| The Newsletter.....the Good....the Bad....and the Ugly! Page 2 |
November 29, 2014 We Help Deliver Christmas This is our busy season. We deliver more mail and parcels a day during this period then at any other time in the year. But, that is not all we deliver. We deliver Christmas to a lot of people. With all the pressures and volume we encounter this time of year we don't fail our customers. We get those deliveries done. Last year our competitors failed to do that and there were a lot of upset customers. And a lot of kids. We do what we have to in order to see that doesn't happen with us. The smiles on their faces when we deliver those cards, letters and packages just pushes us to get it all done on time. Some of you answer the "Dear Santa" letter. Others are secret Santas to a lot of kids. There is so much more you do then just deliver the mail. Keep doing what you do best. Have a Merry Christmas. November 16, 2014 Looking Forward We all got word this week that the PMG is retiring and the name of his replacement. Let us all hope that this Woman has the vision of any great leader and looks to improve and grow the great network and foundation she has to work with. Not the gloom and doom, we are heading for failure outlook of her predecessor. I don't even want to mention his name. But, his departure I have to think comes only through all the hard work of all of you. The protests at the Plants, Post Offices, Staples and the constant awareness you all brought to the public had to bring a tremendous amount of pressure on him to make this decision. The Day of Action November 14th had to be the final straw. While we are all optimistic about the change in leadership, we also must be prepared to take action once again if we feel the need to protect the Postal Service. Not only for our own selfish needs of having a job, but for the public that depends on us to provide that service. November 8, 2014 Carrier's That Go Bump In The Night They closed down some plants. Moved those operations to ones farther away. They changed your start time so they could allow for the increased time it would take to get your mail to you. Then, something like what happened in our area happens. There was a power failure at the Philly Plant. Mail did not arrive to our offices until hours after the normal times. We were all forced to be on the street past sunset. Like our President Jimmy McCullough stated at our last general meeting - darkness is not a good enough reason to not deliver mail. But, he stated, safety issues are. This time of year a lot of people have all kinds of lawn decorations for the various holidays. You can't see the trip wires that attach to those blow up ones especially. Don't be a hero or feel that you have to plow through. If you can deliver the mail and it takes you more time to do so then please do so. More money in your pocket. But, if you feel unsafe then let your Supervisor know and why. Let them get you the help you might need or bring the mail back. Tag it as undeliverable and why using form 1571. It isn't so bad on your own route because you know where most of those hazards are. But, if you are doing a piece on another route you are in the dark in more then one way. Be diligent in getting the mail delivered. But also, make sure you do it safely. They created this problem. Not us. We are always left with cleaning up after them and making their new ideas work. We have to stop that. They are trying to force that square peg through a round hole. Do your job the way it is supposed to be done and take the time to do it SAFELY. Branch 725 Newsletter October 31, 2014 NALC endorsed candidates for election Click Here! AFL-CIO endorsed candidates for election Click Here! The NALC does not endorse candidates for State elections. Only in National elections. The AFL-CIO does both. This is where you can find out who Labor feels is the best candidates to protect your jobs and future. Vote for whoever is best for you and your family. It is our job to get this information to you. We won't tell you who to vote for. But, please take the time to vote. A Message from Southeastern PA AFL-CIO Dear Union and Family Members: This year we have the tremendous opportunity of electing a member of our union family to the State Senate in Delaware County. As I’m sure you’re aware by now, John Kane from Plumbers Local 690 is running for the open State Senate seat in the 26th District that has been represented by State Senator Ted Erickson for more than a decade. The campaign that has been run against John Kane has clearly shown all of us what his opponent thinks of unions. John, and the entire labor movement, have been attacked. The disrespectful, anti-union campaign that is being waged against John in this race is disgraceful. We want to clear up some of the lies that have been hurled at John by his anti-union opponent. Unions have to file extensive reports with the Department of Labor to show how all of our money is spent. John’s opponent has used these reports and taken them out of context to claim that John Kane makes $276,000. This is blatantly false. In the past few years John has borrowed from his retirement account to pay for his children’s college education. On the Department of Labor forms this is classified as income even though this is money that he’s borrowed from his very own retirement fund. John Kane’s opponent has also accused him of taking money and being cozy with organized labor when the reality is that John’s opponent has accepted money and endorsements from the very same unions. In the past several years we have seen repeated attacks on working families in Harrisburg. Harrisburg politicians are continually trying to privatize our jobs, gut our pensions, end job protections and pass right to work legislation. Just as the State Senate session ended last week, there was a concerted effort to move legislation to eliminate union dues deductions for public employees. With John Kane as a State Senator we know that he will never take a vote that will hurt the issues that we believe in for the simple reason that he is one of us. John Kane will work to restore funding for public education. He will work to grow our economy in a way that benefits everyone, not just the wealthy few. He will be a friend of working families and a voice of reason in Harrisburg during a time when we are under constant assault. Election Day is Tuesday, November 4th. We believe that John Kane, candidate in the 26th State Senate, is the candidate that best represents us as working families. In Solidarity, Carol Carvalho Executive Director Southeastern Pennsylvania Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO Branch 725 Newsletter October 27, 2014 Benefit for Bob Paxson The benefit was a huge success. Thanks to all of you that went or donated money to help this brother. His family was overwhelmed by the support that you all showed along with family, friends and customers. It is a mixed feeling I get when I see things like this. Some of us don't know how much we mean to others until tragedy strikes. We should express that more often to each other. Michele DeFelice did a great job organizing this event. So great we didn't get any pictures. Too many people so there was no room to get good shots. But, that there were so many people there to support Bob is all that matters. Branch 725 Newsletter October 22, 2014 Postal Service wants to go Green Did you read that card we received in the mail from the Postal Service the other day? It was asking us to do our Health Care changes online. We are going green. Wow, how clueless are these people? We are trying to encourage people to use the mail and the importance of what we do. And here they are telling us that we shouldn't use the mail. It just baffles me that we have Daffy Duck type people running this company. Where do they get these people from? Mars? I am betting Uranus. Branch 725 Newsletter October 14, 2014 They had a political walk in Philly yesterday. Encouraging people to get out and vote. Like President McCullough mentioned at our October general meeting about the importance of voting for our Union's National officers, it is equally as important to vote for future leaders of our local areas, State and National offices. These people will have huge control of our lives during their terms in office. So many people don't think their vote counts. It does. It does because so many people don't vote. The best person for the office doesn't always win. It is the person that convinced enough people to vote. About 50 to 55% of registered voters actually vote for the President of the U.S. Much less in midterm elections. So those that get elected do not really represent the "Wish of the people". What they represent are the wish of those who cared to take the time or G-A-S to vote. Please take the time and vote. Whoever wins, let it be because enough of you G-A-S to vote. Branch 725 Newsletter October 2, 2014 We had two guest speakers at our Union Meeting last night in Glenolden. Leanne Krueger-Braneky who is running for the 161st District in PA and William Mellon from the APWU. Leanne is very pro Labor and deserves our support from the members living in that district. William Mellon is the son of our own Bill Mellon and I count him as a friend from all the hard work we have done together to protect Postal jobs. He even came out with another clerk from Glad Wynne to help me unload trucks at Loaves and Fishes during our last food drive. It is important to note that all four Postal Unions are now in lock step towards just that. Working with him is easy. Never have to explain why. Just when do you need us, what time and where. Branch 725 Newsletter September 30, 2014 Get out and vote. It is important to exercise your right to elect those people that will make so many decisions that will effect your life and the people you love. If you are not registered then here is the link in Pennsylvania to do so. Make your voice count. Don't assume your vote don't count. Let the other person think that. Click Here! Branch 725 Newsletter September 13, 2014 Mail was light as usual during the summer months. It has started to pick up recently as normal. The Political mail varies in volume depending on the districts we work in. Parcels have been very steady all the time. That volume will only increase. Not only because of Christmas but the recent decisions by Fed-Ex and UPS to increase their prices while the Postal Service has stated they are lowering their prices to large volume shippers like Amazon. Experts are predicting that the Postal Service will be unable to handle such a rise in parcels. Management began tracking how many parcels the Carriers get each day and dropped that once they realized how much time they would have to adjust your route for. This is our best source of revenue for the future and they need to understand it takes time and we need that time in order to keep that business. We are willing to adapt to the changes in our jobs but need them to adjust their idea of the time it takes to do it. Most crafts start at one time and clock out at the end of their shift. Their job is done. The Carrier's job isn't done until that last delivery is made. We can't shut the door and turn off the lights. Branch 725 Newsletter September 4, 2014 Congratulations to Kevin Loomis from Kennett Square office on his retirement. Kevin received his watch from Branch 725 President Jim McCullough at our September 3, 2014 meeting at the Cheese Club in Havertown. Good luck Kevin and enjoy your retirement. Branch 725 Newsletter July 26, 2014 In this edition of the Newsletter, we would like to discuss the National Convention 2014 in Philly. There were some great speakers and supporters of ALL Postal Workers like Bernie Sanders and Ed Shultz. It is good to listen to them on TV or the radio but to see them in person was really awesome. The training was intense and gets better every Convention. The Steward's training and Safety and Health were of great value to me and those I attended them with personally. Social Security, Route Adjustments, City Delivery and other classes to other members as well. Many said they didn't go because it was only in Philly. We can go to Philly anytime. But, you can't get the training or exchange ideas and experiences with your brothers and sisters from across the Country anytime. Only when you make that commitment to do whatever it takes like a lot of our members did. Special shout out to Joe Pease who did a great job handing out materials to every one for a lot of classes. It was a very hard and time consuming job. And to Gary Smith who is new and was eager to get all the training he could and did. Members like you are our future. Keep encouraging others to get involved. Lastly we all got together and signed a card for a little boy from Foxboro, Mass. who has inoperable brain cancer. His only wish was to have his mailbox full of birthday cards. Kudos to Barb Kearney for getting cards for all members in our branch to sign individually as well that were in attendance the next day. I was touched deeply by the video of him getting more cards and packages from all over the world then the rest of Foxboro combined. Watch that video and you will see the power a letter or card still has over an email Branch 725 Newsletter July 14, 2014 In this edition of the Newsletter, we would like to discuss why you need to get more involved. I have heard it said many times how the Postal Service will do what it wants to so why bother going to a rally or making a phone call. Saturday delivery has been on the chopping block so many times I can't count. It has only been through the hard efforts of those that did bother that we still deliver mail on Saturday today. Now comes the news that Staples and the USPS have backed out of a deal to have mini Post Offices inside Staples stores. This only came through the hard efforts of Postal Workers from all four Unions and the support of other Unions. The threat of a boycott and the protest showed Staples this would not be in their best business interests. So, the Postal Service can't do what they want to do. They will only do what we, and the public, allow them to do. Next time we ask you to get involved - remember it can make a difference. Thanks to all of you who are there whenever we ask. Branch 725 Newsletter June 30, 2014 I heard a lot of people complain about Management's use of MSP points against them. What these people don't understand is they can be used to our advantage. First off, they tell you where they expect you to be and when. So, when they say you should be leaving the office at 9:15 AM but you can't leave until 9:30 A.M. because of the mail or parcels not up in time then that is not possible. Maybe you had to wait for that pivot or extra piece to be pulled down. Later in your route you are supposed to hit an MSP at a certain time and maybe even see yourself farther behind due to whatever you faced on that day. Every day is different right? We encounter different challenges every single day. But, my point is these are approximations of what times we should be at these delivery points. At each one of them we know what reasons we have for being behind what those exceptions are. Call the office and tell them you aren't going to make it with those reasons. Fill out a 3996 when you get back to the office with those reasons listed and keep a copy for yourself. Every day is different and I can't remember the problems I had on a day a week ago. Keeping a record of that will refresh your memory. Too often I hear Carriers complain they had to run to get done in time. There is no reason to. They gave you the times you are supposed to be at a certain place and if you are running late then there are reasons behind them. Legitimate reasons. They have established gateways that show where and when we should be. Use them to your advantage to explain what issues you faced on any given day. Stop being abused. This job has enough stress with everything we deal with. Allowing things we can control to be controlled by others is just adding that more stress to our job and lives. |
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November 12, 2015 Q & A with Jimmy McCullough on his tenure as President of Branch 725 Andy Kearney, Webmaster I thought it was a good idea to talk to the Man who ran this Local for the last twelve years and pick his brain a little. I know there are a lot of people who respect the man as much as I do and would like to hear his thoughts on his service . I want to state that Jimmy and Don were influential in me and my wife both becoming more active in the Union and not taking it for granted. We both thank him for everything he has done. I am sure a lot of your feel the same. Q 1. When did you realize you wanted to take on a larger role in the Union? A 1. I think I realized I wanted to by more pro-active, when I went to my first Union meeting and realized that to just sit there and do nothing and blame the Union for all that was wrong in the station that I worked. The Carriers back in the early seventies really did not know what rights they had, because the new Postal Service had just been established and the first collective bargaining agreement had just been signed, and nobody knew which way to go. People Like the late Mario Taborelli, who was the president of the Union in Upper Darby, where I was a PTF made me think that I had to get involved. I started out as the alternate Shop steward in Upper Darby. Q 2.Who do you feel was the most influential to you in becoming more active in the Union? A 2. As stated above Mario Taborelli, got me interested, but two other people were the most influential people in my career. The first person is the late Neil McGlade. Neil got me involved at a high level when he asked me to start up the Carrier Training Academy, for the Philadelphia district. I was involved setting the academy up with a carrier from Philadelphia named Walt Debes, and both of us were the trainers for about 4 years. But the most influential person in my career was President Coughlin. He not only became my mentor but became a dear friend of mine. Under President Coughlin I advanced to become the Director of Education, and was on the original joint venture with the Postal Service with the route inspection team, and final I was promoted to the Dispute Resolution Team (DRT), which I served on for about three years before I became President of Branch 725. Q 3. Looking back, what would you say you are most proud of during your tenure? A 3. Tough question to answer, over the last twelve years it is difficult to pick out just one aspect of twelve years of service. I am proud of almost everything this branch has achieved over this time period. It just is not one person, but, every member had a part to play in making this branch as one of the most influential branches in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Every program that has been start as a joint venture with the Postal Service and the NALC, a member of Branch 725 is part of the venture. I am proud that anyone that has been in the field has represented the branch very well. Q 4.Looking back again, what would you say you wish you had done differently? A 4. This answer is somewhat easier that the last one. What I would have done differently is delegate more things to other people as opposed to me trying to do everything by myself. I have problems delegating because I am a person who sees something and feels the need to get it done, therefore I know the task is done. I had people who could have done more. Q 5- What were your feelings during the strike and how did it effect you and your family personally? A 5- The strike had no effect on me. At the time of the strike I was a college student in Alabama and at that time the Postal Service hired college student who would work about twenty hours a week. and in the summer would carry mail for the entire summer. We were considered full time employees and enjoyed all the benefits of the job. It did not effect my family because I was single at the time. To be truthful with you I thought it was fun to be on strike, but it was not long lived in my situation. In closing I thank all the members of this great organization for their support. And I wish them all nothing but the best for them and their family. Thank you and God Bless. November 5, 2015 2016 Election Results The Election Committee has released the results of our Local's 2016 Executive Board elections: President - Rhonda Massari Vice President - Les Dillman Financial Secretary - Mark Picarelli Treasurer - Eric Jackson Director of Education - Joe Pease Recording Secretary - Rick Murphy Health Plan Director - Gerry Gallagher Director of Retirees - Gene Dolan Sergeant At Arms - Tommy Mullin Trustees Bill Mellon Barb Kearney Margaret Polite September 10, 2015 Retiree's Luncheon I had the privilege of talking to a lot of Retired Letter Carriers today at Branch 725's Fall Retiree's Luncheon. It was nice to see some people I have not seen since their retirement and talk to a few I never met before. A lot of these people worked through the Strike and helped mold the Union into what it is today. Just a chance to talk with them and hear their stories, both horror and humorous, made for a pleasant afternoon. It's a shame things have changed so much that most people treat this job like a sentence instead of a career. When I started the Retirees would stop by from time to time and talk to us over a cup of coffee like they did today. Anymore once we retire we avoid the Post Office as much as possible. We were a family then and at this luncheon I felt like that again. If you know a Retiree that doesn't go to these outings I would suggest you let them know what they are missing. If you are retired yourself or even if you are a new Carrier you are welcome to come as well. Feel good about what you do and spend a few hours at a Letter Carrier family outing called the Retiree's Luncheon. August 7, 2015 Branch Officer Nominations and Delegate Sign ups at September Branch Meeting The Branch has posted it to the Postal Record and we have tried to spread the word as best as possible but there are still people that are unaware how important this meeting is to make. Nominations for all Branch offices and sign ups to be a Delegate to the State and National Conventions can ONLY be done at this meeting. If you can't make the meeting and want to sign up as a Delegate please contact the Union Office for instructions on how to do so prior to the meeting date. Not everyone can be a Delegate. We only have so many slots. But, we will fill as many of those slots allowed to us. In the event we get too many applicants they will hold a Special Election to decide who is going to be a Delegate. Know this in advance and that is all those chosen will be held to being at least the minimum of Branch Meetings in order to go to the State and National Conventions. You may be excused for good reason but not for just not showing up. As far as the Branch Officers go you need to vote and get everyone in your Office to do as well. Don't complain about who is in office when you didn't vote yourself. I hear that all the time from the nitwits on the National scene. Maybe that person you wanted to win didn't but at least you should have made an effort to get them there. July 9, 2015 Use Your Head Dealing With The Heat Management will give you all the safety warnings on dealing with the heat. Then they will give you a Pivot or expect you to return on time. When that heat hits you like a brick to the face you realize you can't push yourself too much. If you feel the need to take a break due to the heat please do so. Sit in the shade or in a cooler place and get yourself to a better state of health. Hydrate yourself all day long. Alert Management if you are having any health concerns. Do not feel pressured to perform to an unrealistic level. We work in very extreme conditions. We alone know our bodies limits. The News will alert people not be outdoors too long. To not allow their pets outside too long as well. But, what about you and others that have to be in those elements? Don't allow anyone else to tell you what those limits are. You know your body better then they do. Stay safe and alert Management to any problems you may have. That is doing the best you can. That is all they can ask. Don't try to be a hero. You are too important to us if not to them. April 19, 2015 And Then There Were None Congrats go out to Phil Dunfee of the Glenolden Office on his conversion to Regular Status. Phil was the last PTF left in our Branch and I know he waited a long time for this day. Now that the Local has converted all of it's PTF's it will be working on getting the CCA's promoted when the opportunities arise. Know that it is as important to the Union as it is to you to seek your advancement. A strong Union stays that way by looking after the welfare of it's members. These things take time but the Union never lets any chance to improve your standing slip by. Or allow more time then necessary to get that done. April 12, 2015 MDA Beef And Beer Night It started out with a plan and went from there. Karen McPoyle got us the place and we built around it. Everyone pitched in. It was such a great thing to see so many different offices and individuals get involved. The weather cooperated to help make it even more of a positive sign for what was to come. We had a lot of donations from various offices and individuals. So many that we had to ask for additional tables to put them on. We will announce how much money we raised as soon as the totals are in. But, the important thing is we got so many people from all over the branch to work together for a common cause. And the funny thing is somehow having a great time doing so. With the brow beating a lot of us take on a daily basis we lost that. We used to do more things like this and here is hoping this is a sign we will do more. Special shout out to those that helped us set up. Rhonda Massari, Tim Grover, John Schneider and Barb Kearney. Check our photos page to see what you missed if you didn't come this time maybe you will try to make our next event. March 19, 2015 Customer Connect - Not Just Job Protection I have been involved in Customer Connect since it started. Some of our Brothers and Sisters do not understand the importance of it. We are not going to regain the levels of first class mail we had in the past. While you may think those house to house deliveries are a nuisance, in reality they are protecting your route. That volume along with the first and second class mail we still deliver. Also, the parcels that seem to increase daily. My childhood friend Bob Irwin is going around to every office trying to explain the merits of this program. He will also be going to our next Union Local meeting to do the same. The Philadelphia District, of which we are a part of, is number one in the Country in Customer Connect through his efforts and those that are buying into the program. Les and Rhonda will tell you when they are doing Route evaluations that this helps them protect your Routes. Parcel and mail volume. In some cases even add ones. So, when my friend Bobby comes and visits you at your office, or you see him at our Union meeting, listen to what he says. And, do whatever you can to help him promote business and protect your Routes. Numbers just released state that Customer Connect is responsible for about two billion dollars in revenue for the Postal Service so far. And we don't have everyone on board with it yet. Once we do how well will the Postal Service do? By the way, Bobby is a Union Brother from the Southwark Station in Philly. He is not a management person. He knows the importance of making this program work to protect jobs. March 2, 2015 Regional 12 Rap Session I know a lot of you don't like to talk shop when you are off work. When we get together with our brothers and sisters at the Rap sessions and Conventions that is almost impossible. But the better we are for it. Often I am told by someone they learn more talking to each other then they do in the actual classes. Real time problems and how they were addressed. Not a bitching session but a how to on what to do if we encounter the same problems. Not text book but actual cases. It is always great to get this exchange with these people. We grow stronger as a Union by them. We have our fun while at the Rap Session after classes but we never forget we are there to learn, educate and exchange thoughts. We are off the clock with the Postal Service but on your dime at these events. We are never off your clock. We are always working towards the betterment of your job and working environment. We have forged great friendships and know we can count on each other when we ever have an issue to deal with. We are a stronger Union knowing how to deal with real issues. You can hate those talking shop at these things but they are the first people you should go to when you need help. They go the extra mile to protect your job. They know what needs to be done. I want to mention we had a very nice dinner together as a branch on Monday night. Jimmy McCullough will be retiring after this year and had a lot of tributes to him and his service to this Local. Well deserved. We will miss him dearly. February 11, 2015 What Management Doesn't Understand I remember when I first started a Manager calling from her home asking who didn't show up for work on a bad snow day in the 90's. She couldn't get out of her house yet but where are the Clerks and Carriers? Amazing isn't it? Things haven't changed much since then. Recently we had a lot of ice to deal with. Management had no problem driving from the Plant to a meeting after a certain time so wanted to know why the Carriers had a problem. While the roads were not so bad about the time this person drove he did not have to walk along some sidewalks or climb steps that were icy. We do a great job in adapting to whatever conditions we face on a daily basis. Each day is different. Yesterday there was a weather issue, today there was some kind of construction going on, and tomorrow some kind of event you had to work around like a block party or parade. We deal with it the best we can. We don't work in a controlled environment. We are forced to control the environment we work in as best we can. Stay safe and continue to do what you know is the right and the safest way to do your job. Report anything you need to. Even if you think it should be totally obvious. Don't assume Management understands. 3996's can be filled out after the fact to explain what happened. Don't be shy to use them. You can't fix stupid. February 4, 2015 The Most Important Report At Our Meetings We have a Union Meeting tonight and there are always people that want to waive various reports by the board to move things along. One of the most important reports to hear is the Treasurer's Report. Managing the Web Site I post articles on all the good and bad things in the news about the Postal Service. Too often those articles are about a Treasurer or other Branch Officer involved in misappropriation of funds. Our Branch does a great job in making sure that all the I's are dotted and the T's crossed so you will never read about that about our Branch. This is a report you all should hear. Every Branch should be aware of the finances and question anything they think is out of line. Our Branch, I am proud to say, has a great check and balances way of doing that. The Treasurer, Eric Jackson is very careful to make sure any funds are paid out only when they are supposed to be. Our three Trustees, Bob Zigmont, Karen McPoyle and Bill Mellon do quarterly audits to ensure there are no problems. Sometimes they may question a payment but it is only for clarification and dotting those I's and crossing those T's. In the end we can be assured that we won't be reading any of those stories about our Branch. So, take the time to listen to that report. A lot of people have worked hard on making sure our funds are dispersed properly. And you should know how your Union Dues are spent. Listen to that report and don't waive it. January 21, 2015 Rolling With The Changes The Postal Service continues to throw a monkey wrench into the way we do our job. They expect us to roll with all the changes they make and still get done on time. Each time they do this it increases the time needed to do our Routes. Problem is too many Carriers make that happen running through their Routes. If it takes more time, then show that time. Too many of you don't and then complain afterwards. A lot of you say that the Postal Service will do what they want to do so why bother. They will do what you allow them to. What they can and can't do is defined in the Contract. It is up to everyone to hold them to that. Not just your Stewards. The Contract is your Bill of Rights. Know it and protect it by not allowing yourself to be used as a doormat. Stop rolling with the changes and show the time they cause you to do your job. December 31, 2014 Thoughts on 2014 and 2015 President McCullough gave out retirement watches almost as fast as he could get them. There has been a large turn over in our ranks. Good thing is almost all of the newly promoted Regulars are Union members and actively involved in it's future. It has been a long time since we have seen this influx of new career employees and it is great to see their hunger to get more involved in their futures and the future of this Union. Some have become Stewards or Alternates. We need that new blood and their passion and drive. This Christmas, I think, proved to Congress and all the other doubters what we can do. That is of course if we are allowed to. The Postal Service is not dead. It just needs to be allowed to adjust like any other business. New Year's Day to most people is a day of new hope and optimism on what may be accomplished. The fact that we have a new PMG and members of the Government Oversight Committee in both the House and Senate should give us good reason to view our glass as half full instead of half empty. We don't know what these people will do but we do know what their predecessors tried to do. There is reason to be upbeat and hopeful again. Keep doing what you do and keep the faith. Don't allow anyone to drag you down. December 21, 2014 Stay safe this Holiday Season and Always We are under a lot of pressure this time of year. Not just with our job but family and other obligations. We can't shortcut safety issues. Take the time to do things safely so we don't hear about something terrible happening to any of you. We can make every excuse for doing the wrong things but, when something bad happens, those excuses are proven wrong. Be alert on the job. Everyone else is also in a hurry. They don't see you so you have to look for them. While delivering mail be very careful crossing streets. And, when crossing a driveway treat it like crossing a street. Be aware of vehicles around you at all times. If you are out in the dark especially. People don't see you all the time. Especially when they aren't expecting someone to be delivering mail that late. Off work either leave early to get where you are going or just realize you will have to be a little late. Don't be that idiot driving like a maniac and have your holiday ruined by having something bad happen. It isn't worth it. Be the smarter person. We and your family will appreciate that. December 4, 2014 Not Just Santa Claus Is Watching You You may remember the song and it says that Santa Claus knows when you are good or bad. Well, he isn't the one you should worry about. Postal Management is able to track your every move. The new scanners are great but they also have a hidden problem for our Carriers. They know where you are at ALL times. You - behind the WAWA think you are safe. No, you are not. They know you are there through GPS on the scanner and just how long you have been there. Brothers and Sisters we can't stress this enough to you. BE WHERE YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ALL THE TIME. We understand you hate working in the dark. So do we. But, running through your breaks and lunch in order to do so only gives them the data to add to your route. It is called "Demonstrated Ability". Once you have shown that you are able to accomplish so much in so little time it is harder for the Union to argue your route doesn't need to be adjusted. Management pushes you to do this in order to get their bosses off their backs. We need to show exactly what it takes to do our jobs. Especially with the need to be out in the dark. Stop making the Union's job harder to protect your routes. You are not just being watched by your local management. Area management now has the ability with these new scanners to watch you and sends emails to your office asking why you are so far ahead? Why didn't they PIVOT you? Why did you go into overtime? And they are doing it now. I know a lot of you don't like to work in the dark so plow through. STOP. You did not create the problem by shutting down plants and having the mail come from farther away. THEY DID. You are not the reason you are out there so late. IT WAS THEM. Stop making their bad management decisions work and then complaining to the Union they can't correct this. We can only fight this by giving the Union the data it needs. It all starts with you and your "Demonstrated Ability". Start demonstrating exactly what it takes to do your job. THE RIGHT WAY! |
January 3, 2016 Dan Bissell Retirement from Springfield Office Andy Kearney, Webmaster I know Dan for a lot of years. He is a dedicated Union man and an asset to our craft. His sense of humor helped others get through some of the rougher days we face. Last night at Duke's in Springfield the bar was full of people wishing him a happy and long retirement. It was a testament to the love and respect that people have for him. Good luck Dan! You will be missed on the work floor. I am sure we will run into you outside work as usual. Bob O'Brien Retirement from Sharon Hill / Folcroft Office After 31 years Bob O'Brien decided to call it a career. Good luck to him in his retirement. |
December 3, 2015 Thank you Jimmy - Enjoy your Retirement Andy Kearney, Webmaster Last night was Jimmy's last Union meeting as President of Branch 725. We will miss his leadership and wealth of knowledge and experience. Good luck to him in his well deserved retirement. May it be a long, healthy and happy one. We all wish you nothing but the best. |
November 4, 2016 West Chester Awards Beth Lloyd, Shop Steward - West Chester Office West Chester employees recognized for 25/30/40 years of USPS service. Peggy Phillips (30), Mike Reeves (25), Dennis Carroll (30), Bruce Johnson (40), Dave Mackey (30). Other 30 year west Chester employees also pictured. Carriers Tim Klales, Peggy Phillips, Bruce Johnson, David Hartman (not in picture) and Thaddeus Harris (not in picture) received million mile recognition. |
October 29, 2016 Branch 725 Newsletter - 2016 PA State Convention Andy Kearney - Webmaster The State Convention at State College was awesome . A lot of hard work and training and then some partying afterwards. Letter Carriers work hard and party hard. But, even during that partying we exchange problems and how we deal with them. What does work and what doesn't. I know a lot of people say they don't like to talk shop but at these Conventions and RAP Sessions we never lose sight of the fact that we are there to learn how to serve our members better. And, talking with others at times like these we are armed better to do so with not only the text book way to do things but what has worked or not in real practical use. Branch 725 was represented well in all areas at this Convention between the various Committees they were on and the volunteers for various jobs as well. Rhonda Massari, Eric Jackson and myself were on Committees, Diane McGuire, Barb Kearney, Joe Pease & Rick Murphy volunteered for various jobs and the rest of our members went on the labor door to door walk for the election. They should all be commended for their efforts to make this Convention a great success. The best part of the Convention was seeing our President Rhonda Massari elected as the new Vice President of the State Association. Branch 725 is recognized for the hard work and leadership it brings to the table at these Conventions and RAP sessions. For More Photos Click Here! |
Oct 14, 2016 Campaign 2016 Andy Kearney, Webmaster Branch President Rhonda Massari along with Director of Education Joe Pease and Treasurer Eric Jackson assisted Philly Branch 157 on Columbus Day in going door to door to Union households to encourage these members to vote for Hillary Clinton and other candidates we need to protect good Union jobs. Two days later at our Branch office we were joined by members of the Lansdowne and Norristown branches in a phone bank reaching out to even more Union members to help get that message out. Thanks to all of those who took the time to protect what too many take for granted. They say you never know what you have until you lose it. Let us hope that because of the efforts by people like you that will never happen to our jobs. |
September 21, 2016 MDA Event Colleen Haynes, Events Coordinator And Shop Steward - Clifton Heights Office When I took on the position as events coordinator I knew it was going to be huge a task. It's something I have taken on within in my own office. So I know first hand how difficult it can be. Outings such as happy hours, bowling and Christmas Parties have been a huge success in Clifton heights. It creates unity within our office. So to bring that to fruition in a branch that consists of 31 offices can be a challenge. Sometimes all the negativity can get the best of us but we need to remind our brothers and sisters that there is a lot of positives to this job. I strongly believe as a team we can accomplish more. Planning events with the soul purpose of unity is something that comes natural to me. I love seeing people enjoying themselves whether it's over a beer or just chatting after work. The possibilities of accomplishing that is endless to me. It also is something that I strongly believe is necessary within our union. However with that said taking on an entire branch requires a lot more. I have to give thanks to my team for there is no "I" in team. Thank you to Joe Pease, Belinda Tridente, Steve Curry, Shirley Hagner, and Joe Benning. You guys rock and honestly it wouldn't be possible without you. Also I would like to thank all the brothers and sisters who attended as well as donated a basket to be raffled off. We seriously had an amazing MDA event! The people who came had nothing but great things to say about it. Which deserves a pat on the back. Together we raised $2281.75 as a branch we need to be proud of that. First thing that pops in my head is its only the beginning, and I know this branch can produce more. I look forward to many more events. And I hope as we continue grow together we not only start out as coworkers but become family. I will leave you with this. I encourage all offices to start with a happy hour after work. If you get three people then to me that's a success. Talk it up at work the next day I swear you will get more! We have to put the work in, unity is a must! We must stand together, for there is no "I" in team. Thank you for all the hard work! |
July 18, 2016 2nd Annual Branch 725 Phillies Outing Andy Kearney, Webmaster My wife and I had the pleasure of attending the Phillies outing yesterday. Everyone had a great time. Thanks to Colleen Haynes, Steve Curry and Joe Pease for all their hard work organizing this event and making it happen. A special shout out to Ryan Anderson who was the grill master for most of the day. There were many others who jumped in to help and ensure that this day was a success. That is what I love about this branch. You don't have to ask people to get involved. They just do. It was a time for us to sit down and just talk about families, vacation plans and sharing personal thoughts. We are a family and sometimes it seems like a dysfunctional one but events like this help to bring us closer together. I encourage everyone to take advantage of these outings. You won't be disappointed. For more photos of this event click here and look at the smiles. That says it all. |
May 14, 2016 PA State Association Visit to Capital Hill Andy Kearney, Webmaster A group from our branch went to Washington this week to speak with our Congressional leaders about the issues we need them to address with the Postal Service. Rhonda Massari, Eric Jackson, Joe Pease, Barbara Kearney and myself personally were in with the visits to both Senators Casey and Toomey's office and they along with Bill Lucini, Dan Massari and Jimmy McCullough were with me for my visit to Meehan's office. A very long day followed by a RAP Session at our National office. But, it was a very productive one. The climate in Washington about the Postal Service has changed. It seems that we now have a Postmaster that is willing to work along with us to improve and protect the service instead of trying to dismantle it and cause it's ultimate demise. The timing of our visit was great because it came a day after a House Oversight Government Reform Committee postal reform hearing titled "Reforming the Postal Service: Finding a Viable Solution." This hearing showed us that we have a lot more people willing to work with us to protect our jobs. There are still some people that want us to just go away but they are lessor in number and bring up very weak reasons for that to happen. Those people have some sort of personal agenda or just blind hatred towards the Postal Service and will never listen to reason. Thankfully for us we have an increasing number of people that are willing to listen. That only has come into play because of our members and customers voicing their concerns and educating Congressional members about their wants and needs. Thank our customers for doing that and we can continue to see positive results from these visits because of it. Our visits are fruitless without your support. I would also like to thank Tommy Mullen, Colleen Haynes and Belinda Tridente for making the long trip for one day to make the Congressional Breakfast. Numbers show support and solidarity in what we try to accomplish. I am sure that when Rhonda updates you with the news we got at the RAP Session you will be equally as pleased. |
April 19, 2016 Our New Administration Andy Kearney, Webmaster I just wanted to talk about the efforts of our new administration. First off they have not missed a beat as far as addressing your concerns on training or response to discipline. I think what a lot of you have missed is their efforts to increase moral. That to me is so important that we can't just dismiss it without comment. Getting together and letting our hair down and doing anything we can to enjoy together anything is a plus. It doesn't matter if that is at a Sporting event, beef and beer, or anything else that we get together for. What matters is that we are there as group of people that share our thoughts and ideas and realize the we are not alone. That group of people can only become stronger through enjoying shared likes and events together. In the past we used to have all kinds of things we used to do together like, Bowling leagues, Softball leagues, Casino trips etc. A lot of time has passed under the bridge for a lot of this but that doesn't mean this is a closed idea. There are so many things that I can't do at this point in my life but I am not dead yet and there are so many more that I can do. We need you all to give us ideas on what you would like us to do together as a branch. Please go to the events they have put together that you can make and don't feel afraid to suggest ones to the Union Office that you feel might be of interests. We only have each other and getting together at these events strengthens us as a Union. |
March 18, 2016 Hero Paul Graf - Ridley Park / Woodlyn Office Andy Kearney, Webmaster Congrats to Paul Graf for your heroic act . A Letter Carrier like you is what makes us all looked upon as someone that not just delivers the mail and parcels. We are aware of the neighborhoods we deliver and what is out of place. You not only saved that family but their pets as well. It is nice to see that you were acknowledged for your prompt act by the Ridley Park Borough. I am sure the people on your Route appreciate you as well. You make them feel they are safer having you around six days a week. What you did shows how important all Letter Carriers are to the communities we serve. |
March 12, 2016 Congrats Brian McCluskey - Clifton Heights Office Andy Kearney, Webmaster Brian McCluskey pictured with Clifton Heights Shop Steward Colleen Haynes Congrats to Brian McCluskey for making Regular status. We are happy to make these announcements and hope that you all become more involved in the Union and work with us to not only protect your job but to make working conditions better for everyone. You are the future of this Branch and this Union. |
March 3, 2016 Congrats Brandon Moore - Sharon Hill - Folcroft Office Andy Kearney, Webmaster At the Union meeting last night at the Cheese Club in Havertown we congratulated Brandon Moore on making Regular. We hope this was just the first of many more meetings that he comes to and gets involved with the Union to protect his future. Our CCA's and new Regulars are the future of this Union and it's survival depends on their involvement and dedication. |
February 21, 2016 Branch 725 Installation Dinner Andy Kearney, Webmaster The dinner last night was a huge success. Everyone had a great time and it was good to get together and just have some fun. The new Branch leadership was sworn into office and a feeling of freshness and change filled the air. I think everyone left with hope and a positive view of what they can expect from this Branch going forward. |
February 10, 2016 Old School sometimes is the best way Andy Kearney, Webmaster Changes are always something we need to look at. But, only when those changes will make a positive impact on our business or how to better service our customers. We made a great profit over the holiday season showing Congress and others we are still alive and thriving. What sets us apart from other delivery services is not only our network but our old school methods. Caring about customers wants and needs and not just dumping that parcel on their doorstep and running away. Putting that parcel inside their door or back door or maybe even giving it to neighbor or family member we know on our routes so it isn't left unattended for too long. Making sure that the box they have been waiting for gets into the right hands and not stolen by those porch pirates. Because we care and want them to be happy. We did all of that and still showed a profit. We showed them that quality does not have to suffer in order to make a profit. We showed our customers we are the ones they want to have deliver their goods. Doing what we do will only make the Postal Service stronger and our jobs more secure. It gives our Union strength in negotiating a better contract. Everybody wins. |
January 21, 2016 CCA's Andy Kearney, Webmaster You may have noticed all the retirements listed on this website over the last few months and there are many more on the way. We have many members in their mid to late 50's or older. They are having problems hiring enough CCA's to back fill those positions. When they do get someone that fits the criteria they don't last long after they aretreated so poorly for so long. Think back to when you were a PTF. You always got the worst hours on each route to do and the worst other assignments. The difference between what you had and they don't is job security. You had paid benefits from day one and after your 90 day probationary period were a career employee. These people don't have that peace of mind. They have to work seven days a week in a lot of cases and are constantly under pressure to preform the impossible. They can't get a day off if they have something they need to do. They don't get sick leave so they either go to work sick or get docked. And, maybe even let go for calling out or not performing the impossible. Understand that upper Management of our Union is well aware of these problems and will be addressing them in our next contract. What we need to understand is we need to treat them the way you would want to be treated if you were in their shoes. We also need to understand that we need them as much as they need us. That is what a Union is. Don't treat them as the temporary help they feel like. Treat them as that Union Brother or Sister they should be treated as. We need to help develop and nurture these people like the people that did it for us when we started. Continue the cycle. |
January 14, 2016 Nancy Benson - 30 Years of Service - Ridley Park / Woodlyn Office Andy Kearney, Webmaster Congrats to Nancy Benson from the Ridley Park / Woodlyn Office. Nancy has always been a ray of sunshine on the cloudiest of days. Always the optimist. I know Nancy personally and have never found anyone that had anything bad to say about her. Always the opposite. She is someone everyone wishes was their Letter Carrier. People like her make it tolerable for the rest of us to get through the most trying of days. Congrats again Nancy. And thanks for bringing what you do to such a trying job. |
May 24, 2017 We Hate To Tell You We Told You So...Well, Maybe Not This Time Andy Kearney, Webmaster Before the election we warned you that Donald Trump would be bad for you as a Postal Worker. The Legislative department works with all Candidates that are pro labor and pro postal service. Both sides of the isle including Independents. They know the ones that will benefit you and those that want to hurt you, your jobs and families. They work very hard to sift through everything that is said by them as well as their actions so that they can better inform you on who to vote for to keep and improve your jobs and lives. Our Local worked very hard to get that message out to our membership at a personal level also. Too often that falls on deaf ears. This past Presidential election proved just that. Many of our members did not heed the advice of our leaders and voted for Donald Trump. He is showing his true self and trying to take away a lot of the benefits you enjoy today and those you hope to once you retire. The impact to myself if he gets what he wants is that I will not be able to retire when I had planned. I will have to work a few more years. In a job like ours with the wear and tear on our bodies that does not look like I will be able to enjoy the retirement I had hoped. My physical condition at that time will not allow me to do what I had looked forward to. I know I am not alone in that but it just frustrates me that our people went against everything they were warned about. And now we all are going to pay the price. A very heavy price. We still have time to stop this. Contact your Congressman and Senators and tell them you won’t stand for this. And if they want to get re-elected they won’t either. |
May 12, 2017 We Have A Tentative Contract Andy Kearney, Webmaster Today National announced that we finally have reached a tentative contract agreement with the Postal Service. I know that our Local's leaders are as happy as the rest of us that this has finally happened. I have been at the RAP sessions along with them. For a long time we were told that the agreement was within weeks. They were very close. There were some sticking issues that just needed to be agreed to. Now we finally have that agreement. What we need to do now is read it through and decide if it is what we all want. I remember a few years back that one of our sister Unions voted on agreement to their contract only to be upset once they realized the full impact of it. They concerned themselves only on the wage increases that they saw and not the other issues. I think National does a great job in trying to balance that along with all our benefits, retiree issues and the future of our working staff. I have seen too many other Unions sacrifice one for the other. National is trying to have a fluid adjustment to all involved. So, I encourage everyone to read the contract all the way through. And once you have done so digest everything and vote for or against accordingly. Some of you will vote because of how this effects you personally. Others will vote on how it effects us as a Union going forward. Either way educate yourself on what everything is involved before casting your vote. Don't be blinded by one issue. I am just as happy as everyone else that we at least have something to consider. Now, nobody will ask me "What's Going On With The Contract?" Read The Details of The Contact Here! |
April 12, 2017 MDA Beef and Beer Event Andy Kearney, Webmaster We had our annual Beef and Beer for MDA at Tip O'Learys Saturday night. A lot of baskets and prizes to be won and good food, beer and wine. Everyone had a great time. It is good to get together and just relax and be ourselves with coworkers, friends and family. And the best part is we are able to do all of this and raise money for a great charity. We are one of the founding supporters of MDA and we continue to do whatever we can to find a cure for this disease. Thanks to all of those who could not come but gave items to chance off and those that donated money towards it as well. Hopefully more of you will be able to come to this event and see what you are missing. With all the bull we have to deal with at work it is good to get together at events like these and be the family we used to be. Management has done it's best to tear us apart. We have to work harder to stay together. Events like this do just that. Hopefully I will see some of you at our Phillies outing July 9th. Bring the whole family. You won't be disappointed. Thanks to Colleen Haynes, Joe Pease, Belinda Tridente, and the rest of the Events Committee for the work they do to keep moral up for all of us. |
March 30, 2017 Dave Williams Retirement - Glenolden / Folsom Office Andy Kearney, Webmaster Today Trustee Bill Mellon had the pleasure of giving Dave Williams his retirement watch. I had the pleasure of working with the man for over 25 years. He is an old school Mailman who was a fabric of the community he served. He treated his customers like they were family and friends. We used to kid him that he was the Mayor of Milmont Park. Always shaking hands and joking with his customers. He has a huge heart and his customers will miss his smile and kind gentle nature. It was good to see his family this morning to see him honored and anyone that knows him like I do doesn't have to ask what he is looking forward to most in his retirement. It is spending more time with them. His family is the center of his Universe and I know they feel the same about him. There is a lesson for all you newer Carriers to learn here. It isn't just delivering the mail that makes us who we are. It is the level of service with which we do it. Sometimes the Postal Service forgets about that second word in it's name. But, service is what our customers like most about us. Dave delivered that every day. Good luck and best wishes in your retirement old buddy. |
February 20, 2017 Retirees Fighting For Our Jobs Andy Kearney, Webmaster I got this picture of Retiree Bob Zigmont protesting outside Senator Tommey's office in Philadelphia February 7th for economic equality and Union rights. I want to thank Bob and others like him for not turning their backs on us after retirement. Tommy Mullin and Bill Mellon represent us well when asked to show up at a rally or write letters to the editor about the misinformation the public receives about us or unions in general. There are more like them and I am sorry if I didn't mention your names. But, we all appreciate your efforts and making the rallys we can't attend. Too often these rallys are scheduled on Saturdays which is a regular work day for us. Other Unions don't have that problem and can get more of their people to attend since they are not working that day. We depend on our Retirees to show we are just as concerned as they are and an important part of the AFL-CIO. Thank you all for doing that. And I hope more Retirees join your ranks. I know I will be once I retire following your example. |
January 26, 2017 Trump's Visit To Philadelphia Met With Protests Andy Kearney, Webmaster President Trump came to Philly to meet with GOP Lawmakers and was met with protesters including our own Bob Zigmont, pictured above. The GOP could not have picked a more unfriendly place to have this meeting. Philly is one of the largest Democratic Cities on the east coast. They are a sanctuary city and a Union city which they oppose. A lot of other issues they want to address adversely effect people that live in the metro area like health care reform and Medicare. Not to mention that Trump has already signed an executive order to instil a hiring freeze on federal workers. All the Postal Unions in lock step with the Postal Service are working to clarify how this effects the Postal Service to make sure that we are allowed to adjust our staff to replace retirees and adjust to work needs. We all have collective bargaining agreements that cannot be violated by this hiring freeze. I know that a lot of our members did not listen to our advice and voted for Trump but now that he is in office we need to address all of the issues he wants to impose to ensure we have a job we can be proud of and a future in retirement and benefits we can count on. Bob Zigmont is doing his part to ensure that. We all need to as well. Don't be afraid to call your Congressman or Senator and voice your concerns. |
January 25, 2017 Eric Jackson, Branch Treasurer and Scribe Retiree seminar On January 24, 2016 NALC Branch 725 held the second of two scheduled retiree seminars. Geary Wertz, NALC Pennsylvania State Association Treasurer has been trained to give these seminars all across the state. The seminar is an approximate 6 hour class condensed into 3 hours. Geary does a great job of keeping this very important (yet not so exciting) subject matter very lively and interesting. The class covers all aspect of retirement including TSP. The classes were well attended. We hope to get more dates lined up in the future for our membership. Thanks to all who attended. |
January 11, 2017 Million Mile and Service Awards - West Chester Office Beth Lloyd, Shop Steward - West Chester Office Million mile awards. Carriers: Chris Marlow, Shirley Hagner, Mike Macknis, Paul Voorhees, and Jim Lyle Employees from West Chester received 25/30/35 year service pins. Carriers included were Luis Santos, Dennis Carroll, Tammy Brogan, Harold Asparagus, Mark Picarelli, Jack Daniel, Jim Lyle, Paul Voorhees, Shirley Hagner, Peggy Phillips. Not present: Harry Dowdall, Wade Homsher, Mike DiSanti, Joe Malone, Tim Klales, Rob Iscaro and Les Dillman. |
December 31, 2016 New Member of Last Punch Bunch - Jerry O'Neil - Springfield / Lansdowne Office Barbara Kearney, Branch Trustee and Shop Steward - Springfield Office Congratulations to Jerry O'Neil on your retirement from the Springfield / Lansdowne Office with 35 years of service. Presenting his watch is Branch Recording Secretary Rick Murphy and representing Lansdowne Branch with a gift is Barb Myers. |
December 13, 2016 Members attending the branch 725 retirement seminar on December 13, 2016. Eric Jackson, Branch Treasurer and Scribe Members came to the first of two scheduled Retirement Seminars hosted by our Branch. There are so many of our members eligible for retirement that President Rhonda Massari wanted us to be the first to host these seminars once they where announced by National. This is just an example of how important it is to our Local to get the information they need out to them as fast as possible. This is just a glimpse of what is to come. Branch 725 will always be on the leading edge in getting our members the information they need. |
June 6, 2017 2017 Congressional Breakfast Eric Jackson, Branch Treasurer and Scribe NALC Branch 725 just returned from its annual Congressional Breakfast. What is a Congressional Breakfast? The NALC PA State Association meets in Washington D.C. along with members from every branch across the state. There, we go “up on the hill” to meet face-to-face with our Congressmen and senators to discuss and communicate the issues that affect letter carriers. We also galvanize our political strategies as a union and synchronize with our national office. Lobbying for letter carriers goes on all year long when our political liaisons from the NALC talk about any proposed bills or laws that may affect us. Remember, nothing in life happens without pressure. The NALC does this very well. Any fight has to involve a comprehensive approach. The NALC has great respect across the world because of how we do our business not only with Postal management, but also with the political leaders in this great county. While in Washington, we have a “rap session”. This is a meeting of all leaders in town to have a chance to get the latest information directly from our National Office. Of course, most of the latest information this year pertained to the tentative national agreement. But the NALC has a national rap session scheduled for next week in Atlantic City. This session will give in-depth training on the information in the proposed contract. The Plan is to have the leaders who attend, about one month to get this information back to the membership to allow our members to make an informed vote on the proposed contract agreement. Of course, the NALC has put over a year of work negotiating this agreement. And we would love to have it ratified. However, we are a democratic organization. And as such, we follow our very own rules as set forth in our national constitution. We also are governed by other regulations put in place by the U.S. government to protect the membership in unions. That is why we must take steps in a determined way to ensure that we do “our business” in a precise and transparent way. If you ever took the time to read the finance edition of the postal record, you will see that the NALC spends approximately 2 million dollars annually for communication with the membership. Some quick highlights from the rap session were; - Postal Reform remains our #1 goal (now that the national agreement has been tentatively reached. - Any bill supported by the NALC must contain 3 things 1) door to door delivery, 2) six-day delivery, and 3) service standards - President Trump’s proposed budget is not very carrier friendly. But keep in mind, a proposed budget is essentially a “suggestion”. The NALC will always fight against anything harmful to the interests of letter carriers. The great part of lobbying is building relationships with our politicians. It’s through this communication that unintended consequences of laws are minimized. - For the record, the NALC does not base our political relationships on one party or affiliation. Rather, we grow relationships with politicians who support the interest of letter carriers. The irony is that most law makers have someone that they love and respect who are letter carriers. And one Senators aid said “we love our letter carrier”. This shows you the impact that we all have on everyone that we come across daily. - Essentially, this session of lobbying was more of due our due diligence because there is not one great bill about to be voted on. We were however, framing our issues and ensuring that the relationships remain intact. Finally, the plan regarding ratification of our tentative agreement is to have the ballots returned by the 22nd of July. President Massari is sending some representatives from our branch to the upcoming national rap session to get training on the proposed contract to bring back to the membership next week. After next week feel free to call the office or take advantage of our Tuesday extended office hours to get any questions answered that you may have. Attending the session will be Rhonda Massari, Eric Jackson, Joseph Pease, and Rick Murphy. Feel free to contact any of us for details on the contract. |
June 16, 2016 Lou Volb Retirement - Springfield / Lansdowne Office Barb Kearney, Branch Trustee and Springfield Shop Steward Congratulations to Lou Volb. Retired today after 29 years 7 months of service with the Postal Service. Good luck and enjoy your retirement and whatever the future brings your way! |
June 19, 2017 NALC 2017 National RAP Session Update Eric Jackson, Branch Treasurer and Scribe Four members from Branch 725 attended the 2017 National Rap Session. Rhonda Massari, Eric Jackson, Joseph Pease, and Richard Murphy along with more than 1,000 leaders from all over the country attended the 3-day conference on June 13th through June 15th. National rap sessions are for state and branch presidents/designees and are authorized in non-convention years by the NALC Constitution under Article 3, Section 4(b). The rap session was used to educate branch leaders about the proposed contract. It’s hoped that this will give all NALC members the opportunity to get questions answered prior to submitting ratification ballots. The training was very enlightening. Not only did we get an understanding the proposed National Agreement, they gave us insight on the negotiation process and where they are going in the future. This information helped me to respect even more the vision that NALC National President Fred Rolando. This communication process is not new to the NALC. During the year we gather several times to meet, train, and disseminate information. Some of the elements of the proposed agreement were highlighted in the latest edition of the NALC bulletin. But there are so many details that I could not adequately represent them in this writing. What I would like you to know is the Proposed National Agreement, a well laid out Summary of the Tentative Agreement along with the ratification ballot is being printed up as we speak. They will be sent out to every active member. Consistent with Article 2, Section 1 (a) of the NALC Constitution, retirees and Office of Workers’ Compensation Program (OWCP) departees shall have no voice or vote in any matter pertaining to the ratification of a national working agreement. Also, there was an “update” training on every issue that we cover. The biggest of these is the future legislative path that our union is and must take. In the current political climate, our participation is essential. You will be hearing more on this and we will be calling on everyone to lend their time, energy, money and effort to this cause. The union movement is again under attack. Safety and the new product development classes were particularly interesting. For instance, new updates on our scanners, 3971s, new electric vehicles by 2020, etc. In summary, this great union keeps chugging along. This article among so many more things are the screws that build this great engine that performs for you! We never forget that our sole function is for you, the membership! |
July 20, 2017 3rd Annual Phillies Outing Steve Curry - Events Committee Member & Wayne Office Shop Steward On Sunday July 9th branch 725 held its 3rd annual Phillies tailgate and game. We were blessed with great weather. Each year it gets bigger, we had around 30 more people then last year. Kids of all ages had a great time playing, beanbags, ring toss , wiffle ball and other yard games, and of course eating those burgers and dogs. On top of it being a great day with awesome people we raised over $900 for our branches scholarship fund. I want to thank Colleen Haynes and her team for all of there hard work getting there early to set up tents and cooking the food so it was ready when we got there. The Fightins actually won and the kids got a nice windbreaker. Looking forward to seeing everyone again next year, and hope to see more members and their families next year. |
July 27, 2017 Newest Member Of The Last Punch Bunch - Richard Davis - Bala Office Andy Kearney - Webmaster Congrats to Richard Davis on his retirement from the Postal Service. May you have many years of enjoying it. Your experience and dedication to the job will be missed. |
August 8, 2017 Customer Connect Breakfast in West Chester Beth Lloyd - Shop Steward, West Chester Office West Chester carrier Jim Lyle submitted a lead to Customer Connect that generated over $700,000 in annual revenue. District Manager Chu Falling Star and other customer connect representatives served breakfast to the West Chester carriers to show appreciation for the lead. |
August 23, 2017 Wage Increase Update Andy Kearney - Webmaster Finally they have announced when we should see the changes to our pay and the dates we should expect them. The back pay is still being worked on and we need to be patient with that. It is a lot of work since they have to figure out each Carrier 's pay differently. There are OT hours, CCA issues etc. that have to be calculated before processing the payments out to us. You don't have to ask the Steward or anyone else when this will happen. When we know, you will know. We don't know the exact date yet but it will be announced soon. Just relax and know it is coming. I am proud of our Union in getting us this contract and it just goes to show you that collective bargaining and working with each other to get a good contract is better then going to an arbitrator. Keep fighting for your rights to collective bargaining. People will always say it could have been better but don't understand it could have also been a hell of a lot worse as well. For more see this at Wage Increase Update |
January 12, 2018 Million Mile Awards - Media Office Andy Kearney - Webmaster Letter Carriers Mike Neuman, Alexander Georges, Douglas A. Linker, Joseph F. McWilliams, Robert H. Westbrook, Michael M. Bradley, Tim J. Griest, Mark J. Sharkey and Richard P. Wagner were recognized for having 30 years without a vehicle accident this week in Media. Congrats on such a tremendous feat. With all the conditions you face on the roads on a daily basis it is something to be really proud of. Click Here To Watch the Video |
November 2, 2017 Margaret Polite Retirement - Chester Office Andy Kearney - Webmaster Last night at our General Meeting President Rhonda Massari had the honor of awarding Margaret Polite with her watch in recognition of her retirement. Margaret has been active in this Local for a long time and still remains active after her retirement attending Union meetings and encouraging all our members to vote and use their voice to get members of Congress to understand the needs of all Postal Workers and Union members as a whole. She also goes to Capital Hill every year for the Congressional breakfast to show support for those ideals. Margaret mentioned in getting the watch from Rhonda that it was special to her because Rhonda had the Route next to hers. They where from different Offices, she was from the Springfield Office and Rhonda from the Clifton Heights Office, but met each other from time to time. Rhonda was the one who encouraged her to get to Union meetings and get more involved. The rest is history. While we celebrate her retirement we know that Margaret will still be around to be that voice of reason and encourage our members to get out and vote and make the Public aware of what Congress is trying to do to the Postal Service and what the Customer expects from it. And we are not just a better Local but a better Union because of the efforts of people like Margaret. |
February 24, 2018 Day Of Action In Philly Andy Kearney - Webmaster Thanks to all who attended the National Day of Action in Philly. Especially two of my mentors while I was a CDL. Our own Bob Zigmont and Clay Smith from Philly Branch 157. Andrea Goodwin from Branch 2572 was also there. I worked very closely with all of these people and their dedication to Unions and their protection is embedded in their hearts and minds. It doesn't surprise me that these people were there today. They are fighting for Union rights on a daily basis. Strong hearts and minds and determined to see that Unions are there for those that come after them so that people might have a decent working environment in the future. Thanks for your efforts and you have shown us all that the fight never stops. We need to protect our jobs and retirement benefits we worked so hard for and make sure those same benefits are there for those that come behind us. |
March 11, 2018 NALC 2018 REGION 12 RAP SESSION By Eric K. Jackson. Branch 725 Treasurer & Scribe For many of our members, the thoughts about how the union works and who is who, is secondary to them getting the service when they need it. That service is the main function of the NALC. But to get to that excellent service to our beloved membership the NALC is constantly training and communicating to serve to needs of the membership. The National office directly gives training and communication through the rap sessions. Each region puts their best foot forward to get the message out to the leadership that attends. Region 12 consists of all NALC members from the state of Pennsylvania, and central and south New Jersey. State officers from both states attend as well as all stewards and branch leaders. A big thank you should always go out to all that attend because they use their own annual leave to attend and usually only receive per diem (for meals and incidentals) to attend. That is quite a sacrifice that not all leaders can make. But the primary function of the Regional Rap Session is training. This year, under the new leadership of NALC Region 12 Business Agent David Napadano, the training was increased. Another day was added, and a Sunday class was added. That net two more days of training. This allowed leaders to attend more classes as some of the classes were repeated. Along with the individual classes, a general session is held with the keynote speaker being a national executive board member if not the NALC National President. This year, NALC national executive vice- president Brian Renfro spoke to us to satisfy the literal “rap session” part of the week. To remain effective and viable we must past down our message from the very top to the last CCA member hired. Our rights and responsibilities are paramount to our knowledge base to combat the misinformation and out right lies that postal management gives us daily. |
March 19, 2018 PA State Association Trip To Capital Hill, Washington DC By Eric K. Jackson. Branch 725 Treasurer & Scribe The 2018 Congressional Breakfast was an exercise in how times are changing. From the schedule to the unified lobbying efforts, the NALC has improved it's approach to lobbying Congress on behalf of the more than 300,000letter carriers across the country. Each month a NALC state association comes to Washington, D.C. to talk face to face with each representative and senator about the issues that face letter carriers. All year long, communication takes place between the NALC liaisons and at the local level. These year long efforts are galvanized when we meet them in their office and then have a sit down breakfast on the final morning of the three day event. At the breakfast we get to hear them verbally show their support when they address the body. The NALC is a non partisan organization. Therefore, we support any politician that supports the agenda of letter carriers. The national office has a staff of people that work full time to get out our message and to also train the local NALC leaders on how to get our message out to every concerned. In past years, only the higher level lobbyist would attend all the preparatory meetings. Now we all convene and together go to as many members of congress as possible as a united front with an organized approach. It is amazing to watch this all get better and more streamlined over the years. Also, the unified approach allows us to work hand in hand with other brethren from across the state. By doing so, we foster relationships with each other as unionists as well as build on the relationships we have with our local congressman. I don't know what course the congressional breakfast will take in the future, but if the 2018 version is any indication, it will continue to evolve as a part of our legislative efforts. |
March 23, 2018 Retirement Media Office - Mike Neuman Barbara Kearney Branch 725 Trustee Congrats to Mike Neuman who retired from the Postal Service after 30 years of service. Mike was a good friend and mentor to a lot of people when they first started, including me. A good Union man who knew the contract and made sure we all knew our rights. It is scary coming into any new job and Mike was always one to help put you at ease. People like Mike are hard to replace. |
April 6, 2018 Retirement Wayne Post Office - Paul Kincade Andrew Kearney - Webmaster Wayne Shop Steward Steve Curry - Paul Kincade - And President Rhonda Massari Congrats to our Branch's newest member to the final punch club. Paul Kincade of the Wayne Office out of Southeastern. It was a long road and we all know it was not well paved. Hope you will stay in touch and join us at the Retiree's luncheons . Many retirees used to come back and visit their old friends and coworkers at their offices. Grab a cup of coffee and talk to all their old friends and share some stories with them. That is not a good idea anymore. The Retiree Luncheon is a relaxed place and time for us to sit back and talk about all the funny and bad times we experienced with Carriers that are also retired and with some that come just to hear those stories from those who are still working. They love to hear them and just see how you are doing. With all the changes the Postal Service has done to our Craft the one thing they can't change is how much we care about each other. Our Retiree Luncheons allow us to keep in touch, get a good meal and have a little fun. The Retirees also get updated on issues they may not be aware of but are important in order to help them enjoy the retirement they worked so hard for. I hope you feel the same Paul and will join us to have a few laughs and let our hair down without fear of someone watching your every move. We promise you will enjoy it and come back again. I am not retired yet but will be in a few years and it is great to talk to some people I used to work with and share personal moments with them. |
April 25, 2018 Branch 725 Newsletter Retiree Luncheon Eric Jackson - Branch Treasurer and Scribe The retiree luncheon held on April 25, 2018 was a smashing success. This is all thanks to President Rhonda Massari who led a great staff to pull off an event that this branch is very proud of. Barbara Kearney not only worked on her day off to serve the retirees, but she actively sought out someone who actually made specialized USPS cookies. The cookies were facsimiles of mail trucks, stamps, and other memorable postal items. The retirees enjoyed them. And thanks to the board for approving them for this event. Several other carriers used their very valuable days off or took annual leave to serve our valued members and their spouses. They were Beth Lloyd, Eric Jackson, and Joe Pease. Also, Vice-President Les Dillman helped out before and after work. The branch graciously thanks you guys for your dedication and professionism. The luncheon was well attended and a few special members added to the luster. NALC Region 12 RAA Leo Z (as we call him), Branch 725 President Emeritus Don Coughlin, and recent past Branch 725 President Jim McCullough all shared their valuable time and wisdom. Whether you are a new, old, or in between retiree, please plan to attend the next one. We look forward you serving you. In unionism, Eric K. Jackson |
April 27, 2018 Branch 725 Newsletter Newest Last Punch Member - Lou Dellarcipete, Springfield - Lansdowne Office Barbara Kearney - Branch Trustee and Springfield Shop Stewart Congrats and good luck to Lou Dell on his retirement from the Postal Service. We will miss you and the Postal Service will miss your experience and dedication to your customers. We hope you stay in touch and see you at some of the Branch functions. Even if it is just to brag about not having to deal with Management anymore and how much your golf is improving. |
April 29, 2018 MDA Benefit Andy Kearney - Webmaster Last night we had our annual MDA benefit at Tip O'Leary's in Havertown. Everyone had a great time as usual. A lot of prize baskets thanks to all the hard efforts of our members and a great job once again by our events committee. Colleen Haynes, Joe Pease, Belinda Tridente, Shirley Hagner and Steve Curry did a great job getting this event together but it was the membership that really came through once again. Both by donating the baskets and by coming to the event and showing their support. There were a lot of winners last night. Not just those that walked out the door with a prize but those that had a great time and for a great charity. The biggest winner of course was MDA which will receive a check from us from the proceeds of this event. Those of you who don't come to these functions because you are afraid of too much work talk etc. are only cheating yourselves. There is little of that and more about just having a little fun with people we all share a common bond with. All the people leaving had smiles on their faces. Stop making reasons not to come out to these events and see what you are missing. Next up is the Phillies outing July 1st. Hope to see you there. |
May 15, 2018 NALC 2018 Food Drive Barbara Kearney, Food Drive Coordinator and Branch 725 Trustee I want to thank all the carriers of Branch 725 Southeastern Pennsylvania Merged that worked so hard picking up the non-perishable food on May 12. It is a great feeling when so many customers really appreciate our participation collecting the food. I want to thank them as well for their generosity. With our Branch being so large and spread out the food collected goes to many Food Banks, Churches, The Salvation Army and other needy organizations. It is amazing how much our efforts are needed and appreciated by these groups. Here is hoping next years food drive is bigger and better. At the end of the day to get a hug and a sincere thank you from the Lansdowne First Presbyterian Church Pantry telling me that if it were not for this food drive they could not do what they do makes me proud of the efforts by my brothers and sisters and getting the food to those in real need. Click Here For More Photos |
June 6, 2018 Newest Last Punch Bunch Member - Villanova Steve Curry - Steward Last day for our girl Karen Bissell from Villanova Pa. with our President Rhonda. Enjoy your well deserved retirement |
June 22, 2018 Service Award - Bala Office Eric Jackson - Branch Treasurer And Scribe Supervisor Tara Townsend-Lough presents letter carrier Richard Coogan with a certificate for 35 years of service. |
