Steps to Insure Protection From Anthrax

Burrus Update #58, Nov. 8, 2001

Efforts continue to make the Postal Service as safe as possible under the present circumstances. Unknown person or persons have decided to use the United States mail as a means to terrorize citizens of our country. Until absolute protections are put in place, postal employees will continue to be exposed to contracting anthrax in the course of their employment.

The Unions and the Postmaster General are taking all steps to insure maximum protection, however changing the entire collection and mail processing operations throughout the country is not a simple endeavor and will require substantial changes. This will include means of sanitizing the mail prior to it being introduced into the processing stream. Several technologies are being evaluated and tested to determine their effectiveness and their impact upon the environment, employees and mail matter. No final decision has been made on the technology that will be used.

The national parties are developing a protocol to be followed when testing is undertaken and when areas have found to be contaminated. The USPS position several weeks ago was that contaminated facilities must be evacuated. They have attempted to back away from that position and made exceptions in Morgan Station, N.Y. and Fort Lauderdale, Fl where only the specific floor where contamination existed were evacuated, pending clean up. In these discussions I have made the APWU position crystal clear, APWU represented employees will not work in facilities that are known to be contaminated until clean up and subsequent testing. I certainly hope that the national parties can arrive at a mutual understanding on this issue but in the event that there is ultimate disagreement, APWU will go it alone and enforce this position. We will not permit the exposure of APWU represented employees to work environments that are known to be contaminated and the walls or floors of buildings will not be accepted as barriers to contamination.

Interest Arbitration

The interest arbitration process continues and postal management through its lawyers continues to press the reduction of wages and benefits for postal employees. During this time of crisis when two of our bargaining unit members have been killed during the course of their employment, two others clinging to life and nine hospitalized with confirmed anthrax these hired mercenaries have continued to question the value of our bargaining unit to the postal system and are pressing for pay and benefit cuts over a four-year period. They cannot and will not succeed, but their action exposes the hypocrisy of a postal management that publically expresses concern for its employees while making efforts to diminish their esteem and value.

Arbitrator Goldberg has made it clear to the parties that it is his intent to conclude the hearings on November 17, 2001 even if it means additional or longer hear dates. The union and management have completed their direct case and at the next scheduled date of hearing, November 15, the union will continue its case in rebuttal. Following the union=s rebuttal, postal management will present sir rebuttal followed by closing statements of the parties. Agreement has been reached to file briefs within five days after the closing of the hearings. Following receipt of the briefs and an opportunity to review them, the arbitration panel will meet in executive session to fashion an award. It is too impractical to predict the outcome. The decision will be based on the arbitrators view of the world as well as the testimony and, evidence presented. In the end, APWU will have rejected managements= refusal to treat our members with the dignity and respect that they deserve and will have waged the battle to its conclusion.

Health Alert!

NOTICE: The next TELECONFERENCE to discuss the ANTHRAX issue will be on Wednesday, November 14, at 2:00 p.m., E.S.T.

Any local wishing to participate should IMMEDIATELY contact their state president. The state president should determine the number of individual (LOCALS) sites participating and IMMEDIATELY call APWU headquarters at 202/8424248 to arrange participation. Please note: Conference Scheduler needs 2-3 days advanced notice of your participation in order to acquire port(s).

Finally, I am confirmed this coming Tuesday, November 13 at 8:00 AM for an appearance on the Washington Journal on C-Span. This is Eastern Standard Time E.S.T. I will be appearing for approximately 40 minutes while taking calls from viewers

Bill Burrus
Executive Vice President

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