Since 1974, this union has endorsed Article 14 of our contract and our members’ participation in the Safety Captain program. The USPS has “rebranded” the position of Safety Captain as Safety Ambassador, effectively eliminating the Safety Captain position. Unfortunately, the USPS has included duties for the Safety Ambassador position such as observing and reporting safety infractions by rural carriers. Obviously, this would cross the line of what this union has long defined as management work and would subject the member to the restrictions imposed on those performing management duties as defined in our Constitution.
The National Board realizes that there may be many rural carriers, including local stewards, who have been and might still be acting as Safety Captains. Therefore, all rural carriers are hereby notified that the Safety Captain position no longer exists. Carriers who have been acting as Safety Captains will have until close of business on November 15, 2019 to resign and cease acting in that position, to maintain their eligibility to participate as Union officers, stewards or delegates.
Any rural carrier who is acting as a Safety Ambassador will be considered to be acting in a management position.
Your National Board:
Ronnie Stutts, President
Don Maston, Vice President
Clifford Dailing, Secretary-Treasurer
David Heather, Director of Labor Relations
Susan Knapp, Director of Steward Operations
Dennis Conley, Executive Committee Chairman
Johnny Miller, Executive Committeeman
Patrick Pitts, Executive Committeeman
Shirley Baffa, Executive Committeeman