-9028 The Southern Region Coordinator is responsible for organizing the union's grievance activity at the Step 3 level and arbitration in 11 states. He supervises the scheduling of Step 3 grievances throughout the region; scheduling arbitration hearings for the cases that remain unresolved, and assigns the union's advocates. The coordinator also receives notices from the USPS management when excessing outside an installation is anticipated in the region, and receives information regarding the withholding of job vacancies. The coordinator shares the information with the affected local and state organizations and organizes the union's response. The coordinator meets with his management counterparts on other issues of concern to APWU members in the region, including the deployment of automated equipment and safety and health matters. The coordinator also schedules regular labor/management meetings to address issues of concern within his region. He negotiates and develops labor-management agreements for the region. But, there is more to Frankie Sanders than just that. He is a family man, a husband, a dad, and a grandpa. He began his postal career in 1982 as a career clerk in Houston, Texas. This is how a very ambitious man began his career. His first involvement with the Union was as a member and then Steward. He then became Legislative Director, and then moved on to Executive Vice President with Terry Stapleton as President of the Houston Local. In 1992 Frankie become National Business Agent and held that position for the next twelve years. President Bill Burrus must have seen the potential and ambition that Frankie possessed, because in 2003 he appointed Frankie the Southern Region Coordinator. I asked Frankie what he thought were the most important issues concerning our National APWU. He gave me a three part answer: 1. Consolidation -- as in combating the reduction of workforce, less staffing. We are working on this with a team appointed by President Burrus. We are directing locals how to make the public more aware of what consolidation will mean to them. 2. Structure -- as in never having to give back anything in negotiations. Our main interest is to preserve the rights and benefits of our members. We would ask for support in these efforts. 3. Increasing awareness -- there are post offices where the members do not even know that they have a Union or what the APWU can do for them. We need to know our goals and be part of the solution. We need to increase our membership and our finances. Frankie admits that he misses doing arbitrations and Step 3's, but he loves the challenges in this position. He says his plans for the future are to stay in this position for as long as the members allow it! |
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