LOCAL 333 LOCAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

 

September 5, 2003

 

President Don Bailey called the meeting to order.

 

Those present were:

 

Local President Donald L. Bailey

Local Vice-president Eric Cory

Local Treasurer Dennis Brownell

Local Recording Secretary Diane Roll

Local State Representative Randy Krueger

Branch President BMC Tom Phillips

Branch President P&DC Dennis Lockridge on vacation

Branch President Cedar Rapids Russell Swearingen, III

Branch President Sioux City Lee Kessler

Branch President Waterloo Dave Henninger

 

11:08 meeting called to order.

Roll call was taken.

 

Introduced the new reps from Sioux City, Cedar Rapids and Waterloo.

Welcome, and thank you for all of your hard work.

 

CIM training is the initial topic of discussion.  We don’t have to work over 12 hours in a day if we don’t want to.  Training starts at 09:00, 11:00 our time. It is pushing it to get out of the training and home within that 12 hours.  If we choose to, we can stay over.

 

We will get paid overtime.

We have to keep track of the overtime hours we will incur traveling home.

 

Keep receipts for meals and parking so what the per diem payment doesn’t get counted as income.

 

We will stay with the travel dates we have.

 

 

 

 

 

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We can call Gloria Gray at Postal Headquarters with problems on staying over

 

 If the council decides, we can get training Sept 29 through October 1, 2003.

 

Other issue is the flight information.  Our contract is with American, they have agreed that we can take a different airline.

 

The minutes from the last meeting were read and approved with an amendment.  The financial statement was attached and a chart for the health benefit plan was also attached.  The motion to approve the meeting was made by .  The Recording Secretary apologizes for the tape failure occurring November 22, 2002, and a new method of taking notes has been implemented.  The recording secretary also made a formal apology for the lateness of the minutes.

 

Recording Secretary Diane Roll made a motion for the approval of the minutes with the amendment.  Tom Phillips seconded that motion.

            Unanimous approval of the minute was given with amendment that the 2003 calendars were approved.

 

Upcoming FMLA training in December.  There have been questions on the methods of choosing people for training and so we are being apprised of the upcoming training now.

            The return-to-work after FMLA has been a problem here in Iowa and the National has not supported Local 333 with this problem.

 

It is important for the representatives to have the Reid letter that says that the USPS is on thin ice with a requirement for a return-to-work after intermittent leave.  A copy was given to all of the Council members.  It states that employees can have their file reviewed to determine whether a return-to-work is even necessary.

            It was brought up that people at the BMC have collected unemployment due to the management delay in returning people to work with legitimate return-to-work certification.

           

We also should not count management’s delay in returning us to work as part of the FMLA usage.

 

Next week is the semi-annual meeting of Presidents.  Don Bailey will be attending along with Tom Phillips.

 

Labor day fest was

 

Labor Scheduler was discussed.  The hand-out given to Branch President Lockridge was passed around.  Recording Secretary Diane Roll briefly explained how the process Local 333 Council Meeting

September 5, 2003

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had worked at the P&DC pilot site. 

            State Representative Randy Krueger discussed a Function Four review.  Branch President Phillips said that when the results of the Labor Scheduler come down, the P&DC files a grievance on it.  They are trying to establish time and work standards.

 

Excessing sheets dated July 9, 2003 generated by Janet Ades and given to Branch President Lockridge were passed out.

            Branch President Phillips said that the withholding numbers may already being pulled.

 

The task force created by the 2003 contract extension was supposed to address the withholding issue.  It hasn’t happened.

 

APWU has challenged the withholdings by saying that they don’t mean anything.  They want evidence that it needs to be done.  We should have more information on the withholdings due to Chicago excessing from the Post Offices there.

 

The Council was given a handout from John Gallaher requesting newsletter articles.

 

Lunch break from 12:30 to 13:00.

 

President Bailey handed out information on the Postal Presidential Commission for Postal Reform.

            They are trying to attack bargaining unit employees and the collective bargaining process.

There is a website full of information:  www.workdayminnesota.orgThe Unions and others want people to write letters to their senators and representatives.  We are all concerned and need to monitor the situation to see what develops.

 

            The Union at the National level has supported reform but want collective bargaining left alone.

 

There is no more information about plant closings in the Western Region area.

 

The PAC fund should be supported in any way possible.  They’ve given us instructions to make contributions as easy as possible for our employees.

 

President Bailey handed out information from the National regarding the authority for early voluntary retirement.  There will be a cut in your annuity due to the number of years you are under 55.

 

 

The condominium tried to raise property taxes and the owner next door appealed and won.  The annual meeting for the condominium is next Monday.

 

 

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Article 12 manuals have been received by all of us.  We aren’t that impressed with them.

 

The P&DC has questions on retreat rights.  5 people were excessed from a section, a new bid is offered for that section.  Does it go up for plant wide bidding or retreat bidding.

            Were people excessed or not?  We will discuss this outside the meeting.

 

Picnic is tomorrow at noon (9/ 6/2003)

 

From the Step 3 Representative David Ross, we received guidelines that ongoing grievances need ongoing documentation.  We asked for information specifying that these only were guidelines and not a further specification to be used against us at Arbitrations.  We have not received anything.

 

Under RI 399, we have a list of cases.

            There are cases from Cedar Rapids

                                                            Waterloo

                                                            BMC

                                                            P&DC

Ellen Alexander is the arbitrator for RI 399 grievances

            Her cases are split across several locals; we may get 2 hearings a year.

 

A discussion was held concerning selection of the delegates to the National Convention.  We may have to send fewer delegates due to the expense we incur sending the delegates.

 

President Bailey handed out information regarding this from the National.

We have to act on this before December 15, 2003 i.e. have the judges of election and decide on the number of delegates.  The election must be held by March 15, 2004.  We are trying to figure out how to cut expenses when going to the National Convention.  We will make a decision at the next meeting.

 

            We have talked about cutting salaries to save money at the e-board meeting.  It is up to the Council to make the decision.  We need to free up money for other uses.

 

                        BMC Branch President Tom Phillips pointed out that the National will loan money to the Local when we get into trouble.  He is not opposed to reduction, but we need a plan in writing.

 

                                    We could roll back to the original salary level.  We approved an increase for 2001 and 2002.

 

Randy Krueger made a motion that the officers’ salary package be investigated by President Bailey and Treasurer Brownell.  A new proposal and/or additional information will be offered at the next meeting.  The motion was seconded by Recording Secretary Diane Roll.

 

Unanimous approval for the motion.

 

 

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We received a report on Open Season for the health benefits plan.  We have lost 275 associate members since 1st Health took over and that has hurt us badly.  We receive dues from the associate member.

            The age of the plan member has increased and we are getting less benefit from the plan.  We aren’t sure whether or not to actively promote the health benefit plan.

 

One scholarship was given to Wendi Minnich .

 

Treasurer’s Report

Treasurer Brownell submitted an Auditor’s report to the Council.

            The Council discussed the Auditor’s report as Treasurer Brownell answered questions.

 

Tom Phillips moved to accept the Auditor’s report.

 Branch President Russ Swearingen seconded the motion to accept the Auditor’s report.

            A vote was taken.

 

Auditor’s report was unanimously approved.

 

The question was asked about the value of the property.  We need an elevator.  It would increase the value of the building.  There doesn’t seem to be a way to accomplish this.

 

Dennis Brownell submitted the Income statement report for information.

 

We entertained a suggestion to change the by-laws to reflect that the vacant position of Branch President for Dubuque be eliminated.

 

State Representative Randy Krueger made a motion to change the by-laws eliminating the vacant position of Branch President for Dububque.

 

            Lee Kessler seconded the motion.

                        Discussion was held on this issue.

 

A vote was taken.  The merits of having a voice in the union were affirmed by Branch Presidents Kessler, Swearingen, and Henninger.

 

            Unanimous approval was given to eliminate the vacant position of Branch President for Dubuque.

 

A motion was made to approve the Balance sheet made by Branch President Tom Phillips.  The motion was seconded by Russ Swearingen.

A vote was taken.

Unanimous approval was given for approval of the Balance sheet.

 

 

 

 

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Dave Henninger is requesting help in Waterloo with cross-craft grievances.  State Representative Randy Krueger is planning to go Sunday, 9/7/2003.  Several people from Waterloo will be coming to the picnic 9/6/2003 with questions and requests for help.

 

The meeting was closed.  Tom Phillips made the motion and Diane Roll seconded the motion.

 

Unanimous approval was given to adjourn the meeting.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 14:44

 

 

Respectfully submitted;

 

 

Diane K. Roll

Recording Secretary