October 2020 Branch Newsletter

Greater East Bay Branch 1111 News Volume 40 Number 458

October 2020

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2021 Rotating Schedule Calendar Inside

Branch 1111 News

October 2020

NALC HEALTH BENEFIT PLAN SERVICE LINES General Claims Inquiries Hospital Precertification (Required) Prerecorded Benefits Information Prescription Customer Service Line

1-888- 636-NALC 1-800-622-6252 1-888-636-NALC 1-800-933-NALC

BRANCH PAPER DEADLINE The deadline for copy for Branch 1111 News is the 3rd of each month. News stories, articles, letters, drawings, or cartoons, as well as photographs -- either recent or historical -should be submitted to the Branch office. Short notices of personal or shop floor interest are especially welcome. The Editor and Assistant Editor retain the right to edit, delete, or reject articles and artwork for the good of the Branch.

BRANCH 1111 OFFICERS Edward P. Fletcher, President Jose Ochoa, Executive Vice President Narciso Paderanga, First Vice President Francisco Cabrera , Second Vice President Julie McCormick, Third Vice President Terrence Super, Fourth Vice President John Ferreira, Secretary-Treasurer Mary Phelps, Asst. Sec-Treasurer Keith Massey, Sgt-at-Arms Jacob Morgan, Insurance Officer Jose Corral, Trustee Jerry DePoe, Trustee Ron Jones, Trustee

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS Christina Aviles, Elizabeth Corriea, Rickie Cox, Marisela Fletcher, Ray Garcia, Joshua Pearl, Frances Rodriguez-Swint

BRANCH 1111 OFFICE HOURS Monday-Friday: 8 am to 5 pm 402 – 37th Street Richmond, Ca. 94805- 2134 510-237-5111, Fax 510-237-5181

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/nalcbranch1111 WEBSITE: www.Branch1111.org Meetings are held every fourth Tuesday of the month except in December

BRANCH 1111 NEWS STAFF

Greater East Bay Branch 1111 News Branch 1111 News is the official monthly publication of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), Greater East Bay Branch 1111. Circulation 3,000 Offices Served:

Alameda, Alamo, Antioch, Benicia, Berkeley, Brentwood, Clayton, Concord, Crockett, Danville, El Cerrito, Fairfield, Fremont, Lafayette, Livermore, Martinez, Moraga, Oakland, Orinda, Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasanton, Richmond, Rodeo, San Lorenzo, San Ramon, Suisun City, Union City, Vallejo, Walnut Creek

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Editor - Joshua Pearl: joshpbranch1111@gmail.com Assistant Editor – John Jekabson: jjbranch1111@gmail.com Contributors -- Ed Fletcher, Jose Ochoa, John Ferreira, Narciso Paderanga, Julie McCormick, Liz Corriea, Ron Jones, Jerry DePoe, Francisco Cabrera, Julie McCormick, Mary Phelps, Terrence Super, Keith Massey, Jacob Morgan Views expressed in Branch 1111 News do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor, Assistant Editor, Branch Officers, or members of National Association of Letter Carriers, Branch 1111

October 2020

Branch 1111 News

Virtual October Branch Meeting The Branch is hosting a virtual informational meeting on Tuesday, October 27, at 7:00 pm with updates on any official developments locally or in Washington DC. Please contact the Branch office at 510-237-5111 for more details on how to join.

CONDOLENCES We are saddened to report the death of Pinole retiree Paul Kovash. Brother Kovash was a Gold Card Member, joining the union when he started carrying mail more than 50 years ago.

Our condolences go out to his family, friends and co-workers.

He will be missed by all.

Berkeley DDU carriers Tina Cruz and Myong Lee celebrate their retirement

HAPPY TRAILS TO YOU! The following carriers retired recently: Jeannie Harris of Concord; Kenneth Smith of Oakland; Johnny Chan, Mark Long, and Arthur Herrera Jr., of Walnut Creek; Reynaldo Lapitan and Kenneth Wright, of Fairfield; Mark Decastro, William Ouiros and Maria Speris of Martinez; Tru Nguyen and Rizalito Lagsob of Pleasanton; Laura Sanabria of Antioch; Deirdre Mercer of Berkeley; Eduardo Maravilla of Lafayette; and Domingo Mendoza of Union City.

We wish many years of leisure to all!

CORRECTION In last month’s issue we misspelled the name of El Cerrito carrier Raymond Molinar Jr. We apologize for our mistake.

Letter Carrier Political Fund Ever wonder what it’ll take to get Congress to finally act on the much needed postal relief? Money and pressure Please consider donating to the LCPF. Every contribution helps secure a better future for all of us Call the Branch Office for details or use PostalEASE

Martinez carrier Roberto Chiapco, after 23 year of service, has his last punch

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October 2020

It’s About Safety Service, Not Just Making the Numbers!

By Edward P. Fletcher, President

I have worked for the Postal Service for more than thirty-five years now. In that time, I have represented letter carriers for at least thirty-two years. What has become painfully obvious to me in my many years of service is that trying to get Management to do the right thing without filing a grievance is like swimming upstream in a lightning storm.

First, you have got to fight the current of misdirection, misinformation or opposing views. Then you have to dodge the lightning bolts that Management is chucking in an attempt to get the Union to bolt and abandon its cause.

What is our cause? The Union’s cause is simple. It is all of us banding together to protect our rights in the workplace, promote safe working conditions, enforce the National Agreement and to attempt to reach across the great divide to proactively resolve issues and grievances if management is willing. We are always willing, but we will not forgo our rights.

Don’t Wait Until the Water Runs Dry Well, here we go again. The Fall Season is here in the Bay Valley District, and the well is dry again. Management can’t blame it on the drought or climate change. They only have to look to themselves. The Union has spoken up many times, banged on tables and called out from the Eastbay hills for Management to properly staff all Postal Installations by April of each year.

What the USPS has been doing for decades has failed miserably. They have not figured out a way to properly account for the dismal 50 % attrition rates, to curve the mandatory overtime and violations of the maximum work hours.

What are the root causes for new employees leaving and senior carriers retiring in masses? One of the problems is that they use preset complements. Do these preset staffing numbers properly account for all staffing needs? They haven’t worked so far? Although it would be difficult for any company to account for this years’ Global Pandemic, the USPS historically tries to make more bricks with less straw.

Or another analogy would be to put one gallon of gas in at a time when you have a great distance to travel. The long and late work hours for employees continually expose them to increased risk factors that can endanger their safety and health. The carriers are exhausted and the morale is low due to fighting this pandemic. Waiting until the water runs dry is not a plan, but rather a failure to properly plan and address the needs of the Service, its employees and its customers.

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Branch 1111 News

It is About Safety and Service It is not about numbers, which can be skewed and misrepresented without knowing all of the root causes. It would also be grossly unfair even to try to push numbers or projections when the system is already stressed and out of balance from the pandemic itself, long hours, extreme fatigue, thin political mail, low morale, no help in sight and holiday parcels for the last 6 months.

It is not about carriers allegedly failing to do their jobs.

Management, even if they claim it is unintentional, has hung them out to dry day after day and year after year. It is about Safety and Service, which can never be sacrificed on Management’s altar of numbers. There is no doubt that when any agency fails to timely act or is complacent and/or remiss on safety, that they have jumped into the rapids headfirst and have gone over the falls. Safety is not fancy words or slogans to be hung on a wall in the local Post Office. It is action to cause. The USPS must change its culture in the workplace and recognize that its employees who provide the service to our customers are their greatest asset and must be protected.

The union will continue to fight.

Pandemic Perseverance It was all of our hope that we would have defeated the Coronavirus by now through mask wearing, social distancing, medical advancements or cures. Unfortunately, COVID-19 is still here and there may be a resurgence this Fall. Please continue to be safe at all times. Wear your masks to protect you, your coworkers and your families.

Stay united and take care yourselves.

Fremont Main retiree Carl Anderson receiving his plaque and certificate from President Ed Fletcher. His coworker Christina Anderson also says farewell.

October 2020

The Berkeley Post Office Gone Haywire

By Jose Ochoa, Executive Vice President

Things are a mess in Berkeley!

Well, let’s begin with medical restrictions. If you are given a medical restriction, you must follow it.

It doesn’t matter what your Postmaster thinks.

The last time I checked, Berkeley managers aren’t doctors. If for any reason the medical restriction is missing a date or has a technicality, it doesn’t mean your medical condition-restriction went away. You still follow the restriction and have the doctor correct the mistake.

A medical restriction is not supposed to indicate a diagnosis, it just has to identify what constitutes your medical restriction. For example, the patient has been examined and I am placing him/her on the following restrictions, -- work up to 8 or 10 hours per day five days per week, or not lifting more than 20 pounds.

Management does not have the authority or the right to work you outside your medical restrictions.

The DRT (Dispute Resolution Team -- B-team) through several decisions has tried to educate Berkeley Management on this issue, all to no avail.

So, don’t let management work you in violation of your medical restrictions. It is not Managements’ business what was the cause of your medical condition unless you are claiming an “on the job injury” or “job related injury.

Once again, let me remind everyone, if a supervisor is yelling at you, it is only happening because you allow it! He/she does not have the right to abuse or mistreat you. Ask that abusive supervisor, would you like your wife or daughter to be disrespected the way you are doing with me? Let your Steward know, be a witness for you fellow carrier, and don’t be afraid to stand up!

Berkeley management is trying to shield its incompetence by issuing dozens of bogus discipline letters. Have you noticed that nothing is ever Management’s fault? It is always those lazy carriers

Branch 1111 News

who get tired of working 12 or 14 hours a day, 6 or 7 days a week with no end in sight who are responsible for everything wrong with the office.

Right?

Berkeley uses a daily average of 15 to 25 hours of carrier work assisting the clerks, instead of using those hours to help carriers who get mandated to work overtime every day. This violation has become chronic causing hundreds of dollars to be paid weekly for the violation. Perhaps, the new District Manager knows how to fix the problem after I finish showing him how much money is been paid out and wasted per month.

Leave it to management to find a way to make matters worse while we’re in the middle of the pandemic, election mail, unprecedented package volume and about to change to daylight saving time, What else could happen?

Well, it was decided by those geniuses to change carrier starting time to 9am.

There you go!

No doubt that will lift all you carrier’s spirit and morale. Or was it appreciation day?

Concord retiree Bob Kemme being congratulated

by Executive Vice President Jose Ochoa on completing 53 years of service. You deserve some time off

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Branch 1111 News

October 2020

THE NEXT FOUR YEARS

By Narciso Paderanga, IV, First Vice President

I have never really been concerned with politics or cared about it until I became actively involved with the NALC. I guess I never really knew how much it affected my career with the U.S Postal Service. The first time I cast a ballot for a presidential nominee for the United States of America was when former President Barrack Obama was nominated. It felt great that the nominee I voted for was elected and stayed in office for two terms.

With everything that we have faced so far this year, to me, nothing is more important than what is at risk besides the safety and well-being or health of my family, my friends and my brothers and sisters at the NALC. Our future is at stake. Our livelihood is at stake.

It’s unfortunate that there have been some very illnatured comments coming from either side as we come to election day. Wearing of masks have also become political even if it didn’t have to be. Everyone has skeletons in the closet. While we may not all agree on everything about each side’s past records, policies or beliefs, we must not forget what’s important and what we are currently fighting for.

For me, the choice is very clear. I will support the candidate who is not opposed to the welfare of our Employer, its employees and its future. I will support the candidate who will support the future of my 25-year career.

I am glad that the NALC leaders at the national level have endorsed Joe Biden as well, who I believe will have my best interest. The NALC’s endorsement was based on a polling conducted of its membership with a 2-1 ratio.

When I voted during the last election, most were too confident that the current president would not win. Let us not make the same mistake. Number 45 has shown his true colors since day one. He has shown disinterest for the future of the USPS. He has shown his lack of support in providing relief for the USPS during the worst pandemic ever while our brothers and sisters risk their lives day in day out since this began. It is clear that he wants to dismantle the Postal Service. For those of you who did not vote during the last election and for everyone else, as former President Obama stated, “Vote like your life depends on it”.

I will echo what the NALC National President Frederick Rolando wrote this month in his article.

“How members vote and what issues matter most to them is their business and their decision. Our messaging is intended for members who make their voting decision based on how it will affect their jobs, benefits, working conditions and careers.” In solidarity.

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NALC Endorses Biden-Harris Fredric Rolando, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), released the following statement regarding the NALC Executive Council’s endorsement of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for president and vice president of the United States: On behalf of nearly 300,000 active and retired letter carriers, we are proud to endorse Vice President Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to lead this country as president and vice president.

Vice President Biden is – was – and will continue to be – a fierce ally and defender of the United States Postal Service (USPS), letter carriers, and our fellow postal brothers and sisters. NALC’s endorsement and our support come down to Joe’s steadfast support of us and his unwavering dedication to improving the lives of all working people throughout this great nation.

Since coming to the Senate in 2016, Senator Kamala Harris has put letter carriers and working families first. In her role on the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, she has stanchly defended maintaining a healthy, financially stable Postal Service and has consistently acted to ensure that those who are nominated to run the Postal Service are held to the highest standard.

Together, Biden and Harris fully exhibit the experience, dedication, thoughtfulness and steady hands that will work to ensure that letter carriers and working families are put first.

The Executive Council’s decision to endorse the Biden/Harris ticket was based on the input of our membership through polling, surveys, responses to our candidate questionnaire, and a discussion with the Vice President. The decision is also partly informed by what we have seen from the current administration with regards to the Postal Service. In 2018, legislative recommendations from the White House Postal Task Force report called for the revocation of collective bargaining rights by America’s postal unions, massive cuts to services, and the potential privatization of the agency. Since that time, we have continued to see the administration take steps outside of the public eye to undermine the Postal Service and letter carriers.

And now, our country struggles to withstand the public health and economic crises caused by the Covid-19 virus. This pandemic threatens the very survival of USPS. Yet, while postal employees are on the front lines providing essential services to the public every day, the current administration refuses to provide the necessary financial relief that would strengthen the agency during this pandemic.

The Postal Service must not be allowed to fail. We must do everything we can to help the Postal Service thrive, not only for the men and women of the Postal Service but for the communities and businesses that we serve during this critical time. For those reasons, NALC is proud to stand with Vice President Biden and Senator Harris in November and beyond.

October 2020

Branch 1111 News

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2021

BRANCH 1111 JANUARY 2021 SUNDAY

MONDAY

3

4

10

11

TUESDAY

5

6

B

18 F

24

25

31

D 13 C 20 B

F

A

E

2 A $ 9

A

8

F

F

22

E E $ 23

28

D 29

B

MONDAY

2

8

22

D

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

D

B

C

6

11

12

7

A

C

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

2

19

25

A 20

E

C 14

F 18

8

B 13

21 A

D

E

F

MONDAY

TUESDAY

26

F

SUNDAY

MONDAY

6 F

11

12

16

E E $ 17

9

10

16

17

23

A B 24 F 25 + 26

30

31

D

4 C

24 C

B

13

19

F 20

D 25

14

FRIDAY

26

E 27 +

F 28

C

D

1

2

9

E E $ 10

8

9

MONDAY

TUESDAY

D

29

WEDNESDAY

17

23

C C $ 24 B

30 F

15

31

3

5 E

10

11

12

18

31

13 E

19 C

24

25

FRIDAY

D

22

23

E

29

F

D

E

30

SUNDAY

SATURDAY

C

MONDAY

TUESDAY

A A $ 15

6

7

13

14

30

E

18

21

28

E E $ 29

27

28

F

A

SUNDAY

D

1

SUNDAY

SATURDAY

MONDAY

23

29

A A $ 30

HOLIDAYS

7

8

14

15

F

D 27

B

6

12

13

22

A

28

29

B 17

7

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20

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25 A

A A $ 26 F

F

THURSDAY

2

27

E

C

D 22 C

A

B

B 11

17

A A $ 18

E 23

B 28 + 29

B 10

F 16

SATURDAY

$ 4

A 9

15

FRIDAY

3

F 24

D

F 25

E

E

30 C

DECEMBER 2021 SUNDAY

E E $ 13 D

MONDAY

6

12

13

26

C C $ 27

19

20

26

27

+ BRANCH MEETINGS

7 B

D 20

D

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

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5

19

B

TUESDAY

1

12

30 C

D

21 A

SATURDAY

6

B

WEDNESDAY

8

14 B

C

5

C 18

F 23 + 24

D

TUESDAY

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19

28

FRIDAY

D 11

25 E

F 5

D

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16 E

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9 F

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D 9

D

SATURDAY

C C 11 $ 12

F 24

1

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2

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$ 7

13

26

WEDNESDAY

A

5

A 17

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29

B

F 16

FRIDAY

4

10

D 22 + 23

A

26

TUESDAY

27 A

THURSDAY

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D

31

MONDAY

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SEPTEMBER 2021 FRIDAY

E

19 B

B 26

3

9

15 C

F

D

WEDNESDAY

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8 D

20

6

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C C $ 20

D

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SATURDAY

$ 6

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FRIDAY

5

11

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27

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D

SATURDAY

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F 28

D

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C C 15 $ 16

A 21

27 C

B

F

14

20

B

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17 F

$ 2

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14

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26 + B

A

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C

NOVEMBER 2021

THURSDAY

7

F

D 17

6

22

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F

D

4

10

16

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FRIDAY

7

13

19

TUESDAY

A

B

A

1 3

E

A

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OCTOBER 2021 SUNDAY

D

B 10

16

THURSDAY

4

JUNE 2021

THURSDAY

6

12 C

B

D

16

A

E

D

18

MONDAY

3

B 22

SUNDAY

SATURDAY

2

C 15

21

E

A

E

AUGUST 2021

THURSDAY

A

5

11 B

D

C 30 $

A

B

15

WEDNESDAY

3

9

B 3

B

8

A

E 18

7

WEDNESDAY

2

D 5

14 21

27

D

8

F

F

23

1 4

TUESDAY

10

29

WEDNESDAY

26

2

1

JULY 2021 SUNDAY

F

7

28

9

C 22

F 27 + 28

A A 19 $ 20

TUESDAY

F

B 13

$ 3

D 15

B

B

E 25

1

28

C

E 5

18

MONDAY

MAY 2021

THURSDAY

1 4

F

SUNDAY

SATURDAY

$ 6

12

E

C 23 + 24

APRIL 2021 SUNDAY

A 11

17

FRIDAY

5

F

D

A

THURSDAY

4

10

16 B

21

3

9

15

WEDNESDAY

E

C 14

30

TUESDAY

D 7

16

C

SUNDAY

1

15

MARCH 2021

FEBRUARY 2021

SATURDAY

1

D 21

A 26 + 27

FRIDAY

E 14

B 19

THURSDAY

7

C 12

A 17

WEDNESDAY

C 14

A

B

C

A

B

F

$ PAYDAY

ABCDEF – DESIGNATED DAYS OFF ON A ROTATING SCHEDULE

F 18

24

E E $ 25 D

31 B

F

17

C 30

A

A A $ 11

D 23

29

10 E

16

22

28 E

D

SATURDAY

4

F 9

15

21 F

B

8

FRIDAY

3

C

D

Branch 1111 News

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October 2020

October 2020

Equal and Opposite Reaction

Branch 1111 News However, the whole intent of M-01915 is to minimize the exposure of COVID-19, and the possibility of unknowingly spreading the virus to the workforce by employees working in multiple facilities. Sending employees to other offices by not satisfying the provision of “to the extent possible” is a violation of this MOU but also a safety and health issue under Article 14.

By Julie McCormick, Third Vice President

We all share a remembrance of grade school science class where we learned the basics of Newton’s Law of Physics.

Newton’s third law of physics states for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. An everyday example of this would be when you jump, your legs apply force to the ground and the ground applies an equal and opposite force which propels you into the air.

You might be wondering why you are reading a Letter Carrier union newsletter with a science article. That is because Newton’s Third Law of Physics applies to the actions of Postal Service management Recently, many offices have been sending CCAs, PTFs, and in some instances, Full-Time Regular Carriers to carry mail in offices other than their own. Despite there being a national memorandum of understanding (MOU), M-01915 to be exact, which “to the extent possible” prohibits sending employees to other offices due to COVID-19 and other safety issues, management is violating this MOU anyway.

So, what are the consequences (reactions) of sending CCAs, PTFs, and carriers to other offices?

Most obviously, it is a violation of Article 8.

If your office is sending CCAs and PTFs to work in other offices, that is assistance which should have been given to the carriers at their home office. This could have been in the form of providing auxiliary assistance to a non-overtime employee on a regularly scheduled day or could have prevented the improper mandating of a non-overtime carrier on their nonscheduled day. It could have even prevented an ODL carrier from working over their maximum work hours.

If the employees they are sending to other offices have a permanent route assignment or are on a opt/hold-down assignment, then it is a violation of Article 41.

If the CCA/PTF has opted on an assignment, then they are entitled to the work, hours and days of their opted assignment.

If they were sent to work at another office on a day, they should have been working their opt, then it is a violation. Same goes for Full-Time Regular Carriers if they are assigned to a route, they should be working their assignment.

Were the CCAs that they sent to other offices the most junior? Did they ask for volunteers first? Did they pay the employees’ mileage?

The M-01915 makes it clear employees are not to be sent to offices “to the extent possible” (which will be difficult for management to prove), but if in the event there were no Article 8 or 41 violations, did they abide by the original loaning memo M-01827 and Article 7.1.C.4?

Last, but not least. is there a violation of the memo itself along with Article 14? (Safety and Health). Most likely Management did not satisfy the contractual conditions before they sent employees to temporarily work at other offices.

Open Season is Around the Corner The dates for the 2020 Federal Benefits Open Season have finally been announced and they are Monday, November 9th through Monday, December 14th. This is a very important time to make any changes to your benefits, especially if you are planning on retiring next year. Many health benefit plans increase in cost when you retire and some changes can be pretty surprising for annuitants. Regardless, if you are planning on retiring in 2021, I would encourage all members to revisit their current health benefits and review any changes you may need to make.

I’ve mentioned this a few times before at Branch meetings: if you are planning on switching to the NALC Health Benefits Plan, either sign up for Self only or Self plus Family.

The rates for Self plus One are slightly higher than Self plus Family, even if it is only you and one other person covered with your health benefits.

You can quickly change your health benefits during Open Season through PostalEASE on Liteblue by going to the Federal Employees Health Benefits tab under Benefits.

If you have any questions about the NALC Health Benefits Plan, feel free to reach out and I can help you out.

Jacob Morgan, Branch 1111 Insurance Officer 11

Branch 1111 News

October 2020

New CCAs and PTFs on their final day of orientation class.

Welcome to the USPS! Buckle up it’s about to get bumpy.

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October 2020

Branch 1111 News 13)

Don't let Management violate your 6 feet of social distance.

14)

Do fill out a PS Form 1767, in order to report an unsafe condition in the office or on the route, always.

15)

Do fill out a PS Form 1571 whenever you curtail or bring back mail. Always get a signed copy back.

16)

Do file a grievance on any/all discipline you get, even Letters of Warning, within 14 days of the day you received them.

17)

Don't sign any discipline and not get a copy of it. (Refer to rule #6)

18)

Don't resign without talking to the Union first.

Don't skip your breaks and lunch.

Nobody (including myself) will ever feel sorry for you.

19)

Don't make any verbal commitments. That is what a PS Form 3996 is for.

Don't work off the clock. (refer to the previous rule)

20)

Don't' come to work when you are sick.

(Covid 19 symptoms)

Top 20 Do's and Don'ts

By Francisco Cabrera, Second Vice President

1)

Don't agree to be interviewed without your Union Representative, ever.

2)

Don't call your Union Representative just because a letter from Management says it is your responsibility. It's not, it is Management's responsibility to provide you a representative.

3) 4)

5)

Anytime Management tells you to finish the route, the overtime is authorized, so that is your only answer when interviewed by Management.

6)

Always get a copy of everything you give Management

7)

Don't go to Management first about fixing pay issues. Go to the Union first, file a grievance and then go to Management to see if they can fix it faster.

8)

Do turn in a PS Form 3971 that you filled out yourself every time you are absent from work. In advance, if possible, whether it’s for sick/annual or LWOP.

9)

Do schedule your sick leave.

10)

Don't sign PS Form 3971's filled out by Management from weeks or months ago, ever.

11)

Don't answer your phone if its Management calling when you are off the clock.

12)

Do wear your mask.

“Thank you my brothers and sisters.

You are the Lifeblood of the Postal Service”

Richmond McVittie carrier Sean Walton drops in at the Branch Office to receive some guidance

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Branch 1111 News

By: Terrence Lee Super, Fourth Vice President

We Take our Jobs as Full Time Officers Very Seriously I felt like this was important to say for my article this month.

When you have Stewards that are not getting the requested time to process grievances, it is up to us as Full Time Officers to make sure that grievances are filed and processed in a timely fashion. If a grievance were to slip through the cracks and not get filed by the 14-day time limit, that could be detrimental to that carrier, especially if it’s a Removal Letter.

By the way, this is an important message to all our members. If you are given a discipline and your Steward is not there, or both Stewards are on vacation, PLEASE call us at the Branch office and find out who your FTO (Full Time Officer) is. Because once management issues you that discipline, the clock starts! In the National Agreement it states this: Any employee who feels aggrieved must discuss the grievance with the employee’s immediate supervisor within fourteen days of the date on which the employee or the Union first learned or may reasonably have been expected to have learned of its cause.

Notice what it says there, you have 14 days of the date on which the employee OR the Union first learned or may reasonably have been expected to have learned of its cause.

For example, a carrier gives me or the Steward in their office their discipline on the 20th, when Management actually gave it to the carrier on the 3rd. Well, technically filing a grievance on that discipline would be untimely because it is now three days late. But some carriers contend that that 14 days should start when they gave it to the Union because that would be the first day that the Union knew about it. Well, according to the above contractual language, they would be correct. However, we at Branch 1111 don’t want to take that risk because Management would of course argue that that discipline was given to the carrier on the 3rd and that’s when the clock starts.

To be honest, the reason why I am telling our members this is because we have lost some grievances due to this argument made by management. The carrier gave us a discipline that was issued to them 4 months ago and tells us that they forgot to give it us. Then, we have to use the latter part of that language to try and argue that the UNION just 14

October 2020 found out about it. We may win that case, but it’s a strong possibility an Arbitrator might not see it that way. They could say that the discipline was issued, and it was the carrier’s responsibility to give it to the Union to grieve the discipline within 14 days from the date of issuance.

Please, this is very important, especially when it comes to a Removal Letter. So, when you can’t find your Steward or you don’t have one currently in your office, please give us call so we can immediately get involved.

We want to make sure that we protect you from possibly losing your job because Management might be targeting you by constantly trying to discipline you for whatever reason. If you are issued discipline, please get it to your FTO or Shop Steward immediately so we can TIMELY file a grievance to get it possibly thrown out.

The FTOs at Branch 1111 are ready to battle with Management. If your Stewards are not there, for whatever reason, come see us and get us involved. Our jobs as FTOs are important, and we thank the membership for the opportunity to make sure that NO grievance falls through the cracks and that we file them timely so that there are no timeliness issues.

Please help us do that by letting us know immediately when you feel you have been grieved. Filing a timely grievance is one of things that makes it that much simpler to win that grievance.

Want to Save the Branch Some Money?

Tired of receiving your paper copy of the Branch newspaper? Two copies coming to your house?

Prefer viewing it on our website?

Good news! You can now opt out of a paper delivery and we’ll email you when the new electronic edition has been uploaded.

Email joshpbranch1111@gmail.com or call the Branch at 510-237-5111 to make the switch and save some $ in printing costs for Branch 1111.

Branch 1111 News

NALC Branch 1111 Balance Sheet As of September 30, 2020 ASSETS Current Assets Bank Accounts 100 - Petty Cash 213.96 126 PPCU-50 116,234.04 Mechanics Bank Accounts 143,379.68 PPCU-Acct 70 25,619.59 United Bank Accounts 388,855.93 Total Bank Accounts $674,303.93 Other Current Assets Total Current Other Assets $848,804.56 Total Current Assets $1,523,107.76 Fixed Assets 189 - Accumulated Depreciation -127,446.57 190 - Accum Deprec - Furn./Eq. -68,743.00 191 - Accum Deprec - Computer Eq. -11,561.00 192 - Accum Deprec - Copier -6,896.60 193 - Accum Deprec - Building/Improv-153,573.66 197 - Accum Deprec - Storage Shed -430.00 198 - Accum Deprec – Prior -61,391.17 Total Fixed Assets $- 430,042.00 TOTAL ASSETS $1,093,065.76

15

October 2020 LIABILITIES & EQUITY Total Liabilities Net Revenue 3900 Unrestricted Net Assets Equity

-89.36 116,071.87 977,083.25 $1,093,155.12

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY

$1,093,065.76

The Political Mail keeps coming even if the carrier couldn’t that day.

Halloween isn’t the only horror show this month.

Hang in there Brothers and Sisters!

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID CONCORD CA Permit 1

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTER CARRIERS GREATER EAST BAY BRANCH 1111 402 –37TH STREET RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA 94805- 2134 (510) 237-5111

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS ` Kimberli Gutierrez

Paulina Lomeli Christian Ramirez Hernandez Naomi Enriquez Oscar Hernandez Hong Tao Wang Melaya Gaines Tishena Gilton Nutchatorn Thangkitsuk Alexander Amora Miguel Angeles Chica Jose Figueroa Paul Geiger Byron Lam Daniel Metrillo Miguel Raimilla-Barra Uthayarasa Ketheeswara Thavarajan Kugathas Kelsey Aguiar Esmeralda Basulto Scott England Kourtney Dimaggio Jocelyn Valencia Jessica Guzman Alexander Jacklin Amin Ahmed Janeka Bailey Monahar Bijor Kim Carter Sukjit Singh Leo Amarillas Cristian Castro Shannon Hankins Edger Lagares Guillermo Quant Christian Romero Chantelle Roberts

Antioch Antioch Antioch Antioch Antioch Berkeley Berkeley Berkeley Berkeley Berkeley Berkeley Berkeley Berkeley Berkeley Berkeley Berkeley Berkeley Berkeley Brentwood Crockett Crockett Danville Fairfield Fairfield Fairfield Fremont Fremont Fremont Fremont Fremont Fremont Livermore Livermore Livermore Livermore Livermore Livermore

Tracy Stark Jose Alcala Neal Holtz Randy Lacombe Jason Newton Anthony Rader Jacob Hedrick Lan Pham Wan Ling Lin Shomari Stewart Alondra Vazquez Hope Brown Katie Crowe Mukesh Ram Logan Edwards Patricia April Charm Fernandez John Haile Robert Lemesh Ryan McCarthy Jose Padilla Martinez Fernando Barba Fabian Jarol Tyler Johnson Carlos Medrano Enoc Rumbo Adam Soto Randy Tutsch Travonte Williams Danielle Hopkins Inderjit Kaur Bruseida Bonilla Tiffany Brian Vincent Shaw Ingrid Moors Yi Xin Lin Mario Torres Jedaias Silva

Livermore Martinez Martinez Martinez Martinez Martinez Martinez Martinez Oakland Oakland Pinole Pittsburg Pleasanton Pleasanton Pleasanton Richmond Richmond Richmond Richmond Richmond Richmond Richmond Richmond Richmond Richmond Richmond Richmond Richmond Richmond San Ramon Suisun City Vallejo Vallejo Vallejo Vallejo Walnut Creek Walnut Creek Walnut Creek

On October 27, the Branch will hold a virtual Informational Meeting.

Call the Branch Office at 510-237-5111 if you’re interested in taking part.