My previous editorial “The Union Membership” raised some hackles. Good, that is exactly what I wanted it to do. Sometimes we have to instigate people to think about things from a different perspective. If we are only surrounded by those with the exact same opinion, then we might not ever be challenged to look at things in a different way.
I am a union supporter. I always have been. But that does not mean I support the way they do all things. I believe my dues buy me the right to criticize actions of my union. I support them monetarily and that gives me a right to have a say in the any debate that comes along.
Now the debate is the National Convention and here are my two cents.
Our elected delegates convened in St. Louis MO this past week to do the business of the union. The Delegates are those we have elected to represent us at the National level. Our officers have also been elected to represent us at the National and State level. They are our eyes and ears at the National Convention.
I often criticize the actions of our National union. You will not hear me criticizing the working rural carriers who go to the convention to do the business of OUR union. There are many that go because they care about OUR union. There are a lot of really long days sitting and listening to people talk and argue. There are a lot of politics involved at a Convention. It really is not very different from American politics in general. They have caucuses where the candidates for national office ask for their votes and tell them how they would do things differently. Elected delegates do get paid to go to conventions by their states, which means YOU and I are paying them to go through our dues, but I would also make a strong bet that what they get paid is not enough to cover all of their expenses. They also willingly give up annual days to go. Most states also have a provision that Delegates must be in attendance in order to receive their delegate pay.
My point is that the Delegates are not just going to the National Convention for a vacation. It is NOT much of a vacation when you take a week of leave, sit in a room listening to people argue and talk all day, and end up having to spend money out of your pocket be there. Yes, there are extra curricular activities after the union business, but most are not out golfing while they should be in the convention hall.
And yes, there are a lot of retirees that get elected as delegates. In my state it is not for lack of other candidates running for delegate. There are always plenty of people who want to be a delegate. But a lot of retirees get elected on name recognition. While I do not believe all Retirees should be barred from being delegates, I do believe after a certain time out of the workforce, their votes can not really be relevant to our working lives. I know some of you will not like my ideas on retirees as voting delegates. That is ok because there are some informed retirees out there, but I would venture a guess that most of them have no idea what FSS, IMB, DUO, or the Post plan is. And these are important issues facing our craft today.
How many of you even voted when you received your Delegate ballot in the mail? Did you just throw it away? Did you just vote because you had heard a name before? Retirees got elected because YOU did not take the time to vote. Most have probably heard that our dues got increased. Is that important to you? If you did not return your delegate ballot, that means your lack of voting sent people to the convention that voted FOR that dues increase. Maybe someone YOU voted for would have voted differently… We cannot all be delegates, but we all CAN be voters. Why would anyone throw their voice away? Do you think it does NOT affect you? I guess it does now that your paycheck will be even less because your dues have gone up.
So now you want to quit the union because your dues went up? Can you really criticize a process you decided not to participate in? You have seen me speak out about the lack of information coming from the NRLCA and I still stand by every word, but what happens at a Convention is no ones fault but our own.
We all have reasons why we can not make the convention. That is fine. And, everyone CANNOT be a delegate.. I think we all understand that, but YOU do have a voice on who goes to vote on your behalf. If you choose not to use your voice, that is nobody’s fault but your own. I have been fighting forever to give a voice to the 76% of rural carriers who cannot actively participate in the formal activities of the union, but if you will not use the voice you have to vote for delegates then what are we fighting for?
I do not know how else to convince you that what goes on in this union directly affects YOU and ME! I had a voice in who I sent to the convention.. Did you?
And to end, I want to thank all the Delegates that went to the National convention on the behalf of all of us. It really is a thankless job, and you take a lot of flak when it’s all over. So from me to you, THANK YOU!
Awesome article! Some criticized the caucuses but that is where I found out all the Nat'l Board is concerned about how much $ the union has. That is when it hit me, we need to make cuts or raise dues. Yes there is a lot of waste that can be cut as with all things. It amazed me about all the resolutions that wanted to pay more for this and that but still want annual convention and no dues increase. There was one for paying out sick and annual(more to it then just that) for board members like the DR's and such get. What amazed me is the board DID NOT WANT THIS. The impression I got from them is biannual convention (they can't come out and say it but it was implied). With State Conventions and local and area meetings, I trust my officers to get me the information from National. They have in the past. If you don't trust your officers to do that, vote them out and put in ones that will!
Some retirees are up to date and know a lot more than I do and will ever know and understand. Some come to catch up on friends and do not know the issues, you see them look around to see how others vote to decide if they need to raise the green card too, they have the dazed and confused look on their face that says "what the heck is DUO?" (and various other things). They are the ones that treat it like a vacation, doesn't cover all cost but covers a lot!
I really don't know how the officers do this, one week at convention and I'm exhausted. They do this day in and day out for longer hours.
People, if the Union runs out of money, WE WILL HAVE NO ONE TO FIGHT FOR US! The PO will hire, fire, change job descriptions, salary, etc on a whim. No grievance process to help you.
Hate my point of view but don't hate me!
First of all…Thank you to all who took the time and money to go to National. The conventions are no picnic and a lot of work. Yes, I believe retirees belong at conventions, but should not be the majority. I saw one sleeping in his wheel chair at a National convention two years ago. When you are voting for delegates, only vote for a FEW people you KNOW and who will be there to do the work that is necessary and are up on the issues we are facing. And if you don't agree with everything that is going on in the union, you are paying your dues and can speak your mind, but most important….get involved, go to meetings and State and National conventions!!! Stay in touch and know if we don't stick together in this union you will be working for minimum wage with no benefits. The union has worked hard for everything we have, don't let it slip away because you have your head in the sand.
I was forced to retire in 2009 for medical reasons (rural carrier neck). Prior to that, I was very involved in the union. I was a steward, both local and area for too many years to count. I spent the last year as a state officer. I have always felt retirees making decisions for active rural carriers is just wrong. The number of retirees at national convention always astounded and shocked me. Since my retirement, I have stopped going to state and national conventions. The decisions made at these places should be made by active rural carriers not retirees like me. I have spent my time in hell, now I am reaping the good life and yes there is a life after the union.
I have been saying this for years. If you don't like what's going on, get involved and fight to change it. All too often, I keep hearing or reading on how bad things are in Union. But ask them if they've been to a meeting to voice their concerns, the answer is either "No" or I get a deer caught in the headlights look.Any one of these people could do something else with the week of annual, but they decide to spend that time doing Association business. Retirees do have a place at the Conventions. They are the living history of the union. Granted, many of them didn't have FSS, DUO, scanners, and the such to deal with like we do today. However, they have the knowledge and the experience of why things are the way they are.If anything, they should be there to make sure history doesn't repeat itself.
People have said that our union is becoming irrelevant. Well, if that is the case, then we have no one to blame but ourselves, after all, we are the NRLCA. The only ones to can change the course the union is going is us.