Flash Bulletin

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The Flash Bulletin is put out by the Minneapolis Area Local
with updates and other information to keep the members informed.

Jerry Sirois, President

Vol. XXVI, No. 04 / February 16, 2005

NE Office:(612) 623-0677 / TCMH:(612) 370-4820

BMC Phone:(651) 454-4492 / MPO Desk:(612) 338-6225

Meeting Notice:

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
MINNEAPOLIS AREA LOCAL, APWU

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2005 @ 6:30 pm

NE National Guard Armory & Training Center
1025 Broadway NE
Minneapolis, MN. 55413

Hearing impaired members need to call the Union Office approximately 2 weeks
in advance of the meeting in order for an interpreter to be scheduled.

BMC Maintenance Receives $100,000.00 Grievance Settlement

A recent settlement obtained by National Business Agent Troy Rorman settled some 17 grievances filed on behalf of our members in the maintenance craft at the BMC. The $100,000.00 settlement was due to BMC management improperly contracting work that should have been performed by Postal Workers out to the private sector. Here again is only one example of your Union constantly ensuring that our contractual rights are not violated. Congratulations to those members who were a part of this settlement. AND – Job well done on the part of our BMC Officers and Stewards instrumental in following through in order to achieve this resolution!

25/25 COPA Club News Flash…AND THE WINNER IS!

Once again we are off to a good start in our efforts to raise $23,000 for COPA in 2005. We are pleased to announce that our COPA thermometer has reached the first temperature level, $2,500 in COPA donations, on our way to our $23,000 goal! Remember, all it takes is $10 and you too can be eligible for every $250 drawing we conduct as the thermometer reaches each $2,500 dollar increment on our way to $23,000! Additionally, if we reach our goal there will be another drawing for $500 for all who belong to our President’s club by having contributed $100 or more! This way, those employees who decide to participate by making Postal Ease, or EFT contributions can be included in the $500 drawing should their donations total $100 or more for the year!

Brothers and Sisters, your odds of winning money in this contest are extremely high and at the same time you help protect your job, wages, and benefits. It pays in a multitude of ways so make your donations today. Just ask our first winner FRANK BOEHM! Congratulations Frank! Frank, Thank You and your check is on its way!

BMC Scheduled to Receive Automated Parcel Processing System

The most recent notification we have received from management has once again revealed a delay in the scheduled deployment. Management is now informing us implementation will occur in June of this year. They have also given us an impact statement that details an impact to 26 Clerk Craft employees. We will be meeting with BMC management in order to go over the impact statement and determine why there appears to be inconsistencies in what types of excessing may be necessary. Please stay tuned as we will get concise information to all as soon as it is available……

Please be aware that the decision by USPS headquarters to designate the Mail Handler craft as the primary craft to perform work associated with the equipment is under dispute at the National and Local levels. The APWU maintains that APPS is involved in mail processing and/or the distribution of mail and is the work of the clerk craft. All mail processing and/or distribution of mail on automated equipment is the work of the clerk craft, stay tuned…….

CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS PRECINCT CAUCUSES

On March 1, 2005 the DFL of the City of Minneapolis will hold precinct caucuses for the purpose of choosing candidates to the city’s convention to endorse candidates for Minneapolis Mayor and City Council. Anyone with questions , can contact John Goodman at the Union Office – 612-623-0665.

To Privatize, or not Privatize Social Security?

Don’t Believe the Spin UNDER A PRIVATIZED SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM:

They say: The program is voluntary. THE FACT IS: The program is not voluntary—your retirement benefits are cut by at least 40 percent, even if you do not choose a private account.

They say: You’ll make more money with private investments. THE FACT IS: The government will take back 70 cents in your Social Security benefits for every dollar in your account when you retire—on top of the 40 percent cut in your guaranteed retirement benefits.

They say: You’ll get to personally direct your retirement investments. THE FACT IS: You don’t control your own money—politicians will pick Wall Street firms to control your investment accounts, a process corrupted by politics.

They say: You’ll be able to pass on your retirement investments to your heirs. THE FACT IS: For most retirees, there will be little or nothing left to pass on because all or part of each private account must be used to buy an annuity.

AFL-CIO • www.aflcio.org/socialsecurity • February 2005

Privatizing Social Security would cut guaranteed benefits by 40 percent even for workers who don’t choose private accounts. The average retiree would lose $152,000 in retirement benefits. (The Century Foundation, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Center for Economic and Policy Research)

Risky privatized accounts won’t make up for the benefit cuts. For people who choose private accounts, the government would take back 70 cents in retirement benefits for every $1 in their accounts. That’s on top of the 40 percent benefit cut. (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities)

Privatization would leave many retirees in poverty. Taxpayers and family members would have to provide them with the help that now comes from Social Security’s guaranteed benefits.

Privatization would explode the deficit, saddling our children with $4.9 trillion in debt in the first 20 years alone, mainly borrowed from foreign countries such as China and Japan. (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities)

Privatization would open Social Security up to corruption; waste and Enron-ization because politicians would decide which Wall Street firms make billions in inflated fees off our private accounts.

We have time to strengthen Social Security the right way rather than slashing guaranteed retirement benefits. First, we must require Congress to pay back the money borrowed from the trust fund. We could end the “wealthy wage exemption” so CEOs pay the same Social Security taxes on their salaries as we pay on ours. We could repeal the Bush tax cuts for the top 1 percent of taxpayers. And we could help working families build private pensions and savings on top of Social Security.

What can you do? Contact your Congressman and U.S. Senators today!

Senator Mark Dayton: Phone: 612-727-5220 Fax: 612-727-5223

Senator Norm Coleman: Phone: 651-645-0323 Fax: 651-645-3110

Rep. John Kline 2nd District: Phone: 952-808-1213 Fax: 952-808-1261

Rep.Jim Ramstad 3rd District: Phone: (952) 738-8200 Fax: (952) 738-9362

Rep.Betty McCollum 4th District: Phone: (651) 224-9191 Fax: (651) 224-3056

Rep.Martin Olav Sabo 5th District Phone: (612) 664-8000

Rep.Mark Kennedy 6th District Phone: Phone: (320) 259-0099 Fax: (320) 259-0786

Made w/ Golive

Copyright (c) 2005 MPLS Area Local MN. All Rights Reserved.