Charles D. Duffy Branch
BRANCH
11
News-Online
AFL-CIO CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTER CARRIERS
Home Carriers Page Branch Officers
President's Report
FROM DECEMBER 2007 BRANCH 11 NEWS
The 2007 year began with the NALC convening in Los Angeles , CA on January 28, 2007 to explain to the membership that we had not reached a negotiated settlement with the Postal Service, and what would be the NALC’s next course of action before proceeding to Arbitration (third party intervention to decide an issue). In any situation you always put forth your best effort, but whenever you place your faith in the hands of an outside source you never know how the outcome will play out (that’s the way it works for both sides). I believe the Postal Service said to themselves (this is just my belief), - ‘we’ve come out on the short end of the stick too many times before, maybe we should take another look at this and see if we can reach a negotiated settlement!’ Sure enough, July 12, 2007 the word came from NALC Headquarters that a tentative agreement had been reached with the Postal Service on a five-year contract which included a general pay increase in each year of the agreement along with two COLAs per year. Effective November 25, 2006 – 1.4% increase; November 24, 2007 – 1.8% increase; November 22, 2008 – 1.9% increase; November 21, 2009 – 1.9% increase; November 20, 2010 – 1.85% increase and the cost of living will come in March and September of each year until the contract expires in November of 2011.
Another highlight of the Agreement is – there will be no more Casual Employees, who were always misused and abused by management and terminated at the blink of an eye because they had no rights under the contract. They will be replaced by transitional employees (TE’s) who will have a starting salary of more than $6.00 an hour more than casual employees were paid. We intend to sign into the Union every TE that comes through the door. The $6.00 an hour increase is directly related to the hard work of the NALC. There should be no excuse for any of them (TE ’s) not to join the union. In September the membership voted, by a margin of 9 to 1, in favor of ratification. In Branch #11, out of 3, 500 ballots mailed, 1500 were returned. Out of the 1500, 150 voted against ratification! Why over 2, 000 ballots were not returned is beyond me.
By the time this article goes to print the NALC will have already met in Las Vegas , NV to explain to members the specifics of the new contract. Several of the Branch Officers will attend this session and will bring this information back to you.
If the NALC Health Benefit Plan was not an attractive health plan for you in past years, then this year there is absolutely no excuse not to have enrolled! The premiums have been reduced across the board for both active and retired carriers, plus there have been many increases in benefits. I urge all letter carriers to join the NALC Health Benefit Plan, if you haven’t already done so. It’s a great plan!
NON-MEMBERS PART II
In my last article, I spoke about non-members after the Union had reached a tentative agreement on a new contract. I stated that ‘we could no longer afford to give a free ride to non-members’. Again I am pleading for all non-members to fill out an 1187, to join hands with this union, we will welcome you with open arms. Let’s put the past behind us and look to the future! Coming in the March 2008 edition of this newsletter will be the NAMES of ALL NON-MEMBERS of this Branch.
Keep those IPALC and COLCPE donations coming!
I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a SAFE, HAPPY and HEALTHY HOLIDAY SEASON!
Fraternally,
Jimmie Canada
|
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
BRANCH MEETINGS 1411 S. MICHIGAN AVE. JAN. 10, 2008-7 p.m. FEB. 14, 2008-7 p.m. MARCH 13, 2008-7 p.m.
Breakfast with Santa December 16, 2007 1411 S. Michigan
Appreciation Night April 19, 2008 Chateau Del Mar 8301 West 95th Street Hickory Hills, Il
Legislative Conference May 21-23, 2008 Washington, D.C.
Illinois State/NALC Convention June 26- 28, 2008 Peoria, Il
NALC NATIONAL CONVENTION July 21-25, 2008 Boston, MA
|
Branch 11 Welcomes It's
New Members:
And extend Best Wishes to
Our New Retirees:
OZEMMER D. ALLEN
CLAUDE E. BINGHAM
FREDERICK M. CROWELL
BRENDA GREENE
ROBERT HAWKS JR.
CHARLES HICKS
SARRAH A. ISOM
MARY E. ROSS
WILLIAM L. STONE
VERNON M. TAYLOR
CAROLYN D. THOMAS
IF
YOU ARE INJURED:
(REPRINT FROM MARCH 2006 BRANCH 11
NEWS)
|
|
TRAUMATIC INJURIES |
OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES/ILLNESS |
|
Filed On |
FORM CA-1 |
FORM CA-2 |
|
FORMS NEEDED FOR DOCTOR |
FORM CA-16 (Authorization for Treatment) FORM CA-17 (Duty Status Report: i.e. work limitations) |
none May take optional light duty request form or CA-17 if management wants this used. Will be used to indicate what work the employee is capable of performing |
|
TYPE OF LEAVE AVAILABLE |
C.O.P. (Continuation of Pay) Available for all documented lost time, treatment, therapy, medical appointments: up to 45 days from the day lost time first occurs (*excluding day of injury) *Administration leave |
S/L, A/L, or LWOP only. No entitlement to C.O.P. Reason: claim is not compensable until accepted by Department of Labor. Receipt of post card with OWCP file # is NOT indication of acceptance -Only indication of claim being received |
|
TIME LIMITS TO FILE |
Should be filed within 2 working days but may be filed up to 30 days. No C.O.P. will be authorized if form CA-1 filed after 30 days Claim for compensation may be valid if filed within 3 years |
Should be filed within 30 days of the date the employee became aware the condition/illness was related to their employment. Date employee became aware is usually date the doctor verified injury/illness as job related Claim for compensation may be filed up to 3 years |
|
TIME LIMITS MANAGEMENT HAS TO GET FORMS TO DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
|
If injury is immediately disabling, USPS has 10 working days from the date you filed out and submitted the CA-1 Management should sign "Notice of Receipt" on back of form, which employee MUST KEEP. |
In most cases, by the time an individual submits the CA-2 form they have already seen a doctor at least twice: so USPS has 10 working days to submit completed form and any other documentation |
|
IN MEMORIAM In memory of these Union men and women who have been called by their Creator, we join their families, friends, and fellow workers in prayer for their everlasting souls.
BROWN, CHRISTOPHER R. ACTIVE NILES
CAUSERO, JOHN J. ACTIVE ROGER P. McAULIFFE
RIMNAC, BOHUMIL 60-YEAR PIN CICERO
|
SEE YOUR STEWARD FOR THE FULL EDITION OF THIS QUARTERS
BRANCH 11 NEWS
Articles or pictures for the
"Branch 11 News"
can be submitted to the editor at