PRESIDENT'S REPORT
Loren Adams
January 16, 2000

JANUARY 16, 2000 MEETING
Session went very well; 17 in attendance.  Several items were discussed.  
Gary Devlin won $50 door prize.

CDs NOW READY
Have CDs (2) from headquarters copied now.  Another one concerning Article 37 
of the Contract is being copied at this time.  THANK YOU to Bill Cassidy for 
work on them.  These CDs are for leaders who have computers and use such 
equipment.  They are not for everyone, because it takes over 40 minutes to 
produce each disk.  They are property of the local, therefore, when you leave 
office, please return them.

MORE BOOKS ORDERED
ORDERED & RECEIVED 7 more LEGAL RIGHTS OF UNION STEWARDS.  They are the 
"Bible" of union activism, by Robert Schwartz of Boston.  Ordered 75 
membership applications from headquarters; expect that non-members will start 
filtering back as soon as they get their toes stepped on.  Need to order ELM 
as we voted to do months ago.  ORDERED 4 more HOW TO  WIN PAST PRACTICE 
GRIEVANCE books by Schwartz.  Ordered 2 more of the large books by Posten 
STEWARD GUIDEBOOKS; ordered 1 more FMLA book by Schwartz.  Made fresh copies 
of all FORMS in union office, including all 5 of the FMLA forms.  Updated 
E-Mail Ring of all APWU presidents online in the U.S.  Can contact them 
almost instantly for information.  With connections to other rings, all told 
the ring reaches about 6,000 union leaders!

CASUALS vs. CAREER ARBITRATION
We WON arbitration, but so what (says the Postal Service)?  Postal Service 
(Bobby Kennedy of Dallas) has kicked it back to Washington by claiming he 
never was notified to submit brief to Katy Durham of Atlanta, which is a 
blatant FALSEHOOD!  They're maneuvering to stall in other ways too.  This is 
significant loss for postal service and they'll conjure up every trick in the 
book to forestall payment.  Talked to BOB KESSLER last week; he advised not 
to form committee yet to recommend distribution of award.  He said it may 
take anywhere from 1 to 5 years; APWU may have to go to court, he said.  He 
also cautioned about not speculating on monetary award because it may leave 
false illusions in membership.  He told more detail of how other party is 
trying to derail arb settlement....  After being remanded back from Step 4, 
it is automatic for both parties to start up where they had left off....to 
send in BRIEFS to arbitrator in Atlanta.  Bob knew it, and so did the postal 
service.  However, to re- confirm procedure in parties' minds, Katy faxed 
Bobby Kennedy in Dallas and Bob Kessler in Kansas City reminder to submit 
briefs by November 25th.  Kessler complied; Kennedy didn't.  Katy even gave 
the postal service a "grace" period; faxed them the 2nd time as reminder 
December 3rd.  No response.  So, Katy Durham faxed her decision on December 
8th to both Dallas & Kansas City.  THAT'S when the postal service responded 
that they never received notice to submit brief (as per legal procedure that 
actually didn't have to be sent as reminder).  Masters of deceit.

PRESIDENT MOE BILLER COULD BE RETURNING TO FAYETTEVILLE!
Supposedly his office made contacts to see about accommodations, etc. for 
June's Arkansas Postal Workers' Convention, June 1-3.  This is still in the 
speculative stage; nothing pat.  All of us so much enjoyed having Moe here in 
October.  He's one hell of a fighter.

DICKSON STREET STEWARD
Welcome Chris Clark as Dickson Street Steward.  We will be redoubling effort 
to serve employees on Dickson.

KEVIN BOWMAN NEW ALTERNATE, TOUR 2
Appointed KEVIN BOWMAN, alternate Tour 2.  I have known Kevin most of his 
life; his father, Gerald, was our church youth director when I was a 
teenager.  Kevin was 7 or 8 at the time.

LABOR LAW SEMINAR -  Springfield MO
To be held at Ramada Inn, 2820 N. Glenstone, Springfield, Fri. & Sat. Feb. 4 
& 5.  Sponsored by Springfield APWU...Classes taught by University of 
Missouri; THE ORGANIZED LABOR MOVEMENT:  Past, Present & Future.  9:00 am to 
5:00 pm.  Room rate $49 at Ramada (417) 869-390.  Springfield paying for all 
except room.  Let's go!  Load up cars and drive up for one or two days.  On 
the Friday, I will be loading up my car for Springfield; leaving at 2:30 p.m. 
 On Saturday morning, LISA WERTZ will be loading up her car with those who'd 
like to attend; leaving plant around 6 a.m.  Springfield has done much for 
this Local; we are privileged to be invited their educational function in 
February.

STEWARD TRAINING LUNCH, Clarion Inn
Saturday, February 12, 2000, noon to 4:00 pm.  State President Dennis Taff, 
instructor.  Want to emphasize how to write grievances, submit requests for 
information and other basic information.  Dennis is going to pick out most 
important Contract articles to explain in detail -- contract articles used 
most often in grievance process.  Training Classes in the past have been both 
enjoyable and educational.  Stewards required to attend; officers attend at 
their option.  Overhead projector (visuals); training materials handed out.  
Dennis Taff has been a great help to the Local.  Outlying towns of Rogers, 
Springdale, Bentonville, Fort Smith and Harrison invited.  Also, Fayetteville 
Local voted to invite the newly to-be organized truckers to this training 
lunch.

TRI-STATE CONVENTION - Little Rock
March 9th, 10th, and 11th, Little Rock.  Missouri, Iowa and Arkansas.  
Escelsior Hotel; hospitality in BILL CLINTON SUITE (where he allegedly "met" 
Paula Jones).  William Burrus speaking (tentative).  Need to promote 
Fayetteville Convention at Little Rock meeting.  Local voted to send 
president to meeting.

STATE CONVENTION, June 1-3, 2000
Fayetteville delegates (Camden, June 1999) volunteered us to sponsor state 
convention.  I've asked Dennis Taff to provide the best speaker available.  
Also want to include class on psychology/human relations for seminar OR other 
interesting topic.  Convention will be held at Hilton Hotel.  Have asked for 
hospitality suite on 15th floor overlooking the University of Arkansas.  Will 
appoint Local committee to plan & work.  We want this to be the best event 
ever held in the state.

FMLA LAW RE-EMPHASIZED
Have researched the FMLA law and how it applies to the Postal Service 
extensively now.  Seems that management is goofing up, AGAIN!  Have faxes and 
e-mails from all over the country....information sources to submit as 
contention about blanket re-certification, etc.

NEW PAYSCALE
I am researching payscale bungle on internet with 6,000 presidents.  Will 
have answer this week as to what's actually taking place; supposedly national 
is re-negotiating this segment.

RI-399 MEETING
Meeting has been set for noon on January 21st (this coming Friday).  We will 
discuss handling of Priority Mail by mailhandlers on Tour 1 and working of 
mailhandler jobs by clerks on Tour 3.  Jake Lamkins, Frank Fickle, Vickie 
Alves and I are slated to attend on the part of APWU.

FSM 881 STACKERS
Plant manager claims 2 jobs will be eliminated as a result of installing 
ACCELERATED FEEDERS onto FSM 881 (Waterbury Modification).  We have 
researched this.  New feeders bombed out in Madison WI, Milwaukee, El Paso, 
Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Texas and several other states.  All 
union officers who responded on internet said they didn't work; were waste of 
time & money.  Jobs were NOT eliminated, but rather the Edsel equipment was.

CHANGES IN WINDOW CLERK AND BULK MAIL TECH JOBS.  Apparently postal 
management (nation-wide) is making significant changes in these jobs & 
TRAINING.  We are gathering information about this too from internet and mail.

JOYCE STREET STAFFING PACKAGE
The Union will request copies of Staffing Package for new facility on Joyce 
Street.

DIRECTION FOR 2000
Change of direction -- Emphasis will be placed on POLICY and concentration on 
bid jobs and proposals to create more.  Going back to the basics of enforcing 
contract and attention to workers' rights.  Will continue emphasis on 
COMMUNICATION -- newsletters, website, bulletin board, FAX, internet 
connections, correspondence of all kinds.  This Local is the best at 
communications and we plan to improve.

ROLE OF UNION, STEWARDS & OFFICERS
It is imperative for us to know our union role!  It is critical that 
members/officers/stewards never yield to temptation to snitch on members; 
this is an obvious CONFLICT OF INTEREST!  If we have to turn around and 
defend these people, it certainly is not in our best interest to be 
witnessing AGAINST them!  Role of Union is that of ADVOCATE -- the defense.  
Role of management is that of PROSECUTOR (and a poor one at that!).  They are 
the abusive father; we are the loving mother.  It's unfortunately a 
dysfunctional family!  Anytime we turn someone in for an actual or perceived 
offense, we only create a problem for ourselves -- CONFLICT OF INTEREST.  
When do we turn someone in?  For smoke breaks?  Late from lunch?  All of us 
should know by now that postal management does NOT solve problems; they are 
not the answer.  Do we want resolution to a problem?  The best way to mess it 
up more is to turn it over to postal supervisors, the Barney Fifes of 
management, who get their thrills locking people up.  Then, what do we do?  
Talk to union heads FIRST.  Then, when appropriate, confront the perpetrators 
with union backing.  Prevent a problem from becoming a calamity by using good 
sense.

PERSONAL ITEMS
MIKE TAYLOR underwent appendectomy a few days ago.  Let's continue to 
remember STEVE HILL who lost his home to fire; most of their belongings lost; 
but children and wife spared.  In need of support.  Lost everything.  Wife 
undergoing treatment for cancer, so they were in need BEFORE the fire.  He's 
active union member in Rural Carriers' Union.

MAYORAL CANDIDATE, DAN COODY
Dan is invited to speak at our February 13th meeting.

Video tape from HEADQUARTERS about ORGANIZING, taken at Denver conference.  
Good tape; AFL-CIO leader is speaker.

See ya at the next union meeting, Sunday, February 13th at 1:00 p.m.

Loren Adams