APWU Web News Article 65-2012, May 29, 2012
APWU members should get ready for a busy summer, union President Cliff Guffey said as the unofficial start of the season got underway. “We must continue to take our message to members of Congress and the American people,” he said.
Although the Senate passed a postal reform bill on April 25, the House of Representatives doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to address the Postal Service’s underlying problems, and management is about to embark on its plan to close and consolidate mail processing facilities.
“We have asked our members to reach out to their U.S. representatives and to explain the urgency of the situation,” Guffey said. “If the USPS degrades service standards and dismantles its mail processing network, it will cause irreparable harm to the nation’s mail system.
“We must encourage legislators to address postal reform immediately,” the union president said. “Although the Senate bill (S. 1789) is flawed, it is far better than a bill that was passed by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in October,” he said, “and it would provide some short-term financial relief and some protection of service standards. For that reason, we are urging the House to use the Senate bill as a starting point.”
House Republicans Working for H.R. 2309
Despite stiff opposition to the House bill (H.R. 2309), according to published reports, Republican leaders plan to try to win support for the measure in the coming weeks. The bill would gut collective bargaining – prohibiting postal unions and the USPS from negotiating protection against layoffs and allowing an appointed board to reject labor contracts it considers too costly. The legislation also calls for $3 billion in cuts to mail processing facilities and post offices in two years.
Rural legislators have been outspoken opponents of closing post offices, and Rep. Issa seems to be trying to win them over. In an April 24 letter to House Speak John Boehner (R-OH) and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Rep. Issa said he would support an amendment to limit rural closings to 5 percent of the total number of offices closed in any calendar year.
“We have our work cut out for us,” Guffey said. “It will be a busy summer, and November’s elections mean it will be a busy fall as well.”
I have been retired from USPS since 2007. I didn’t wait for any buyout. These have been the happiest 5 years of my life. Quit moaning everyone & retire now if you are eligible. Get a life!
Prez Goofey supports the APWU Officer Only Retirement Plan funded by your dues but unavailable to you. Prez Goofey also says…NO VERA! Its for your own good and ours!
WHEN ARE YOU MORONS IN WASHINGTON GOING TO WAKE UP????? I HAVE BEEN WITH THE APWU FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND JUST AS THE IDIOTS IN MANAGEMENT HAVE DISTROYED THE POSTAL SERVICE, YOU AS OUR REPESENTIVES ARE TRYING TO WHAT THE UNION REALLY STANDS FOR… WE ELECT YOU TO PROVIDE GOOD REPRESENTATION TO WHAT OUR NEED ARE, NOT WHAT IS BEST FOR THE FEW AT THE TOP….. WHEN IS ALL THE UNIONS GOING TO WAKE UP AND MERGE AS ONE SOLID UNION TO REPRESENT ALL POSTAL WORKERS??? ALL THE APWU-MAILHANDLERS-CARRIERS FEED INTO MANAGEMENTS HANDS AS THEY HAVE CONTUNIED TO DIVIDE ALL UNIONS TO MANAGEMENTS ADVANTAGE. THEY ARE DOING IT AGAIN WITH VERA. I WANT TO THANK PAST APWU OFFICERS WHO HAVE REPRESENTED US AS FAIRLY AS POSSIBLE.. WE AS MEMBERS EITHER HAVE TO IMPEACH THE REPS WE HAVE NOW OR WE WILL HAVE NOTHING LEFT…. LETS STAND UP FOR OUR RIGHTS AS APWU MEMBERS AND PROTEST THIS CURRENT ADMINISTRATION IN DOING SOMETHING RIGHT FOR THE MEMBERSHIP. INCLOSING I WANT TO KNOW WHY THAT IN THE EIGHT’S WHEN INSENTIVES WERE GIVEN TO MANAGEMENT, THAT THE APWU UNDER BURRUS, CAME FORWARD AND ACHEIVED THE SAME PACKAGE FOR UNION MEMBER??? WHEN IS THE CURRENT APWU ADMINSTRATION GOING TO DUE SOMETHING FOR US, AS SOME OF YOUR MEMBERS ARE LOOKING TO RETIRE, BUT ONLY WAITING FOR SOME INSENTIVES…………
Please, all APWU members and non-members write to cliff guffey and tell him what you think about how he is handling the representation of craft. tell him he is going to be booted out in the next election. dissatisfied members resign from the union soon as you can. if nothing else, loss of union funds should bother him. keep writing your comments, but ACT, actions speak louder than words. I have written three times stating my opinion, i will write again. we certainly need more than a stupid hunger strike. that’s embarressing. loss of union dues might get his attention. i would like for him to receive thousands of LETTERS, not e mails. come on, it’s just 45 cents and a few minutes of your time. WRITE PLEASE.
What do they mean by $3billion cuts to mail processing & POS….We don’t get money from congress they get it from us….or do they mean they will step up the amount that they exstort from the hard working postal employees…..The only government agency that pays for itself….all the rest just take money…IRS get rid of it ….dinosaur ..Dept. of education…get rid of it….every state in the union has one Fed level waste of tax payers money…..the list continues of all the redundant Fed gov. agencys that DON’T DO A DAMN THING EXCEPT WASTE OUR MONEY AND ADD COST TO OUR GOODS AND SERVICES, WHICH MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO COMPETE IN THIS GLOBAL ECONOMY,,,,
,WAKE UP AMERICA STOP VOTING FOR THE (SELF RIGHTEGOUS RIGHT AND THE IMMORAL LEFT) VOTE LIKE YOU HAVE SOME SENSE, AND VOTE LIBERTARIUM………….
Congress Issa/Ross tea party liars and thieve ripping us off,
“That would be the U.S. Congress, known abusers of the postal service by those who work with postal issues on a daily basis. Congress regularly takes money from USPS, and then beats them up for being poor. And so it goes for S 1789, a bill the Senate passed recently to help USPS.
What is being billed as a “bailout” in right-wing circles, and repeated in various media, is the return of money already taken, or ordered to be taken, to help the federal deficit. Absent these, USPS losses are much more manageable. To wit:
1. The 2006 postal reform bill required pre-payment of $5.5 billion for 10 years into a fund for retiree health benefits. No other government agency makes such payments. It was a budget trick to help the federal deficit. USPS still pays $2 billion annually for the same expenses from its operating budget. Stopping those payments is NOT a bailout; it merely stops the bleeding, courtesy of Congress.
2. The Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) account is overpaid by $11 billion under pre-set formulas. Returning that money to USPS is not a bailout, it’s justice. But it’s called that by some in Congress.
3. USPS pays into Medicare for postal workers, but they don’t use Medicare. Instead, they use one of numerous very generous health insurance plans offered. USPS wants to allow postal employees to use Medicare. But Congress doesn’t want that to happen as it raises federal expenditures, and the system now gets “free” money from USPS. Some call that a “bailout.” I call it sensible.”
Guffey!, we hate you ,you asshole!
Chuck This
Chuck this you morons who agree with any one representing the APWU!
the Union cannot do anything right, the CBA was a bust, give credit to all the other unions who fought till the end, if any one of those contracts comes out better than the APWU’s, the sheep who voted for No Balls Guffey, will vote for him again, sheep led to the slaughter again !, while No Balls sips his expensive bottled water and buys his boyfriend gifts from your union dues, and wait till the party in LA, that’s all the scum in the National APWU can think about now, not you, but your dues and the big party, while your battered at the hands of Gestapo supervision, the APWU boys will party hearty!
In Reference to Chuck Zlatkin, Bell and Davidow, the moron speakers for the APWU.
Wrong?, then show us all!
OCCUPY 1300 L STREET NW, WASHINGTON DC! FIND OUT ABOUT YOUR DUES FUNDED APWU OFFICER RETIREMENT PLAN THAT YOU CAN’T USE AND THAT YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT.
Mind-numbing pressure is now upon the APWU hierarchy. Continue to oppose any VERA for clerks or give in and support the “me too” VERA.
Door # 1 gets you booted out of office and results in nosedive of lemming rolls or:
Door # 2 gets you booted out of office and results in nosedive of lemming rolls AND severley weakens APWU.
Who cares?….APWU officers have their APWU Officer Retirement Plan that your dues paid for. Either way, Cliffy Boy et al, triple dips while you remain screwed!
I also feel misrepresented by the APWU, but if you are not aware of this let me share a little fact about the APWU that may interest you: *All members of the APWU with 25+ yrs of membership are eligible for the “25 YEAR LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP REWARD OF $250. In order to receive this reward you must obtain and provide a copy of your union anniversary date “SEGMENT E” form which must be printed directly from the “EMPLOYEE MASTER RECORD”, which you may request from the USPS/HR Shared Service Center, but my manager was very instrumental in promptly obtaining this document for me. Please do not rely on your steward, as I was given the wrong info. it only delayed the payment process, (and we know why employees get involved with the union, for the same reason employees sign up for mgmt positions, they don’t want to work). Once you obtain a copy of your union anniversary date “SEGMENT E” form – fax it to the Secretary – Treasurer of your Local Union. For the Miami Area Local fax it to the attn of: Kevin J. Baker, Secretary – Treasurer at 305-591-5975 **I received my check via US MAIL in approx 1 week. T.O.O.
Being a Local Officer and Steward, I have lead the way in educating the public about the many lies that PM Donascrew is spewing and followed the Nationals advice on public meetings and rallys. But it is time for the National to step up, and stop telling the Locals to contact their reps. Plan a rally in Washington. Re-imburse the smaller Locals without the means to get buses, so it can be a successful show of unity. We need leadership here, and I feel it slipping away.
Retired 6 months ago. Tired of waiting for free money. 6 months of my life back. 3.5% raise (COA). Money I wouldn’t have collected and time I wouldn’t have had if I were still waiting.
Remember after the contract? They tried to break a number of supposed settled issues. What happens to the mailhandlers after Sept. and the Post Office is declared insolvent? Bet they try to avoid paying incentives. I certainly would have to have the money up front from this bunch if I was counting on it.
1. Getting out of the union would be a mistake, unity is the best defense against management aggressors.
2. Retirement should be planned well in advance and not be predicated upon a one-time monetary stipend. Planning should be started very early in one’s career.
3. Voting in the November elections will be critical to saving USPS jobs. Do it.
If you can retire than retire. Why should the USPS give you a free check to do what you already should be doing? This fact was stated by a senator a few weeks ago. Sometimes I am embarrassed to be associated with this institution it is full of welfare minded idiots looking for a handout because of their misguided sense of entitlement.
Why are republicans even in office! The majority of them care nothing about the average american maintaining a decent living and life! Union members call your congressmen and women and protest this 2309 bill and all it entails! Our livlihoods are in jeporady! I will be on hope and prayer if this bill ever should make it to the president desk, he definitely will veto it! What do you think Romney would do sign it or not! Every vote is definitely important this year! Americans, you better think long and hard, forget about race ad think of your future! Issa need to go back to california, if permitted and stay there! Definitely, vote him out of office!
eligible to retire at 55 with 30 yrs, but why go so soon?
Stay an get 80% with 41 yrs 11 months, medicare at 65, thats the smart move.
high five is next? Well just have to stay the two more yrs at 100% add on the sick leave. Simple… your pathetic.
Take your buyouts and shove’em up your ass,
Simply pathetic is all that comes to mind, if you are eligible retire do it, do not blame the union because they do not want to negotiate a walking fee with an organization that is has been in the red for years. One side of your mouth you losers are picketing etc. to save the postal service and the other side is saying I will not retire unless I am paid to leave, how ironic is that. I hope you dumbasses hold out and do not retire, because a high five is next in lieu of the current high three, I would not be surprised if it is not already buried in legislation currently working it ways through the system.
We wouldnt be in this economic mess if Wesley Snipes would have just paid his taxes!!
Cliff, You’re an idiot. You screwed up the contract and now you’re screwing up the vera. Quit you idiot. Don’t make us start impeachment proceedings. Do the right thing, Quit1
Skye………..You are Spot On.
you are all helping the pmg with his plan of divide and conquer. postal management salivates over this kind of discontent, and encourages this kind of low morale. our veterans of 1971 would be disgusted with us, plain and simple. everybody is me,me,me. if we don’t stand together get ready for unemployment , ss, csrs,fers, and welfare benefits, because po management doesn’t want any of us. as a civil servant worker you could only lose your job by stealing or abandonment. today if you miss a scan, good-bye. management holds a winning hand, so go ahead and call if you think they are bluffing. God bless our troops and veterans.
As I have continued to say…you should look at WHO votes for what, not what freaking party they are in! They are all the same! Republicans, democrats, unions, management – all the same, but with different agendas! The democrats are doing just as little to help as the Republicans and they all make me sick!
I think we should vote them ALL out of office and start again. I think that there should be limits on how long you can stay in office, make lobbyists illegal as well as porkbarrel spending added onto bills, and make the current practice of allowing legislatures to use insider trading to get rich a federal offense. I think that only the legal American people should be able to vote raises for the congressional lawmakers and that the lawmakers should be brought down to the same days off and benefits (including retirement) as the rest of the federal workforce…that means that they should have to be in FERS and should “enjoy” the same increase in contributions to their retirements as they just passed for the postal workers.
And by-the-way, if you go on Simplyhired.com, there suddenly appeared an ad for clerks for the USPS! WTF is up with that? And all the while they are excessing clerks and making them NTFT’s, etc. It’s a mass conspiracy. We are the fools to have ever believed that the USPS is (was) a sanctioned entity of the United States of America, even if it is in the Constitution! The Constitution means absolutely NOTHING to our current president – OBAMA! Get ready to continue to lose all your rights under the one document that made our country great. We are all being played, and the joke’s on us. Better get passed your BS about “party lines,” because the only real party in this country is the “Screw-over the Public Party!”
Mr. Guffey should know that rural post offices that are being slated for closure have not had clerks for several years now. The clerks were phased out of the level 15 and 16 post offices in 2008-09! So what jobs would he be saving? A postmaster job that has had it made for who knows how long!? Right~! Many of those offices don’t even have carriers, but if they do, the carriers won’t lose their jobs, they will be reassigned to another office that takes the routes.
I am much more concerned about being able to retire as a clerk, the sooner the better! And yet, the wonderful PMG Donahoe jumped on the VERA and gave it to the Postmasters! And now I have seen another for the Mailhandlers, but where is one for the clerks!? The clerks are losing their jobs and getting excessed left and right. We have been walked on for years and years and sold out! What are they gonna do with us? Their current tactic is to try to fire us for any little reason they can think of, all while the management (all the way up to Donahoe) plays with the numbers and lies about the figures and creates a working environment that is absolutely like living in hell.
I challenge you, Mr. Guffey, and all you Congressmen and women, to do the RIGHT thing for the post office, not just the clerks. I have been waiting with baited breath, hoping and praying to be able to retire – even if it’s at a reduced rate – just so I can get the hell out of the hell-hole called the USPS. I USE to be proud of being a postal employee. I USE to love my job and think I had found my way to heaven…what the hell happened? Just like the rest of the greedy lawmakers and people on Wall Street, we have been sold out by management AND the unions!!!! I’m mad as hell and I’m not gonna take it anymore. You people won’t be happy until someone completely looses it and tries to kill all you do-nothings. Then, the unions, management and the lawmakers will act like they have NO IDEA why that had happened!
The volcano is building due to everyone’s inaction. Get ready for it to erupt….OR…do the right thing and give us a freaking early out, you assholes!
At least the Mailhandlers Union has balls!
I think that all of us that have been waiting for a buyout should get out of the union. They r screwing us for their own gain. Thirty-seven yrs of dues, and these assholes don’t want the vera because they r greedy!
You are not getting ANY free money to retire. Get the hell out or keep working…..its your choice and nobody cares. So shut the hell up, crybabies.
To all you retirement eligible APWU members…… WHO CARES!!!! If you can retire now… DO IT! NO free money is on its way. For you waiting for a VERA…. WHO CARES!!! EXCESS as many junior people as necessary, and if any are still unnecessary…… RIFF!!!
P.S. be smart, and get OUT of this worthless union! what are you, braindead???
“reach out to our representative”, Mr. Guffey you are our representative and we are reaching our to you to give us our VER. We can reach out to our politicians while retired. We can still support the union while retired. This is insane what the APWU is doing to the older union members.
Cliff (bullshit artist) Guffey:
All you know how to do is ask us to help you, from here on out until
you start to negoatiate a VERA with INCENTIVES you can go to HELL.
I will not lift a finger to help you as you are not helping any of US.
The only thing I will help you with is quitting your piece of crap Union.
I would also advise anyone reading this to do the same and let Cliff
(bullshit artist) fight the fight on his own and if it does not turn out
right he can take the fall. Start negoatiating a CLERK VERA with
INCENTIVES, help your people Cliff and maybe, just maybe we will help you.
And Gluttony, lust, avarice, greed and you name it (Guffey) will reign supreme at the Feast in LA, APWU dues are good for something, the Feast for the Beast (Cliff Guffey) in LA!
I realize that some of you BDMF’s only read what you want to read. In order to bring you up to speed here is a fact. Obama, in his 2012 budget proposal, (the one that has gone nowhere) proposed that the P.O be allowed to go to 5 day delivery and to adjust delivery standards. If you believe the savior is waiting to set you free, think again. We are all aboard a sinking ship!
Nothing will happen until the APWU big party is over, they now are busy picking out the dinners, the booze, and the girls!, forget the VER, what’s more important ?, while Rome Burns, Guffey will be stuffing his arrogant fat Face!, in LA!
and the beat goes on
PMG must go?, Guffey must go!
Cliff Guffey is gambling with your VER, he gambled with the contract. look what we got!, he is an A-Hole, he is holding it up, the PO should go ahead, this guffey wants something and he will gamble your VER for it.
Representative Issa`s bill 2309 calls for no postal unions,.PEOPLE ,WAKE UP ! This is only the begining of dismantling every union in this country. Lets vote this fool out of office and any other politician who votes his way. Tell them all eye`s are on them.
Remember the names of the republican politicians who support legislation to change delivery standards which affects all citizens. A list of thier names will follow after thier roll call vote.If they can`t stand up individually and vote for the majority of the people in this country, then they need not represent us at all. We will surely not consider them in the november election.
“On the Waterfront”…watch it today!
Guffey and the Hoffa directorrs only have concern for covering their salaries and retirement. Workers can be sacrificed for the tribal leaders needs
.
Mr. Guffey why don’t you get in gear and work out an incentive buyout for the the apwu members who are eligible too retire instead of worrying about your possible loss of union dues . You are suppose to represent us so start doing your damm job.
Gut Issa and others in the November’s elections.
Romney and McFly McCain down in San Diego over the holiday given their BS speaches, McCain calling a heckler a jerk with Romney and the Gomer sitting next to him giggling when he called him that.
There are many here amongs us that feel you are the jerk McCain.
Romney whats you on his ticket as a vice pres. Issa? McLame came along in support? Is that what these clowns were doing in town? Or was it the only gig they could get for Memorial Day.
Trump wont like that.
I got news for you mr. enuf…..if cliffy dont get us a buyout soon, every single eligble retiree will lobby to get out of the union. This is ridiculous! The mh craft didnt hesitate to help their employees. This is utter B.S. Think twice because youre salary is fixin to drop drastically mr. cliffy!
Cliff, some of us do not want a busy summer we want our buyout!
Dear Mr. Guffey,
Let your (older) people GO.
TIA,
The Old Ones
APWU says…NO VERA! What don’t you all not understand about that? APWU has been hit with drastic reductions to their membership rolls since 2010. Nosedive as some would call it. Normally, APWU would depend on new member sign ups to make up for attrition and disgruntled member resignations. Since USPS isn’t hiring, replacement of dues money from the exodus just isn’t happening. What to do? Raise dues? More dues assessments? Don’t think so unless they want 1300 L street burned down. Cut staffing and reduce salaries at 1300 L Street? Nope – too many political favors still unpaid. Do you get what I’m saying? Dire straits some would call it.
But support another early out? Ain’t too many rookie employees or even old timers that are happy with APWU. NLRB reports many inquiries regarding decertification of unions. This is APWU’s nightmare and will spell the end. Oh…existing incumbents within the organization will not be suffering. You see, they have their golden parachute in the way of the APWU Officer Retirement Plan that neither you or I could’ve ever joined but that our dues money did, in fact, fund.
So…get ready but get ready for what? Take the $15,000 and make changes to your life. There’s no more milk left in this “teet” and APWU can’t help you or stop the PO. They will downsize themselves and layoff their secretaries at 1300 L Street. You’ll probably see regional coordinators go in favor of increased responsibilities given to state organizations. Sorry Omar, nothing here for you…you are old time politics and games. Buh Bye!
HEY CLIFFY, WHERE THE HELL IS OUR EARLY OUTS YOU MORON.