General Membership Meeting Minutes

Meeting was called to order at 9:02 AM at 918 Benjamin NE, Grand Rapids.
Meeting was opened with the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation.

Roll Call of Officers:

Present:

Jennifer Amos, President Dan Quillin, Clerk Craft Director Amy Marcus, Executive Vice-President James Myszka, Maintenance Director Karen Hodges, Recording Secretary Steve Lang, AO Director Linda Chandler, Treasurer Absent: Steve Karbutowski, Sgt-at- Arms Scott Larabel, MVS Director

May General meeting minutes were accepted as written.

Application for Memebership:

Ronald Urkuski Maintenance GR
Janet Daniels Clerk Zeeland
Johnell Mosley Clerk GR
Vernon Gates Clerk GR
Officer’s Reports:

Treasurer’s: Chandler: Read May report. MSC

Motion: Long; Second: Pike; to suspend the rules. A & E Committee person & chair of the golf outing, Jim Stoddard ; a big thank you for the successful outing. We exceeded our goal of $5,000. I am happy to present these checks for a total of $6006.68 to Amy LaPointe from the American Diabetes Association. Amy LaPointe thanked the membership.

Clerk Craft Director: Quillin: Attended the Educational Conference in Kalamazoo last weekend. Attended several classes, how to deal with the Inspection Service, Number one thing if you were to get questioned by the Inspection Service, YOU have to request a union steward. They must find one. Do not answer any questions, sign any waivers, until your steward gets there. Don’t be intimidated with anything they say or do. You have rights and they will try and scare you into talking and waiving those rights. I also attended the Parliamentary Procedure class and Advanced stewards training. I got a lot of info to pass on to the stewards that were unable to attend the class.

I visited P-1 recently and talked with Mike Chrisman, he said the APPS aren’t running real well. It runs off for no reason, the console will say it’s running and it’s not, or it will say it is off and it’s running. He said it would turn on by itself without warning. Management said they are going to keep one of the SPBS around for at least one year or longer. They want the SPBS to run only during T-3 hours so the employees who were affected on T-3 SPBS will have retreat rights. If they can’t get enough employees to retreat back, they will post them installation wide.

Finally got the PTF’s awarded their preferences. I will stay on top of the preference PTF’s who are eligible every time a residual comes up.

Maintenance Director: Myzska: Final staffing packages are being set up. MPE positions have been vacant for a long time.

I attended the Inspection Service class at the Educational Conference in Kalamazoo. Make sure you ask for a steward.

AO Director: Lang: Went to the same training in Kalamazoo. Also went to the Article 12 questions and answers.

Any pamphlets we get from training, let me know and I will get them for you. Posting for In-service test.

Executive Vice President: Marcus: labor management, getting consecutive jobs posted for tour one, only one person has bid them so far. PTF’s will get the jobs that were not bid on. Will be sending letters to the non-members soon. Mailhandlers are doing clerk work; you need to pay close attention to this.

Legislative: Hodges: Attended the retirement/legislative class put on by Al LeBreque. Several Legislative Bills that are very important to us. Premium Conversion Bill, this legislation would permit all federal CSRS/FERS retirees to deduct their Federal Employee Health Benefits Program premiums from Pre-taxed annuity earnings. This would result in as much as $400 + for retirees per year in savings. Windfall Elimination Provision Government Pension Offset, this legislation would repeal both the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset of the Social Security Act. Called the Social Security Fairness Act of 2005 Postal Reform. The retiree chapter has done a wonderful job writing their senators and congressmen. Keep up the good work. I received a letter from Senator Carl Levin in regards to privatizing Social Security. Let your senators and congressmen know how you feel about this.

Presidents: Amos: A snap shot in review of all the things we have done since the beginning of the year. The accomplishments, training, activities, and more. They need help out at the East Paris office, they are losing jobs.

Committee Reports:

Retirees: Hendricks: Convention went well in Kalamazoo, was very pleased with the run out. Please get involved with your local labor council; it’s the 3rd Wednesday at 7:00 pm here at the Benjamin St Hall. Get more involved with the Postal Reform and the Privatization of Social Security. Contact your congressmen and senators.

Correspondence:

Thank you from Bill Burrus for the COPA contribution.

Unfinished Business:

To send a notice to all AO’s for a Parliamentarian for our meetings.

Board Recommendations:

To donate $50.00 to the River City Bass Club, they provide junior anglers with rod and reels tackle boxes and tackle, which are rewarded to them. Carried.

To make it a policy to pay Stewards on Stewards training, mileage if their outside radius from their home office to Benjamin St office is more than 20 miles. Discussion Carried.

New Business:

Motion: Stoddard; Second: Gregory; to sponsor the 2006 Charity Golf Outing at a cost of $1000. $500 for start up cost and $500 for sponsor. Discussion Carried.

Labor Management:

Bring up East Paris issue, throwback clerk not doing job on Tour one, Safety Captain program, PTF's not getting 8 hours versus casuals on clock.

Drawings:

COPA $15.50 Rose Jerrills $15.50

VOE $50.00 Catherine Beemblossom

$10.00 Drawings Winners

Steve Lang, Dessa Long, John Bauer, Michelle Gregory and Kevin Quick

Meeting adjourned at 10.22 AM.

Respectfully Submitted

Karen Hodges
Recording Secretary

Back

Home
Prez Report •  Membership Meetings
Officers & Stewards •  Events •  About WMAL •  Cool Links

Top

Webmeister Jennifer Amos. © Western Michigan Area Local
E-mail Jennia1957@aol.com with comments or suggestions