Vol. XXV, No. 28 / Jerry Sirois, President / November 09, 2004.

UNION BROTHER IN NEED!

Brothers and Sisters of our Minneapolis Area Local Union Family! On or about last August Brother Jim Spensley was diagnosed with aneurisms in his brain. To do nothing meant to live life as a walking time bomb. To have surgery meant to go into an operation with a 50% chance of survival!

Jim has never been one to back down in any challenge, and after discussion with his family decided to face what was and will continue to be the biggest challenge of his life and thus have the operation to deal with the aneurisms! We are very happy to announce that, so far, Jim has beaten the odds and is presently under constant day to day supervision and therapy.

Because of this operation, the intense supervision, and ongoing therapy, the costs to Jim and his family has been staggering. As you may imagine, the costs are not only financial, they are emotional and extremely taxing on the entire family!

Jim has served our local in many different capacities (most recently as trustee) for many years and his family, wife Becky and daughters Carrie and Charlotte, have served with distinction in officer positions with the APWU Auxiliary, where Charlotte presently serves as local auxiliary President, and Carrie as Vice President! It is ironic that one of the auxiliary’s main functions is to help Postal Workers and their families in time of need, and now the Spensley family finds their selves in a time of crisis with mounting financial obligations that make it very difficult for the family to face each and every day, much less maintain a positive outlook.

We are presently in contact with the Spensley family who will begin plans to launch a massive fund raiser sorely needed in order to help the family make it through this critical and ongoing recovery. Along with our prayers and wishes for a full and speedy recovery, we have sent some initial donations solicited from our steward and officer corps but it will take a lot more to even go part way in helping the family maintain any semblance of a normal life, and allow them to focus on getting Jim better and their own living needs! In the interim, anyone wishing to donate funds to the family can send those to our NE Office at:

MAL-APWU (Spensley Fund)
1234 4th St. NE
Minneapolis, Mn 55413

We will make sure those get to the family! And stay tuned for more information regarding fund raiser planning! They have always been there for us, please help and let’s show them how big our collective heart is. . .

AMERICA’S WALK FOR DIABETES Sunday, November 14!

The Mpls APWU team of walkers/collectors is hard at work soliciting donations for the American Diabetes Association’s “America’s Walk for Diabetes.” The team members are: Marilyn Miller-Tour 2 Consumer Affairs, Kevin Thompson-Tour 1 Flat Sorters, Ethel Wynde-Tour 2 Mailing Requirements, Tracy Greene-Tour 2 Edina Station, Sue Herther-Tour 2 Minnehaha Station, Cathy Naughton-Tour 3 Flat-Sorters, Bill Usher-Tour 2 Fridley Annex, Gene Artishon-Tour 2 MVS, Tom Nelson-Tour 2 Maintenance Stockroom, Tom Woehrle-Tour 1 MVS, Jerry Sirois-Mpls APWU President, Ifeoma Njaka-Tour 2 DBCs, and Judy Thompson-retired.

The walk is scheduled for 12 noon Sunday, November 14, 2004, at the Metrodome. Please give as generously as you can. If you don’t know any of the people listed above, please call Marilyn at 612-349-4971. Marilyn is always happy to collect your money. Thanks for your generosity. . .

Interactive Voice Response System (IVR)! Call In Procedure!

In the just what we need category! One more number with an automated voice giving us phone prompts….However, the Postal Service has been moving toward this method for some time now as an extension of the Enterprise Resource Management System (eRMS). We have been notified that the anticipated date for the IVR call in number to be activated is November 16, 2004. This is scheduled to affect all employees with job assignments in the Minneapolis P&DC, the TCMH and the BMC. The exceptions are employees with assignments in Customer Service Operations such as Station and Branches and CFS.

Employees affected should have received information along with documents to assist them when they find it necessary to call in for an absence. This information should have been provided by your supervisor. They should also be able to answer any other questions you may have about this call in procedure. We understand that the IVR is only going to accept call ins for non work related illness, injury, etc. We have been advised by management that for all call ins other than what the IVR is designed to take they should call 612-349-4900 for the Minneapolis P&DC. 651-681-2228 for the BMC, and 612-321-5973 for the TCMH.

If you run into problems with the IVR or your manager’s application of this procedure, contact your Steward ASAP and give them as many details as you can to assist them in their investigation. . .

COPA DONATIONS!

We rapidly approach the end of our calendar year and our 25/25 COPA Club donation period! We are very close to the $20,000 dollar bench mark and anticipate we will meet that level. We also anticipate we will be engaged in a battle to protect our working conditions, wages, benefits, and the Postal Service as we have known it when congress gets back in session next year! We will go into 2005 with a goal of collecting $22,000 or more for our part in helping protect our livelihood! The politicians who want to contract out your work to those who want to take it are in office, and we have to believe they will come after us with renewed vigor, bolstered by their control of all three branches of the government! Stay tuned. . .

WIN AT THE NOVEMBER UNION MEETING

The November General Membership Meeting will be on Monday, November 22 at 10:00 AM. Meetings are held at the National Guard Armory on 1025 Broadway St. NE.

It is a good idea to attend all the General Membership Meetings; however, the November meeting has the added attendance incentive of fifteen $20 grocery gift certificates in addition to the normal drawings for a $25 door prize and Minneapolis Area Local jacket valued at over $70. Please make plans to attend! Be a part of the business decisions of your local!

HEALTH BENEFITS OPEN SEASON

NOW IS THE TIME TO LOOK AT WHAT YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMSAND NEEDS WILL BE FOR NEXT YEAR. APWU HEALTH PLAN REPRESENTATIVES CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS—TALK TO ALICE CROSBIE-DICK GREENBERG-DON SEVRE …OR CALL SHEILA AT 612-623-0677.