NALC denounces Wisconsin ambush on worker rights
‘This is not over, we will win at ballot box’
NALC President Fredric Rolando decried the actions of the governor of Wisconsin and his allies in the Wisconsin state senate in approving legislation to strip collective-bargaining rights from Wisconsin’s state and local government employees Wednesday night.
“Leaving aside the deceit and the bad faith bargaining displayed over the past several days, what the Wisconsin GOP and Governor Walker did last night was shameful,” Rolando said. “Using a state budget crisis caused by a great recession created on Wall Street to attack the fundamental rights of Wisconsin public employees to bargain for middle-class wages, benefits and working conditions is just plain wrong.”
After three weeks of calling the union-busting portion of the so-called budget repair bill “essential” to closing the state’s budget deficit, and after promising not to act on the legislation without the Democrats’ participation, Wisconsin’s Republicans violated the state’s open meetings law and used a parliamentary maneuver to force a rushed vote in favor of the measure while the Democratic caucus remained out of state in protest of the bill’s provisions. The legislation to strip state and local employees of their right to bargain collectively was approved by a vote of 18-1 by the GOP caucus in the state senate. The state assembly is expected to follow suit soon.
President Rolando is urging NALC members to prepare for a long struggle: “We may have lost this battle, but the fight has just begun. The attack on worker rights in Wisconsin has ignited the labor movement nationwide like nothing else in years. This is not over; the unions will fight this in the courts and at the ballot box. Our members in the state and around the country will do everything we can to fight back, beginning with recall elections that will seek to remove those politicians who have unfairly voted to strip Wisconsin’s public employees of their fundamental rights. As our colleagues in the Wisconsin state AFL-CIO have vowed, ‘this will not stand’.”
Wisconsin GOP bypasses Dems, cuts collective bargaining rights
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Senate succeeded in voting Wednesday to strip nearly all collective bargaining rights from public workers, after Republicans outmaneuvered the chamber’s missing Democrats and approved an explosive proposal that has rocked the state and unions nationwide.
“You are cowards!” spectators in the Senate gallery screamed as lawmakers voted. Within hours, a crowd of a few hundred protesters inside the Capitol had grown to several thousand, more than had been in the building at any point during weeks of protests.
“The whole world is watching!” they shouted as they pressed up against the heavily guarded entrance to the Senate chamber.
All 14 Senate Democrats fled to Illinois nearly three weeks ago, preventing the chamber from having enough members present to consider Gov. Scott Walker’s “budget-repair bill” – a proposal introduced to plug a $137 million budget shortfall.
The Senate requires a quorum to take up any measures that spends money. But Republicans on Wednesday took all the spending measures out of the legislation and a special committee of lawmakers from both the Senate and Assembly approved the revised bill a short time later.
The unexpected yet surprisingly simple procedural move ended a stalemate that had threatened to drag on indefinitely. Until Wednesday’s stunning vote, it appeared the standoff would persist until Democrats returned to Madison from their self-imposed exile.
“In 30 minutes, 18 state senators undid 50 years of civil rights in Wisconsin. Their disrespect for the people of Wisconsin and their rights is an outrage that will never be forgotten,” said Democratic Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller. “Tonight, 18 Senate Republicans conspired to take government away from the people.”
The state Assembly previously approved the original proposal and was set to consider the new measure on Thursday. Miller said in an interview with The Associated Press there is nothing Democrats can do now to stop the bill: “It’s a done deal.”
APWU:The Battle in Wisconsin: ‘Are We Next?’
An Urgent Video Message From APWU President Cliff Guffey
“I want to make sure that every APWU member understands the importance of what is happening in Wisconsin,” says union President Cliff Guffey in a video message. The nurses, teachers, firefighters and police of Wisconsin are fighting for the fundamental right to have a voice at work…“for the American values of freedom, fairness, and the right to speak, organize, and negotiate for a better life.”
“If Gov. Walker succeeds in taking away the rights of middle-class working people, other states will follow his lead — and attacks on our right to negotiate will not be far behind,” Guffey says.
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He asks: “If we fail in Wisconsin, who’s next? Are we next?”
APWU members across the country are showing solidarity with embattled public workers in Wisconsin, attending rallies and declaring, “Stop the War on Workers.” Members are encouraged to attend events in their area.
Click here for information about rallies on Feb. 26. Click here for a list of rallies on subsequent days. Please send high-resolution photos or video clips from local demonstrations to Sally Davidow, APWU Communications Department Senior Manager, at sdavidow@apwu.org.
‘Right-to-work’ (for less) battle—Wisconsin Gov. Walker losing support
As the battle to preserve collective bargaining rights continues to rage in Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker (R) is beginning to find himself losing supporters, as well as justification.
First, his counterparts in other states are distancing themselves from his stance. Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels (R), a potential GOP presidential contender, went so far as to say, “I’m not sending the state police after anybody… For reasons I’ve explained more than once I thought there was a better time and place to have this very important and legitimate issue raised.”
A poll released Monday demonstrates that the public supports unions over the Gov. Walker’s proposals. The poll, conducted jointly by the AFL-CIO and Change to Win, shows that 50 percent of those surveyed disapprove of Walker’s job performance, and less than a third support eliminating collective bargaining rights for public employees.
In addition to the lack of support from fellow Republican governors facing similar situations, Gov. Walker’s proposal could cost the state of Wisconsin $46 million in federal funds. Known as “Section 13 arrangements,” this federal labor law provision causes states to lose federal funds if they eliminate collective bargaining rights that existed when the state first received federal assistance. If the governor’s proposal passes, $46 million of the $74 million that Wisconsin received in federal transit funds would be at risk.
Unions pride themselves on compromise and equity, concepts that seem foreign to Gov. Walker. As the tide turns against the governor, hopefully he can take time away from his soapbox and work toward a real solution to the problems facing Wisconsin – a solution that doesn’t punish working families.
‘Business as Usual’ Isn’t Good Enough, Guffey Tells APWU National Officers
Union activists cannot conduct “business as usual,” APWU President Cliff Guffey told national officers at a meeting in Washington this week. With the Postal Service facing a financial crisis and union membership declining, APWU leaders must take the skills they have honed in the grievance procedure and apply them in the legislative arena and other areas of union activity, he said.
Guffey’s message took on a sense of urgency, as news reports were filled with stories about the battle public employees in Wisconsin are waging to protect their right to bargain.
“You’re all good at persuading people,” Guffey told the group of experienced arbitration advocates. “We need you to use your persuasive skills to get members of Congress to support efforts to put the Postal Service back on track.” National officers must join with local union activists to meet with legislators and convince them to support that goal, he said.
Legislative and Political Director Myke Reid presented a detailed report on the mandate in the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006 (PAEA) that forces the USPS to pay more than $5 billion per year to pre-fund the healthcare benefits of future retirees. The report demonstrated that minus the requirement, the Postal Service would have accrued a surplus over the last four years. Instead, the USPS has experienced staggering losses and is expected to reach its statutory borrowing limit this fiscal year. Reid also discussed pending legislation to address the problem, as well as the political environment.
Activism in the legislative arena may be the most important, Guffey said, but national officers must support all of the union’s campaigns. “National officers must help build the union,” he said. When national representatives travel to local offices to handle arbitrations, they should visit the work floor and talk with rank-and-file members, he asserted. They should sign-up non-members, support Human Relations campaigns, encourage the formation of retiree chapters, and promote the APWU Health Plan. The meeting featured presentations by department heads outlining their work in those areas, as well as craft meetings
Arlene Holt-Baker, vice president of the AFL-CIO, addressed the gathering on Feb. 23, and talked about the significance of current events in Wisconsin. By standing up for their rights, the state’s public employees have focused the nation’s attention on the role unions play in protecting workers, she said. The survival of the labor movement is at stake, she said, adding, “We will not allow our movement to die on our watch!”
Union officers joined a lunch-time rally in support of Wisconsin’s public workers, one of more than 40 such events nationwide.
APWU Stands in Solidarity with Embattled Wisconsin Workers
As embattled state and local workers in Wisconsin protest legislation that would attack public employees’ rights to bargain collectively, the APWU urges members to stand in solidarity with those who would be affected by the bill.
“We know if they succeed in Wisconsin, we and other workers will be next,” said APWU President Cliff Guffey. “We must stand in solidarity with the workers in Wisconsin.”
On Feb. 12, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (R) introduced legislation that is being called an “attack on basic rights” by labor leaders across the country. Walker’s legislation would destroy collective bargaining for state workers, undermine middle-class jobs by lowering wages, shrinking benefits, and weakening unions.
Among other assaults on the working class, Walker’s bill would block academic staff and faculty from being represented by a union in collective bargaining, and state employee unions would only be allowed to negotiate over wages. This would take away employees’ ability to file grievances and bargain over benefits such as health care, job security, and workplace protections.
Walker’s proposals sparked a massive uprising in the state capital of Madison starting on Feb. 14. Tens of thousands of employees and labor activists have flooded the Capitol in a demonstration of solidarity against the governor’s attack on public workers. Activists accuse Walker of using a phony budget crisis as an excuse to weaken unions and the middle class.
Similar legislation that would jeopardize collective bargaining for public employees has been introduced in other states, including Ohio, Tennessee, and Indiana.
On Feb. 18, 14 Democratic representatives from Wisconsin departed the Capitol to deny the state Senate a quorum so action on the legislation could not go forward until public hearings are held.
The APWU has joined the AFL-CIO and other labor unions across the country in pledging solidarity with state employees in Wisconsin and Ohio in the “We Are One” campaign. Click here to visit the AFL-CIO’s campaign page and to add a “We Are One” graphic to your Facebook or Twitter account.
“We need to ask ourselves what would happen if Walker’s attacks were successful and unions did not exist,” Guffey said. “Unions are our best defense to stop the assault on the middle class and protect workers.”
source: APWU
APWU, USPS Begin Contract Negotiations Today
Filed under: APWU, NPMHU, NRLCA, postal, press releases, Union, usps
Postal Service Begins Labor Contract Negotiations
First of Four Unions Begin Negotiations
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Postal Service begins contract negotiations today with the largest of its four unions, the American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO (APWU).
The APWU represents employees who work as clerks, mechanics, vehicle drivers, custodians and some administrative positions. The current contract expires midnight, Nov. 20.
“We have worked successfully with our unions in the past to help transform the Postal Service and we hope to maintain this momentum during these negotiations,” said Anthony Vegliante, Chief Human Resources Officer and executive vice president. “Our goal is to negotiate a contract that’s fair to our customers, fair to our employees and meets our financial and operational needs.”
Three other unions represent most other postal employees. Employees represented by the National Association of Letter Carriers, AFL-CIO (NALC) deliver in metropolitan areas; National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association (NRLCA) employees deliver primarily in rural and suburban areas; and, employees represented by the National Postal Mail Handlers Union, AFL-CIO (NPMHU) work in mail processing plants and Post Offices.
Union Employees Contract Expiration
APWU 211,000 midnight, Nov. 20, 2010
NALC 207,000 midnight, Nov. 20, 2011
NRLCA 67,000 career midnight, Nov. 20, 2010
48,000 non-career
NPMHU 49,000 midnight, Nov. 20, 2011
Contract negotiations for the NRLCA begin September 13. The NALC and NPMHU begin negotiations next year approximately 90-days prior to the contract expiration date.
The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
For additional background information on labor negotiations and the Postal Service’s workforce, please click on these links: Labor Negotiations and Workforce.
Postal Union Delegates Take to the Streets: Save Saturday Service!
Thousands of APWU members, led by union president William Burrus and the Rev. Jesse Jackson, marched through the streets of downtown Detroit on Tuesday afternoon to Save Saturday Service and rally for good jobs.
Wearing blue APWU T-shirts and chanting “Five Day – No Way!” delegates shut down busy streets and assembled in Campus Martius Park to alert the public to the need to stop USPS plans to abolish Saturday mail delivery.
“Everywhere we go, the Postal Service is closing and consolidating post offices,” Rev. Jackson told the cheering crowd. “We are postal workers fighting back. It’s time to save our jobs and Save Our Service!”
Burrus said that members must “tell America that we’re not fooled” by the USPS plan to close the mailbox on Saturday, and we must let the public know that they shouldn’t be fooled either.
Christopher Ulmer, president of the Detroit District Area Local, said that the rally was crucial to make the public more aware of the dangers of the Postal Service’s proposal.
The demonstration showed that the APWU was a “force to be reckoned with,” Ulmer said.
Members of other labor unions pledged support for the fight.
“Over 200,000 working members of the Detroit AFL-CIO stand with you,” said Saundra Williams, president of the Metro Detroit Central Labor Council. “We will defeat this crazy notion of five-day delivery. We will not support diminishing services.”
Mark Gaffney, president of the Michigan State AFL-CIO asked rally participants: “You wanna know who’s on your side? Everyone with a mailbox.”
Albert Alson, Jr. of the Greater Connecticut Area Local said the public needs to know about the detrimental effects of the USPS proposal.
“The Postal Service needs to keep six-day delivery,” Alston said. “We provide a good service.”
Linda Peabody and Gail Ganiszewski, members of the Tri-County (PA) Area Local, said they hoped the rally motivated the people of Detroit to support the union’s efforts.
“This city especially needs to see people working together, and here we are, thousands of people together, fighting for jobs,” Ganiszewski said.
more: Delegates Take to the Streets: Save Saturday Service!
APWU State of the Union Address: ‘Our Union is Alive and Strong’
APWU President William Burrus told delegates to the 20th Biennial National Convention that the union is “alive and strong.” Despite the nation’s frail economy, “We can point with pride to the fact that our members were shielded from the tragic effects of layoffs and downsizing,” he said.
“I draw no greater satisfaction than knowing that despite the storms that gathered, our members were covered by the umbrella of union representation,” he said.
“We continue to fulfill the primary responsibility of a labor union: Providing outstanding representation to postal employees,” the union president said in his final State of the Union address.
Responding to Challenges
“The anemic hiring practices of the Postal Service,” coupled with the effects of automation, subcontracting, computerization, and worksharing have conspired to reduce our ranks, Burrus noted, but union commitment is strong.
“We have weathered the storm and, among the remaining employees in the APWU bargaining unit, we have achieved a record high voluntary participation rate,” he said. More than 83 percent of eligible postal employees belong to the APWU.
To address the reduction in membership rolls, the union launched “aggressive budgetary controls, reducing the union expenditures in excess of the membership losses,” Burrus said. The union has experienced budgetary surpluses in each year of this administration, he said, reflecting the union’s determined efforts to remove from the budget costs that are unrelated to representation.
In an unprecedented step to strengthen the union for the future, the APWU invited members 35 years of age and younger to participate in the convention as guests.
“We hope that when you return home, you will remain committed to the fight for our future,” Burrus told them.
click here for a full report on APWU’s 20th Biennial National Convention
Postal Worker Union Official Indicted On Bribery Charges
An official for the local American Postal Workers Union has been indicted in federal court in Washington on charges of bribing a government official to steer trucking business to his gas station and repair shop.In exchange for the government contracts, prosecutors said Kevin J. Basil handed the government official fast-food restaurant bags of cash, saying, “That’s your apple pie.”Basil, 40, of Brandywine, was indicted last week on a single count of bribery of a public official, a charge that carries a penalty of 15 years in prison if convicted. According to court documents, Basil was a truck driver for the U.S. Postal Service distribution center in Northeast Washington. He also was director of motor vehicle service for the American Postal Workers Union, Local 140, and half-owner of the Shell gas station at 7501 Allentown Road in Fort Washington.
Full story: Washington Examiner