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Ask the President Archives
2007 Questions and Answers
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Below are responses by former APWU President William Burrus to questions posed online by union members. The questions cover a wide range of topics, from contract enforcement to union governance.
A Follow-Up on a Non-Member
(12/05/07) In March 2006, I sent a mailing to all non-union employees in the
APWU bargaining unit, inviting them to join the American Postal Workers Union...
A non-member of the Florida Keys Area Local replied, demanding that I refrain
from further communication with her until I could congratulate her on her conversion
to full time after 12 years as a part-time flexible....
President
Burrus' response
Mail Volume and Clerk Employment Levels
(10/17/07) I am concerned that the Clerk Craft has taken the brunt of the downsizing
of employees, while mail volume has doubled. Please answer the following
questions...
President
Burrus' response
Closing Air Mail Facilities
(10/04/07) The Postal Service is closing Air Mail Facilities and Air Mail Centers
throughout the country... What has the union done to stop these closings
and the loss of higher-level Clerk Craft jobs?...
President
Burrus' response
Retaining T-COLA Payments
(09/18/07) I am concerned about Congress considering legislation
that would convert the T-COLA to locality pay for all federal agency
employees in Alaska, Hawaii, and the U.S. Territories…What
is the stance of the APWU and other postal unions (NALC, NPMHU, NAPS)
regarding this matter?
President
Burrus' response
Reemployment for Postal Retirees
(09/12/07) As a postal retiree, I am interested in returning to the workforce. Can
you give the retirees an update on what is happening with the proposal that
would make this happen? What do I need to do to apply?
President
Burrus' response
Merging With Other Postal Unions
(09/05/07) What do you think about the possibility of mergers with our sister
unions? If you think the possibility is slim, what do you think the major
impediments are?
President
Burrus' response
COPA and Political Campaign Financing
(08/28/07) I contribute to COPA, but I believe we are playing in a rigged game
that we cannot hope to win. I think some COPA funds should be used to push
for public funding of our elections.
President
Burrus' response
Organizing Casuals
(08/21/07) Given that our national union agreed to make casuals a permanent
part of our workforce and this decision was ratified by those voted for the
contract, when are we going to start pushing to make them members of the
bargaining unit? I can see no other sensible reason for agreeing to this.
I did not vote to support the contract for the sole reason that I felt that
accepting non-bargaining unit employees as a permanent part of the workforce
was a bad idea.
President
Burrus' response
The Contract and the
APWU Health Plan's Consumer Driven Option
(08/14/07) When I first read that the USPS will pay 95 percent of healthcare
premiums for APWU-represented employees enrolled in the APWU Health Plan, I
thought, "What a smart move." ...As I read further, I became disappointed
to learn it was for only the APWU Consumer Driven Plan. I also thought this
was in violation of the resolution we passed recently in Philadelphia... So,
why should we sign up for this plan?
President
Burrus' response
Non-Members and Dues
(07/27/07) I’m a non-paying member of the union; however, I’m not
paying because I feel that I am not represented when I contact the local union
for help. I feel that this is due to a personal conflict that I have
with the president of the local. I believe in the union; however, I don’t
think it's right for the union to advertise that it represents paying and non-paying
members equally. Since I believe in the union, is there a way to pay dues to
the national union rather than to the local?
President
Burrus' response
NALC Contract
(07/20/07) How does the contract the National Association of Letter Carriers
recently negotiated compare to the APWU Collective Bargaining Agreement?
President Burrus'
response
The Contract and PTFs After Dec. 1, 2007
(07/09/07) Has a study been done to show how many PTFs will remain after December
1?
President Burrus' response
Family & Medical Leave Act
(06/28/07) Currently, APWU-represented employees may take up to
12 weeks off each year under the Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA). When
doing so for their own condition, they may choose sick leave, annual
leave, LWOP, or any combination of the above. When doing so for
a dependent’s condition, they may only use two weeks of sick
leave. After that, they must select annual leave or leave without
pay. Do you think that this may change at any time in the future,
to permit an employee to use more than the two weeks of sick leave
currently allowed?
President Burrus' response
Union Dues and Politics
(05/08/07) I am what I call a “rare” postal employee in that I
am a conservative. I don’t like my union dues being used to support political
candidates who I disagree with. Isn’t there a form I can fill out requesting
that my dues not be used for things that I oppose?...
President Burrus'
response
The Contract and Cost of Living Adjustments
(05/03/07) ... Are we keeping up with the cost of living? My co-worker
believes we are going nowhere or losing money when we get raises because
of other “give backs” (such as the recent requirement that
we pay a larger share of our healthcare premiums, or past reductions
in night differential). ... Does the recent contract take back more
than we get during the life of the contract?...
President Burrus'
response
Casuals and the Contract
(04/30/07) I can’t believe anyone would vote for this new contract. If
management can hire casuals 365 days per year, they will never hire career
employees again. Therefore, our union will go to pot. We aren’t going
to live forever, and most of us plan to retire when we are eligible. Who is
going to keep the union going if casuals are the largest percentage of employees?
President Burrus' response
TEs in Remote Encoding Centers
(04/12/07) ...Are casuals and Transitional Employees (TEs) being classified
as the same in the new contract? If so, does that mean the Remote Encoding
Centers that are 200 man-year installations will only be allowed to employ
11 percent non-career Clerk Craft employees (i.e., TEs) as of Dec. 1, 2007?
President Burrus' response
PTF Transfer Opportunities
(04/09/07) I have heard that PTFs in Associate Offices will be given the opportunity
to transfer to larger offices to become regular before those offices can
hire more people. What do you know about this? Will the 18-month rule still
be in effect for those who wish to transfer?
President Burrus' response
The Future of APWU
(04/05/07) I recently read a summary of the NALC National Rap Session in Los
Angeles on Jan. 28. Is it true, as the president of the National Association
of Letter Carriers was quoted, that the APWU will not exist in 15 years,
due to subcontracting? How vulnerable are we?
President Burrus' response
RI-399 Dispute Resolution Process
(04/03/07) How long are we going to participate in RI-399? As far as I can
see, it is a worthless program. Clerks are losing more jobs to the Mail Handlers
every year, and nothing is being done about it. It is a black hole. If nothing
is ever done, we should get out of this program.
President Burrus' response
Importance of Consecutive Non-Scheduled Days
(03/29/07) Many members do not understand the importance of consecutive non-scheduled
days. Could you explain from a historical union standpoint why they are paramount?
President Burrus' response
Charging "Agency Fees" to Non-Members
(03/26/07) My brother is a pilot for Delta Airlines and he told me that his
union requires non-members to pay an “administrative fee” that
is equal to the union dues. Couldn’t we do something similar?
President Burrus' response
The New Contract and Limits on PTRs
(03/22/07) The language in the literature being distributed about the new Collective
Bargaining Agreement regarding limits on part-time regulars is somewhat confusing.
If an office has more the 2.5 percent PTRs, will some be converted to FTR,
and who would that be? What seniority would be applied? Does this apply only
to 200 man-year offices?
President Burrus' response
PTF Conversions, the Contract and Excessing
(03/05/07) I am a PTF in a 200 man-year office. A Function 4 audit is planned
for the office very soon. What if they decide to excess the PTFs from my
office?
President Burrus' response
Improving Educational Opportunities
(02/21/07) Has the union ever negotiated for college tuition reimbursement
for APWU members? A better educated workforce would be an asset to the union
and the Postal Service. What is your view on this?
President Burrus' response
Casuals and Tour 2
(02/15/07) With the new restrictions on the use of casuals during Tour 2 hours,
will a set time-frame be established for Tour 2 — such as 8 a.m. to
4 p.m. — or will the definition of Tour 2 be based on what is established
in local agreements?
President Burrus' response
Bereavement Leave
(02/12/07) With the new contract, upon a death in the family, we
may use annual leave, sick leave, or LWOP. If we choose to use sick
leave, do we have to bring in medical evidence? Will the absence be
considered scheduled or unscheduled? Can management use this against
us?
President Burrus' response
Priority Scheduling and the Overtime Desired List
(02/07/07) The new contract says that full-time regular clerks on the Overtime
Desired List will be given priority scheduling for overtime work over casuals
doing overtime work. Is this on a day-by-day basis? How will we monitor the
overtime that casuals work? How will it work for penalty pay? With the new
contract, upon a death in the family, we may use annual leave, sick leave,
or LWOP. If we choose to use sick leave, do we have to bring in medical evidence?
Will the absence be considered scheduled or unscheduled? Can management use
this against us?
President Burrus' response
Limiting Part-Time Regulars
(01/11/07) What is the reason for limiting the number of
Part-Time Regulars (PTRs) to 2.5 percent? (Item #12 in the Supplemental
Conversion Memo) That appears to apply across all crafts across the
country. How will the locals be able to monitor that number at the
local level?
President Burrus'
response
The Proposed Contract and
The Impact of Year-Round Casuals
(01/08/07) I strongly disagree with the provision of the
tentative agreement that would allow casuals to work year-round. Not
to mention that we lose our right to protest the use of casuals in
lieu of career employees. Please help me understand why our union would
consider allowing this to be part of our contract.
President Burrus'
response
