Burrus Denies “Raid” On Mail Handlers Union
A few months ago, John Hegarty, President, National Postal Mail Handlers Union warned its membership that ” It has come to our attention that a memop to the field from three high-ranking APWU officials is being circulated in many facilities to advise APWU Local Unions that a ’survey’ should be conducted for the purpose of gauging interest in an APWU ‘raid’ on the NPMHU membership.” see National Mail Handlers President Warns Membership on APWU “Raid” Activities (PDF)
Recently William Burrus, President, American Postal Workers Union sent out the following letter (PDF) (via APWU Steward Frank Wilson, Chicago Postal Worker) denying it’s trying to “raid” NPMHU members.
Dear Mail Handler
Hi, I am Bill Burrus, president of the American Postal Workers Union, and I want to share a message with you. You may have heard that APWU is considering an effort to “raid” your union. This is untrue. While we favor combining employees who work in mail processing and the BMCs into a single union, only the employees involved can make that decision.
If you believe you are well-served by having employees in mail processing and the BMCs competing against each other, I respect your decision. But if you believe, as I do, that Mail Handlers and Clerks have far more in common than differences, you- have options to bring about change.I do not suggest that APWU has better officers or will process your grievances more effectively. I respect your national and local officers and the services they perform on your behalf. But too much of our energy is wasted fighting each other. Although we share many of the same objectives, we compete for jobs, with postal management pitting Mail Handlers against Clerks and vice versa. You win some, we win some, and we all suffer.
I recognize that differences exist and they would have to be addressed to your satisfaction. But can you imagine applying your seniority to obtain any job in mail processing or retail, including those at a higher rate of pay?
This effort is about you and how you and the competing Clerks in your facility can best be represented. We believe that postal management is our adversary, not the employees of a different craft. We can do better, but only if you decide that we would be better off together.
If you are interested in exploring this possibility, please complete the attached form and return it to the local APWU representative.
In union solidarity,
William Burrus
President
October 16th, 2006 at 3:55 am
i still believe that it would better serve the clerk craft to join with the mail handlers since there is more back bitting, back stabbing in the
apwu than the mail handlers, in my many years in the service which started out as a rual carrier, the a window clerk, and now a mail handler, i find that the mail handlers are more relaxed and more laid back but we will defend our craft just as hard as anyone else who attacks it, and if Burris is sincere about management being our foe then the APWU should intervene in our regional and national arbitrations as a move of good faith when the mail handlers go against management, but i doubt if Burris is that sincere in his words, after all anyone can say anything am make it look good, but talking the talk is a far cry from walking the walk, maybe the clerks should join the mail handlers like i did in 1987, it is great to be a mail handler
October 17th, 2006 at 6:33 pm
I think it would be a good thing for the APWU Clerk Craft TO MERGE with the Mailhandlers Union.
POWER is in numbers. There is a move across America to weaken the unions this would only make us stronger.
October 18th, 2006 at 9:31 am
I think the MH decertifying the NPMHU and signing on as another craft in the APWU is the most logical approach.
LIUNA, they keep the NPMNHU around for no other reason that the health care plan which brings in a ton of cash for LIUNA. Dump the health care plan and see how fast LIUNA object to a merger or exodus.
It is the LIUNA constitution that prevents a merger, either way.
As for backbiting in the APWU versus the NPMHU, I guess it depends on where you work. The MH Stews in our office rule by fear and intimidation. Use CILO settlements against those that have opposed them in the past and every election purge those who would dare excercise their democratic rights to run for office.
The MH Union (until now) has never had the burden of negotiating a national agreement. nearly every progressive move forward has been made by the APWU. Whether it is AL carrtyover and exchange, SLDC, AL in stead of $ for a holiday, and so on and so forth.
Shoot the MH use the APWU FMLA Paperwork.
It is hypocritical for the MHU to not join the APWU since they have reaped the bennifits of everything we have gained.
Although, the MHU has spent millions taking work from the clerk craft while we have been engaged in moving the craft forward in both wages and working conditions. That is a very Union approach don’t you think?
One last thing, how many grievances have been filed seeking higher level wages for the MH for work being takin from the APWU Bargaining Unit? And of those how many have been withdrawn at the national or regional level?
Do the work for less. Doing to the work for less drags all wages down and ensures you will earn less over the long term.
Our Union, the APWU would not engage in such a short sighted policy.
Decertify, merge, raid, whatever you call it, the APWU has led the way and despte the trials in front of us, we will continue to lead the way.
APWU Stew
October 19th, 2006 at 7:48 am
Mailhandlers in my local offices have been all drummed up to rail against even considering joining forces against management. They are outright hostile making comments such as; “We are taking all your jobs why would we want to join the APWU we are going to make you extinct.” “Our PTF’s are converted in 4 months and your PTF’s wait 6 years.” “Our union is stronger.”
It is as if they have some misguided idea that the APWU is trying to harm them.
The mailhandler leadership really did some psychological mental manipulation on their workers. Clerks and Mailhandlers at the work-floor level always got along very well in the past. They work together their whole careers. It is really sad to have that relationship deteriorate to the current degree.
The National Mail Handler leadership should be ashamed of themselves for creating an atmosphere of us against them just to secure their own titles. Heagerty is playing right into managements hand with his selfish agenda. He has no union qualities in his character. His letter is a fevered battle cry against an enemy that doesn’t exist, an enemy that he creates for his own benefit only.
When the APWU was formed Presidents from five separate unions had the strength of character to put aside their own personal best interest to further the best interests of the employees they represented. They were real union leaders. It is a proud heritage that built the APWU.
What will history have to say for Heagery’s divisive self serving actions?
It may be too late when the Mail handler employees realize the terrible wasted opportunity they gave away for the sake of one pathetic man. Who would want that historical legacy? USPS management is getting a real kick out of the short sighted misguided actions of the mailhandlers. By the way, nc mailhandler- We are trying to join the mailhandlers. Don’t you see that much? Do you think you will be any less a union member with the merged union? Is it the NPMHU logo that you are attached to? We could adopt it if that makes it seem more appealing. This attempt to combine forces is so much bigger than the petty arguments against it.
The mailhandlers are not someone we want to fight with. APWU is not your enemy the postal service is our common enemy. United we stand, divided we will fall. In the spirt of true union virtues the APWU wishes to join with our brothers and sisters of the mail handler craft. We are family. We will stand by you at every opportunity even if you lash out now and act hostile towards us over something you were told that is not true. Time will show that the APWU has real union values and we will be your co-worker, friend, and brother no matter what. Solidarity
October 19th, 2006 at 8:46 am
Why is Burass fighting NPMHU from joining AFL-CIO? Could it be because then can’t raid our union? Call it what you want, Burass is losing jobs left and right, and is trying to get the MH’s in their place. APWU tried it before, it didn’t work then, won’t work now.
October 19th, 2006 at 9:32 am
Hey Johnny- The APWU has lost more jobs in the last five years than the entire NPMHU membership and still has 6 times more members.
It’s not that big of a deal for the APWU to gain 50,000 members but imagine you belonging to your own union (different logo)and gaining 300,000 new brothers and sisters to help your working conditions and wages improve!!!!
Look at the big picture.
October 19th, 2006 at 11:51 am
The really big picture involves ONE Postal Union, APWU, NPMHU. NRLCA, NALC, Nurses, Postal Police etc. Don’t know if Workers for One Postal Union is still around but it was a real good idea. A complete merger was accomplished in forming the Canadian Postal workers Union, so it can be done. Just merging (subsuming) Mail Handlers in APWU will not bring forth a solid front again Management.
October 19th, 2006 at 9:17 pm
Granted, management is the real enemy. The thing that I think many mailhandlers are concerned with is that rhetoric notwithstanding we (MH) would be equally represented as part of the APWU. No mailhandler is going to agree to being relegated to some sort of second class status. Another concern would that becoming a merged union could create more competition for jobs that MH already hold. It’s not that I’m unsympathetic to the impact automation has had on the clerk craft, but I’m not sure it makes sense to put ourselves in jeopardy. I agree with Jim Freely that the only thing that seems like it would work would be ONE single union representing ALL postal employees.
October 20th, 2006 at 9:38 am
RE: B NASH post,
Isn’t NPMHU a subsidiary of LIUNA who is the parent organization of some 118 labor unions, including the mail handlers?
Becoming a craft division within the APWU would allow Mail handlers to keep portions of their current contract that the prefer. Each division of the APWU has their own craft article in the National Agreement.
APWU is made up exclusively of Postal Workers and very few contract drivers that indirectly work for the postal service.
Mail Handlers would be better served with a postal union rather than being the only postal workers in a conglomeration of some 118 unions in LIUNA.
October 20th, 2006 at 7:55 pm
APWU Local Pres.-
You can tell you have been ‘brainwashed’ by Burrus. No shit there is strength in numbers, but really, the B.S. Burrus spews about “keeping your seniority”. C’mon, like 300,000 APWU members would allow that. And last I checked, the 50,000 members the NPMHU have aren’t doing to bad, and that number is continuing to grow.
Pres., give it a rest and fight the battles that will help your Union, wasting your time attempting to join Unions will get you no where.
Good Luck, your’e going to need it with Burrus at the helm!
October 20th, 2006 at 8:43 pm
Dear “Selfish”,
I never even mentioned President Burrus in my posts. For your information sometimes I agree with Burrus and sometimes I don’t. I have an open mind and consider positions/arguements of both sides on issues before taking a position.
Then sometimes after taking a position I will consider some new information and change my position entirely. You see I realize that I am probably wrong about as often as an average normal person is.
Burrus really has nothing to do with the issue at hand as I see it. If you join with the APWU you could nominate and vote for that Great Union Leader Heagery if you wanted to.
Like I said, this opportunity is much bigger than the petty arguements against it.
Take a minute to reflect on the reasons you based your decision to be against a possible combined union. Consider that you might be normal and make mistakes just like me.
You could sign an authorization card just so you got a chance to really hear both sides during the campaign period that would follow. Then if you still feel it would be wrong to unite you could vote No in the election.
At least it would be an educated decision after having been exposed in greater detail to the different positions that would be made available during the campaign period.
Just a thought, now I’ll take your advice. I believe you are right about one thing; I do need a rest.
October 21st, 2006 at 7:42 am
Apwu is weak and 10 years too late! Desperation is usually the last card to play! If Apwu wanted to merge or take jobs from mailhandlers they should have contributed to the BUSH last election.He would have gave you a US flag and told you to waive it!
October 21st, 2006 at 9:36 am
This is heading to an all out war over representation and work jurisdiction. If the APWU prevails, it will not be to the benefit of the MH. There have been previous discusions between the APWU and the NPMHU over merging but those discussions foundered. The cause of failure was the APWUs failure to treat NPMHU as an equal whose members would be incorporated as equals.
Voluntary discussion and negotiation of merger has failed. Now when the the NPMHU is being prevented from re affiliating with the AFL-CIO by the APWU, the APWU’s agenda becomes clear.
They just want our money.
October 21st, 2006 at 11:36 am
Merging with the M-H would not be possible if they were part of the AFL-CIO. APWU wants to merge with the M-H union. Pretty simple.
Give your money to Heagerty he obviously needs it and you are not even considering real reasons for not atleast hearing both sides. It will be your loss Heagertys gain. Let that be your proud legacy in Labor history. Forget about Unity and Solidarity or even looking out for yourself and your brothers and sisters who also work for the USPS.
I have yet to hear an APWU employee or officer bad mouth a sister Union as freely as the Mailhandlers have lately. You got physiced out by Heagerty and now the USPS is celebrating over the missed opportunity that the M-H are giving away. Not for any sound reason but rather just based on the intelegence of insults and innuendos. Good Luck.
November 4th, 2006 at 4:28 pm
NOW MANAGEMENT IS TALKING ABOUT TAKING AWAY THE NO LAY OFF CLAUSE. MAIL HANDLER NOW IS THE TIME TO JOIN, YOU ARE FEW IN NUMBERS. NUMBERS IS POWER. MOST OF THE CLERKS HAVE MORE SENORITY THAN MAILHANDLERS. THINK ABOUT THAT!!! IF WE DON’T HAVE THE NO LAY OFF CLAUSE, GUESS WHAT, SOME CLERKS WILL GO BUT ALOT MORE MAIL HANDLERS.
IF YOU THINK THAT THIS IS A BAD IDEAS FOR YOU, SO BE IT. APWU IS ONLY INVITING YOU TO JOIN, NOT THAT WE ARE DESPERATE.
November 4th, 2006 at 4:33 pm
nc mail handler: Why would APWU