Vol. XXVI, No. 03 / Jerry Sirois, President / January 20, 2005.

APWU Opposes USPS Surveys

The APWU opposes worker participation in USPS employee opinion surveys, President William Burrus reminded union members on Nov. 5. “We are aware that the Postal Service continues to mail Voice of Employee surveys to employees on an annual basis,” he said, “but we discourage union members from participating.”

The union’s policy, adopted by the National Executive Board in 1998, contests “the use of all surveys, focus groups, polls and audits as a means of interviewing employees and union officials to evaluate job related and internal union issues.”

Experience has taught union members a bitter lesson in that regard, said APWU Industrial Relations Director Greg Bell. “The Postal Service has misrepresented the results of previous employee opinion survey and claimed that employees supported the Postal Service’s wage proposals during contract negotiations and interest arbitrations,” he said.

The subjects addressed in the survey should be discussed in labor-management meetings where the concerns of all represented employees are considered, said Bell. “The APWU’s concern is that results of a survey of individual employees can be misrepresented or manipulated by the Postal Service in order to achieve management goals that the union does not share.”

Opinion surveys are often designed to elicit a specific response or result, Bell said. “In most cases, surveys conducted by an employer are designed to circumvent bargaining with unions and are used in management’s effort to reduce employee wages, hours, benefits, and working conditions. This has been our experience with the Postal Service.” Taken from - APWU Web News Article #21-04, Nov. 5, 2004

URGENT – ALL EMPLOYEES ATTENTION REQUIRED!
USPS BEGINS A JOURNEY TO THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD?

Local Management has released a film titled “VOE Survey: A Journey of Change.” Please be advised that the content of this film is extremely misleading at best! The Union has not authorized local management to portray in any shape or form that the APWU endorses this latest venture but has used APWU represented employees throughout the film to imply Union endorsement of focus groups! The film is cleaverly scripted, edited, and pieced together with comments from employees represented by other organizations to result in what can best be described as a propaganda designed to totally deceive the viewer.

The agenda locally is more bonus money for local managers – the agenda nationally is so USPS headquarters can use the information gathered to adversely affect the entire bargaining unit during the upcoming contract negotiations in 2005! Worse yet is it can also be used to influence congress in drafting new language that will affect YOU in Postal Reform!

The Minneapolis Area Local is on record as opposing VOE, EOS, Focus Group, or this type involvement for reasons we have discussed repeatedly! Local Installation heads know this but have authorized the production of this film anyway…..The Minneapolis Area Local will be investigating and pursuing National Labor Relations Board Charges immediately! Local management has avenues that currently exist to achieve employee recognition, clean restrooms, reduction of grievances, and early resolution of problems but have not participated in those programs in good faith! Effective Labor/Management meetings can produce management’s proclaimed desires if they would participate in these showing even a semblance of good faith in doing so! Stay tuned…..

Former Business Agent - Jan Bly Fund Raiser!

Our former Business Agent, Jan Bly was recently in the hospital again. He has lost all of his vision in his left eye and he has lost his sense of taste and smell. He will need several more operations.

Please mark this on your calendars! There is a benefit for Jan on Feb 12, 2005 at the Rosemount VFW from 3:30PM to 7:30PM. There will be food and a raffle. For more information, you can contact Dick Greenberg at 651-454-4492. Donations in advance of this event can also be sent to:

APWU (Jan Bly Fund)
1234 4th Street NE
Minneapolis, MN 55413