Vice-President's Message
                                            

From the office of the Vice-President By Kevin Poe

   There has been a lot said of some of the things I have written in the Postal Record. First let me set the something straight with all of you. My only intention is to get the members of this Branch involved. Yes sometimes I can be very harsh but the intention is to get people motivated. This is my ony intention. My Brothers & Sisters times are going to get rough over the next year and believe me we are not going to be able to please everyone. But let's get going and get involved.

But let this be known right now, as a union official I will not stand some of you thinking that is A OK to work off the clock. This is a violation of the contract period. I will inform all of you right now that this will not be tolorated! Are you out of your mind? What happens is you accidently get hurt, guess what YOU ARE AT FAULT! And could be terminated. You may think that you are helping yourself but in fact you are only hurting yourself and your fellow carriers.

Another thing that will not be tolorated is people starting early without a change-of-schedule. This is also a violation of the contract. Do you know that by right if you start early without a change of schedule you are entitled to out of schedule pay. Brothers & Sisters we are on your side not on managements. It is high time for Branch 212 to get united. Because we are divided presently. The one's that want to play Let's Make A Deal, need to go on a game show. Deals only hurt your fellow Carriers. So get with the program cut out the deal making you are only hurting the rest of us.

Just wait the horror stories that I heard at the Committee of Presidents meeting are headed our way. But this is when you have to prove that you are a Professional Letter Carrier. If in fact we encounter these problems they will be adding more to the routes than you expect. But management is not stupid either because there are some of you that like to run. Well honey get you legs ready because you are going to have to run each and every day, and I am not kidding either. Management knows this and they know that some of you will just do it but then thank god that some of you won't either. Remember this protect yourself and your route "SHOW THE TIME" once FSS in installed.

   Sign up for the Carrier Corps. We are asking Carrier Corps members to educate their fellow Letter Carriers and pledge to get three (3) or MORE businesses to make comments on the PRC website or get a form from your union official to have them fill out in support of 6-day delivery. THIS PLEDGE AND COMMITMENTS MUST BE OBTAINED OFF THE CLOCK, AND OUT OF UNIFORM. NO EXCEPTIONS!

   Finally,  follow the directions on the website or call your branch President,COLCPE Coordinator and learn how (and why) to sign up for:

COLCPE: NALC's Committee On Letter Carriers' Political Education. Our Political Action Committee (PAC) helps to get federal ligislation important to Letter Carriers passed (such as HR-22 and FERS Sickeave credit when retiring, [Last year], FMLA, etc.) or defeated (such as H.R. 5919 this year). Many members of the NALC do not realize we cannot use union dues for this purpose. And this is in the NALC By-Laws.That's why it's important for every member of Branch 212 to sign up for voluntry automatic payroll or checking account deductions. Whether it is $1.00 or $10.00 per pay period every dollar counts. I urge all members of Branch 212 to get on this immmediately, time is of the essence.

   As stated earlier I want to thank each and every member of Branch 212 by  electing me by acclamation to this position. I will serve this branch to the utmost of my ability and will never disgrace this branch in any way, shape, or form.

   Now what am I asking from you the member of Branch 212, the best way I can think of brothers and sisters is to learn OUR contractual rights. if you are well educated on contractual rights, you should PAY IT FORWARD by educating your fellow carriers on those rights that may save their jobs or yours someday. All to often, carriers are caught up in a bad situation simply because they were ignorant of their contractual rights or failed to exercise them. Know your rights Weingarten rights are your rights. Yet I still see and hear of far too many carriers following a team of managers,OIG agents, or Postal Inspectors into a room and spilling their guts out. Remember it is 2 against 1 folks, and they don't have your best interests in mind either... NEVER go in there alone.

   YOU MUST REQUEST A STEWARD;

   NO ONE ELSE CAN MAKE THE REQUEST FOR YOU!

   DON'T ASK THEM IF YOU NEED A STEWARD,

   DEMAND A STEWARD BE PRESENT BEFORE

   ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!

UNION MEETING: Are they important, YES. Yet I never see enough members attend. We are not asking much here, 1 night a month for two hours will not make or break anyones free time. Start attending the information you receive may help save your job. If thursday nights are bad for these then make a motion at the meeting to move the meetings to another day. If we can get the union hall then maybe we can move the day. But I cannot make any guarantee's either.

   Remember this is your branch have a say don't leave it up to everyone else come and voice your opinion it does matter. I hope to see you there.

Yours in Solidarity,

Kevin D. Poe

Vice-President Branch 212