General Membership Meeting Minutes

Meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM at 918 Benjamin NE; meeting was opened with US Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation.

Roll Call of Officers:
Present:
Ray Novakoski, President
Barbara Tubbs, Recording Secretary
Sandy Henkel, Treasurer
Bill Scutt, Clerk Craft Director
Jim Myszka, Maintenance Craft Director
Larry Niece, Mail Handler Craft Director
Mark Juczynski, MVS Director
Mike Long, Sergeant at Arms
Orv Glombowski, AO Director
Absent:
Jennifer Amos, Executive Vice President

The minutes from the March General Membership Meeting were accepted with the following correction: the Treasurer's report was accepted as corrected.

Applications for Membership:
None.

Officer's Reports:

Treasurer's Report: Henkel - Report accepted as read.

Clerk Craft Report: Scutt - Filed grievances for 5 new positions. Met on FMLA issues with Barb Keyborth, Anna Armstrong, and Michelle Gregory. Meeting scheduled for April 10th with Art Hotchkiss on attendance control. Had one arbitration case in March, have two scheduled for this month.

Maintenance Report: Myszka - New maintenance manager John Peters. Problems with attendance control. Grievances filed.

Legislative Report: Tubbs - APWU supports HR 848 and HR 1073; both deal with Social Security for civil service retirees. Watching S 27 on campaign finance reform because it may have amendments added to it such as paycheck "protection".

President's Report: Novakoski - President's conference: Attendance control problems are nationwide. At the next conference in June, there will be a debate between Bill Burrus and Leo Persails, the candidates for APWU presidents. TACs attendance control program coming in July or August. It is a new payroll system that will affect PSDS jobs. Supervisors will be doing the inputs. Keep track of your overtime and leave until we see how it will be working. Greg Bell industrial relations director is challenging USPS changes to handbooks 311 and 312 and ELM 14 and 15. Step 4 grievance has been initiated at national level on pay anomaly and letters of demand. Lump sum payments will be in regular paycheck on May 11. No list of eligible employees has been released. There will be an appeal process for those who believe they should have gotten a lump sum and didn't. USPS and APWU have chosen their arbitrators. Third arbitrator will be chosen soon. Once arbitrator gets the case their should be a decision in about 45 days. Anticipating contract in July or August.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Retirees: George Hendricks - Contacting retirees in AO offices; going to do a mailing. April 21st retirees dinner in Muskegon. George is state vice - president; will be at state educational conference in Midland working on guidelines.

Cans for COPA: Catherine Beemblossom - $31.00. Scutt - $16.00

Labor Heritage Society: Steve Austin - Owen will be sending Moe Biller a letter asking for a $40,00.00 donation for the monument.

Budget Committee: Novakoski - Proposed budget will be presented under new business.

Solidarity for Charity: Beemblossom - Maybe bowling this year instead of softball, looking for suggestions for this year's charity.

Correspondence: None.

Unfinished Business: None.

New Business:

Board Recommendations:

Motion to accept proposed budget along with the following motion: That the Western Michigan Area Local accept, as an authorization for the expenditure of funds from the local treasury, the report and budget of the Budget Committee, also that the Executive Board of the WMAL has the authorization to shift monies, if needed, between categories as long as the overall disbursement is not exceeded. Also if the overall disbursement amount will be exceeded the Board will have to go back to the membership with a resolution to address the specific problem and get authorization for that expenditure. Also in the event of a dues increase or decrease, either local or national, the President will reconvene the Budget committee to review any changes that need to be made in the budget and those changes will be brought before the Executive Board for review and recommendations, and then before the Membership for their approval, modifications, or disapproval. Discussion. Carried.

Scholarship Drawings: Winners - Sarah Rose Becker and Vance McClenton. Alternates - Melissa Fryling and David Tabor.

Motion to sponsor a hole at the NALC 8th annual Muscular Dystrophy Golf outing in August at a cost of $100.00. Discussion. Carried.

Motion to sponsor Pam Jenkin's daughter's little league softball team in Kelloggsville at a cost of $225.00. Discussion. Defeated.

Motion to purchase 3 new computer systems at a cost of up to $1500.00 each. Discussion. Amended by Steve Karbutowski, Brian Proctor to $1000.00 each. Discussion. Carried. Main motion carried.

Motion to authorize the vice president and the craft directors to go to the President's conference with the president in June in Madison WI with lost time, hotel, per diem, travel, registration, and applicable taxes. Discussion. Call for question Long, Jim Sweeney. Carried. Motion defeated.

Motion by Dick Page, Glombowski to donate $150.00 for the hospitality room at the state educational conference in Midland. Discussion. Carried.

Motion to authorize LWOP for officers and stewards to attend membership meetings if it falls within their regular tour of duty. Discussion. Call for question Sweeney, Glombowski. Carried. Motion defeated.

Motion by Austin, Dan Chester to sign all nominating petitions received by candidates for National office. Discussion. Carried.

Point of Personal Privilege - Juczynski - Creston Post is collecting hats, keychains, personal toiletries, etc to donate to veterans at the Veterans Home. Please bring them to the May meeting.

Proposed Constitutional change read on Article 5; will be posted and voted on at May meeting.

Labor Management:
Meeting will be April 25th. Clarify intentions on East Paris facility, parking problems, level 5 clerks being used in automation should be rotated with other automation clerks; Kentwood office SPR job.

Drawings:

COPA $24.00; $24.00 to Orv.

Hams: Dick Page, Ken Jones, Brian Proctor, Steve Karbutowski, Orv Glombowski, Bill Scutt, Betty Davis, Ray Cloutre, Marie Jackobs, Sandy Henkel.

$10.00 Door Prizes: Velda Timmer, Ray Novakoski, Larry Niece, Pam Krueger, Mark Juczynski, Jim Myszka, Cat Beemblossom, Dan Chester, Mike Long.

McDonalds Gift certificates: Ed Moore, Barbara Tubbs, Rose Jerrils, Jim Sweeney.

Meeting adjourned at 3:06 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,

Barbara Tubbs
Recording Secretary

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