| The Director of Education's Report |
| Joe Pease |
January 31, 2019 Branch 725 Shop Steward Training Tuesday February 12, 2019 @ 7:30 PM All Shop Stewards are encouraged to attend this training session that will focus on the Dispute Resolution Process. (DRP) We will have a sign-up sheet at our next meeting on February 6th. Stewards can also contact President Rhonda Massari @ 610-461-8333 or Joe Pease @ 610-724-2144. I would like to thank you all for taking on the job of NALC Shop Steward. We all appreciate the effort and the dedication it takes to represent your brothers and sisters. The Shop Steward’s job is difficult and demanding, this training will aid you in understanding the Dispute resolution Process. The focus on this training will begin with the ins and outs of the Pre-Disciplinary Interview (PDI) and will carry through each step of the DRP. This training will be designed to answer any questions or concerns that our Shop Stewards have regarding the grievance process. I look forward to seeing you on February 12th. Thank you. Joe Pease |
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January 3, 2016 I would like to take this opportunity to thank President Jim McCullough for helping me learn the ins and outs of being an effective Shop Steward. I wish President McCullough the best of luck in going forward into retirement. We will continue the fight that he taught us all to protect each other in each and every office. Brothers and sisters the new year brings us an opportunity to grow as a union. We will all work together to make sure that each and every Letter Carrier is protected and treated with the dignity and respect that we all deserve. We will introduce a new form of training at the meeting on January 6th at the Cheese Club in Havertown. The training will be called the Steward’s Workshop and will take place on select Thursday evenings at the Union office in Holmes PA. Steward’s workshop will be open to all Shop Stewards of every level of experience. We will all work together to make sure that every office is protected in the Branch 725 family. More details will be given at the next meeting. Thank you for the opportunity to serve as Director of Education. In solidarity, Joe Pease |
Training January 18, 2016 Let me start off by thanking the members of Branch 725 and President Rhonda Massari for allowing myself and Rick Murphy to attend the NALC Advanced Formal A and Beyond Training last week at the Maritime Institute in Linthicum MD. The training was very intense with some very interesting and useful information. The training was led by National Vice President Lew Drass along with 4 Regional Administrative Assistants from across the country. The training started by teaching us how effective writing can help with the statements that we use to back up our facts and contentions is very critical in filing a strong grievance. We were taught how to look at each grievance from both the Union and management point of view. This will help us protect our brothers and sisters from management when we are under attack. The knowledge that we received will be used in our drop in steward workshops on Thursday nights. I look forward to Thursday night training and thank you Rhonda for putting the program in place. |
January 28, 2017 Branch 725 Steward workshop Tuesday February 7, 2016 @ 7:00 PM All stewards are encouraged to attend this workshop that will focus on the Dispute Resolution Process. (DRP) We will have a sign-up sheet at our next meeting on February 1st for those that have not signed up. Stewards can also contact President Rhonda Massari @ 610-461-8333. The focus on this workshop will begin with the ins and outs of the Pre-Disciplinary Interview (PDI) and will carry through each step of the DRP process. This training will be designed to answer any questions or concerns that our Shop Stewards have regarding the grievance process. We will have a wealth of knowledge on our panel to include President Massari, Vice-President Les Dillman, Recording Secretary Rick Murphy, Marcus Hook Shop Steward Belinda Tridente and myself to answer all questions and address any area of concern that stewards may have. I look forward to seeing you on February 7th. August 23, 2016 2016 NALC 70th Biannual Convention Solidarity in Action was the theme for our 2016 NALC National Convention in Los Angeles Ca. last week. It was a great honor for me to be among the nearly 5,500 delegates gathered at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The convention week started with a major outdoor meet and greet outside of the convention center on Sunday night. There was plenty of food, drink and games as the delegates and their families had an opportunity to say hello. On Monday morning NALC President Fred Rolando asked the delegates to look around the hall during his keynote address. “Every union is like a family,” he said. “Families often have disagreements. We may disagree with each other from time to time, but we are one. We are family. We are a Union. We are the NALC. “While the NALC has real adversaries in postal management, in Congress and in the media” he said, “you have no enemies in here.” “The President said that one of his goals is to take this convention’s theme- “Solidarity in Action”- and use it to develop ways to improve the lives of America’s Letter Carriers.” President Rolando’s keynote address was the beginning of a fantastic week for all of the delegates to come together as one united family. The week was filled with a diverse group of speakers such as members of Congress State Rep Maxine Waters (D-CA), Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), Judy Chen (D-CA) and David Joyce (R-OH). There were more speeches by key Union leaders such as Richard Trumka, President of the AFL-CIO, Cecil Roberts, President of the United Mine Workers Association, Mark Dimondstein, President of the APWU, and others including Chrystine Neff of the United Food and Commercial Workers Int’l and UNI Global Union Secretary Phillip Jennings which represents employees in 150 countries and other international organizations including the NALC. There were many other speakers all united with the NALC in our quest to represent and stand with all of our Sisters and Brothers of the NALC. I feel an enormous sense of pride while standing shoulder to shoulder with my Brothers and Sisters of the NALC. The NALC does an excellent job in providing education as well as historical information of our great Union. The classes and workshops are the backbone as to why we are able to stay united and continue the fight for the strongest Postal Service possible. The diversity of workshops and classes range from City Delivery, Contract Administration Unit, OWCP, negotiating techniques, retirement, Thrift Savings Plan, Dignity and Respect and many more. NALC Officers and staff along with outside experts, present more than 40 workshops over the convention week. There is always so much to learn and the NALC provides the resources for all of the delegates to be educated which allows us to pass the information on to all the members. There is also a new app available for IPhone and Android phones so that we can have all necessary information at our fingertips. There is so much emotion swirling around the convention hall as the speeches are made and the business of the convention is conducted. There are videos of heroic carriers and also the history of our great Union. We had an opportunity to salute Executive Vice President Timothy O’Malley a fond farewell as he announced his retirement from the Executive Board. We also saw a glimpse of the future when Allentown, PA Branch 274 Letter Carrier Jason Nelson, a former CCA and Marine Corps Veteran gave a powerful speech about the sense of brotherhood and comradery he felt as being part of this convention. Brothers and Sisters we are all a key ingredient as to why the NALC is one of the strongest Unions in America. We can feel a great sense of pride in knowing that if one of us falls, there will be one of us to pick you up. Thank you to Branch 725 for affording me the opportunity to serve as a delegate to the 2016 NALC National Convention. |
April 10, 2019 Branch 725 Shop Steward Training May 7th @ 7:30 PM All Shop Stewards are encouraged to attend this training session that will focus on the Dispute Resolution Process. (DRP) We will have a sign- up sheet at our next meeting on May 1, 2019. Please let me know by email or text if you can attend this training class. Stewards can also contact President Rhonda Massari @ 610-461-8333 or Joe Pease @ 610-724-2144. I would like to thank you all for taking on the job of NALC Shop Steward. We all appreciate the effort and the dedication it takes to represent your brothers and sisters. The Shop Steward’s job is difficult and demanding, this training will aid you in understanding the Dispute resolution Process. The focus on this training will start with a recap of our February training and carry into the Formal A Meeting of the DRP. This class will be designed to answer any questions or concerns that our Shop Stewards have regarding the grievance process. I look forward to seeing you on May 7th. Thank you. Joe Pease |
April 9, 2020 A Message From Our Director Of Education Joe Pease The COVID-19 outbreak has created a new environment for all of us to work in. We can no longer gather for meetings or trainings until the virus is able to be contained. As Shop Steward’s we may experience situations that we could not have been prepared to handle. Branch President Les Dillman is receiving updates on a daily basis from NALC Region 12 NBA Dave Napadano as well as from the Philadelphia Metro District management. He is relaying that information via e-mail updates to all shop stewards. The updates are also available through our website, http://nalc725.org/. The link to our COVID-19 update page is http://nalc725.org/Covid-19-Updates.html. Thank you, Andy Kearney, for keeping the webpage up to date! One of the difficult aspects presented by the unprecedented crisis is to carry on as “normal” in leading as a shop steward. This letter is to remind each of you that you are not alone. The branch leaders are available to help in any way. Please reach out with any questions or concerns that are going on in your office. Whether you have questions that concern potential contract violations, disciplined that is issued or lack of cleaning supplies in your office, please call the office at 610-461-8333. We are open for any shop steward training as needed. We can communicate electronically via e-mail, fax or text message with any information that is necessary. Do not hesitate to reach out. Please be mindful that each of the letter carriers that we represent are going through their own personal struggles on a daily basis. Some of them are more than willing to share while the majority will keep their feelings close and may not share when they need assistance. We may be confronted with situations that call on us to be cool and levelheaded. Management is feeling the pressure as well. We may have to take the lead as the calming influence to keep each situation under control. Stress and anxiety levels are on the rise with each passing day of this crisis. We have the tools and ability to lead our members. Thank you for stepping up to be an advocate for our members! We will get through this crisis together. Keep pushing forward! In solidarity, Joe Pease Branch 725 |
May 12, 2020 A Message From Our Director Of Education Joe Pease Thank you all for representing our members through an extremely difficult time. We are available for any shop steward training or information that you may need. We can adjust to these challenging times. The Pennsylvania Primary has been postponed until June 2nd. This primary election will mark the first time that Pennsylvania voters have the option of casting their ballots by mail. You do not have to provide a reason as you would with an absentee ballot. If you would like to vote by mail for the June 2nd primary, your completed application must be received in your county office by 5 p.m. on May 26, 2020. You must be a registered voter to submit an application to vote by mail. We do not know what life will look like on June 2nd. Pennsylvania stay at home orders have been extended until June 4th for our area. If you have not submitted an application for a mail in ballot, please do so as soon as possible. This is the link to check your voter registration status. https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/Pages/voterregistrationstatus.aspx This link will allow you to apply for the mail in ballot. https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/OnlineAbsenteeApplication/#/OnlineAbsenteeBegin Please remember that we cannot talk politics while on the clock or in uniform. Thanks again for all that you do, Joe Pease |