Family Is A Bond That Should Not Leave Anyone Out

(This article appeared in the January/February 2026 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine)

“Ohana means family, and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.”

This quote comes from the Disney movie Lilo & Stitch. The emphasis of this movie is that, whether by blood or by choice, family is a bond that should not leave anyone out.

I would like to give a heartfelt “Thank you” to former Support Services Director Arrion Brown for all his efforts, hard work, and dedication to our craft. Under his leadership, he successfully organized 10 Roads LLC in Peoria, IL, and has continued those organizing efforts for Albuquerque Mail Service. Without his continued efforts to the Labor Movement and former APWU President Moe Biller’s vision for the APWU’s future, these organizing wins would not have been possible. I look forward to working with Director Brown in the future.

Article 2, Section 5 of the APWU Constitution and Bylaws states, “The APWU will continue to organize the unorganized.”

Up until the 1980 National Convention, the Support Services Craft did not have national representation. At that convention, members passed a resolution for a part-time National Business Agent. Greg Poferl was elected to the position in 1983, and in 1987, the Support Services Craft was successful again when the position was made full-time.

In 1978, the Support Services Craft had to fight for the right to vote on contracts. This was later rectified by the National Executive Board (NEB) at the 1980 National Convention.

In April 1999, former APWU President Moe Biller established the National Private Sector Organizing Committee. With the creation of this committee, the APWU successfully organized East Coast Leasing in Greensboro, NC. This campaign was led by then Local President Mark Dimondstein. A strategic plan was put into place to organize postal workers within the postal industry, including call centers, information service centers, mailhauling trucking, and mail-transport equipment service centers, etc. Because of this plan, the APWU — under the Support Services Division — has been successful in organizing Human Resources Shared Service Center (HRSSC); 10-Roads Express, LLC in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Illinois, Virgina, and Maryland; Postal Nurses; B&B Trucking; Salmon Trucking; and the Information Technology and Accounting Service Centers (IT/AS), etc.