General Membership Meeting Minutes

Meeting was called to order at 9:00 Am at 918 Benjamin NE, Grand Rapids.
Meeting was opened with the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation.

Roll Call of Officers:

Present:
Ray Novakoski, President
Dick Page, Executive Vice-President
Barbara Tubbs, Recording Secretary
Linda Norman, AO Director
Jim Myszka, Maintenance Craft Director
Mike Long, Sergeant at Arms
Bill Scutt, Clerk Craft Director
Scott Larabel, MVS Craft Director
Absent:
Jennifer Amos, Treasurer

April General Membership meeting minutes were accepted as written.

Applications for Membership:
Patricia Collins, Retained
Camellia Crosby, Sylvia Rodriguez, Tracey Thompson, JoAnn Blakeslee, McClain Bell, TEs

Officers’ Reports:

Treasurer’s Report: Novakoski for Amos: Treasurer’s report was accepted as written.

AO Report: Norman: Settled a letter of demand in Holland. Went to Holland to help with OWCP occurrence. Spent 11 hours graphing clock rings in Big Rapids. Couple of FMLA violations. Working on excessing in Grand Haven and Holland.. They are trying to get FMLA requests acted on within the 2 days required rather than the 2 weeks it has been taking. Filed class action grievances.

Maintenance Report: Myszka: Met with NBA at State convention. Talked about maintenance skill development program - trying to get district-wide training. Locally negotiating to redo all custodial routes to get them in line with current building needs.

MVS Report: Larabel: Attended State convention in Lansing. Talked to Mike Foster, NBA and assistant MVS director, about other crafts and supervisors transporting mail. They are not always on the right operation number and that makes it hard to track. Need to keep on top of it. Trickle down effect is that we need fewer drivers, fewer trucks, and fewer mechanics. Several arbitrations scheduled here in June. Trying to make sure that casuals are not getting more hours than PTFs. Three PTFs were converted recently and they have approved the hiring of three more drivers.

Clerk Report: Scutt: Thanks for sending him to State convention. Grieving for jobs on flat sorters to be reposted. Pushing back - we need to keep our work from the mail handlers. COPA cans were stolen from annex. McCarthy told him that TE are supposed to stay at level they were hired. Filed grievance for the 46 ½ hours used by mail handlers on tax day to accept mail.

Executive Vice-President: Page: Thanked membership for being sent to the State convention. Will be holding steward’s training in late May. USPS is sending Union officials to observe APPs machines. The first article test passed. Today is the first day of choice vacation period, lasts through September 10th.

President: Novakoski: Thanks for coming today. June meeting will be Wednesday, June 2nd at 7:00 PM. Talked to Postmaster about yellow ribbons for flagpoles and she okayed them. Don Kramer is pricing the ribbon. Was on the Constitutional committee at the State convention. Everyone did an excellent job on their committees. Dinner was Saturday night with the installation of officers. Convention booklet was dedicated to Jim Sweeney. and a presentation was made to his family and friends. Catherine Beemblossom and her friend Deb worked on that. Had arbitration dates , waiting for decisions. Pre-arbed some cases with Kris Early. Will be meeting with Marti Shaut to try to pre-arb additional cases. Some clerks chose to go with their work to the stations. There may still be some clerks excessed from that section. Making some changes to main office break rooms. Disagree with some changes and may be filing a grievance.

Committee Reports:

Golf For Charity: Jim Stoddard: 14 teams registered, 6 more committed. $2300.00 in sponsorship money. Still looking for volunteers to work May 22nd.

Yellow Ribbon: Schaorie Bryce-Meredith: Still looking for the ribbon to purchase.

COPA: Jackie Pike: $10.00 from Northeast Station.

A & E: Amy Puhalski: Upcoming events: Picnic June 6th from noon to 4, Labor Day parade, Solidarity for Charity Bowling October 9th Family Christmas party at 5th St. Hall

Unfinished Business:
Still no response from National on Casuals in Lieu of grievance settlement.

New Business:

Board Recommendations:

To pay $24.00 to renew Labor Notes for a year. Carried.

To spend $3000.00 for Spirit of Solidarity Labor Monument tree and plaque. Discussion. Carried. Yes - 11. No - 9.

To spend up to $1000.00 for pins for the National convention. Carried.

To spend up to $500.00 for trinkets for the Parade of States at the convention. Carried.

To spend up to $300.00 for shirts for the National convention delegates. Carried.

To donate $100.00 to Cystic Fibrosis Walk-a-Thon on May 16th. Carried.

To pay lost time to Executive Board members for today’s meeting. Carried.

Report by Nancy Gingery-Merchant: Went to Deaf and Hard of Hearing conference in Colorado. Video relay service is being tried in Pittsburgh in place of translators. The Task Force does not support this at this time. We will have a new task force next year. She has been asked to be on it, and is considering it. There are two resolutions passed in Colorado that we will vote on as to whether to submit them to National convention. Resolution # 7 was carried. Resolution # 13 defeated 11-12.

Point of Inquiry: Page: Why are we dealing with these resolutions? Because if several Locals send them in it shows solidarity and strength.

Motion by Karen Hodges 2nd Puhalski: To send Karen to National convention as delegate at no cost to the Local. Ruled out of order.

Motion by Page 2nd Myszka that the Local bear the expense of postage for the legislative postcards. Discussion. Carried.

Labor Management: Will try to schedule a meeting in May. If you have anything, let an officer or steward know.

Drawings:
COPA: $31.00, Jackie Pike $31.00

$10.00 Door Prizes: Jane Symko, Mike Long, Steve Lang, Jim Stoddard, Schaorie Bryce-Meredith

Respectfully Submitted,

Barb Tubbs
Recording Secretary

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