General Membership Meeting Minutes

Meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM at 918 Benjamin NE, Grand Rapids.
Meeting was opened with the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation.

Roll Call of Officers:

Present:

Jennifer Amos, President
Steve Lang, AO Director
Amy Marcus, Executive Vice-President
Dan Quillin, Clerk Craft Director
Karen Hodges, Recording Secretary
Scott Larabel, MVS Director
Linda Chandler, Treasurer
Michelle Gregory, Sgt-at-Arms
Absent:
James Myszka, Maintenance Director

November General Membership meeting minutes were accepted with the following corrections, under Vice President report should have said, National has initiated an appeal on the image lift being installed on AFC. Locals must also make their appeals, and National (APWU) MSC

Applications for Membership:

Jodie McNamara Clerk Grand Rapids

Officers Reports:

Treasurer’s: Chandler: Read November report. MSC

Clerk Craft Director: Quillin: Still trying to get the new FTR’s into their preffed bid jobs. Grievances have been filed at the NW and NE stations in regards to overtime. Many clerk jobs have gone vacant for a long time due to clerks becoming mailhandlers, thru retirement, quitting and getting fired. PTF’s are starting to get placed into the residual jobs. Currently we have 14 residuals jobs and 10 PTF’s. A grievance has been filed to pref those 10 PTF’s. Management wants to revert the remaining 4 jobs. They want no residuals jobs available so they can hire PTF’s In regards to the Expeditors and runners grievance settlement, I had a meeting with them and we came up with a figure to pay the affected expeditors. The runners’ settlement has not been finalized yet. But we do have a figure that will be split among the automation clerks on Tour one and Tour three. Mailhandlers have posted a notice stating that this is still their work and it’s still not resolved as far as they are concerned. But it has. The work is back in our craft where it belongs and the money will soon be in our pocket. So, appeal all you want but I think your money is wishful thinking.

In regards to working in the month of December, there is no penalty overtime and management can not force anyone to work more than 60 hours in a week or 12 hours in a day. If you want to volunteer and they allow it, so be it. Christmas is on a Sunday this year. The 3-day holiday schedule will be Saturday the 24th, Sunday the 25th Monday the 26th:

If you have Saturday and Sunday as SDO’s, your designated holiday will be Monday, If you have Sunday and Monday as your SDO’s your designated holiday Saturday. If Sunday is your regular scheduled day, it will be your designated holiday Anyone who works his or her designated Christmas Holiday will get paid the extra Christmas worked premium.

MVS Director: Larabel; Two career MVS drivers were hired and will be joining the union, two mechanic positions were filled, they have approval to hire 2 more mechanics. The parts position has been filled. HCR issues, still having problems with the VMF- Job issues. Car transporting problems with contractors, routes have been changed.

AO Director: Lane; The excessing grievance has been settled finally. Jim Myzska is still recovering from surgery.

Vice President: Marcus, NW steward Ricky Jackson and steward Marie Jacobs will be training in January. Marty Shout will be doing the Step- 3 from Chicago Creameans is very opinionated, Rumor has it that Chanski will be going back to Finance and Chuck Donnigan will be doing his job. Watch for your 3971’s not getting them back in a timely manner. Watch your clock rings.

President: Amos: Presented Sherri Meredith with a watch and retirement check. Jim Myzska, has been selected as the APWU Health Plan Representative, Open season ends Dec 15th. Mike Long has been appointed chair of the Resolutions Committee. The State and National conventions will be next year. December is the month for penalty exclusion. The big VOE yearly prize will be selected tonight... The budget had to be cut more because of the number of members we have now.

Committee Reports:

Veterans: Kramer: For thirty years I wore an APWU jacket, now I wear a Veterans jacket. The Veterans display was a smaller one this year do to some problems. Since retirement I have attended 40 military funerals. You can go online to get the list of all the service men that have died in Iraq. We need to get more involved with our veterans. Volunteer your services. Do not forget those that fought to make America free.

Retirement: Hendricks: Don’t forget that Betsy DeVos stated that we are making too much money and her husband is planning to run for Governor. I still need an updated list of the retirees.

A&E: Stoddard…Golf outing June 4th goal is 6-8,000 dollars but personal goal is $10,000. Christmas party is Saturday Dec 10 4:30 to 7:30 PM, Skating party.

ABA: Tubbs: We have 52 members, 25 advantage, 28 value and 4 claims.

Cans for COPA: Beemblossom: $18.00

Budget: Novakoski: Budget committee met last week and we had to make adjustments, due to the declining of our membership. We recommend that only 10 delegates go to the National convention in 2006 and 20 for the State Convention. We recommend taking $5,000 from one of our savings account to help with the budget.

Correspondence: Thank you from the Tom Haight family for the flowers sent for his funeral. Flyer from the Labor Council promoting the Sheet Metal Workers to have good union quality work done on you furnace and air conditioners.

Board Recommendations:

For other than existing policy of having management allowed in union hall for pre-arb hearings that do not involve discipline, Postal management will not be allowed in union hall for any other reason. MSD

To accept the proposed 2006 budget MSC

New Business:

Motion: Novakoski Second: Pike, to take $15,000 from saving account to put into the 2005 budget as income. MSC Motion: Tubbs Second: Novakoski, for the Editor to be paid up to an additional 6 hours of LWOP to straighten out the mailing list MSC

Motion : Page Second: Pike To discuss AMF issues… Discussion MSC

Motion: Beemblossom, Second: Austin: To donate $100 to the P.O.W.E.R. Wish upon a Star tree family MSC

Motion: Tubbs Second: Beemblossom: To discontinue the Accidental Benefit Program at a cost of 20 cents a month per person opposed to the 53 cents for the ABA and become 100% ABA. Discussion.. MSD

Motion: Austin Second: Pike to drop the voluntary benefit. Discussion MSC

Motion: Lane Second: Hodges, To extend an invitation to Bob Hart to come to a meeting with an agenda. Discussion MSD

Labor Management:

Veterans Display for Future Displays, Up to date on the minutes, Injured carrier doing clerk work

Drawings:

COPA $46.00 WINNER Jim Ruark

VOE $50 DECEMBER WINNER Kathy Orazc

VOE $500 YEARLY WINNER Terry Shangle

10 - $25 drawing

Jennifer Gilbert, Jennifer Amos, Dan Quillin, Catherine Beemblossom, Jack Fryling, Jim Stoddard, Marie Jacobs, Jim Roark, Don Kramer, and Amy Marcus. ( Stoddard and Kramer donated their checks to the P.O.W.E.R. Wish upon a Star tree family)

$10.00 drawings

Tammy Byrnes, Michelle Gregory, Adrian VanDremmel, Carol Imanse, Steve Austin

Meeting adjourned at 8:55 PM.

Respectfully Submitted

Karen Hodges
Recording Secretary

Back

Home
Prez Report •  Membership Meetings
Officers & Stewards •  Events •  About WMAL •  Cool Links

Top

Webmeister Jennifer Amos. © Western Michigan Area Local
E-mail Jennia1957@aol.com with comments or suggestions