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New Year, New Resolutions · United We Scan

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Welcome to the United We Scan Podcast, the podcast by rural
0:18
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Thank you. Now here are the hosts of the
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United We Scan podcast. Welcome back everybody.
0:55
New Year episode one O 5, New year, new resolutions.
1:01
Bill is not with us this weekend.
1:04
He and the wife are on their annual anniversary trip.
1:08
I do believe he's in Punta Cana this week, so he should be
1:11
joining us again next week. But so you're just kind of stuck
1:14
with me and James tonight. How was your week, James?
1:20
It was about normal at the office.
1:22
New postmaster starting to stretch his legs a little bit.
1:27
He was a district DSS support specialist and he loves talking
1:34
about all the carriers that have been emergency placed in the
1:37
district by the pods. And it's gotten to the point
1:43
where I think we've got at least 100 to 150 carriers that have
1:48
been EP Ed in just the Detroit one district, at least from the
1:52
numbers that he's given. On top of that, you know, my
1:57
route, it takes me a little while to get done.
2:00
I get done just around evaluation just a little over it
2:04
most days. And he brought that up to me.
2:07
And in our conversation, he went, oh, don't be nervous about
2:11
it. And I looked at him, I went, I'm
2:12
not nervous. I do my job to the best of my
2:15
ability and I don't falsify any inputs because that's a felony.
2:20
Putting him on notice that I know a little bit more than
2:22
others on things. And so hopefully we'll see.
2:26
But he is every day talking about how many people have been
2:31
emergency placed. And his favorite line is, and
2:33
these people probably won't be working for the Postal Service
2:36
anymore. So it's not just emergency
2:39
placement. They're looking to terminate
2:40
these people as they do this apparently, at least in the
2:43
Detroit district. But other than that, got to the
2:47
weekend. They started working on my
2:49
resolutions. And Speaking of, we're going to
2:52
be discussing that today because I did make a nice PowerPoint for
2:56
my county meeting where I'll be doing the same presentation for
3:00
them. So other than that, I do have a
3:04
small announcement that we'll get to after you tell us.
3:07
How was your week, Kristen? My week wasn't too bad, kind of
3:13
got used to having this day off in the middle of the week
3:17
between Christmas, New Year's and I took my daughter's night
3:22
day off to go to her Christmas concert.
3:24
So yeah, I ended up I had to work my K day yesterday, which
3:28
was fine. I Co worker of mine injured
3:31
themselves New Year's Day and is out well through the middle of
3:35
the week if not the rest of next week.
3:37
So other than that, you know, hasn't been too bad.
3:41
It's been kind of light my office anyways, so it's come
3:45
back to normal. And yeah, nothing really
3:49
exciting here. I didn't make it to midnight on
3:55
New Year's, if anybody's wondering.
3:58
I ended up passing out in the chair in the living room.
4:02
I woke up at 12 O3 and Ruby was in the kitchen making a bowl of
4:07
cereal. I think Eric was sitting out in
4:10
the hot tub and I walked out to Ruby and I said, well it's 3
4:14
minutes after midnight, I guess I can go to bed now.
4:17
When I walked up and went to bed, that was my New Year's,
4:23
nothing exciting. So yeah, that happens.
4:27
That happens. You know, it's very rare for me
4:30
to stay up past midnight most nights anyway, but I did for New
4:33
Year's just to make it through. So, but just barely.
4:38
Right after I went to bed too. But yes, in the chat they were
4:44
talking about how the concerned letter carriers did post about
4:47
the emergency placement as well. Yes, they did, but it's going
4:52
all over the country. Yes, it is.
4:56
But Speaking of management, my announcement is I have been
5:01
messaged by a carrier who told me that they PA District 1 labor
5:10
representative that put out the Bailey's bad boy article has
5:16
been reprimanded and demoted. Now this is a rumor.
5:21
This is a rumor. It has not been confirmed the
5:24
persons LinkedIn still shows them as the labor specialist
5:27
with the weekly PA 1 labor news articles.
5:32
But that is the rumor that we have heard out of PA area and I
5:39
just wanted to put that out there that with as many people
5:43
as as have passed that along, they did do a little something
5:49
for it. It's not enough in our opinion.
5:51
I don't think it's enough in your opinion Kristen, but it is
5:55
at least something that they did.
6:01
I have not checked HERO to see. It's just what somebody told me.
6:04
I don't have access to that stuff personally.
6:07
I don't haven't been on Hero myself to look, but I just
6:11
wanted to put that out there. If anybody can confirm or not,
6:15
feel free. OK.
6:23
But that's that's just what I that's what I was told.
6:26
So take it with a grain of salt and do your own research.
6:35
All righty. So you want to get into this
6:37
resolution stuff, James? Well, it's a new year and
6:40
everybody makes resolutions. So I thought what better way to
6:45
start the new year off than helping people learn how to do
6:48
resolutions. And I basically created a
6:53
resolutions one O 1 PowerPoint for everybody to see here.
6:58
And as you can see, it says resolutions one O 1, how to
7:01
craft a resolution for state and national conventions.
7:07
So what is a resolution? It's our way of recommending to
7:16
change the language, create language or do something to
7:21
benefit the craft. It's telling our leadership at
7:27
National what we want the union to do to make a difference for
7:33
the rural carrier down on the ground.
7:36
They could change the constitution of the union and
7:39
how the union does things. And the major point of it is
7:44
always wages, benefits and working conditions, the three
7:49
things that are most important to rural carriers.
7:55
Now what does the resolution look like?
7:58
This is a copy of the Michigan Rural Letter Carriers
8:01
Association resolution form. Now I would contact your state
8:06
secretary or your local unit for what your state has for the
8:11
resolution form because they may vary slightly from state to
8:15
state, so make sure you get the right one for your state.
8:22
Now there's parts to this. Each part of this has a specific
8:25
purpose. It helps tell the the resolution
8:30
committee what the resolutions for where it should be placed
8:34
when it's presented to the delegation at the state and
8:39
National Convention. The top portion of it is pretty
8:45
basic. You put the year 1st, 2025 for
8:53
this year and then you have to choose between binding versus
9:00
non binding. Binding means it's locked.
9:06
The union can do this without any input from the Postal
9:11
Service and things like the constitution at state of the
9:16
state or national or your local. If you have a local
9:20
constitution, you write a resolution to change the local
9:24
constitution as well. You could also use it to change
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convention items and when it's passed it's a two third majority
9:36
vote to pass a binding resolution which takes immediate
9:40
effect as soon as it's passed and then it will be updated in
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the constitution or whatever document it belongs in as soon
9:49
as printing happens. For those non binding on the
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other hand is for stuff we have to discuss with the Postal
9:59
Service, whether it be negotiating in our next
10:03
contract, changes to work, rules, procedures, things of
10:08
that nature where the Postal Service has to be involved in
10:13
and they are all advisory in nature.
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They're telling the union we would like this.
10:21
So can you do something to try and get this doesn't mean they
10:25
will, but it's a possibility that they can try.
10:32
And on the resolution form you can check here for binding or
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check here for non binding. And then beneath that on the on
10:47
the Michigan resolution form are the different applications for
10:52
it, whether it be vehicle stuff, your relief day work list,
10:57
relief day items, benefits, Valerie work rules, leave
11:02
replacements, time standards, retirement grievance procedures,
11:05
EMA automation, mail count, other or your state or national
11:12
constitution. The next section.
11:19
What does the resolution cover? Add the appropriate document if
11:24
one exists. You know, you add the article
11:27
number section paragraph as needed.
11:30
For instance, I'm going to use the Elm Article 552, section 15,
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paragraph one. Next down the page is what you
11:45
where you describe your resolution.
11:53
Whereas our present language. You can put present language in
11:58
this slot if you have it, or you can give a somewhat vague
12:06
description of what's going on. Or you can say there's no
12:12
current language like this says, whereas the section of Elm needs
12:16
a little more definition. Here is a example of the present
12:24
language resolution. This is directly from the Elm,
12:28
and I copied and pasted it here. Here is an example of whereas
12:40
resolution where you take the description of what you're
12:45
thinking. Whereas current section does not
12:50
protect carriers from having to carry out unsafe, illegal or
12:54
immoral acts as directed by management.
13:01
The next section is the be it resolved or proper or proposed
13:05
language. The proposed language you have
13:10
to emphasize your change. So when you make a change to the
13:16
the current language, you need to bold the new language and
13:24
strike through the language you wish to remove.
13:29
That is the best way for them to see what the change is in the
13:33
Constitution committee or or the resolution committee.
13:39
Or you can also write a summary of what you want such as needs
13:45
protections for unethical, criminal or safety violating
13:49
orders. Here's an example of proposed
13:54
language where I have added in bold the words unless such order
14:01
is unsafe, illegal or immoral. So that way that is added into
14:08
the language. Here is an example of it with
14:15
just a be it resolved, add a protection for carriers should
14:21
the order be unsafe, illegal or immoral.
14:29
The last section that a carrier is going to do on this form is
14:34
the intent of slash reason for change, exact same language for
14:39
both. So this is your chance to tell
14:43
the delegation at your local county or state convention why
14:48
you want to make this change. Now state conventions you
14:52
actually get the be it resolved and intent reason for change.
14:58
National Convention you only get the be it the proposed language
15:03
or be it resolved. So you want to.
15:07
You can make this part as detailed or as short as you want
15:10
to tell your local county, state what the reasoning is behind you
15:16
making this. But at National, you can request
15:23
that it be read and the body has to vote on it with a 2/3 vote
15:28
because it's a suspension of the rules.
15:34
And as with everything I as with this, here's your example.
15:39
Employees are sometimes given unsafe, illegal, or immoral
15:43
orders from management. This provides a layer of
15:46
protection, allowing denial of orders.
15:53
And this is the exact same thing with the whereas section
15:58
instead, so you can see it's the same on both.
16:06
The last part of our resolution form is designed to be signed
16:10
out by your county local or your county or local secretary in the
16:15
Michigan at least, and then this will be passed on to the state
16:19
convention carriers. Do not touch this part.
16:23
I just wanted to include it see because it's actually on the
16:26
page. Anybody have any questions,
16:32
Kristen, got any questions or anything like that?
16:38
I'm good. I've written a few.
16:40
I had one not this year, but last year.
16:43
Go and pass it national. So.
16:49
Like last year I had my set that I took and of course few of them
16:55
got denied. A few of them passed at each
16:58
level. So it's maybe difficult for some
17:02
people, it may be easy for others.
17:04
But if anybody has one thing. You, you have to remember when
17:07
you write a resolution, especially for, I mean, I've
17:11
seen some, they know that they'll get through the local
17:14
and you move them on to state and you like the basis of it,
17:20
but you have to object to it because of the fact that it has
17:24
to pertain to the craft as a whole.
17:27
So for instance, resolution was about daylight savings time and
17:32
the changing of start times to coincide.
17:35
And I had to object to that because #1 not all states go by
17:40
daylight savings time and #2 scheduling and start times can
17:45
be easily done with a talk with management or go to a grievance
17:51
if you need to for safety issues or 1767 fill out.
17:55
But you know it. It's you got to remember if you
17:57
especially if you want, you're looking at something that's not
18:00
a binding resolution for your state particularly or going up
18:04
any of the non binding ones especially you want look towards
18:08
for contract negotiations. You got to make sure it's
18:11
something that is positive and gains for the whole entire craft
18:16
and not just your specific office or state or region.
18:31
Anything else, James? No, not at all.
18:38
But I do want to say that, you know, this is one of the biggest
18:45
things that we have to talk about is that no matter what
18:52
happens, you know, your resolutions are going to go in
19:00
front of everybody and going to be presented to everybody.
19:06
And if they voted down, it's not a bad thing because take what
19:13
they say from it and write a new one.
19:17
I have a resolution that I made last year that did not pass and
19:22
I have a different version of it this year.
19:28
Yeah. I mean, you, you, you hear,
19:30
especially when you go in to get one gun on state national level
19:35
where you've got the for and against debates going on.
19:40
I mean, that's where you can really take from, you know, on
19:44
something that, you know, the basis is a great idea, but the
19:47
wording's just not there. And you're going to hear this,
19:49
go back and forth to take those ideas to go back and then
19:52
rewrite it for next year. Exactly.
19:59
And sometimes we write a resolution that may be really
20:06
good, but at the time you present it, the caucus won't
20:12
approve it because it's too wordy.
20:18
I wrote a three page resolution and it got denied at National
20:23
Convention because it was too wordy.
20:32
Yep, I remember that. I still appreciate our our
20:37
district Rep stepping up and saying and actually presenting
20:42
the argument for me on that one. I do appreciate that from her.
20:45
Yeah, she did though she did misspeak and call you an RCA,
20:51
but I was still. I was still pretty fresh as a
20:58
regular at that point. So I mean, I can't, I can't
21:02
complain too much on that. No, not at all.
21:09
Yeah, mine. But I wrote, you know, not this
21:12
year, but last year, 2023, about the nationwide bidding that one
21:16
went through with no objections at the gavel all the way
21:21
through. I mean, it makes sense.
21:24
Yeah. And I mean, you're talking about
21:29
plenty of resolutions actually passed that way.
21:32
Oh yeah. So let's talk about that.
21:38
Basically when, when they go through the resolutions, now
21:43
depending on what the constitution or what some say,
21:48
sometimes they'll just read the number, but the, the
21:52
resolutions, not the constitution changes.
21:55
Those are done a little different, but you're expected
21:59
to go and read these through, you know, prior to the day that
22:03
they start going through, which is usually what, Thursday?
22:07
You have usually a day to read through them all.
22:10
A day, a day, a day and a half. I think we had a couple nights,
22:13
but even then we still, even after we've started a debate,
22:16
we're back. Then again, that next night, a
22:18
bunch of us all going through them together again, you know,
22:21
right on up until, you know, through Thursday night into
22:24
Friday. So that's why you kind of want
22:27
to know whether you want to object.
22:28
You take your notes and whatnot. That way when it's time and
22:32
they're just going through and they're just going to call them
22:34
out by number and that's when you got to be at the microphone.
22:39
Because if you don't object right away, you know it's just
22:43
the count. The gavel comes down and it's
22:45
passed automatically. They're supposed to.
22:50
They're supposed to wait a small amount of time between the
22:55
reading and the time the gavel hits.
22:58
Once the gavel hits, it's over. It's passed unless you suspend
23:03
the rules to remove it from the gavel.
23:07
Yep. So that means you got to be up
23:11
at that microphone waiting. As James knows he's done it.
23:18
Yep. You know, and I usually, I
23:21
usually stand there and I wait a couple seconds because I'm, I'm
23:25
usually going through and I'm reading every resolution and I
23:28
may object just because I want a clarification on the resolution
23:35
because sometimes the wording may not be as understandable as
23:44
you would like it to be. That too.
23:47
Sometimes people object and they don't realize why they objected
23:50
only object and they forgot they objected.
23:52
And then now they gotta wait for them to get to the mics.
23:54
Talk about it. Yep, yeah, it's a, it's a
24:03
lengthy process. It definitely is.
24:09
I mean, when you've got hundreds of resolutions to go through,
24:14
it's it's, I think it's the most time consuming thing other than
24:23
elections could be time consuming though too.
24:27
Yeah. I think resolutions is the most
24:29
time consuming. As well as many days, yeah,
24:34
yeah. And so a lot of times they'll
24:38
try to speed it up with the discussions and stuff like that.
24:41
Like last year, they made it where only the objector and the
24:45
maker or the state from which it came from could stand up and
24:49
actually discuss the resolution after it was objected to.
24:53
Which actually really speed things up and limited the amount
24:57
of debate that occurred to it. Because a lot of Times Now the
25:02
debate process is great, but there are, you've got to listen
25:07
to the people who have spoken before you because a lot of
25:13
people get up there and rehash the same things over and over.
25:17
And while that is, you're right, you could say I agree with a
25:22
previous speaker on this part and you can change that or
25:27
things like that. You don't call them out by name.
25:29
You don't do that stuff. That's against the rules, But
25:34
you can take the time to actually present your argument
25:38
to the convention floor to the delegates.
25:45
Yeah, two to three days to cover almost 400 ideas.
25:49
But there are times where specific people go in there and
25:53
their mission. As soon as the the convention
25:56
closes for the day and everybody gets the resolution the first
25:59
day, they are back up in their hotel room and they're going
26:02
through every single resolution. And when they get done with
26:05
that, they may find we'll just pack pass this entire block of
26:11
resolutions, whether it's the RCA section or the vehicle
26:18
section, specific parts of it. And so they'll step up and
26:24
they'll actually request that specific block be passed in its
26:27
entirety. And then we actually vote on
26:30
that as a delegation as well, because that all that also
26:36
requires a suspension of the rules.
26:42
Yes, it's with like 2 minutes per speaker and 8 minutes total
26:47
if I recall correctly. I believe so.
26:50
I'd have to look, but I don't have that right here.
26:53
Yeah, I'm doing this from memory.
26:56
So. And if you guys are having a
27:02
actual healthy debate about it and people are actually engaged
27:06
in the debate and you run out of time, you can always make a
27:14
motion to suspend the rules to extend the time by say, 2
27:18
minutes, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, whichever, depending on how
27:21
powerful the debate is. So I wanted to bring up a few of
27:30
the resolutions that I'm bringing forward this year.
27:35
I've only got a few so far. You'll indulge me?
27:40
Your your local will appreciate you only having a few so far.
27:47
Well, I just started working on them on Saturday.
27:50
So, but on top of the Elm one that I presented in the
27:56
PowerPoint, I do have one that should the Vice President be
28:02
unable to serve and the president position becomes
28:06
vacant, that the director of Labor relations assume the role
28:11
so that we continue continuity of office because the director
28:17
of Labor's already doing working with management as it is
28:24
wouldn't be as much of A translation.
28:31
The next one I have, I actually took part of the NALCS Article
28:38
10 and added into Article 5, Section 7, where the National
28:47
Board can suspend a national officer that any member may file
28:52
a charge for that so that the membership can hold their
28:59
national officers accountable. I like.
29:05
That I still have to. I still have some work to do on
29:07
that, to clean it up and make it look better.
29:12
In Article six of our Constitution, I am adding a
29:16
Section 7 that the National Convention delegation shall be
29:23
the supreme body to which all decisions shall be made, just
29:27
like the NALC. Because there is nothing in our
29:32
Constitution that specifically states that the membership is
29:37
the supreme body and the delegation is the voice of that,
29:42
the voice of that body. Yes, Rich, you can use it in
29:49
your state as well. The more people, the more states
29:53
that can get it through up to national, the greater bearing
29:56
it'll have. The next one is kind of kind of
30:03
petty if you really want to go that way.
30:06
I mean, I don't mind have going to Grand Rapids for the National
30:09
Convention, but you know, we've been going back to Grapevine,
30:14
Orlando, Grand Rapids and so on. Yes.
30:18
And Spokane, WA. And the only thing in our
30:22
Constitution says that they have to alternate east and West of
30:26
the Mississippi. So I want to put in that every
30:29
effort must be made to utilize a different state in each half,
30:35
rotating between the states that have facilities large enough to
30:38
accommodate the National Convention.
30:43
I I like that too. Because.
30:47
I know they didn't change it up with going to Indianapolis and
30:52
2026. No, 2027, excuse me, 2026 is
30:57
Grapevine. Yeah, and they're, and they're
31:02
going to, and I already know what they're going to do with
31:04
National. The biggest thing they're going
31:06
to do is it's going to be an increased cost.
31:09
They're going to put some exorbitant number on it to get
31:11
the delegation to vote it down. I already know how they're going
31:16
to do that. It's the same thing they did
31:18
when I said that PTF should be halfway between Rcas and regular
31:22
carriers on who's paying because they only get two days a week.
31:28
And they shot that down because they put like what was it 100
31:31
and or $380,000 cost to the to the union for that if I recall
31:39
correctly. Hey James, can you turn your
31:41
screen share off? Turn my screen share off.
31:45
Yes. That better?
31:49
Yes, it was causing some issues with our recording person.
31:55
Sorry about that. And then this one actually came
32:01
out of my county and I was asked to create it.
32:05
And this one actually I get a lot of good feedback on as well.
32:10
Do you know how we have MOU 10 where regular carriers can be be
32:15
demoted to RC AS? Yes.
32:19
So this one is for Mou 10 to include the downgrade to APTF.
32:29
So that would be an option for regular carriers and they
32:32
wouldn't lose their career status becoming APTF.
32:36
That would open up the doors for PTFS to be able to transfer as
32:40
well. And them to transfer down to RCA
32:43
if they wish to. But I think they should be able
32:47
to transfer as APTF as well PTF to PTF.
32:51
Yeah, that would that, that's another one we can make that is
32:59
good as well. Fender make that a resolution.
33:02
Yeah, and didn't the one for National bidding passed?
33:08
Yes, it. Did. 2020.
33:11
Three, yeah, yeah, we passed it at the gavel that bidding for
33:17
routes. Once it goes local, district,
33:21
local, more than 90, less than a year, district more than 90,
33:25
less than a year. And then it goes nationwide
33:29
before it goes to the public. Yes, and but under the
33:35
circumstances with it going nationwide if this would help in
33:40
the event of not being able to find a mutual transfer or having
33:46
to use MLU 10 and going back down to an RCA.
33:49
This would allow you an easier option if the opportunity's
33:54
there to be able to move as a regular and update it to as APTF
34:02
as well and so forth from there. So it would actually be a
34:07
nationwide bid, but with the stipulations it was extended
34:13
days to start the route. I'd have to go back and look at
34:16
it to remember what I changed the days for, but you would be
34:20
responsible for all your own moving costs.
34:24
Which is how it is normally. But and, and that would just be
34:33
a benefit, especially in regions that aren't getting people in
34:37
the door and nobody's hiring in somebody say from Michigan could
34:46
move to North Dakota with Apov route or they could move to
34:52
Northwest Georgia or New Mexico where wherever there's an open
34:58
route that goes to this national bid.
35:01
Yep. And that would be, you know, in
35:05
a national bid, though obviously would still go by seniority and
35:11
anybody who's qualified to bid could bid on.
35:16
It so you're fighting with everybody in the nation on the
35:18
bid. Right, right.
35:23
Especially, especially if it's a desirable location.
35:28
But you also have to remember you're going into this office
35:31
just like you would in a mutual transfer.
35:33
You're going to be lowest seniority in that office.
35:37
And so you would have to still bid all in that office in order
35:41
to get the transfer. No, because you're bidding on
35:46
that particular route that's posted nationally.
35:49
So you would automatically get that route.
35:51
There wouldn't be a separate opening and bid in office.
35:57
I would. Probably think seniority, office
36:02
seniority, but there wouldn't be a separate bid in office.
36:05
You're bidding on that route like you would in a district
36:07
wide bid that specific route. And then Mr. Johnson says I wish
36:24
there was the X. Exception.
36:27
X exception for the 20402280 rule.
36:31
If you don't have a sub assigned to your route for X amount of
36:33
years, we will say 5. You should not be required to
36:37
use all your leave. You shouldn't be required to use
36:40
your leave if they're putting you into 2080202240 trouble.
36:44
No. And if they are?
36:48
You to use your leave. Unless you're, unless you're
36:51
using high option, they can't force you to use leave.
36:59
And yes, we know that a lot of areas are being affected by this
37:05
major and I will call it a severe winter weather storm.
37:13
And somebody just posted a picture that all highways in
37:20
Kansas are closed. Pretty much every Rd. in Kansas
37:26
is closed. If management is telling you to
37:30
report to work, you can't. The roads are closed.
37:36
It doesn't mean you can go in and and ignore the roads are
37:40
closed. I saw a video out that way.
37:43
Guy had a drone video. He was actually watching cars
37:47
sliding around on the highways, on the back roads.
37:51
He watched a salt truck slide into the ditch.
37:56
The fact that the the most dangerous part of this is if you
38:02
are on these roads when they are closed like this and you have an
38:08
accident, there is a possibility they will not come to help you
38:15
because they can't get there. It's the same as when a
38:19
hurricane happens. Touch on the act of God.
38:30
Yeah, let me pull it up real quick.
38:34
But I was thinking. Too Acts of God.
38:49
Wow, there's a whole lot for that.
38:51
Yes, there is. But we are going to go to the
38:56
PO6O3 first and it is the 142 something or another here.
39:04
Yeah, that's just telling you for each day you service and
39:08
report to the post office in our schedule for form delivery for
39:12
EMA, Yeah. Yeah, OK.
39:16
Article 30.1 in the contract. 30.1 H.
39:22
Yes, when acts of God prevent an employee from performing the
39:29
employee's duty, the employer may authorize administrative
39:34
leave. Equipment maintenance allowance
39:37
will be paid for each service day.
39:39
A real rural carrier reports to the post office and is scheduled
39:44
to to perform delivery. If the carrier fails to serve
39:50
all or any portion of the route due to the lack of proper
39:53
endeavor or any failure for which the carrier is
39:57
responsible, appropriate deductions from salary and EMA
40:02
allowance will be based on the miles omitted.
40:07
Now management will beat you with that a little bit because
40:12
if you go out and try and service your route and you don't
40:15
get through the whole route because it's too dangerous,
40:19
they'll say, oh, you're going to have to take leave or you're not
40:22
getting paid for that today. Take, take, leave.
40:24
No, If you made a, an effort to get that mail out there, like I
40:31
know on my route there are some roads I cannot go down when it's
40:34
slippery out because I'll end up in a ditch.
40:37
I'll end up sliding back down a hill or in one instance, I'll
40:41
end up in a lake if I go down that road.
40:44
And it is not without doing effort to get out there.
40:49
But for instance, Kansas right now where all the roads are
40:53
closed, you could try to make an effort to get in there, but you
40:58
might get arrested. You know, that's the biggest
41:03
thing and your safety is more important than that mail or that
41:08
package. That mail in package can wait a
41:10
day. Hell, it's already waited long
41:12
enough through the entire system as it is with as many delays
41:15
that are going on right now. So it's not like it's going to
41:18
hurt anything to wait another day to get it there safely.
41:22
And as it said, you know, an act of God that prevents you from
41:27
performing your duty. Well, I would say not being able
41:30
to get any traction on the roads because they're all a sheet ice
41:35
would be an act of God that prevents you from doing your
41:38
duty. I.
41:45
Agree. Now I do hope personally that
41:49
these district managers and local managers have turned
41:52
around and said, you know what, we're going to keep them home
41:57
because it's safer that way and we'll let them deal with it
42:00
when, when the roads are clear so they can get to to work, at
42:03
least the main roads are cleared.
42:09
Let me touch what the Elm says real quick on the act of gods.
42:13
This is a 519.21 act of gods involve community disasters such
42:20
as fire, flood, or storms The disaster situation must be
42:25
general rather than personal in scope and impact it must prevent
42:29
groups of employees from working or reporting to work and then
42:34
the. 212 The following provisions concern
42:38
administrative leave for acts of God a postmasters and other
42:42
installation heads have authority to approve
42:44
administration administrative leave for up to one day.
42:50
District managers and postal career executive services plant
42:54
managers may authorize administrative leave beyond one
42:58
day, but not to exceed a total of three days for their
43:02
installation and those reporting to it.
43:06
District managers and senior or lead plant managers may approve
43:10
administrative leave for periods up to in excess of three days
43:14
for their installation and those reporting to it.
43:21
Postmasters and other appropriate postal officials
43:24
determine whether absences from duty allegedly due to acts of
43:28
God were in fact due to such cause, or whether employee or
43:32
employees in question could, within reasonable diligence,
43:35
have reported for duty and then early dismissal for acts of God.
43:41
So when they're pulling you off the street early.
43:45
When an employees are dismissed from duty before normal
43:48
completion of their duty due to an after God, the following
43:52
applies. A full time employees are
43:54
entitled to credit for hours worked plus enough
43:57
administrative leave to complete their tour of duty.
44:00
This combination of work and leave is not to exceed 8 hours
44:03
in any one day. Part time regular employees are
44:07
entitled to credit hours worked plus enough administrative leave
44:11
to complete their scheduled hours of the day.
44:14
This combination of work and leave is not to exceed 8 hours
44:17
in any one day. Basically, you're going to get
44:20
paid your evaluation regardless. That pertains more to city when
44:28
it comes to using the administrative leave to complete
44:33
the 8 hour day. And our leave for?
44:35
Us it would be our evaluation. Our leave shows up as 8 hours
44:39
but we get paid our evaluation. Yeah.
44:43
Do you want to keep going with the?
44:49
Just like a couple more spots of this real quick 'cause I saw
44:55
part time flexible employees are entitled to credit for hours
44:58
work plus enough administrative leave complete their scheduled
45:00
tour. The combination of straight time
45:03
worked and an administrative leave may not exceed 8 hours in
45:05
a service day. There's a question is the
45:08
scheduled work hours the part time flexible employees entitled
45:11
to the greater of the following the number of hours the part
45:15
time flexible worked on the same service day and previous service
45:18
week number of hours the part time flex was scheduled to work
45:22
or the guarantee hours is provided in the applicable
45:25
national agreement. Employees prevented from
45:29
reporting So for those of you that can't get there, employees
45:34
scheduled to report who are prevented from reporting or who
45:38
after reporting are prevented from working by and after God
45:41
may be excused as follows. A full time and part time
45:45
regular employees receive administrative leave to cover
45:47
their scheduled tour to duty not to exceed 8 hours.
45:51
Part time flexible employee receive administrative leave
45:54
subject to the 8 hour limitation for their scheduled work hours.
45:59
And with 519214 C, which are really, and then let me cover
46:04
with the RCA's, there's 519217 specifically says substitute
46:11
rural carriers and rural carrier associates.
46:14
Substitute rural carriers and Rcas and a leave earning status
46:17
are treated the same as regulars.
46:20
So designation 74 and 79 are treated the same as a regular.
46:24
If they're scheduled for duty and are unable to report to the
46:27
postal installation admin, leave is granted for the full day that
46:31
the employees are scheduled to serve their routes.
46:33
No equipment maintenance allowances paid.
46:35
So you would not get EMA if you're on APOV route that day.
46:40
If employees are scheduled for duty and report to the postal
46:42
installation but are unable to serve all or part of their
46:45
routes to the no fault of their own, they may be.
46:49
They may be granted admin leave for the remainder of the normal
46:52
tour of duty for that day. Payment for equipment
46:55
maintenance allowance is made if appropriate, because employees
46:58
are considered to be in duty status.
47:02
There you go. Act of God from the Elm.
47:14
Anything you want to add, James? Yeah, so like they said, like
47:20
she said on there, you know you're going through and it's
47:26
got to be affecting more than just one person, got to be
47:30
affecting a group of people. You know, for instance, I
47:40
thought there is a class action grievance that was filed that
47:44
was settled and three out of 32 employees failed to report to
47:51
work due to flooding. And so they denied the grievance
47:56
because those 3 carriers actually lived among those who
47:59
did report to work. So it's got to affect more than
48:05
just a select few, and it's got to be reasonable.
48:09
Now take that flooding, for instance.
48:13
If, say your area was cut off from everybody else due to
48:17
flooding and there were you and like four other rural carriers
48:21
there and they could prove that nobody was coming out of this
48:24
area, then they would be, it would be determined, an act of
48:29
God. Like it took out the only bridge
48:31
to get to work. That's an act of God.
48:34
But just because there's flooding doesn't make an act of
48:37
God unless you can't physically get to work.
48:48
And that's the biggest argument a lot of management has.
48:52
You know, look at what happened with the Hurricanes.
48:55
They were still telling people to report to work when the
48:57
hurricane was offshore. The winds were already blowing
49:00
on the on the mainland. And they should have kept the
49:05
carriers home. They should have let it sit,
49:09
protected their employees, but instead they're like, oh just
49:12
try and make an attempt. If you can't make it, you know,
49:15
just bring the mail back. Well, unfortunately we lost a
49:19
few pieces of equipment that way and many injuries of employees.
49:30
Yeah, it's crazy what they want us to try and work through
49:34
sometimes. And some of us have too much
49:37
pride not to do that. Yeah, I, I remember nasty
49:42
snowstorm back in April of 2018 and we got dumped with over 18
49:49
inches that night. And I was the first one out to
49:53
my route and I was the first one back because once I cleared the
49:58
industrial park, I was pushing snow with my bumper and it was
50:02
still coming down. And I said Nope not doing this
50:06
and when I got back nobody else had left yet.
50:08
Couple few people went out also. Everybody came back.
50:12
One was still trying to power through it.
50:13
I have no clue why but we had one RCA that couldn't even make
50:18
it into that office that day. I still ended up putting a full
50:21
day in because once I got back and recased everything I had and
50:27
had to scan all the packages, the one route that nobody could
50:31
make it in, we had all go case that up and scan all those
50:35
packages and and just helping everybody out get their stuff
50:39
recased up before we all left. So yeah, I still end up putting
50:44
an 8 hour day in that day. It was crazy, and I think it
50:48
took us about two weeks to finally catch up from that
50:51
snowstorm. Yeah, somebody just said, just
50:58
remember, if you end up dying over something you shouldn't be
51:01
doing in the 1st place, management's just going to come
51:04
and get the mail and make others deliver it because you're just
51:09
number to management. Yeah, it was.
51:17
I mean, I don't get the snow where I'm at now, but we get
51:20
ice. And I remember the one day they
51:23
sent us out there during an ice storm and it was just, and I was
51:30
running route north of town that was getting hit harder.
51:35
And the other, the other zip code, we were the two other zip
51:39
codes. And I mean, when you're only
51:42
doing 5 miles an hour and hoping you don't slide past that box as
51:46
you're trying to stop at it, only driving 5 miles an hour up
51:50
the road because you can't drive any faster and your wipers are
51:55
icing up, your mirrors have iced up completely, that's unsafe.
52:01
And we did, we, we called it. And I remember calling back to
52:05
the office and telling her there is no way I can safely do this.
52:10
And her just flat out accusing us of while you guys are talking
52:16
to each other, blah, blah, blah. And like, no, we're making
52:20
safety calls. You're not the one out here.
52:23
We are. Well you can't.
52:26
You have to scan all those packages off property.
52:29
That's fine. I was parked at the RMPO office
52:32
for the route I was carrying and that's where I scanned all those
52:35
packages and the back of the LLV is.
52:38
I just listened to the ice pelting the LLV the whole time,
52:41
freezing my butt off and drove. It took me probably an hour to
52:47
drive the 10 miles back to the office.
52:51
It was that bad out. So yeah, I mean, management will
52:56
give you resistance. I had it again out of my POV row
52:59
on the West End. I'm like, I am pushing snow with
53:02
my bumper. I've already been stuck twice.
53:05
I'm not doing this anymore. And she wanted to give me a hard
53:09
time and I said no, I am calling it.
53:12
And it literally took me 45 minutes to drive not even 20
53:18
miles. And that was before that was
53:21
just getting out of town. I still had another 15 mile or
53:24
12 miles to get back to the office.
53:27
So you know, you have to know and, and you are, you have the
53:30
right. And if they want to retaliate
53:32
or, or discipline you for making that safety call, that's a
53:36
grievance. We'll win all day long because
53:39
the safety is our priority. So don't be afraid to stand your
53:43
ground. You know that means filling out
53:45
that 1767 safety form when you get back to the office from
53:49
calling it for the day to cover your behind.
53:52
I mean, that's what you got to do.
53:55
And as you said, don't scan them at the office.
53:58
Management's going to push that all the time.
53:59
I'm sorry. The office was the safest place
54:02
for me to stop and scan all these packages.
54:05
You know, sometimes that's what you have to do.
54:08
And it's they're only integrity scans because management has no
54:12
integrity. And the reason why they do that
54:16
is because management was scanning packages while carriers
54:19
were on the street. And so the carriers get punished
54:22
for management's misactions. And I remember a couple years
54:28
ago, I was doing my route and I was sliding everywhere.
54:32
And my route is the furthest corner of the Township in my
54:38
area. And none of my roads get plowed
54:42
for two or three, four days. And I was going along and I was
54:46
just sliding past every box, no matter how slow I was going.
54:50
And at one point, I just stopped.
54:53
And when I went to take off, I slid sideways right up against
54:57
the mailbox. And I had to wait an hour and a
54:59
half for a tow truck to get me off that mailbox.
55:03
And at that point, I'm like, I'm going home because I was sliding
55:08
everywhere. They weren't going to plow my
55:10
streets like, I'll do it tomorrow.
55:13
And that's what you've got to do.
55:15
You know, I may have everybody else may have driven their whole
55:18
route and gotten it done. But once I was stuck for an hour
55:21
and a half and I'd been sliding everywhere, the nerves got
55:23
frazzled. And it's like, you know what?
55:26
Take a break. Come back at it tomorrow.
55:29
Yeah, but it's not safe. It's not safe, plain and simple.
55:37
And that's your call out on the street.
55:40
Safety is your call. Anything else, James?
55:50
Not really missing Bill. I know I am.
55:55
I'm trying to help. Hold it, hold it down with your
55:57
hair. But yeah, no, I am missing Bill,
56:00
but I'm sure he's enjoying the Caribbean.
56:03
No, I would be. I, I know he, I would be too,
56:07
you know, I mean, he deserves it after all the stuff he's been
56:09
through. Yes, yeah, I was looking at
56:14
things to do in Italy for that trip I'm planning, so yeah.
56:21
I've already, I've already got my plan for sack down.
56:24
That's good. I plan on visiting a few things
56:28
down there in Atlanta while I'm there and spending time with
56:31
people I know. So I'm looking really forward to
56:35
it. It's going to be a long drive
56:36
though. Yes, it is 12 hours, 12 hours
56:40
down there. But got the hotel room and
56:43
everything set up. I've gotten people that have
56:46
helped me out with finances for that.
56:48
So I don't have to worry about my finances anymore on that.
56:53
So I'm quite happy with that. But I hope, I look forward to
56:58
seeing everybody at SAC. So come on down and join.
57:01
I know that I'm going to end up paying the extra $40 for being
57:04
not part of stack, but I think it's going to be worth it.
57:08
But in the long run, yeah. Well, that'll be good.
57:12
Yeah, be good to see you at mid states.
57:15
Unfortunately, I'm not going to make Eastern states so.
57:19
I'm going to try to make them all.
57:21
I'm going to try. I wish you the best on that.
57:24
Yeah, I the only. The only one I might not make is
57:28
Western because that one is 2 days away and I don't know if I
57:33
feel like that's a good drive or not.
57:35
And I don't fly, so yeah. Yeah, So, you know, we'll see.
57:40
Yeah, that's mid States is the only one I'm going to make.
57:43
Obviously with everything else I got going on this year, so much
57:50
as I wanted to go to the others, I my arm got twisted a little
57:55
too loosely and well, she didn't have to twist it at all when she
57:58
said, hey, you want to go to Italy?
57:59
Yes, so. I mean, if somebody's offering,
58:05
yeah, go for it. Yes.
58:09
So all right, my final thoughts for the night.
58:18
Yes, James, go ahead. Your resolutions are either A
58:24
wish list or a command to the union, whether it's a command
58:29
through binding or a wish list through non binding and it
58:35
doesn't matter whether it passes or fails.
58:39
The most important part is that you try, you try and help make
58:44
this union better because the only way that national and
58:50
everybody else in the delegation knows what the craft is doing is
58:56
either being on the floor working the routes or getting
59:01
these resolutions at convention. But don't think it's it's a
59:05
major problem if your resolution gets shot down the first time
59:09
around. I've had plenty of mind shot
59:11
down. Remember to keep yourself safe
59:18
this week. I know that it's going to be a
59:21
heck of a clean up for a lot of these states.
59:24
I do believe several of our salt agencies or plow agencies have
59:29
gone down to that area to try and help out just as a
59:32
precaution. So if you can't make it to work,
59:38
don't go. Tell them you cannot drive in
59:41
these conditions because it is unsafe.
59:47
We've got a long way to go before we get to the National
59:49
Convention, but we are making progress.
59:55
There's a reason they sent these pods out, and it's because
59:58
people are fighting. People are standing up for their
1:00:02
rights. And when we stand up, we show
1:00:07
management. We're all in this together,
1:00:11
Kristen. Thank you, James.
1:00:14
Yes, definitely. Safety number one is first for
1:00:17
you. You make that call, you can't
1:00:19
safely get to work, go go. Plain and simple.
1:00:24
I wouldn't risk my life going and I'm literally around the
1:00:27
corner, so I wouldn't risk it. But on that note guys, those
1:00:33
that are affected by the storm, please stay safe, be smart about
1:00:37
it and everybody else of course. Have an awesome week.
1:00:42
I do believe Thursday is the day of observation, am I correct?
1:00:49
PAMS the 9th. Yes, the 9th we get the day off.
1:00:54
Yes, supposedly. Yeah, hasn't been announced in
1:00:57
my office yet, but yeah, definitely remember that we did
1:01:04
go over that those procedures in the last episode, one O 4.
1:01:10
So go back to that if you have to.
1:01:14
But other than that, guys, stay safe this week.
1:01:16
Bill will be back with us next week and we'll be back as usual.
1:01:21
So have a stay safe week everybody.