Next Meeting – March 21
The next regular monthly meeting of the Branch will be on Wednesday, March 21 8 p.m. Regular monthly meetings of the Branch are held on the 3rd Wednesday of each month, except in the months of July & August.
Branch Officers & Executive Board Meeting – March 14
The Branch Board of Officers and Executive Board meetings are held on the 2nd Wednesday of the month. The Board of Officers at 7:30 p.m., and the Executive Board at 8 p.m.. The next meetings of the Board of Officers and the Executive Board will be on Wednesday, March 14.
Attendance Prize – $25
T A Robinson, a regular member of the Branch working out of the Sewell office won the $150 attendance prize at the February meeting of the Branch. The prize now goes back to $25 and increases in increments of $25 monthly to a maximum of $250 until a member’s name in attendance at a regular monthly meeting is drawn. Branch Officers and/or Shop Stewards are not eligible.
Annual Retirees’ & Branch Awards Brunch – Sunday, April 22
The Annual Retirees’ and Branch Awards Brunch has been scheduled this year for Sunday, April 22, 11 am, at the Best Western, West Deptford Inn, 101 Grove Road, Thorofare, NJ, Exit 20, off of 295 South. Branch members who have retired since our last Annual Retirees’ Brunch on April 9, 2000, will be honored. Thus far they include the following. Anyone who we may have missed should contact the Branch Recording Secretary.
F E Cole – Stratford
T Price – Glassboro
W E White – Pitman
G J Creek – Bellmawr
G R Curran – Haddon Hts
J Natale Jr. – Mt Ephraim
H E Walker Jr.– Marlton
A A Yansick – Riverton
Members being honored this year are invited to attend the Brunch at no expense to themselves, their spouse or significant other. All other retirees who have retained their membership are invited free of cost for themselves only. The cost of admission for all others is $10 pp, children over 5 years of age $5. Everyone planning to attend must complete the form below and return it to the Branch Recording Secretary at PO Box 385, Woodbury, NJ, O8096, by April 18, 2001:—————————————————————–
Name: ________________________________ Check one: ( )Honored Retiree ( )Branch Retiree ( )Award Recipient ( )Other Number of Admissions Requested: (___) Free (___) Paid Check Enclosed For number of paid admissions: (___) in the amount of: ________
Fifth COLA – $374 – In 3/30 Paychecks
The fifth cost-of-living adjustment under the National Agreement will be $374 annually, 18 cents per hour, or $14.40 per pay period. The adjustment is effective on March 10 and will be reflected in the March 30 pay checks. Thus far, carriers under the current contract have received $1,726 annually in COLA’s, two general increases of 3.4 and 1.2 percent equaling $1,741 annually for old Grade 5, Step O, a 2 percent upgrade to the new City Letter Carrier Grade 1 equaling $1,025 annually for Grade 5, Step O, and a one-time case payment of between $725 and $1,034 depending on grade and step in lieu of a retroactive 2 percent wage increase and COLA’s during the first year of the contract. The 6th and final COLA will take effect on September 8.
Proposed Amendments To The Branch Constitution and By-laws Approved at the February Meeting
The following amendments to the Branch Constitution and By-Laws were read, debated and approved at the February meeting and will read as follows. The other proposed amendments, printed in the February Newsletter, were either rejected by the membership or withdrawn by the makers:Article 3, Section 12:
The Board of Officers shall meet on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, except July and August, at 7:30 p.m. The place of such meeting shall be the same as where the regular monthly meetings of the Branch are held.
Article 4, Section 5:
The Board of Officers shall consist of the Branch President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, Financial Secretary, Assistant Recording Secretary, Chairman of Trustees, Branch Trustees, Health Benefits Officer, Housing Chairman, Sergeant At Arms, and the COLCPE Chairman.
Article 5, Section 8:
The Election Committee shall be comprised of five (5) members. Each shall be compensated at a rate approved by the Board of Officers, not to exceed two (2) days to count and tabulate the Branch vote. Where, for good and sufficient reasons, the count exceeds two (2) days, the committee shall be compensated accordingly.
Article 5, Section 15:
Those Convention Delegates elected by the Branch to be compensated for their attendance at a National Convention shall be compensated for the actual cost of meals and incidental expenses not exceeding the GSA per diem rate established for the city and state in which such convention is held.
The mode of transportation, cost, and place of lodging shall be determined by a consensus of the delegates elected to be compensated for their attendance at a National Convention, the cost of which shall be borne by the Branch Convention Fund, provided that the cost of lodging does not exceed the GSA maximum lodging amount for the city, state in which the convention is held, however, if suitable housing is not available at a rate below the GSA maximum lodging, the Branch will pay the additional housing costs. Also, that the cost of transportation is the result of an exhaustive search for suitable transportation at a reasonable cost. Unless reasonable and necessary travel arrangements otherwise preclude it, convention lodging will cover the period Sunday through Friday, 6 nights.
Unless exempted by a consensus of the delegates to be compensated for their attendance at a National Convention, all Branch compensated convention delegates will be lodged in the hotel determined by the delegate consensus. Those who do not use the mode of transportation or lodging determined by a consensus of the delegates to be compensated for their attendance at a National Convention, shall not be compensated for any travel, lodging or per diem cost in excess of that provided for delegates who comply with the consensus.
Also, eligible National Convention Delegates elected to be compensated for their attendance at a National Convention will be compensated $35 per day lost time.
Article 5, Section 16:
The same three (3) per cent of the Branch membership nominated and elected to be compensated for their attendance at a National Convention, shall by virtue of such election be compensated to represent the Branch as delegates to the State Convention, provided they meet the attendance requirements and the Branch Executive Board approves attendance at the State Convention. They shall be compensated for transportation, meals for two (2) days, $30 per day, and lost leave time at $35 per day. Cost of convention registration shall be borne by the Branch.
Article 5, Section 18:
The Branch shall bear the cost of transportation, meals and lost time for delegates of the Branch to attend the annual NJ State Association Congressional Breakfast. Housing will be arranged by the Recording Secretary, and any cost deviation from same shall not be compensated for by the Branch. By virtue of their election to office, the elected officers of the Branch shall be delegates to the Breakfast. They shall be compensated $100 per day for meals, transportation and lost time. Housing arrangements shall be made and paid for by the Branch.
Article 5,Section 20:
The paid attendance at other meetings, such as, but not limited to rap sessions, Win seminars, Dept. of Labor seminars, training sessions or seminars put on by the State or National Association, etc., shall require authorization of the Executive Board, and shall be limited to Branch Officers and Shop Stewards, who shall be compensated for meals at $30 per day, $35 per day lost time, Housing for such meetings of less than 100 miles away, one way, shall not be compensated.
Article 7, Section 2:
Branch Officers and Shop Stewards shall be compensated from the general funds of the Branch an annual compensation as provided for in the annual Branch Budget. Such annual compensation shall be payable quarterly, provided that such Branch Officers and Shop Stewards attend at least three (3) of the monthly or executive board meetings (or any combination thereof) quarterly, unless such absence is for good and sufficient reason approved by the Executive Board in meeting assembled. An exception is made in quarter 3 (July, August, September) when attendance at only one meeting is required for compensation.
Article 8, Section 3:
Effective July 1, 2001, the dues of retired members shall be twelve ($12) dollars per annum.
Article 9, Section 7:
Under direction of the appointed Branch Director of Retirees, the Branch shall honor its retirees at an annual retirees’ Breakfast, and provide them with an appropriate gift as determined by the Branch Executive Board, not to exceed the Branch budgeted amount for such gifts.
Article 13, Section 7:
The Branch shall pay $250 per week for suspensions of up to four (4) weeks annually, thirty (30) days, to any Branch Officer or Shop Steward who is disciplined due to his/her Union activities. Upon successful grievance-arbitration settlement, such funds shall be repaid to the Branch on a pro-rata basis. Such payments shall not exceed four (4) weeks per year, and shall be rescinded upon the successful completion of any settlement that the Branch may enter into with management. If grievance resolves or settlements result in a dismissal or reduction of lost wages, the Branch shall be reimbursed the funds given the Shop Steward or Branch Officer for lost wages regained.
Change title of Article 17, Per Diem to read:
“Per Diem For Other Approved Branch Expenses.”
Article 18, Section 3:
Any organization or member wanting to sell goods at Branch Executive Board or General Meetings must sell only American Union Made goods.
SJ District EVA Bonuses
Office Name Position Bonus Blackwood Alberti C/S Supvr $1911.28 Blackwood Delasandro C/S Supvr $1492.18 Blackwood Johnson C/S Supvr $1266.32 Blackwood Miksit Postmaster $2301.71 Bridgeton Borgese C/S Supvr $1937.64 Bridgeton Fleming Postmaster $2737.02 Bridgeton Morris C/S Supvr $852.45 Bridgeton Waller C/S Supvr $1904.25 Clayton Gallagher Postmaster $2195.18 Gibbstown Mayo Postmaster $1742.96 Glassboro Apgar C/S Supvr $1711.17 Glassboro Gary Postmaster $2611.08 Glendora Capotosti Postmaster $2366.14 Gloucester Andrioli C/S Supvr $1512.26 Gloucester Shiflet Postmaster $2360.91 Gloucester Thornton C/S Supvr $1517.58 Gloucester Vollaro C/S Supvr $2111.24 Haddon Hts Barnes Postmaster $2565.00 Haddon Hts Lafferty C/S Supvr $1710.09 Hammonton Hacker C/S Supvr $2107.30 Hammonton Lewandowski Postmaster $2611.08 K/Voorhees Glenn C/S Supvr $2000.29 K/Voorhees Hester C/S Supvr $1700.84 K/Voorhees Speechly Postmaster $2531.46 K/Voorhees Vignato C/S Supvr $1444.53 Magnolia Morabito Postmaster $2051.21 Mantua Charlton C/S Supvr $2166.31 Mantua Daniels Postmaster $2366.44 Maple Shade Atkinson C/S Supvr $23.82 Maple Shade Eley C/S Supvr $2107.30 Maple Shade Waleed Postmaster $2441.19 Marlton Anderson C/S Supvr $1972.40 Marlton Finnegan Postmaster $6450.32 Marlton Kearns Sales Spec $2336.49 Marlton Koehler C/S Supvr $1959.33 Mt Ephraim Delp Postmaster $2347.17 National Park Roccia Postmaster $2208.46 Paulsboro Dickson Postmaster $2611.08 Paulsboro Hood C/S Supvr $1493.94 Penns Grove Dennis C/S Supvr $2107.30 Penns Grove Rahil Postmaster $2365.67 Pennsville Lafferty Postmaster $2399.83 Pennsville Logan C/S Supvr $1907.95 Pitman Carrasquillo Postmaster $2236.21 Pitman Strickon C/S Supvr $2702.63 Riverton Murtin C/S Supvr $1690.29 Riverton O'Toole C/S Supvr $2107.30
(to be continued next Newsletter)
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Branch Grievance Results
Atco – 7 and 14-day suspensions rescinded and expunged, grievant made whole in exchange for his resignation from the Postal Service. (112499)
Atco – Grievance withdrawn. (012799)
Maple Shade – Grievance withdrawn (092698)
Atco – Grievant to received 2 1/2 days back pay. Disciplinary action of 2/25/00 expunged. (03040)
Atco – 2/18/00 LOW expunged as of 7/15/00 if no further attendance problems. (021620A)