Legislative and Political Department

Legislative Director Myke Reid Retires,
Gary Kloepfer Takes Legislative Reins
(05/13/13) Myke Reid retired effective May 13, ending an illustrious career as the APWU’s Legislative and Political Director. “It’s been a great job,” Reid said. “I came from a blue-collar family and got the opportunity to be involved in some of the great legislative battles working people of my generation fought,” he said. [read more]

Putting the Fun in Fundraising

APWU members who attended the Kansas Postal Workers Union’s Convention and Tri State Training conference on April 24-27 showed how to have fun raising money for COPA.

Approximately 75 members attended the three-day event and raised an impressive $4,726 for the union’s political action fund through a raffle, a lottery, a 50-50 drawing, a “duck race” in the hotel’s swimming pool, and a lip-sync contest to showcase their talent.

Former KPWU President Marcia Coleman and APWU President Cliff Guffey at the COPA raffle table.

Former KPWU President Marcia Coleman and APWU President Cliff Guffey at the raffle table.

Ducks ready to sell for duck race.

And the ducks hit the water!

Kendyll Campbell, Dean Hathaway, Ben Lyons

Kendyll Campbell, Dean Hathaway, and Ben Lyons, strutting their stuff.

Tom Maier, fronting the act.

It’s Time to Get Busy:
Congress Likely
To Vote Soon on Postal Reform

Myke Reid
Legislative & Political Department Director

(This article first appeared in the May/June 2013 edition of The American Postal Worker.)

With experts predicting that the USPS will run out of cash before the end of the year, Congress is likely to vote soon on bills that will affect our jobs, our benefits, and our future. Now, more than ever, APWU members must fight to protect the services we provide to the American people and we must fend off attacks on our rights as workers.

In February and March, bills were introduced in Congress that would restore financial stability to the Postal Service. The bills abide by principles the APWU has identified as essential to the long-term health of the USPS. The principles include:

Grant the USPS relief from the unfair burden of pre-funding retiree health benefits by 2017. Require the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to return any overpayments the USPS has made to the Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) or Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS).
Prevent the USPS from destroying the postal network under the guise of improving efficiency and saving money. The Postal Service must be required to document the necessity to close or consolidate additional mail processing facilities and post offices.
Don’t punish workers who suffer job-related injuries or illnesses. A December 2012 report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) documents the devastating effect a provision in last year’s Senate bill would have on injured employees.
Don’t tamper with the collective-bargaining process. Legislators must reject provisions in last year’s House bill (H.R. 2309) that would have permitted an appointed board to abolish negotiated contracts and that would have prevented the unions and management from negotiating certain provisions, such as protection against layoffs.
Restore financial stability to the USPS. Efforts by the Postal Service to reduce hours, cut service, and delay mail delivery will diminish the agency’s ability to maintain customers and attract new ones.

The Postal Service Protection Act (S. 316 / H.R. 630) was introduced in the Senate and House on Feb. 13 by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Pete DeFazio (D- OR). The legislation addresses the cause of the Postal Service’s financial crisis, protects the service we provide the American people, preserves the USPS, and protects postal employees. The union has called on all APWU members to contact their senators and representatives and ask them to support the bills.

On March 5, Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) introduced the Postal Service Stabilization Act (H.R. 961), which would require OPM to recalculate the Postal Service’s pension liabilities using postal-specific salary and demographic assumptions. H.R. 961 would enhance the financial viability of the Postal Service without cutting worker pay or demolishing service.

Invest in Our Future

The APWU Committee on Political Action (COPA) is an important weapon in the fight for our future. COPA combines voluntary contributions from our members and donates them to candidates who share our views on important issues.

To help win the fight for meaningful postal reform, COPA must have the resources to support those who support us, and to oppose those who seek to destroy our jobs.

This is a critical year. We can surrender and let opponents of middle-class jobs destroy us, or we can fight back with all the power at our disposal.

I urge you to join the fight, engage in the struggle, and do all you can to make sure elected officials know that we will do everything we can to protect our members and the service we provide to the American people.

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