Control-T UPTEAM Monthly Newsletter September 13, 1994 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Election time is drawing near, time to start taking things seriously. All nominations will be final as of October 15, and the October newsletter will contain position statements of the nominees. If you are a nominee, email me your statement ASAP, or I'll be forced to make up one for you - I'm sure you can do a better job. Include a short "resume" as well, if you wish. GOOD NEWS!!!!! I'm sure you all know by now, due to one of the nice quirks of representative government (the reps need not always vote according the the wishes of their constituents), our Grandfather clause is intact. For the time being, the score is Ants: 1, Grasshoppers: 1. Until the next contract season. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Finances: Savings Checking Item Credit Debit Balance Credit Debit Balance 25.19 153.29 Previous balances 20.00 173.29 T-shirt order 2.50 170.79 Below min bal fee -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Got a letter from our contingent at Dulles, along with a donation and - 18 signatures on the UC petition! This brings us to a total of 39, the rest being from Roanoke and Ft. Wayne. What, none from Ft. Lauderdale? Yes, well, mine will bring it to 40. I'm still trying to get the Union to approve my posting the petition here. Guess I've got to try harder. Anyway, the signatures from Dulles included a few level 5's. I'm not sure what this means, but I hope it means that these level 5's are working on a promotion, and that they want representation commensurate with their higher-level jobs when they reach that higher level. But maybe it means that they want level 5 jobs to be included in the new unit. I personally am in favor of level 6 and up to form the new unit, but there may be compelling evidence to reevaluate that position. And anyway, a third possibility is that the level 5's want to remain in the same craft as the custodial workers, but they are in favor of the 6's and above being a separate unit, since their agenda is so much different. For whatever reason, I'm grateful for their votes, and now I'm thinking of the possibility that even custodians might be in favor of the Unit Clarification, since it could be viewed as an advantage to them as well, to split maintenance into "highly skilled" and "lesser skilled" factions. Let's not overlook any possibility when seeking signatures. I hope to include a copy of the petition with this month's newsletter. But let's not duplicate signatures - if you signed it once, don't do so again. The APWU is negotiating our new contract right now - I'm sure a lot of you are wondering, as I am, what kind of not-so-nice surprises await the skilled Maintenance workers. Moe's enthusiasm for "Industrial Unionism", although I must admit to not understanding the meaning of the expression, worries me in that it smells like the same kind of one-size-fits-all mentality that has eroded our pay difference over the years and is now threatening to make seniority cross all craft boundaries. Well, Mr. Biller, WE ARE DIFFERENT. We, the skilled mechanics and technicians of the USPS, deserve MORE pay and BETTER benefits than the marginally skilled workers who make up the majority of your members. And if you won't help us, we will if necessary take our business elsewhere. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Election takes place throughout November. Currently the nominees still are myself, Tim Doughty in Portland (Maine), and Jim Gloeckner in Pittsburgh. You may mail ballots to Upteam at any time after November 1st and before the 1st of December. Ballots will be opened in the presence of the Ft. Lauderdale Upteam local. Results will be posted in the December newsletter. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- UPTEAM T-shirts, Cotton/Poly S-M-L-XL $10 | Plus shipping (you choose method) | e.g. Priority mail send $12.90 | Send checks to UPTEAM at address below | | This space for rent: only $15.00! ------------------------------------------| Ads - business card size $15, 1/4 page $37| 1/2 page $75, full page $150 | If all profits for UPTEAM, ad is FREE | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Internet: jcomeau@world.std.com OR 70641.57@compuserve.com EDC-BBOARD: jcomeau CompuServe: 70641,57 UPTEAM * P.O. Box 100632 * Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33310-0632 * (305) 966-0441 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- United Postal Technicians and Mechanics To Whom it May Concern: I have read the UPTEAM proposal and agree with its basic goals, and hereby announce my membership. (Signed) ___________________________________________ Date _______________ Name (Please Print) ______________________________________________________ Mailing Address __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ Email Address (if any) ___________________________________________________ Position ______________________ Level _______ Facility ___________________ Comments, suggestions, disagreements, etc.: