BRANCH 34'S CLAN
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National Association of Letter Carriers Non-Profit Org. Joseph P. Considine Branch 34 NALC, AFL-CIO U.S. Postage 400 West Cummings Park, Suite 3950 PAID Woburn, MA 01801-6396 Boston, MA Address Service Requested Permit No. 54631 208 BOSTON, MA NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTER CARRIERS The Award-Winning Newspaper of Joseph P. Considine Branch 34 NALC, AFL-CIO Volume XLIX, Number 5 November-December 2020 Please check out BRANCH 34’s CLAN the dates, times and locations for all CELEBRACELEBRATINGTING 130 YEARS OF UNION PPARTICIPATIONARTICIPATION AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS H 1890-2020 upcoming Membership Meetings on the President’s Report BRANCH 34 WEBSITE at Weathering the Storm! nalcbranch34.com know I’m tired of writing, speaking of and if the membership wishes it to be that way, test (Offices who Iaddressing the Coronavirus Pandemic. As let us know and I will sign us up for this. have not had a past I am writing this Article I have been notified My major concerns with this are: positive will have of over 325 positive cases in the expanded 1. Voting on issues first priority fol- Boston District since this hit Us in March. 2. Collection of monies for MDA and the lowed by anyone GERALD (Jerry) 30 days ago, we had 265 cases, that is up 50/50 for the scholarship fund. who needs a return McCARTHY President Upcoming Meetings Upcoming 60 cases in a month’s time. We have to 3. Attendance requirements for the State visit) to address all stay diligent on how we are to deal with and National Conventions questions and concerns of the employees Combined Federal COVID-19. The holidays are upon us and 4. Meetings are to be confidential and there. We can weather this storm if we stay Campaign: A Gift for all families have their gatherings during this members only may attend. Those are my diligent! Changing Lives time. If you are traveling to visit your loved major concerns but I will do as the member- In closing, I want to wish all Veteran’s Page 2 ones I suggest getting a COVID test before ship requests. a Happy Veterans Day, All the Marines out hitting the road. This may also be a good I will continue to keep you informed there a Happy Birthday! time to delay these gatherings until a later of any changes on the Branch website and I wish all to be safe and enjoy the holi- Injuries Don’t Take a date. Dialing 211 from your phone, googling through carrier flashes. I will also con- days of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Holiday COVID-19 testing from your smart phone tinue to visit every office that has a positive Years, until we meet again, hopefully soon. Page 2 and then put in your zip code will give you testing locations in your area. CVS has Q&A on Hold-Downs numerous test sites and you can access this Page 3 from their phone app, you have to answer a questionnaire prior to scheduling an ap- pointment and if you have no symptoms It’s That Time of Year (wink/wink) you will be told that you do Again – Christmas, COVID not require testing at this time. These tests and Cobra Kai!!! should be of no charge and you may be re- Page 4 quested to provide proof of health insurance. I have heard horror stories of charges in the COVID-19-related MOUs $140.00 range being paid, keep calling test sites if this happens to you. Continue to Provide The major issue concerning any station Protection to Carriers that has had a positive test result still is the Inside Branch 34’s CLAN 34’s Inside Branch Page 4 cleaning or a deep cleaning after this positive test. Some stations only have a part day cus- Waltham Letter Carrier Virginia Dalton receives her Million Miles Award with Branch 34 President Jerry McCarthy and Branch 34 todian assigned there and some have none at Shop Steward Ed Walsh. Salutes Its Retirees all. This is unacceptable and we are address- Pages 7 - 9 ing this on a daily basis with management. Clerks and Carriers have been allowed to assist in this additional “Deep Cleaning” if Branch 34 2021 Calendar needed. Cleaning falls under APWU work, Page 12 but Local 100 President Scott Hoffman and I have an understanding that if APWU T/781-281-1133 personnel are not available, Carriers will be allowed to assist in this task during this pan- F/781-281-1127 demic. It is more important that this work nalcbranch34.com gets done at this critical time with positive cases on a major upswing than any disagree- ments on craft assignments. Vice President New 24/7 Branch 34 Bernadette Romans will continue to check Emergency Number all offices on a frequent basis, please pass on Branch 34 President Jerry McCarthy presents IMC-E Boston Letter Carrier Steve Rossetti with his Gold Card. Joining them any concerns to her on this issue. are Shop Stewards John Fanning and Emilio Leone. 781-420-0950 We have had to cancel numerous events due to the Coronavirus and it looks like we will have to cancel our Holiday meeting/par- Link to Branch 34 Website ty scheduled for December 8th, 2020 if the current Governor Charlie Baker executive Have a Safe and orders are not amended or canceled. I will send out a carrier flash the week before this meeting. I also have had numerous requests Happy New Year to hold our meetings by Zoom or WebEx. This can be done but it has its limitations to from the Officers and Executive Board of the number of persons that can sign in (100) BRANCH 34 NALC BOSTON and the meeting has a 40 minute time limit. This can be done for the December meeting Combined Federal Campaign: A Gift for Changing Lives he Christmas Season is here, which Even the NALC’s flagship charity, The ing, seek out your Tmakes me believe in this wonderful Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), CFC office rep- season of giving. You can pick up a news- which we have been associated in fighting resentative, and paper, watch the news, or read online of neuromuscular diseases for 68 years, can make a difference BERNADETTE ROMANS bad times, and people struggling in there receive donations at the local, or national in the lives of Vice President BRANCH 34 day to day lives. It makes you realize how level through CFC. With a few strokes of those less fortu- fortunate we all are to be employees at your pen, your computer, or smart device, nate than ourselves, from now through STATION STEWARDS the Unites States Postal Service. And as you can make a donation over 26 pay January 15, 2021. Think of it as a gift Allston ........................ Gerardo Rosario unionized, government employees, we periods, and it’s automatically deducted from your heart! Arlington .......................Anthony Falco have an easy way in which to make the from your pay without even noticing it. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Sean Mullett lives of others better by donating through Carriers can select which groups they Happy Kwanzaa and any other day you Auburndale ..........Thomas Keirstead the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). want to support from a list of more than may observe. Wishing a very Happy Back Bay .......................... Lucy Warren There are thousands of agencies that 2,000 eligible charities. The pandemic and Holiday and a Healthy New Year to you John DiBlasi reach millions of people that are in need the economic crisis that came with it have and your family. May you and your fam- Belmont .................. Salvatore Celeste of essential services. From Brother and strained the resources of many charitable ily experience peace and joy during this David D’Agostino Sister Letter Carriers that were affected groups, making your support so much special time of the year and may the New Braintree DMU ........... Richard Fraser by Hurricanes and Wildfires, to others in more important. Even the most modest Year bring good health and prosperity Robert O’Donnell need of mental health services, to families of gifts, collectively, can change lives in throughout 2021. Brighton ...........................Roshon Butts that struggle just to put food on the table. a very big way. So, in this season of giv- Be Safe Sisters and Brothers! Brookline .............Joseph DeMambro Dean Gonatas Cambridge – Central Sq. ........... William Wilkins Injuries Don’t Take A Holiday Robert Liberatore hether it’s carpal tunnel syndrome and everything else in between. A lot of take of making it Cambridge – Win your digits, wrists or forearms, times were on auto-pilot, and we’re so worse. You need Porter Sq. .......... William Cresitelli a bulging disc in your back, or meniscus used to doing the job that we don’t think to make a con- John Dickenson damage to your knee, injuries are the about what we’re doing, and how we do scious effort to Cohasset .......................... Judi Aronson true enemy of every Letter Carrier. Most it. It is in these times that we become com- protect yourself Chestnut Hill ........... Thomas Conville of these conditions are a by-product of placent, and open ourselves up to getting from injury, and Dorchester Center ..........Marc Babin what we do on a daily basis. Our older hurt. You might overload your bag, start receive the proper BOBBY DAMATIN East Weymouth .......Artie Matthews work force is more susceptible to getting rushing to make up time, cut corners, or treatment. I know Financial Secretary Fenway .................................Tony Cinelli hurt, and that has a lot to do with the wear lift something and not bend your knees.