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MINUTES OF MONTHLY MEETING OF NORTHEASTERN WISCONSIN AREA LOCAL #2247

 

Date:  Thursday, March 24, 2016

Place:  Buster’s Bar and Grill

Vice-president Steve Paradise called the meeting to order at 1135 hours.

A quorum was declared with 10 members in attendance.

Steve Paradise led the Pledge of Alliance and read the invocation.

The following officers were present:

Vice-president: Steve Paradise, Secretary/Treasurer: Bryce Thomas, Bay Breeze Editor: Mary Davis.  Craft Directors: Tim Alberts, and Dave Villwock.  President Kelly Heaney is in Maintenance Training School in Oklahoma, Clerk Craft Director Dave Kroll and Recording Secretary Leanne Adams are excused due to weather conditions.

A motion was made by Dave Villwock and seconded by Rich Stephenson to suspend the normal order business for the servers to take our lunch orders.  Motion passed unanimously.

After the servers were done taking lunch orders, a motion was made by Mary Davis and seconded by Rich Stephenson to resume the normal order of business.  Motion passed unanimously.

Minutes of the February 2016 NEWAL meeting were printed in the March 2016 issue of the Bay Breeze.  A motion to approve the February 2016 meeting minutes as printed in the March 2016 issue of the BayBreeze was made by Christie Kane and seconded by Tim Alberts.  Vote was unanimous.

The Financial Reports for February 2016 were read by Bryce Thomas.

REPORTS

Executive Committee:    The executive committee discussed the number of members that NEWAL should send to the New Steward training sessions in Milwaukee on May 24.  The executive committee recommends sending up to six members selected by the e-board to the New Steward training sessions in Milwaukee.  The next NEWAL monthly meeting dates in April as well as May 2016 will be recommended to the members.  The e-board will recommend to the membership sending Bryce Thomas the Secretary/Treasurer training in St. Louis, MO in May.  The training will focus on the use of the Quickbooks program and fiduciary responsibilities.  The e-board will also recommend to the membership that members participating in the training seminars on Thursday at the State Convention from Tours one and three should be paid for lost time.  Mary Davis stated that she will not be attending the training seminars.  The e-board also discussed special awards to be given out to members.

Labor/Management: No Report.

Grievance:  Two grievances were successfully settled at Step One: pay two clerks one hour each at their penalty time rate for PSEs’ over eight hours and pay one clerk 50% premium pay for being mandated to work on President’s Day holiday when a PSE was not.

Scheme:  No report.

Automation:  No report.

Safety/Health:  No report.

Legislative:  Steve Paradise reminded the membership that the presidential primary, state and local elections will be on Tuesday, April 5 and make sure to vote.  The national APWU has endorsed Bernie Sanders for President.  The state AFL-CIO has endorsed JoAnne Kloppenburg for State Supreme Court Justice.  Steve also reported that those wishing to help get out the vote for Sanders and Kloppenburg should see Steve or contact the respective campaign headquarters for more information.

OWCP:  No Report.

Constitution:  No report.

New Members:  PSEs’ Lacy Buck, Kelsey Anne Helf, and Michael Reno.

Lost Members:  None.

COMMUNICATIONS

NEWAL received a letter from the Greater Green Bay Labor Council announcing their Annual Labor Day Picnic and asking for major donations.  NEWAL also received letters from the national APWU.  One was to announce that the National Contract Campaign has ended, now that we are in “interest arbitration” proceedings.  The second was a written statement of President Mark Diamondstein’s testimony before the contract arbitration panel. The third was announcing secretary/treasurer training in St. Louis.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

None

NEW BUSINESS

A motion was made by Bryce Thomas and seconded by Tim Alberts that the May, 2016 meeting for NEWAL will tentatively be scheduled on Thursday, May 26, 2016 at 0600 hours at a place to be determined by the e-board.  Motion passed unanimously.

A motion was made by Mary Davis and seconded by Rich Stephenson that the April, 2016 meeting for NEWAL will be confirmed for Sunday, April 24, 2016 at 1330 hours at Buster’s Bar and Grill on West Mason St.  Motion passed unanimously.

A motion was made by Dave Villwock and seconded by Tim Alberts that NEWAL shall send up to six members, to be determined by the e-board, to the New Steward training session in Milwaukee on May 24, 2016.   Also, that expenses such as registration, lost time, per diem, transportation and parking reimbursement will be paid by NEWAL.  Motion passed unanimously.

A motion was made by Rich Stephenson and seconded by Dave Villwock that NEWAL shall send Bryce Thomas to the Secretary/Treasurer training in St. Louis, MO. on May 13-15, 2016.  Also, that expenses such as; registration, lost time, per diem, lodging, transportation and parking reimbursement will be paid by NEWAL.  Motion passed unanimously.

A motion was made by Christie Kane and seconded by Rich Stephenson that NEWAL shall give lost time pay to Tours one and three members participating in the state convention training sessions on Thursday, April 28 pending approval from the national Secretary/Treasurer department of the APWU.  Motion passed unanimously.

A motion was made by Barb Glaser and seconded by Bryce Thomas that NEWAL shall appoint Steve Paradise to head up a program for special awards.   Motion passed unanimously.

OTHER BUSINESS

Steve Paradise reported that he was in contact with our National Business Agent Martin Marty before the meeting to discuss the progress of the “interest arbitration” proceedings for our new contract.  We should have a new contract by July 2016.  However, negotiations between the APWU and the USPS are still going on.  Pretty much of the contract has been decided except for economic issues.  The USPS wants to establish a new lower tier of wages for new employees and lower the current PSE wages.  The APWU is in opposition to this new tier of wages and lower PSE wages.

Steve reminded the members that if they are running the DBCS’s alone, without a partner, that they should keep track of the time, numbers and the program and report them to their steward.

ADJOURNMENT

A motion was made by Bryce Thomas and seconded by Tim Alberts to adjourn the meeting.  Motion passed unanimously.  NEWAL meeting adjourned at 1225 hours.

The $10 door prize was won by Rich Stephenson.

Minutes submitted by Vice-president Steve Paradise.