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Updated
August 22, 2005
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No. 05-15 August 19, 2005 |
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Topics in this issue:
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| Event Features Workshops, ‘Rap Session' |
| NALC National Conference Starts August 26 in Florida |
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Over 1,000 NALC branch leaders and activists will be heading to south Florida August 26 for a three-day NALC National Conference that will include several important workshops and a half-day "Rap Session" with the union’s national officers.
The conference, required under the NALC Constitution in the off year between National Conventions, will be held at the Westin Diplomat Hotel in Hollywood, Florida.
It will include an opening reception Friday evening, August 26 from 7-9 p.m.; a full day of workshops on Saturday, August 27 (see below), and a half-day “National Rap Session” on Sunday morning, August 28 beginning at 9 a.m.
NALC President William H. Young and all officers will be on hand throughout the Conference to meet with branch and state officials and oversee the workshops involving the Contract Administration Unit (CAU), City Delivery (including DOIS and COR), Secretary-Treasurer’s duties, and Safety and Health.
The 2½ hour workshops will be conducted on Saturday, August 27 from 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m., and again from 1 p.m.-3:30 p.m. This will allow each Conference participant to attend two full workshops. |
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Labor Day Message from President William H. Young Brothers and Sisters:
As our nation pauses on September 5 to observe Labor Day, America’s working men and women are facing the most relentless assault on good jobs and economic security in decades, including attacks on bedrock programs providing health care, Social Security and pensions.
It took years of hard work to gain an economic norm based on good wages and benefits, respect for workers’ freedom to form unions, and opportunities for workplace advancement – a model that helped build and sustain America’s middle class.
But now that model is crumbling. Global pressures, rising health care costs, a push to privatize Social Security and efforts to eliminate pensions are threatening good jobs in America.
America’s working families cannot afford to allow the Wal-Mart model become the standard for 21st century jobs. This Labor Day, all workers, including active and retired letter carriers, must speak out and take action to ensure that good jobs and a secure retirement once again become the foundation of our communities. |
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Addresses NRLCA Convention in Minneapolis |
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Young Praises Close Bond
Between NALC and Rurals |
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NALC President William H. Young conveyed the greetings of this union’s 305,000 members to delegates at the national convention of the National Rural Letter Carriers Association (NRLCA) August 3 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, praising the strides taken over the past two years to restore a bond of brotherhood between the two delivery unions.
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| President Young addresses Rural Carriers union in Minneapolis. |
Young recalled his first address to a NRLCA convention in 2003 as the unions were beginning an effort to end years of jurisdictional warfare and resolve 1,368 outstanding grievances. Young said that today there are only 188 cases left.
“I am pleased to tell you that for the last two years, I’m not aware of a single instance, not a single instance, where the leadership of your union and the leadership of my union have been at loggerheads over any issue,” Young said. “As a matter of fact, our efforts have been greatly enhanced, especially in the area of postal reform, because of the willingness of the two organizations to work together.”
Young said significant issues remain in the Senate postal reform bill (S. 662) that must be addressed before it comes up for a floor vote and said the rural and city carrier unions are working together to ensure that the final language reflects workers concerns.
Noting the damaging breakup of the AFL-CIO at a time when workers’ benefits are under attack, Young assured the audience of continued close ties between NALC and NRLCA.
“There is no division between the NALC and the National Rural Letter Carriers’ union,” Young said. “Please take that to the bank. I’m telling you the truth. There is none.”
“My door is open and my hand is out,” Young told the rural carriers. “The National Association of Letter Carriers respects the rural carriers. We don’t want to gobble you up, we want to leave you just like you are, but we want to work together with you because we believe together we will be more successful.”
Young said one thing the two unions need to work together on is expansion across the nation of voting by mail, such as currently occurs in Oregon, where in the last election, 79 percent of eligible citizens cast their ballots by mail. |
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Sixth COLA - $707 |
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The sixth regular cost-of-living adjustment under the National Agreement will be $707 annually based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) for July announced August 16 by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The cost-of-living adjustment, effective the pay period beginning September 3 (pay date September 23), is the sixth of eight regular COLAs included in the 2001-2006 contract. It was based on the increase in the CPI-W between January 2005 and July 2005.
The sixth COLA of $707 annually is equivalent to 34 cents per hour, or $27.20 per pay period.
The latest COLA raised the total increase in annual pay for top rate carriers (CC Grade 1, Step O) to $47,396 annually, an increase of $4,283 or $164.72 per pay period since the beginning of the contract. It raises the total COLA paid under the contract so far to $2,288 annually.
The accumulation towards the 2006 retiree COLA stands at 3.2 percent based on the July CPI-W. The 2006 COLA is to be based on the increase in the CPI-W between the third quarter of 2004 and the third quarter of 2005.
The COLA for Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) beneficiaries in the year 2006, determined on the CPI-W from December 2004 to December 2005, stands at 2.7 percent based on the July data. |
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| NALC on MDA Labor Day Telethon |
| Union’s Official Charity! |
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NALC Executive Vice President Jim Williams and letter carriers representing the top NALC branches in last year’s Muscular Dystrophy Association drive will appear three times on the nationally televised Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon September 4 and 5 from Los Angeles to present 2005 NALC pledges and donations to help fight muscular dystrophy.
NALC branches provided $1,220,940.57 in contributions to the 2004 campaign for research efforts spearheaded by the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
NALC President William H. Young, an MDA vice president, urged all members to make a special effort to collect funds for this research.
The schedule for appearances by Williams, NALC’s MDA Coordinator Halline Overby and NALC branch representatives on the Labor Day Telethon is:
EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME
Monday, September 5:
1:10 AM - 2:00 AM
9:00 AM - 9:40 AM
2:35 PM - 3:20 PM
CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME
Monday, September 5:
12:10 AM - 1:00 AM
8:00 AM - 8:40 AM
1:35 PM - 2:20 PM
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MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME
Sunday, September 4:
11:10 PM - 12:00 AM
Monday, September 5:
7:00 AM - 7:40 AM
12:35 PM - 1:20 PM
PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME
Sunday, September 4:
10:10 PM - 11:00 PM
Monday, September 5:
6:00 AM - 6:40 AM
11:35 AM - 12:20 PM |
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| Inaugural Leadership Academy Class |
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| NALC’s first National Leadership Academy class takes a moment to pose with President Young during a break in their initial week-long training in late July at the National Labor College in Silver Spring, Maryland. At right, Executive Vice President Jim Williams makes a point during a class presentation. |
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© 2001-2005 National Association of Letter Carriers, AFL-CIO |
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