NEW Letter

STATE OF THE UNION Volume 26 Issue 1 Fall 2018 Tony Wilson Editor

Inside This Edition Union Hall and Offices Contact Info……….2 How to be a “Troublemaker “………………3 Hatch Act …………………………………..4 Treasurers Report …………………………..5 Just Keep On Keeping On ……………...6 &7 Update from the GMF…………………. 8 &9 Privatize Postal Jobs………………....10 & 11

FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK Tony Wilson Local Issues in a Nut Shell

NPMHU LOCAL 321 A DIVISION OF THE LABORERS’ INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA

Don’t Fall for the Oldest Trick…..12 & 13 Helpful Hints and Politics …………..14 & 15 Why Should Mail Handler Scan?.................16 Let’s Pull Together as a Craft…………17&18 Mail Handler Power………………….19 & 22

First, I want to take this me to congratulate brother Zach Mischo on his appointment to the Branch President (BP) posi on at the Denver P&DC. Brother Mischo was appointed to the (BP) posi on by majority vote of Local 321 Execu ve Board, Per Local By‐laws. Also, I want thanks all the other candidates who stepped up by pu ng their hats in the ring.

Please don't give up your me will come.

Safety with NPMHU Local 321……..20 & 21

Also, I want to take this me to congratulate our newly appointed Full‐Time Regular Mail Handlers, At The Denver NDC, Denver GMF, Colorado Springs GMF, and at the Grand Junc‐ on PO‐ thank you all for your pa ence and dedica on.

Colorado AFL-CIO Candia

Local 321 as launch its new website, I welcome all paid dues Colorado Mail Handlers Mem‐ bers to our New website, the material found on the site is for your benefit, please u lize it to your advantage. You can access the site at h ps://npmhulocal321.org to access the member resource por on of the site; you must register. You must be a current member to register with this site. If you have problems or ques ons about registering with the site, please reach out to a steward, they will assist you.

Brothers and sisters these are challenging mes, Mail handlers bid assignments are under relentless a ack by incompetent managers It seems like every me a job go vacated at the Denver P&DC, management has deep desired to revert it and then backfill that very posi‐ on with the flexible workforce. Consequently, this is causing the Service thousands of dollars due to their improper and unscrupulous inten ons to deprive full‐ me employees of these hard fought for bid posi ons.

In every single case, the union has vigorously challenged these feeding Frenzy, and in most cases, it causes the Service a compensa ve se lement. In each reversion no ce, these impulsive imbeciles sent to the union they stated that “Due to the decrease in mail vol‐ ume this posi on is no longer needed.” But each me they reverted a bid they backfill that very same bid with an MHA. MHAs are working over me in these posi ons, in most cases, the sec on that the bid was reverted from saw increase in over me. As a result, they are manda ng volunteers and non‐volunteers alike, and supervisors can be seeing do our work, (con nued on page 3)

NPMHU—LOCAL 321 1833 West Elk Place Denver, CO 80211 (303) 455-6400 Hall (800) 521-5094 Hall (303) 455-5810 Fax

Retiree’s Corner……………………………

23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30 & 31 MHBP Dental and Vision Plans………….29

This newsletter is made possible through the dues of the dedicated Brothers and Sisters of Local 321 Thank You,

Building Contact Info Denver P&DC Denver NDC Colorado Springs Grand Junction 2

Union Office 303-853-6487 Union Office Fax 303-853-6061 Union Office 303-853-2885 Union Office Fax 303-853-2851 Union Office 719-570-5509 Union Office Fax 719-570-2612 Facility Number 970-244-3436

How to be a “Troublemaker”

By Steve Brown

Local Issues in a Nut Shell (Con nued from page‐1) most of these frontline supervisors will tell you that the lack of staffing of Mail Handlers are causing them to fail each and every day. But at the same, these supervisors lack the spine to say this to their bosses.

3000 working people from around the country a ended this year’s Labor Notes conference in April to learn about how to build stronger, more effec ve local unions. There were over 100 workshops and training sessions to choose from during the three‐ day conference.

Brothers and sisters, this is not isolated to the Denver P&DC only, this is happening all over the State, the Denver NDC went from two tours to three with tour one now having least amount of Mail Handlers. Tour one is where most of the Mail process and then distributed ‐ one would believe that these wise men and women in management would want to staff that tour adequately, but no, they are too smart to do so. The results are massive over me calls, and again supervisors performing our work to get the mail out in the morning. Colorado Springs P&DC seeing massive cross cra and bargaining unit viola on, including with a steady increase of over me. Brothers and sisters, please rest assure that the union is challenging each of these viola‐ ons through the proper procedures. As one Author put it, “The Wheels of jus ce grind exceedingly slow, but they grind exceedingly fine.” We will prevail if we s ck together.

I got to meet postal workers from all four postal unions as well as postal workers from Canada, France, Japan, and Pales ne. The Canadian postal workers were fantas c. We learned about the many fun things they have done to preserve their public postal service in the face of priva za on. There also workers from Amazon, FedEx, and UPS who told about the things we have in common like speedups and worse working condi ons for new workers.

We got to hear from West Virginia schoolteachers about their wildcat, illegal, and successful strike which won them a 5% pay raise and ac on on their healthcare plan, reminiscent of the 1970 US postal strike. Before their strike, their pay was 48th in the na on.

Unfortunately, these a acks on our bid assignments might con nue unless Congress passes sensible Postal Reform, meaningful legisla on that will con nuous provide good middle‐class jobs for all. Cu ng services and jobs are dev‐ astated approach; this will not fix the Service problem, it will only worsen it.

Former Denver mail handler Ma McAuliffe was there. He’s now finishing up his college degree in Massachuse s.

All I ask of you is that when you observed management viola ng our contract, please bring it to the a en on of one of your stewards. Don’t hesitate please write witness statements and deliver them to us, ask to be excused from your work area to see a steward and if the steward is not available, write your witness‐statement and slide it under the union’s office door. It will get to the appropriate shop steward. Please rest assured that all possible viola ons of our contract are being grieved.

To see a detailed descrip on of this year’s confer‐ ence schedule, go to LaborNotes.org and click on “Events”. You can go to a Labor Notes conference too. The next one will be in April, 2020 in Chicago.

If you think you might be interested, start saving your pennies.

Brother Sam Koduah are designated steward for all rever‐ sion viola ons. The brother has been doing an excellent job monitoring and grieving these issues as they arise.

The Hatch Act Local President Wilson, Gree ng once again my sisters and brothers, during every elec on season I like to bring your a en on to very important but some mes ignore issue‐ The Hatch Act, the midterm elec on is upon us but as US Postal Service employees we are held to a different standard than those of our brothers and sisters who do not work as Fed‐ eral or Postal employees.

At the core is the Hatch Act that prohibits Federal and Postal Employees alike from engaging in poli cal ac vi‐ es while on duty on Federal Proper es, wearing an official uniform‐ in our case as Mail Handlers wearing any clothing with the USPS logo or name or while using a government vehicle whether on or off the Job. Sending or even forwarding an e‐mail that advocates the elec on or defeat of a poli cal candidate or party on a government computer or on your tablets or phones while on duty, will put you in viola on of the law. and can possibly get you fired.

The act prohibits federal employees, while on duty or in the federal workplace, from wearing or displaying items that show support for or opposi on to a poli cal party or par san poli cal group. For example, an em‐ ployee may not wear or display a poli cal party t‐shirt, poster, or similar item in the workplace.

Recently the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) rules that Federal and Postal employees are prohibited from using grant leave requested to campaign for union‐endorsed candidates. In this very ruling, the OSC rules specifical‐ ly against Postal Service, sta ng, "The agency was engaging in “ins tu onal bias” because of its ac ons gran ng leave without pay to further the unions’ poli cal ac vi es and the ac ons of the agency are in viola‐ on of the Hatch Act. As a result, the USPS ins tuted unilateral changes to the Employee and Labor Rela ons (ELM) and PS Form 3971 that didn’t allow use of union LWOP for these purposes. Management’s ac ons violated the contract and went against established past prac ces. This issue was addressed by the APWU, NALC and Mail Handlers union in a Na onal Level arbitra on and was recently decided in the favor of the Unions. What effect that this decision will have is to be determined.

That's a very broad scope, basically for now, as Federal and Postal employees you can only engage in these ac vi es on your own personal me (i.e. your Non‐schedule days and or vaca on me) and not wearing any clothing with the name or logo of the US Postal Service else you might be in a world of trouble. For more infor‐ ma on on the Hatch Act, please visit, h ps://osc.gov/pages/hatchact.aspx

In Union Solidarity Errol ‘Tony” Wilson

3

4

Treasurer’s 2017 Report

JUST KEEP ON, KEEPING ON!!

Jeff Morgan | Treasurer 2017 turned out to be a very good one for our Local’s finances. On both the income and expenses columns, we were receiving more and spending less, respec vely. We were much improved in the expenses column in 2017 as we didn’t have the costs of a ending two conven ons (Na onal and LIUNA) as in the year before (2016), and our dues Income was up again from the year before due to the raises we received in our Na onal Agreement. As you may know, when we receive a nego ated wage increase in any one year, our Na onal cons tu on states that our dues increase by one dollar. This has helped our Local’s income greatly, to the tune of an extra $15,000/yr. That combined with our increase in dues income from 2016 (approx. $11,000/yr.), has led to an extra $26,000/yr.

Our Associate Income (dues collected from Federal and Postal workers who are not Mail Handlers but enrolled in our MHBP Health Plan) was also up several hundred dollars for the first me in years. This was a welcome change from the losses we have endured in prior years, but which were par ally offset by the Na onal Union’s Revenue Sharing Program. For our costs incurred in promo ng the MHBP in Colorado during open season, we were reim‐ bursed nearly $10,000 from the Na onal’s Par al Reimbursement Program. You may have seen us selling the plan at the facili es. Thanks to those hard‐working Union Reps who promoted it!

I would like, and have asked, our Local #321 Council to consider becoming full‐fledged dues paying members of the Colorado AFL‐CIO. I believe that every union should strive to achieve full financial support for this related or‐ ganiza on of unions who work to have each other’s back in protests, ac ons, and nego a ons. We would also be allowed more delegates at conven ons as well as at its’ most important subordinate volunteer body, the Denver Area Labor Federa on (DALF). To pay the full per‐capita for each Local member to the Colorado AFL‐CIO would amount to an addi onal $10,371/yr..

On May 8th, 2017, our Union Hall sustained extensive damage from the historic Denver Metro hail storm. The roof, walls, ceilings, electrical, and other infrastructure were severely damaged. Our State Farm insurance paid $233,177.52 for renova on and repairs. It was a mess. However, the biggest mess has been the contractor. The contractor and other subcontractors have done a poor job in repairing the roof, electrical, phone lines, and securi‐ ty systems. They also took off with our $800 Epson LCD projector and a ladder. But most concerning is that the roof is s ll leaking in several places! We’ve had to pay extra to repair the fax /phone lines, security/cameras sys‐ tem, and a new digital projector. In the mean me, the contractor has placed a lien on the building because they say we haven’t paid them for their shabby work. We have hired a law firm that specializes in construc on defects to represent our interests. We hope to have a resolu on to these ma ers and, most importantly, repair our Union Hall the right way.

The insurance money from State Farm and the payments to the contractor along with addi onal expenses to properly repair the electrical and security systems have put our income and expenses columns a bit out of whack for the me being.

Bo om line is that we nearly doubled our bank accounts from $74,800 in 2016 to $145,450 in 2017. We will no doubt use some of that money to fight and finalize the repairs on our building. I believe that we have a good case for construc on defects on our roof and electrical work. Hopefully, we will be able to recoup some of the costs.

Our extra accounts balances will also help put this behind us and have a Union Hall that is up‐to‐date, structurally sound, and virtually newer than before.

5

By: Richard J. Lairscey Colorado Springs Branch President Local 321 Legislative & Political Coordinator Hello brothers and sisters. I hope this finds everyone healthy and enjoying the wonderful weather. Well this year in January Brothers Vince Lazard and Kenny Baldwin re red. Together they had more than 55 years of combined service between the US Army and the United States Postal Service. Congratula ons and enjoy yourselves.

As for as the rest of us, we are beginning to see more job movement due to re rements, resigna ons, and good old fashion job bidding. With more to come, so watch the bid board. Also, due to 3 residual vacancies; 2 MHA’s (James Gooding tour 3 dock / BMEU relief and Vicky Vargas tour 1 dock) converted to career Full Time Regulars of 12 MAY 2018. The Union has not been made aware of a new F‐1 scheduler yet. So, for now we will just keep on keeping on.

Let’s pull together as a cra . It’s me for everyone to write statements of all viola ons you see. As Stewards we need you to assist us with what is happening in and around your work area daily. The Denver facili es have no fied Karl Foster (plant manager) that they will no longer be de‐sleeving the le er trays that they send to our facility (Colorado Springs) anymore. There is talk of us once again ge ng a de‐sleeving machine.

In the mean‐ me clerks are de‐sleeving le er trays. Please; if you see this no fy your tour Steward in the form of a wri en statement, so we can con nue to Grieve this contract viola on by management.

The clerk cra is also working Non Machinable Outsides (NMOs) for 812; Penrose, Cannon City etc.… over in the rockpile area. If you see this write a statement and give it to the Union. We are challenging this to get this work moved to one of the NMO breakout areas. Now more than ever we must remain Diligent to maintain and secure the func ons that have historically been performed by the Mail Handler cra . We are also filing Grievances to try and create new bid jobs in the 110‐spread area. When you are working in the 110 area or de‐sleeving mail anywhere in the facility; please make sure you are clocked into opera on 110.

Safety is very important. If you see someone performing an unsafe act file out a PS FORM 1767 (report of hazard, unsafe condi on or prac ce) and give it to your supervisor. If you are uncomfortable with that see your tour Steward for assistance in this ma er. We need to make sure that everything is being done in a safe manner. We cannot rush around doing unsafe acts just because the Mail Handler cra is under staffed and management is behind. If anyone is interested in being a safety captain; please let me know. If anyone is interested in becoming a PIT operator trainer (mule and forkli ) please let me know.

As we all know; we are heading in to the poli cal season. It is now me to elect our friends in office, so we can crush our enemies! By friends I mean men and women that believe in (your pay check) Union values, the placement of working class families back into the middle class and out from under the poverty level. People who don’t believe in out‐sourcing. People who believe in fair pay for all, no ma er what your race or sex.

People who want to see Americans back to work! Men and women who want to see our Veterans become produc ve members of the community work force. People who want to see our Veterans and all American ci zens receive the quality and affordable health care they deserve. (con nued on next page )

6

By enemies I mean some of these dead head jackasses. You know who they are. These same men and women that stand there and tell us that they care about the middle class, and then pass laws to out source work to oth‐ er countries. Pass big tax cuts for their friends. Create bills and laws to priva ze the United States Postal Service and the VA Hospitals. Take cash handouts and kickbacks from billionaire corpora ons; while small family owned businesses are being chocked out. This atrocity must be stopped; and the only way to do this is on the ballot. That’s right! With our VOTE!! Reach todays candidates. See who votes and stands with what is best for you and your family. Who wants to see Unions thrive again? Bring jobs back to America; to rebuild America. It is as important as even the city council race; because these are the people who could be our Governor, Senator, or Congressman one day. Choose wise since your future depends on it.

As always; we would not be where we are without our fabulous Stewards. You do a great job of serving the members and holding management accountable. A well deserved thank you to Roberto Hernandez, Wendy Macholz and Vicky Vargas. To all the Union members reading this; thank you for your con nued loyalty and support. For all you non‐members reading this; JOIN THE UNION and stop free‐loading. Stop looking for a handout. Stand up and pay you share for all the benefits the Union contract give you. Unions pave the way for higher wage and safe jobs for all working Americans. Be part of a movement you and your family can be proud of; as you help change the lives and working condi ons for working families across the Na on.

BUY UNION!! BUY AMERICAN!!

THE LOCAL 321 EXECUTIVE BOARD TONY WILSON…….……President CURTIS GRANTHAM……………..Vice President JEFF MORGAN…………..............Treasurer SAMUEL KODUAH.. …………...…………...…Recording Secretary MICHAEL RUIZ…………………....State Executive Board Member

THE LOCAL 321 COUNCIL ZACH MISCHO…….……Denver P&DC Branch President CURTIS GRANTHAM……………..Denver NDC Branch President RICHARD LAIRSCEY……………..Colorado Springs Branch President CURTIS BEATTIE……………..Grand Junction Branch President

Updates from the GMF Zack Mischo BP, Denver P&DC/CFS In the last five months, since assuming the role of Branch President for the Denver GMF, I’ve been reminded on an almost daily basis of something former State Rep John Meding told me years ago.

With every new face in upper management, In‐Plant Support and Labor Support, the clipboard teams from USPS Area and Na onal HQs helicoptered in to “fix Denver”, the unnecessary and counter‐ produc ve changes made to how we move the mail, his words s ll ring true when he said, “…the Postal Service doesn’t know what the hell they’re doing, but they’re sure in a hurry to get it done!”

This, in a nutshell, summarizes and encapsulates what the Union has been dealing with since I came into the role in May. It’s nothing new. Management’s a empts to take shortcuts, ignore the re‐ quirements of the contract and unnecessarily impact both our work and personal lives in and outside of the facility, are the reasons for the existence of the Union.

The Union, however, is up to the challenge – thanks in no small part to everyone involved. From the officers and stewards, to the membership on the floor, we all have a part to play in the David and Go‐ liath ba le we undertake daily.

With that in mind, I’d like to thank the Officers and Stewards, as well as the membership, for all the con nued help and support they give to making this Union successful in its representa on of the membership.

While there’s not enough space for everything, some of the more recent examples of challenges for the Union and its membership show us that when we come together in the fight to uphold the con‐ tract, we win.

In May, management informed the Union of their intent to change the report mes for all PIT opera‐ tors. The stated reason for the change was to make the a.m. dispatch mes. From the first day, it was apparent that the change would not work. Instead of fixing the problem, the change resulted in exactly the opposite of what they hoped to achieve. Through the statements wri en by the mem‐ bership and subsequent inves ga on, the Union was able to show that; not only were dispatches s ll not going out on me, but floor management started bringing in drivers for early OT, supervisors is‐ sued Changes of Schedule to bring drivers in at the old report me and they backfilled driver posi‐ ons with ad hoc drivers.

Because of the diligence of the membership in wri ng statements and the Union’s inves ga on and handling of the grievance, the PIT operator report mes are now being changed back by one hour to align with most of the previous report mes. Thanks to Mail Handlers Teresa Fedak, Mike Barela, and John Krecker and everyone else who provided statements, for their persistence in helping the Union to document the case.

In another example, management failed to post vacancies within the meframe required under the contract. The Union filed the appropriate grievances and secured se lement for Out of Schedule pay for management’s viola ons of the Agreement. (con nued on next page)

7

8

In the past several months, management has con nued in their “wholesale” reversion of bid jobs. For all but two, the Union (thanks in large part to the efforts of brothers Sam Tweneboa‐Koduah and Tony Wilson) has successfully argued for the repos ng of these jobs. It is expected that they will con nue with a empts to revert jobs as they become vacant – this is where we need the membership to proac vely fight for these jobs.

Management, o en, doesn’t have a clue what a par cular job entails and how it fits in the puzzle before they decide to get rid of it. One thing we have to our advantage – nobody knows our jobs be er than we do.

Once you see a job go vacant on the ‘Awards’ DPM, and you know the job, help the reps with the arguments on why the job is s ll needed.

The Union has received se lements and con nues to file on cross‐cra grievances related to the Clerks working NMO’s. Steward Claude Ridley con nues to add statements to both grievances for the NMOs and for mail coming from the NDC not being de‐sleeved and worked on the machines by the Clerks. Again, please support these grievances by helping document these viola ons when you see them. In the end it means more Mail Handler jobs.

Our MHA brothers and sisters have had to endure some of the short‐sighted decisions made by manage‐ ment in ways our Full‐Time Regulars have not. Recently management a empted to change the schedule of the MHAs to six‐day work week. Despite insistence that the schedule change would be done fairly and across the board, the Union, with the help of the membership and their statements, was able to show that, again, the proposed benefit was not being realized and the change was rescinded.

As another example, management has a empted change of the mail mix and processing responsibili es for both the NDC and GMF. As part of this effort, management decided to “loan” ten MHAs form the GMF to the NDC. The change lasted three days before being rescinded and the Union is filing grievances at both fa‐ cili es.

One of the biggest issues the Union is dealing with now is the update to the RI‐399 process. In June, it was agreed by Na onal NPMHU, APWU and USPS to update the RI‐399 process. As a result of this agreement, it requires that all old cases be iden fied and either; withdrawn, referred to the Ar cle 15 grievance process, or held in abeyance pending the outcome of a na onal‐level case.

The Union has held tripar te mee ngs with both AWPU and management to ini ate and comply with the requirements of the first phase of the process. The second phase will require a new inventory be done for the facili es – all opera ons, all jobs, top‐to‐bo om. The Local Dispute Resolu on Commi ee will be inter‐ ac ng with the other LDRC reps from both APWU and USPS to finalize the inventory by December 31st. This process update and agreement is long overdue and should provide for quicker resolu on of jurisdic onal disputes in the future.

The Branch Mee ng for the GMF, NDC and CFS facili es is the first week in November, at the Hall. Everyone has something to offer – show up, par cipate and contribute. if you would like to talk about how you can best contribute, don’t hesitate to reach me. Most days I am on Tour 3 but you can always reach me via e‐mail at: zmischo@npmhulocal321.org.

9

White House asks Congress to Privatize our Postal jobs!

By Local 321 President Tony Wilson On June 21st, the White House officially requested to Congress to priva ze the U.S. Postal Service.

With Republicans in control of Congress and the White House, the threat to our jobs is real. More informa on is available on our na onal union website, Npmhu.org.

Your pay rate, health insurance, union contract protec on, seniority rights, sick leave, re rement, over me, bidding rites, and your job itself are all at risk.

If a private company takes over the post office, their one goal will be to make as much profit as possi‐ ble. They will pay McDonalds or Walmart wages and they will probably be nonunion. Re rement, sick leave, health plan? Forget it!

Priva zing the USPS is not in the public interest or in the interest of mail handlers and would be noth‐ ing more than a raid by corporate billionaire pirates on a na onal treasure.

What can each of us do?

•In order to win this fight, we will need to reach out to community groups of veterans, seniors, par‐ ents, businesses, everyone who uses the U.S. Postal Service and convince them to fight to save our USPS. Learn about A Grand Alliance to Save Our Public Postal Service. (Website: agrandalliance.org) This is an alliance of postal customers and postal unions working to save the public Postal Service.

Prac ce explaining why the USA needs the public Postal Service, not a priva zed postal system.

•Then when the me comes, each of us and our families will be needed to contact Congress.

•If you are veteran, your voice will be needed to let Congress know that you as a veteran depend on the benefits and protec ons of a job with the U.S. Postal Service.

•Contact friends and rela ves who live in rural areas and ask them to fight to save their Postal Ser‐ vice. Most rural parts of the country are represented by Republicans in Congress and the Republican votes are essen al to the passage or defeat of any postal priva za on legisla on. Small towns and rural areas especially depend on the public Postal Service with its dependable service, universal ser‐ vice, and low postage rates.

•Be ready to spring into ac on when our na onal or local union ask for you to step up. .•Keep up‐to‐date with the latest developments on our na onal and local websites.

(Npmhu.org & Npmhulocal321.org) Sign up for access to the members‐only sec ons of our new local website so that you can receive email and text updates. (con nued on next page)

“The Wheels of jus ce grind exceedingly slow, but they grind exceedingly fine.”

10

This is not a Republican or Democrat issue. It is an issue that affects everyone. If the uproar is loud enough, Congress will have no choice but to defeat postal priva za on.

Don’t Fall for the Oldest Trick in the Book Steve Brown, Denver GMF

In Union Solidarity, Errol “Tony” Wilson

Right now, postal workers and labor unions are under a ack. There are moves to dismantle protec ons for workers, weaken unions, weaken our re rement, increase our healthcare costs, abolish bids, change our schedules, mandate us for major holidays, and disrupt our lives. Postal workers have shown over and over that when we stand together and work together, we can make things be er.

We invite all Colorado mail handlers to contribute to our Local 321 newsle er.

We are looking for any news items that will help unite us and bring people together. Ar cles about your experiences in life or at the workplace. We can always use artwork and photos. The newsle er belongs to everyone who is a member of Local 321.

If you have ideas, send them in! We will consider all submissions but reserve the right to make editorial judgements. Please email all submissions to Local President Tony Wilson (email ewilson@local321.org) or Vice President Cur s Grantham (email cgrantham@local321.org). The deadline for the next newsle er is September 12, 2018.

As management at the post office and the poli cians in Washington push us harder and cut our quality of life, they love it if we get confused and direct our anger and frustra on not at the system and the bad policies but at each other. What is management’s classic technique to break unions and break unity? It is to divide the workers against each other. They like it when we are divided and figh ng with each other instead of standing together for our rights.

At the Denver General Mail Facility, you can some mes hear people who don’t like immigrants or who are afraid of them. People repeat unfounded rumors or nega ve things they’ve heard on the news or seen on the Internet. It’s easier for people to say these things when they do not have close personal rela onships with the people they’re talking about.

Don’t fall for gossip that divides us. The American labor movement was built by immigrants‐‐ Russians, Italians, Irish, and many more. If you hear someone trying to spread rumors and fear against other workers, you can tell them to stop.

For the last 150 years, factory owners and bosses have tried to redirect the anger and frustra on of workers toward the Irish, the Italians, the Chinese, and now today toward Mexicans or Muslims. Talk‐radio hosts like to say that Mexicans are taking jobs from people born in the USA but they never talk about the companies that have exported millions of jobs to China. The richest family in the world is the Walton family that made its fortune from Walmart and Sam’s Club. Walmart owns many factories in China were people earn pennies an hour doing jobs that used to be good American jobs.

Planta on owners were able to maintain slavery by pi ng poor white workers against the enslaved Africans.

They did not want the whites and blacks banding together. A er slavery was abolished by Lincoln, the planta on owners and other employers pi ed whites against blacks so that they would not unite and de‐ mand higher wages together.

STATE OF THE UNION IS PUBLISHED FOR THE DUES PAYING MEMBERSHIP OF LOCAL 321 OF THE NATIONAL POSTAL MAIL HANDLERS UNION. ANY MEMBER MAY SUBMIT ARTICLES FOR PUBLICATION, WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF LOCAL 321 RETAINS THE RIGHT OF FINAL APPROVAL OF ALL SUBMISSIONS. SOME ARTICLES CONTAIN EDITORIAL COMMENT WHICH IS THE OPINION OF THE AUTHOR AND NOT NECESSARILY LOCAL 321.

11

The railroad barons employed tens of thousands of Chinese laborers to build the transcon nental railroad system. Then when the work was mostly done, an ‐Chinese laws were passed.

We live in a unique me. In 48 hours and with $2000 you can fly anywhere in the world. A car race in Monaco. Scuba diving in the South Pacific or Hawaii. Helping a friend build a house in Brazil or Botswana.

Hiking in the Swiss Alps. The world is there to discover and explore. People all around the world are traveling to faraway places. Some have come to Colorado and are working as mail handlers. (con nued on next page)

12

What does it take to leave your family and your homeland to go to an unfamiliar place to find work? For hundreds of years people have come to the United States escaping wars or starva on. The same is true to‐ day. Many Colorado mail handlers who came here from other countries le homelands damaged by wars, dictatorships, or poverty. John F. Kennedy said we are a na on of immigrants. Some people are 100% indig‐ enous Na ve American Indian. Everyone else in the USA has a family who were immigrants.

For thousands of years some people in power have kept their power by dividing the people that they ruled over. It’s called, “Divide and Conquer”. People get divided and are manipulated into believing that another group is bad, or not okay, not as righteous, not as smart, not as good, not as hard‐working, not as honest, not as beau ful, not as deserving, not as precious, as another group of human beings.

And if you look at the big picture, when one group is singled out for a ack, it’s bad for all of us. For example, when Jews are targeted by an ‐Semi sm, Jews are not the only ones who lose. Working people from all backgrounds also suffer the effects of this divide‐and‐conquer tac c.

People are told that Jews, Mexicans or Muslims or whoever are responsible for poverty, economic inequali‐ ty, and our corrupt system. These are myths. Then when working people get fed up enough about how they’ve been treated, they are more vulnerable to believe these lies and their a en on is diverted away from changing our unfair working condi ons.

If there’s someone we don’t like, we can at least make an effort to treat them with respect as a star ng point.

The people in power try to use racism, class divisions, sexism, an ‐immigrant oppression, disability oppres‐ sion, etc. to divide us working people from each other. They want us to lose our unity and direc on towards building a be er country and a be er world. All of us are limited by our own experiences. We have only a par al view of how things really are. Our life experiences are real but are only a small por on of what every‐ one has experienced and so our viewpoint is limited.

What if we didn’t feel like we were alone in the ba le to have a good future for our families? What if we could imagine we were in this together in one unified movement? Here is something we can all try: find someone who you don’t know. Ask him or her to tell you a li le bit about who they are, and the group they are in and the work they have done. And listen. And then tell them something you want them to know about you, your group, and the jobs you have had.

When people from very different groups learn about each other, they feel more hopeful about working to‐ gether and changing things. There is a reason for the old mo o, “In unity there is strength”.

Helpful Hints and Politics Mike Ruiz SEBM Here are some things to remember that should help you through your day to day postal life. As a steward I run into these issues with members frequently. Some of our newer MHAs might not have an opportunity to learn them and some of our older members might have become relaxed. But they are your rights and you should be aware and using them.

“3971” A PS form 3971 states at the top “Request or No fica on of Absence”, This means you are either re‐ ques ng for permission for leave or you are no fying management that you will be leaving. Management cannot force you to stay but be cau ous that your leave may be scheduled or unscheduled depending on many circumstances. You don’t want to put yourself at risk of discipline if its not necessary. If you have issue or a ques on consult with your stewards and get some advice, we have seen the ins and outs many mes. And now for the real reason for wri ng about 3971s, don’t just give one copy to your supervi‐ sor. Fill out two 3971s or make a copy and present both to your supervisor. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS get a copy of the 3971 that has been signed/received by your supervisor to keep for yourself and your records.

Think of it as a receipt documen ng what really happened. Many mes, employees and stewards need these to prove what really happened with that leave request. I can’t stress enough how many mes leave comes into ques on and 3971 are helpful to verify what really happened. You should also keep copies of any informa on given to management.

“Ask for Union Time” Here are some general guidelines. Under normal circumstances, employees should be permi ed a reasonable amount of me to consult with their steward. It’s not uncommon to hear employees thoroughly frustrated with work condi ons or a specific supervisor. When we are pushed to our limits naturally we want to defend ourselves with a lot of passion. This some mes leads us to say or do things we may regret later. If you find yourself in this situa on, request a steward instead of just going on your own. If management is legi mately giving you a tough me, the last thing they will want is to lose you off the workroom floor and have the Union inves ga ng the situa on. My belief is that you follow these simple guidelines when you’re at the end of your rope. (1) Let the supervisor know that you need Union me and would like to speak with a steward. A good supervisor will see that there is a hot bu on issue and let you go quickly to see the Union, in hopes of deescala ng the issue. (2) If you are told that you cannot go immediately, follow up with a second ques on. Ask “If I cannot go now, then when can I go”. Management should inform the employee involved of the reason for the delay and when me should be available. If we follow the request correctly, we keep ourselves out of trouble and hold management to the contractual guidelines. Don’t put yourself at risk, use the contract and assert your rights. If management doesn’t follow through the Union will address it.

“Fair day’s work for a Fair day’s pay” Your contract speaks to work standards. The principle of a fair day's work for a fair day's pay is recognized by the par es to this Agreement. This is included because each employee is very different than each other and everyone’s strength and pace are different. Remember a Mail Handler has a physical job. At some point someone will be stronger and faster than you, and this may keep you or a coworker from ge ng injured on the job.

13

14

“Taking notes” I have heard it said many mes that “a short pencil beats a long memory”. This means if you write some notes down to paper or electronically you will have a reference to remember the specific details in the future. Having records of me, dates, witnesses and lots of other valuable informa on that is specific to concerns that you may want to address later. Some mes we don’t sweat the trivial things, and that’s ok. But when the trivial things add up and turn into important things we wish we could remember all the previous details. The more suppor ng informa on your Union has for a grievance, the more likely they will have stronger arguments to resolve the Grievance.

“Weingarten Rights” Weingarten is a big word, it means that workers have the right to request Union representa on during inves‐ gatory interviews. If management wants to speak to you or ques on you, and you reasonably think that it may lead to discipline ‐ you have the right to request a steward before answering any ques ons. Before or at any me during the interview request a steward. If your request is refused and management con nues asking ques ons, you may refuse to answer. You would not want to go to court without a lawyer, use your rights to protect yourself.

Poli cs…Cope Conven on and upcoming elec ons Recently I a ended the 33rd Biennial COPE Conven on, In Colorado Springs. During this conven on many Col‐ orado Unions gather to discuss labor friendly candidates for upcoming elec ons. Everyone has their own be‐ liefs and everyone gets one vote, but I would ask you to consider the following. Regardless of what poli cal party you support, you should support a labor friendly candidate. There are many running for office who do not believe in Unions and that can have a drama c nega ve effect on our jobs and livelihood. All labor Un‐ ions and working people should seriously consider how their vote can impact their job, and the Postal em‐ ployees and USPS are Federal employees. This means congress has a direct link to how our Union and busi‐ ness is run. An ‐Union candidates have been talking about priva za on for years. I remember hearing a con‐ versa on where Mail Handlers were deba ng candidates, I remember one saying “I vote my paycheck”, meaning that his job and pay is a very important to his day to day life. I would say I have to agree, nega ve poli cal policies could have a serious effect on my job policies and my paycheck. More informa on can be provided about candidates, and remember the “Hatch Act” during the upcoming elec ons.

Why Should Mail Handlers at the NDC Scan?

By Curtis Grantham Denver NDC BP Local 321 VP There is an ongoing issue among mail handlers at the Denver NDC and why should they scan. Will it really make a difference if I scan? What will this do for me? It only helps management earn their bonuses. I was in a discussion with then PM(A) John Darden about scanning scores and their effects on hiring. I did some look‐ ing into this and this is what I found.

There are three different ers of NDC’s: Tier‐1 NDC’s distribute local and outgoing Standard Mail, Periodicals, and Parcels to the er‐2 NDC. The Minneapolis NDC is a er‐1 plant. They are only responsible for Minneapolis. The mail for other NDCs that they process is sent to the er‐3 Des Moines NDC. Like the Denver NDC, Des Moines has the mission of all three ers. Tier‐1 NDC’s have the smallest opera ons in the NDC network system.

The Sea le NDC is a er‐2 NDC. Tier‐2 NDC’s perform the distribu on of local and outgoing Standard Mail, Periodicals, and Parcels from their supported NDC’s, and perform the same tasks as the er‐1 NDC’s. They cross dock and consolidate their mail with mail from the San Francisco NDC. This mail is sent to the er‐3 NDC’s. There are only four er‐3 NDC’s and they are Des Moines, Denver, Memphis, and Pi sburg.

As a er‐1 NDC, we process mail from Arizona, Colorado, Eastern Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, Western Nebraska and Wyoming.

As a er‐2 we are responsible the cross docking and consolida on of mail from the Los Angeles NDC. As a er‐3 we are responsible the cross docking and consolida on of mail from the Los Angeles, San Fran‐ cisco and Sea le NDC’s.

As you can see, we are basically the hub for every NDC in the west except for the Dallas NDC. That is what makes this so ironic.

The Minneapolis NDC has 208 Full me Regular (FTR) mail handlers and 43 MHA mail handlers.

We are si ng with 206 FTR mail handlers and 36 MHA mail handlers.

They are a er‐1 NDC with a lot smaller mission yet have staffing like ours. What’s the difference you ask?

They scan. The Minneapolis NDC con nually scans at the 95% plus range. The Denver NDC along with Se‐ a le and Minneapolis NDC’s are the only NDC’s in the Western Area. However, they both have con nually led the Western Area in scanning. The Denver NDC scanning scores have improved, but by no means are ge ng the numbers the other NDC’s have to jus fy the hiring of more people.

Mike Ruiz Local321, SEBM

As you have no ced, we are being tasked to provide a 24‐hour opera on with two shi s worth of people.

This has resulted in management now forcing a lot of us to work holidays and manda ng more over me to the non‐list. Let’s face it. We need the help. Your Union is doing everything in its power to address the staffing issues. What can you do you ask? Do your part. Just scan. Give your Union the tools it needs to push for more people through addi onal FTR posi ons.

Let’s Work Together for a Stronger NDC 15

16

Let’s Pull Together as a Craft By: Richard J. Lairscey C/S Branch President, Local 321 Legislative & Political Coordinator Hello brothers and sisters. I hope this finds everyone healthy and enjoying the wonderful weather. Well, this year in January brothers Vince Lazard and Kenny Baldwin re red. Together they had more than 55 years of combined service between the US Army and the United States Postal Service. Congratula ons and enjoy yourselves.

As for as the rest of us, we are beginning to see more job movement due to re rements, resigna ons, and good old fashion job bidding. With more to come, so watch the bid board. Also, due to 3 residual vacancies; 2 MHA’s (James Gooding tour three dock / BMEU relief and Vicky Vargas tour one dock) converted to career Full‐Time Regulars of 12 MAY 2018. The Union has not been made aware of a new F‐1 scheduler as of yet. So, for now, we will just keep on keeping on.

Let’s pull together as a cra . It’s me for everyone to write statements of any and all viola ons you see. As Stewards, we need you to assist us with what is happening in and around your work area on a daily basis. The Denver facili es have no fied Karl Foster (plant manager) that they will no longer be de‐sleeving the le er trays that they send to our facility (Colorado Springs) anymore. There is the talk of us once again ge ng a de‐ sleeving machine. In the mean‐ me clerks are de‐sleeving le er trays. Please; if you see this no fy your tour Steward in the form of a wri en statement, so we can con nue to Grieve this contract viola on by manage‐ ment. The clerk cra is also working Non Machinable Outsides (NMOs) for 812; Penrose, Canon City, etc.… over in the rockpile area. If you see this viola on, write a statement and give it to the Union. We are chal‐ lenging this to get this work moved to one of the NMO breakout areas. Now more than ever we must remain Diligent to maintain and secure the func ons that have historically been performed by the Mail Handler cra . We are also filing Grievances to try and create new bid jobs in the 110‐spread area. When you are working in the 110 area or de‐sleeving mail anywhere in the facility; please make a move to opera on 110.

Safety is paramount, if you see someone performing an unsafe act, please put them on alert and if you are uncomfortable with that, see your tour Steward for assistance in this ma er. We need to make sure that eve‐ ryone is working safely. We cannot rush around doing unsafe acts just because the Mail Handler cra is un‐ derstaffed and management is behind. If anyone is interested in being a safety captain; please let me know.

If anyone is interested in becoming a PIT operator trainer (mule and forkli ), please let me know.

As we all know; we are heading in to the poli cal season. It is now me to elect our friends in office, so we can crush our enemies! By friends, I mean men and women that believe in (your paycheck) Union values, the placement of working‐class families back into the middle class and out from under the poverty level. People who don’t believe in outsourcing. People who believe in outsourcing. People who believe in fair pay for all, no ma er what your race or sex. People who want to see Americans back to work! Men and women who want to see our Veterans become produc ve members of the community workforce. People who want to see our Veterans and all‐American ci zens receive the quality and affordable health care they deserve and are en tled to. (con nued on page 18)

17

Let’s Pull Together as a Craft (con nued from page17) By enemies I mean some of these deadhead jackasses. You know who they are. These same men and women that stand there and tell us that they care about the middle class, and then pass laws to outsource work to other countries. Pass significant tax cuts for their friends. Create bills and proposals to priva ze the United States Postal Service and the VA Hospitals. Take cash handouts and kickbacks from billionaire corpora ons; while small family‐owned businesses are being checked out. This atrocity has to be stopped; and the only way to do this is on the ballot. That’s right! With our VOTE!! Reach today's candidates. See who votes and stands with what is best for you and your family. Who wants to see Unions thrive again? Bring jobs back to America; to rebuild America. It is as important as even the city council race; because these are the people who could be our Governor, Senator, or Congressman one day. So, choose wise and careful. Your future de‐ pends on it.

As always; we would not be where we are without our fabulous Stewards. You do a great job of serving the members and holding management accountable. A well‐deserved thank you to Roberto Hernandez, Wendy Macholz, and Vicky Vargas.

To all the Union members reading this; thank you for your con nued loyalty and support. For all you non‐ members reading this; JOIN THE UNION and stop free‐loading. Stop looking for a handout. Stand up and pay your share for all the benefits the Union contract gives you. Unions paved the way for higher wage and safe jobs for all working Americans. Be part of a movement you and your family can be proud of; as you help change the lives and working condi ons for working families across the Na on.

BUY UNION!! BUY AMERICAN!!

We invite all Colorado mail handlers to contribute to our Local 321 newsletter.

We are looking for any news items that will help unite us and bring people together. We are looking for ar ‐ cles about your experiences in life or at the workplace. We can always use artwork and photos. The news‐ le er belongs to everyone who is a member of Local 321. If you have good ideas, send them in! We will con‐ sider all submissions but reserve the right to make editorial judgements. Please email all submissions to both Cur s Grantham (email cgrantham@local321.org) and Tony Wilson (email ewilson@local321.org or ewilson@npmhulocal321.or The deadline for the next newsle er is January 15, 2019.

Please visit your Local website at www.npmhulocal321.org

18

Mail Handler Power!

Safety with NPMHU Local 321

Jeffrey Morgan, Treasurer I would like to thank all of the applicants who put in for Branch President at the GMF. In my mind, they were all very qualified and I could imagine any one of them performing the posi on with their abili es and dedica‐ on. Hopefully, we never have to go through that again as I would much rather have the membership decide.

It’s a very difficult decision to make and also hard to not have a posi on for everyone who is qualified and mo vated. I believe Zack (Mischo) will do a great job for the membership over the next few years. I know it is a difficult job that requires input, communica on, and support from all union reps and the members. Let’s all give what we can to help our Mail Handler Power grow stronger!

I recently had the privilege to a end the Colorado AFL‐CIO’s 33rd Biennial COPE Conven on (Commi ee on Poli cal Educa on) with brothers Tony Wilson, Mike Ruiz, and Richard Lairscey. The two‐day conven on was an inspiring and eye‐opening affair with mul ple unions from across the state and arousing speakers and Col‐ orado gubernatorial pro‐union candidates. The overriding theme of was union member involvement! What that boils down to is increasing union power and influence by ge ng members more aware, interested, and ac ve about their and other’s wages, benefits, and working condi ons. They are all under a ack! Officers, stewards, and a few volunteers can’t do it all by themselves in this country. What’s clear is that ac ve par ci‐ pa on, in numbers, is what is driving poli cs, protests, and Union Power! We need you! You need you!

The first day was a highlight that featured Chris ne Campbell, President of the American Federa on of Teachers (AFT) in West Virginia. Have you heard about West Virginia teachers? They were the first of several to go on strike demanding pay increases. Her talk was “Building Worker Power When All Signs Point to “No.” Guess what? The AFT members in West Virginia took over and led their leaders through nego a ons and protests. Chris ne was ever candid, victorious, and conciliatory in her amazingly down to earth speech.

Check her out on YouTube! I think she was the highlight of the conven on and had a few others in tears.

Other highlights were speakers on Colorado Teachers, Payday Lender Interest Caps legisla on, and Redis‐ tric ng Ballot Measures in mul ple states. I was so impressed with the Colorado AFL‐CIO Officers and Staff who also spoke. We had breakout sessions (we a ended the ‘Common Sense Economics’ class) where we were able to talk and learn as a group. The highlights of the second day included a major surprise guest speaker in Randy Bryce, who is running against Paul Ryan (who has since announced his re rement – for fear of running against an Ironworker, Local 8?) in Wisconsin 1st Congressional District. He was asked to a end by Josh Downey, President of the fantas c and volunteer powered Denver Area Labor Federa on. The last speaker was Tefere Gebre, Execu ve Vice President, Na onal AFL‐CIO, who spoke of being the first immi‐ grant, poli cal refugee, and black man elected as a Na onal Officer in the Federa on’s history. He also spoke of the need of union members to take ownership and get ac vely involved in their own livelihood. He men‐ oned that this is what is happening in the U.S.A. today with various groups. The COPE Conven on was the best conven on I had ever a ended. Inspiring, mo va ng, and very moving to the call of rank and file union‐ ism. It’s now up to us in this local and this country to get more involved! In the end it will enhance Union Power and, of course, Mail Handler Power! (con nued on page 22)

19

By Patrina Jackson With winter around the bend, it is best we prepare beforehand for any obstacles that are known to present themselves this holiday season. Dress appropriately for the coming cold weather. More than one clothing layer can be helpful to avoid cold stress, frostbite and other cold weather ailments. Cold weather can some‐ mes cause someone to get rapidly sleepy while working which poses a threat to safety if walking or on PIT equipment. So make sure you are layered, warm and on a good nap schedule. We need energized postal workers who are NOT literally shivering in their boots. ********ATTENTION EVERYONE*****ATTENTION EVERYONE******** If your facility is closed due to a natural disaster, excessive snow, or an emergency situa on, you need to call the Employee Emergency Hotline and put the first 3 digits of the facility zip code (GMF, NDC, CFS, all Denver sta ons are 802). This will tell you of any facility closings and where/when to report to work.

Please save this number in your phone – 1-888-363-7462. ***************************************************************************************** STAY HYDRATED!!!

Water is the Elixir. ~~Mama Ayanna Ade Do you know your water intake should be half your body weight in ounces each and every day?

For example, if you weighed 120 lbs, your water intake should be around 60 ounces per day. A lot of ail‐ ments we deal with on a day‐to‐day basis can be remedied if we each drank the proper amount of water.

Water is one of few liquids that can go throughout the body, even to the brain. Water hydrates our en re body and gets our bodily func ons moving efficiently for the hard work we do. Water can help relieve nau‐ sea, energize red muscles, curve hunger, clear up acne, relieve gas/indiges on and cure dehydra on. Just to name a few of its benefits. ************************************************************************************* PIT TOW DRIVERS Check the GPMC and wiretainer tow hookups before moving rolling stock. Many hookups are broken and rusted pre y bad and are separated or beginning to separate from the frame. This can cause the rolling stock to separate from the tow motor during transit. This is a big hazard to pedestrians and fellow tow driv‐ ers. There are too many rolling stock with broken tow hookups coming off of the HTPS and SPSS machines as well as other surrounding dispatch loca ons. Drivers when you iden fy these defects, please red tag that equipment.

When driving PIT equipment, you MUST drive in designated aisles and vehicle areas. Cu ng through work areas, cu ng corners and driving between machines is not allowed. Employees are not expec ng you in these areas and they are not designated for PIT traffic. This includes supervisors and management driving while on the phone. It isn’t safe do this on the streets and it equally isn’t safe at the GMF.

20

Tow motors are to transport ONLY 3 GPMCs or wiretainers at one me. Do not transport more than 3 GPMCs, especially on the docks, as it poses a safety hazard to dock workers as well as workers on the work‐ room floor and is safety viola on.

RPJs are NOT to be used to transport GPMCs and or OTRs throughout the plant. This PIT equipment is not made for that type of rolling stock and poses a safety hazard to the workroom floor. ***************************************************************************************** ***************************************************************************************** Surrounding Work Areas Hand pallet jacks are NOT to be used to dispatch GPMCs or to remove excess empty equipment in Flats and other work areas. A CartCaddy is the proper equipment to transport GPMCs when not on a tow motor.

Walking in the aisles is as dangerous as walking in the street. You MUST be aware at all mes. Look both ways before just walking across aisles, especially coming from the bathroom or around blind corners.

Walk to the edge, not in the center of an aisle. Never walk more than 2 wide. Strive to walk within the yel‐ low line around the building.

Cell phone usage while walking in the aisles is distrac ng for you walking safely and poses a hazard to the tow drivers who can’t see you as you walk distracted across aisles and into oncoming traffic. Stay clear of employees moving equipment and all PIT. Stay alert!!

Mail Handler Power!

What Does Labor Want?

(con nued from page 19)

We want more schoolhouses and less jails,

Incidentally, the four pro‐union and pro‐working fami‐ lies gubernatorial candidates for Colorado Governor who spoke at the Conven on were Donna Lynne, Mike Johnston, Cary Kennedy, and Jared Polis. My favorite speaker, who sent chills with her mo va onal speech about unionism in the Governor’s Office, was Cary Ken‐ nedy. There was no official endorsement that came out of the Conven on for any of these candidates due to a lack of majority vote. However, I will be suppor ng any one of these candidates, whoever comes out of the pri‐ maries as the winner. We need pro‐union and pro‐ working family candidates winning in the upcoming elec ons from the municipal to the na onal levels. We can’t let what’s happened in the past come back to hurt us again. We need to protect, ensure, and increase our Mail Handler Power!

more books and less arsenals,

EVERYONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SAFETY Don’t be one of the 7,000 employees the Postal Service doesn’t have an updated address for.

You can update your address via LiteBlue, Blue, Employee kiosks, by telephone and by mail. ***************************************************************************************** Got something to say about safety concerns? Send an email to pjackson@npmhulocal321.org with the Subject line: Safety with NPMHU LOCAL 321.

Until next time, this is Safety with NPMHU LOCAL 321 .

21

more constant work and less crime, more leisure and less greed, more jus ce and less revenge.

We want more opportuni es to cul vate our be er nature.

By Samuel Gompers, American Federation of Labor, 1893

Postal News Online Source

************************************************************************************************** **************************************************************************************************

more learning and less vice,

Npmhulocal321.org npmhu.org agrandalliance.org savethepostoffice.com apwu.org nalc.org nrlca.org 21cpw.com postalreporter.com cpwunited.com

22

RETIREES CORNER

Denver P@DC Retirees Steward Del Rowe presents Brother — with his re rement jacket.

Congratulations to all our brothers and sisters who recently or who will soon will be retiring.

Denver P@DC

Denver NDC

Sister Cozzie Johnson

Brother Steven Clapp

Brother Raymond Jeffery

Brother Bruce Clow

Sister Audrey Murphy

Brother Chi Depp

Brother Willie Morales

Brother Jesse Ellerbe

Brother Norman Patterson

Brother Randall McGee

Brother Robin Rivedal

Brother Edward Oliver

Brother Kirk Thomson

Brother John Rivera

Brother

Sister Anette Williams

Mail handlers (L-R ) xx wish Brother — Ma Davis and Best Wishes.

Colorado Springs Brother Vince Lazard

23

24

Sister Audrey Murphy is presented her jacket by Steward Mike Blcakburn.

Steward Dorchak— presents Brother Willie Morales with his re rement jacket. Well done Brother Morales.

Thank you for your service and for being a member Sister Murphy.

Steward — presents Sister Cozzie Johnson with her re rement jacket.

Farewell Sister Johnson.

You cant read her bu on, but it says that she is the new CEO of Re rement Inc. Congratula ons Sister Johnson on the new promo on.

STATE OF THE UNION IS PUBLISHED FOR THE DUES PAYING MEMBERSHIP OF LOCAL 321 OF THE NATIONAL POSTAL MAIL HANDLERS UNION. ANY MEMBER MAY SUBMIT ARTICLES FOR PUBLICATION, WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF LOCAL 321 RETAINS THE RIGHT OF FINAL APPROVAL OF ALL SUBMISSIONS. SOME ARTICLES CONTAIN EDITORIAL COMMENT WHICH IS THE OPINION OF THE AUTHOR AND NOT NECESSARILY LOCAL 321.

25

26

Brother Norman Pa erson receives his re rement jacket from Steward Karen Smith.

Enjoy Your Re rement Brother Rivedal. Local 321 Treasurer Jeff Morgan. And Re red Mail Handler Robin Rivedal.

Happy trails Brother Pa erson.

Thank You Brother Garcia for all of your work with Local 321. We wish you much success in the future at home in Michigan. Chief Steward Linda Solomon presents Brother Garcia with a jacket

Treasurer Jeff Morgan presents Brother Raymond Jeffery re rement jacket.

Best of luck to Brother Murphy as you move to your next chapter in life.

27

28

Denver NDC Re rees Re red Navy and now re red Mail Handler Bruce Clow accepts his jacket from, Chief Steward Robert Koryto.

Wish you would have signed up for DENTAL or VISION coverage during Open Season???

It’s not too late!!!

MHBP Supplemental Dental & Vision Plans Postal and Federal employees can enroll in the MHBP Vision or Dental plans all year long! You don’t have to wait until next Open Season.

Congratula ons Brother Clow.

Enroll at MHBP.com anytime or call 1-800-254-0227 Monday through Friday from 8am to 6 pm EST. 1-800-481-9871 (for TDD for the hearing impaired).

Who says that you can’t have your cake and eat it too.

Enjoy that well deserved rerement

29

30

Re red Army and now re red Mail Handler Jesse Ellerbe accepts his jacket from, Branch President Cur s Grantham.

Best wishes Brother Ellerbe. Tour-2 mail handlers gather to send him off.

From L—R (Mail handlers Don Mondragon, Jesse Ellerbe, Carlos Lebron, BP Grantham. Mitchell Mar nez and Steve Valdez )

31

32

LOCAL 321 1833 WEST ELK PL DENVER CO 80211

33

FIRST CLASS MAIL U. S. POSTAGE PAID DENVER CO PERMIT NO. 1844

34