Contract Negotiations - Statement of Rural Letter Carriers President Donnie Pitts
2006 NEGOTIATIONS OPENING STATEMENT OF DONNIE PITTS, PRESIDENT
NATIONAL RURAL LETTER CARRIERS’ ASSOCIATION
Mr. Pitts Full Opening Statement Can be found Here
( August 25, 2006) We have two goals for the 2006 negotiations and I want to be very clear about what they are.
Our first goal is related to process. More than ever, we want a collective bargaining experience that works. 
We want to have an open and honest dialogue about the issues that confront us from this day forward. We want to be frank with you and we expect no less from the Postal Service. We recognize that much is at stake. We are cognizant that the Postal Service will be negotiating four separate contracts simultaneously but we cannot let that fact detract, in any way, from the commitment we give to you, and expect in return, to make every bargaining session, every meeting a productive one.
Our second goal is substantive. It involves tangible things. In order for us to reach agreement and avoid interest arbitration, we must see meaningful improvements to the wages and working conditions of all rural letter carriers. We need to be direct with you on this point.
We are not interested in stagnation or regression. We think it is vitally important and economically feasible to continue with appropriate general wage increases and historically significant cost of living adjustments. The Postal Service’s finances are in good shape. Your debt is essentially gone and the rural craft employees we represent have contributed mightily to your success. Productivity continues to be on the rise and our customers, by any measure, are happy. So yes, we do expect and deserve to share in the successes of this first-class Postal Service.
To insure that the standard of living for the rural carriers we represent does not suffer, we will seek to maintain, if not improve, the health care and retirement benefits for women and men who labor for them day in and day out.
October 1st, 2006 at 5:17 am
Yet, still, no tangible benefits for RCA’s. The NRLCA holds up a discount health program as “insurance” and pats themselves on the back for this questionable feat….yet RCA’s still don’t have real health insurance, sick days, vacation days, or other benefits.
Offices still use an antiquated and wrong-minded formula of seniority when allowing RCA’s to bid on career positions. Some offices, like mine, allow RCA’s to be unavailable for work on a continuous basis. These RCA’s may work only occasional Saturdays, or even have months off at a time–yet they retain seniority and get to bid on routes before those who have been continuously available. In other words, someone who has worked 2000 hours for the USPS as a substitute may have more seniority than someone who has worked 8000 hours. In what world does this make sense?
RCA’s may not bid on or take in-service exams for other career positions, regardless of our length or quality of service. We are shut out of all opportunities for growth, and must wait for the day our number comes up as a rural carrier. The city side, on the other hand, does not have “Associates” — they have PTF’s, who after 90 days probation have all the rights of regular craft employees.
The NRLCA has done nothing for RCA’s, and until they do I will consider them as only half a union.
October 2nd, 2006 at 3:28 pm
STOP your whinning about what you don’t have and you can thank the NRLCA a fair wage, and health insurance, that’s more than what alot of us have had. Go Walmart for a part time job see what the wages are there. Being a RCA is a good paying part time job. You knew want this job offered, you agreed. There were no promises! Now the NRLCA is half a Union, do you really think it would be better to have knowone to go to when your rights as a person on the job are violated. Not me. Remember regular carriers were all subs, you make the best of it and respect the organization for what it is……How involved are you in the Union as far as member attendance to your County meetings and State Conventions? If your not involved more reason to stop complaining?
November 12th, 2006 at 12:42 pm
I want to apologize for the comments Priscilla made towards your comments RCA. Obviously she is a regular carrier whom probably takes every Saturday off and every day after a holiday. She is a firm believer that RCA’s should be on call for her every whim, and should be grateful that you can work erratically and not be able to support yourself or your family or supply them with the benefits that she must take for granted. She probably attends every convention as a delegate, and probably will even after she retires, blocking valid working carriers from making any change in the organization. She is right about changing from within, that is the only way. RCA’s must attend these conventions as delegates and cast a vote for themselves because there are many selfish regular carriers like Priscilla. I wonder if after this next contract will Priscilla have a RCA, or will she have to work more of her relief days…maybe she will appreciate RCA’s more if that were to happen? I know I do!
December 13th, 2006 at 7:28 pm
Priscilla’s attitude is “they took away my life and treated me like a dog when I was an RCA, so what are the RCA’s winning about?. I’m a regular now and I think, like I did when I was an RCA, our RCA’s deserve better. They get a good hourly wage but that’s all they get and they work extremely hard for that 6 and 7 days a week - full time but classified part time. Wake up Priscella.