General Membership Meeting Minutes

Roll Call of Officers:

Present:
Ray Novakoski, President
Richard Page, Executive Vice President
James Sweeney, Recording Secretary
Sandy Henkel, Treasurer
Bill Scutt, Clerk Craft Director
Jim Myszka, Maintenance Craft Director
Mike Long, Sergeant at Arms
Linday Norman, AO Director
Scott Larabel, MVS Craft Director

Meeting was called to order at 7:08 PM at 918 Benjamin St. NE, Grand Rapids; Meeting was opened with the US Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation.

December General Membership Meeting Minutes were accepted as typed and posted with one correction: Norman’s report should reflect that clerk was wearing jeans, not Big Rapids Postmaster.

New Members:

James Ruark, Maintenance, GR
Mary Zimmer, Clerk, GR
Don Ziegler, Maintenance, GR
Terry Lee Shangle, MVS, GR
Terrence Teng, Maintenance, GR

Treasurer’s Report: Deferred.

Officer’s Reports:

Clerk Craft Director’s Report: Veteran’s Day grievance settlement posted. We won $11,800. Pay adjustment being processed. Extension on other Holiday scheduling filed. Again, thank you to Mike Long for his long ago successful and very useful settlement! The Court of Appeals has spoken in regards to FMLA and has said that Postal Management is indeed making errors. Stewards training on January 10; please respond to Executive VP. Spoke with Dennis Cremeans who agrees that principal assignment area must be given and now awaiting response. Postings on this will be the same as originally posted. Still working on "work clothing allowance" grievance. An additional 30 day response request from arbitrator on "casuals in lieu of" grievance and response expected first week of February.

Associate Office Director’s Report: Lots of grievances in Holland. Holland Postmaster has been pretty wicked to some of the employees and Steward is still having problems. Troy has resolved three grievances and agreed to a part time custodian. Still butting heads with Sylvia Taylor concerning MYSTERY SHOPPER, filed grievances and settled on a couple. Working a lot over the Holidays and union work was on hold for a couple of weeks. Ray: OSHA came into Holland and will be returning.

Executive Vice President’s Report: Steward’s training on January 10 to be discussing discipline for all crafts and general discipline. Concern from some stewards about the time frame of training and will be trying to better accommodate the tour 1 and 3 stewards by staggering future training. Majority of stewards are on tour 2. Will be asking to extend the ORGANIZING DRIVE to the end of January, 2003; so far have had a good increase in members joining.

MVS Craft Director Report: Two MVS Craft stewards have resigned. Looking for new steward(s); if interested please contact Scott and he will fill you in on issues concerning the MVS Supervision.

Maintenance Craft Director’s Report: Not much happening in December. Custodian vacancies will be filled but date not known yet. Just hired MPE off the street, which leaves one MPE position yet to be filled. Management has not yet offered training, per CONTRACT EXTENSION for this vacancy and have not heard date of implementation of said training availability. Will be going on vacation, extensions on grievances while gone. Ray Mulder still off work.

President’s Report: Hope everyone had a nice Christmas and the hopes of a Happy New Year. Recently got back from vacation. Low cost sorter coming in, slowly working on the installation. CONTRACT EXTENSION passed: 280,000 ballots sent out; 90,000 received back; 88% in favor of ratification; official results can be found on WWW.APWU.ORG with individual state and local results; November 20, 2005 is the new contract expiration date. No word yet on proposed early out retirement offering or 50 mile excessing radius. MYSTERY SHOPPER/OBSERVER include Oleda Kellogg, Mark Majiczewski, John Masuga and Mike Lasner with discipline being given more and more and WINDOW CLERKS need to remain aware.

BILLS: Approximately $20.00 for tonight’s refreshments following meeting.

Treasurer’s Report: deferred report was accepted as printed and reported.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:
COPA: P1 popcans turned in by Bill Scutt, $55.80; $10.25 turned in from Myszka from COPA POKER.

A&E: Jennifer Amos: A&E Committee sponsored Santa/Mrs Clause outing went very well; drew names from the entire membership for 100 restaurant door prizes. A&E Committee needs receipts from AO offices turned in if not yet done.

Correspondence: Thank you to S Henkel and local from Angelique Ross.

New Business:
Motion to carry over the 2002 budget to the 2003 budget, the same way. Discussion. Carried.

Motion to send three Maintenance Craft representatives to the upcoming Maintenance Craft Conference in Philadelphia, PA being held May 18-20, 2003 to include airfare, lodging, perdiem, applicable taxes, loss time and ground transportation (and registration if needed) at an approximate cost of $1700.00 each. Discussion. Carried.

Motion to send MVS Craft Director, Scott Larabel to the upcoming MVS Craft Conference in Philadelphia, PA being held April 24-26, 2003 to include airfare, lodging, perdiem, loss time, applicable taxes, ground transportation, banquet (and registration if needed) at an approximate cost of $1600.00. Discussion. Carried.

Motion to send any eligible WMAL Stewards and Officers to the upcoming MPWU Education Conference/Convention on Mackinaw Island to be held May1-3, 2003 to include mileage, lodging, per diem, registration, lost time, applicable taxes and ferry service at an approximate cost of $1500.00 each. Discussion. Carried.

Motion to extend the ORGANIZING DRIVE (to coincide with the National) to the end of January, 2003 with incentives being retroactive. Discussion. Carried.

Motion to send the Executive Vice President to the upcoming President’s Conference in St. Louis, MO to be held in March, 2003 to include airfare, lodging, perdiem, lost time, applicable taxes, registration if required and ground transportation. Discussion. Carried.

Motion to reimburse dental program participant, Ken Skonecki $644.07 for overpaid dues, due to National not stopping his dues. Discussion. Carried.

Labor/Management: Scheduled for January 21, 2003. Bring issues to stewards or Ray.

Drawings: COPA: $33.00 to Dick Page. $10.00 prizes to: S Lang, D Page, L Norman, C Grysen, L Yarnott, J Gist.

Meeting adjourned at 8:25 PM. Respectfully Submitted,

James Sweeney
Recording Secretary

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