[QUOTE]Originally posted by Richard Cantu:
REPORT FROM THE CLERK CRAFT CONFERENCE.....
THE APWU COMBINED THE CRAFTS CONFERENCES TOGEATHER, IN LAS VEGAS THIS YEAR. I THOUGHT THE COMBINING OF THE CONFERENCES WAS A GREAT SUCCESS. NOT ONLY DID I GET TO BE WITH MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE CLERK CRAFT, BUT I ALSO GOT TO MEET AND TALK WITH MANY OF OF OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE MAINTANANCE AND MOTOR VEHICLE CRAFT. IN THE SPIRIT OF SOLIDARITY,I HOPE THAT THE APWU WILL CONTINUE TO COMBINE THE CRAFT CONFERENCES.
THE APWU PUT ON TRAINING CLASSES FOR THOSE ATTENDING THE CONFERENCES. OUR MEMBERS, PAID AND NON-PAID, ATTENDED THE CLASSES AND GATHERED UP QUITE A BIT OF INFORMATION TO BRING BACK TO THE STEWARDS AND MEMBERS. I ATTENDED CLASSES ON CASUALS IN LIEU OF, STEWARDS IN THE INFORMATION AGE, ABLOISHMENT AND REVERSION OF JOBS AND LOCAL MEMORADUMS OF UNDERSTANDING. WE WILL BE MAKING THE INFORMATION WE GATHERED, ON CD'S, AVAILABLE TO ALL CHIEF STEWARD AND STEWARDS. THE INFORMATION IS QUITE LENGTHY TO PUT ON THE WEB SITE,SO WE WILL COPY IT ON TO CD'S AND PASS THEM OUT. THE CLASSES AND INSTRUCTORS WERE PROFESSIONAL AND WELL PUT TOGEATHER.
THE CONFERENCE WAS STARTED WITH AN ADDRESS BY NATIONAL APWU PRESIDENT BILL BURRUS. HE BEGAN WITH THANKING THE MEMBERS FOR THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE CONTRACT EXTENSION.THE VOTE WAS 69,000 FOR AND 9,000 AGAINST. I WAS ONE OF THE 9,000 . HE THEN LISTED THE FOLLOWING AGENDA ITEMS THAT THE APWU HAS ACCOMPLISHED AND PROGRAMS HE WANTS TO PROMOTE.
1.THE REDUCTION OF CASES TO BE HEARD IN ARBITRATION.
2.SUCCESSFUL COURT AND ARBITRATION AWARDS, SUCH AS THE RECENT FMLA CASE REGARDING RETURNING TO WORK FROM FMLA LEAVE.
3.ANNUAL WAGES OF MEMBERS HAS RISEN FROM 40,000 TO 47,000, IN THE LAST 5 YEARS.
4. ORGANIZING IS NOW AT 74% FOR THE APWU. BURRUS WANTS TO COMMIT MORE FUNDS TO INCREASE MEMBERSHIP.
5.HE ALSO WANTS TO COMMIT UNION FUNDS TO INVOLVE LOCALS IN COMMUNITY PROGRAMS.
6.HE ATTIBUTES OUR SUCCESS IN THE LEGISLATIVE FRONT TO THE CONTRIBUTION FROM OUR MEMBERS TO COPA.
7.HE ALSO PLEDGED OUR SUPPORT TO THE AFL-CIO,NOW THAT SOME OF IT'S MAJOR UNIONS HAVE WITHDRAWN THEIR SUPPORT.
BURRUS'S ADDRESS WAS LONG,BUT VERY INFORMATIVE.
CLERK DIVISION DIRCTOR JIM McCARTHY THEN ADDRESSED THE CLERK CRAFT MEMBERS.HIS WAS A ROUSING SPEECH THAT BROUGHT THE MEMBERS TO THEIR FEET WITH APPLAUSE AND CHEERS.HE ADDRESSED NOT ONLY THE CURRENT STATE OF THE CLERK CRAFT, WHICH HE DISCRIBED AS HEALTHY, BUT ALSO THE FUTURE OF THE CLERK CRAFT.HIS EFFORT AND THE CRAFTS CONTINUED FIGHT FOR MORE JOBS, UPGRADES AND THE ROLE OF OUR CRAFT WITH THE GROWTH OF AUTOMATION AND THE CHANGING WORK FORCE. HIS MAJOR MESSAGE WAS THAT AS THE POSTAL SERVICE CHANGES SO MUST THE CLERK CRAFT.WE HAVE EXPLORE WHAT OUR ROLE WILL BE.
MY FINAL THOUGHT IN ALL THIS IS NOW THAT THE EXTENSION HAS BEEN RATIFIED,I HOPE THAT THIS BRIGHT OUTLOOK BY OUR NATIONAL LEADERS COMES TO BE. THE POSTAL SERVICE IS SET TO PRESENT TO THE OFFICE OF PERSONAL MANAGEMENT THIS SEPTEMBER IT'S OPERATIONAL PLAN FOR THE NEXT 5 YEARS. LET'S SEE IF OUR NATIONAL LEADERS CAN SECURE MORE FOR OUR MEMBERS IN THOSE PLANS.
Clerk Craft Director
