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! 

Local Announces New Membership Drive!

At the February 26^th General Membership Meeting the membership voted to conduct a special membership drive beginning April 1^st and running through June 30^th.   Here is how it will work:

All members are eligible to participate as “Organizers.”  Organizers will earn a $100.00 incentive for each non-member they sign up (obtain an 1187) during the campaign.  Incentives will be tracked (organizer records their name on the bottom of the yellow copy of the 1187 “Authorization for Deduction of Dues” form) and the organizers paid in the form of a Minneapolis Area Local check at the conclusion of the campaign.

Additionally, the name of the organizer will be placed into a drawing for each nonmember signed during the campaign.  At the conclusion of the campaign there will be an “organizer grand prize” of $500.00 paid to whoever’s name is drawn from the pool of organizers.

All eligible nonmembers* who complete an 1187 from April 1, 2007 through June 30, 2007 will receive their choice of a local cap, dark blue polo shirt, windbreaker, or they can purchase a quilted jacket for $25.00.  Additionally, they will have their name placed into a drawing from all persons who submit an 1187 for a cash prize at the end of the campaign. The amount of the cash prize will be determined based on the total number of 1187’s submitted:

01-20 $50.00 / 21-40 $100.00 / 41-60 $200.00

61-80 $300.00 / 81-99 $400.00 / 100 + $500.00 

These incentives will also apply retroactively to any non-member who submitted an 1187 since January 1, 2007.

Once an eligible non- member completes an 1187, they are then eligible to organize nonmembers and obtain “organizer” incentives.

Eligible nonmembers are defined as an APWU represented bargaining unit employee currently on the USPS rolls, and not a member of the APWU.  Newly hired or transferred APWU bargaining unit employees who complete an 1187 are not considered an eligible nonmember for this organizing campaign. They will continue to receive new member incentives based on the standing motion for persons who join during new employee orientation.

Where possible Nonmember lists to be posted will be broken down by areas they presently work in and posted on the Union bulletin boards closest to those areas so all members can see who they can invite to join.  We also want to take this opportunity to let any nonmembers who may be thinking of joining know that we will be happy to remove their names from the lists to be posted if they submit an 1187 to us prior to April 1^st.   Stations and Associate Office employees can call us at 612-623-0677 for a list of their facilities nonmembers!   For more details contact your Steward and/or Officer!  If your contact is unaware of the details please call Peggy or Jerry at 612-623-0677.  Stay Tuned....

Casual In Lieu of Settlement Report!

After a lengthy and spirited battle to retrieve the money owed, Postal Management has released their bureaucratic grip and the settlement has been satisfied!    Clerk Craft employees who - due to the Union - were part of this settlement realized the payment on their February 9^th paychecks!

In earlier editions of the flash we invited the nonmembers who would be receiving payment to either join the Union that has negotiated their wages and benefits or donate the money received to a local charity!  We also sent out a personal mailing inviting the nonmembers to join!

While we are happy to report that several people have joined and we feel they did so at least in part due to this latest settlement we are equally unhappy that we have only received a small amount from one of the nonmember recipients along with a note attempting to justify the amount sent.  How could anyone who has a moral conflict that prevents them from contributing dues to the Union accept this money and at the same time maintain their ethical standards?

Additionally, in response to the mailing we did receive a few of the customary nasty notes with typical excuses lamenting a litany of unfulfilled expectations that would only be possible in a vacuum of unreality!  Let’s put it this way – What some nonmembers expect out of their Union would be like telling your legislator you are not going to pay your taxes until they solve the health care crisis, make peace in the Middle East, and eliminate pot holes from happening on Minnesota’s highways in the spring time!  We all want to see ideal situations but making positive changes isn’t facilitated by cutting off the funds necessary to make those changes happen!

Anonymous Letters!

We place a great deal of importance in the feedback we get from our members!  We also place a significant amount of thought in determining what content is in our flash bulletins.  Unfortunately at times we get letters that could consist of constructive criticism but for whatever reason the person writing will not let us know who it is so we can work with them to correct problems they have noted. 

We recently received a hand written note with the following remarks: (we replicated the note as closely as possible) “Since Pres. Ford’s death there has been 3-4 flash bulletins distributed.  Not one of them has mentioned how to put in for this “day off.” I have not seen anything posted at Main Office or the Hub relating to this. Q: how much time before this “expires” how to fill 3971 correctly – Yes, I did ask a steward - The reply was “I’ll get back to ‘ya”.  Try mentioning this in the next flash.  In solidarity – Dues paying members”

Dear Anonymous - We make a special effort in each flash bulletin of inviting our members to ask their steward or an officer any questions related to the specific flash.  We also encourage members to communicate with their stewards on any issue they would like to discuss.  Communication is a cornerstone and we try very hard to keep our membership informed through the multiple forums we administer.  Many times with items such as the Ford day of mourning we rely on the APWU National News Service Bulletins that are posted in our various facilities as the initial source of information and then invite members to have their Stewards answer any additional questions they may have.

Since we have no name to get back to we suggest you contact that steward again to see where your information is.  I’m sure you can understand that we can’t start a policy were anonymous letters dictate what is printed in flash bulletins!   Conversely, we always accept and consider suggestions for our flash bulletins from verifiable members!

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