Click on "Scott Miller Award" above, for criteria on the Second Annual Scott Miller Rescuer's Award in memory of Boston Metro member, Scott Miller. It is available to all present and retired APWU members and members of their immediate and extended family, across the country, in recognition of life-saving acts and heroic actions.
The deadline to submit applications
for this award is Labor Day 2008.
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AMERICAN POSTAL WORKERS UNION
AFL-CIO
BOSTON METRO AREA LOCAL 100
137 SOUTH STREET, BOSTON, MA 02111
Regular Membership Meeting
WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 2008
7:00 PM
CARSON PLACE (B.T.U.)
CARSON PLACE (Boston Teachers Union) is off of the Southeast Expressway - on Day Blvd., So. Boston - Take the U/MASS - COLUMBIA ROAD Exit off the Expressway.
AGENDA: PRESIDENT'S REPORT
VICE PRESIDENT/TREASURER'S REPORT
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS REPORT
CRAFT REPORTS
TRIAL BOARD - Boston Metro member, David Chandler, has filed charges against General President, Moe Lepore, under Article 12 of our Local Constitution. A trial board consisting of the Executive Board was convened on June 26, 2008.
A "not guilty" finding was unanimously rendered on all three charges by the Executive Board, and a synopsis of the proceedings will be read at the general meeting as required under Article 12 of our Constitution.
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NOTE TO ALL MEMBERS : THERE WILL BE AN OPEN EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING AT 6:30PM, PRECEDING THE MEMBERSHIP MEETING, TO DISCUSS THE SERGEANT-AT-ARMS VACANCY ON THE EXECUTIVE BOARD.
MARIE ALLOUISE MOE LEPORE
Recording Secretary General President
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BULLETIN. . . June 24, 2008
MATT BOWEN MEMORIAL
SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED
We are pleased to announce the recipient of the Matt Bowen Memorial Scholarship for 2008 is Rebecca Joy. Rebecca is the daughter of Boston Metro A.P.W.U. member, Jerome Joy, a clerk at the Medford Post Office.
As you may know, the scholarship award is $1,000 a year for four consecutive years.
Sincerely,
Robert Dempsey, Vice President/Treasurer
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BULLETIN. . . June 25, 2008
UNDERSTANDING YOUR THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN OPTIONS
& WHAT ROLE IT PLAYS IN RETIREMENT
Once again, our local is having a seminar on retirement issues. This seminar will focus on the Thrift Savings Plan. I am asking that you please contact the union hall @ (617)-423-2798 if you are going to attend so we can plan accordingly.
The date is SUNDAY, JULY 20th, from 10:00AM - 1:00PM at Carson Place (Boston Teachers’ Union, 180 Mt. Vernon St., Dorchester, off Day Blvd).
Once again, Laura Provost from "ING" will be teaching this seminar. Her expertise in these matters serves our membership very well.
We hope to see you there as the last seminar was very well received.
Yours in Union Solidarity,
Moe Lepore, General President
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BULLETIN. . . June 26, 2008
WAYNE GREENSIDE
APPOINTED
MAINTENANCE CRAFT PRESIDENT
Please be advised that Wayne Greenside has been appointed Maintenance Craft President due to the untimely death of Bob Brennan.
Wayne was appointed at the June membership meeting. Wayne has vast experience with all maintenance issues, and will be a valuable asset to the brothers and sisters in the maintenance craft and all members in Boston Metro.
Yours in Union Solidarity,
Moe Lepore, General President
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BULLETIN. . . June 3, 2008
I M P O R T A N T N O T I C E
P A Y S T U B Q U E S T I O N S
On your last pay stub you may have noticed a number next to your Annual Leave (example -2, -4, -8). This number is the result of a snowstorm settlement from Pay Period 05/2003.
As of today, the minus sign represents a credit to your Annual Leave. This credit does not appear on your current pay stub, but will appear on your next pay stub.
Any additional questions concerning this matter, please feel free to call me at the union hall @ (617)-423-2798.
Yours in Union Solidarity,
Paul Kilduff, Jr., Director Industrial Relations
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BULLETIN . . . Feb. 2008
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Military Family Leave
On January 28, President Bush signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2008 (NDAA), Public Law 110-181. Section 585(a) of the NDAA amended the FMLA to provide eligible employees working for covered employers two important new leave rights related to military service:
(1) New Qualifying Reason for Leave. Eligible employees are entitled to up to 12 weeks of leave because of "any qualifying exigency" arising out of the fact that the spouse, son, daughter, or parent of the employee is on active duty, or has been notified of an impending call to active duty status, in support of a contingency operation. By the terms of the statute, this provision requires the Secretary of Labor to issue regulations defining "any qualifying exigency." In the interim, employers are encouraged to provide this type of leave to qualifying employees.
(2) New Leave Entitlement. An eligible employee who is the spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin of a covered servicemember who is recovering from a serious illness or injury sustained in the line of duty on active duty is entitled to up to 26 weeks of leave in a single 12-month period to care for the servicemember. This provision became effective immediately upon enactment. This military caregiver leave is available during "a single 12-month period" during which an eligible employee is entitled to a combined total of 26 weeks of all types of FMLA leave.
Additional information on the amendments and a version of Title I of the FMLA with the new statutory language incorporated is available on the FMLA amendments Web site at http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/fmla/NDAA_fmla.htm.
U. S. Wage and Hour Division
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BULLETIN. . . February 14, 2008
BEWARE OF PS FORM 2488
Brothers and Sisters,
Below in a reprint of an article in the Kansas Kaw Valley Local #238. This information is vital for all brothers and sisters who suffer an on-the-job injury.
– DO NOT SIGN – PS FORM 2488 –
Injured employees have many forms placed in front of them to sign. Most are standard DOL forms for OWCP. However, the Injury Comp office is requesting update information from limited duty employees and includes PS Form 2488 in the package they send out. The DOL Vocational Rehab nurse is also presenting this optional form to employees.
PS Form 2488 is a Postal - - not OWCP form!
It is authorization for medical reports — for your lifetime medical history.
DO NOT EVER SIGN THIS FORM ! ! !
It gives postal management authorization to dig through all your medical records from your birth to the present. The form is voluntary, NOT MANDATORY. BEWARE!!!
Postal management has no business knowing your private, unrelated medical history, and they have no right to pry into your personal information. DO NOT ALLOW THEM ACCESS!
If management or the rehab nurse tells an employee that they need to sign this form in order to process their claim, IT IS A LIE. As a matter of fact, you are not required to sign any form presented to you. Make sure you take time to read every one of them.
Information obtained from a PS Form 2488 may be used to deny claims and prompt Workers Comp fraud investigations by Postal Inspectors. Always read any form placed in front of you, and insist on your rights under the law and our contract. If you have any concerns/questions, ask for a union steward.
Yours in Union Solidarity,
Moe Lepore, General President
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APWU Members Can Access,
Update Personal Information Online
APWU Web News Article #12-08, Feb. 6, 2008
APWU members can now access and change their personal contact information with the union online when they visit www.apwu.org.
The updating process is simple and secure. Look for Members Only just under the blue page header, and select My Local & Personal Info. This will take you to on log-in page. Follow the log-in instructions to access your member-profile page.
On your personal page, on the left-hand side, you will see My Profile. When you click your name, you will be directed to a page with your personal contact information, including mailing address, e-mail address, and home phone number.
Select Edit in the row of buttons near the top of the page and you will be presented with an interactive form. Make any changes you feel are necessary, and then click the Submit button. The information will be updated immediately.
Your My Profile page also feature links to information about your APWU local and your regional and national union officers. Remember that you can also use www.apwu.org to register for many conferences and events sponsored by the national union.
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"Labor Talk" is now sponsored and seen
in the following 40 cities and towns.
"Labor Talk" is a monthly 1/2 hour show run by APWU members, Don Sheehan, Ross Baker and Bruce Pearson. The program is dedicated to issues facing working families in the local, national and world communities. The show originates and is shot out of Bridgewater, MA, but is distributed to community stations in numerous Southeastern Massachusetts towns and cities.
Brockton (Tues & Thurs 5:00PM)
New Bedford
Taunton
Avon (Mondays 10:00PM)
No. Attleboro
Bridgewater
Bourne
Easton (Mondays 11:00PM)
Halifax
Holbrook (Tuesdays 10:00PM)
Walpole
Kingston (Mondays 9:00PM)
Carver (Mon. 6:00PM, Wedn 2:00PM)
South Hadley
Norton
Billerica
Amherst
Leverett
Berkley
Assonet
Franklin
Milton
Middleboro (Wed/Thur 6:30PM)
Lakeville (Wed/Thur 6:30PM)
Freetown (Wed/Thur 6:30PM)
Plympton
Pembroke
Raynham (Mondays 6:30PM)
Stoughton (Mondays 10:00PM)
E. Bridgewater (Sun. 8:00AM,
Wednes 5:30PM, Thurs 3:30PM,
Monday 9:00AM
Plymouth (Mondays 9:00PM)
Duxbury
Fall River
Marshfield
Westport
Fitchburg
Pelham
Shutesbury
Dighton
Bedford
If not listed, check the electronic bulletin board in each town for scheduled cablecast times.
If you do not reside in any of those towns, "Labor Talk" is now on the World Wide Web. Go to
www.apwuma.org and click "Labor Talk". It is streaming video, BEST on high-speed Internet access.
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BULLETIN. . . January 2008
MAILING ADDRESS UPDATE
To All Boston Metro A.P.W.U. Members:
We are currently updating our mailing lists, which are used for mailing out local & national election ballots, grievance information, the local publication, the "BOSTONIAN", and the national publication, "THE AMERICAN POSTAL WORKER".
If you are not receiving the "Bostonian" or "The American Postal Worker" at your present mailing address, please call (617-423-2798), or write to us at the local office and notify us of your correct address. You can also give the correct address to your steward and they will notify us.
Even though you may have notified the Postal Service of a change of address, we would not be notified by them of any change. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Yours in Union Solidarity,
Moe Lepore, General President
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BULLETIN. . . January 2008
ACCIDENT BENEFIT ASSOCIATION (ABA) -- A UNION BENEFIT
This is a reminder to all Boston Metro A.P.W.U. members that, as a member of the Boston Metro Local, you are automatically covered for LOW OPTION (ABA Value Plan) in the Accident Benefit Association (ABA) -- at no cost to you. Under the Low Option Plan, you are eligible to collect $12 per day (7 days a week) for injuries - on or off the job - due to an accident which causes you to be out of work. You can also enroll in the HIGH OPTION (ABA Advantage) Plan - for an additional $1.34 per pay period. The High Option Plan pays you $24 per day.
A member may enroll his/her spouse in this benefit program - in either the Low Option/Value Plan or the High Option/Advantage Plan. The spouse's payment will be added to the member's payroll dues deduction.
I would advise all members to put in for HIGH OPTION (Advantage Plan). It only costs you $1.34 per pay period and pays you $12 more per day than the Low Option (Value Plan). Bi-weekly dues deductions - which includes regular dues of $22.19 & ABA amount below -- are as follows:
DUES DEDUCTION
MEMBER - High Option ABA (add $1.34) - $23.53
MEMBER & SPOUSE - High Option (add $3.26) - $25.45
MEMBER & SPOUSE - Low Option (add .58) - $22.77
MEMBER/High & SPOUSE/Low (add $1.92) - $24.11
An additional benefit is also provided. A Family Benefit Provision (accidental death benefit) is included with your ABA benefits - AT NO EXTRA COST to you. The Family Benefit Provision provides a $2,000 accidental death benefit for the spouse of an ABA member (provided the spouse is not already covered as an ABA member); and also a $2,000 accidental death benefit for all unmarried dependent children (up to and including the age of 18) of an ABA member.
In addition, the "ABA PLUS PLAN" is also available to Boston Metro members. You can increase your ACCIDENTAL DEATH BENEFITS coverage to a total of $50,000, $75,000, or $100,000 under this plan. Call the union office for additional information.
The filing of all A.B.A. Application for Benefits claim forms, High Option request forms, and ABA PLUS PLAN forms, should be done through the Boston Metro Local office. Send to my attention.
The "APPLICATION FOR BENEFITS" form must be filed within ninety (90) days after the disability ceases or claimant returns to work, whichever date occurs first. In the case of anticipated prolonged disability, the injured member may make claim for partial payments, BUT NOT MORE OFTEN THAN EACH THIRTY (30) DAYS. If you have any questions regarding this benefit, call Bob Dempsey at (617)-423-2798.
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BULLETIN. . . Nov. 29, 2007
V.O.E . SURVEY REMINDER
(Voice of Employee)
The Boston Metro Area Local has put together a raffle as an incentive to sway our members from participating in the Service’s survey program. Members are to send in their surveys to the union hall (address below), where they will become eligible to win the following prizes on a quarterly basis in a raffle drawing.
These surveys are dangerous on both large and small scales. They are used against the A.P.W.U. at the bargaining table when discussions and presentations concerning wages, benefits, and safety & health concerns are taking place. On a small scale they are used in offices to refute claims of individual grievances.
Sending in the survey blank (to the Service), or giving negative responses, is not going to further our causes. Doing so still makes you a participant. The Service wants these surveys back to promote their agenda, which clearly conflict with the needs and rights of us, the bargaining unit employees.
Remember, this is their survey. They are sole custodian of the results. This enables the Service to twist, omit, or otherwise skewer any numbers to suit their purpose, which will result in lower wages, less jobs, decreased benefits, and further attempts to subcontract our work out to private, lower paying companies. This is not just union rhetoric or hysteria. This is reality! We all know as fact this has happened in the past, and is happening now. What makes you think the Service will now act otherwise?
In closing, don’t be intimidated. This is your mail. Any threat made is weak and unenforceable. Don’t be tempted by some cheap offer of extra time. The local is putting their money where their mouth is. Help us help each other.
SEND US YOUR SURVEY.
Prizes: First - $500 Second - $250 Third - $100 Fourth - $50 Fifth - $25
In Union Solidarity,
The Survey Committee
Scott Hoffman Bob Keough Bob Dempsey
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O.T.D.L. CHANGE FOR THE
CLERK CRAFT
During local negotiations earlier this year, the following provision was added to the Boston Local Agreement.
Article 8, Section 5
5. In all sections, all tours, employees will be able to add their name to the Overtime Desired List non/scheduled, daily or both, within ten (10) days after the posting of the Overtime Desired List.
a. Once a clerk is on the Overtime Desired List, he/she need not sign up for a subsequent quarter, but will remain on the list until he/she requests to have his/her name removed.
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BULLETIN . . . August 17, 2007
COMPUTER BIDDING - USING LITEBLUE
You can now bid from any computer using the U.S.P.S. LiteBlue website @ www.liteblue.usps.gov. You will need to key in your Employee ID Number (EIN) and your U.S.P.S. PIN Number in order to enter the site.
When you enter the site, scroll down to "Employee Self Service" on the lower right hand side of the screen. Click on "eJob Bidding (craft)", then click "Continue" and your name and job title will appear on the bidding system page.
On the left side of the page, click on "Enter Job Bids", then click on the posting number, and the job numbers for the bid cycle will be listed. Click on the jobs you want to bid, then enter your numbered choice of preferences in the choice box. By clicking the "Submit Job Bids" box, you will complete the bidding process.
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"60 HOUR" RULE
The Postal Service has been and continues to excess and abolish our craft jobs at an alarming pace. This leads to upheaval for all involved. That being said, many supervisors are asking our members to work beyond sixty hours in a service week. There is an absolute bar against this.
The union must ensure this stops. If management needs more clerk work, they should hire - - which hasn’t happened in six years.
If we allow this violation, they will never hire - - just cut more jobs and add more hours to the clerks. I don’t want management saying A.P.W.U. is taking money from your pockets, as has been alleged. We are protecting the future and this provision has to be followed for if not, management will never hire career clerks in Boston Metro.
I can’t pick and choose what articles to adhere to in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. If you reach sixty hours during the service week, management must send you home, and pay you for the remainder of your schedule that week.
Don’t let management violate this important provision. We need clerk jobs desperately. This violation will successfully thwart any future hiring and A.P.W.U. must not ever let that scenario unfold.
Yours in Union Solidarity,
Moe Lepore, General President
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BULLETIN. . .
PRE-DISCIPLINARY DISCUSSION INTERVIEW & YOUR RIGHTS UNDER THE C.B.A.
It has come to my attention that certain supervisors/managers are trying to hold a Pre-Disciplinary Discussion with employees without the benefit of representation.I am asking every Brother/Sister who is informed that they are to receive a Pre-Disciplinary Discussion to insist on union representation!
The Pre-Disciplinary Discussion must not proceed until your request is adhered to. Often times APWU discovers the pretender supervisor issues discipline within hours of the Pre-Disciplinary Discussion Interview. This demonstrates that the service has, in many cases, already made up their mind to issue discipline without acknowledging the true intent of Pre-Disciplinary Discussion Interview.
Don’t allow management to intimidate you from exercising your right to representation! Please don’t let management divorce you from your union at anytime especially at these interviews!
The Pre-Disciplinary Discussion Interview is designed to allow an employee to explain their side of the issue at hand. Rest assure, when management does gives a Brother/Sister a Pre-Disciplinary Discussion Interview discipline in one form or another is very close behind.Yours in Union Solidarity,
Moe Lepore, General President
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