Welcome to the Local 323 Web Site!
April Update – From the Local PresidentRecent action by the US Senate seems to have calmed some tensions at the facilities facing consolidation, at least for the time being. It still remains to be seen, however, whether the House of Representative can pass legislation which can be reconciled with the Senate bill and then presented to the President. Once again we are left in the position of having to wait and see. While there are some parts of the Senate bill which I find troubling, there are several aspects which may facilitate an improved financial outlook for the Postal Service. Continues ... March Update – From the Local PresidentThe month of March has seen several developments regarding matters of continuing concern to all Mail Handlers. Yet, these developments have fallen short in answering the lingering questions about the future. In early March the Union received withholding notices at the regional level concerning the facilities of Rochester and Mankato in the State of Minnesota as well as Minot in the State of North Dakota. The initial notices set forth a 35 mile withholding radius for all of these affected facilities. Subsequently, we received notices expanding the Minot, ND withholding, first to 100 miles, and then to 130 miles. With respect to the facilities of Rochester and Mankato, this last week we received notices for each facility expanding the withholding radius to 100 miles. Continues … BARGAINING MOVES TO MEDIATION PROCESSMarch 22, 2012 The ongoing bargaining dispute between the NPMHU and the Postal Service – to determine the terms and conditions of the 2011 National Agreement – is headed to mediation. The mediation will be conducted under the supervision of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), which is charged, under the Postal Reorganization Act as amended in 2006, with appointing the mediator. Earlier today, FMCS Director George Cohen announced that he was appointing Herbert Fishgold as the mediator for the NPMHU/USPS dispute. As required by statute, Mr. Fishgold is “a mediator of nationwide reputation and professional stature, . . . who is also a member of the National Academy of Arbitrators.” Indeed, Mr. Fishgold has served as a third-party neutral for more than 30 years, during which time he has mediated and arbitrated bargaining disputes in a wide range of industries at the national, state, and local levels. The statute instructs the parties that they “shall cooperate with the mediator in an effort to reach an agreement and shall meet and negotiate in good faith at such times and places that the mediator, in consultation with the parties, shall direct.” The mediation will continue for at least sixty days, unless the parties agree otherwise, either because they have reached a tentative agreement or because they and the mediator believe that an extension of the mediation process would be appropriate. Thereafter, if the bargaining dispute is still ongoing, the parties will adopt further dispute resolution procedures, to include binding interest arbitration. Importantly, the mediator does not have the power to issue binding settlements or resolutions, and thus cannot compel the parties to reach an agreement. Rather, the mediator serves as a facilitator of discussions, making suggestions to the parties in an effort to keep the dialogue and process of negotiations moving forward. As the mediation moves forward, to the extent possible during periods of confidential communications, we will keep you informed of developments through additional Contract Updates. February Update – From the Local PresidentLast week the Postal Service announced their intention to move forward with the consolidations proposed by the on-going Area Mail Processing (AMP) studies. The facilities evaluated through the AMP process are comprised of Rochester, Mankato, St. Cloud, and Duluth, in the State of Minnesota as well as Minot and Grand Forks in the State of North Dakota. With the exception of Grand Forks, management indicated that the AMP studies in all installations concluded that the business case supported consolidation. Continues ... January Update - From the Local PresidentThose keeping up to date on Postal issues in general, and Mail Handler issues specifically, have seen many developments in recent weeks which have done nothing to quell the ongoing uncertainty. To begin, we saw the Postal Service declare an impasse in the current round of negotiations over the terms of the 2011 National Agreement. Secondly, we’ve seen the Postal Service soliciting Mail Handlers to change over to the Letter Carrier craft. And thirdly, we’ve seen Congress reconvene which presents the possibility that either the Hours or Senate will once again try to take up the subject of Postal Reform. Continues ...December Update - From the Local PresidentIt’s not my job to gamble with your career. Few of you have heard me say these words. Those who have were the recipients of removals for which the grievances have been denied at step 1, step 2, and step 3, of the grievance-arbitration procedure. These people have usually spent 6 months, 9 months, or longer, in a non-pay status as the grievance protesting their removal has moved its way towards an arbitration hearing. Once an arbitration hearing has been scheduled it’s necessary to identify and assess the risks inherent in the process. The events which may happen in an arbitration hearing are unpredictable and I’ve personally seen some extraordinary things occur. Some have been to our benefit and some have been to our detriment. More importantly, these unpredictable occurrences have often shaped the outcome. If two things can be said with certainty about arbitration, they would be that the outcomes are unpredictable and that the results are final. Continues … November Update - From the Local PresidentThe last several weeks I’ve been traveling throughout Minnesota attending the Labor-Management and Town Hall meetings pertaining to the Area Mail Processing or “AMP” studies. The facilities I’ve visited most recently have been Rochester and Duluth as management has concluded that the business case supports consolidation. While the AMP studies regarding these facilities have been forwarded to the area level for further review and approval, ultimately these studies must be sent to the national level for a final determination. Continues … Applications Available for Arthur S. Vallone ScholarshipThe National Postal Mail Handlers Union is pleased to offer the opportunity for regular craft members of the National Postal Mail Handlers Union, and members of their immediate families, to apply for scholarship assistance from the NPMHU Arthur S. Vallone National Scholarship Program. Specific eligibility requirements for the program are detailed in the attached scholarship application. This scholarship program has been providing assistance to deserving recipients since 2001. In February 2005, the program was renamed in honor of Arthur S. Vallone. Arthur had served the NPMHU with distinction for over twenty-five years at his untimely passing in January 2005. Arthur was a true believer in the Union Movement, and a tireless advocate for Mail Handlers and all working people. His list of accomplishments and contributions to the NPMHU is lengthy. The National Postal Mail Handlers Union is proud to honor the legacy that Brother Vallone has left behind. The downloadable scholarship application contains all of the eligibility and application requirements. The deadline for submission of completed applications is March 15, 2012. Download the Scholarship Application October Update - From the Local PresidentThere are extraordinary events underway which will have a long-lasting impact on the Postal Service both nationally and at the local level. National contract negotiations, area mail processing studies, and the now styled “great Postal debate” in Congress have brought levels of uncertainty to an all time high. This is not only true for Postal employees, but also for the mailing industry and the American public. Continues ... |
Local 323 # 1 for Marketing the Mail Handler Benefit Plan!
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Save America's Postal Service Rally Scheduled For September 27th
Pictures from this event are available in the photo galleries. |
Metro Area Branches Member Appreciation Day to be held September 18thThe Local Executive Board has scheduled a Member Appreciation Day at Phalen Park for Sunday, September 18th, from 12:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. There will be food, pop, beer, and prizes for Members. The drawing for prizes will begin at 4:00 P.M. A flyer and sign-up sheet is available here. |
National Officers Install Local 323 Officers On July 30th, Mark Gardner our National Secretary - Treasurer and John Hegarty our National President visited Local 323 to install our recently elected Local Officers. Additional pictures from this event are available in the Photo Galleries. |
2011 Local 323 Scholarship Awarded! The 2011 Local 323 Scholarship has been awarded to Ciara Falzone. Ciara is the daughter of Saint Paul Branch Member Joe Falzone. The Members of the Local Union Council wish Ciara the best in the pursuit of her education. |
Local 323 on Capital Hill
The financial problems currently facing the Postal Service are primarily the result of the vast over-funding of the pension system by the Postal Service and the exorbitant payments extracted each year to pre-fund retiree health benefits. The clock is ticking and Congress needs to address these issues by September 30th. Pictures from the Conference are available in the Photo Galleries. |
