August 2024 The Postal Record 75 When I started at the Post Office, we never had to worry about getting robbed. This is not the case today. Unfortunately, this is the third carrier robbed at gunpoint, and two other car- With a few retirements headed our way shortly here in Racine, just a memo to all the younger and newer carriers to please listen and learn from the older, seasoned and vet- eran carriers out here. We just might happen to know a thing or two about stuff. Recently, I touched on the subject of COAs. Just too many kinks in the hose. The USPS needs to do a bet- ter job informing the public of the new require- ments for the COAs to effectively be activated. Not everybody can just jump in the car and pop up at the P.O. with their driver’s license. The USPS forgot about a whole segment of society that may be immobile. Assisted living, nursing homes, rural, alone, no family or otherwise no one to assist if a COA is necessary. No longer can you just give the COA to your carrier or toss it in the outgoing mail. Informed Delivery—great concept; however, with fewer and fewer clerks to work the mail, it’s a crapshoot. That’s all I got. If you like this article, click “like,” “subscribe” or share with a friend. Wait, that’s a YouTuber thing. Trying to be retro and hip at the same time. I’ll stick with retro. Chris Paige, Branch 436 Rockville, Maryland O n June 15, Arlene Galang was robbed at gunpoint. The two masked gunmen de- manded her Arrow Key. She works at our Po- tomac unit and has about 20 years of letter car- rier service. Thankfully, she was not injured, but understandably shaken. Arlene is one of the nicest individuals I have met in the Postal Service and I started carrying mail 46 years ago. What a damn shame! avoid heavy sugar or caffeinated beverages, and take comfort stops if needed. And God for- bid you or anyone you work with experiences any heat illness, please tell your steward or someone in the union. Unfortunately, here in Providence, there have been instances of management not tak- ing the initiative when getting CA-1 and CA-16 forms filled out properly and promptly. Heat ill- ness is severe, and the last thing you should worry about is getting an expensive bill for an ambulance ride after the fact. Management is still frequently on the road doing road obser- vations, even in this heat. Just a reminder to make sure you’re working safely, as you never know who might be watching. Lastly, the September meeting will be held on the first Wednesday of the month due to Labor Day. Be safe and work smart until next time. Anthony Turcotte, Branch 15 Racine, Wisconsin I n keeping with the times, I suggest the re- branding of the traditional branch scribe to that of a content creator. Perhaps a written podcast. I’ll start off by saying fruit in Jell-O is just wrong; always has been. When was the last time you know of somebody cutting their tongue licking the flip top lid of a metal pud- ding snack pack? That’s because you didn’t, it never happened. We survived that and Old Dutch potato chips in a cardboard box, with two bags to a box.
must be provided a safe and healthful work- place.” Under Article 1, it is the union’s responsi- bility to represent the city letter carrier craft, making this email demeaning to not only the employees, but also the NALC organization as
Despite physical limitations, Derek traveled to many places as an ambassador, including the Jerry Lewis National Telethon, and numerous NALC events. I remember Derek and his par- ents coming to my local post office to encour- age employees to contribute to the Combined Federal Campaign. Thank you, Derek, and his family, for providing inspiration to all of us. This year’s golf tournament allowed Branch 358 to donate more than $5,000 to MDA. Thanks to Mike Curran, Derek’s uncle and Rab- bit Riley for all their hard work to make this event successful. Derek will always be a part of Branch 358! Being director of retirees has given me the opportunity to meet many of our retirees. Handing out gold cars or assisting them with retirement issues has given me a deep sense of admiration for them. One of our retirees, John Chirico, has amazed me. John was a letter carrier in the Amsterdam Post Office. He was drafted in World War II and served his country in the Army. After the war, he joined the Post Office in 1954 and retired after 30 years. When I visit John, I am amazed at the clarity of his mind. He always tells me stories about deliver- ing mail more than 60 years ago. I want to wish John a happy birthday on Aug. 28. He will turn 100. It has been my pleasure to become friends with John. Frank P. Maresca, Branch 358 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma L ike most delegates, I am excited for the national convention. However, by the time most of you read this, the convention will have come and gone. Reconnecting with acquain- tances and friends and making new ones will be good. The final numbers for the food drive were printed, and Oklahoma City finished second in its category and fourth in the nation. Brag- ging rights aside, I want to thank everyone who volunteered their time and labor to make the food drive the spectacular event that it is. We could not collect millions of pounds of food if it weren’t for your efforts every year. NALC has the Heroes of the Year, but as someone once said, every letter carrier is a hero on Food Drive Day. So, from one hero to another, thank you again for all your hard work and effort. Eric E. Beu, Branch 458 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania B ranch leadership is concerned about the re- cent surfacing of a management email writ- ten by a prominent PA-1 Labor Relations rep/ Step B DRT rep (whose hands you may well find holding your professional fate) that is demean- ing to employees and downright dangerous to our health and safety. It mentions not caring if employees “get their throat ripped out by a Pit Bull” or go “without a seat belt engaged and they die.” According to our collective-bargaining agreement, management is responsible for providing a safe work environment and a zero- tolerance mutual respect atmosphere. Accord- ing to the Employee and Labor Relations Man- ual (ELM) , Section 811.21.a, management will “demonstrate a commitment to providing safe and healthful working conditions in all Postal Service owned and leased installations.” Also, Section 811.23.a reads, “People — Employees are our most valued resource. Our employees
a whole. The work of the union is not to simply “bail employees out of every situation,” as the email states, but to defend an employee and give them their day in court. This perilous ideological mindset regarding safety has absolutely no business in USPS, let alone any workplace. Even if it was intended as a joke that didn’t land, it is tragically serious. Branch officers have escalated these concerns to our region’s national business agent and to Sen. Bob Casey’s office, who has agreed to conduct an official inquiry on the matter. Article 14 states, “The Union will cooper- ate with and assist management to live up to this responsibility,” so even if management doesn’t “care,” the union will make every at- tempt to hold them accountable in living up to that responsibility. John Conger II, Branch 84 Plainfield, New Jersey P lease be advised I am retiring from the po- sition of president of Branch 396 after 48 years in the position. I have a 6-year old son with special needs in a school system that starts the school year in August, which means I will not be able to at- tend the national convention for the first time in 40 years. I do not resign with a heavy heart, but rather with the confidence that our great local will continue with knowledgeable and competent leadership into the future. The national bylaws state that Vice Presi- dent Terance Wilson will assume all duties of the president as vice president until the swear- ing-in of officers in September. I will continue to help future president Ter- ance in any capacity needed for the benefit of the union. Mike Breslin, Branch 396 Providence, Rhode Island W e’ve officially entered the dog days of sum- mer. This is one of the warmer summers in the Northeast that I can remember. It’s impor- tant to take extra precautions in these summer months to prevent heat illness. Drink plenty of water on and off the clock, park in shady areas as much as possible, eat lighter meals at work, Reading, PA Branch 258 President Fred Ranalli Jr. presents 50-year membership awards to three members. Pictured (l to r) are Richard Cavanna, Gary Bucher, Rinalli and Leo Breton.
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