Happy Holidays to everyone.... I have been busy at work and at home this time of the year so I have not been posting anything. Right now I could post somethings about maintenance where I am working but I am not... why be so negative about what is going on at least during the holidays?
Right now the tree is up and house is decorated. I do have to admit only thing I did was get everything down out of storage. My wife and sons were the ones doing the actual decorating while I was at work that night. Such a nice thing to see when you get home from work twinkling in the dark.
Now a question to anyone still reading this... What should Santa bring all Postal Employees? Lump of coal... Pay Raise... Better management...More Mail... What?
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Good Bye and Good Luck
I am taking this moment to wish everyone who took the early out a sincere "Good bye and Good Luck". I knew many of the individuals who took this early out... They were in the clerk, mailhandler and maintenance crafts. All of you took a lot of experience with you along with many best wishes for your futures. All of you have closed a chapter in your life and now begin a new chapter. Hopefully this chapter will be the best part of your book of life.
Marion Williams
Marion Williams
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Ownership
I would first like to start of with a basic definition of ownership from Random House College Dictionary:
Ownership (noun)
1. the state or fact of being an owner.
2. legal right of possession; proprietorship
Next here is the another definition of ownership as from www.businessdictionary.com:
1. Ultimate and exclusive right (conferred by a lawful claim or title, and subject to certain restrictions) to enjoy, occupy, possess, rent, sell (fully or partially), use, give away, or even destroy an item of property. Ownership may be 'corporeal' (title to a tangible object such as a house) or 'incorporeal' (title to an intangible something, such as a copyright, or a right to recover debt). Possession (as in tenancy) does not necessarily mean ownership because it does not automatically transfer title.
The reason I am bringing this up is that my supervisor Jamie Tan and Maintenance Manager Gary Hill have been telling me that I a MPE have "ownership" of the DBCS's that I have been maintaining on Tour 3 at MLS P&DC. I completely disagree with both of them. I have told them that the Postal Service is the owner of the machines. That I only maintain and repair them.
Here is a good analogy for everyone. Most everyone owns or has owned a vehicle at sometime in their life. Now part of being an owner of that vehicle is taking care of the maintenance of that vehicle. As the owner, you do the scheduling on when you would like the maintenance to be done on your vehicle and who you want to do the maintenance of that vehicle. Now myself as a MPE, I feel that I am "NOT" the owner since I do not actually own any of this postal equipment nor do I schedule when the work is to be done or who is to do the work on this postal equipment.
So, since my supervisor Jamie Tan is the individual that schedules when the work is to be done and who is to do the maintenance work on the postal equipment. Would this not make him the default owner of this equipment?
Ownership (noun)
1. the state or fact of being an owner.
2. legal right of possession; proprietorship
Next here is the another definition of ownership as from www.businessdictionary.com:
1. Ultimate and exclusive right (conferred by a lawful claim or title, and subject to certain restrictions) to enjoy, occupy, possess, rent, sell (fully or partially), use, give away, or even destroy an item of property. Ownership may be 'corporeal' (title to a tangible object such as a house) or 'incorporeal' (title to an intangible something, such as a copyright, or a right to recover debt). Possession (as in tenancy) does not necessarily mean ownership because it does not automatically transfer title.
The reason I am bringing this up is that my supervisor Jamie Tan and Maintenance Manager Gary Hill have been telling me that I a MPE have "ownership" of the DBCS's that I have been maintaining on Tour 3 at MLS P&DC. I completely disagree with both of them. I have told them that the Postal Service is the owner of the machines. That I only maintain and repair them.
Here is a good analogy for everyone. Most everyone owns or has owned a vehicle at sometime in their life. Now part of being an owner of that vehicle is taking care of the maintenance of that vehicle. As the owner, you do the scheduling on when you would like the maintenance to be done on your vehicle and who you want to do the maintenance of that vehicle. Now myself as a MPE, I feel that I am "NOT" the owner since I do not actually own any of this postal equipment nor do I schedule when the work is to be done or who is to do the work on this postal equipment.
So, since my supervisor Jamie Tan is the individual that schedules when the work is to be done and who is to do the maintenance work on the postal equipment. Would this not make him the default owner of this equipment?
Friday, October 2, 2009
America, Why I love her
I found this video on the net that I would like to share with you. It is something I think that will make us all step back and think about this country we live in.
http://sagebrushpatriot.com/america.htm
http://sagebrushpatriot.com/america.htm
Friday, September 25, 2009
Open Letter to MLS P&DC Acting Plant Manager Larry Belair
Below is a letter that I sent to our Plant Manager Larry Belair. As of this time I have not received any written response to this letter. But, I did try to ask Mr. Belair via his new electronic discussion board which was the best way to contact him for a response either by his electronic discussion board or via a certified letter. When I read his response to my question on the discussion board I felt that he had not answered the question that I had asked him.
9 Sept 2009
Mr. Belair,
Thank you for the town hall style meeting that took place at MLS P&DC just a short time ago. I think that it helped some individuals make up their minds whether they were going to take this early out incentive that USPS is currently offering to the APWU and NPMHU. You also pointed out that the Postal Service is in a crisis and that all of us should be doing our part in maintaining costs.
I would like to bring to you attention that your Maintenance Department was in the process of excessing five Tour 2 ET's to Tour 1. However, due to the agreement between the USPS, APWU, and NPMHU all excessing was supposedly put on hold until at least October 9, 2009 for this early out incentive. Therefore, your Maintenance Department at MLS P&DC is now going to detail these same five employees to Tour 1 at MLS P&DC to be able to go around the agreement between the USPS and APWU. In addition, you spoke of how the Postal Service should be trying to save money. Then I am curious why we would be detailing these five individuals and going to pay them out-of-schedule pay to work on Tour 1. These five ET's are being told that it is due to needs of the service for them to move to Tour 1. Nevertheless, if that was so why has not your Maintenance Department filled the empty ET Level 10 positions on Tour 1. Instead, they have withheld these positions. I admit that I am not privy to what is going on in our Maintenance Department at the higher levels. I am seeing this from my perspective as a MPE Level 9.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Marion Williams
9 Sept 2009
Mr. Belair,
Thank you for the town hall style meeting that took place at MLS P&DC just a short time ago. I think that it helped some individuals make up their minds whether they were going to take this early out incentive that USPS is currently offering to the APWU and NPMHU. You also pointed out that the Postal Service is in a crisis and that all of us should be doing our part in maintaining costs.
I would like to bring to you attention that your Maintenance Department was in the process of excessing five Tour 2 ET's to Tour 1. However, due to the agreement between the USPS, APWU, and NPMHU all excessing was supposedly put on hold until at least October 9, 2009 for this early out incentive. Therefore, your Maintenance Department at MLS P&DC is now going to detail these same five employees to Tour 1 at MLS P&DC to be able to go around the agreement between the USPS and APWU. In addition, you spoke of how the Postal Service should be trying to save money. Then I am curious why we would be detailing these five individuals and going to pay them out-of-schedule pay to work on Tour 1. These five ET's are being told that it is due to needs of the service for them to move to Tour 1. Nevertheless, if that was so why has not your Maintenance Department filled the empty ET Level 10 positions on Tour 1. Instead, they have withheld these positions. I admit that I am not privy to what is going on in our Maintenance Department at the higher levels. I am seeing this from my perspective as a MPE Level 9.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Marion Williams
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
New Information concerning Early Outs
I am passing on some information that I received via my email concerning the early outs. Please read and pass it along.
Thanks....
With Sept. 25 Deadline Approaching, Union Advises Employees Interested in Incentive APWU Web News Article #114-09, Sept. 22, 2009
With an important deadline approaching, APWU officials have been in frequent contact with postal management to resolve questions arising from the $15,000 incentive negotiated by the union for employees who retire or separate, President William Burrus has announced.
“Because of delays in receiving the packages that are needed to complete the application process, many employees are concerned that they may miss the opportunity to receive the incentive,” he said. Therefore, the union advises:
* Employees who have expressed interest in the incentive but have not yet received a package should get confirmation that they contacted Human Resources Shared Services (HRSS) by Sept. 25. Confirmation/reference numbers will serve as verification that employees expressed interest before the Sept. 25 deadline.
If you received a confirmation/reference number, keep a record of it. It is
not necessary to contact Shared Services again. If you did not receive or record a confirmation/reference number, contact HRSS before Sept. 25 and obtain a confirmation/reference number.
* Employees who are eligible for Optional Retirement and have received the packages should comply with the instructions. Retirement counseling will be scheduled; the retirement application will be due after counseling (unless counseling is declined).
* Employees who are eligible for Voluntary Early Retirement should have received a package containing an Early Out Incentive Option Offer Letter, an Acknowledgment of Irrevocability of Early Retirement Decision, an Application for Immediate Retirement, and other information. VER applicants must indicate their intent to participate in the incentive program by Sept. 25, 2009.
There are three methods to contact HRSS to indicate interest in the incentive:
* Call Human Resources Shared Services at 877-477-3273, and select Option 5
* Visit LiteBlue via the Internet at https://liteblue.usps.gov/wps/myportal/retirement
* Send a fax to Human Resources Shared Services at 651-994-3547.
Thanks....
With Sept. 25 Deadline Approaching, Union Advises Employees Interested in Incentive APWU Web News Article #114-09, Sept. 22, 2009
With an important deadline approaching, APWU officials have been in frequent contact with postal management to resolve questions arising from the $15,000 incentive negotiated by the union for employees who retire or separate, President William Burrus has announced.
“Because of delays in receiving the packages that are needed to complete the application process, many employees are concerned that they may miss the opportunity to receive the incentive,” he said. Therefore, the union advises:
* Employees who have expressed interest in the incentive but have not yet received a package should get confirmation that they contacted Human Resources Shared Services (HRSS) by Sept. 25. Confirmation/reference numbers will serve as verification that employees expressed interest before the Sept. 25 deadline.
If you received a confirmation/reference number, keep a record of it. It is
not necessary to contact Shared Services again. If you did not receive or record a confirmation/reference number, contact HRSS before Sept. 25 and obtain a confirmation/reference number.
* Employees who are eligible for Optional Retirement and have received the packages should comply with the instructions. Retirement counseling will be scheduled; the retirement application will be due after counseling (unless counseling is declined).
* Employees who are eligible for Voluntary Early Retirement should have received a package containing an Early Out Incentive Option Offer Letter, an Acknowledgment of Irrevocability of Early Retirement Decision, an Application for Immediate Retirement, and other information. VER applicants must indicate their intent to participate in the incentive program by Sept. 25, 2009.
There are three methods to contact HRSS to indicate interest in the incentive:
* Call Human Resources Shared Services at 877-477-3273, and select Option 5
* Visit LiteBlue via the Internet at https://liteblue.usps.gov/wps/myportal/retirement
* Send a fax to Human Resources Shared Services at 651-994-3547.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
YouTube posting about Postal Excessing
I came across this link and would like everyone to go and look at it. Then pass it onto their friends. I enjoyed it and I think you will also.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVxBYY8GyWo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVxBYY8GyWo
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Your Rights: Weingarten, Garrity, Kalkines
What Are Weingarten Rights?
All Bargaining Unit Employees of the United States Postal Service have the right to be accompanied by a Union Representative to all interviews with management officials, in which the employee reasonably believes the interview might result in disciplinary action. (e.g. Investigative, Safety, Accident, Mystery Shopper)
The above right is guaranteed by the National Labor Relations Act, reinforced by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1975 in NLRB v. J. Weingarten, and violation of that right has been found to be an Unfair Labor Practice.
Simply stated, your Weingarten Rights provide that you may request and management must provide a Union Representative to accompany you to all interviews that you believe might result in disciplinary action.
However, that right is not automatic. You must exercise your right by notifying management of your desire to have a Union Representative present during an interview. If the management official advises you that no disciplinary action will be initiated against you as a result of the interview, it is not necessary to provide a Union Representative.
Any questions concerning your Weingarten Rights or your rights during a management initiated interview process should be directed to your Chief Grievance Officer or by calling the Local's office for further details.
Your Rights During an OIG Investigation: Garrity and Kalkines
The Postal Service has been transitioning from Postal Inspector investigations to Special Agents in Charge of the Office of Inspector General investigations for over a year now. While Weingarten and Miranda Rights will still be afforded, Special Agents use Kalkine or Garrity warnings in interrogations that everyone should become familiar with.
Garrity Rights:
Protects the employee from having to choose between self incrimination and job forfeiture for failing to cooperate. The individual has the right to not be threatened with discharge in order for the OIG to secure incriminating evidence that would be used against them for arrest and prosecution. Miranda Rights would be applicable here.
Kalkines Rights:
If the individual is given immunity from criminal prosecution, the employee is required to cooperate in the investigation even if the information solicited could be used for discharging the employee.
Special Agents do not have the authority to grant immunity from criminal prosecution. However, if Special Agents provide the form "Administrative Warning: Duty to Cooperate" that means that the OIG has obtained such a waiver of prosecution.
** Your Key Right Is You Always Have The Right for a Union Representative To Be Present During An Interrogation. Even if the OIG / Postal Inspection Service says, "If you Cooperate, You Won't Go to Jail". This is to Scare You, Into Waiving Your Rights. The Union Does Have, The Capability of Helping Employees, While Being Interogated, Before You Get Yourself Into More Serious Trouble.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Off Topic and Off color....
Friend of mine sent this to me... I have also seen it on the Web so I thought I would share it with you. Give me some feedback on this.
"Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater.
If you give her sperm, she'll give you a baby.
If you give her a house, she'll give you a home.
If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal.
If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart.
She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her.
So, if you give her any crap, be ready to receive a ton of shit."
"Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater.
If you give her sperm, she'll give you a baby.
If you give her a house, she'll give you a home.
If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal.
If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart.
She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her.
So, if you give her any crap, be ready to receive a ton of shit."
Monday, September 14, 2009
San Diego Local 197 Picnic
Good morning, I went to the Local's picnic yesterday and had a very nice time. I saw some individuals that I have not seen in many years. I will say that the food was good and the weather was excellent. I only wish that more Union members and their families could have been there. Enjoyed just being there with my family and friends.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
General Excessing Information
I came across some pretty good information that was posted on another locals website that was provided by Mike Gallagher, APWU Eastern Region Coordinator.
This concerns excessing of craft employees. The powerpoint presentation is quite good. I would recommend to all who are or might be getting excessed to watch it. The link to the page is listed below:
http://redbanklocal.com/excessing.html
Many thanks to the Red Bank Local in New Jersey for this information.
This concerns excessing of craft employees. The powerpoint presentation is quite good. I would recommend to all who are or might be getting excessed to watch it. The link to the page is listed below:
http://redbanklocal.com/excessing.html
Many thanks to the Red Bank Local in New Jersey for this information.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
MLS Maintenance Tour Re-alignment
This week began the new Maintenance work hours for the majority of maintenance craft employees at MLS P&DC which I list below using standard 24 hour time not postal times:
Tour 1 2200 till 0630
Tour 2 0600 till 1430
Tour 3 1400 till 2230
These times are for the majority of maintenance craft employees that work at MLS P&DC.
So now let us look at the exceptions that are not working these standard hours that the Management in Maintenance have kept:
There are employees that are working a 4/10 work week. This is a work week that has the employee working 10 hours each day for 4 days a week. This gives that employee 3 days off each week. I will list below the hours I believe to be correct for the tours I am aware of:
Tour 1 2200 till 0830
Tour 2 (hours worked are unknown to me can anyone give them to me?)
Tour 3 Noon till 2230 and 1300 till 2330
So looking at the above 4/10 workers I would have to ask why does Tour 3 have two different start times for their workers?
Now then we have some other maintenance craft employees that their hours were not changed. These employees are the MOS clerks in maintenance that are used in Tool and Parts. Why were not these employee's hours not realigned to match their maintenance workers that they support? Management thought that maintenance employees on the floor only needed a 30 minute overlap for any interaction between the tours. So why is it that Management did not do the same with the MOS clerks? Instead, of 30 minute overlap in some instances you are looking at 1 1/2 hours of overlap.Why is this? I could only guess at one of the reasons like not wanting to change any of the level 7 MOS clerks to correspond to the Tour 2 that they are currently on. It might just be inconvenient for some of them. Well this whole realignment for MLS maintenance tour hours has not been convenient for many individuals. So why should they be singled out for not being affected? Any ideas on this?
Now then let us look at what is called
Tour 1 2200 till 0630
Tour 2 0600 till 1430
Tour 3 1400 till 2230
These times are for the majority of maintenance craft employees that work at MLS P&DC.
So now let us look at the exceptions that are not working these standard hours that the Management in Maintenance have kept:
There are employees that are working a 4/10 work week. This is a work week that has the employee working 10 hours each day for 4 days a week. This gives that employee 3 days off each week. I will list below the hours I believe to be correct for the tours I am aware of:
Tour 1 2200 till 0830
Tour 2 (hours worked are unknown to me can anyone give them to me?)
Tour 3 Noon till 2230 and 1300 till 2330
So looking at the above 4/10 workers I would have to ask why does Tour 3 have two different start times for their workers?
Now then we have some other maintenance craft employees that their hours were not changed. These employees are the MOS clerks in maintenance that are used in Tool and Parts. Why were not these employee's hours not realigned to match their maintenance workers that they support? Management thought that maintenance employees on the floor only needed a 30 minute overlap for any interaction between the tours. So why is it that Management did not do the same with the MOS clerks? Instead, of 30 minute overlap in some instances you are looking at 1 1/2 hours of overlap.Why is this? I could only guess at one of the reasons like not wanting to change any of the level 7 MOS clerks to correspond to the Tour 2 that they are currently on. It might just be inconvenient for some of them. Well this whole realignment for MLS maintenance tour hours has not been convenient for many individuals. So why should they be singled out for not being affected? Any ideas on this?
Now then let us look at what is called
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Numbers Speak up
USPS EMPLOYEE STATISTICS FROM 2000 - 2008
2000 2008 -/+ Percentage
USPS Headquarters 2279 2892 +21%
USPS Field Support 5566 4429 -20%
Inspection Service (Field) 4190 2890 -31%
Inspector General 664 1159 +42%
USPS HEADQUARTERS TOTALS 12699 11370 -10.50%
Postmasters (Installation Heads) 26121 25250 -3%
Supervisors / Managers 38797 31787 -18%
USPS SUPERVISORY TOTALS 64918 57037 -12.14%
Tech Personal 9959 8010 -20%
Clerks 281956 194773 -31%
Nurses 191 134 -30%
Mail Handlers 60851 55812 -8%
City Carriers 241079 211661 -12%
Motor Vehicle 9347 8558 -5%
Rural Carriers 57111 68900 +17%
Maintenance 42284 40248 -5%
Vehicle Maintenance 5546 5419 -2%
USPS CAREER CRAFT 708324 593515 -16.21%
EMPLOYEES TOTALS
I am letting the numbers speak for themselves. If the Career Craft employees numbers are down a total of -16.21% then why is not the Headquarters and Supervisory numbers not down at a similar percentage? Is not their numbers based on the number of craft employees?
EMPLOYEES TOTALS
I am letting the numbers speak for themselves. If the Career Craft employees numbers are down a total of -16.21% then why is not the Headquarters and Supervisory numbers not down at a similar percentage? Is not their numbers based on the number of craft employees?
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Information for anyone
I would like to be able to give individuals ways of looking up new and interesting items that can be found on the web. So I will provide some links and information for all individuals to use as they see fit.
One of the first ones that I like to use is http://php.app.com/usps/search.php look up basic salary information concerning any USPS employee from Postmaster General Potter down to the lowest custodian.
Another sight I like to use is Zabasearch to help you locate individuals and addresses. If that one does not give you enough information you can also use Zillow to look up about individual homes. On Zillow you can find out when the house was built, square footage of the home, and even the parcel number of the home for the county it is in.
For all of you San Diego people there is another website that is fun for you to look up information on yourself, friends and neighbors. That website is run by the San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector. All you need is either an address and zipcode or the parcel number to look up information about who owns what property, pays the taxes, and how much the county thinks the property is worth.
I do hope that these tools I have shown you can provide you with many hours of entertainment or information that you may need.
One of the first ones that I like to use is http://php.app.com/usps/search.php look up basic salary information concerning any USPS employee from Postmaster General Potter down to the lowest custodian.
Another sight I like to use is Zabasearch to help you locate individuals and addresses. If that one does not give you enough information you can also use Zillow to look up about individual homes. On Zillow you can find out when the house was built, square footage of the home, and even the parcel number of the home for the county it is in.
For all of you San Diego people there is another website that is fun for you to look up information on yourself, friends and neighbors. That website is run by the San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector. All you need is either an address and zipcode or the parcel number to look up information about who owns what property, pays the taxes, and how much the county thinks the property is worth.
I do hope that these tools I have shown you can provide you with many hours of entertainment or information that you may need.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Pictures I have found to be funny
I have found over time a few pictures I would like to share with you that I have found to be funny. I freely admit to taking a little bit of artistic license to them before sharing them with you. I look forward to hearing comments concerning these pictures. They are here for humor and to bring smiles to people.
I tried seeing your point of view.
But, I couldn't get my head that far up my ass.
I believe this one picture speaks for it's self.
So do either of these two pictures remind any of you of people you have worked for or currently working with now?
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Responses being brought forward so all may read.
I would like to bring these two post forward to the current posting that I have so that I can try to answer them or any of the other readers of this blog. I think I actually touched a nerve finally with a few individuals.
So I would like to share this with all of you.
On Thursday, July 9, 2009 I did this posting concerning "Personalization of your work area in the Postal Service" and on 14 August I got these two responses to this posting that I am showing below.
Anonymous on August 14, 2009 8:14 PM said...
Seriously, do you have nothing better to do? If you are so fed up with management, why are you not active in becoming one? I know why. Because it takes "Huevos", discipline,character,integrity,unbiased to the bigger picture of earning a pay check without feeling entitled to stickers,because you work for the goverment.
Welcome to the real world, in which managers call the shots. I do not work for the Govt,but I can assure you that nobody denies your patriotism. Though, your believe that pics, stickers ,posters, etc.,make you a better employee, you are sadly mistaken.
Yes. Managers are entitled to decor their space, since it is obvious they have earned their stripes baby sitting all of you entitled govt. workers.
cal vet on August 14, 2009 8:29 PM said ...
It sounds like these Managers, (Lee Miller, Dave Decker, Ray Meanor,Gary Hill)are the leaders because they have proven them selfs in numerous times defending our rights, and freedom.
So how dare you, question their integrity.
So I would like to share this with all of you.
On Thursday, July 9, 2009 I did this posting concerning "Personalization of your work area in the Postal Service" and on 14 August I got these two responses to this posting that I am showing below.
Anonymous on August 14, 2009 8:14 PM said...
Seriously, do you have nothing better to do? If you are so fed up with management, why are you not active in becoming one? I know why. Because it takes "Huevos", discipline,character,integrity,unbiased to the bigger picture of earning a pay check without feeling entitled to stickers,because you work for the goverment.
Welcome to the real world, in which managers call the shots. I do not work for the Govt,but I can assure you that nobody denies your patriotism. Though, your believe that pics, stickers ,posters, etc.,make you a better employee, you are sadly mistaken.
Yes. Managers are entitled to decor their space, since it is obvious they have earned their stripes baby sitting all of you entitled govt. workers.
cal vet on August 14, 2009 8:29 PM said ...
It sounds like these Managers, (Lee Miller, Dave Decker, Ray Meanor,Gary Hill)are the leaders because they have proven them selfs in numerous times defending our rights, and freedom.
So how dare you, question their integrity.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Information concerning RMSS
I just came across this information on www.21cpw.com ran by Randy Zelznick and Frank Wilson in the Maintenance Business area. I felt would be of interest to many of you so I am going to post links back to www.21cpw.com for you to read for yourself.
http://www.21cpw.com/RMSS%20scoring.pdf RMSS Scoring Resolved
http://www.21cpw.com/RMSS%20Q&A.pdf RMSS Questions and Answers
I also thank Frank and Randy for keeping up a very informative website that many individuals read.
http://www.21cpw.com/maint.html 21CPW.com Maintenance Business
http://www.21cpw.com/RMSS%20scoring.pdf RMSS Scoring Resolved
http://www.21cpw.com/RMSS%20Q&A.pdf RMSS Questions and Answers
I also thank Frank and Randy for keeping up a very informative website that many individuals read.
"Band of Brothers"
Nationwide Memorial Service
One of the "Band of Brothers" soldiers died on June 17, 2009.
We're hearing a lot today about big splashy memorial services.
I want a nationwide memorial service for Darrell "Shifty" Powers.
Shifty volunteered for the airborne in WWII and served with Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Infantry. If you've seen Band of Brothers on HBO or the History Channel, you know Shifty. His character appears in all 10 episodes, and Shifty himself is interviewed in several of them.
I met Shifty in the Philadelphia airport several years ago. I didn't know who he was at the time. I just saw an elderly gentleman having trouble reading his ticket. I offered to help, assured him that he was at the right gate, and noticed the "Screaming Eagle", the symbol of the 101st Airborne, on his hat.
Making conversation, I asked him if he'd been in the 101st Airborne or if his son was serving. He said quietly that he had been in the 101st. I thanked him for his service, then asked him when he served, and how many jumps he made.
Quietly and humbly, he said "Well, I guess I signed up in 1941 or so, and was in until sometime in 1945 . . . " at which point my heart skipped.
At that point, again, very humbly, he said "I made the 5 training jumps at Toccoa, and then jumped into Normandy . . . . do you know where Normandy is?" At this point my heart stopped.
I told him yes, I know exactly where Normandy was, and I know what D-Day was. At that point he said "I also made a second jump into Holland, into Arnhem." I was standing with a genuine war hero . . . . and then I realized that it was June, just after the anniversary of D-Day.
I asked Shifty if he was on his way back from France, and he said "Yes. And it's real sad because these days so few of the guys are left, and those that are, lots of them can't make the trip." My heart was in my throat and I didn't know what to say.
I helped Shifty get onto the plane and then realized he was back in Coach, while I was in First Class. I sent the flight attendant back to get him and said that I wanted to switch seats. When Shifty came forward, I got up out of the seat and told him I wanted him to have it, that I'd take his in coach.
He said "No, son, you enjoy that seat. Just knowing that there are still some who remember what we did and still care is enough to make an old man very happy." His eyes were filling up as he said it. And mine are brimming up now as I write this.
Shifty died on June 17 after fighting cancer.
There was no parade.
No big event in Staples Center.
No wall to wall back to back 24x7 news coverage.
No weeping fans on television.
And that's not right.
Let's give Shifty his own Memorial Service, online, in our own quiet way. Please forward this email to everyone you know. Especially to the veterans.
Rest in peace, Shifty.
"A nation without heroes is nothing."
Roberto Clemente
Authored by Mark Pfeifer
Note: This e-mail has been making the rounds of the Internet and has been tagged as having been authored by several different persons. The actual author is Mark Pfeifer.
One of the "Band of Brothers" soldiers died on June 17, 2009.
We're hearing a lot today about big splashy memorial services.
I want a nationwide memorial service for Darrell "Shifty" Powers.
Shifty volunteered for the airborne in WWII and served with Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Infantry. If you've seen Band of Brothers on HBO or the History Channel, you know Shifty. His character appears in all 10 episodes, and Shifty himself is interviewed in several of them.
I met Shifty in the Philadelphia airport several years ago. I didn't know who he was at the time. I just saw an elderly gentleman having trouble reading his ticket. I offered to help, assured him that he was at the right gate, and noticed the "Screaming Eagle", the symbol of the 101st Airborne, on his hat.
Making conversation, I asked him if he'd been in the 101st Airborne or if his son was serving. He said quietly that he had been in the 101st. I thanked him for his service, then asked him when he served, and how many jumps he made.
Quietly and humbly, he said "Well, I guess I signed up in 1941 or so, and was in until sometime in 1945 . . . " at which point my heart skipped.
At that point, again, very humbly, he said "I made the 5 training jumps at Toccoa, and then jumped into Normandy . . . . do you know where Normandy is?" At this point my heart stopped.
I told him yes, I know exactly where Normandy was, and I know what D-Day was. At that point he said "I also made a second jump into Holland, into Arnhem." I was standing with a genuine war hero . . . . and then I realized that it was June, just after the anniversary of D-Day.
I asked Shifty if he was on his way back from France, and he said "Yes. And it's real sad because these days so few of the guys are left, and those that are, lots of them can't make the trip." My heart was in my throat and I didn't know what to say.
I helped Shifty get onto the plane and then realized he was back in Coach, while I was in First Class. I sent the flight attendant back to get him and said that I wanted to switch seats. When Shifty came forward, I got up out of the seat and told him I wanted him to have it, that I'd take his in coach.
He said "No, son, you enjoy that seat. Just knowing that there are still some who remember what we did and still care is enough to make an old man very happy." His eyes were filling up as he said it. And mine are brimming up now as I write this.
Shifty died on June 17 after fighting cancer.
There was no parade.
No big event in Staples Center.
No wall to wall back to back 24x7 news coverage.
No weeping fans on television.
And that's not right.
Let's give Shifty his own Memorial Service, online, in our own quiet way. Please forward this email to everyone you know. Especially to the veterans.
Rest in peace, Shifty.
"A nation without heroes is nothing."
Roberto Clemente
Authored by Mark Pfeifer
Note: This e-mail has been making the rounds of the Internet and has been tagged as having been authored by several different persons. The actual author is Mark Pfeifer.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Continuing Congratulations (or not)
I would like to extend my congratulations to our fine Maintenance Management team that is currently headed by Lee Miller (directed behind the scenes by Charles Sweet)for their unswerving bullheadedness and blind loyalty to the inane ideas that show lack of forethought and inspiration.
Like right now all indications are that they are planning to move the 5 junior ET's from Tour 2 MLS P&DC to Tour 1 MLS P&DC. Why should management be doing this? What reason do they have for it? The current maintenance window for the AFCS's is for Tour 2 to do the work. So with 5 fewer ET's available on Tour 2 to do maintenance work on the AFSM, TACS, Merlin, AFCS, DIOSS, DBCS's, and CIOSS how will this affect the other ET's on Tour 2? What will the ET's that are going to be moved to Tour 1 be working on? Will it be the AFSM or doing area assurance on the automation letter sorting machines at MLS? Who knows what management has in store for them?
So my condolence's go out to the five ET's who management is looking at moving to Tour 1 that I have listed below:
1. Espiritu
2. James
3. Abalos
4. Abraham
5. Hoang
If I have made any errors on this posting please either contact me at MLS or leave a correction on the blog.
Like right now all indications are that they are planning to move the 5 junior ET's from Tour 2 MLS P&DC to Tour 1 MLS P&DC. Why should management be doing this? What reason do they have for it? The current maintenance window for the AFCS's is for Tour 2 to do the work. So with 5 fewer ET's available on Tour 2 to do maintenance work on the AFSM, TACS, Merlin, AFCS, DIOSS, DBCS's, and CIOSS how will this affect the other ET's on Tour 2? What will the ET's that are going to be moved to Tour 1 be working on? Will it be the AFSM or doing area assurance on the automation letter sorting machines at MLS? Who knows what management has in store for them?
So my condolence's go out to the five ET's who management is looking at moving to Tour 1 that I have listed below:
1. Espiritu
2. James
3. Abalos
4. Abraham
5. Hoang
If I have made any errors on this posting please either contact me at MLS or leave a correction on the blog.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Congratulations......
I would like to start this off with "Congratulations" to a few maintenance employees. First to Nilo, who is going from Tour 3 MLS to Tour 2 MLS. I wish him the best of luck working on the 100's on Tour 2. Myself and others will miss him when it comes time to play cards on breaks. Next, like to "Welcome" Bruce from Tour 1 to Tour 3 at MLS and to Bernie who is going to take over his Bruce's old job on Tour 1. I look forward to working with him on Tour 3.
Now I would like to add some questions that I hope someone can answer. Who or when will Maintenance Management promote to fill in the position that Bernie vacated on Tour 1? If no one is on the Promotion Register that is willing to accept this position what is going to happen to this position?
Anyone have any answers to these two questions?
Now I would like to add some questions that I hope someone can answer. Who or when will Maintenance Management promote to fill in the position that Bernie vacated on Tour 1? If no one is on the Promotion Register that is willing to accept this position what is going to happen to this position?
Anyone have any answers to these two questions?
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Personalization of your work area in the Postal Service
What does everyone think of about individuals personalizing their personal workspace on postal property? Like some of the examples that I will provide:
1. Lee Miller's office with his golf memorabilia and his other personal items.
2. Charger and Zena cutouts on the MLS plant floor by the printshop.
3. Supervisor's desk on the workroom floor with family pictures and flowers.
4. Mules on workroom floor with stickers and flag's on them.
So what is wrong with maintenance personal having family pictures, American Flags, or other items on their toolboxes? Are we not all Postal employees? Why is there such a disparate treatment between the employees? I do not care if the Postal employees are managers, supervisors, or craft employees. "All Postal employees" should be treated when it comes to personalizing their personal workspace. All of us work inside or on Postal property so the same rules should apply to all employees on personalization of their workspace. Not for Management to capriciously and randomly enforce their views on employees.
1. Lee Miller's office with his golf memorabilia and his other personal items.
2. Charger and Zena cutouts on the MLS plant floor by the printshop.
3. Supervisor's desk on the workroom floor with family pictures and flowers.
4. Mules on workroom floor with stickers and flag's on them.
So what is wrong with maintenance personal having family pictures, American Flags, or other items on their toolboxes? Are we not all Postal employees? Why is there such a disparate treatment between the employees? I do not care if the Postal employees are managers, supervisors, or craft employees. "All Postal employees" should be treated when it comes to personalizing their personal workspace. All of us work inside or on Postal property so the same rules should apply to all employees on personalization of their workspace. Not for Management to capriciously and randomly enforce their views on employees.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
New Owner of Blog
I just recently took this over. Little about me, I work at MLS on T-3 as a MPE. I look forward to trying my hand at this. I do not know how long I will have it. But, that I will do my best to keep it going and interesting. I hope that others out there will also add content to this and make it even better.
Let the fun begin....
Marion Williams
Let the fun begin....
Marion Williams
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Time for a change
Here in the near future I will no longer be working on this blog. I am going to pass this onto some other individual who would like to take this over. I am looking at within the next two weeks. Any takers?
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Mail Handlers???
Recently it came to my attention that some more mail handlers from Tour 3 are looking at having their jobs excessed over in the ATU and robot cutting area. So, how will the clerks be receiving their mail over on the DBCS's? Will it be now by the pallet? Or will more clerks be excessed from Tour 3 and have to move to Tour 1 or become PTR clerks? Has anyone heard about what is going on?
I would love to hear about what is going on out at the different stations around the city and county of San Diego. Don't be shy about letting everyone know how things are going both good and bad.
I would love to hear about what is going on out at the different stations around the city and county of San Diego. Don't be shy about letting everyone know how things are going both good and bad.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
New EL-304 Maintenance Selection System dated June 2009
I know that many of you are interested in the new version of the EL-304 Maintenance Selection System. So I took the time to find it and upload it for anyone to download. It can be found at the URL listed below:
http://www.adrive.com/public/d9c858854bc0f24d4de1bba4e3dbc3c8be20288695b88c1bd8fa482a71a89fa2.html
http://www.adrive.com/public/d9c858854bc0f24d4de1bba4e3dbc3c8be20288695b88c1bd8fa482a71a89fa2.html
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Six Boys And Thirteen Hands... (A Story to think about)
Each year I am hired to go to Washington , DC , with the eighth grade class from Clinton, WI where I grew up, to videotape their trip .. I greatly enjoy visiting our nation's capitol, and each year I take some special memories back with me. This fall's trip was especially memorable. On the last night of our trip, we stopped at the Iwo Jima memorial. This memorial is the largest bronze statue in the world and depicts one of the most famous photographs in history -- that of the six brave soldiers raising the American Flag at the top of a rocky hill on the island of Iwo Jima , Japan , during WW II. Over one hundred students and chaperones piled off the buses and headed towards the memorial.. I noticed a solitary figure at the base of the statue, and as I got closer he asked, 'Where are you guys from?' I told him that we were from Wisconsin. 'Hey, I'm a cheese head, too! Come gather around, Cheese heads, and I will tell you a story.' (James Bradley just happened to be in Washington, DC, to speak at the memorial the following day. He was there that night to say good night to his dad, who had passed away. He was just about to leave when he saw the buses pull up. I videotaped him as he spoke to us, and received his permission to share what he said from my videotape. It is one thing to tour the incredible monuments filled with history in Washington , DC , but it is quite another to get the kind of insight we received that night.) When all had gathered around, he reverently began to speak. (Here are his words that night.)
'My name is James Bradley and I'm from Antigo, Wisconsin . My dad is on that statue, and I just wrote a book called 'Flags of Our Fathers' which is #5 on the New York Times Best Seller list right now. It is the story of the six boys you see behind me. 'Six boys raised the flag. The first guy putting the pole in the ground is Harlon Block. Harlon was an all-state football player ... He enlisted in the Marine Corps with all the senior members of his football team. They were off to play another type of game. A game called 'War.' But it didn't turn out to be a game. Harlon, at the age of 21, died with his intestines in his hands. I don't say that to gross you out, I say that because there are people who stand in front of this statue and talk about the glory of war. You guys need to know that most of the boys in Iwo Jima were 17, 18, and 19 years old - and it was so hard that the ones who did make it home never even would talk to their families about it.
(He pointed to the statue) 'You see this next guy? That's Rene Gagnon from New Hampshire. If you took Rene's helmet off at the moment this photo was taken and looked in the webbing of that helmet, you would find a photograph... a photograph of his girlfriend. Rene put that in there for protection because he was scared. He was 18 years old. It was just boys who won the battle of Iwo Jima .. Boys. Not old men.
'The next guy here, the third guy in this tableau, was Sergeant Mike Strank.. Mike is my hero. He was the hero of all these guys.. They called him the 'old man' because he was so old. He was already 24. When Mike would motivate his boys in training camp, he didn't say, 'Let's go kill some Japanese' or 'Let's die for our country.' He knew he was talking to little boys. Instead he would say, 'You do what I say, and I'll get you home to your mothers.' Arizona Ira Hayes was one who walked off Iwo Jima .. He went into the White House with my dad. President Truman told him, 'You're a hero' He told reporters, 'How can I feel like a hero when 250 of my buddies hit the island with me and only 27 of us walked off alive?' So you take your class at school, 250 of you spending a year together having fun, doing everything together .. Then all 250 of you hit the beach, but only 27 of your classmates walk off alive. That was Ira Hayes He had images of horror in his mind. Ira Hayes carried the pain home with him and eventually died dead drunk, face down at the age of 32 (ten years after this picture was taken).
'The next guy, going around the statue, is Franklin Sousley from Hilltop, Kentucky . A fun-lovin' hillbilly boy. His best friend, who is now 70, told me, 'Yeah, you know, we took two cows up on the porch of the Hilltop General Store. Then we strung wire across the stairs so the cows couldn't get down. Then we fed them Epsom salts. Those cows crapped all night.' Yes, he was a fun-lovin' hillbilly boy. Franklin died on Iwo Jima at the age of 19. When the telegram came to tell his mother that he was dead, it went to the Hilltop General Store. A barefoot boy ran that telegram up to his mother's farm. The neighbors could hear her scream all night and into the morning. Those neighbors lived a quarter of a mile away.
'The next guy, as we continue to go around the statue, is my dad, John Bradley, from Antigo, Wisconsin , where I was raised. My dad lived until 1994, but he would never give interviews. When Walter Cronkite's producers or the New York Times would call, we were trained as little kids to say 'No, I'm sorry, sir, my dad's not here. He is in Canada fishing. No, there is no phone there, sir. No, we don't know when he is coming back.' My dad never fished or even went to Canada . Usually, he was sitting there right at the table eating his Campbell Soup. 'You see, like Ira Hayes, my dad didn't see himself as a hero.. Everyone thinks these guys are heroes, 'cause they are in a photo and on a monument. My dad knew better. He was a medic.. John Bradley from Wisconsin was a caregiver. In Iwo Jima he probably held over 200 boys as they died. And when boys died in Iwo Jima , they writhed and screamed, without any medication or help with the pain. 'When I was a little boy, my third grade teacher told me that my dad was a hero. When I went home and told my dad that, he looked at me and said, 'I want you always to remember that the heroes of Iwo Jima are the guys who did not come back. Did NOT come back.' 'So that's the story about six nice young boys. Three died on Iwo Jima , and three came back as national heroes. Overall, 7,000 boys died on Iwo Jima in the worst battle in the history of the Marine Corps. My voice is giving out, so I will end here. Thank you for your time.'
Suddenly, the monument wasn't just a big old piece of metal with a flag sticking out of the top. It came to life before our eyes with the heartfelt words of a son who did indeed have a father who was a hero.. Maybe not a hero for the reasons most people would believe, but a hero nonetheless. We need to remember that God created this vast and glorious world for us to live in, freely, but also at great sacrifice Let us never forget from the Revolutionary War to the current War on Terrorism and all the wars in-between that sacrifice was made for our freedom. Remember to pray praises for this great country of ours and also pray for those still in murderous unrest around the world.. STOP and thank God for being alive and being free at someone else's sacrifice. God Bless You and God Bless America ...
REMINDER: Everyday that you can wake up free, it's going to be a great day. One thing I learned while on tour with my 8th grade students in DC that is not mentioned here is . . that if you look at the statue very closely and count the number of 'hands' raising the flag, there are 13. When the man who made the statue was asked why there were 13, he simply said the 13th hand was the hand of God. Great story - worth your time - worth every American's time
'My name is James Bradley and I'm from Antigo, Wisconsin . My dad is on that statue, and I just wrote a book called 'Flags of Our Fathers' which is #5 on the New York Times Best Seller list right now. It is the story of the six boys you see behind me. 'Six boys raised the flag. The first guy putting the pole in the ground is Harlon Block. Harlon was an all-state football player ... He enlisted in the Marine Corps with all the senior members of his football team. They were off to play another type of game. A game called 'War.' But it didn't turn out to be a game. Harlon, at the age of 21, died with his intestines in his hands. I don't say that to gross you out, I say that because there are people who stand in front of this statue and talk about the glory of war. You guys need to know that most of the boys in Iwo Jima were 17, 18, and 19 years old - and it was so hard that the ones who did make it home never even would talk to their families about it.
(He pointed to the statue) 'You see this next guy? That's Rene Gagnon from New Hampshire. If you took Rene's helmet off at the moment this photo was taken and looked in the webbing of that helmet, you would find a photograph... a photograph of his girlfriend. Rene put that in there for protection because he was scared. He was 18 years old. It was just boys who won the battle of Iwo Jima .. Boys. Not old men.
'The next guy here, the third guy in this tableau, was Sergeant Mike Strank.. Mike is my hero. He was the hero of all these guys.. They called him the 'old man' because he was so old. He was already 24. When Mike would motivate his boys in training camp, he didn't say, 'Let's go kill some Japanese' or 'Let's die for our country.' He knew he was talking to little boys. Instead he would say, 'You do what I say, and I'll get you home to your mothers.' Arizona Ira Hayes was one who walked off Iwo Jima .. He went into the White House with my dad. President Truman told him, 'You're a hero' He told reporters, 'How can I feel like a hero when 250 of my buddies hit the island with me and only 27 of us walked off alive?' So you take your class at school, 250 of you spending a year together having fun, doing everything together .. Then all 250 of you hit the beach, but only 27 of your classmates walk off alive. That was Ira Hayes He had images of horror in his mind. Ira Hayes carried the pain home with him and eventually died dead drunk, face down at the age of 32 (ten years after this picture was taken).
'The next guy, going around the statue, is Franklin Sousley from Hilltop, Kentucky . A fun-lovin' hillbilly boy. His best friend, who is now 70, told me, 'Yeah, you know, we took two cows up on the porch of the Hilltop General Store. Then we strung wire across the stairs so the cows couldn't get down. Then we fed them Epsom salts. Those cows crapped all night.' Yes, he was a fun-lovin' hillbilly boy. Franklin died on Iwo Jima at the age of 19. When the telegram came to tell his mother that he was dead, it went to the Hilltop General Store. A barefoot boy ran that telegram up to his mother's farm. The neighbors could hear her scream all night and into the morning. Those neighbors lived a quarter of a mile away.
'The next guy, as we continue to go around the statue, is my dad, John Bradley, from Antigo, Wisconsin , where I was raised. My dad lived until 1994, but he would never give interviews. When Walter Cronkite's producers or the New York Times would call, we were trained as little kids to say 'No, I'm sorry, sir, my dad's not here. He is in Canada fishing. No, there is no phone there, sir. No, we don't know when he is coming back.' My dad never fished or even went to Canada . Usually, he was sitting there right at the table eating his Campbell Soup. 'You see, like Ira Hayes, my dad didn't see himself as a hero.. Everyone thinks these guys are heroes, 'cause they are in a photo and on a monument. My dad knew better. He was a medic.. John Bradley from Wisconsin was a caregiver. In Iwo Jima he probably held over 200 boys as they died. And when boys died in Iwo Jima , they writhed and screamed, without any medication or help with the pain. 'When I was a little boy, my third grade teacher told me that my dad was a hero. When I went home and told my dad that, he looked at me and said, 'I want you always to remember that the heroes of Iwo Jima are the guys who did not come back. Did NOT come back.' 'So that's the story about six nice young boys. Three died on Iwo Jima , and three came back as national heroes. Overall, 7,000 boys died on Iwo Jima in the worst battle in the history of the Marine Corps. My voice is giving out, so I will end here. Thank you for your time.'
Suddenly, the monument wasn't just a big old piece of metal with a flag sticking out of the top. It came to life before our eyes with the heartfelt words of a son who did indeed have a father who was a hero.. Maybe not a hero for the reasons most people would believe, but a hero nonetheless. We need to remember that God created this vast and glorious world for us to live in, freely, but also at great sacrifice Let us never forget from the Revolutionary War to the current War on Terrorism and all the wars in-between that sacrifice was made for our freedom. Remember to pray praises for this great country of ours and also pray for those still in murderous unrest around the world.. STOP and thank God for being alive and being free at someone else's sacrifice. God Bless You and God Bless America ...
REMINDER: Everyday that you can wake up free, it's going to be a great day. One thing I learned while on tour with my 8th grade students in DC that is not mentioned here is . . that if you look at the statue very closely and count the number of 'hands' raising the flag, there are 13. When the man who made the statue was asked why there were 13, he simply said the 13th hand was the hand of God. Great story - worth your time - worth every American's time
Friday, June 5, 2009
This one's for you.....
Roger this one is for you. Since, your toolbox had to be cleaned up and flags removed. Here is a pic of Emily's work area. Since the toolbox and also these cabinets in her area are USPS property why is it that you were made to clean up your postal property and she is not made to clean up the her postal property in her area? Disparate treatment between craft employees or is it more preferential treatment since she is only a maintenance clerk who is operating as a general secretary for our Maintenance Managers.
Notice the US Flag and family pictures.... If this is the policy is no personal items on USPS postal property then I would hope that it is completely enforced to include Sweet's office all the way down to the custodian lockers.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Rumor????? or Fact?????
I am now looking into something I just heard about the other day. Maybe one of you fine upstanding individuals know more than myself and can correct me if I am wrong. I heard that Bertolina is going to be leaving us and going up around the San Fransisco area. That Jim Land will be taking his place for sometime till his replacement is here. Can anyone confirm or deny this rumor for me?
Monday, May 18, 2009
AutoPilot....
Seems that I have been neglecting this blog for awhile. Yes, I have... I completely admit it. Been taking the time to say good bye to friends who have been excessed from MLS and others who have become part-time regulars instead of having to relocate and move to other locations.
Also been trying to keep track of the comedy show that is going on in Maintenance. Especially since, Maintenance has taken 2 of operations finest(bullshit) into it. Talking with people from Maintenance I find it amusing that Gary Hill believes that he can run Maintenance like he has been running operations before. Has he not heard of the old adage "If it is not broke leave it alone".... I sincerely doubt that he has. Also, I see on Tour 2 that Veronica has stepped down from being a 204b due to not enough Support Clerks are available to do the work in Tool and Parts. I do give out a sincere support to Sandy Liss who is currently away due to illness. I wish her the best and for a speedy recovery.
Just a reminder for everyone... On Thursday, 21 May, there will be a General Membership meeting at the Local 197 in Mission Valley office at 6pm or 1800 to all you military types. Hope to see you all there... later
Also been trying to keep track of the comedy show that is going on in Maintenance. Especially since, Maintenance has taken 2 of operations finest(bullshit) into it. Talking with people from Maintenance I find it amusing that Gary Hill believes that he can run Maintenance like he has been running operations before. Has he not heard of the old adage "If it is not broke leave it alone".... I sincerely doubt that he has. Also, I see on Tour 2 that Veronica has stepped down from being a 204b due to not enough Support Clerks are available to do the work in Tool and Parts. I do give out a sincere support to Sandy Liss who is currently away due to illness. I wish her the best and for a speedy recovery.
Just a reminder for everyone... On Thursday, 21 May, there will be a General Membership meeting at the Local 197 in Mission Valley office at 6pm or 1800 to all you military types. Hope to see you all there... later
Monday, April 20, 2009
Goodbye... (I mean to the clerks being excessed)
Well... I just thought I would wish the clerks who are being excessed a "Good bye and Good Luck" for the new positions they will be taking. Whether it is at a new station, new city, or even a new craft. But, I have heard that some have decided not to continue to be full-employees with USPS anymore. Instead, they have chosen to become Part Time Regulars (PTR) instead of having maybe to move to another city or maybe change crafts. Good luck to all of you who decided to become PTR's. I hope it was the best decision for you.
Now, has anyone heard when the mailhandlers are going to continue with their excessing? Drop a line here and let us know what is going on.
Talking about excessing.... Even management is finally feeling it a little... hahahahahaha Take for instance, Gary Hill from Tour 2 he is being excessed but he dont' seem to mind since he is being detailed over to Maintenance to as a Level 23 (currently Level 20) plus then he still gets to stay on at MLS P&DC.
Now I know some of you have seen little short redhead named Gretchen back on the workroom floor of MLS ove the past two weeks. Why? Was she not detailed up to Moreno Valley to be the Senior MDO for that plant? Maybe it was something that she either was not prepared for or incapable of doing properly. So she is now back at MLS.
Now, has anyone heard when the mailhandlers are going to continue with their excessing? Drop a line here and let us know what is going on.
Talking about excessing.... Even management is finally feeling it a little... hahahahahaha Take for instance, Gary Hill from Tour 2 he is being excessed but he dont' seem to mind since he is being detailed over to Maintenance to as a Level 23 (currently Level 20) plus then he still gets to stay on at MLS P&DC.
Now I know some of you have seen little short redhead named Gretchen back on the workroom floor of MLS ove the past two weeks. Why? Was she not detailed up to Moreno Valley to be the Senior MDO for that plant? Maybe it was something that she either was not prepared for or incapable of doing properly. So she is now back at MLS.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Rant and Rave
Been a while since I have updated this blog. Since then I have heard from the mailhandlers that Management has messed up when it come to doing the excessing. They got sent away to a couple of different areas and then they were brought back to where they started. This was actually a lucky thing for the clerks. Since it showed the shortcomings of the excessing when it is done improperly. This is going to cost USPS management more than they expected. So maybe less craft workers will be effected by the excessing due to the cost of moving employees.
Now I am curious about something.... How many of you out there know of or knew of Management being married to craft employees? How does this affect the employees around these individuals? I have not been around as long as many of you. So I would like to begin compiling a list of these individuals, where they are currently and how you think they affect the ones around them.
1. Gary Hill MDO T-2 MLS P&DC and Armi Hill Clerk T-1 MLS P&DC from what I have observed with both of them on separate tours there is not much impact on the employees around them.
2. Charles Sweet T-2 Maintenance Manager (supposedly detailed to Pacific Area but he still is running MLS P&DC and Midway Maintenance) and Veronica Phung (Sweet) T-2 Maintenance Support Clerk from what I have heard and observed there is a large impact on the employees around these individuals both on the craft and management side. For you never know when you speak up about something how soon it will get back to Charles either by Veronica when they go home or when she walks directly into Charles office to speak with him. Now it is even better with her again going to be a 204b in charge of Maintenance employees. Why is she in a 204b position when her husband is in charge of Maintenance. Oh, yes... someone will say that Lee Miller is actually in charge while Charles Sweet is up in Pacific Area. But, since when has Lee Miller had a thought of his own without asking Sweet's permission to blow his nose.
Now I am curious about something.... How many of you out there know of or knew of Management being married to craft employees? How does this affect the employees around these individuals? I have not been around as long as many of you. So I would like to begin compiling a list of these individuals, where they are currently and how you think they affect the ones around them.
1. Gary Hill MDO T-2 MLS P&DC and Armi Hill Clerk T-1 MLS P&DC from what I have observed with both of them on separate tours there is not much impact on the employees around them.
2. Charles Sweet T-2 Maintenance Manager (supposedly detailed to Pacific Area but he still is running MLS P&DC and Midway Maintenance) and Veronica Phung (Sweet) T-2 Maintenance Support Clerk from what I have heard and observed there is a large impact on the employees around these individuals both on the craft and management side. For you never know when you speak up about something how soon it will get back to Charles either by Veronica when they go home or when she walks directly into Charles office to speak with him. Now it is even better with her again going to be a 204b in charge of Maintenance employees. Why is she in a 204b position when her husband is in charge of Maintenance. Oh, yes... someone will say that Lee Miller is actually in charge while Charles Sweet is up in Pacific Area. But, since when has Lee Miller had a thought of his own without asking Sweet's permission to blow his nose.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Information Overload????
To all of you who have tried to post where to go and find out about what any Postal employee's base salary and other information is concerning them. You can go to the below link :
http://php.app.com/usps/search.php
So... look up anyone you like by name or by job description or even by facility. Just have fun and spread the word.
Also I would like to extend my congratulation's to Jim Roland who is now our Vice President of our Local 197. Jim, or anyone else who can answer this question for me, When will Bill Tagart be back in his old job at MLS P&DC? Would you care to let us know please? Maybe you can ask Tom Wood when Tagart has to go back?
Thanks,
MOM
http://php.app.com/usps/search.php
So... look up anyone you like by name or by job description or even by facility. Just have fun and spread the word.
Also I would like to extend my congratulation's to Jim Roland who is now our Vice President of our Local 197. Jim, or anyone else who can answer this question for me, When will Bill Tagart be back in his old job at MLS P&DC? Would you care to let us know please? Maybe you can ask Tom Wood when Tagart has to go back?
Thanks,
MOM
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Who will be the new "Vice President"
Well on the 2oth of March which is tomorrow all of us will find out who our Vice President of our Local will be to lead us into the future. I know that I voted for the one that I believed best would be for our Local from the three candidates listed below alphabetically:
1. Jim Roland
2. Bill Tagart
3. Gwen Wills
Whichever one of these individuals is elected I pray and hope that they and all of us can put the past behind us as we look and go forward into the future. Our Local and us depend on them to do so.
Thanks,
Mom197
1. Jim Roland
2. Bill Tagart
3. Gwen Wills
Whichever one of these individuals is elected I pray and hope that they and all of us can put the past behind us as we look and go forward into the future. Our Local and us depend on them to do so.
Thanks,
Mom197
Monday, March 2, 2009
Election Time...
Well.. it is that time again to vote for who we would like to be our Vice President of our APWU Local 197.
1.Why are we going through this special election for our Vice President of our APWU Local 197?
2. Who is paying for this special election? National APWU or our Local 197?
3. Who is the better person to fill this position? Tagart? Roland? or Wills?
So before you vote think about the above questions before you submit your ballot. Chose wisely for this is going to be affecting you and me for the next 2 1/2 yrs. During this time, our National Contract will be negotiated and our Locals Memorandum of Understanding will be redone. How you vote will affect all of us in the Local.
I cannot state any better than this... "CHOOSE WISELY"
1.Why are we going through this special election for our Vice President of our APWU Local 197?
2. Who is paying for this special election? National APWU or our Local 197?
3. Who is the better person to fill this position? Tagart? Roland? or Wills?
So before you vote think about the above questions before you submit your ballot. Chose wisely for this is going to be affecting you and me for the next 2 1/2 yrs. During this time, our National Contract will be negotiated and our Locals Memorandum of Understanding will be redone. How you vote will affect all of us in the Local.
I cannot state any better than this... "CHOOSE WISELY"
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Town Hall Meeting
On 18th February at MLS P&DC will be the next Town Hall Meeting given by the MLS Plant Manager John Bertolina. So far what I have heard is that Tour 3's meeting will be at 5pm on the 18th of February.
So what will be told to all the employees at the plant? That things are getting tough and we all must work together to lower our costs. Or will he also talk about the excessing of clerks and mailhandlers. But, let's not forget that with less craft employees that EAS employees will be scampering for jobs or they will be excessed also.
I know ask your help to talk to other employees and to post here if there is going to be more meetings for the other tours at Midway and MLS P&DC. Plus what is going on at the stations?? Are they going to be given Town Hall Meetings by the San Diego Area Manager or his staff? So they can be properly informed of what is going on within their craft and work area.
Communication between each of us is important so that we can respond quickly and efficently to whatever management has planned. As long as Management goes by the contract I have no problems with them. But, let all of us be vigilant and aware that Management will do what it takes even if it goes against the contract to protect themselves.
So what will be told to all the employees at the plant? That things are getting tough and we all must work together to lower our costs. Or will he also talk about the excessing of clerks and mailhandlers. But, let's not forget that with less craft employees that EAS employees will be scampering for jobs or they will be excessed also.
I know ask your help to talk to other employees and to post here if there is going to be more meetings for the other tours at Midway and MLS P&DC. Plus what is going on at the stations?? Are they going to be given Town Hall Meetings by the San Diego Area Manager or his staff? So they can be properly informed of what is going on within their craft and work area.
Communication between each of us is important so that we can respond quickly and efficently to whatever management has planned. As long as Management goes by the contract I have no problems with them. But, let all of us be vigilant and aware that Management will do what it takes even if it goes against the contract to protect themselves.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
RE-RUN ELECTION NOTICE
RE-RUN ELECTION NOTICE
FOR VICE PRESIDENT ONLY
APWU SAN DIEGO AREA LOCAL 197
A secret ballot election for the office of Vice President will be conducted by mail. Ballots for this election are being mailed to members on February 27, 2009. Any eligible member who has not received a ballot in the mail at home by March 6, 2009 or any member who spoils a ballot may request a new ballot by contacting the Election Chairperson Judy Curtis at (619) 905-2126. A duplicate ballot will be mailed by the following business day. If you request and return two (2) ballots, only the replacement ballot will be counted.
Ballots will be picked up on March 20, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. from the following location:
FOR VICE PRESIDENT ONLY
APWU SAN DIEGO AREA LOCAL 197
A secret ballot election for the office of Vice President will be conducted by mail. Ballots for this election are being mailed to members on February 27, 2009. Any eligible member who has not received a ballot in the mail at home by March 6, 2009 or any member who spoils a ballot may request a new ballot by contacting the Election Chairperson Judy Curtis at (619) 905-2126. A duplicate ballot will be mailed by the following business day. If you request and return two (2) ballots, only the replacement ballot will be counted.
Ballots will be picked up on March 20, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. from the following location:
PO Box 2355
El Cajon CA 92021
Ballots will be counted directly after they are picked up on March 20, 2009 at the following location:
APWU San Diego Area Local 197
Union Hall
3737 Camino Del Rio
Suite 200
San Diego CA 92108
**Important Facts to Remember**
Nominations will not be re-opened.
The election includes only the office of the Vice President.
The candidates on the ballot will be the only ones running for Vice President.
Write-in votes shall not be valid, counted or considered.
IMPORTANT: Mail your ballot in sufficient time for it to be received at the following
address no later than 11:00 a.m. on March 20, 2009:
PO Box 2355
El Cajon CA 92021
El Cajon CA 92021
Ballots will be counted directly after they are picked up on March 20, 2009 at the following location:
APWU San Diego Area Local 197
Union Hall
3737 Camino Del Rio
Suite 200
San Diego CA 92108
**Important Facts to Remember**
Nominations will not be re-opened.
The election includes only the office of the Vice President.
The candidates on the ballot will be the only ones running for Vice President.
Write-in votes shall not be valid, counted or considered.
IMPORTANT: Mail your ballot in sufficient time for it to be received at the following
address no later than 11:00 a.m. on March 20, 2009:
PO Box 2355
El Cajon CA 92021
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Interesting Information....
I also have heard about Tricky Ricky Cornholieo leaving our Union. Why is he leaving it now? Is it because he did not really want to be a member or was it only for the power trip? So I thought he was going to stay in and "help" other members? Well, in my opinion it is no loss to this Local since he screwed it up during his 3 yrs in office.
Also, I have hear that soon our Local will have to have a special election for the Vice President position. Something about how Will Tagart abused his position as a Chief Shop Steward while campaigning for his office. Any ideas on how long it will take to have this election and get the results back?
Also, I have hear that soon our Local will have to have a special election for the Vice President position. Something about how Will Tagart abused his position as a Chief Shop Steward while campaigning for his office. Any ideas on how long it will take to have this election and get the results back?
Monday, January 5, 2009
NEW YEAR... Old or New Problems.... Solutions??
Well.. I have taken a nice long break away from the computer since my last posting. Now that the new year of 2009 is here I am back ready to begin anew.
This coming year will see several problems carry over from the last year and will have new problems arise that will affect each and everyone of us. Some of these problems will be due to the economy and the fallout of our National problems. Others will be due to Postal mismanagement or just plain stupidity of our coworkers.
But, no matter what each of our unique problems that each of us face just remember that others have had to face these problems also and somehow all of us will find our own solutions that work for us. Look around and do not be afraid to ask others for help... be it a friend , coworker, or even management at your place of work(Yes, sometimes they can help)..... But, just remember that you are never alone... Others will help you if you are willing to help yourself.
This coming year will see several problems carry over from the last year and will have new problems arise that will affect each and everyone of us. Some of these problems will be due to the economy and the fallout of our National problems. Others will be due to Postal mismanagement or just plain stupidity of our coworkers.
But, no matter what each of our unique problems that each of us face just remember that others have had to face these problems also and somehow all of us will find our own solutions that work for us. Look around and do not be afraid to ask others for help... be it a friend , coworker, or even management at your place of work(Yes, sometimes they can help)..... But, just remember that you are never alone... Others will help you if you are willing to help yourself.
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