Successful Maintenance Division Conference

The 2022 APWU National Convention started on Monday, August 15, 2022 and lasted for four days. We participated in Maintenance Council meetings on Thursday, August 11 and pre-convention workshops (MS-1 staffing issues and Article 12 in the Maintenance Craft) on Friday, August 12. We were addressed by several guest speakers during the convention itself.

The Maintenance Division Conference, chaired by Maintenance Division Director, Idowu Balogun, convened on Saturday, August 13, and met for two days; together as a group on Saturday, and in separate Regional Breakouts on Sunday, August 14. Director Balogun gave his report on Saturday morning and, after lunch, Assistant Directors Terry B. Martinez and Jason Treier gave their reports and updates.

On Saturday afternoon we discussed all 2022 submitted maintenance craft resolutions. These resolutions were fully debated by the entire body of attending delegates of the maintenance craft conference for four hours.

We had a full discussion, heated debates, amended resolutions and concluded in solidarity. Resolutions consisted of issues surrounding wage level upgrades, field maintenance, duty assignment reposting and excessing, promotions, custodial staffing, higher level details, maintenance examinations and non-bargaining unit detail restrictions.

On the final day of the national convention a motion was made, seconded and accepted to accept the recommendations “in toto” and was so ordered. For more information and training materials, delegates can access the flash drive that was distributed at the national convention.

Special thanks to the Maintenance Division Resolutions Committee:

Dana Coletti (Chair), Manchester Area Local          
Dave Simmons, Central NY Area Local
Joe Joyce, Boston Metro Area Local
Rose Marti Jablonski, 480-481 Area Local
Shelton Thomas, North Alabama Area Local
Jason Behrens, Cascade Area Local WA

Shirley Taylor BMC Conference:

The 2022 Bulk Mail Center (BMC) Conference convened at 10:00 am on August 19, 2022 in National Harbor, MD.

The conference was chaired by Assistant Maintenance Division Director, Terry B. Martinez and co-chaired by Dena Briscoe of Nation’s Capital Southern Maryland Area Local. APWU President Mark Dimondstein addressed the delegates, followed by multiple national officers. There were over 120 attendees. Regional Coordinator A.J. Jones welcomed the delegates to the Eastern Region on behalf of the five regional coordinators.

The following BMC related issues were fully debated and addressed by the Clerk Division Director Lamont Brooks, Maintenance Division Director Idowu Balogun, Motor Vehicle Division Assistant Director Kenneth Prinz and attendees during the conference; keying qualifications, CRT, PIVR, SIPS, FRS and annex custodial staffing.

The body voted that the next BMC conference will be hosted by the Kansas KAW Valley Area Local in 2023. The 2022 BMC conference was named in honor of retiring National Business Agent Shirley Taylor.