General Membership Meeting Minutes

Meeting was called to order at 7:00 Pm 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
Jim Birman, Treasurer
Bill Scutt, Clerk Craft Director
Linda Norman, AO Director
Scott Larabel, MVS Craft Director
Mike Long, Sergeant At Arms
Linda Norman, AO Director
Absent:
Jim Myszka, Maintenance Craft Director
October membership meeting minutes were accepted with the correction that motion should have been “up to” $750.00 for refreshments for the hospitality room at the district meeting.

Applications for Membership:

Clerks: LeeAnn Merrills and Jeffrey Rarhigh

Maintenance: Patricia Hostetler

MSC to pay bill for refreshments for tonight’s meeting for $52.92 .

Officers’ Reports:

Treasurer’s Report: Birman: Treasurer’s report was accepted as written.

Executive Vice President’s Report: Page: Attended Clerk Craft Conference Has copy of the resolution booklet, Hub clerk information, legislative booklet, and postcards to mail to Congressmen and Senators.

AO Report: Norman: Thank you for sending her to Clerk Craft Conference. Learned about excessing. Won a removal case in Grand Haven, got a pre-arb settlement on craft work, found a $750.00 error in Spring Lake and resolved a letter of demand there. Will keep fighting for the little guys in the AOs.

MVS Report: Larabel: Thanked 2 new MVS drivers: Mike Hill and Lee Wright. Some Pre-Arb settlements were reached and some were re-scheduled because arbitrator was only for expedited, not regular panel arbitrations. There has been some improperly scheduled overtime and some grievants have been getting paid. The more information Scott gets, the more he can do. Page recently settled a case for @ $12,ooo.oo because a driver who lost his driving privileges was working as a clerk. Keep reporting on anyone other than MVS drivers transporting mail. Management has agreed to hold a meeting with Scott on how to handle transporting late mail. Needs information on how casuals are being used. PTFs are not getting 40 hours.

Clerk Craft Report: Scutt: Thanked membership for sending him to Craft Conference. Applications of Article 12, principle assignment areas, supervisors doing craft work, and casuals in lieu of were discussed. Received CDs as well. Seventeen were sent. Resolution 13 was passed, requiring multiplication of remedy for repeat offenses of the same nature. Has filed grievance on casuals taking KDE training, instead of TEs. Grieved SPABs jobs and they were posted. Jennifer Amos was sent to RI-399 training. We will fight the Mailhandlers for the work on the low cost tray sorters. Expansion of the P-1 Union office has been completed.

President’s Report: Novakoski: NAFTA has had a dramatic affect on America, and they are trying to expand it to South America. There are postcards available to send to fight this. Attended the Clerk Craft Conference. This was the first time resolutions were voted on at a Clerk Craft Conference. Acknowledged new retiree Marty VanWingen. There are 27 new retirees in area. APWU is challenging the USPS in court over not allowing all APWU represented employees (who meet guidelines) to take an early retirement. Should have a decision by November 6th on whether we can take this to arbitration. Forms are available to fill in for members who did not get form for early retirement, or if they did not get a response, or if it was denied. National needs to know. President Burrus spoke on Postal Commission report, and that we need to get community support for our cause. PostalEase is now available to make COPA contributions. There is talk in Washington that if window revenue increases, USPS will increase staffing. Health plan has two options. Lifecare is a negotiated benefit that members should use. It has information on many different topics. There will be a Celebration of Life Benefit for Catherine Beemblossom on November 27, 2003 from 5:00 PM to 12:30 AM at the American Legion post at 133 44th SE. Thanked Don Kramer for his work again this year on the Veteran’s Day display at the Main Office.

Point of Information: Kramer: At 2:00 on Veteran’s Day, the new flag will be raised at the Veterans’ Home on Monroe.

Committee Reports:

Dental: Long: Open season is upon us. Premiums will no longer be combined with dues, and you must sign up for direct payment from a checking or savings account.

Juvenile Diabetes Golf Outing: Page: Charity outing will be May 22, 2004 at the Pines. Cost to be determined.

Correspondence:

Letters were received from West Michigan Union Label Coalition and Deaf, Etc.

Unfinished Business: None

New Business:

Board Recommendations:

MSC to spend up to $75.00 to have P-1 Union office door lock rekeyed and to have keys made for door and new filing cabinet.

MSC to allow the Recording Secretary up to 8 hours LWOP to update the policy book for the Local.

Motion by Jim Ruark 2nd Scott Achterhoff to go back and redo the list of people being paid for the casual in lieu of grievance. Discussion. Call for question by Long. Carried. Main motion Carried. Yes –13 No –10.

Motion to reconsider by Joe DelaCruz 2nd Norman. Discussion. Call for question by Kramer 2nd Norman. Reconsideration carried. Yes –14 No –7. Motion by Page 2nd Birman to extend meeting until close of business. Carried. Discussion on main motion. Call for question by Long 2nd Birman. Carried. Main motion defeated.

Motion by Achterhoff 2nd Norman to post on the bulletin board for 20 days a notice that anyone who feels they were entitled to casuals in lieu of settlement and were not on list to be paid, should submit a letter to the Local President stating their reason, and it will be voted on at the next general membership meeting. Discussion. Friendly amendment by Page accepted to have executive Board screen letters and make recommendations before vote is taken. Carried.

Point of Inquiry: George Hendricks: Any informational pickets planned? Ray’s response: Probably not until spring.

Labor Management:

Meeting is not scheduled yet. If you have anything, let Ray know.

Drawings:

Palm Pilot donated by Birman raffled off to benefit COPA. $41.00 raised, won by Richard Fletcher.

COPA $35.00 Scott Larabel $35.00

Ten turkeys: Richard Fletcher, Joe Harper, C.J. Lozon, Mark Juczynski, Tammy Byrnes, Mike Hill, Joe DelaCruz, Bill Scutt, Jim Birman, Jim Ruark

$10.00 Door Prizes: Don Kramer (donated his to COPA), Marty VanWIngen, Tina Myers, Ken Benham

Meeting Adjourned at 9:30 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,

Barb Tubbs
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