The Philadelphia POSTAL WORKER Vol. 41 No. 1 A Member of the APWU Postal Press Association 1st Quarter 2021 A Welcome Change, the Fight Contiues On January 20, 2021 will be sworn in as our 46th President of the United States. The APWU elected leadership and a large majority of our members support and applaud the new Biden/ Harris team. Joe Biden was endorsed by the counted on the Postal Service to process and APWU National Executive Board, and also by deliver over 65 million ballots. We worked the Philadelphia Area Local 89 Executive through the pandemic; we performed our du- Board. ties when our president was bashing the work Nick Casselli, We will now have a president who supports we performed every day. We worked long hours President the public Post Office, a president who sup- through all roadblocks and obstacles that got ports union and collective bargaining rights; a in our way to ensure the timely delivery and president who will not flame racial and reli- processing of ballots. Since Election Day we gious bigotry; a president that understands have stood with the majority of this country and respects the work and dedication that who expect and insist that every vote, includ- postal workers perform every day, and how ing all mail ballots be counted and the results important we are to the American public, and final. does not consider us a joke; who does not Our next obstacle, roadblock, is Louis DeJoy support the privatization of the United States who is still the Postmaster General and his Postal Service. promises to implement policies that will slow Every APWU member should be extremely proud of our role in securing the most precious (continued on page 5) democratic right to vote. The American people You Are the Union Greeting sisters and brothers! In my opinion, and through management’s actions from the local level all the way to the top tier of USPS management, it would appear the USPS is moving towards removing the service out of United States Postal out for worker safety. However, to win the war Service. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy imple- being waged on the Postal Service right now, mented a new that is doing from within our leadership ranks at the highest nothing more than causing negative impacts level, will take every single member of all the on the Postal Service. postal unions to stand up and fight this fight! Nancy Right in front of our very eyes we are watch- We must all do our part by getting involved in Rolling, ing what we know is a great service to the contacting our elected officials, reaching out to American people being diminished. He is erod- those in the public who support and share in Vice ing the confidence of the customers we have our fight and working together as a unified President serviced for many years. As postal workers we force to protect and save the public Postal Ser- have always been trained and pushed to get all vice. That means when there is a demonstra- the First Class mail out to our customers. You tion we must all make the time to show up and have to ask yourself why this is no longer a participate; to show we are a united force! priority. How do we protect what we have? We get Not Your Friend involved! So many times I hear folks say that stewards and officers are the union. No broth- Management is not your friend and you have ers and sisters, YOU are the UNION! Stewards to realize that. Do you really think that manage- and officers are those that stepped up to protect ment cares if you get hurt on the job or working our rights and fight for postal workers on a day to day basis on the workroom floor. They are on the front line to enforce our contract and look (continued on page 4) Page 2 The Philadelphia Postal Worker 1st Quarter 2021

The Philadelphia Letter to the Editor POSTAL WORKER Nick,

Published Quarterly. I hope you are well and being safe As I mentioned I have been seeing Official Publication during these difficult and crazy times. these kinds of news reports in CT and of the the NE Region as well and no re- I saw your press coverage and wanted sponse or input from the APWU or any AMERICAN POSTAL WORKERS of the postal unions. We need to tell UNION to say good job getting our message PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA out. our story as well. Postal management AREA LOCAL, AFL-CIO never likes publicity so hopefully with 864 MAIN ST, I cannot believe the reports I have a little push from the Unions we can DARBY, PA. 19023-2109 (610) 522-4520 received about the massive amount of get back to timely processing and de- EDITORIAL STAFF delayed mail all around the livering our products to our loyal cus- John Walker country…No help and no overtime!!! tomers. Editor So Nick thanks again for getting our Nick Casselli All of these delays are the result of Drew Stevenson Trump’s hate for the USPS as he be- message out to our customers. Good Assistant Editors lieves the USPS gave -Bezos a luck in fighting for more jobs and over- break on postage and service. What it time!! GENERAL OFFICERS did was give us much needed work at Nick Casselli ...... President Stay strong my friend and keep up Nancy Rolling...... Vice President a critical time of declining first class Atiyah Ivey ...... Director Ind. Relations mail. the good job representing our mem- Donna Alvin ...... Treasurer bers and the APWU! Yvonne Taylor ...... Rec. Secretary And his crony PMG DeJoy running Charles Pinkney Sr ...... Sergeant-at-Arms the USPS into the ground and will Happy 2021!! Cynthia Heyward ...... Trustee T. Carmichael-Dodd ...... Trustee make sure it is just about destroyed Noel Davenport ...... Trustee before they attempt to privatize it John H. Dirzius again!! Retired NE Regional Coordinator CRAFT OFFICERS Mike Evangelist ...... Clerk Director Larry Love ...... Asst. Clerk Dir. (A) Eugene Chieffo ...... Asst. Clerk Dir. (B) Kenneth Lester ...... Maint. Director Randy N. Lane ...... Asst. Maint. Dir. (A) Dwayne Generette ...... Asst. Maint. Dir. (B) Shana Parker ...... Motor Vehicle Director General Monique Carter ...... Asst. MVS Dir. (A) Vacant ...... Asst. MVS Dir. (B) CHIEF STEWARDS Membership Regina Fuller ...... Tour 1, GPO Jeff Renfroe ...... Tour 2, GPO Jackie Hill ...... Tour 3, GPO April Johnson ...... Northeast Philadelphia Quanesha Wilson .. Northwest Philadelphia Meetings Viola Young ...... West Philadelphia Victoria Johnson ...... Cen./S. Philadelphia

Legal Counsel: Third Thursday of every month O'Brien, Belland & Bushinsky 509 S. Lenola Road, Bldg. 6 except July, August Moorestown, NJ 08057 (856) 795-2181 and December

The opinions and views expressed in this paper are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Editor or the Executive Board of this Local. 7:30 p.m. Send all communication to the Editor at the above address or via e-mail to 864 Main Street [email protected]. Articles must be submitted by the Darby, PA 19023 second Thursday of the month. They must be typed. Letters must be signed. Name withheld upon request.

Visit our web site at Light Refreshments Will be Served https://phillyapwu.org 1st Quarter 2021 The Philadelphia Postal Worker Page 3 Covid-19 and Staffing Relief On December 27, 2020, the President signed into law another sweeping COVID relief bill, which included vital funding for the Postal Service. This bill will convert the $10 billion borrowing authority loan in the March 2020 CARES Act employers. into direct emergency relief to the USPS without The five-member NLRB referees disputes be- requiring repayment. tween unions and corporations, and the GOP majority Trump installed has routinely ruled Atiyah Ivey, Additional Staffing in favor of the latter. They have made it harder for certain workers to join unions and bargain Director of The American Postal Workers Union and the collectively in the workplace, from fast-food Industrial Postal Service signed a Memorandum of Un- restaurants to university campuses. derstand dated December 24, 2020, to help One of the first steps the Trump-shaped Relations address the chronic understaffing at mail pro- NLRB took was to undo worker-friendly re- cessing facilities throughout much of the coun- forms made during the Obama administration, try. such as streamlining union elections so that The terms of the new agreement state, over employers have less time to interfere. The GOP- 5,500 new career positions will be created at led board drew plaudits from employer groups 192 installations. The number of career posi- and lawsuits from unions. tions will vary by installation based on Board members serve five-year terms and management’s determination. 5,524 PSEs will must be approved by the Senate; there is cur- be converted to career status as soon as pos- rently one vacancy, leaving a 3-1 Republican sible, but no later than March 13, 2021. majority. A President Biden could flip the board Through the transition to the creation of the to Democratic control within his first term, and new career positions and PSE conversions, his appointees could reverse the corporate- combined with the severe backlog of mail and friendly precedents of the Trump era. They packages, the APWU has agreed to extend the could also go back further if they chose to. period where management can retain “peak Unions would have much less to fear in taking season” PSEs above the PSE cap. their quarrels with employers before the board. Still, worker-friendly boards under previous Parcel Sorting Machine Jurisdiction Democratic presidents have done little to stop the shrinking footprint of organized labor. The On December 1, 2020, Arbitrator Joseph M. union membership rate in the U.S. has fallen Sharnoff’s decision confirmed Clerk Craft ju- steadily for decades; now a mere 1 in 10 risdiction over operation of the Small Parcel workers belongs to a labor union, the lowest Sorting System (SPSS) machine. The Award share since the Labor Department started track- rejected arguments made by the Mail Handlers ing it in 1983. And besides, a subsequent Re- Union which claimed that Mail Handlers publican-led board can easily undo the rulings should be assigned all the work on the ma- that help more workers unionize. chines. The Postal Service had issued a decision in A Shot at Sweeping Labor Law 2015 designating the Clerk Craft as the primary Reform craft for performing the work of “separating packages & facing/feeding packages” at the A Biden presidency could boost unions in a induction stations on SPSS machines. Clerks potentially historic way since Democrats also rotate to sweeping duties after performing took control of the Senate. The Democratic-con- induction station work. trolled House has already passed a bill known Mail Handlers are assigned jurisdiction over as the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, retrieving and dumping packages and trans- or PRO Act. If enacted, it would mark the big- porting full containers to a staging area. When gest overhaul of labor law since the Taft-Hartley sweeping assignments are not needed to pro- Act of 1947, which paved the way for “right to vide rotational relief for Clerks operating the work” laws and restricted the ability of work- machines, sweeping is assigned to Mail Han- ers to strike and boycott. dlers. Among other measures, the PRO Act would ban right-to-work laws that are now on the A More Labor-Friendly NLRB Under books in a majority of states; reinvigorate the Biden power to strike and boycott; and increase pen- alties on employers for union-busting. Busi- One big step a Biden administration could ness groups that oppose unions fear the signifi- take is reshaping the National Labor Relations Board to the benefit of workers rather than (continued on page 5) Page 4 The Philadelphia Postal Worker 1st Quarter 2021 Dodge Depression During The Pandemic There’s no doubt about it: Staying at home, worrying about jobs Article and finances, is a recipe for depression during the coronavirus reprinted pandemic. But one expert offers some tips on how to maintain good from the mental health during this difficult time. “The and elevated heart rate and blood pressure. National current situation has many of us feeling help- You need to find an activity that helps reduce less, fearful and adrift,” said Dr. Donna An- your stress,” Jane Roy, an associate professor APWU thony, chief medical officer at Gracie Square of human studies at the University of Alabama Healthcare Hospital in City. “In order to get at Birmingham School of Education, said in a through this crisis, it is important to acknowl- university news release. web site edge these feelings and proactively manage “A single bout of aerobic exercise appears to stress, maintain your health, and find ways to affect a particular neurotransmitter that has an cope when things seem darkest. We don’t know antidepressant-like effect in the brain, and the when our lives will return to a semblance of increase in blood flow to the working muscles normality, but in the meantime, there are steps causes a decrease in muscle tension,” she ex- we can take to make ourselves feel better,” plained. Anthony said in a hospital news release. Roy, who plays tennis for relaxation, added People who already struggled with depres- that it’s also a great distraction because she is sion and anxiety may find it even more difficult focused on the game and not the stressors in her now, and even those who haven’t faced those daily life. “When playing, I have to focus on mental health challenges may feel anxious, things like the ball, strategy, score and skill, afraid and lonely. and not on whatever is causing me to feel Take a step back and examine your feelings, stressed,” she said. “I also play with friends, so Anthony suggested. Be non-judgmental and we chat and laugh a lot on changeovers.” compassionate toward yourself. Distract your- Not a tennis buff? Roy and two colleagues — self from negative thoughts. If you’re bored, do Larrell Wilkinson, an assistant professor, and something. If you’re lonely or frightened, call a Retta Evans, an associate professor — pro- friend. vided some alternative suggestions for easing Your body is better able to fight stress if you day-to-day stress: take care of it. Eat healthy, well-balanced meals · Get out. Going outside for a change of scenery, and get enough rest and sleep. Don’t try to relieve stress by self-medicating with drugs, (continued on page 5) alcohol or compulsive behaviors, such as eat- ing, Anthony advised. Maintaining daily routines can help you feel in control of your life, she added. Wake up at the same time each day, shower, dress and get You Are the some exercise by walking around your home if you can’t go outside. It’s especially important to structure your day if you’re off from work. If Union you’re working from home, be sure to take (continued from page 1) breaks. Work on hobbies and other interests, on a machine by yourself? Do you think they seek out social support, and relax through care if you are being over-worked because they meditation, breathing, massage, listening to or have caused short staffing by reverting so many making music, singing and creating art. jobs? News can be especially stressful, so set limits Everything the union has fought for estab- on how much you consume, and try to get it lishes better wages and working conditions for from reputable sources, Anthony said. the employees they represent. Overall, we need to be proactive and ensure that our rights are Stress-Busting Tips From Experts protected as employees of the Postal Service, and we must understand how important it is to Whether it’s taking a nature walk or some work under an organized union that provides deep breaths, activity helps. Nobody is im- better benefits, safer working conditions and mune from the negative health effects of stress. greater job security. The good news is that staying active is a natu- In closing I would like to wish each of our ral and effective way to reduce stress, and members and their families a very Happy, avoid related issues like weight fluctuations, Healthy New Year and a blessed 2021. I under- nausea and feeling tired, experts says. “Stress stand we live in a different world right now, but can have many negative effects on the body, we still have a lot to be thankful for. I am looking such as fatigue, headaches, upset stomach, forward to this New Year and am hopeful it will insomnia, weight loss or gain, muscle tension, serve us all better and that we will succeed in our endeavors. ß 1st Quarter 2021 The Philadelphia Postal Worker Page 5 Covid-19 and Staffing Relief (continued from cant changes the law would bring about. Sen. within the party could easily doom major labor page 3) Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) warned GOP sup- legislation again. porters that a Democratic takeover of the The PRO Act has to get passed. Even though Senate would lead to the repeal of Taft-Hartley. Democrats won the White House and Senate The law would help tilt the scales back to- and push the legislation through, there still ward workers when it comes to collective bar- seems like major road blocks for unions be- gaining. Research shows that corporate cause of the way Trump has shaped America has ramped up its resistance to unions the judiciary. The Trump judicial branch will over the years, often hiring anti-union consult- do everything in their power to thwart the ants to dissuade workers from organizing. The rights of workers. punishments for breaking the law are very The conservative Supreme Court of recent weak. years has posed a serious threat to unions. The There needs to be a drastic change in the way 5-4 decision handed down in Janus v. policy has been implemented by the AFSCME in 2018 effectively made the entire government. The PRO Act would go a very long U.S. public sector “right to work,” allowing way to restoring those rights. employees to stop paying fees to unions that The last time Democrats held all the levers of still must bargain on their behalf. The replace- power, including a Senate supermajority, they ment of the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg with failed to pass landmark labor law reform with Justice Amy Coney Barrett cements a 6-3 con- the Employee Free Choice Act in 2009 and 2010, servative majority, making further rulings in large part due to a lack of support among against unions and workers highly likely for moderate Democrats. Resistance from centrists years to come. ß

Dodge Depression During The Pandemic (continued from and taking just a 10- to 15-minute walk can support will increase the difficulty of dealing page 4) help. “Research suggests that a natural envi- with an issue,” Wilkinson noted. ronment is a de-stresser,” Roy noted. · Stretch. ”Stress builds up over time and can “Anything outdoors, weather permitting, is center in the neck, back and spine,” Evans said a great idea because it gets you out of your in the release. “Stress can cause headaches and regular environment. In the event of bad lower the immune response. Both exercise and weather, try yoga or basic stretching exercises.” stretching help to relieve stress.” · Take a deep breath. Stress or nerves may · Take a break. For 10 minutes every day, relax cause people to take shallow breaths or even and try to shut out the world. “Close your eyes hold their breath. Simple breathing exercises, and breathe deeply; this can trigger the relax- like taking slow, deep breaths can help people ation response,” Evans suggested. ß relax and de-stress. · Find a hobby. Having fun and doing some- thing you enjoy is a great way to feel better and relax. “Plan fun activities and enjoy hobbies or engage in interests outside of the job environ- Fight Contiues ment,” Wilkinson advised in the news release. (continued from page 1) · Eat a healthy diet. Eating more healthy foods, particularly fruits and vegetables, may boost down the mail, and drive away the American your immune system. “A poor diet puts the public now that elections are over, our fight body in a state of physical stress and weakens continues. The Postal Service must increase the immune system,” Wilkinson explained. “As services and create newer options to the Ameri- a result, a person can be more likely to get can public. Postal reform legislation is needed infections.” to keep our Postal Service, and the APWU func- · Be positive. Making it a point to look on the tioning, and ensure a vibrant public Postal bright side can make a big difference when it Service for years to come. comes to stress. “A person with a negative In closing I want to Wish everyone a Happy, attitude will often report more stress than would Healthy, Safe, Prosperous, and Blessed 2021. someone with a positive attitude,” Wilkinson As the fight continues we will stand together, said. along with the other postal unions, our politi- · Stay connected. When coping with life’s twists cal leaders locally and in Washington, and and turns, it’s important to rely on friends for with the people of this country who support support. “Sometimes having little or no social and trust the public United States Postal Ser- vice. ß Page 6 The Philadelphia Postal Worker 1st Quarter 2021 Maintenance Craft News (This article first appeared in the July/August 2020 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine) Promotion Pending Qualification Timeline Extended Idowu Due to NCED Closure Balogun, On March 18, the USPS closed the National in a promotion detail assignment pending the National, Center for Employee Development (NCED) in satisfactory completion of the necessary train- Norman, Oklahoma due to COVID-19 concerns. ing. Maint. Craft With hundreds of employees pending qualifi- · As of the signing of this agreement, NCED is Director cation, the parties entered into the following scheduled to start offering classes within thirty agreement: (30) days of June 15, 2020. If NCED is not open · Due to the Postal Service’s COVID-19 travel within thirty (30) days of this date, the parties restrictions and the temporary closing of the will revisit this issue to determine if extension NCED in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, is appropriate. the time between March 18 and ninety days · This agreement does not establish precedent following the re-opening of NCED, will not in any future negotiations regarding pending count towards the Article 38.5.C.3, one year qualifications. period for Maintenance Craft employees to be Temporary Resources for COVID-19 Related Cleaning Requirements

In order to accommodate those installations 4. This temporary contract cleaning will not staffed by Maintenance Craft Custodians where impact postal custodial staffing or reduce work supplemental cleaning resources are needed hours of Maintenance Craft custodial employ- due to COVID-19 related absenteeism, or where ees that are available for work at the facility. postal custodians decline to do COVID-19 re- Available postal custodians will be scheduled lated required cleaning, the parties at the HQ in accordance with item 1 above. Postal custo- level agreed to the following provisions in a dians who decline to do the positive COVID-19 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): cleaning as stated in item 3 above, will not be 1. Available postal career custodians, either considered available for the duration of such Full-Time Regular, or Part-Time Regular, within cleaning. the facility shall be utilized up to the maximum 5. Where temporary contract cleaning ser- hours allowed by Article 8. Postal custodians vices are used, the following will be provided may volunteer to be utilized outside the facility to the local APWU president: copy of the con- after completing their regularly assigned du- tract (including the statement of work), dura- ties. tion of the services, name(s) of the contract 2. Due to COVID-19 related absences, the custodians, and weekly schedule (subject to Postal Service may utilize temporary contract change based on local need). cleaning services where postal custodial staff- 6. This temporary agreement does not modify ing within the facility is not sufficient to pro- or alter in any way the provisions of the current vide the necessary cleaning as required by Collective Bargaining Agreement between the MMO-031-20, Influenza and Coronavirus Postal Service and the American Postal Work- Cleaning Contingency, and/or MS-47, House- ers Union (APWU), including the MOU Re: keeping Postal Facilities, up to the identified Subcontracting Cleaning Services. frequencies. 7. Any modifications to this agreement must 3. When there is a confirmed positive COVID- be between the parties at the USPS Headquar- 19 case, and the postal custodians assigned to ters, and APWU National offices. that facility decline to do the necessary clean- These provisions were applicable beginning ing out of personal concern, the Postal Service March 3. This MOU will now expire on July 17, may utilize contract cleaners to ensure that the 2020. The parties are discussing the MOU as facility has been properly cleaned in accor- this issue goes to press, go to apwu.org to see dance with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) what, if any, extension has been reached. guidelines and related Maintenance Manage- This agreement does not establish precedent in ment Orders (MMOs). Following such clean- any future negotiations regarding contract ing, postal custodians will be utilized in the cleaning. ß facility for normal cleaning (MMO-031-20 and MS-47). 1st Quarter 2021 The Philadelphia Postal Worker Page 7 Understanding Wounded Warrior Leave The following is from the USPS Wounded Warrior Leave flyer posted on bulletin boards. The Postal Service supports U.S. Military Veterans who have chosen to resume a career with the United States Postal Service following their military service. The Postal Service allows any employee who meets the eligibility requirements to take a spe- cifically designated type of leave, to undergo VET NEWS Donna medical treatment for a service-related disabil- Alvin, ity. Treasurer What is Wounded Warrior Leave? Wounded Warrior Leave is an authorized absence from Excerpt of Article Reprinted from work to undergo medical treatment for a ser- vice-connected disability rated at 30 percent or Michigan Messanger more. It is a separate leave category, distinct from sick leave. Who is Eligible to use Wounded by: John P. Smeekens Warrior Leave? Eligible employees are those with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more. Veterans receiving government benefits will When can an eligible Veteran use Wounded see a cost-of-living boost in 2021, if Social Secu- Warrior Leave? Those who seek treatment from rity officials approve one for their recipients their attending physician or other attending later this year. Recently, the Senate unanimously practitioner can use Wounded Warrior Leave. passed legislation to link the two federal Treatment is an in-person visit to a health care payouts, sending it to the White House to be- provider, and includes the course of action come law. President is expected prescribed by a health care provider. to sign the measure when made available. How much leave is available? Military Vet- The bill is not controversial, and routinely erans with a service-connected disability rated passes Congress each year without opposition. at 30% or more are credited with 104 hours per But, under current law, lawmakers must ap- leave year. How do I request Wounded Warrior prove linking the two increases for veterans to Leave? When the leave is foreseeable, employ- see the pay boost. Efforts to permanently tie the ees must give their Supervisor a PS 3971 re- two sets of increases have made little progress questing leave in advance. If the leave is not in recent years. In a statement, Senate Veterans foreseeable, employees must notify their Super- Affairs Committee Chairman Jerry Moran (R- visors as soon as possible of the treatment, KS) and committee ranking member Jon Tester expected duration and applicability of (D-MT) praised the bill’s passage as important Wounded Warrior Leave. The Interactive Voice for veterans and the country. “Our men and Response (IVR) system can be used and the PS women in uniform deserve to have Washing- 3971 is required upon return to duty. ton in their corner working tirelessly to ensure How do I certify that Wounded Warrior Leave they can keep up with the rising costs of hous- is appropriate? To verify that Wounded War- ing, utilities, and food when they return to rior Leave is appropriately used for the treat- civilian life,” Tester said. “Today’s passage is ment of a service-connected disability you must a clear sign that we’re making good on our submit to the Supervisor PS Form 5980 (Treat- promises to those who’ve served.” Earlier this ment Verification for Wounded Warrior Leave). year, bill sponsor Rep. Eliane Luriak (D-VA) How long do I have to submit verification called it Congress’ “duty” to ensure veterans’ that Wounded Warrior Leave is appropriate? benefits keep pace with rising costs. Social The employee must provide the PS form 5980 Security officials are expected in coming weeks certified by a health care provider the employee to announce the size of the annual cost-of- used the leave to receive treatment for a covered living adjustment, if there is one. Last year, the disability no later than 15 calendar days after figure was 2.8 percent. Veterans’ benefits cov- you return to work. ered include disability compensation, compen- What is required before I can use Wounded sation for dependents, clothing allowances, Warrior Leave? It is the employee’s responsi- and dependency and indemnity compensa- bility to notify the Postal Service before request- tions checks. ing leave. Employees must provide documen- If there is a COLA increase to benefits checks, tation to the HR Shared Service Center from the it will go into effect starting this December. ß U.S Dept. of Veterans Affair certifying the req- uisite level of service-connected disability. I want to wish everyone a HAPPY SAFE AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR 2021 !!! Page 8 The Philadelphia Postal Worker 1st Quarter 2021