Loud and Clear: 'We Don't Want No TPP!'

MARK DIMONDSTEIN, President 2016 Convention Bulletin No. 2 JUDY BEARD, Editor A National Perspective Loud and Clear: ‘We Don’t Want No TPP!’ APWU delegates held a spirited rally protesting the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) on the second day of the union’s National Convention. With Secretary-Treasurer Liz Powell serving as emcee, and the APWU Labor Chorus singing loud and proud, speak- ers outlined the damaging effect the trade deal between the US and 11 other countries would have. Opponents of the TPP believe Con- “This will gut American jobs, depress APWU President Mark Dimondstein gress may consider the deal in the lame- wages and destroy the middle class,” he concurred. “Brothers and sisters, take it duck session – after the November elec- said. “It’s a corporate deal that is going to home, call the White House. What do tions but before newly elected senators help the people of Wall Street and it ain’t you think?” he said to the fired up crowd. and representatives take office. gonna do anything for Main Street” “The White House has gone on the record last week saying they will work “What’s at stake is your jobs, all of “You cannot lose. We have the power, with the Republican House and Senate, the jobs of the people you love and all 200,000 people can make it happen: We and what’s going to stop them? It’s you the jobs in middle-class America,” said can do it!” and me and all the people like us!” Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL). “It’s a road that leads to nothing but cheap labor.” Broadcaster Ed Schultz energized Resolutions, Day One and Two: the crowd with a fiery pep talk. “If you think that 200,000 workers in your union Delegates Get Down to Business can’t make a difference, you are wrong! You can make a difference, we have the Delegates to the APWU’s 23rd Bien- Flexibles, and improving the status of power!” he said. nial National Convention got to work on Postal Support Employees. They also the convention’s first two days, debat- approved resolutions addressing issues Schultz advised delegates to call their ing and voting on resolutions, with a specific to each of the crafts. local elected officials and ask them to focus on proposals for future contract vote against TPP legislation. He also negotiations. Delegates engaged in a lively debate called on Hillary Clinton, the Demo- over the Joint Arbitration Selection Sys- cratic Party nominee for president, to The convention adopted resolutions tem (JASS). The nationwide program “get on the phone” with senators and dealing with safety and health, excess- was intended to establish a method for urge them to oppose it, whenever it ing, duty assignments, clothing allow- the union and management to jointly comes up for a vote. ances, the seniority rights of Part-Time (Continued on p. 4) A Real-Life Hero Dr. Mona Hanna-Attish is the pe- per capita wages in the country, with diatrician who exposed the Flint water great schools and hospitals. crisis, proving that lead was poisoning the children of the impoverished city. It was the decline of the auto industry For her efforts, she was vilified by the and Flint’s unions that lead to decades powers that be and labeled “an unfortu- of disinvestment, and ultimately to the nate researcher who was causing near austerity measures that poisoned the hysteria.” water, she pointed out. But the good doctor was not de- “The most important medication I can terred. She advocated for the children prescribe for Flint is to lift our families and families of her city until the story out of poverty,” Hanna-Attish said. “Be- finally pierced the consciousness of the ing in a union family can buffer children nation. from any adversity.” Speaking at the APWU convention, The APWU presented her with a she brought many to tears. “Flint did $10,000 contribution for the Flint Child not always mean disaster,” she said. It and Health Development Fund. Del- matched the APWU’s contributions, was home to General Motors, the United egates were so inspired by her remarks bringing the total to $50,000. Delegates Auto Workers union, and the great sit- that they passed buckets for contribu- voted unanimously to induct Dr. Hanna- down strike of the 1930s. Because of tions and raised more than $12,600! Attish as an Honorary Member of the good union jobs, Flint had the highest The Mott Foundation, based in Flint, APWU. A North Star In an impassioned speech to APWU with you,” he said. “We stand with you delegates, Cornell Brooks, president at the ballot box. We stand with you at of the NAACP, declared that the two the labor line. We stand with you in the organizations are allies. “NAACP stands post office, state legislatures, and Con- gress. You are our ally, our friend. “Our dreams, aspirations and ambi- tions are mocked by the privileged 1%,” he said. But, he added, “The right to vote shines like a North Star… We will stand up to fight and die for the right to vote... We need every union, civil rights organization and family to stand Billion-Dollar Cookie? up and turn your people out to vote,” APWU members voted to endorse he said. “We will turn out en masse, in a boycott of Nabisco products made the millions … We will not give in: We in Mexico on Aug. 23. will succeed!” Stay tuned for more info. 2016 Convention Bulletin No. 2 Nina Turner: Work Worth Doing Nina Turner, an outspoken surrogate “You are the ultimate public servants. for Sen. Bernie Sanders during his cam- You see people in all phases of their paign for president, thrilled delegates to lives. When people walk into your door the APWU’s National Convention in a … they come and get that Money Order wide-ranging speech on Aug. 22. or buy their stamps or pick up package deliveries – you see them all through Borrowing a phrase from President their struggle.” Teddy Roosevelt, the former Ohio State Senator told union members postal work The fight for postal banking is also is “work worth doing.” “work worth doing,” she said. “Bank- ing should be part of the mission of “The work you do re-affirms each the Postal Service, so poor folks don’t just in the Postal Service, but your fight day that the Postal Service is the fabric have to go to a payday lender or check- for justice is what you do each and every of the United States of America,” she casher,” Turner added. day… said. Walking off the convention stage into the audience of delegates, Turner Fighting for justice, the convention’s “Fight for justice and understand clearly enjoyed sharing her passion with theme, is also “work worth doing,” she that the struggle is forever and it never APWU members. declared. “Your fight for justice is not ends.” Ellison Praises Spirit of Activism Noting there are people “lurking The post office has played a historic “face strikingly similar” concerns, said around, trying to privatize our post role in hiring African-Americans and Dave Ward, general secretary of the office,” Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) other minorities, women and veterans, union representing postal workers in the told delegates to the APWU National Ellison pointed out, giving them “a fair United Kingdom. Great Britain’s Royal Convention, “We are not going to let shot at the economy.” Mail was privatized three years ago. them do it!” Ellison congratulated the APWU’s “I don’t buy any of this rubbish that if “Privatization is not about cutting fighting spirit. “Being activists in the you privatize something, you get a better costs or being efficient. Privatization is street and in our organizations is the key deal,” Ward said. He praised the APWU so some people can give this public trust to our success,” he said. for building A Grand Alliance to Save to their cronies,” he said. Our Public Postal Service. Strikingly Similar The USPS deal with Staples is a Postal workers across the Atlantic “We have to handle the balance perfect example of the attack on public of forces that are services, he said. “I want sworn, expe- operating in the rienced, trained postal workers handling world of work. the mail, not Staples.” “We don’t have to wait for politi- Ellison vowed that he and his allies in cians to do it. We Congress will continue to fight against can do it through mail processing plant consolidations and the strength of for postal banking. “There are plenty our organiza- enough post offices all over America, tions,” he said. and if we do postal banking, then the rural parts of the nation and those in the inner city could get access to banking (Continued) services,” he said. American Postal Workers Union mittee members and members of the Na- Resolutions tional Executive Council (NEC) and the Constitution Committee came together (Continued from p. 1) in an act of solidarity and developed a schedule arbitration cases and select compromise. arbitrators. Delegates overwhelmingly approved Although representatives from some a resolution which will maintain the cur- regions of the country praised the pro- rent plan while limiting its future burden gram, others – especially those in the on the union’s membership by establish- Eastern and Northeast Region – said ing an appropriate contribution level. it’s been a disaster, resulting in reduced arbitration hearing dates, an inability President Mark Dimondstein praised to schedule priority cases and manage- the work of the committee: Jonathan ment manipulating the selection of Smith, New York Metro Area Local; arbitrators.

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