National Association of Letter Carriers

Before I get into my article this month, I would ask all who read this edition of the Wake-Up! to turn to page 6 and read "A Soldier's Silent Night". We owe a great debt to our Veterans, one that we can never repay. If you think you're up for it, type in the link and listen to the spoken word version of the poem. It is very powerful. Thank you to all the Veterans, I hope you are warm and comfortable with your families this holiday season.

On the following pages of the Wake-Up!, you will read proposed changes to the Branch's by-laws. The language highlighted in red is the existing language and the proposed language. This is the language that is to be discussed and voted on at the December branch meeting. As always, I encourage you to participate in the decisions made that affect your Union. I hope to see you at the December meeting.

It has been a rough couple weeks for the NALC, nationally and locally. Nationally, we suffered a couple defeats. First, a U.S. District Judge ruled that he lacked jurisdiction to issue an injunction to prevent the Postal Service from proceeding with the case consolidation initiative until the national level grievance is heard and decided. The NALC had sought an injunction to stop the Postal Service from expanding the test. With the court's decision, we are now left with the national level grievance as our means to try terminate the consolidated casing initiative. That case is scheduled to be heard in December.

Next, National Arbitrator Das ruled against the NALC regarding the pay consolidation case. The NALC argued that when we received our pay upgrade to grade 2, that meant that other crafts could no longer be excessed into the city carrier craft since they were not the same grade as us. Arbitrator Das rejected that logic. Fortunately, this decision does not have a great impact in the scheme of things. From 2014-2018, 11,589 level 6 clerks were excessed. Only 98 of them came into the carrier craft.

Locally, we suffered a loss at arbitration on a removal. It was a very difficult loss. The steward in the case did an outstanding job, he was thorough and he left no stone unturned in his efforts to mount a defense for the grievant. The grievant, to his credit, was forthright from the beginning. He told the truth every step of the way, including at the arbitration hearing.

I only wish that I could say the same for management. The stewards that I have trained in the branch have all received the same advice from me during their training. I have told each of them that they will always have my support on decisions they make as long as they can look in the mirror without turning away and they can sleep with a clean conscience each night.

I'm convinced that management receives no such training. In this case, management withheld information from the Union. They did absolutely no independent investigation. I sincerely believe that because of their lack of experience in the letter carrier craft, they didn't even understand the arguments put forth by the Union. But perhaps the most difficult part of this case is that whether they realized it or not, they perjured themselves under oath at an arbitration hearing.

It is important that we take something out of this, that we learn something. I've known for many years that arbitration is a great risk. I have said countless times that regardless of the facts of the case, or who presents a case, you can predict the outcome by simply flipping a coin. Arbitrators are fickle. You and I will never know what they are thinking and what single occurrence may cause them to decide a case the way they do.

What I learned from this case is that although we can't compel management to write a statement, or to sign our notes of interview, we have to be able to prevent them from giving false testimony. The only way that I can think of to do that is to have a witness present when we ask for a statement. If a letter carrier refuses to sign a letter of discipline, management writes "refused to sign" where the carrier's signature would have gone.

Unfortunately, it is not enough for us to write "refused to sign" or "refused to be interviewed". Moving forward, if a steward requests a statement of management and management does not provide a statement, the steward should get in touch with the branch office immediately. Either myself, Paul or someone that I designate will attend the interview that the steward conducts with management. The interview will be thorough, and we will notify management that if they want to have their representative present they are welcome to do so. We have nothing to hide. We will take thorough notes of all questions asked and answers received and we will read those notes to the managers. We will ask the manager(s) if they object to the accuracy of the notes of interview. We will offer the manager the opportunity to sign them as accurate. If they refuse to sign, the steward and the Union witness will mark the notes as "refused to sign".

I realize that the above paragraphs are detailed and pertain more to our stewards than our general membership, but I am beyond incensed at the behavior of everyone from the Supervisor, to the Postmaster, to the management B Team member to the Labor Relations Specialist. Each one of them broke the rules in some way while we ... we carried ourselves with truth and honor. We will always carry ourselves with truth and honor and hopefully in most instances that will be enough.

When you receive this issue of the Wake-Up!, you will most likely be gearing up for Thanksgiving, as will the post office. The penalty overtime exclusion period runs from November 30th through December 27th this year. Black Friday is November 29th. Now is the time to prepare yourself physically and mentally for the season. Be aware that you may not be the only person that could be "on edge". Avoid confrontation with customers and remember that more and more customers have video doorbells. I like to think that these doorbells can only help us. Hopefully, they are "catching" letter carriers at their best; curbing their wheels, turning off their vehicles, using their seatbelts, and PLACING parcels on the porch AFTER ringing the doorbell and waiting a reasonable amount of time to see if a customer is home to receive a package.

It is most certainly tempting to cut corners, but please don't. We are trying to provide the best service we can and trying to grow the business. Along those lines, I was happy to attend events in Ipswich and Andover in the last month. Each of these offices were recognized for their efforts for coming in first in the 2019 leads challenge for their level office. It is refreshing that there are offices that exist where the relationship is such that management and craft work together when it matters. Make no mistake, providing service and increasing business matters.

I'd like to finish up by encouraging people to become more involved with the union, YOUR union. In January 2011, my first month as President, I wrote in the Wake-Up!:

"The next leaders are out there. They may not know it yet. It's up to us to recognize it. It's up to us to lead by example, to provide encouragement, and to stand behind them. We have to realize that not only our words, but our actions have a profound effect on the next generation of letter carrier, the next generation of leader."

"So, if I were asked what my main goal is as President of Branch 25, I would have to say that it is to recognize and develop the talent in the Branch so that we can continue to represent letter carriers at the high level that has been established and that Branch 25 letter carriers have come to expect, and deserve. I hope you'll help me, because it's not a one person job."

I stand by those words, and I welcome our members to help recognize and develop talent for the present and future of our branch. Why don't you make it a priority in 2020?

Stay informed!

Dave Barbuzzi

How many reading this—no strike that—how many people in the country could honestly think that Betsy DeVos is doing what's best for the students and teachers in this country in her position as Secretary of Education? How many reading this wonder what that has to do with Branch 25?

It has everything to do with the future of every letter carrier. After years of a non-existent Postal Board of Governors, President Trump (the guy that selected DeVos as Secretary of Education) has now appointed 5 members. There is a 3-2 Republican majority on the board, but more important there is a 3-2 ideological majority on the board that supports the same ideology as the President. ln order to understand the implications this new board of governors has for us, I'd like to point out a few lowlights of DeVos' tenure so far.

She has supported a 13.5% decrease in funding for the Department of Education. The cuts would have eliminated many after school programs, eliminated career and technical education, and programs to hire and train teachers. She violated federal law by revoking the Borrower Defense Rule. This rule held predatory for profit colleges (read Trump University) accountable for fraud and allowed students who were defrauded to seek justice in court. Without the rule, fake schools could force students to try to resolve complaints outside of court. Remember, last year court proceedings resulted in a $25 million dollar settlement in a class action against Trump University. DeVos would prohibit such a proceeding.

Perhaps what's worst is last March the DeVos lead education department attempted to strip its employees of collective bargaining rights. "Department officials unilaterally impose a 'collective bargaining agreement' on 3,900 union staffers represented by American Federation of Government Employees Council 252, and say they will no longer bargain with them."

Think about that for a minute. The Postmaster General (the one that Trump has often times said that he wanted to replace) has just announced her retirement. There is presently a five member Board of Governors with an ideological majority that advocates the abolishment of collective bargaining, the privatization of all things government, and a general anti-union mentality. This five member board will appoint the next Postmaster General. How do you think that will go?

Right now, the Postmaster General and senior postal management seem to be "managing the decline" of the postal service. Put a privatizing, anti-union Postmaster General at the reigns and we're going to be in for a wild ride. Hopefully we all survive the ride.

So what's this 10% reference in the title? I'm glad you asked. Presently, about 10% of our members nationwide contribute to the Letter Carrier Political Fund. I'm disappointed to report that Branch 25 falls slightly below that average. We have to do better, and l'll tell you why.

We absolutely need postal reform to fix the pre-funding debacle. Our current liability is $120 billion (with a "B") of which we've already given $50 billion. Since we stopped making payments, the missed payment total has grown to $42.5 billion. OPM could call for the immediate payment of this money tomorrow. How would the postal service make the payment? Layoffs? Cease delivery service? It could happen. It's not likely, but it could happen.

The other danger we face is a real federal budget. The government has been operating under continuing resolutions for funding for quite some time. There hasn't been a budget passed since 2008. The NALC has been able to defeat attempts to eliminate 6-day delivery that have been part of continuing resolutions. The positive thing is that the continuing resolutions call for 6-day delivery and for the rural delivery of mail at not less than the 1983 level.

Trump's proposed budget is NOT so kind. In a nutshell it calls for the elimination of collective bargaining, the elimination of the FERS supplement, elimination of retiree COLA, increase the rate paid for healthcare by 7% and an increase in what we pay towards our retirement. These increases in what we pay towards retirement and health care are significant. The elimination of COLA for retirees is significant. Imagine living 20 years or more after retirement and not having an increase to your pension? How do you think that will work out? The FERS supplement alone for someone with 30 years' service is upwards of $1000/month. How many people can deal with a $12,000/year decrease in pay?

We need bi-partisan support to get reform and to maintain our benefits. We get bi-partisan support with votes and money. The money comes from the Letter Carrier Political Fund. The money in the fund, hopefully comes from YOU! Please, invest in your future today.

Stay informed!

Dave Barbuzzi

By making a contribution to the Letter Carrier Political Fund. you are doing so voluntarily with the understanding that your contribution is not a condition of membership in the National Association of Letter Carriers or of employment by the Postal Service, nor is it part of union dues. You have a right to refuse to contribute without any reprisal. The Letter Carrier Political Fund will use the money it receives to contribute to candidates for federal office and undertake other political spending as permitted by law. Your selection shall remain in full force and effect until cancelled. Contributions to the Letter Carrier Political Fund are not deductible for federal income tax purposes. Federal law prohibits the Letter Carrier Political Fund from soliciting contributions from individuals who are not NALC members, executive and administrative staff or their families. Any contribution received from such an individual will be refunded to that contributor.

When you receive this edition of the Wake-Up!, you will still have time to request a special route inspection this fall if you so choose. The requirements for a special route inspection are as follows: 30 minutes of overtime or auxillary assistance 3 or more times a week over 6 consecutive weeks. The overtime or assistance is for the route, not just the regular carrier.

If you meet these requirements, you may submit a request for a special mail count and inspection. Management has 28 days to COMPLETE the inspection. Although you don't have to make the request on any special form, the Branch 25 website (nalcbranch25.com) has a form designed for this purpose. You can access the request form by going to nalcbranch25.com and then navigating to "Branch 25" and then "Carrier Resources". The form is titled "SRI Request Form".

If you do decide to request an inspection, submit the form to management and keep a copy for yourself. Note the date that you submit the form as that is when the 28 day clock starts ticking. Also, if you decide to request an inspection, please make us aware at the branch office. We will be happy to provide one-on-one training to prepare you for your inspection.

I got a call from an injured member today. He was very distraught as he has been out of work for a while and he is running out of leave. Naturally, he is concerned about his finances. He had contacted his local manager and asked for advanced sick leave. The local manager said that he could not provide advanced sick leave.

The ELM provides for advanced sick leave of up to 240 hours. An employee must submit a request in writing and attach medical documentation to said request. The requirement is that the employee is expected to be able to retum to work and be able to repay the leave. Far too many people either don't realize that advance sick leave is available, or don't contact the Union to file a grievance if they are denied advance sick leave. Please, if you request advance sick leave and are denied, contact the Union office so that we can file a grievance. We have been very successful over the years.

I was also speaking with a retired carrier the other day. This gentleman is someone I consider a friend and is one of the most astute individuals I know when it comes to investing and financial management. At any rate, he called me to ask that I get the word out to our retirees that the way they handle withdrawals from 40lk's can have serious consequences not only on their taxes, but on their Medicare expenses.

Apparently, if you withdraw enough from your 401k during any given year and that withdrawal pushes you into another tax bracket, the increased income also puts you into another bracket for Medicare premiums. If you do land in another bracket and your premiums are increased, they will remain increased for two years.

I have written to our National Director of Retirees Dan Toth and asked if he might put some kind of article in the Postal Record about this danger. In the meantime, it is in your best interest to diversify your savings for your future. A combination of Roth IRA's and traditional 401k's allows you to manipulate your post-retirement income and perhaps keep you in a favorable tax bracket. I am not a financial expert, and I did not have the foresight to diversify my retirement savings earlier in my career so I'll have to hope for the best. However, in my position as President I feel it is my obligation to try to advise you to do your due diligence when planning for the future.

It's never too early to start planning for retirement. The NALC Mutual Benefit Association has plans designed specifically for CCA's so they can begin saving before they qualify for the TSP and pension contributions. Take advantage of them.

The branch is entering a busy time. Ron Noviello, Dan Wheeler, and Paul Desmond are attending OWCP training provided by the NBA office. Dan Wheeler and I are going to attend the Committee of President's meeting in October where we will be updated on legislation, contract negotiations, and other issues. As usual ...

Stay informed!

Dave Barbuzzi

In the June-July 1997 (not a typo, that's 1997) issue of the "Wake-Up!", I wrote an article about what I called "K-vision". We had a POOM who's name began with a "K" who had issued a memo to Postmasters requiring them to forward to him the following information on late -leaving routes: route number, cased volume, office hours, office productivity, reason carrier left late, if carrier didn't make standard then why ... and action taken by supervisor.

I suggested at the time that "Mr. K" should just set up video-conferencing gear at each carrier case and scan the thousands of feeds as he sipped his coffee in the morning. I suggested that carriers fax their 3996's directly to him and he could fax back instructions.

Finally, I said that although the micromanagement wasn't this extreme YET, it was almost here and you read it here first. Some time ago, when I learned of the command station of multiple screens tracking letter carriers movements in real time and watched by higher level management, I thought to myself that they had taken the next step towards "K-vision". Carriers weren't on video yet, and they didn't report directly to someone at the district or area level yet, but they may just as well be. Those managers watching the feeds contact local managers in real time and ask them for explanations for things like stationary time, and of course you know that means those local managers will be asking you for an explanation. Still, no cameras though ...

Well, guess what? The Postal Service has informed the NALC that they intend to experiment with cameras attached to various parts of our vehicles, both inside and out. These cameras will be triggered by various actions, such as idle time, and they will record for a certain period of time each time they are triggered. They will also have the ability to be operated manually by someone in a remote location. It only took 22 years for my prediction to come true!

All kidding aside, think about this for a minute. Management will now have the ability to watch you during every single minute of your day. I wonder if they will text "God bless you" over the scanner if they see you sneeze. The Branch will keep you posted as we receive more information about this program.

Speaking about programs, the case consolidation program has been slowed down for now. There has been a reduction in offices in Phase 3 from over 200 offices to fewer than 60 offices. Peabody is one of the offices that has been postponed...for now. We still believe that the Postal Service will push forward with this program until and unless we are able to prevail through the grievance procedure, or any other means at our disposal. We will be prepared for the day that the program does arrive in the Branch, it is urgent that you are prepared as well.

As I write this article, I am looking forward to Branch 25 Day at the Lowell Spinners game. The membership approved a motion to subsidize up to 75 members and their families for tickets to Sunday, August 18 which includes an all-you-can-eat barbeque before the game. I'm happy to report that 64 members have taken advantage of this offer.

I am sorry to report that there was not enough interest in the fundraising calendar for the scholarship fund. Only about 30 members and friends expressed an interest, so the project has to be scrapped. If you sent a check in, we will shred it unless you contact us to let us know that you want your check returned to you.

We will be discussing and voting on the by-laws that were published in the August edition of the "Wake-Up!" at the September meeting. Take the opportunity to attend the meeting and have a say in the Democratic Union process.

The final COLA adjustment for the current contract is $624. That means that the seven COLA's for the 2016-2019 national agreement totaled $2,413. At the conclusion of the 2011-2016 national agreement, a top step letter carrier's pay was $59,859. When the COLA rolls into our pay in September, the same top step letter carrier will be earning $65,037. Almost half of our pay increase over the life of this contract are the result of COLA's. The Postal Service always tries to eliminate COLA's in the collective bargaining process and there are those in the federal government (our current President) who would like to see COLA's eliminated as well.

I have full confidence that our national officers will put forth the best arguments possible to preserve the COLA and to gain pay increases for us over the term of the next agreement. Negotiations are underway, and by the time you read this the negotiating period may be just about over. It seems, based on the other crafts and other indicators, that we may not end up with a negotiated agreement. It seems likely that our contract will be decided by an arbitrator.

As far as Congress and the president, we will have to continue to work very hard to protect our interests. One swipe of the pen is all it takes to change the way a COLA is calculated or to eliminate it altogether. We can do our part by contacting our Congress people, working to get our friends elected and re-elected, and contributing to the Letter Carrier Political Fund. Elsewhere in this edition of the "Wake-Up!" are forms to contribute to this fund, please do what you can.

Stay informed!

Dave Barbuzzi

At the June branch meeting, the members authorized Branch 25 to subsidize 75 tickets to a Lowell Spinners ball game and "Home Plate BBQ". Members and their immediate families can purchase a ticket for $10 which provides them with a great ticket to the game and a 90-minute all-you-can-eat-buffet before the game. The tickets are $29 for adults and $24 for kids, but the branch is subsidizing $19 and $14 respectively to bring the cost down for our members and their immediate families. The menu includes ribs, pulled pork, BBQ chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, veggie burgers, salad, corn, cole slaw, baked beans and watermelon. There is also a cash bar.

The date for the Branch 25 outing is August 18 with a rain date of August 25. Let's hope that the 18th works as that date is a special promotion with the Spinners, where after the game a helicopter will drop 1,000 lbs. of candy on the field and kids will be given trick or treat bags to scoop up the treats! Tickets will be available first-come, first-served to the first 75 members that send in their $10/ticket payment to the Branch office.

Also in this issue you will find proposed by-law changes. These proposed changes were read at the June meeting and will be discussed at the September meeting. The NALC Constitution requires that the proposed changes be read at a meeting, published, and then discussed and voted upon at a branch meeting. This issue of the Wake-Up! has been produced to meet our obligations under the Constitution and to give each and every member the opportunity to participate in the process.

As I write this article, the consolidated casing test is still underway in Annandale, VA. RAA Jerry Ugone was assigned as one of 8 Union observers to the test when it began. In early June, NBA Rick DiCecca summoned the local Branch Presidents whose offices were scheduled to become part of the test to a meeting to discuss the initial findings.

I attended this meeting, along with Bob Cronin who will be Branch 25's contact person in the Peabody installation. We learned that although the service had notified the National Union that there were to be 4 stations out of this region that were to be placed on Phase 2, they later reduced that number to l station. That station is Taunton, MA. We also learned that management only needs to provide a two-week notice to add a station to the test. As it stands now, Peabody is no longer part of Phase 2.

We did, however, have a local meeting with the Peabody and Danvers carriers on June 13. RAA Ugone relayed his observations to the carriers in attendance and answered as many questions as he could.

It was encouraging that there was a pretty good turnout. It was discouraging that there was reportedly only one carrier in attendance that had fewer than 10 years service. At a time when the workforce has reached the point where more than 50% of current letter carriers either are, or were CCA's, it is crucial that the junior carriers begin to take ownership of the Postal Service.

Presently, the Postal Service is taking ownership of the lives of its employees, especially those newer employees that have yet to become career. We are in dangerous times where for whatever reason letter carriers are voluntarily forfeiting their jobs to the service.

There is one office in the branch where despite multiple grievances being filed, carriers still show up upwards of an hour before tour and begin working off the clock. Whether they are just straightening out their parcels, cleaning up the auxillary piece from the day before, or actually casing mail (including DPS and FSS mail), they are working. Management claims not to see it. These carriers are, pardon my language, screwing their brother and sister carriers and they are screwing you!

Every collective hour that they work off the clock is a potential hour lost when and if the office is inspected. If the office were selected for the case consolidation program, the street assigmnents would be unmanageable until such time as the Union were able to demonstrate what had happened to cause the evaluations.

Every hour they work off the clock and every minute they save on the road by casing DPS and FSS mail is money that they are stealing (yes stealing) from those carriers that want to work overtime. Management has the gall to address uniform approved hats yet they turn a blind eye to this far more important issue.

The last thing that I'd like to talk about is the OSHA heat safety app (available here). I have suggested that everyone with a Smart Phone download this app for a few years now, this year is no different. In real time, the app analyzes the temperature and humidity data for your location and tells you what the heat index is. It also tells you what you need to do to protect yourself from the heat. Depending on the heat index, the app may tell you to seek shade or it may tell you to drink a certain amount of fluids at specified intervals. This app is invaluable, especially for our newer members that have yet to experience the heat and humidity that summer brings to the job. Please stay hydrated, break as necessary to cool down, and don't be a hero. If you feel any symptoms of heat stroke, call 911 first, then your supervisor.

Stay informed!

Dave Barbuzzi

It's amazing how much a change in weather and attitude can impact the food drive. Of course, bags play a major role as well. This year, the offices that have reported, have reported significant increases in food collected. The food drive was dry, and overall more bags were delivered. Those are the positives. I've noticed that some of the carriers who in the past would put in for annual leave months in advance, or worse yet bang in sick have changed with age. Also, I have not heard of any widespread failure to participate by management or craft as we have experienced in the not so distant past.

Unfortunately, there still are those that haven't bought in. In one office, the food drive poster was defaced. Someone wrote on it “Do we really have to do this again?” In another office, it wasn't enough for one carrier to take the day off, but he also decided not to deliver the bags on his route. I'm ashamed to say that this was MY office. This failure came after the local food pantry representative went into the office to more or less give the carriers a "pep talk". Oh well, we'll just have to continue to focus on the positive. One such positive is the gratitude shown by the children that are sewed by Haven From Hunger and Citizens Inn. They sent cookies and colored drawings as thank yous to the Peabody Letter Carriers.

I had hoped to be able to give an update on the consolidated casing initiative that will be coming to Peabody later this summer. However, there is no update to be had. Our national Executive Vice President Brian Renfroe attended the Mass State Letter Carriers' convention, but it was the first day of the test so there were no results to report. I will not echo what I have read on social media as anything on social media should be taken with a grain of salt. Hopefully, there will be something to report by the time the June meeting rolls around.

Negotiations for our next National Agreement begin this month. As has been the case in the past, the parties will negotiate as long as there is an indication that there can be a negotiated settlement. However, if you were to read the tea leaves, you would probably find that the odds aren't very good for a negotiated agreement this time around. As has also been the case in the past, our national officers will prepare well and I'm confident that they will achieve the best possible outcome if we do end up in interest arbitration.

In late May, the Supreme Court rejected UPS' request to appeal a lower court's order. Essentially, UPS went to court to force the Postal Service to raise its rates on parcel delivery. For years, union officials have realized that our job is not just to police the contract, but it is also to stay informed and vigilant on politics and legislation. It is not just the job of a union official anymore, it is the job of any letter carrier that wants to remain employed and wants to continue receiving a livable wage and decent benefits.

I'm sure that UPS won't quit with this latest defeat. They have quite a bit of lobbying strength in Congress and they will use that influence to attempt to erode our market share of parcel post. We have to fight back. How do we fight back? I'll be disappointed if you don't know what's coming next. We fight back by strengthening our ability to lobby Congress. We fight back by increasing our ability to have face time with politicians. We fight back by doing everything we can to put people in office that are sympathetic to our needs and to influence those that are already there to become sympathetic to our needs. We need money.

Money is the great equalizer. In the last election cycle, the Letter Carrier Political Fund had $6.2 million dollars to try to accomplish these goals. That money came from just under 10% of members. We have to do better. We can do better.

Elsewhere in this month's Wake-Up!, you will read Vice President Dan Wheeler's article. Dan talks about what is happening right now legislatively. There are bills that have been introduced that are attempting to make our present and our future better. The more friends we have in Congress, the better the chance for success.

There is really no reason to not contribute to try to preserve your job and benefits. People argue that they don't like the candidates that we support or the issues that those candidates support. Some of our friends may not have views that fall in line with the views of every letter carrier. They are not judged on those views. They are judged entirely on what their positions are and what their track record is in supporting our issues. If they support us, we support them. It's as simple as that. We as a group have to come to terms with that fact. We are voting for those and financially supporting those that want to enable us to continue to put food on our tables and to have security in our retirement years.

In years past, there had been a campaign to "Gimme 5". Well, we aren't asking for $5, we're asking for whatever you can do. If you can contribute $2, $3, or $4 per pay period ... great. If you can contribute more, that's even better. We simply need to raise the contribution rate over the 10% of letter carriers that currently contribute. I hope you'll be one of the new enrollees in the Letter Carrier Political Fund.

Stay informed!

Dave Barbuzzi

On page 4 of this month's "Wake-Up!", I have included a service talk given to letter carriers about the "Consolidated Casing Initiative". I'm sure that by the time you receive this month's newsletter, you will have already heard many things (some true, some false) about this program. The first thing that I can tell you is that as of now, Peabody is the only station in Branch 25 that is slated to participate.

Participate is a misnomer actually. Peabody is the only station in Branch 25 to have this rammed down their throat. I can't speak for management, but I'm pretty sure that they are not happy about this either.

At any rate, it would be pointless for me to speculate and to give information that I don't know to be true or accurate. As a matter of fact, if you go to the NALC website, you can see that our national leaders have submitted 61 questions to the Postal Service as an information request. I'm sure that when they get the answers to those questions, they will share them with all of us.

What I can tell you, however, is that on April 24, the NALC initiated a national level interpretive dispute regarding this program. My best advice right now is to periodically monitor the NALC website and member app for further updates as they come available.

I have recently spoken to letter carriers in a few different offices and have been very surprised/disappointed to hear that CCA's are being scheduled "on-call". The schedule may literally read "on-call" or CCA's may be being told to stay by the phone on a day that they are not scheduled to work so that management can call them into work if they need them.

The practice of scheduling someone "on-call" is against the National Agreement. As a matter of fact, in some states there is a requirement that someone that is placed in such a status must be paid regardless of whether or not they have to report to work. Whether or not an employee wants to stay by their phone, or answer their phone, on their day off is their own choice. I am not telling anyone not to stay home and I am not telling anyone not to answer their phone. I am simply telling you that you don't have to and you shouldn't be bullied into feeling obligated to.

In the last couple months, there have been two letter carriers in Branch 25 that have been interrogated by agents of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) and or the local police or both at the same time. If you are ever approached by law enforcement officials of any kind, you should always cooperate AFTER you have requested and been granted access to your steward or if necessary your lawyer.

In most instances, mere suspicion of wrongdoing prompts management to put you on "emergency placement" without pay. There are instances where management is within their rights to place someone, but there are still procedures that must be followed. Management must still establish just cause and must ensure that your right to due process is satisfied.

The role of your Union representative is to make sure that all parties understand each other. There are facets of our job that police or OIG agents don't understand. They don't understand our relationships with our customers and they don't understand the things that we face every day and therefore things that we consider normal.

If you ever find yourself in such a situation, and you voluntarily offer information, that information can be used against you. The police don't have to mirandize you unless you are "in custody". That means that you are not free to leave, that you are detained. So, if you are questioned on your delivery route as you are walking or even if you sit down with the officer, they don't have to mirandize you. Whatever you say can be used against you. If they take you to the police station, or if they bring you to a police car or van, and you are not free to leave at any time, then they must mirandize you.

I hope that you never find yourself in that situation. If you do, I hope you are innocent. The problem is, however, that even innocent people can act or appear guilty. Even innocent people can forget important details in high pressure situations. The point is, when you're alone, when you don't have a friendly face with you that is looking out for your interests, you will most likely come off looking not as good as you would if you had someone "holding your hand" through the process and making sure that you understand what is happening and that the people that are talking to you understand what your answers mean and what the day to day experiences of a postal employee are.

I suppose the easiest way to sum this up is to say that you are not being questioned in an effort to make you innocent. You are being questioned by someone that believes that you have committed a crime and is now trying to make the facts support THEIR case.

I would like to ask that everyone do everything in their power to have a successful food drive. Essex County Offices will be getting food drive bags, as will Tewksbury and Burlington. These bags are not optional. EVERYONE must take them and deliver them to every customer on their route. In years past, some offices have told carriers they are optional. THEY ARE NOT! They are not free and charities have allocated funds because they have proven to be effective. Thank you for your help in this matter.

Stay informed!

Dave Barbuzzi

The recent route inspections conducted in Wayland resulted in the loss of two full-time routes, which in turn triggers the excessing of two full-time letter carriers. Let that sink in for a minute. The carriers did their jobs, the mail and parcels simply didn't cooperate. Wayland was inspected under a perfect storm whereby both mail volume and parcel volume bottomed out. Operations Programs Support (OPS) got lucky.

"OPS got lucky". That's the way they feel, but that isn't the way they should feel. They should be concerned that they may have created an untenable situation at the Wayland office by going forward with adjustments that they in good conscience (if they had a collective conscience) know are the result of an anomaly. But push forward they are and the carriers in Wayland and the Union will have to push forward as well. The carriers will have to be diligent in performing their work each and every day by the book. They will have to be diligent to make sure they don't case any DPS or FSS, to make sure they take every minute of break and lunch that they are entitled to, that they deliver parcels into customers' hands, and that they follow every other rule designed to keep them safe and the customers satisfied. The Union will have to ensure that there is a review of the adjustments after approximately sixty days to determine whether or not the routes are indeed adjusted to as near to eight hours as possible. We've been through this before and we will most certainly go through this again.

We will most likely go through this again sooner rather than later. Take stock in your office. Do you consistently run out of mail? Do you notice that your parcel hamper is quite a bit lighter than it was a month or so ago? I have been noticed unofficially that Peabody, Salem and Marblehead will no longer receive parcels from Amazon to deliver. What impact will that have?

Are you working eight hours a day right now? Are those eight hours all legitimate work, or do you run out of mail and grab your automated mail or case your circulars? If you do any of those things, reality is going to bite you HARD. If you do any of those things, your route is showing too much office time because you don't get a count for the mail that you are casing. As a result, it appears that you are in the office far longer than you should be. That is what triggers a route inspection! The bean counters come to your office to identify why you are not efficient, why you are not making standards.

Unfortunately, when they come, if you run out mail you are placed on waiting time. You may spend an hour-and-a-half in the office, but forty minutes may be waiting time so you are only credited with a fifty minute office time. That is what is supposed to happen every day. If you run out of mail, you are supposed to wait for mail. If it happens repeatedly, then management must either address the mail flow or change your starting time in such a way that you won't run out of mail.

So, during the inspection it's established that your office time is actually significantly less than you show each day. What happens then? Your route, and your office, loses time. The loss of office time is compounded by a reduction in parcels. A reduction in parcels directly impacts your street time and what do you get, a reduction of street time for your route and your office. It is not unheard of for a route to lose close to an hour between the office and the street. Multiply that hour by the total number of routes in your office and then divide by eight and that is how many routes you lose. You're not done losing though. If the number of routes isn't a multiple of five, you lose a T-6 position as well.

What does this all mean. It means that for the first time since roughly 2011 letter carriers will be excessed. For those of you that don't know what that means, it means that the junior regular carrier(s) in your office won't work in your office anymore. In 2011 carriers were excessed as far as Brockton. You can be uprooted and be faced with an unbearable commute. There can also be collateral damage. Do you think it's easy to report to work on time when you're driving such a great distance? Whatever traffic delays you presently face are compounded exponentially when you have to travel significantly further.

Do you think that you will get a free pass if you are repeatedly late as a result of your new commute? Think again, you won't. How about your quality of life? How will your life be affected if your eight hour work day becomes an eleven hour away from home day due to the extended commute? Like the title says, reality bites.

The route inspections will come, and the pencils will be sharp. The Postal Service is suffering now from the reduction in revenue due to the decrease in Amazon. Please, do your part to ensure that you don't contribute to a loss of work hours in your office. I know some of you still work off the clock, I know some of you still case automated mail or circulars. Sure, no one wants to be out in the elements a minute longer than they have to so you may justify doing some of these things in order to get inside sooner, to get home earlier, to pick up the kids from daycare, to make it to your second job, whatever the reason. You may have enough seniority that you may not be affected to the extent that you will be excessed. But, if you're doing any of the things that I have described, YOU will be responsible for someone's life taking a miserable turn for the worse. Even if they get to come back eventually, they can never get the time they lost due to their extended commute back. Don't do this to your brother or sister, do your job right, please.

Stay informed!

Dave Barbuzzi

One definition for the word "legacy" is: "something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past."

Decisions, actions, inactions are all part of our legacy. What we teach is part of our legacy as is the influence that we exert, whether intentional or not, over others.

Those that attended Randy Keller's funeral witnessed firsthand his family legacy. We listened to Randy's children fight through tears to honor their father. What resonated most with me were two things that seemed common amongst all of them. Dad taught me to “do the right thing” and dad taught me that “there were always two sides to every story”. Even if there were no other teachings passed on, those two pieces of advice would be enough to serve as a roadmap for a respectable life.

In speaking with many letter carriers since the day Randy passed, I heard a number of them say words to the effect of "If it weren't for Randy, I wouldn't have a job", or "Randy saved my job and in effect saved my life."

Think about that for a minute. There is no legacy that a Union official could desire more than to be responsible for the betterment of people's lives. Randy could be comfortable in knowing that in a Union career of over 30 years, he made a lot of lives better. I know that some of those members had expressed their gratitude to him in the past, and I know that he took great pride in seeing people rebound from having been down and out.

Randy, obviously, is a significant part of Branch 25's legacy, as was Jack Barry before him and hopefully the three men on the cover of this month's "Wake-Up!" after him. I remember setting up the picture. Randy was in his glory as he had just witnessed Rick DiCecca sworn in as Region 14's National Business Agent. He was having a good time and was in great spirits as he was talking with a group of letter carriers. I handed my wife the camera and said to her "This is going to be a special picture". She snapped it. I said it was going to be a special picture because it captured a lot of Union dedication in one frame. lt is part of Branch 25's legacy.

There are things happening now, and in the coming months, that should greatly benefit our members. Elsewhere in this edition of the "Wake-Up!" you will find the opportunity to attend a CPR training course, free of charge. At the last branch meeting the membership voted to approve sending up to 10 people to a 3-day training seminar that is being presented by the NBA's office. At the end of this week, Tony Bossi is attending the Arbitration Advocacy week-long program put on by our National Union spearheaded by Lew Drass.

It seems like, as long as I can remember, there hasn't been a year that has passed that some member or members have not attended some sort of intensive training to strengthen their knowledge and more importantly to better serve the members of Branch 25, and in many cases to better serve all letter carriers.

It is in the spirit of this legacy of training that I am asking that our stewards, especially our newer stewards, strongly consider attending the Regional Rap Session that is going to be held from April 27-29 at the Omni New Haven at Yale in New Haven, Connecticut. The training will consist of classes that will be presented in 2 hour modules. Training will be provided on: Time Card Manipulation, CCA Conversions/Withholding, Route Inspections, FMLA, LMOU Negotiations, Workers Compensation, and Retirement. As you can see, this is a very ambitious schedule. I believe that We have some stewards/members that are up to the task, and I encourage anyone that may be interested in attending to contact me at the branch office.

As this issue of the "Wake-Up!" goes to press, we have completed the winter route inspection schedule. Three offices went through inspections: Wayland, Holliston and Wilmington. If I were a betting man (and in some instances I am) I would say that even though we have not been notified of any inspections in the Branch for this spring, we will have multiple offices inspected in the spring. Why? You only have to look as far as your parcel hamper to get the answer.

Amazon is aggressively seeking ways to reduce their dependence on the postal service (and other shippers as well). To that end, they are experimenting more and more with their own delivery service. There is no benefit to us if they withdraw ANY of their business. I realize that there are those of you that may welcome less parcel post because you are sick and tired of the long hours that you are working. Although it would certainly be nice to work only 8 hours, it is shortsighted to welcome a reduction in hours based on loss of revenue.

There are two things that I will ask you to do. First, start preparing now as if you will be inspected in the spring. Take your full lunch and breaks, don't work off the clock, follow all the safety rules, and provide great service to your customers. Amongst other ways of providing great service is delivering parcels properly by bringing them to the customer and putting them in their hands.

The other thing I’ll ask is that when you shop online, request delivery by the Postal Service. IF you must take delivery by another courier, be sure to report any issues to the vendor and let them know that they can avoid the problem that you specify by using the USPS.

Stay informed!

Dave Barbuzzi

380,000 federal workers are furloughed and not being paid. 420,000 federal workers are forced to continue working without pay. Tens of thousands of contractors that perform work for the federal government, but are not full-time employees, are not being paid and are not likely to receive back pay. Some TSA workers have engaged in sickouts. WIC and food stamps are currently funded only through January and February respectively. Federal prison workers in Florida, commuting 400 miles due to Hurricane Michael, are now doing so without pay. The Department of Housing and Urban Development is unable to renew some 1,650 contracts with private building owners that rent apartments to thousands of low income families who rely on the federal government to help pay their rent. Border Patrol Agents are still working, but without pay. Some have sued President Trump. Employers can't confirm whether immigrants are in the country legally. Environmental Protection Agency pollution inspectors aren't on the job. The IRS isn't staffed to answer questions regarding changes in the new tax law. About 41,000 active-duty Coast Guardsman who are working without pay were advised they should consider having garage sales, or walking dogs, or being mystery shoppers while they're working without pay. Wildfire prep work and firefighter training has been put on hold as several thousand US Forest workers have been furloughed. NTSB investigations into fatal accidents have been put on hold. FBI agents have been working without pay since January 11. People missing immigration court dates are being given dates years from now. Joshua Trees at Joshua Tree National Park have been chopped down by vandals so people could get their off road vehicles past a barrier. Security checkpoints in airports in Miami and Houston temporarily shut down and flights diverted due to lack of staffing of TSA agents.

Those are the things that I personally find most alarming about the government shutdown. That is only my perspective. Had I decided to list every agency and every horror story, I would have had to dedicate this month's entire edition of the Wake-Up!

You may wonder why I have included anything. I have done so because the people that are responsible for this shutdown, the President and the Congress, could wreak similar havoc on our livelihoods if they ever got the inclination.

In 2006 the government saddled the USPS with the pre-funding of future retirees' health benefits. This shouldn't be news to anyone reading this newsletter. That act required an annual payment of $5.5 - $5.8 BILLION from 2006 through 2016. Since then, two Presidents have taken misguided positions to recommend fewer days of delivery for the USPS. Presently, the President's task force has recommendations in their report that would have severe negative impacts on our jobs and way of life.

The easiest recommendation to understand, and to rally against, is the recommendation to strip postal unions of their rights to negotiate wages. Think about that for a moment would you? Who would decide our wages if our union couldn't negotiate? Congress would decide.

Take a look at that first paragraph again. The President and Congress are responsible for everything that you read in that initial paragraph. Could you imagine being advised to hold a garage sale if you were having trouble making ends meet? Do you think that our current contract negotiation process is long and drawn out now? How quickly do you think Congress would act to improve our pay and benefits if they were in charge?

Most of the calls that come into the Union office are not from carriers telling me how much they love their job. And" at the risk of drawing the ire of some of you I'm going to say that at least in this messed up crazy economy we have jobs, and those jobs have rights and benefits, now ...

In order for us to preserve our rights and benefits, and to keep the wolves at bay, we have to ensure that we acquire and maintain friends in Congress, regardless of political party. The only thing that matters is whether or not we can count on them not to support measures that are detrimental to our livelihoods and the well-being of the Postal Service and to support measures that allow the Postal Service to continue to provide good middle class jobs and benefits to its very large work force.

Presently, less than 10% of Branch 25 letter carriers contribute to the Letter Carrier Political Fund. That has to change. It would only take about 50 more carriers making contributions to reach a double digit percentage. I'm not asking you to break the bank either. Five, or even three dollars a paycheck would make a difference. The Letter Carrier Political Fund is our PAC. It is how we are able to make campaign contributions, regardless of party, to those that support our jobs and the postal service. Contributing is simple. You can go to our website, www.nalcbranch25.com, click on the "Politics" tab and then click on "Letter Carrier Political Fund". Once there, you can choose from the four ways of signing up for automatic contributions. Do it now and consider it an investment in your future.

Stay informed!

Dave Barbuzzi

Well, maybe not exactly New Year's Day, but close enough. Members of Branch 25 will have the opportunity to do something at a branch meeting that they have NEVER had the opportunity to do before. You will have the opportunity to hear the current National President Fred Rolando speak at our regular branch meeting.

I'm not going to deny it, I am definitely excited that our members will be meeting with Fred as he has agreed to install the officers of Branch 25. Some of the most informative meetings that we've had over the years are those meetings that immediately follow a rap session, a committee of presidents' meeting, or a national convention. The reason those meetings are so informative is because those of us that attend the meetings on your behalf take notes and then report to you when we return.

Well ladies and gentlemen, on January 8 you get to cut out the "middle man" and hear about the state of your Union from the President himself. This is a great opportunity for all of us, so take advantage of it and be sure to attend.

I am also looking forward to having a National Business Agent at many of our upcoming Branch meetings. I say many because there are certainly demands on our new National Business Agent's time and he will be attending other meetings throughout the region. Nonetheless, when he is able to attend, the information available to the branch will be that much more current. It's a good time to be a member of Branch 25.

Everything isn't all coming up roses, however. Staffing in many offices still remains a concern. I have received reports that there are carriers working over 80 and in a few instances over 90 hours in a week! This is unacceptable and certainly not sustainable.

Fatigue and stress are rampant this time of year. It seems like many of us are running on pure adrenaline (along with quite a bit of caffeine). Tempers can flare. Just remember one thing, it's not worth losing your job over engaging with someone, whether that someone be management or craft.

If you are subject to unjust treatment, document the treatment and seek out witnesses. No one has the right to treat anyone else in a less than dignified or respectful manner. It is unfortunate that I feel compelled to write this, but especially at this time of year with the stress levels so high, improper remarks are made. Our stewards on the workroom floor are a lot of things, but they are not certified therapists that provide professional help and counsel. Try to keep your eyes on your brother and sister letter carriers. If something seems amiss, talk to them, see if everything is ok. Sometimes, just the fact that someone else notices and takes the time to inquire can make a world of difference to someone. It could even save a life.

I would like to welcome the following new members to Branch 25: Joseph Balesteri, Yuchen Lin, Gregory Shidler, Melvin Almonte, John Farrell, Justin McKiel, Nancy Roads, Zachary Clougher, Salvatore Frontiero, Stephanie Giannelli-Baker, Nicholas Myers, Timothy Blodgett, Roth Gill, B.P. Grigglestone, Tyler Hopping, A Jahaj, Christopher Parker, Caremen Suarez. I'm sure that your heads must be spinning! This is certainly the busiest time of year so you folks have received a "baptism by fire" into the postal service. I hope that the carriers in your respective offices have been treating you well and trying to watch out for you.

Be sure to take advantages of the resources available to you. Both the national union and your local union have websites and they are nalc.org and nalcbranch25.com. The national union also has a convenient app for smart phones with a member section that only members can access. The most important advice that anyone can give you as a new employee is to be safe, please. Follow the safety rules and don't take any chances.

At the time of printing this month's Wake-Up!, the branch has filed 268 grievances on behalf of our members. That equates to just over 22 grievances per month spread out amongst 36 stations. I often joke that if you are a Union official, you would like your job to be like that of the mythical "Maytag Repair Man",you know, the guy that sits around bored all day. Your shop steward and your branch officers would like to be bored also, that would mean that management is following the contract and that carriers aren't being disciplined. We've got a ways to go before we would be classified as "bored". Even though we would prefer to not have to file grievances, your stewards and officers are more than capable.

Speaking of more than capable, I recently received notification from our new National Business Agent Rick DiCecca that there is going to be a regional rap session with three days' worth of training. I'm putting this out there now so that any of our stewards, especially the newer ones, that would like to participate may start to inquire about the details. There are no important tools that we can provide to the next generation of Union leaders than knowledge and information. Take advantage of any opportunity to gain them that presents itself. Happy New Year!

Stay informed!

Dave Barbuzzi