From PostalReporter.com reader:
Today at the National Rural Letter Carriers Association (NRLCA) national convention the delegation passed the proposed national steward system.
Posted: 18 Aug 2011 at 4:25am
Basically, State, Assistant state, and Area stewards will become employees of the national association and will be trained and paid by national. They will represent the postal districts that they are in, instead of the states. State stewards will become district representatives, asst.’s will become asst. district representatives, and area stewards will become area district representatives. Locals will stay the same, although they will be trained by the nat’l association I believe (probably by the District Representative like it is now). Dues will go up in some states, depending on how much of their budget they spend on the steward system. National will spend alot more but the state organizations will not have to spend money on the steward system anymore. In my state, dues will go up only about $4/ pay period. Some states less, others more.
As a city letter carrier I have witnessed the virtual total lack of support from the union, for the rural carriers in three different offices. Even during route inspections, where rural letter carriers have their route inspections defrauded by holding back mail, ‘NEW” regulations that no one has heard of, outright lying from management on their inspection reports, or falsified figures, no Rural Union officials show up.
The rural carriers need to vote to join the city carriers union and get the representation they deserve. With the downsizing of the USPS there is really no other way.