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.

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

CHRIST IS THE ANSWER TO THE ENIGMA OF SUFFERING AND DEATH

VATICAN CITY, 11 FEB 2009 (Vatican Information Service) - In the Vatican Basilica at 4.30 p.m. today, Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and the seventeenth World Day of the Sick, Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, president of the Pontifical Council for Healthcare Ministry, celebrated Mass for the sick, and for pilgrims of UNITALSI (Italian National Union for Transport of the Sick to Lourdes and International Shrines) and of Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi.

At the end of Mass, Benedict XVI arrived in the basilica where he blessed the sick and made some brief remarks.

"This Day invites us to make sick people more intensely aware of the spiritual closeness of the Church", said the Pope, because the Church "is the family of God in the world, within which no-one must suffer for lack of what they need. At the same time, today we have the opportunity to reflect on the experience of sickness and pain, and more generally on the meaning of life which must be lived to the full, even in suffering".

Recalling then how this year's World Day is dedicated to sick children, the Holy Father asked: "If we remain speechless before the suffering of adults, what can we say when sickness strikes a young and innocent child? How can we, even in such difficult situations, see the merciful love of God, Who never abandons His children at their time of trial?"

He went on: "Such questions are frequent and sometimes disquieting, and the truth is that on a merely human level they do not find adequate answers, because the significance of suffering, sickness and death remains unfathomable to our minds. However, the light of faith comes to our aid.

"The Word of God", he added, "reveals to us that these evils are also mysteriously 'embraced' by the design of salvation. Faith helps us to uphold the belief that human life is beautiful and worthy to be lived to the full, even when undermined by sickness.

"God created man for happiness and for life, while sickness and death came into the world as a consequence of sin", the Pope explained. "But the Lord has not left us to ourselves. He, the Father of life, is doctor par excellence to man and never ceases His loving attentions to humanity".

"We are achieving an ever greater awareness of the fact that the life of man is not a disposable product, but a precious casket to keep and safeguard with all possible care, from beginning to final and natural conclusion. Life is a mystery which, of itself, calls for responsibility, love, patience and charity on the part of each and every individual. Even more so, then, it is necessary to surround the sick and suffering with care and respect. This is not always easy, but we know where we can draw the courage and patience to face the vicissitudes of earthly life, in particular sickness and suffering of all kinds".

"For we Christians", he concluded, "the reply to the enigma of suffering and death is in Christ. ... It is in the 'school' of the Eucharistic Christ that we are able to love life always and to accept our apparent impotence in the face of sickness and death".

"May the Light that comes from on high" he concluded, "help us to understand and give meaning and value also to the experience of suffering and death".

Anonymous said...

You guy I hear the APPS is still coming up to MLS they say we will save money by doing it. Taking out the low cost and some dbcs. I don't think it will be done before Christmas. But they will start just in time to make a mess at Christmas.pyric

Anonymous said...

T-2 meeting is set for Feb 20, 2009 at 9:30 am.

No interpreter needed as there is not any hearing impaired.

Wonder what happened to that guy in maintenance?

Anonymous said...

February 11, 2009

Subject: Provision of nitrile gloves for employees that request them

Senior management’s (COO and SR VP HR) position remains that nitrile gloves and FFPs will be supplied to employees if requested for comfort and a measure of security. There is also an understanding with unions. Addition ally, the Postal Service indicated to an federal interagency workgroup that part of our protective measures from biological agents (anthrax specifically) is to supply gloves and FFP’s on request. This is not a SEPM policy – although it is included in the PPE/RPP MI revision (the current MI-March 2001 –says managers may elect to provide FFPs but that was superceded in the fall of 2001). Any change to the policy would have to be solicited from, and issued through, Mr. Donohoe’s and Mr. Vegliante’s offices.

Of course any PPE, including gloves and FFPs, must be provided if indicated by a hazard assessment – but that is separate from the above policy and is required by OSHA.

We understand that everyone is seeking to cut expenses, but this would not be an appropriate way to do so.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Regards,
Jeannine H. Turenne
Director, Safety & Environmental Performance Management
United States Postal Service

Anonymous said...

Just talked with a friend of mine... They had some interesting news about Town Hall Meetings at the Plants.

Wed Feb 18th 17:00 MLS P&DC T3 W/Interpreter for hearing impaired

Thu Feb 19th 23:00 MLS P&DC T1 W/Interpreter for hearing impaired

Fri Feb 20th 09:30 MLS P&DC T2
NO Interpreter for hearing impaired
(Why no interpreter for T2? Maintenance has one employee that is hearing impaired. Discrimination or just don't care?)

Tue Feb 24th 17:00 Midway T3 W/Interpreter for hearing impaired

Tue Feb 24th 23:00 Midway T1 W/Interpreter for hearing impaired

Wed Feb 25th 09:00 Midway T2
NO Interpreter for hearing impaired


Why is only the plants having these meeting? What about each of the stations? I feel that Bertolina will be talking about the health of our organization and how the possible changes will be effecting all of us.

Anonymous said...

Having never attended a town hall meeting, I don't know what to expect. Where are they held? How long do they last? Can people ask questions?

I am not too hopeful that there will be good news. The Obama Edict that was just passed by the buffoons in Washington that never even read the 1000 page document doesn't have anything in it that will directly save us. But when we lose our jobs, we can get extended unemployment and COBRA. So I guess thats good.

I feel bad for my co-workers that are getting forced to carrier, and out of town carrier jobs. They are actually people who still do work and want to work.

I see these people shuffling around on tour 2 like overdrugged mental hospital patients. They are so senior no body can get them out of here. They take the space up and someone who actually has something to offer is being told to sell their house and move away.

I would like to see the contract change to pay people by the piece. Merit for production. Additional merit for good attendance. More merit for never getting into trouble. And pink slips for the useless lazy ones who call in all the time and when they are here, they stack trays all day, shine sacks, etc, while people on the night shift are busting their humps moving the mail.

I know, that isn't in obama's spreading the wealth BS, that we should all be treated equally and all that garbage. Unless people work equally, they shouldn't be paid or treated equally. Because I get really sick and tired of lifting heavy parcels that other people can't lift. Pushing lobster cages that the weaklings can't move, and the like. While they get paid the same as me.

What you see and the country willsee in our shift to socialism, is that the lazy get rewarded and the ambitious get punished. You have seen socialism at work in the USPS for 35 years. Youre gonna love it when the whole country gets socialized.

Anonymous said...

Should I bring my own KY or is Big John going to supply it before he slams me home.

Anonymous said...

I think that times are changing to drastically now, that even postal management is worried. The days of bloated mahagony row are nunmbered, and they know it.

Their contract doesn't have the same provisions ours does. They can really get screwed over, if the time comes.

We will live and die by our contract. And if our union at the national level is forced to make concessions, then it will becom equite interesting at the big house.

Like for instance, what if the cap on part time regular positions is relaxed. I think most of the jobs could become part time. They would also though have to retrain the supervisors how to supervise, so they could actually get the lazy ones to do an honest days work.

They could have a work force of 25 or 30 hour a week window clerks, easy. They could also have the same arrangement for back room clerks. This isn't something I want, cuz I couldn't afford to live in San Diego anymore if it happened.

But, coming from a mom and pop business background, I saw that most of the workers were part time, and kind of shared the job. The first 4 hours to one, the afternoon hours to the other.

Anonymous said...

I think that the townhall meeting will at least be more truthful than Prez Obama's 2 townhall meetings last week. He talked to people in elkhart Indiana, the people who all make RVs and motor homes. They are laid off for obvious reasons. He is giving them the song and dance that his spenulous bill will give them jobs. Then he explained the jobs it will make. Painting schools, renovating buildings in DC, repairing roads and bridges, and digging ditches for underground cables and such. Looking at those fat, dumpy, middle-aged to elderly people in the audience, i wondered which of those people is going to be hired to do that kind of work. And wasn't digging ditches, painting and carpentry and masonry work the stuff that a couple years ago was dubbed by the dems and everyone else, "work Americans don't want to do?" And even with the crazy talk in Indiana about these "great" jobs coming up for these people. most of them couldn't lift a hammer or anything else. They just smiled and clapped and adored Obama.

Anonymous said...

I also discovered that the stimulus plan alots 20 million dollars to save Nancy Pelosi's salt marsh harvest mice in SF, 20 million dollars is going to save the shellfish in Ted Kennedy's Massachussetts, and for all them, po'folk in the gulf coast states, 10 million is going to save the oysters.

Do I not get it? How is this gonna help the average Joe who ain't no marine animal college grad or sierra club mouse hugger?

I think that Bertolina is gonne tell us how screwed we are and how change has come to the USPS.

But remember, fellow koolaid drinkers, we all wanted change change change, because change for change's sake is fine by us.

Now, the change is coming to a PO nearest you, and you ain't gonna like it.

But, don't worry, at least the harvest mice will be safe.

Anonymous said...

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ignited a political firestorm when she requested a larger jet that would allow her to travel non-stop from her San Francisco home to Washington, D.C. Susan Roberts reports.

February 8, 2007

This is really help us out with jobs and show how our California's political status quo works and sure is for for the people. Her mice and plane is really good for the people right. They can not get a buget pass we getting IOU wow what a state we in.

Anonymous said...

SOunds like Obama, Pelosi and all those socialists we put in office are like our old MOM team from last year. Remember those liars, losers, and hangers-on, who were willing to put any remnants of ethics and truth aside to follow Rick Cornelius as he stole, pillaged and trashed our local?

Well, WE voted Obama and his suck up socialists into office and we are now POWERLESS to do anything about it. Just as we were POWERLESS to control Cornelius and Tagart during the 2005-2008 years.

We have to live with what we vote in people. If you are too stupid to research your candidates before you vote, you deserve what will be coming to you.

Oh by the way, Venezuela finally was convinced to vote for a lifetime dictator by doing away with term limits for their president. Count another group of people as foolish, brainless sheep.

My guess is that the Obama-Nationals will soon be changing our constitution to make a new amendment which would allow a Cornelius-Obama type to use their paid off ACORNians (kindof like Rick's mystery 50) to keep the guy in office long enough to destroy the country.

It is hopeless for our country, but at least our union members were smart enough on the local level to get rid of the Dictator Cornelius.

Marion Williams said...

Tomorrow.. we will get to hear what Bertolina wants to tell us. Will they allow all of Tour 3 to attend this meeting or will they make some stay out on the workroom floor?

Anonymous said...

Sure was great to see the celebration of nepotism in the latest San Diego Dimensions magazine!

Anonymous said...

lets see, what did we learn in the town hall meeting?

Tom Wood is retiring.

The post office is losing money.

Changes are coming, but we can not be told.

Times up go back to work!

Anonymous said...

It's the good workers that get let go first. We can thank our union for that. When a good supervisor tries to deal with a slug the union slams them in every way and upper management never backs them up. The Area office consistently fails to act on step three's and the slug continues to get away with breaking all the rules.

Anonymous said...

Entering His Presence

“We want you to be quite certain about those who have died, to make sure that you do not grieve about them, like the other people who have no hope” (Thessalonians 4:13 JB).

God speaks to all of us who have stood or will stand in the soft dirt near an open grave. And to us he gives this confident word: “I want you to know what happens to a Christian when he dies so that when it happens, you will not be full of sorrow, as those who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and then came back to life again, we can also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him all the Christians who have died” (1 Thess. 4:13–14 TLB).

God transforms our hopeless grief into hope-filled grief. How? By telling us that we will see our loved ones again.

Isn’t that what we want to believe? We long to know that our loved ones are safe in death. We long for the reassurance that the soul goes immediately to be with God. But dare we believe it? Can we believe it? According to the Bible we can.

Scripture is surprisingly quiet about this phase of our lives. When speaking about the period between the death of the body and the resurrection of the body, the Bible doesn’t shout; it just whispers. But at the confluence of these whispers, a firm voice is heard. This authoritative voice assures us that at death the Christian immediately enters into the presence of God and enjoys conscious fellowship with the Father and with those who have gone before.

Anonymous said...

I will have to admit that I kinda liked our Town Hall meeting on Tour 1 that other night. I was surprised that there was everyone off the floor inside the cafeteria. The place was standing room only.

One of the things Bertolina said that got my attention was the one that "all jobs" are going to be looked at and see what needs to be done with them.

Well that got me to thinking about 6 jobs out here in the plant that definitely need to be looked at. The first 4 jobs I would look at is the Vice President of the Mailhandlers and the 3 full-time stewards that never handle any of the mail. Since, when did this plant have that many problems with the mailhandlers and our craft that we need fulltime 24 hour coverage with shop stewards? Why are the mailhandler stewards doing it part-time like the clerk stewards?

The next 2 positions I would look at is the mailhandler and supervisor who are doing QWL fulltime. When was the last time there was a QWL project started and finished? Do we really need these two individuals sitting around all day in the office. Instead of being on the floor working the mail like myself and ohter mailhandlers.

Anonymous said...

Morning... I been doing some browsing around the net and found something well written for all USPS Maintenance Craft employees. I would recommend that you take a look at this information and read it. It is well written and concise about many things that also concern us here in the San Diego District.

http://www.stpaulapwu.org/id5.html

Thanks, Marion

Anonymous said...

Can anyone tell me why Tagfart's flyer says that National APWU did not require a rerun of the election but the election committee says we do have to have a rerun?

Anonymous said...

When will the people finally see that Mr Tagart is the quintessential politician.

Remember that weirdo in the airport bathroom who tried to excuse his pick-up move to another guy in the next stall by saying he was just a "wide sitter?"

How about Mr Blogo in Chicago, caught on tape trying to broker a deal for the Senate seat, and his only answer to anyone's question is that he didn't listen to the tapes.

Then we got Blogo's choice for Senate, who swore he never was involved with any of the money-raising stuff, now admitting that, well yeah, he talked on the phone to Blogo's brother about getting him some dough, but since he hadn't done it yet, that means he didn't previously lie when he said he hadn't talked to anyone about money.

Now, we have Tagart. If the National had not ordered this election to be re-run, you would think that he would be on the phone to APRU president Burrus, demanding that our local be put under national conservatorship. You would think he would be showing us letters from the national saying that everything is A-OK.

Instead, you will hear, as you heard all during his three years as Rick Cornelius's major henchman, and during the campaign last year, you will hear half-truths, convoluted nonsense, and lies. Smoke screens about RI399 (which by the way, never worked, doesn't work, and isn't saving the mail handlers either.

Why?

Because Tagart, like Cornelius, Larry Craig, Blogojovich, and the like, are politicians. Their job is not to help the people that elect them, but to keep the lies going long enough to get them through a term of office. And that means smoke screens, lies, and diversions to get people's minds off of the real issues.

Well, I have had enough of the BS. The dictatorship has not totally been rooted out. There is still a remnant, that can't be allowed to take root and choke out the positive growth I have seen taking place among our local leadership.

Tagart must come forward now and be truthful, for once.

My message to Tagart is, if National President William Burrus did not order this election re-run, show us in writing that this is so.

Or maybe this could seal Tagart's fate, eiher way:

Lets ask Tagart to allow us to sit in on a call to the National Election Board, where he can pose the simple question to the members, and to President Burrus:

Is the San Diego Area Local manadated to re-run this vp election?

that is all that needs to be asked.

The answer will define Tagart's true character.

Up for the challenge, Mr Tagart?

Anonymous said...

The flyer I received in the mail today 2-24-09 did not say what the above post states. Tagart does not say anything about why the election is being re-run.

Anonymous said...

Just went to forthegoodoftheunion.blogspot.com and saw the letter from national that requires the rerun of the election.
Mr. Tagart can you answer the question as to why the flyer that was at MLS the other day says otherwise? We are all waiting.

Anonymous said...

Tagart will claim that he had nothing to do with the flyer just like he did with the other distasteful and hateful flyers that were put out by the MOM team during the FIRST election.

Anonymous said...

It took an extra year, but for Mr tagart, the CHickens are coming home to roost.

It is indeed a sad thing when somebody who always bragged about his church involvement and his family values and all let himself fall under the spell of our old Dictator Rick Cornelius.

When we were little kids, we were taught that the devil comes to you not as a red, horned guy with a pitchfork, but as something tempting and attractive. Like Eve being tempted with a fruit even though she knew she shouldn't take any, so to did Tagart take the goodies that Ricky offered him.

Tagart knew he was being bad back then, but he was so sure that Rick would get reelected, and the board would be stacked with similarly weak-willed MOM team members, that no one would be able to stop them as they lied cheated, and misused union funds. He really did believe that the MOM team was unstoppable.

He didn't count on the power of fate, and the long-reaching arm of justice.

Momma always used to tell me that even if I thought I was getting away with something bad, I really wasn't, because sooner or later, I would have to answer for my deed, either to my teachers, my schoolmates, my parents, the cops, or to God himself.

This is a lesson Tagart is about to learn. He must answer to the members who were duped by him and continue to be lied to.

Shame on him.

Anonymous said...

I am wondering, is the MOM team going to campaign for Tagart?

Is there any rule preventing nonmembers like Esther Fransisco and Rick Cornelius from campaigning for their MOM teamster?

I am really curious and not joking about this.

The other thing I am wondering, is, how will Gwen manage to get the people to forget that she never gets back to them, doesn't file grievances she says she is filing, and just kind of rolls her eyes at you when you ask her questions about the late grievance.

I think if people had honesty about them, Tagart would immediately resign the position and not even run again. Gwen would be truthful and admit she is in over her head, even though she is a good member, you can't count on her for stuff. She should be grace ful and admit that and back someone like Jim with skills who knows what theh ell he is doing.

Anonymous said...

Well.. I do not know about all of you.. Whether or not Tagart, Roland, or Wills wins. One thing we all need to do is to begin to pull together and get this damn thing working again. I am just tired of the bickering and finger pointing.

Anonymous said...

This don't help us with a lower mail volume. Wend you get a direct mail solicitations send back the emply Envelopes.
Fewer direct mail solicitations
Consumers are expected to have received 1 billion fewer credit card solicitations this year than in 2007, according to projections from Mail Monitor, a credit card acquisition tracking service from Synovate, the market research arm of Aegis Group PLC.

Happily for consumers who find themselves annoyed or tempted by credit card offers, economist Leggett expects the downward trend to continue. "This is not the right time to be going out aggressively pursuing customers," he says.

As many as 70 percent of issuers are scaling back efforts to acquire cardholders, according to a July 2008 report from Javelin Strategy & Research in Pleasanton, Calif.