The APWU wins big: Portland, Me. and Springfield, Ma..
The Local #458 in Portland Maine after years of waiting and it's members being denied the proper overtime rotations between buildings; was awarded a settlement of $750,000, for the contract violation. The local APWU will now review the overtime records to see how to properly divide the funds so long overdue.

And in another big APWU victory Special Assistant to the President Steve Albanese sends the following text:



YOUR UNION AT WORK- FOR YOU!

On a surprise visit to the Portland Maine Area Local #458 membership meeting on February 9th, President Burrus told over 150 union members that its going to take everyone to get involved. Its going to take the involvement of all APWU members, their families, and community activists. If the Postal Service is to be revamped, it is going to happen in 2003. Chances are the Administration will focus on re-election issues in 2004. Some changes the Commission can make are:

Reduce delivery to five days or fewer Expand work-sharing to permit private companies to perform retail, maintenance, or processing functions, Eliminate the USPS monopoly on mail delivery, End the universal service obligation, Erode workers' collective bargaining rights, Create a two-tiered postage rate structure that would charge businesses less than customers, and Establish "user fees" for delivery to rural areas.

President Burrus plans to ask that APWU State Presidents be permitted to testify about the impact that changes to the Postal Service could have on workers and consumers in each state.

REMEMBER- If the President and Congress are to make any changes to the Postal Service, the chance is that it is going to happen in 2003. Can you risk losing your job? Get involved.




New England President’s Conference / Portland, ME..
The APWU of Maine will hosted a New England President's Conference and Educational Training Seminar on April 5-6, 2003. Approx. 75 members from all over attended this conference, and all of the New England states were represented.

Members were able to listen to problems being experienced by other locals of the APWU and to see how they where handling things. They also listened to reports from all of the NBA's, as well as several resident officer's to include: Gary Kloepfer Natl. Maint. Rep. at Large, Jim McCarthy, Clerk Crft. Dir., Liz Powell, Coordinator, NE Region, and President Bill Burrus. Members also heard from Brother Jim Sweeney of Michigan who conducted a class on "Retirements" in lieu of Brother J.R. Smith was was ill.

Overall, it proved to be a very worthwhile weekend.