MOUNDcitycarrierOfficial Publication of Branch 343St. Louis, MOChartered 1892

February 2013Volume 64, No. 2

MOUNDCITYCARRIEROfficial Publication of Branch 343

2012 First Place General ExcellenceAward Winning Publication

St. Louis, MissouriChartered 1892

NEW NATIONAL AGREEMENT A FAIR DEAL!

President’s Article … By Bill lister

Since November 20, 2011, we have been fighting with Congress to fix the pre-funding issue while at the same time sparring with the USPS over a new National Agreement. For a period of time, it seemed that the Postal Service was possibly going to negotiate on an agreement, but all hopes were dashed when we went to binding arbitration. Getting a fair deal during the era of declining mail volume was a top priority, as well as gaining a career path for our TEs. We have all known that achieving a sub-stantial salary increase along with significant gains to our benefits was simply not going to happen, for four fundamental reasons.

First of all, the economy and first class mail volume tanked in 2007 and neither has come back even close to the levels of that time. The result is a drop in revenue that can only be corrected by finding new sources of revenue in the form of new products and services. Secondly, the USPS has done everything within its power to lose money and not embrace its workforce as a partner in our fight to solvency. Cut-ting service by closing plants and shedding employees has left the public and our customers wonder-ing whether we’re even worth saving. Thirdly, Congress unfairly burdened us with pre-funding health benefits for future retirees, 75 years in advance. This has resulted in the USPS losing bil1ions of dollars at the same time we are negotiating on a new contract. Lastly, the contracts agreed and awarded to our sister unions set the table for just how far an arbitrator would go when considering our contract. Add to these conclusions the fact that the most dysfunctional Congress in modern times refuses to address any of our problems, and the radical fringe on the far right have actively pursued the destruction of all unions and the middle class.

After negotiating under the conditions identified above, President Rolando and our entire negotiating team secured what I believe to be a fair deal that includes a path to career for our TEs. The pay pack-age will only give us a 3.5 percent increase over a 4½ year period, however, we will receive seven COLA adjustments during that same time. Should interest rates rise with high inflation, then we would have significant protection with COLAs that could end up being well beyond 3.5 percent. What offsets the pay raise are the higher percentages we will have to pay for our health benefits. By the end of this agreement in 2016, the Postal Service will only contribute 76 percent of our health benefits, down from the 80 percent that they presently pay. Currently in the Family Plan with NALC you would pay about $6 more per PP for

2 February 2013/MCC

MOUND CITY CARRIER

MOUND CITY CARRIERPublished monthly by:

Branch 343, NALC1600 South Broadway

St. Louis, MO 63104-3806

CALE

NDAR

Feb. 14 Regular Branch Meeting

Feb. 18 Presidents Day Holiday Observed

Mar. 1 Deadline for the John H. Haake Scholarship

Mar. 6 Retirees’ Meeting

Mar. 7 Shop Stewards’ Meeting

Mar. 10 Daylight Saving Time returns

Mar. 31 Deadline for the Charles J. Coyle Scholarship

Apr. 13-14 MDA Bass Tournament (see ad)

Apr. 20 Texas Hold’em Tournament for MDA (see ad)

each percentage point that drops. Additional highlights were the retention of the no-layoff clause and continued restrictions concerning contracting out letter carrier work.

Perhaps the most significant achievement in this agreement is the pathway to ca-reer for all of our TE employees. Since the TE Memo in Sept. of 2007, we have asked our national officers to work on fixing the woefully inadequate language regarding the protection and advancement of our TEs. They have responded by convincing Arbitrator Das to do just that. Although TEs will be gone after April 10 of 2013, they will all be given the opportunity to become city carrier assistants (CCAs) if they take the Battery 473 Exam. TEs who have taken the test more than two years ago

will most likely have to re-take the exam, although that info is not currently available. After passing the exam, TEs will become CCAs and be converted to full-time career when residual vacancies exist within their installation by relative standing. That is, seniority for time served as a TE back to Sept. 29, 2007 will allow the longest serving TEs to be converted first.

TEs converted to CCAs will see a salary decrease from $22.15 per hour before the new contract to $16.25 per hour or nearly a $6 an hour drop. At first blush, everyone’s opinion is that Arbitrator Das penalized TEs for giving them a career path, however take the time to consider what else he is giving our TEs. An immediate appointment to career for most of our TEs who will then move to the pay schedule of all career city carriers with new wage rates and time limits on Step increases. The new entry level rate will go down to $16.71 an hour with our top pay staying the same, as will the time limit to get there of 12.4 years with all step increases now occurring every 46 weeks until they reach top pay of $27.17 an hour. Along with the career wage of $16.71 an hour, new full-time employees will also enjoy a pension account, TSP with match-ing contributions, life insurance, health benefits, annual leave, sick leave, the right to bid on any assignment, protection thru our contract, seniority and paid holidays. These costly benefits to our employer are immedi-ate benefits to new career employees who were previously offered absolutely no benefits and no way of ever making career. Although we were able to increase their pay to over $22 an hour since 2007, they will now have to accept a pay cut for at least three years when they could once again approach their current salary range. Cuts are always difficult to digest, however, with the present state of affairs as explained above and an arbitrated agreement rather than a negotiated one, this is about as good as it was ever going to get. Please read the two page highlights of our new agreement in this edition and then you decide.

Now for the reality of where we are right now. Absolutely none of this matters unless we get legisla-tion that fixes our problems and if that legislation allows the USPS to close plants and take us to five-day delivery, then all bets are off concerning any of this. With all no-bid residual vacancies being filled by CCAs converted to career and a new cadre of CCAs hired off the street, if Congress forces us to go to five-day delivery then we will have quite a few new employees who will be in excess to the needs of the service and have less than six years employment. So is it a fair deal? Yes, for now. More! Later!

February 2013/MCC 3

MOUND CITY CARRIER

executive vice President’s Article… By Barry linan

February greetings to all of the brothers and sisters of NALC Branch 343. With the month of January coming to a close, the new mem-bers of Congress have been sworn in and the battle over postal reform begins anew. Unfortu-nately for us, Congressman Darrel Issa, R-Calif., was re-elected and continues as chairman of the Government Oversight Committee. Mr. Issa’s idea of postal reform is to throw out all union con-tracts, downsize and degrade the service. He has expressed no desire to address the real root cause of USPS debt, which is the onerous retiree benefit pre-funding that Congress saddled the USPS with in the 2006 PAEA law. If pre-funding retiree benefits is so important, then why is it that the USPS is the only federal agency that is being required to do so? Why, because Issa and his right-wing cronies want to bankrupt the USPS. Only by bankrupting the USPS can they justify eliminating all of those middle-class union postal worker jobs. Right-wing ideologues like Issa don’t believe we should have a middle class or unions in this country, and destroying all the federal postal unions is their goal. I don’t believe any postal reform bill crafted by Issa will be good for us or the USPS.

We do have some sensible senators and con-gressmen who realize that the USPS is still viable and needed in this country. We will be counting on them to craft a sensible postal reform bill that relieves the USPS of the unfair burden of pre-funding $5.5 billion a year for retiree benefits. When such a bill does come forward in Congress, we must be prepared to call our senators and con-gressmen to support it. Every letter carrier needs to be aware of how to contact their senators and congressman by phone or email. Mailing a let-ter will not be fast enough if a bill comes up for a vote. If you have access to the Internet, become an e-Activist. Sign up thru the branch office or at www.nalc.org. We must stay informed, connected, and be ready to respond promptly when new postal reform bills, good or bad, come up for a vote.

NAT IONAL A R BI T R AT ION

CON T R ACT AWA R D

I was hoping the NALC would get a negotiated contract, but it was not to be. PMG Donahoe drew a line in the sand by refusing to renew the sub-contracting memos regarding letter carrier work. An arbitration award has finally been issued and, as I expected, it has some good things and some bad. On the good side the subcontracting memos were renewed, three raises and seven COLAs were included, and all TE carriers will become CCAs with a path to becoming full-time career carriers. On the bad side was the creation of a new lower pay scale, increases in our percentage of health insurance costs, and increases in the allowable percentage of non-career carriers in the workforce. Unfortunately, because this was an arbitration award, neither side gets everything they wanted.

I was happy to see the arbitration award gives our many TEs a career path to becoming full-time regu-lar carriers. I know the TEs are not g oing to be happy with the new CCA pay scale, but consider the ben-efits you will receive upon making full-time regular carrier. Paid sick leave, annual leave, holiday pay, bidding on routes, FERS retirement/pension plan, and 80 percent paid health benefits, among others. I would like to say to the TE carriers what many in management have neglected to do — thank you for continuing to deliver the mail under very difficult circumstances. Circumstances that were made worse by managers who constantly demanded unrealistic expectations from inexperienced carriers. In some offices the lazy managers would not even pay for the TEs’ uniforms. Those managers should be ashamed and be demoted, but it won’t happen. Those TEs who have survived the abuse and still did the job certainly deserve to be made full-time career car-riers. Please hang in there and I believe your time is coming soon. We have approximately 180 no-bid vacancies in 631xx alone that management needs to fill. Perhaps one route = one carrier is a concept that management may finally grasp after all?

4 February 2013/MCC

MOUND CITY CARRIER

vice President’s Article… By roBert rapisardo

ON E Y E A R R EV I EWI have been both honored

and privileged to serve the members of this branch for the first year in this new position. First, I want to thank Bill, Barry, Charlie, Mike and Chet for being so helpful. It sure has been a great experience and very fulfill-ing. The position is a very busy job that never runs out of work. I continue to like to do Step A grievances at different locations. I have really enjoyed working together with the stewards and alternates on the many issues that we face with management. The one duty that I really enjoy is being in charge of the Food Drive; with your help and willingness, we are going to surprise many this year. Two of the most disturbing concerns are management’s way of how they treat our mem-bers and the number of carriers that have been on emergency suspension for an extended period of times. Regarding the first concern, you DO NOT have to accept their behavior. If the situation gets to the point of being a personal threat, there are some different choices to be made by you. If you do not have faith in management or the OIG, then there is always the local police. Some may take this advice that I am making a bigger issue than it really is, but I disagree. There is nothing that says you have to take how they mistreat you. Hang in there and be professional despite these disre-spectful individuals; life will catch up with them in the long run.

QUOT ES

“Do not be afraid of opposition. Remember, a kite rises against, not with, the wind.”

Hamilton Wright Mabie

“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” Albert Einstein

“Don’t let yesterday use up too much of today.” Will Rogers

COLCPE

A s a branch, we substantially increased our contributions in 2012. There is plenty of room for another increase in 2013. Thanks, to all those members who have signed up to contribute. Unfortunately there have been a few roadblocks in actually getting those willing to contribute to actu-ally contribute. We have made arrangements with national and the business agent’s office to ensure that we can get our own members contributing and not have to depend on someone else. I apologize for the delay and thank you for your commitment. By the time this publication is read, we will have already contacted the many members at Coyle and Affton who have pledged to contribute.

M DALook in this publication for the notice about the

branch’s upcoming Texas Hold’em Tournament set for April 20. I know there are plenty of poker players out there who have friends and relatives who play poker. Fun will be had by all that night for a good cause. I am hoping that some of the sur-rounding branches will gather up some members to join us for a good cause.

or Call TOLL FREE Roy Tailors1-800-543-0379

ROY TAILORS

Call one of our Area RepresentativesRETIRED LETTER CARRIERS OF BRANCH 343

SUPPORT YOUR UNION BROTHERSWalter Besch37 Raintree Ct. Fenton, MO 63026636-343-3775

UNIONM A D EIT DOES MATTER

USA

WHEN QUALITY & SERVICE COUNTUnion Made Uniforms for the Postal Service

Endorsed by U.N.I.T.E. AFL-CIO

George Cooper10443 Halls Ferry Rd.St. Louis, MO 63136314-541-1503

February 2013/MCC 5

MOUND CITY CARRIER

recording secretAry’s rePort … By Charles sexton

ROU T E I NSPECT IONS A R E ON T h E WAY!

Management notified the union on January 7 of their plans to start full blown six-day count and inspections. They are sched-uled to begin on March 2 and run through the end of May. It appears the new postmaster may have an aggressive approach when it comes to adjusting routes. The following is the tentative schedule of the inspections issued by management:63101/02 March 2 to March 9 63103 March 9 to March 15 63110 March 16 to March 22 63130 March 23 to April 5 63122 April 6 to April 19 63141 April 27 to May 10 63124 May 4 to May 10 63146 May 11 to May 24

Wheeler Station is scheduled to move back to Carrier Square within the Main Post Office by Feb-ruary 9. Despite this all three zones (01, 02, and 03) will be the first up for this round of inspections.

Hopefully, management is willing to be fair this time around. In the fall, Olivette was inspected and the volume was more than 13 percent below the av-erage. The union argued for an adjustment to offset the lack of volume, but management decided to take a hard-line approach and made no adjustments. Therefore, the end of February will be around three months (excluding December) into their adjust-ments and we will be checking average route times for the months of November, January, and February. If that average places the route over 8:10 we will be filing a grievance on a violation of the M-39.

However, all you have to remember is that if management is going to make adjustments that legitimately put your route over 8 hours and you “make it work” and do it in 8 hours, then there will not be any remedy to re-adjust your route, but simply a cease and desist remedy. Be honest and be fair, but don’t kill yourself making it work for them if they screwed up the route you are working.

If management continues to take this hard line approach by refusing to do the right thing, they may find we are not interested in any form of a

co-leader program. In which case, we will grieve every little mistake and show management why we entered into the co-leader program in the first place.

The branch will be doing route inspection train-ing some time before March 2. The new contract has things a little crazy around here right now, but as soon as we can get the training scheduled, we will let the members know.

Until next time; attend our union meetings, become informed, and make yourself and those around you smarter and stronger. Be professional and consistent in your carrier duties at all times. Hope to see you at the next meeting.

TexasHold’em

Tournament For

Muscular Dystrophy Association

Suggested donation of only $30 includes: 5,000 poker chips, chili and beverages

Saturday, April 20, 2013, at 7 p.m. start time Doors open at 6 p.m.

Letter Carriers’ Hall (raising money for MDA for over 60 years)

1600 South Broadway in Soulard

20 minute blinds starting at 25/50

Guaranteed prizes for all final table players Prize pool will be 50% of total entries

To pay in advance or for more information call: Bob: (314) 941-1589 or Tom (314) 258-0442

6 February 2013/MCC

MOUND CITY CARRIER

HeAltH Benefits PlAn … By Chet drain

D ue to the reported increase in the flu virus this season, last month’s article focused on the NALC Health Plan providing free shots to its members. This month I’d like to piggyback on the January article from Health Plan Director Brian Hellman just to remind some, and to recom-mend to others, the “healthy living” benefits that are offered by our Health Plan.1. Healthy Steps to Weight Loss — The NALC Health Benefit Plan has partnered with CIGNA Healthcare Network to offer the weight management program, which provides a personal coach to help you loose unwanted weight. This voluntary program provides an online and telephone support system for participants struggling with losing weight. CIGNA Healthcare will work with you to create a plan that is customized to fit your life and will be there every step of the way — on your time and on your terms until you see the results you want. The Healthy Steps Weight Loss Program provides:

A structured approach and a motivation to •help you more effectively manage your weight.Focus on long-term lifestyle changes and •helping you take control in your lifeA non-diet approach to help you increase •physical activity and make healthier food choices that meet your preference

To enroll in the Healthy Steps to Weight Loss pro-gram, just call (877) 220-NALC (6252) or, of course, go online to nalc.org/depart/hbp.

2. Quit For Life Program — The single most important step you can take to improve your health is to quit smoking. Remember that the NALC Health Plan offers a complete smoking cessation program. At no addi-tional cost, the plan offers a comprehensive pro-gram for plan members and eligible dependants

Five professional 30-minute telephone counsel-•ing sessions per quit attempt, limited to two quit attempts per year.Online tools•Over-the-counter nicotine replacement therapy.•Toll-free access to tobacco coaches for one year.•

For more on this, call (866) 784-8454 or visit quitnow.net/nalc. Over the counter medications for tobacco cessation are cost-free under the prescrip-tion drug program when purchased at a NALC CareSelect or NALC Preferred retail pharmacy.3. Routine checkups — Preventive care is im-portant to overall health and the key to long-term good health. In 2013, the NALC Health Benefits Plan provides nationwide medical coverage that safeguards your health with 100 percent coverage of certain preventive care services such as routine immunizations, mammogram screening, annual EKG, chest x-ray, urinalysis and colonoscopies, just to name a few.

The NALC Health Plan is striving for healthier members. If you are a member of the NALC Health Plan or a new enrollee, this is a reminder that these services are available to you.

God bless all and peace!ScholarshipDeadlines

John H. HaakeMarch 1

and

Charles J. CoyleMarch 31

BRANCH LEGAL PLANAdvice and Consultation on

General Practice and Civil Actions.

February 2013/MCC 7

MOUND CITY CARRIER

A s you may already know, a decision on our 2011-2016 National Agreement has been handed down. While specific details are still trickling out, we do know that we are receiv-ing a couple of wage increases over the life of the contract and we have retained our cost of living adjustments. More importantly we’ve finally se-cured a path for transitional employees to become regular.

For too long the transitional employee has held a tenuous position in the U.S. Postal Service. They have been subject to dismissal on a yearly contrac-tual basis for no reason other than a manager’s dis-like. Subject to termination for minor infractions, the transitional employee has been a pawn at the hands of indifferent managers with little protec-tion, no health benefits and no avenue for joining the regular workforce. This arbitrated decision secures a direct path for those brothers and sisters to not only join the regular workforce, but also accords them the same health benefits and union protections we all enjoy.

The arbitrated decision called the Das award creates a new category of non-career employees called city carrier assistants (CCAs) to replace TEs. Like TEs, CCAs will be members of the NALC bargaining unit and will be appointed for 360-day terms. But unlike TEs, CCAs will earn a pre-career appointment version of seniority called (“relative standing”) that will give them preference for ca-reer job openings in their installations. All career carrier vacancies will be filled by converting CCAs to full-time regular status in order of their relative standing in the installation.

This new path to career status will also be extended to existing TEs. They will be given the opportunity to take the city carrier entrance test and to accept an appointment as a CCA within 90 days, and they will be given credit for time served as a TE for purposes of “relative standing.”

Hopefully, the arbitrator’s decision will help settle the dust as far as the everyday operations of

ON E DOW N A N D ON E TO GO

the Postal Service are concerned and upper management can get a handle on how to appropriately staff the postal facilities that are in desperate need of help.

Now, our other major concern which has yet to be addressed; Congress and our pre-funding obligation. As you know, Washington, D.C. can’t agree on anything and seems willing to watch this country slide into bankruptcy rather than take a stand on anything. Therein lies our predicament. Unless we can somehow convince politicians to at least relieve us of this crippling financial burden by extending the $5.5 billion per year obligation over maybe the next 20 years, then any arbitrated contractual decision may be for naught. Our next fight, or should I say our continuous fight, is to see that our elected officials are convinced of the relevance of the U.S. Postal Service and the need for them to overturn this onerous service kill-ing financial obligation. It’s imperative that we continue to contact our senators and congressman and demand that they take action to address this financial burden. If we can do that without incur-ring any service disruption, (such as the end to Saturday delivery), then I think our future looks brighter.

notes from tHe mAnAging editor… By tom sChulte

100% UNION HONOR ROLLCHOUTEAUCLAYTONCOYLE CUBAFERGUSONFREDRICKTOWNGRAVOIS HARRIET WOODSJENNINGSMACKENZIE POINTE MAPLEWOOD NORTH COUNTY PIEDMONT

ROLLAST. ANNST. CLAIRST. JAMES STE. GENEVIEVE STEELE TOWN & COUNTRY UNION WARRENTON WASHINGTONWEATHERSWENTZVILLE WEST COUNTY

8 February 2013/MCC

MOUND CITY CARRIER

nAtionAl Business Agent’s rePort… By dan pittman

— which led us to the fiscal cliff. So now we’ve come full circle.

Don’t be fooled. This war was never over the federal budget deficit. In fact, federal deficits are dropping as a percent of the total economy. For the fiscal year ending in September 2009, the deficit was 10.1 percent of the gross domestic product, the value of all goods and services produced in America. In 2010, it was 9 percent. In 2011, 8.7 percent. In the 2012 fiscal year, it was down to 7 percent. Yes, the deal finally gets the anti-taxers to accept a tax increase on the wealthy, but this is an inside-the-beltway symbolic victory. If anyone believes this will make the anti-taxers more amenable to future tax increases, they don’t know how rabid these extremist have become. (Robert Reich, Economist) Fixing our national debt will take shared sacrifice from EVERYONE and I mean everyone.

Look, none of us want to pay higher taxes. None of us want to see wasteful spending. None of us want to see our nation continued to be weighed down by crushing debt. But, at the same time, none of us want to be the only ones pulling the cart. Let us hope, NO, let us ACT to commu-nicate and persuade this new Congress to pull up their collective big girl and big boy pants and make the hard choices which will move us forward — pulling equally together with equal sacrifice to fix our national economic problems. Thanks for letting me rant, but this stuff makes me MAD!

On to more pleasant matters; I’d like to take this oppor-tunity to congratulate some of our newest elected branch officers in the region; Stephanie Steward, president of Des Moines Branch 352; Larrissa Parde, president of Lincoln Branch 8; Bill Hezel, president Ballwin Branch 5050; Tony Gesell, president of Waterloo Branch 512; and John Hol-ben, president of Council Bluffs Branch 314. I know there are probably additional new officers I don’t know about yet and I apologize for not mentioning you too. To all the newly elected and currently serving branch officers in Region 5, a hearty congratulations and thank you for all the hard work you are doing and about to do for the mem-bership. Without motivated leaders and the support of the membership in this region behind us, we will not and cannot be effective. So again, congratulations and saddle up, there’s work to do.

Hopefully, our national interest arbitration team will have been successful and we have a new contract by the time this article is published. If so, be prepared to have a lot of intensive training at the Rap Session, March 2-3, to cover the new details of our National Agreement. If your branch has not made housing arrangements, you may be too late. Our special room rate is filling up fast and don’t forget to reserve space at the NBA reception on Saturday evening. Tickets for this event are also flying out the door. If you need more information, call the regional office. In the meantime; stay calm and carry on.

The so-called fiscal cliff has been averted for now … or has it? Frankly, the deal which recently came out of Congress, and signed into law by President Obama, isn’t much better than a Band-Aid. The truth is we will all be feeling the effects of this knee-jerk and short-sighted legislation in short order. Notwithstanding claims to the contrary, we will all see our payroll taxes increase by over 3 percent because of an increase in FICA withholdings alone and that won’t really fix anything. This really shouldn’t be a surprise though, we all know we have a contribution to make to address our national debt and as working men and women with good-paying, middle-class jobs we need to willingly make that contribution. But, what about everyone else?

The deal makes tax cuts for the rich permanent (extend-ing the Bush tax cuts for incomes up to $400,000 if filing singly and $450,000 if jointly) while extending refundable tax credits for the poor (child tax credit, enlarged EITC, and tuition tax credit) for only five years. There’s absolutely no justification for this inequity. It doesn’t get nearly enough revenue from the wealthiest 2 percent — only $600 billion over the next decade, which is half of what the president called for, and a small fraction of the White House’s goal of more than $4 trillion in deficit reduction. That means more of the burden of tax hikes and spending cuts in future years will fall on the middle class and the poor. It continues to exempt the first $5 million of inherited wealth from the estate tax (the exemption used to be $1 million). This is a huge gift to the heirs of the wealthy, perpetuating family dynasties of the idle rich.

Did you know Puerto Rican rum got a tax subsidy from the fiscal cliff deal? How about NASCAR track owners get-ting a higher rate of depreciation on their facilities, which no one else got, or Hollywood films getting as much as $15 million in deductions from domestic film production, or financial services companies like GE who participate in “ac-tive financial” investments in overseas financial endeavors get between $4 billion - $5 billion tax breaks to develop jobs there. These were part of the fiscal cliff legislation. Why?

That said, in the fiscal cliff deal, no one has really con-ceded anything on the debt ceiling, so over the next two months — as the treasury runs out of tricks to avoid a default — many in Congress are likely to do exactly what they did before, which is to hold their votes on raising the ceiling hostage to major cuts in programs for the poor and in Medicare and Social Security and no cuts at all in the defense budget. I’m a combat veteran, but the unbridled spending to fight our foreign incursions is crazy. The biggest failure in the cliff negotiations was not getting agreement to raise the debt ceiling. The last time the debt ceiling had to be raised, in 2011, the majority in the House demanded major cuts in programs for the poor as well as Medicare and Social Security. They got some concessions from the White House but didn’t get what they wanted

February 2013/MCC 9

MOUND CITY CARRIER

retiree rePort … By ray Breakfield

Meeting called to order by Chairman Jim McNeil at 12:47 p.m. Opening prayer and Pledge of Allegiance led by Gus Frank. Rich Rymer is scheduled for lunch next month and Tom Schulte for March.New Members: Mel McNair, a long-time branch officer has joined our ranks.Treasurer’s Report: Jim Kluempers reported a balance of $391.77. Samuels and Vasterling won the 50/50

last month.Branch 343 Report: President Bill Lister spoke about the fiscal cliff. There are no bills about the Postal

Service scheduled now, but someone may try to sneak one onto another bill. There were 200 fewer griev-ances last year than the previous year. Bowling Against Dystrophy is January 13 and Trivia Night is Janu-ary 19. There are more and more scan points for carriers to make.

Bill Jimas volunteered to do lunch in October. There will be a speaker from the Alzheimer’s Associa-tion next month. Retiree benefit cuts are in a new bill. They are trying to raise the Medicare age. The new Medicare premium is $104.90. This year we won’t pay any Missouri income tax on our annuity. Letter carriers helped lobby 10 years ago in Jefferson City for passage. It took 5 years to get passed. Jim McNeil testified at the hearings. Go to NALC.ORG to become an activist.

Vice Chairman Walt Besch spoke about the problems with the Postal Service. He also spoke about huge campaign contributions made by corporations in the last election. He also speculated about giving huge aid to foreign countries that hate us.

50/50 of $16 won by Al Davis. Final prayer by Chaplain Gus Frank. Meeting adjourned at 1:32 p.m.

M I N U T ES Of T h E JA N U A RY 2 , 2013 , M EET I NGed

ito

r’s

notes … By ray BreakfieldIt never ceases to amaze me. Even in these trying times our union leaders manage to come

through and deliver a decent contract. Did you think this contract was going to be one that we all hated? I certainly had my doubts. The economy is in the tank. Electronic media is tak-ing a lot of revenue away. The mood of the entire country seems to be anti-union. Sure, there are going to be parts of the contract that we won’t like. The decent pay and benefits will still be there. Isn’t that the most important thing? With America having 10 percent or less of its workforce unionized, we should all be thankful. We still have things to worry about. Five-day delivery may still be a possibility. We would lose a big part of our membership, which would make us weaker and less able to fight crazy management schemes. There are evil forces lurk-ing. Big business would love to cherry pick all the money-making parts of the Postal Service. Folks in less populated areas would have to drive to the “Mail Center???” to get their mail.

Many Americans would like to see all the unions in this country disbanded. I have an idea why. Many hate it that they are working hard for their money, but aren’t being paid the same as we are. Rather than try to organize for better pay and benefits, they would rather have us lose what we have and make the same as they do. They don’t realize that they would be making even less if it weren’t for the effect of union wages. Even some letter carri-ers are tea baggers who want government out of their lives. They’ll still take their paycheck from the U.S. Treasury, though. Maybe their moms and dads should refuse to take social security. Please tell me that there aren’t any carriers left who actually believe they would be making what they are without the union, because they run like hell and the boss loves them. A long time ago there were some who actually thought that way.

10 February 2013/MCC

MOUND CITY CARRIER

NALC President Emeritus Vincent R. Sombrotto

Jan. 10, 2013 — Vincent R. Sombrotto, 89, a towering figure in the history of the National Association of Letter Carriers and one of the most significant U.S. labor leaders of recent decades, died on Jan. 10.

As a rank-and-file letter carrier at Grand Central Station in New York City, Sombrotto assumed leadership of the pivotal 1970 wildcat postal strike that lead directly to the creation of the modem United States Postal Service.

The following year, he was elected president of NALC Branch 36 in New York City. Seven years later, he was elected as NALC’s 16th national presi-dent, a position he would hold from 1978 to 2002.

His seven-term tenure atop the union was marked by extraordinary changes in the letter carrier craft and by remarkable progress for letter carriers. He also served as a vice president of the AFL-CIO.

Sombrotto was born in New York City on June 15, 1923. He joined what was then the Post Office Department in 1947 as a part-time letter carrier after serv-ing with distinction in the U.S. Navy in World War II.

In 1970, New York letter carriers walked off their federal jobs. Sombrotto took charge of the postal strike to protest poor working conditions and wages so low that some carriers qualified for welfare. President Richard Nixon called in 25,000 troops to deliver the mail in the city after the carriers went on strike.

The walkout eventually spread to 100 cities and involved more than 200,000 postal workers. It lead to the creation of the United States Postal Service.

“Vince’s long tenure and tireless work for this union, at both the local and national levels, has left a lasting, positive impact on all the men and women who have carried the mail since the Great Postal Strike, and on those who will do so in the decades yet to come,” NALC President Fredric V. Rolando said.

He is survived by his wife, Rae, seven children and 14 grandchildren.Compilation Associated Press wire service and NALC website.

February 2013/MCC 11

MOUND CITY CARRIER

25tH AnnuAl mdA Pool tournAment… By niCk Grillo

The 25th anniversary tournament was a success with $350 raised thru entrance fees, T-shirts and do-

nations. Twenty participants chalked up and when the dust settled, Matt Anderson, a patron of the Pink Galleon, won the tournament. Placing second was our own Paul Pitts, steward Jennings Sta-

tion. Clint Tisdale, carrier from Ballwin, took third and Dave Hancock, retiree Ferguson, finished fourth.The ladies 9-Ball Tournament had Janet Deal taking first and Karen Williams placed second. Mike Weir

and Terrence Paschal shot great, but were upstaged by Matt and Paul. Want to thank John Ortmann, retired president Hazelwood Branch, who again showed his support. Bob Purk and Des Peres Station raised and donated $40. Creve Coeur had a contingent present with Ed Johnson donating $40; Ed Perry shooting; and Glenn Parks, Deb Kennedy and Steve Schwent donating and being part of the event. Des Peres retirees George Storts and John Luebbers shot along with Phil Weitkemper, retiree N. County. Other supporters included Bob Rapisardo, Cheryl Krull, Ross Hanson, Rick and Mick Deal, my brother Phil and friends Bill Dufour and Rick Bowman. We all had an enjoyable afternoon, especially with the Rams beating the 49ers.

Remember to support as many MDA events as possible. Let’s make 2013 the lucky year that a cure for muscular dystrophy is discovered. Till next time, Go Blues, Mizzou and SLU! Yours in unionism.

MDA Pool Tournament Director Nick Grillo (C) with first and second place winners Matt Anderson (L) and Paul Pitts (R).

Nick with third place winner Clint Tisdale Nick with the female pool winners — first place Janet Deal (L) and second place winner Karen Williams (R).

Tournament Director Nick Grillo (C) with retired NBA Mike Weir (L) and retired Hazelwood Branch President John Ortmann.

12 February 2013/MCC

MOUND CITY CARRIER

neW nAtionAl AgreementThe three panel Arbitration Board considering our contract which expired in Nov. 2011, reached agree-

ment on a new contract, Jan. 10, 2013. Their decision has determined our wages, benefits and work rules through May 20, 2016. Some of the significant provisions are:

C A R EER E MPLOY EES3 Contractual Raises November 2013 1.0% November 2014 1.5% November 2015 1.0%7 COLA Raises January and July of 2013 payable in 2014 January and July of 2014 January and July of 2015 January of 2016

Sub-Contracting: All current Memoranda concerning sub-contracting will carry over to the new contract.Article 6: No layoff protection remains in effect.New Products: New work gained from new products and services within city delivery will be city carrier work.Uniforms: Increase from $371 to $390 immediately and up to $420 by 2015.Health Benefits: USPS will pay only 78% by 2014 and 76% by 2016.PTFs: PTFs converted to full-time before CCAs, with all converted to full-time status by the end of this contract.TEs: All TEs will be given the opportunity to take the Battery 473 Exam that they must have to be con-verted to CCA.TE position will no longer exist after 90 days or by April 10, 2013.Branch 343 will be contacting all TEs in Br. 343 at their current address or by bulletin. Current TEs will be converted to CCA by test score and if legal requirements are met. Qualified TEs will then become CCAs with “relative standing” (similar to seniority), which gives them credit for time worked as a TE back to September 29, 2007. CCAs will then be converted to full-time career positions by their “relative standing,” when a residual vacancy exists in their installation.

N EW NON- C A R EER POSI T ION, CI T Y C A R R I ER ASSISTA N T (C A A)The new category of supplemental work force will be known as city carrier assistants (CCA). The new non-career work force will be able to transition to a career appointment.Current TEs who become CCAs and newly hired CCAs will be paid accordingly: Grade 1 Grade 2TE converted to CCA pay $16.25 per hour $16.59 per hourNew hire CCA pay $15.00 per hour $15.32 per hourCCA converted to career $16.71 per hour $17.06 per hourNew hire CCAs will take the Battery 473 exam as part of the application process.CCAs will earn annual leave up to 4 hours per pay period and receive overtime including penalty time as per Article 8 procedures.

February 2013/MCC 13

MOUND CITY CARRIER

novemBer 20, 2011, tHru mAy 20, 2016CCAs converted to full-time careers will take 12.4 years to reach Step O at $27.17 per hour in Grade 1, which is what all career city carriers at Step O make. After 12.4 years, Grade 2 carriers will earn $27.74 per hour at Step O.CCAs will not receive COLA increases.All CCAs will receive contractual raises of 1.0% November 2013 1.0% November 2014 1.5% November 2015CCAs will hire on and accrue “relative standing” similar to seniority.Annual Leave will be earned at 1 hour for every 20 hours worked with a maximum of 4 hours per pay periodOvertime, including penalty overtime, will be paid as per Article 8.CCAs will be hired for 360 day terms with a 5-day break. Once they have completed their initial 90-day probationary period, they will commence the next term at the end of the 5-day break. No more anxious waiting year to year for reappointment.CCA terminated for lack of work. The junior in relative standing must be terminated before a senior in relative standing. Junior employees will then be re-employed by “relative standing” (seniority).Separation of a CCA must meet the Just Cause test and be corrective, not punitive or progressive.

CC A h E ALT h BEN EfI TSOffered to CCA employees immediately if converted from TE positions and after one year for a new hire.In 2014 the Affordable Care Act takes effect and CCAs will be covered under the Act through FEHB. The Postal Service will make employer’s contributions up to $3,000 per year ($125 per pay period) for CCAs who qualify for the Affordable Care Act.If not eligible for ACA, CCAs can purchase health benefits through a consumer offered NALC health benefit plan. A family plan will also be available, with the USPS contributing up to $125 per pay period.

R ET IR E M EN TA 401k plan, currently under development, will be offered through the National Association of Letter Carriers, (NALC) for the CCAs.USPS will make a payroll deduction for this purpose and when made career, the 401k may be rolled into the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).

CC A AGR E E M E N T SAgreements on uniforms, vehicle contracts, leave sharing, LWOP and bereavement leave will be the same as all career employees.CCAs will receive full uniform allotment on a yearly basis after they have successfully completed their probationary period, or immediately if they were converted from the TE position.CCAs will have opting rights via Article 41.

C A R EER POSI T IONSAs career positions become available, they will be filled within the installation by “relative standing.”

14 February 2013/MCC

MOUND CITY CARRIER

West county rAncH … By C.d. Jameson

Item: The Postal Service has the fashion police. Yep, she has done it again. Sent out the men-in-black who proceeded to outline the 2013 dress code for our station. Even went as far as telling us that a $35 cita-tion would be issued if we were “caught” without our badge on. Oooooohh! Instead of patrolling parking lots, fingering doughnut boxes or waving vehicles to the main office rooftop, they came, Barney and his partner (did he have his bullet). Another positive step in saving the USPS money.

Item: Can’t eat at our cases, but you can still trough at the bosses computer.

Item: Is this Fryrear’s sister? How was she selected? Nobody else want the job? One stupid decision after another. Item: Postmaster Mayan didn’t destroy the Postal Service. He just made more asinine decisions that put us closer to the fiscal cliff.

Item: Do you read the man-agement rag that we get in the mail, Great Lakes Area Update? I read it on my porcelain throne. I very seldom see ANYTHING about the Gateway District. Why? Because of the way it’s managed. Those efficient dis-tricts with smiling employees, awards, bake sales and the like are listed first. Then the hap-hazard, lackluster, slipshod, incompetent districts are kinda mentioned as paragraph filler, you know, next to the 82 percent MSP scanning section. Welcome to her world and those she se-lected to surround herself with.

Item: 2013! Our president was

re-elected and, yes, Mitt even lost the popular vote for all you Republican carriers.

Item: The economy sucks, gas is up, taxes are going up, milk may go up and stamps are going up, but here at The Ranch things are good. Keith won the Fantasy League Championship again, Clemnants Remnants finished second, Sponge won the Toilet Bowl for the second consecutive year by beating the most inept team in our league, Underground Kings, selected by Jamil, who now is on the hook for a mega platter of wings. Gary and Mark from Gaffney came out here, Jasmine is back after childbirth. As one craft em-ployee so eloquently stated, “We are now entering the Black Hole of space,” the mental void of “Fryrear, part 2.” It seems that our new engineer of the Mar-ket Street Locomotive has set a course of insane destruction. Total and complete stupidity

originates from her office.

Item: Check your transactor for these new postal abbre-viations and move accordingly. MV-721-ADD — that stands for, after dark delivery. This one stands for the fiasco every Monday — FMM = Free Money Monday. Thanks, Cathy.

Item: By the year 2000, all craft employees will clock in, go straight to your cases, pick up your mail and go directly to the street. You see, we are initiat-ing a new program that will streamline our operation. It’s the most effective and cost saving program our upper tier manage-ment types have come up with. This program will eliminate craft jobs, but create more man-agement jobs. It’s called DPS = Direct Point Sequencing. It takes me 25 minutes just to locate it, in five different cages every day. Remember these words, “Aunt Bea and Opie.”

February 2013/MCC 15

MOUND CITY CARRIER

customer connect … By pam stepney

Greetings sisters and brothers of Branch 343. How’s everyone doing? Fine I hope. The NALC settled our contract and now it’s official, we still have jobs with benefits. YEAH!!! That’s a great thing with all that’s going on with the economy today. There are a lot of people out there still looking for full-time jobs with benefits and union representation and guess what? We have that! Being a letter carrier is a good job and it’s one of the best jobs in the Postal Service. I don’t think a robot can go door to door deliv-ering parcels and mail, taking the newspapers to the front door on a cold winter’s day or just looking out for the elderly in the neighborhood. No, this is a job

for the letter carrier. So continue to take care of postal business on your appointed route. It’s your job.

Route inspections are starting again. Perform your job profes-sionally every day in order to protect your assignment. Remem-ber to insist on having a piece count the week of inspection. Parcel business has been growing and growing so look for parcel business on your route that we can take from UPS and FedEx. Tell your customers that the delivery costs through the Postal Service are cheaper than our competitors. I met a letter carrier from O’Fallon Post Office who told me her husband works for UPS and that their business was down last year. Let’s pick up that

business. Each carrier should try to generate at least one lead for Customer Connect. Our parcel deliveries increased last year. Let’s pick it up even more this year.

Moving on, the John Henry Haake Scholarship received 18 applications this year. Make sure your son or daughter mails in their completed documenta-tion to the Letter Carrier’s Hall by March 1, 2013, in order to be eligible to compete for one of the five $1,000 scholarships. Good luck to each of our participants.

Happy Valentine’s to all. Remember to do your best, leave the rest, don’t stress, God bless and thank you for coming.

16 February 2013/MCC

MOUND CITY CARRIER

It is a dedicated column in the Mound City Carrier to provide an opportunity for union members to ask questions of the union leadership about anything pertaining to the union, your job or the USPS. The com-mittee will then respond to your questions/concerns in the Mound City Carrier. If you have a question, it is very likely others have the same question. This column provides a platform to share that information with the entire union.

All questions submitted to the “Ask the Union” column shall be:

•Respectfultoallunionmembers.•Aquestioninwhichsomeoneisseekingclarity.•RelevanttothenatureoftheNALC.•Appropriatetopublish(noslander,profanities,accusations,etc.).•Anyanonymousquestionsshouldincludeahomedutystationtohelpthecommitteebestansweryourquestions.

What kinds of questions can I submit? — You can ask any question pertaining to your union, your position, or the USPS and the union leadership will answer it to the best of their abilities. (Ex: Where are my union fees being spent? or What is a TE?)

What kinds of things should I NOT submit? — Profanities, accusations, and questions not relevant to the NALC. (Ex: Person X is a *&%@#, what can I do to get them fired? or Why is the sky blue?)

How do I get my question answered in the Mound City Carrier? — Submit a question by cutting off the bottom part of this form and mailing it to:

“Ask the Union” 1600 S. Broadway St. Louis, MO 63104

......................................................................................................................................................................................Please fill out form with your question and mail it to: “Ask the Union” at 1600 5. Broadway, St. Louis, MO 63104

Name: _______________________________________ Home Duty Office: ______________________________

Questions for the Union:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Questions sent to the “Ask the Union” column in the Mound City Carrier will be answered by a committee comprised of union leadership (officers and members of the Executive Board).

February 2013/MCC 17

MOUND CITY CARRIER

Special Guest Column

HoW unused sick leAve Affects your AnnuityBy reG Jones, Columnist for the federal times

There seems to be a lot of confusion about what part unused sick leave plays in your annuity. The short answer is: The more you have, the bigger its role.

Before we get into the details of how sick leave can enhance your retirement benefit, let me clear up two common misunderstandings: First, sick leave can’t be added to your service time to make you eligible to retire. Second, it can’t be used in determining the amount of the special retirement supplement (SRS) available to some Federal Employees Retirement System retirees. The SRS is based on actual years and full months of FERS service.

Assuming you have met the age and service requirements to retire, you’ll get credit in your annuity computation for every year and full month of actual service. Any hours of actual service that don’t add up to a full month will be combined with any hours of unused sick leave, and the total converted to additional months of service credit.

Here’s how that’s done. Because annuities are paid on a monthly basis, a year is divided into 12 equal parts. The end results are 12 30-day months and a 360-day year. The number of hours in a work year, 2,087, is divided by 360 to count an annuity day as 5.797+ hours and a month as 174 hours.

There are differences in the way unused sick leave credit is applied under the Civil Service Retirement System and FERS. Retiring CSRS em-ployees get full credit. Retiring FERS employees are entitled only to half credit until 2014 and full credit thereafter. Until the passage of Public Law 111-84 in 2009, FERS retirees weren’t en-titled to any unused sick leave credit. When an annuity has both FERS and CSRS components, the FERS component is increased only by the amount of sick leave earned under FERS. Any sick leave balance attributable to CSRS service is added separately.

Here are examples based on a 55-year-old

employee with 30 years’ service and 1,460 hours of unused sick leave whose high-three, or aver-age salary over three consecutive years of high-est pay, is $80,000.

Under CSRS: Based on actual service, the initial annuity is $45,000 (0.015 x $80,000 x 5 years, plus 0.0175 x $80,000 x 5 years, plus 0.02 x $80,000 x 20 years). Unused sick leave hours add eight months of credit totaling 1,391 hours, with 69 hours left over and dropped. The final CSRS annuity is $46,072 (0.015 x $80,000 x 5 years, plus 0.0175 x $80,000 x 5 years, plus 0.02 x $80,000 x 20.67 years).

Under FERS before 2014, where the em-ployee has 20 years under FERS and 10 years under CSRS (of the 1,460 unused sick leave hours, 1,100 were under FERS): Based on actual service, the initial FERS component of the an-nuity is $16,000 (0.01 x $80,000 x 20 years). Half credit for the 1,100 unused sick leave hours adds 550 hours to the annuity service credit or three months — 522 hours with 28 hours left over and dropped. The final FERS annuity is $16,200 (0.01 x $80,000 x 20.25 years).

The initial CSRS component of the annuity is $13,000 (0.015 x $80,000 x 5 years, plus 0.0175 x $80,000 x 5 years). Credit for the remaining 360 unused sick leave hours adds two months of service credit — 348 hours with 12 hours left over and dropped. The final MRS annuity is $13,267 ($13,000 + .02 x $80,000 x 0.167 year). The total FERS/CSRS annuity is $29,467.

Under the same FERS/CSRS scenario in 2014 or later: Full credit for the 1,100 unused FERS sick leave hours adds six months to the service credit — 1,044 hours with 56 hours left over and dropped. The FERS annuity component grows to $16,400 (0.01 x $80,000 x 20.50 years). With the $13,267 CSRS component, the final FERS/CSRS annuity is $29,667.

Reprinted with permission from the Federal Times, May 2, 2011

18 February 2013/MCC

MOUND CITY CARRIER

forms needed to Process clAims under fecACA-1 Notice of Traumatic Injury and Claim for Continuation of Pay 1. CA-2 Notice of Occupational Disease and Claim for Compensation 2. CA-2a Notice of Recurrence of Disability and Claim for Pay/Compensation 3. CA-5 Claim for Compensation by Widow, Widower and/or Children 4. CA-5b Claim for Compensation by Parents, Brothers, Sisters, Grandparents, Grandchildren 5. CA-6 Official Superior’s Report of Employee’s Death 6. CA-7 Claim for Compensation Due to Traumatic Injury or Occupational Disease 7. CA-7a Time Analysis Form 8. CA-7b Leave Buyback Worksheet/Certification and Election 9. CA-16 Authorization of Examination and/or Treatment 10. CA-i7 Duty Status Report 11. CA-20 Attending Physician’s Report12.

Employers shall not modify these forms or use substitute forms. Employers are expected to maintain/supply these forms as needed in order to properly record and report injuries.

If you have any further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact me.

Respectfully submitted by Liz Dow-RubioNALC/OWCP Representative

Hand Surgery AssociatesTreating hand & wrist problems since 1986

Bruce Schlafly, M.D.Board Certified Hand Surgeon

(314) 842-220010004 Kennerly Rd., Suite 259B

St. Louis, MO 63128(St. Anthony’s Medical Offices)

February 2013/MCC 19

MOUND CITY CARRIER

OFFICIAL ENTRY BLANKA. BOAT OWNERS NAME: __________________ ADDRESS: ______________________________ CITY: __________________________________ STATE: _________________________________ ZIP: ____________________________________ PHONE: ________________________________B. BUDDY’S NAME: ________________________ ADDRESS: ______________________________ CITY: __________________________________ STATE: _________________________________ ZIP: ____________________________________ PHONE: ________________________________

❒ YES, I will be attending the dinner.

Total attending __________________

❒ No, I will not be attending the dinner.

ENTRY BY MAIL ONLY Entry fee of $140 must be postmarked by April 5, 2013. Checks, money orders and cashiers checks will be accepted. All en-tries received after deadline will be subject to a $25.00 LATE FEE, accepted in cash only during check-in.

MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO:MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY ASSOCIATION

Help Reel in a Cure Bass Tournament 530 Maryville Centre, Suite 410

Town & Country, MO 63141

TOURNAMENT TO BENEFIT THE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY ASSOCIATION - ST. LOUIS

AT LAKE OF THE OZARKS

TOURNAMENTAPRIL 13-14

6:30 A.M. - 2:30 P.M.

REGISTRATION DINNER AND MEETINGSATURDAY, APRIL 13, 6-8 P.M.

AND … MEET MDA AMBASSADORS

AND GUEST SPEAKER AT THE DINNER!

FUN - BARBEQUE - SILENT AUCTION - 50/50 RAFFLE

17th AnnuAl

Need Lodging or Have a Question?Call Ken Young at Southwest Station

314-645-6312or Check Out

7/24outdoors.comor

mobassin.com

First Place

$1,500 Guarant

eed!

Top teams rec

eive percent

age of entry

fee.

Entry fee is

$140 per boat

.

Includes Big

Bass

20 February 2013/MCC

MOUND CITY CARRIER

Letter carriers need to be prepared to contact their respective congressman at any time.Below is a list of our area representatives and senators with their addresses and phone numbers.

Keep this information handy when you are called upon to act.

congressionAl Addresses missouri And illinoisMISSOURI

William “Lacy” Clay (D) 1st District 2418 Rayburn House Office Bldg. Washington, D.C. 20515 202-225-2406

Ann Wagner (R) 2nd District 435 Cannon House Office Bldg. Washington, D.C. 20515 202-225-1621

Blame Luetkemeyer (R) 3rd District 2440 Rayburn House Office Bldg. Washington, D.C. 20515 202-225-2956

Jo Ann Emerson (R) 8th District 2230 Rayburn House Office Bldg. Washington, D.C. 20515 202-225-4404

ILLINOIS William Enyart (D) 12th District 1722 Longworth House Office Bldg. Washington, D.C. 20515 202-225-5661

U. S. SENATEMISSOURI

Claire McCaskill (D) 506 Hart Senate Office Bldg Washington, D.C. 20510 202-224-6154

Roy Blunt (R) 260 Russell Senate Office Bldg. Washington, D.C. 20510 202-224-5721

ILLINOIS

Richard Durbin (D) 711 Hart Senate Office Bldg.Washington, D.C. 20510 202-224-2152

Mark Kirk (R) 524 Hart Senate Office Bldg.Washington, D.C. 20510 202-224-2854

February 2013/MCC 21

MOUND CITY CARRIER

Branch 343 welcomes CORO Fellow Amanda Kosty

The CORO Fellows Program in Public Affairs is a full-time, nine month, graduate-level experimental leadership training program that prepares diverse, talented and committed individuals for effective and ethical leadership in the public affairs arena. Amanda, a graduate of Sonoma State University in California with a degree in Business Administration, spent the last two weeks learning the intricacies of union life at the branch level.

Letter carrier Debbie Bass retires from South County after 31 years with the Postal Service.

Letter carrier Mark Andrus retires from Fenton Station and joins the Last Punch Bunch.

Branch Meeting Attendance PrizesJanuary 10, 2013

Billikens vs. Rhode Island1. — Saturday 1/19 Fred Schafer — RetiredBillikens vs. Rhode Island2. — Saturday 1/19 Tim Wicks — OldhamBillikens vs. Butler3. — Thursday 1/31 — Chet Drain — JenningsBillikens vs. Butler4. — Thursday 1/31 — Aleisha Wilburn — OldhamAMC Theatre + 5. $25 Gift Card — Marvin Rains — FentonBottle Wine6. — Roy Tailors Uniform/Walter Besch — Ramona Droege — S. CountyBottle Wine7. — Roy Tailor Uniforms/Walter Besch — Tiffany Hager — S. County

LOC AL BA RGA I N I NG A N D OT h ER NOTA BLE MOUs U N DER N EW CON T R ACT

The period for negotiating new Local Memorandum of Understanding has been set by the new contract from April 1-30, 2013. Unless otherwise addressed in the Das Award, most of the MOUs in the 2006 National Agreement will be continued in the 2011 contract. In addition, there were more than a dozen new MOUs awarded in this contract and eight existing MOUs were updated. Some highlights in the new or amended memos include:

A new MOU creates an Article 8 task force to develop and test improvements in the process for as-signing overtime hours.

A new MOU creates a joint task force to explore and test possible improvements in the dispute reso-lution process.

A new MOU regarding a city delivery task force will seek to improve the work climate while investi-gating ways to raise operational efficiency. The parties will focus specifically on ways to address factors that create workplace conflict over daily work times.

An updated MOU on alternate route evaluation and adjustment process revives the joint exploration of improvements to the route inspection method.

2011-2016 National Agreement

22 February 2013/MCC

MOUND CITY CARRIER

BRANCH MEETINGBranch 343, St. LouiS, MiSSouri

January 10, 2013Summary of

Branch Action

Highlig

hts

MSC To pay the branch billsMSC Branch 343 sends up

to five branch officers determined by the branch president, along with the president to the Region Five Rap Session on March 2-3, 2013, in Kansas City and pays their expenses.

New Members

Deceased Member

Kenneth J. Allen ...........................TE - Weathers .......................01-10-13Gregory L. Colvin ........................TE - Jennings ........................01-10-13Damion R. Donaldson .................TE - Jennings ........................01-10-13Christopher E. Doyle ...................TE - Gravois ..........................01-10-13Linda M. Earle ..............................TE - Olivette ..........................01-10-13Elizabeth R. Emily .......................TE - Mac Pointe ....................01-10-13Carlos M. Harris Jr. ......................TE - Maryville Gardens .......01-10-13Justin Hendee ...............................TE - Normandy ....................01-10-13Daniel L. Justus ............................TE - Maryville Gardens .......01-10-13Marcus E. Lewis ...........................TE - Southwest .....................01-10-13Kandice S. Napolitano .................TE - Gaffney .........................01-10-13Monica S. Perry ............................TE - North County ...............01-10-13Brandon C. Strong ........................TE - Coyle..............................01-10-13Travis N. Viola ..............................TE - Washington ..................01-10-13Deidre Wells .................................TE - Olivette ..........................01-10-13Isaac A. Woods .............................TE - Weathers .......................01-10-13Dorian Q. Anderson .....................TE - Southwest .....................01-10-13Jeffrey M. Fischer .........................TE - Gravois ..........................01-10-13Kevin R. Fogleman .......................TE - Southwest .....................01-10-13Walter E. White ............................TE - North County ...............01-10-13Vernon T. Carter ...........................TE - Coyle..............................01-10-13Ryan D. Berry ...............................TE - Southwest .....................01-10-13Imogene Griffin ............................TE - Normandy ....................01-10-13Alisha M. Roberts ........................TE - North County ...............01-10-13Regina L. Cook .............................TE - Southwest .....................01-10-13William M. Sidwell ......................TE - Choteau .........................01-10-13Zahid Ganibegovic ......................TE - Southwest .....................01-10-13

Dana M. Stancel ...........................Town and Country .............. 10-31-12Bill J. Kaltenbach ..........................St. James ............................... 11-30-12Mark Andrus ................................Fenton ................................... 12-24-12Melvin McNair .............................South County ...................... 12-28-12Tracy A. Woods ............................Clayton ................................. 12-28-12Deborah L. Bass ............................South County ...................... 12-28-12Clifton J. Sowards ........................Southwest ..............................12-31-12William T. Schejbal ......................Sappington ........................... 01-03-13

Recently Retired Members

Joseph L. Walter ...........................60 Year Member ...................04-17-10Charles H. Wiegers ......................60 Year Member .................. 04-01-11Douglas S. Griffaw .......................Gold Card ............................. 11-21-12James D’Amico .............................Gold Card ............................ 12-28-12

NBA Dan Pittman re-

ported President Emeritus Vincent

Sombrotto passed away today. He lived

for the NALC and was one of the most significant U.S. labor leaders of recent decades. NBA Pittman also implied there might be a new National Agreement soon with details to come on the NALC’s website. This year’s Region 5 Rap Session will be in Kansas City on March 2-3.

Executive VP Barry Linan reported the employee’s portion of Social Security Tax went back up at the start of 2013 from.042 percent to.062 percent. Barry also informed the members they have a choice when injured on the job. He strongly recommended going to a local emergency room before Concentra.

VP Robert Rapisardo reported first and second phase vacation bids were complete and he has been able to get any problems

continued on page 23 …

The above honor roll gives special recognition to those members who give $50 or more. Each star represents $100

IS YOUR NAME LISTED? WHY NOT?SEND YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS PAYABLE TO BRANCH 343, P.A.C.

MIKE WEIR612 CHARLESTON OAKS DR.

BALLWIN, MO 63021-7387(Donations are not tax deductible)

fixed up to this point. Also, the new 2013 Branch 343 buttons are out and can be picked up before leaving for the night.

President William Lister informed the members that he had met with the new postmaster and things went pretty well in his judgment. At the end of the meeting she put President Lister on notice that management would be starting route inspections at nine different zones. They will be-gin March 2 in zones 63101 and 63102 and will run through May 24, one or two weeks at a time in the other seven zones. Also, Branch 343 has accepted another CORO Fellowship intern this year for a two week period. Her name is Amanda Kosty and she is here to learn about labor unions. President Lister asked the members to welcome her before leaving after the meeting.

… continued from page 22

Respectfully Submitted Charles L. SextonRecording Secretary

TOM HARMANHTONY JASPERHKEN MEYERHTOM SCHULTEHDAN PITTMANHHENRY DEIBELHJOE POLITTEH

FRANCIS RYANHHJIM McNEILHGENO IBERGHBILL LISTERHART BUCKHEVERETT LUDWIGHTHOMAS FITZSIMONSH

BOB FLAHERTYHHEUGENE HILKEHMIKE WEIRHBARRY LINANHRICHARD BOIENHTHOMAS HOWERYH

GERALD G. GALLEANOHHCHARLES SCANLONHJIM BRUGGEMANHCHARLIE SEXTONHTOM DEGEAREHPATRICK KOWALCZYKH

John HaakeBill HoffmanKen JohnsonVictor Ketterer

Victor KeitelWalter BeschDonald BassMike Burkett

John KarayRay BreakfieldMichael Jennings

John MulderigJefferson LaytonAngelo Ottolini

Mike Chenot Harry Morris Bob Rapisardo

February 2013/MCC 23

POLITICAL ACTION HONOR ROLL

Deadline for articles for the MARCH issue isFEBRUARY 19, 2013

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REGULAR BRANCH MEETINGTHURSDAY,FEBRUARY 14, 2013

7:30 pm

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SHOP STEWARDS MEETINGTHURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013The Letter Carriers Building

1600 S Broadway

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Dan J. GouldBRANCh 343—OFFICERS—

Bill Lister ................................. PresidentBarry Linan .....Executive Vice President/

TreasurerRobert Rapisardo ............ Vice President/

Financial SecretaryCharles Sexton ......... Recording SecretaryDerrick Williams .......... Sergeant-at-ArmsSaronda Sutherland ..........Collector, MBAChet Drain ... Health Benefit Representative

BOARD OF TRUSTEESJohn McLaughlin Tony JasperMike “Thumper” Tharp Tina Hunt

Stuart East

CORRESPONDENT POSTAL RECORD

Tom Schulte

MEMBER-AT-LARGENEGOTIATING COMMITTEE

Mike Chenot Pam StepneyMel McNair Brad Layton

DELEGATES TO THE ST. LOUIS LABOR COUNCIL

Bill Lister Keith GentryGus Frank Barry LinanMike Chenot Tony Jasper

Pam Stepney

MOUND CITY CARRIERPublished monthly by Branch 343

National Association of Letter CarriersContents may be reproduced by NALC

publications — Just mention Branch 343.

STAFFTom Schulte .................. Managing EditorHarry Blecha ............... Business ManagerRay Breakfield .............................. EditorClif Nelson ............................ Asst. EditorJohn McLaughlin ................... Asst. Editor

ADVISORY BOARD

Bill ListerBarry Linan

All correspondence and all articles intended for publication in this paper

should be addressed to:Ray Breakfield, Editor

1600 S BroadwaySt. Louis, MO 63104-3806

Phone: (314) 241-4297

All copy should be TYPED in upper and lower case, double spaced and written on one side only. Articles are to be limited

to 250 words and must be signed.

for ad rates call:HARRY BLECHA

Phone: (314) 645-1192

Opinions expressed intend no malice toward anyone — neither do they necessarily express the views of the editor nor that of Branch 343 N.A.L.C.

Articles may be edited for brevity and potential libelous statements.

LETTER CARRIERS BUILDINGBRANCH OFFICE1600 S Broadway

St. Louis, MO 63104-3806

(314) 241-4297

Hours: 8 am - 4:30 pm (M-F) 8 am - Noon (Sat)

Fax: (314) 241-2738

Branch 343 Websitewww.branch343.org

RETIRED MEMBERS MEETINGLETTER CARRIERS BUILDING

1600 S Broadway1st Wednesday of the month.

Lunch at noon, meeting at 12:45 pm

Jim McNeil, Chairman ..................(314) 845-2371 RayBreakfield,Secretary .............(573) 358-5266

Jim Kluempers, Treasurer ............(636) 274-0996

FEMALE LETTER CARRIERS REPRESENTATIVE

Robinette Hensley, Creve Coeur(314) 432--8211

EEO REPRESENTATIVESHarold Robinson — (314) 569-2653

Robinette Hensley — (314) 432--8211

HEALTH BENEFITS HOT LINEChet Drain — Hall: (314) 241-4223

Tuesday 8 am to 4:30 pm

COMPENSATION HOT LINEMike David — Hall: (314) 241-4223

Thursday 8 am to 4:30 pm

SAFETY & HEALTHMel McNair, South County

(314) 846-4152

VETERANS CONSULTANTMike David — (314) 241-4297

FOR LOW COST NALC INSURANCESaronda Sutherland, MBA

(314) 535-2850

NBA OFFICEDan Pittman — (314) 872-0227