A Note From the President
We are still having major problems with Sick Leave Central. If any member is denied sick leave as a result of failing to give their Social Security number, the Steward should immediately be contacted and file a grievance. The remedy should be to restore sick leave, cease and desist asking for Social Security number, and $25 a day punitive damages for violation of the Privacy Act. The Postal Service has an obligation to protect the privacy of your personal information. Your Social Security number should only be given out on a sensitive “need to know basis”. The people who man Sick Leave Central do not need your Social Security number to register your absence. If anyone has any questions, please contact me through your Shop Steward.
Steve Lipski
Next Meeting – May 21
The next regular monthly meeting of the Branch will be held on Wednesday, May 21, 8 PM, at the American Legion Hall, 502 Colonial Ave., North Woodbury. Regular monthly meetings of the Branch are held on the 3rd Wednesday of the month except in July and August.
Branch Officer & Shop Stewards Meetings – May 15
The Branch Board of Officers and Executive Board meetings are held on the 2nd Wednesday of the month. The Board of Officers at 7:30 p.m., and the Executive Board at 8 p.m. The next meeting of the Board of Officers and Executive Board will be on Thursday, May 15, 7:30 and 8 PM respectively.
Attendance Prize Stands At $250
Had he been there, Dan Benevento, a member of the Branch working out of the Sewell office, would have won the $250 attendance prize drawn at the regular monthly meeting held on Wednesday, March 19. The attendance prize now stands at $250, and will remain at that level until a member in attendance at a regular monthly meeting has their name drawn.
“Great Job”
National Business Agent Tim O’Malley has sent a memo to the Branch thanking and congratulating the membership on the “Great Job” they did in helping to get passed and signed into law by President Bush the CSRS Funding Reform bill which changes how the USPS pays OPM for costs related to Civil Service Retirement. The next piece of legislation is “Postal Reform.”
Branch Scholarship Drawing
Nominations are being accepted for the Drew Walter Branch Scholarship. The drawing will be held at the regular monthly meeting of the Branch on June 18. The scholarship is open to all children, grandchildren, stepchildren (living with member), and adopted children of any active or retired member. Applications are being accepted now. The forms are available on our Branch website at nalcbranch908.com, or by contacting Steve Rutkowski .
Congratulations! Branch 908 is 100 Years Old
Congratulations! You are an Officer or member of Branch 908 in the year of its 100th anniversary. The Branch was originally issued an NALC Charter on February 7, 1903, as Woodbury New Jersey Branch 908. It subsequently merged with 35 other South Jersey NALC Branches when the NALC National Constitution was amended to allow for such mergers, and it was incorporated in the State of New Jersey on July 18 1973. Officers listed on the papers of incorporation included those of William J. Revak, Anthony Gattuso, Edward J. Friel, Phillip Juhring, Paul Sheets, and William E. Baitinger.
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God Speed – Branch Members Called To Active Duty
Larry Trimmer – Pitman
Ralph Hagner – Marlton
John Sikorski – Maple Shade
Food Drive Wing Bowl Party – Saturday, May 10
The Branch is sponsoring a Food Drive Wing Bowl party for Saturday, May 10, 5 to 9 pm, for all members in good standing, their families and friends, who participate in the NALC Annual Food Drive. Wings, beer, soda and snacks will be provided by the Branch.
Riverton Charges Dropped
Charges filed against the Branch Shop Steward at the Riverton office by a Branch member alleging dereliction of duty, failure to represent, failure to obey an order, and making false statements were amicably resolved and dropped by the charging party subsequent to a finding of true fact by the committee appointed to investigate the facts regarding the charges.
Welcome New Members
Bob Gaff – Gloucester
Ella Sands – Stratford
NALC Membership Lapel Pins
The following members of the Branch will be presented with their 30-year NALC membership lapel pins at the regular monthly meeting of the Branch on Wednesday, May 21:
Tom Hrynyshyn – Runnemede
John Sirolli – Runnemede
The pins are being awarded in accordance with Article 2, Section 5(a) of the Constitution of the National Association of Letter Carriers, which provides that when receiving proper notification from the Branch Secretary that a member has completed twenty-five (25) years, or thirty (30) years, or thirty-five (35) years, or forty (40) years, or forty-five (45) years of membership, the National Association of Letter Carriers shall provide a suitable lapel to such member.
Upon completion of fifty (50) years membership, such member shall be given a membership card of Gold which shall entitle him/her to all privileges of membership without the payment of dues, per capita tax, or special assessments.
If you have attained any of the years necessary for the receipt of such lapel pins or Gold card, contact John Vito for an application to be completed for the receipt of the pins or Gold card, which shall be presented at a first regular monthly meeting of the Branch after receipt from the National Association.
Branch COLCPE Contributors
Gary DiGiacomo – Blackwood – $40
Lee Wilbert – Bridgeton – $50
2003 Muscular Dystrophy Campaign
National Business Agent Tim O’Malley is urging all Branches to participate in this year’s Muscular Dystrophy Drive. Last year the NALC raised more than $1,000.000.00 for MDA. Branches can help by holding various events to raise money, including:
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Bring your suggestions or ideas to the attention of your Shop Steward for consideration at the next regular monthly meeting of the Branch.
Thrift Savings Plan Catch-Up Contributions
Starting in July, participants 50 or older will be eligible to make catch-up contributions of up to $2,000 for 2003. That amount is over and above the percentage-of-salary or dollar-amount limits that otherwise apply. Catch-up contributions can’t be done through standard TSP withholdings. They can only be made by filing a new form (TSP-1-C for the civil service and TSP-U-1C for the uniformed services), on which you designate a separate dollar amount to be withheld from your pay. That form will be available in July.
Three (3) Memos on Route Inspections
Three (3) memos on route inspections have been signed by the parties at the National Level.
The first memo, Six Day Count and Inspections, provides the local parties with the first opportunity to resolve any outstanding disputes regarding routes inspected by management on all six days, with instructions to process any unresolved disputes. (M-1480)
The second memo, Interim Agreement – Route Inspection Task Force and Multiple Days of Inspection, establishes a joint task force from the effective date of the memo through August, 2003. The memo also provides instructions regarding multiple days of inspection less than six during the interim period. (M-1481)
The third memo, Interim Agreement – Minor Route Adjustment Process, provides instructions for minor route adjustments during the interim period that the task force meets. It also allows the local parties to formulate their own joint method to make minor route adjustments. (M-1482)
Postal Uniforms Boycott List
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Do Not Buy From These Companies |
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| Mail Order | Non-Union Manufacturers |
| US Uniform Co. | Leventhal/Conqueror |
| Jeda Trading Corp. | SFKM |
| Genesis Direct/Postal Warehouse | Horace Small/VF |
| Retail | Sun State |
| Jimmie Miscatalogs (Wash. DC) | Rutter Rex/Postal Outfitters |
| Direct Action Uniforms (Austin ,TX) | Bancroft |
| Gear Inc./CC Mugler (Hampton, VA) | Hatch |
| Cuda Uniform (Dearborn, MI) | Dutyman |
| Dealers Carrying “SKFM” Imports | |
| Valley Department Store (Ontario, CA) | |
| Goldfish Uniform (Cleveland, OH) | |
| Schwarz Uniform (Cleveland, OH) | |
| Central Uniform (Syracuse, NY) | |
SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome)
Managers have been directed to deliver a stand-up talk to all employees, beginning immediately and repeating as necessary until all employees have received the message regarding some facts that may be helpful to understanding the illness, and describing what the flu-like symptoms the virus may display.
New Jersey State Association Convention
Sunday May 18 to Tuesday, May 20
The New Jersey State Association of Letter Carriers will hold their 99th biannual convention at the Hilton Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City May 18-20, 2003.
The business session of the convention will be held on Monday, May 19, commencing at 9:30 am.
There will be no business session on Tuesday, May 20, but various workshops will be open to all delegates. The workshops will cover such subjects as Contract Interpretation, Compensation, Health Benefits, Hospitalization and Retirement. National officers will be present to assist with any questions or problems members may have.
USPS Slashing Workforce
The USPS has continued to slash work hours (down 43%) and career employment (down 17,000 from a year ago) to counter sluggish volume growth. City carrier employment is down 7,000.
Annual Branch Retirees’ and Awards Brunch
The Annual Branch Retirees’ and Awards Brunch were held on Sunday, April 6, at the Best Western West Deptford Inn. Over 90 people attended the event which featured the presentation of NALC caps, jackets and retirement pins to those members of the Branch who retired since the last Brunch in 2002. Other events included the award of certificates of appreciation to those Branch members who distinguished themselves in the line of duty for the Post Office and the Branch. Also, 30-year pins of NALC continuous membership were awarded. Shelly Williams, NALC Assistant National Business Agent out of the National Business Agent’s office, attended, and his remarks were well received. Retirees who attended the Brunch included George Jackson, a retiree out of the Sewell office, now living in Wyoming, who was in the area in preparation for his daughter’s wedding. All in all, a good time was had, and the Branch appreciates the great support it receives from its retirees.