I promised in two prior posts to refrain from editorializing on union issues. On each occasion, things arose on which I had an opinion and I reneged on that promise, but hope is eternal so here we go again. Having served as a postal union official for 53 years, old habits die hard because representing postal employees was my calling. But the more I wrote, the more intrusive my opinions and that became a distraction to the goal of representation; that was not my intent. Addicts enroll in a twelve step program, but retired union officials must withdraw on the fly.
As I exit the arena, let me explain the dilema. For illustrative purposes let us pretend that you were me and it was your decision. For starters, I do not personally know many of the millions of postal employees I have been privileged to represent. We have never shared photos of children or a cold beer at the local pub. I cannot separate you from the employee hired ten years before you, ten years after you, or even on November 22, 2010. You are all postal employees whom I swore to represent. We were joined because I represented your interest and I was sworn to make it my priority.
Now to immerse yourself into the world of “what if” I ask that you pretend that your salary was reduced by 40%. The postmaster general, Congress or the president had arbitrarily reduced your wages and your retirement annuity by the whopping sum of 40% and you had no legal or contractual means of contesting the decision. Can you imagine how your life would have changed if your bi weekly salary was reduced in the amount of $1,000 each by weekly period or $25,000 per year? (This is not an exact amount, but when including night differential, premiums, your specific Grade and Step and your reduced annuity it is ball park math.) Let say you went to work one day and were informed that your new salary would be in this amount and your choice was to take it or leave it.
In this hypothetical, it was Congress, the PMG or the president who reduced your salary. Would you refuse to engage in appeal to the initiator, closing ranks because a decision had been made and it was in the national’s interest? We pretend that the culprit was Chairman Issa and your salary was reduced, would you expect that dissent would be stifled in the name of solidarity? Or would you expect that all voices including former union officials join in the chorus to oppose you being singled out for serious wage cuts in which you were denied voice and vote? If Congress, the PMG or the president imposed such serious wage reductions on you, while excluding others would you understand? Furthermore, would you resent an ex union official speaking on your behalf?
This was the scenario, but it wasn’t you it was someone else and it wasn’t Congress, the PMG or the president but the union. Does that change the equation? I think not, and my postings were the voice of millions of future employees. Done!
Veritas Vincit Omni ~ The Truth Conquers All
Thank You Mr. Burrus
Sincerely,
@-spinthesky_
I for one want you to continue to editorialize. It is important conversation that we are having on the internet. And speaking from experience in my own local years ago. If those in charge think that no one dares voice an opposing opinion, things start getting really bad.
But open dialogue keeps the light shining on the issues, and trust me, our national leaders look at this and other sites to see what the vocal members are saying. They know we are not happy with this contract that was sold to the gullible members who didn’t bother to read the fine print. I for one want them to continue feeling a little uncomfortable with what they have done, even if it won’t do anything to put Humpty Dumpty back together.
The name of Cliff Guffey will live in infamy as the narcissistic fool who began the destruction of the APWU, aided and abetted by his ilk at the national level.
R.I.P. APWU
Bill:
The damage is done and there is no going back. There are those of us who understand and comprehnd that fact. We know that what was surrendered without a fight will never return to us or those future employees who are, now, swelling the ranks of the pse’s and as they have no foundation in the past – they will base their perspective on their here and now and when it comes time to have our wages, benefits, and retirement reduced to their levels what difference will it make to them or for them?
Just easily as “we” traded their future for our here and now, they will trade off our future. What goes around comes around as come are prone to say.
I am certain that there will be those who voted for this contract and some who voted against it who will wonder why these people have no concept of the class struggle or the gains that were extracted from the bosses by the strikers, by those, like yourself, and others who built this union from the AFL fragments, and those who have remained in the trenches and fought the battle on the workroom floor when they are thrown under the bus in subsequent contracts because this time it was not them who took the hit.
Yes it sounds like Brothers and Sisters forever, or until the parents get divorced and they split up the family, Guffey will come down in his lies, he will self destruct, in the meantime the destruction he has perpetrated upon our union, is unforgivable and criminal, and he will get his jut punishment, sooner than later.
Are you too hanging us out to dry, we need a voice, I voted against CBA, looking for EO, everyone dropping the voice of dissent, are you intimidated by Goofy?