Flash Bulletins are paid for by members of the APWU. Information contained in these bulletins is intended for APWU members. Member questions and/or comments regarding any flash bulletin content are always encouraged. Reading of publications prepared for and financed by dues paying members by those who do not is yet one more example of non-members accepting benefits that have been paid for by others! 

CALLING ON ALL MEMBERS, FRIENDS & FAMILY

Contract Postal Units (CPUs) have been in existence for many years. Typically they have been at various “Ma & Pa” type convenience stores and have supplied a limited amount of postal products and/or services. They have been largely inconspicuous having blended in with the background of the particular store in which they are located. They have served as a limited supplement to the services and products offered in US Post Offices staffed by professional Sales Service Associates.

Recently the USPS entered into a contract with Superamerica (SA) stores to open a new CPU at the SA located at 13727 Hanson Blvd NW in Andover Minnesota. Speedway / Superamerica stores are located in eight (8) Midwestern States and are owned by Marathon Oil Co. The Andover SA spent thousands of dollars to remodel the store with a dedicated space for its new Postal Retail Unit! The unit offers virtually all the same products and services you could get at a US Post Office, plus expanded hours of operation, and is even color coordinated to resemble a full blown USPS retail unit. However, they are staffed with SA employees at reduced wages and little incentive or concern in identifying restricted and potentially hazardous items that are inducted into the mail stream. This lack of oversight and continuous turnover of employees will result in increased security risk to Postal Employees and our customers, the mailing public. We have featured a picture of this particular CPU on the cover of our May Northern Light along with a report by Local Business Agent Peggy Whitney.

The Andover Post Office is less than one mile away from this SA, is a very modern facility with an abundance of space and does not have retail services available to the public! Prior to the CPU opening in the SA, USPS Officials in charge of the Andover Facility requisitioned for a retail unit and staff to be placed in the Andover Facility and were turned down!

We know USPS Station and Branches are under a constant staffing squeeze. Reduction of staff at the Stations has been a continuing and recurring theme. Just as they are reducing Postal Service jobs they turn right around and enter into contracts with the neighborhood gas and hot dog store! The USPS is poised to enter into more contracts with SA and Marathon Oil and this poses a significant threat in several areas. We are into the initial stages of investigating this latest USPS & Marathon Oil initiative and developing a possible strategy to deal with what we see as a degradation of professional and secure postal services.

What you and your family can do in the interim is to do your shopping at other gas and convenience stores. Within a block of most SA’s there are alternatives that are easy, convenient and in many cases less expensive! Get the word out to your family and friends that the SA is again trying to make a buck at their expense. Being the first to pass along increases in gas prices along to consumers isn’t enough for SA anymore! We have early evidence that shows the security of packages and products mailed through these CPU’s are of low priority and every reason to expect this will be a continuing problem. Haven’t the American people lost enough to big Oil? Get the word out, until further notice our reaction should be a no brainer - don’t shop at SA!

ALL RETAIL CLERKS!

We all know that the squeeze is on all operations and particularly our retail operations. Long lines at the windows (one of the biggest complaints by the public) are internally enabled by the USPS. The trend to reduce staffing continues at a dizzying pace. One method management uses to justify staffing levels is to perform Function Four reviews. During these reviews statistics and data is gathered in order to justify internal staffing guidelines.

Union Officials do not get any meaningful input into “budgeted work hours” or many other criteria the USPS puts into place in order to staff a facility. However, what we do know is that many of the indicators management uses to determine what they feel total work hours should be at a particular facility comes from a retail Clerk’s input, or lack of input!

Record your transactions - This is a reminder that you must take the time to record all recordable transactions! Non revenue transactions may seem unimportant in the overall scheme of things but it is critical that each transaction be properly and individually recorded where warranted in order to properly account for the time it takes. Passports, product price inquiries, and CFS inquiries are all examples of transactions where short cuts are typically taken. The list goes on with metered certified letters being accepted, date stamped and then thrown in the hopper without a record of the transaction! The lack of recording directly correlates to the reduction of staff!

Craft work is just that – Craft work - We know managers perform craft work at stations on a sporadic basis. There are limited instances when a manager may perform bargaining unit work (BUW) but these should be extremely rare and in emergency type situations. With this being said, we want to stress a couple of keys that must be in place if these violations are to be resolved. Dedicated and continuing violations of BUW by management must be documented and reported, ALL the time! The Union does not have the resources and Steward Force to place work floor monitors in each facility we represent. We rely on our members to document and then inform us when violations occur!

If we are informed and then can substantiate dedicated and ongoing violations by managers at a particular Station we are very confident we can resolve and thus reduce these incidents. Just as significant as a violation being a regular occurrence is the reporting also being a regular occurrence and not just when it is convenient.

Upcoming Events By and For the Minneapolis APWU Family!

June 12th, Retirees Picnic - All retirees who are members in good standing are invited to our annual salute to those Postal Workers who have preceded us! For more details, contact Sheila at 612-623-0677.

June 18th, Minneapolis APWU Valleyfair Day – A Local Tradition, Valleyfair designates the 18th as APWU Day. Our members have order forms for discounted tickets which are subsidized by the Minneapolis Area Local. Although the tickets are “Good Any Day” many of our members make it a special treat for Father’s Day.

June 20th, NE Minneapolis Parade - This parade is an annual event and takes place in the early evening hours down Central Ave approximately fourteen blocks. We need volunteers to walk with us and pass out candy during the parade. All volunteers get an APWU hat and T-Shirt. Family members are welcome to participate. For security reasons the minimum age for parade participants is 8 years. Call 612-623-0677 for details, questions, and/or to volunteer! Or just come out to watch the APWU 24/7 “Our Service Sizzles” rolling BBQ grill and 24/7 entourage woe the crowd!

August 4th 7:30 AM, The Annual Faust-Terwedo APWU Golf Tournament will take place at Sundance Golf course. This tournament features a shot gun start, great prizes, and coordinated finish to ensure all participants can enjoy a free meal and awards presentation while they socialize and enjoy the day! This is open to all APWU members, immediate family and invited guests of the local! Watch your future issues of the flash for tournament entry forms, or go to www.minneapolisapwu.org and click flash bulletins where you will find our April 26, 2006 flash which contains the entry form and details!

[back to top]