Next Meeting - September 17
The regular monthly meetings of the Branch are held on the 3rd Wednesday of the month, except in July and August. The next regular monthly meeting of the Branch will be on September 17, 8 pm at the Colonial Manor American Legion Post Home, 502 Colonial Ave., N. Woodbury.
Branch Officers, Executive Board Meeting - September 10
The Branch Officers and the Executive Board meetings are held on the 2nd Wednesday of the month. The Board of Officers meets at 7 pm, and the Executive Board at 8 pm The next meetings of the Board of Officers and the Executive Board will be on Wednesday, September 10, at 7 and 8 pm, respectively.
Nominations & Election of Branch Officers, Shop Stewards And Convention Delegates - October 15, 1997
Nominations for the election of Branch Officers. Shop Stewards, and Convention Delegates will be called for at the regular monthly meeting of the Branch on Wednesday, October 15, 1997. Elections are by secret mail ballot of the eligible Branch membership, held as soon as possible after nominations. All Officers and Shop Stewards are elected for a term of two (2) years. Nominations are made from the floor, or in writing to the Branch Recording Secretary prior to or at the October, regular monthly meeting. Branch Offices up for election: President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, Financial Secretary, Assistant Recording Secretary, Chairman of Trustees, Four (4) Trustees, Health Benefits Officer, Sargent At Arms, and a Housing Chairperson.
Shop Stewards Are nominated and elected as are Branch Officers, except that they must be nominated and elected by the Branch membership at the office where they are employed.
The nomination and election of Convention Delegates is the same as for Branch Officers and Shop Stewards, except that to be compensated for attendance at a convention such nominated, elected Convention Delegates must have attended at least eleven (11) regular or Executive Board meetings of the Branch from the month of the last National Convention (August), to and including the October nominating meeting. According to the Branch Constitution and By-Laws Convention Delegates to be compensated for their attendance at a convention cannot exceed three (3) percent of Branch membership. Consequently, although the Branch will be allotted about 33 National Convention Delegates, only about 20 will be compensated for their convention attendance.
10th Annual Labor Day Parade & Celebration - Saturday, September 6
9 am JFK plaza, Philadelphia. 10 am parade via Chestnut St to Judge Lewis Quadrangle (rain or shine). Music. Floats. Drill Teams. Cowboys. Art Awards. Picnics. Bring The Kids. Fun for Everyone. Bring Your Friends. For information and details contact John Vito.
Application Availability For Postal Employment
Applications for taking the 470 Battery of exams for Clerk, City Carrier, Flat Sorter Operator, Mailhandler, Mail Processor, and Markup Clerk will be available at the following Post Offices between 8:30 am and 5 pm, September 15-19,: Bellmawr, Cherry Hill, Pennsauken, Pennsville, Sewell, Vincentown, and Willingboro; and September 29 to October 3, at the following Post Offices: Atlantic City, Elmer, Manahawkin, Ocean City, Pleasantville, and Rio Grande.
4th Bundle Award Supplemental Agreement
Regarding the Snow arbitration award, that it is a violation to require a letter carrier on a park and loop route in a DPS environment who uses the composite third bundle work method to work marriage mail behind addressed flats, the parties at the National Level have now agreed to conduct a joint study to be completed by April 30, 1998, to determine the relative efficiency of the composite bundle and vertical flat casing work methods, with and without unaddressed flats. In the interim, the parties at the local level will select, by September 6, 1997, the most efficient way of handling unaddressed flats on park and loop routes in DFS for which the composite bundle work method has been selected. After that date, such carriers shall not be required to carry unaddressed flats as a fourth bundle. It was also agreed that grievances filed prior to June 9, 1997, on the issue presented to Snow will be resolved consistent with this agreement, and those filed after June 9, 1997, will be withdrawn.. Also agreed to was that the Union is not precluded from filing grievances with regard to this latest pact.
AFL-CIO Labor Day Observance - Friday, August 29
Branch Officers, members, family and friends have been extended an invitation by the Southern New Jersey AFL-CIO Labor Council, at no cost, to attend festivities on Friday, August 29, 1997, to mark the 103rd annual Peter J. McGuire Labor Day Observance and celebrate the only national holiday devoted to working families. The celebration will kick off at 9 am with a memorial breakfast at the Sheraton Four Points on routes 70 and 295. After breakfast the attendees will proceed to Arlington Cemetery in Pennsauken to hold a brief ceremony at the peter J. McGuire Memorial. Those planning to attend need contact John Vito, as soon as possible, so he can let the AFL-CIO know how many from the Branch will attend.
Branch Picnic - Sunday, September 14
The Branch annual picnic this year will be held on Sunday, September 14, 1997, at the Clementon Lake Amusement Park, Clementon, NJ. Tickets can be obtained from your Shop Steward, or at the Executive Board meeting on September 10. Tickets are $10 per person, ages 2 and under are free. Cost of tickets includes all amusement rides at the park, free. Beer, soda, hot dogs, hamburgers and snacks furnished by the Branch. Splash World not open 9/14/97.
Your Safety Or Their Bonuses?
District Management is concerned about your safety, so they say. Consequently they have issued a memorandum to all Postmasters, south Jersey District, stipulating that Postmasters and/or their supervisors will be disciplined if they don' t follow safety policies and suspend your driver's license for any at fault accident. The memo says, "The safety of our employees should be utmost in our minds and it is clear to all of us that many have chosen to minimize it's importance." We wonder if that's why they are still forcing us to carry the 4th bundle, not adjusting our routes to 8 hours, intimidating and harassing us on the street and in the office, and forcing us to come to work injured. Gee, boss, thanks for worrying about our safety!
Branch Death Benefits
Effective January 1, 1991, the Branch established a Death Benefit fund, at no cost to the member, for the benefit of the survivors of a deceased active or retired Branch member. The fund currently provides $200 to the beneficiary of a deceased member in good standing at the time of his/her death. To receive payment the beneficiary of record must have been established by way of the completion of the form below by the member prior to his demise, or such status must be documented upon the member's death. To receive payment, a copy of a death certificate, and proof of beneficiary status, as necessary, must be documented and sent to the Director of Death Benefits within six (6) months of death. The current Director is Tom Walsh, Branch Trustee, 453 Prince Street, Woodbury, 08096. If you have not already done so, complete the following form and send it to Tom Walsh to confirm the appointtnent of your beneficiary. :Member's Name: _________________________________
Address of Record: _______________________________
Beneficiary's Name: _______________________________
Address: _______________________________________
Member's Signature & Date: _________________________
Employee's Physician Of Choice
The Federal Employees' Compensation Act and implementing postal Regulations, Section 543 of the ELM, provides for the employee's choice of medical treatment and/or physician when injured on the job. The medical officer, contract equivalent or hospital to which an employee is sent against his will by the postal Service in either an emergency or nonemergency situation, is not considered the employee's initial choice of physician.
Non-Member Listing 7/31/97.
Branch 93.3% Organized
W A Eager, Jr. - Atco; W R Steward - Blackwood; D M Aceto - Blackwood; C Hryniw - Blackwood; P S Gallagher - Gibbstown; H C Schappert - Gibbstown; A T Dancy - Glassboro; S E Smith - Glassboro; K D Minner - Glendora; J G Guerra - Haddon Hts; R DeLeon - Hammonton; D G Earling - Voorhees; R J Logan - Voorhees; D R Saunders - Maple Shade; J R Rooney - Maple Shade; K R Adams - Marlton; J A Kilgore - Marlton; K M Dingley - Penns Grove; L A Mullin - Pennsville; W T McAllister - Pennsville; J P Glielmi - Riverton; R M Briles - Riverton; R C Fergosi - Riverton; W B Mackner - Riverton
NJ State Association Softball Tournament - 9/7 & 9/14
The NJ State 21st Annual Softball Tournament will, be held on September 7 and 14. The deadline for entries is August 29th. The entry fee is $90 per team. This is a slow pitch are tournament. ASA rules apply with some modifications. All roster and fees must be in the hands of the Chairman by August 29, no exception. Rosters must be certified by the Branch President or Secretary. The tournament is open to all employees who belong to a Postal Union. Send entries to Frank J. Cecco, 210 Ridge Street, New Milford, NJ 07646.
William D Carter
It is with deep regret that we report the death of Bill Carter, Postmaster, Salem, and former EI Facilitator. Bill is survived by his wife and two daughters. Bill was one of the better type managers that this Branch and its members had to deal with. Our condolences to Bill, his family, the employees who be befriended, and many thanks to those who heeded our plea to share their leave with Bill.
Flag Amendment Passed
By a vote of 310-114, the House achieved the two-thirds majority needed to pass a constitutional amendment giving Congress and the states power to outlaw the physical desecration of the US flag. "Flag" and "desecration" would be defined by each state legislature. The measure must now be approved by the Senate and ratified by three-fourths of the states if it is to take affect. Voting in favor of the amendment: Rob Andrews (D.,NJ); Frank A LoBiondo (R.,NJ), James Saxton (R.,NJ), and Chris Smith (R.,NJ).
Donna Villec, Norm Task, Steve Green, John Vito Appointed
The following Branch Officers and members of Branch 908 were appointed executive board member and/or delegates to the Burlington County Central Labor Council: Donna Villec, Executive Board; Norm Task, Steve Green, and John Vito, Delegates to the council. Congratulations Donna, Norm, Steve and John.
OWCP Decision Reversed
Subsequent to an oral hearing before a hearing representative of the OWCP, in which the claimant was represented by Branch OWCP Officer Ed Friel, the OWCP reversed its decision of August 6, 1996, and found that the claimant had met the burden of proof that he sustained a work-related condition and therefore is eligible for medical treatent and OWCP benefits.
$5,000 Grievance Settlement
Steve Rutkowski, a former Shop Steward at the Voorhees Post Office, will be in receipt of a $5,000 settlement for the failure of local management to grant a special inspection in a timely manner. The settlement was the result of a grievance filed in November of 1995. The settlement was negotiated by Branch President Bob Stoltz.
Branch Grievance Results
Magnolia - Grievant to be immediately placed in router position, and compensated 70 hours at the straight time rate for pay periods 5 through 15, weeks 2 through 1 respectively. (022197, 022897)
Paulsboro - Improper use of ODL to be stopped. All PTFs will be utilized properly. 10 and 12-hour ODL list will be used at all times with the exception of when paying someone for travel time exceeds the OT. (040497)
Deptford - LOW for disagreement on use of carrier bag to be removed after 9 months (042397B)
Marlton - Grievance sustained. Suspension for alleged extension of street time and unauthorized use of penalty OT removed. (050897)
Marlton - LOW for alleged extension of lunch to be removed 6 months from issuance. (051397A)
Marlton - LOW for alleged extension of lunch by 5 minutes to be removed 6 months after issuance. (051397B)
Blackwood - LOW for alleged failure to follow instructions and observe safety practices to be removed in 1 year. (051697)
Marlton - LOW for alleged failure to meet attendance requirements to be removed in 6 months. (052297A)
Marlton - LOW for alleged failure to meet attendance requirements to be removed in 6 months. 11/21/97. (052297B)
Marlton - LOW for not having vehicle brake set on PO lot to be removed 6/21/97. (052497)
Voorhees - 2 grievants to receive $200 each for route adjustments not effected on or before date of excessing (060397)
Marlton - Grievance sustained. LOW for street time extension removed (062097A)