e-Team Report, July 8, 2011
APWU to Launch TV Ad Campaign to Correct Deception About Need for USPS “Bailout” Along With Kicking Off Organizing Drive
Starting July 11 the APWU is set to launch a television ad campaign that aims to correct the myth that the Postal Service and its respective unions are seeking a taxpayer funded “bailout”. This ad is also aimed at kicking off a National Organizing Week campaign set to start out July 18, 2011 aimed at signing up new APWU members.
To read more and watch the video, please click here.
H.R. 1351 Cosponsor List Continues to Grow However, More Cosponsors Still Needed 
This week seven more members of congress signed on in support of H.R. 1351. This brings the total number of cosponsors of H.R. 1351 to 166.
Rep. Stephen Lynch’s (MA) H.R. 1351 will let the USPS use billions of dollars in CSRS and FERS overpayments to meet its financial obligations. This includes the annual congressional mandate to pre-fund future retiree healthcare benefits. Unlike, other bills that address the pension overpayments H.R. 1351 will not attack the rights of workers to collectively bargain.
Rep. Darrell Issa’s H.R. 2309 does not correct the massive USPS overpayments to its CSRS and FERS pension accounts. Issa’s bill will wage an attack on current negotiated wages, benefits, and protection against layoffs of postal workers. Some members of congress have already stated on the record that they believe postal workers currently receive a wage premium over the private sector to the tune of about 34%. This bill will set up a system to empower an unelected board to unilaterally cut all of our current negotiated pay, benefits, along with protection against layoffs. This bill will also target billions of dollars worth of post office closures within the next few years.
The APWU is asking all of its members to call your U.S. representative today and urge them to cosponsor and support H.R. 1351. Also make sure you voice your opposition to Congressman Issa’s H.R. 2309. You can reach your member of congress by calling the Capitol Hill switchboard today at (202) 224-3121.
If your U.S. representative has already signed on as a cosponsor to H.R. 1351 please make sure you reach out to their office and thank them for their support. If you do not see your U.S. representative on the list below please click here to send them a quick message.
NLRB Proposed Rule Changes
Recently, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) proposed a new set of rule changes that will have a dramatic effect on rights of workers to organize. Currently, management has the overwhelming upper hand over workers when they are trying organizing a new union. These newly proposed set of rules would start to level the playing field for workers trying to organize a union at their workplace. All of the proposed amendments take aim at fixing current flaws that exist in the current system that promote long delays by management, allow for prolonged litigation aimed at more delays, and take aim at using modern forms of communication technology once again to speed up the process of holding an up or down vote by employees for certification of union representation.
To read a story about the proposed rule changes on CNNMoney.com, please click here.
If you are interested in making your voice heard by submitting a public comment to the NLRB please, click here. Please note: Any information (e.g., personal or contact) you provide at the link may be publicly disclosed and searchable on the Internet and in a paper docket and will be provided to the Department or Agency issuing the notice.
Board of Governors Member Set to Resign
United States Postal Service Governor Alan C. Kessler has informed the Board of Governors that he will resign his position as a member of the Postal Service Board of Governors effective July 31, 2011.