Good morning all,

This could be the make or break year for letter carriers and the NALC.  This is the year to remind the American Public about the work that letter carriers, and other Postal Employees, do on their behalf every day.  This is the year to Save America’s Postal Service. 

We did the groundwork last year with rallies, petitions, increased communication with our Congressional Representatives, and enhanced activity within our own house; all of this is just the beginning. 

As Ron Bloom said so well at the NALC Rap Session; America is deciding whether it WANTS a Postal Service.   Consequently, America is deciding whether you will have a job.  It’s up to us to help America decide.  It’s that simple, brothers and sister, it’s that simple. 

But the above is not just what this “update” is about.  It’s about YOU.  I want to thank you for the work you’ve done this past year, the dedication you’ve shown, and to ask you to continue your leadership; even ratchet it up. 

As activists it’s too much to ask that you forget all the other issues that come up in an election year; its part of who you are, its part of what makes you the leaders you are. The other issues are important to individuals and the future of this country.  I WILL ask you to focus the majority of your attention on saving America’s Postal Service; doing so will save a way of life important to you and your family, and the heart and soul of America.  Our efforts will affect in positive ways the efforts of working men and women on many different levels. 

Even if your Representative has not yet come around to supporting us; I am going to ask that you keep the letters, phone calls, emails, and VISITS going.  Even if you get frustrated with fellow letter carriers and other postal employees when they don’t seem to care, I am going to ask that you keep a cheerful, forthright, earnest, never say die attitude; never letting up on your efforts to get them INVOLVED. 

I am going to ask that you keep involved yourself with COLCPE, eActivist, Carrier Corps, and staying abreast of NALC President Rolando’s leadership initiatives; and ask your fellow carriers to do the same.  In other words, I am going to ask more of you.  I will give you the same, and so will your elected Officers of the TexSALC and the TSALC Auxiliary. 

We are going to win this fight to preserve what we have and continue the effort to transform the Postal Service into an effective, essential institution for the next century.  Thank you brothers and sisters for the work you have done; and thank you for the work you are going to do. 

Micky P. Morris
President
 

Good afternoon,

Hope everyone had a nice holiday; since I am writing to letter carriers, won't say "holiday weekend", because letter carriers don't get a "holiday weekend" like many.  Have to keep the mail going. 

First, contract talks are continuing, with the first date of extension, December 7 approaching.  Since relatively little, or no, information coming out, we can only hope the talks are constructive.  Stay tuned to the NALC website for further updates.

Secondly; so far HR 2309 is not on the agenda for a vote.  Why?  We can hope it is our efforts to get it squashed; perhaps it's that a majority of House Members have heard from us and their constituents that it's a bad idea.  Whichever, we will take it.  Still, S1789 is lingering out there.  What could happen if these two bills were combined in a conference, at least in their current form, would not be good.  We have to keep up the pressure.  Keep working on your fellow letter carriers, friends, and family to sign our petition; keep going out to the public.  We must have everyone's support.  Then, get the petitions in.  Time is running short. 

Third today is an excerpt from Congressional Quarterly pasted below.  CQ sends out a daily report to anyone signing up; it's free and informative.  This excerpt is about a bill in the House to allow more skilled labor into the U.S.  It's just another example of the current thinking in Washington, and too much in this country.  While Congress is prevented from closing tax loopholes for the rich who are substantially invested in foreign countries and huge corporations, Congress and state legislatures cut back on education and training, and the only way they say to save the economy is on the back of senior citizens, local and state governments, and continue to send our youth to die while passing the cost to the treasury of this country to our kids and grandkids; someone has to do the skilled work, so let's hire foreign workers. Although the bill evidently retains the current overall quota of immigrants, you can see the effect. And the spiral downward continues.  

THE HOUSE: Convenes at 2 to debate four relatively non-controversial bills, with no amendments allowed. The votes on passage won’t come before 6:30. The most prominent measure would make a rare, if limited, foray into immigration policy — by ending per-country caps on employment-based immigrant visas (to allow more hiring of skilled foreign workers) and raising the per-country caps on family-sponsored immigrant visas. But the measure would not change the overall annual limits on immigrant visas.

The other bills would create an expedited airport security screening process for military personnel and their families, expand death and disability benefits for federal workers and extend special bankruptcy protections for Guard members and reservists who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

What does this have to do with us?  Everything.  People out of work don't care about our issues, they have their issues to worry about.  It is also evident there is a substantial number of Congressional Representatives, a majority in the House, and enough in the Senate to stall any legislation they want, that would rather kill an institution like the Postal Service to get rid of us than to allow the Postal Service a reasonable and fair chance to transform into a business viable into the future.  I guess you could say they are willing to throw out all the bathwater just to get rid of the baby. 

We can beat these people, but it's gonna take continued effort and dedication.  We can MAKE Congress and the President come around to our side.  Like Franklin Roosevelt said, "go out there and make me do it".  Let's do it. 

Be well, and keep it up.

Get Inspired, Get Going, Get It Done

             Yesterday I was inspired.  I attended the Bi-annual RAP session (conference) called for in the NALC National Constitution, where all the attendees were treated, an appropriate word, to a dose of reality. 

            President Rolando laid it out for the membership.  We MUST accomplish our legislative goals of saving the Postal Service; from Postal management as much as anyone.  As President Rolando put it, management has thrown in the towel, given up fighting for the Postal Service and succumbed to the forces of slash and burn.  As he proclaimed, with resounding affirmation from the letter carrier leaders in the huge crowd, WE WILL NEVER GIVE UP, WE WILL NEVER GIVE IN. 

            In his address of the general condition of our struggles he did reassure the membership that our goal of achieving deserved advancement in contract negotiations is in steady hands with our leadership.  The membership can rest assured the NALC will make every effort to work with the Postal Service in achieving a contract President Rolando can send out for ratification.  However, he said, management can take it to the bank that we will not accept anything less than proper recognition for the efforts every letter carrier has contributed to the company; and if management insists on stonewalling, we will have put together the very best case for interest arbitration that can be constructed. 

            But, as was plainly stated, what is accomplished if the Postal Service is dismantled? 

            I will not belabor the issue brother and sisters; we must all be active, we must all be dedicated to achieving our legislative goals of preserving six day delivery and mandating Congress, through our sheer will, to correct the wrongs being foisted on the American public about the Postal Service.  We must MAKE our foes listen; we must MAKE them act in the best interest of one of the greatest organizations of the greatest nation on earth, the U.S. Postal Service, and those that truly make it work; letter carriers and other employees of the USPS.

            Over the next month you are going to be asked to get signatures on petitions to save six day delivery.  Don’t fail yourself, don’t fail your fellow letter carriers, and don’t fail America.  Let’s get it done. 

(The copy below was sent out by myself this morning to TSALC State Officers, Congressional District Liaisons, and my email list of Legislative and Political Activists.  If you would like to be on the list, please email me with the request at lobo@prodigy.net  Please verify which branch or auxiliary of your membership.  If I am unable to verify membership, the request will not be put on the list.  Thanks, Micky)

Good morning (although my feelings are mixed on that salutation),

Well, do you feel like you're laying on the street, as though something large and very heavy has rolled over you, and look up and see a large bus driving away from you?  In the "subject" line above, I couldn't think of anything else to write (well, anything less than an expletive deleted). 

Yesterday, we got some bad news when President Obama revealed his American Jobs Act.  The title seems somewhat ironic when one realizes the President is willing to sacrifice seventy to eighty THOUSAND jobs; this number is the estimate of lost positions if one day of mail delivery is eliminated.  At the least, approximately thirty six thousand letter carrier positions will be gone; whoosh, they would no longer exist. 

Unfortunately, it seems we are caught in the vortex of a perfect storm.  The President wants to get rid of Saturday delivery, Cong. Issa is rolling out HR 2309 tomorrow.  It's all about sending messages.  Think about this; with the President's message, and Issa's bill, you have very, very strong messages sent to the Super Committee in Congress.  One bill (2309) would gut the Postal Service, well, not the Postal Service, but the employees, and kill our contract, the President's message to the Super Committee is that he is willing to barter the Postal Service.  We lose in either scenario.  Next, if 2309 is rolled out, it very well could pass the House, and now, we just don't know about the Senate, what with the President rolling over.  If 2309 gets out of Congress, would the President sign it?  I just don't know, but the President has sent his message.  Okay, what would happen then?  2309 has a trigger in it that says if the Postal Service fails to meet any of it's obligations (payments) then a three member panel would take over and have full authority to alter or amend any collective bargaining contract and essentially take over the USPS.  Guess what?  The Postal Service has already said it isn't going to meet it's obligations on the Retiree Health Benefits Pre-funding.  The President has issued an order allowing the USPS a ninety day extension, but would that over-ride the law?  We don't know.  Do you get the picture? 

What could happen then?  If HR 2309 becomes law, and don't for a minute think this is impossible, and the Postal Service doesn't make it's payment to the government, then the panel would take over.  That means NO CONTRACT, only what the panel dictates.  That would mean no Article 8, no Articles 15, 16, or 17, no seniority, no nothing beyond the panel's discretion.  If YOU were on the panel and wanted to cut expenses, which employees would you cut first?  The senior carriers making the most money.  Remember, there would be no contract to protect seniority.  Again, do you get the picture.  If any of your fellow carriers still don't want to believe, then tell them you don't want to be there when they tell the spouse or kids there is no more job. 

I could go on with all the facts in this case, but it all really comes down to this; we are going to have to fight harder to overcome.  Here's what we need to do.  First, stay calm and follow the lead of NALC President Rolando.  Secondly, show up for the rallies next Tuesday; if you have to work and can't get off, ask your family and/or friends to show up for you.  Go to nalc.org, follow the clicks, and find out where your congressional site is, and go. 

Third, DO NOT talk about our COLCPE Fund on the workroom floor, but start telling your fellow carriers this is serious, this is real, and if they want to keep their jobs, they BETTER get involved.  Then go online to your congressional representative's site and send a message; SUPPORT HR 1351.  If we can get over ten thousand letter carriers in this state to contact their representative, it will make a difference.  Your fellow letter carriers may scoff, they may not believe, but your TSALC Board of Officers are telling you; it's put up or shut up time.  If letter carriers don't want to believe what is happening and get active, thousands will lose their jobs, over three thousand in Texas alone.  (Do you get the general theme?) 

I am partly trying to scare any unbelievers into reality; but mostly I am trying to wake up our fellow brothers and sisters.  This is serious, this is real.  We can win, but it's going to be hard, it's going to take action.  The time for sitting on butts and leaving it to others is over.  If you take no action, you lose your contract, a great number of us will lose our jobs.  Either get active, or get ready for the unemployment line. 
Mick

Time To Step Up

          Brothers and sisters, I can think of no way to write what needs to be conveyed other than to put it bluntly.  It is time for you, all of us, to put the other issues aside and work to save our jobs. 

          They say everything is fair in love and war.  Well, you may think there are forces at war for the soul of this country.  I think the same, and I have opinions about issues general, just like you, and I even think my opinions are probably better than most; I have the facts to back mine up, not emotion or hyperbole, facts.  But you know what?  Neither of our opinions about other issues mean jack in the issues of you keeping your job. 

          What matters with your job is this; there are those in power who are flat out lying about the job you do, and the reasons for the financial straits of your employer.  I am telling you now, and if you choose not to believe me, or choose not to act, then it’s on you, brothers and sisters, it’s on you.  Here’s the simple question; is your job worth fighting for or not? 

          The Postal Service has put out, in your stand up meetings, that they are asking Congress for permission to cut delivery days, gut your benefits, and lay off 120,000 of you.  Does this have your attention now?  If not, then you are in a daze, or you just don’t believe.  Well, when you get the pink slip, THEN you will believe, but it will be too late.  Are you getting this? 

          I cannot write letters for every one of you, wouldn’t work anyway.  YOU have to write a letter to your Congressman/woman, telling them they should get on as a co-sponsor of HR 1351 and HRes 137.  And CALL THEIR OFFICES WITH THE SAME MESSAGE. 

          Second, you need to join COLCPE.  Get over your excuses for not contributing.  We need the money to help elect people who will tell the truth about the Postal Service and YOU.  It’s that simple. 

          Third, join NALC Carrier Corps.  We are going to need your help getting these same people elected.  It’s time to put up or shut up. 

          Fourth, go to the NALC website and join the NALC eActivist network.  NALC President Rolando needs to be able to contact you quickly with information.  The facts are, most of you are already on some form of social network.  You won’t join another network to help save your job?  I don’t buy that. 

          Let me lay it out there in even stronger terms.  You may be a backer of the Tea Party, you may be anti-Democrat, you may be pro Republican.  That’s your choice.  But here’s the big questions.  You gonna feed that to your kids when you lose your job?  You gonna pay for your kid’s schooling when you don’t have a job?  You gonna pay your house note with your politics when you don’t have a job?  You gonna feel proud when they come get the car?  If you think what I am asking is wrong; if you think my asking you to get involved is wrong, then I am going to ask you to do the right, honorable thing when they start laying off….get in line first.  Think about it.  Get involved with us. 

A Good Convention

             I want to thank the delegates, your representatives, for the great job they did at the recent Convention of the Texas State Association of Letter Carriers.  What impressed me most was the attention given to the smallest details, the thoughtfulness of the issues, and the resoluteness with which they made decisions. 

            As the Chinese Philosopher said, “may you live in interesting times”.  Brothers and sisters, these are interesting times.  The delegates did not shirk their duty to look at the future and make adjustments so that this organization can be more viable, more active, and more effective. 

            All branches must adjust to membership change; the State Association is no less affected.  For instance, take the loss of membership in the various branches, add them all together, and you have the cumulative effect on the State Association.  This was reflected in the proposed budget offered by your State Board, and accepted by the delegates.  This does not mean our efforts will be reduced, quite the contrary; your Board of Officers will make adjustments to meet the ever increasing need for legislative and political activity. 

            I want to thank all the members who served on committees.  The delegates may not know the work committee’s put in, which is substantial; but their work is critical to the convention.   Additionally, our convention would be less effective and interesting, the delegates would learn less if it were not for the participation of our National Officers bringing the latest news from NALC Headquarters.  My thanks go to our NBA Kathy Baldwin, our Director of Life Insurance Myra Warren, and our Director of Retired Members Ernie Kirkland for their informative and extremely relevant presentations and Q/A sessions. 

            The job of the TSALC is to help the NALC in achieving its legislative and political goals; which are, simply, to provide for future employment with the U.S. Postal Service, with wages and benefits commensurate with letter carrier’s work and contributions.  The Board of the TSALC, as well as the National Officers of the NALC, are ineffective without you.  YOU have to be active, YOU have to participate, YOU have to be part of the team.       Being part of the team is pretty easy, join and participate in Carrier Corps, sign up for and read NALC eActivist, and become a member of Gimme 5. 

            Thank you all again for sending thoughtful, deliberative and forward thinking delegates to make decisions for you.  We together will be the winners. 

I also want to thank the Board of Officers of the TSALC, and you, for having had the opportunity to serve with them over the past two years.  I learned from them, and rest assured they always had the best interest of the membership at heart and in mind when they made decisions and set policy.  I will continue to make every effort to benefit letter carriers, retirees, and their families with my action and leadership of the new Board of the TSALC.  Following are the results of the TSALC Convention Elections:

President/Director of Education Micky Morris - 8691

Gary Mullins - 5990

Vice-President

Ethel Ford - 5337

Brad Ramey - 7461

Marion Ware - 2074

Secretary

Sharon Rucker - 11,431

Sue Tarrant - 2886

Board Member District One

Kanickiwa "Nikki" Johnson - 3051

Tina McGee - 1127

Erma Salinas - 809

Board Member District Two

John Bamford - 2680

Rita Wilder - 1283

Elected by Unanimous Consent

Treasurer - Bennie Lloyd

Director of Retirees - Hector Salinas

Board Member District Three - Eddie Odle

Board Member District Four - Ron Eudy

Board Member District Five - Jimmy Reyna

Board Member District Six - Mike Lee

Texas Letter Carriers Take Concerns to Washington

            Texas State Association of Letter Carriers Officers, Congressional District Liaisons, and other interested members will journey to Washington, D.C. May 25-27 to take our issues to your Congressional Representatives.  Foremost among concerns to be discussed are preservation of six day delivery and financial stability for the Postal Service. 

                Our goal of preserving six day delivery is not only in the best interest of the America and hard working, dedicated letter carriers, it is essential to preserving a viable, productive Postal Service well into the future.  Also essential to these goals is alleviating the financial strain on the Postal Service brought about by pre-funding of Retiree Health Benefits.  While the NALC whole heartedly supports present and future funding of retiree health benefits, the current system of doing so is onerous and deleterious to letter carriers, customers, and the Postal Service. 

                Call your Congressional Representative’s office, tell them your representative will be coming to see them in May, let them know that you support the TSALC, and that we will be speaking for YOU.  Any members interested in making the trip to Washington with us are encouraged to contact their Branch Officers. 

                Particulars of the trip are:

TSALC Washington Trip

May 25-27

Getting Our Message to Your Representative and Legislative Briefing:  NALC Headquarters Hutchins Hall,

                Wednesday, May 25, 1:00 p.m. 

TSALC Congressional Breakfast:  Thursday, May 26, 8:00 a.m.  Room B-39, Rayburn House Office Building

Visits to Congressional Representative’s Offices: Wed-Fri, May 25-27

Rooms:  Unfortunately, we could not secure blocks of rooms at a reasonable rate.  Hotel rooms are at the discretion of the individual; you are encouraged to go through an online hotel finder, or call individual hotels for your best arrangements. 

*********************

Important Notice

                All letter carriers are requested to contact their State Representatives in Austin to ask that they DO NOT SUPPORT H.B. 2986.  This bill, submitted by Rep. Tan Parker of Flower Mound, would, among other extremely restrictive provisions, prohibit unions in the state from communicating with state lawmakers about concerns of its members.  While this bill does not appear to affect the NALC, at this time, it is another step towards destroying unions in this country. 

                H.B. 2986 provides for civil and criminal penalty for any union or member that wants to talk their representatives about their job or laws that affect their job.  Rep. Parker says this bill is just for “transparency”, but don’t let him, or your representative fool you; this bill is an attempt to kill unions in Texas. 

                I cannot stress enough; this law is one more step towards killing unions across this nation. 

                Call your state rep; tell them you are TOTALLY OPPOSED TO H.B. 2986.  You can find your representative at Texas Legislature Online.  We need your help TODAY!!

Deal with It

            I have learned throughout life, when people are involved, logic usually is the last consideration; emotion, and all that entails, usually prevails.  With this in mind, let me lay out some reality for you.  You may not like what I write, but give it some thought, look at the issues with logic instead of emotion before you get out the clubs. 

            We, as union members, have to deal with the reality of our choices on political activity.  If we give real, basic, brutal thought to our choices of being involved, there really are just two choices.  We can stand on the side, complain, and cast aspersions on the total process, or we can contribute a little.  It’s time to quit blaming “the union” and “the government” if you are not contributing.

             “The union”, the NALC, does not use one thin penny of your dues to fight for keeping a union, for keeping your retirement, for fighting big business in wanting to destroy your rights and pension.  It takes every cent in dues money to fight for your daily rights, to battle to make sure you are protected by the “contract”, and by law, the NALC CANNOT use dues money for any political purpose.  This is the simple truth, accept it or not.

             Let me lay the following out for you one more time; it takes one vote in Congress to make your union disappear, a simple change in seven words, and one comma.  Does this sound silly?  Deal with it.  If this union disappears, YOU will be fighting management BY YOURSELF!  Are you one that says in a perfect world “I” would be kept by the Postal Service, that “I” am a great employee.  Deal with reality, my brother or sister; if you have any chronic illnesses, if you use overtime, if you are over fifty years old, if you are a female of child bearing age, your butt would be GONE.  Deal with it.  You have heart disease or diabetes, lupus, cancer?  Your butt would be gone; deal with it. 

            On top of this, your wages would be cut in half, your benefit contributions would greatly increase, if they were even kept, you would soon be converted to a contract employee.  It is only through political involvement that we prevent this all from happening.  The Postal Service has already shown their intent with these policies when they started contracting out vacant jobs across the nation.  Only our involvement in politics and COLCPE stopped this, for the time being. 

            Less than seven per cent of all NALC members in Texas contribute to COLCPE, Committee On Letter Carrier Political Education.  Again, let’s deal with reality; less than seven per cent of all NALC members are carrying the burden of survival for this union, this union being a collection of “YOU’s”.   

            This union has an official policy of supporting those who support us, Republican or Democrat.  You got a problem with Democrats or Republicans in general?  Hey, I have problems with both of them; but this is about keeping your job now and in the future.  You got a problem with COLCPE contributing to more Democrats than Republicans?  The simple truth is more Democrats support us than Republicans; deal with it.  Maybe you ought to take that up with Republicans; right now they take your vote and support and the majority of them use it to keep what is rightfully yours; deal with it. 

            City and state governments all across this nation are now dealing with tremendous loss in revenue.  WE have bailed out the big banks, GAVE them money, auto manufacturers, Wall Street hooligans.  Meanwhile, you have lost value in your homes, are paying more for goods and services.  Gasoline is going up again by leaps and bounds, costing you and your employer extra millions and millions of dollars out of your budget.  If you think you are immune, get real. 

You contributed BILLIONS of dollars in retirement more than was prescribed by law.  NOW, we have a huge battle in Congress to try and get it back.  Congress gave YOUR money to Wall Street and the banks, YOU have to fight for what is yours; does this make sense?  No, but that is the way it is; deal with it.  COLCPE and your involvement is the only way to get back what is yours and keep it in the future.  Again, we can’t use your dues for political activity; it’s strictly voluntary COLCPE funds. 

            I will keep doing my best to appeal to the ninety three per cent of NALC/TSALC members who do not contribute to COLCPE to do so; to become part of the team that protects your future.  Right now, if you are not contributing, you are riding on the backs of those who do; deal with it. 

I had three pages of information, opinions, and ideas to report to you in this article, but upon reflection, why write all that because it all broke down to this; if you, each and every letter carrier, does not make one simple decision, what I have to write won’t make any difference to thousands of you because you won’t be in this union anymore.  Those thousands won’t be in this union because you have to work for the Postal Service to be in the NALC, and you will not be working there. 

            Brothers and sisters, I cannot make it any clearer; if the Postal Service gets Saturday delivery, nearly one fifth of you will no longer have a position;  THAT, broken down, means approximately 3000 letter carrier positions in the state.  The Postal Service has already published they want another day of delivery, so do the math. 

            Their plan is to drive you out so they can replace you with contract employees; it is that simple.  I would normally give you the rah-rah speech here, to try and spur you on to joining in with the ten per cent of your fellow carriers who always show up for battle.  No more, you want your job, you better join in.  It’s ugly, it’s real.  There is no article in the contract that covers this problem; you cannot file a grievance against Congress.  You can only join us in trying to save your job. 

            Brothers and sisters, dues paying members ARE this union, but just paying your monthly dues will not get it done this time.  Sometimes in life you have to do a little more, and this is that time.  Here is what you must do:

            -Call your Representative.  Tell him or her you want them to support H.R. 5746.  This bill will provide some financial relief to the USPS and allow the USPS to avoid cutbacks.  Ask them to Co-sponsor H.R. 5746

            -WRITE your Representative, asking them to do the above.  You will be saving your job and contributing to the USPS financial health.  Some do not want to write because they say it takes weeks for the Rep to get the letter.  THAT IS NOT TRUE.  Many Representatives have told me it takes a letter about five days to reach them from mailing.  You DO deliver mail for a living.

            -Go online to prc.gov, the Postal Regulatory Commission; submit your comments to save six day delivery.  If enough of us do this, it can sway the PRC to recommend keeping six day delivery

            -Sign up for COLCPE.  Give at least five dollars per pay period.  This will help us elect candidates who will support keeping your job.  I cannot put it more simply, if your plus sixty thousand dollar job (wages and benefits) is not worth one hundred and thirty dollars insurance, then it isn’t really important to you, is it? 

            -Join Carrier Corps.  If you can’t walk a few blocks or make a few calls to elect someone who will support your job now, then when IS it important to you? 

            Let me add one more personal thought.  There are any number of issues with which I disagree with all the politicians, in the State House, Congress, and the White House.   I can show any of you where all of them have been and are hypocrites with their votes and their ideas; your favorite is no exception.  This time, brothers and sisters, this year, we better work together to save your job.  If not, those hot button issues will still be there, but your job will not.  The decision is yours. 

History and Us

           Santa Clara County vs. Southern Pacific Railroad Company and Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution of the United States; remember these two.  They could, they will, have profound influence on your life, immediate influence.  Of course, this is just a average citizen talking, and I am sure there are also attorneys and lawmakers ready to espouse their learned opinions on these noted instances of American history.  However, during the political season, it really doesn’t matter what the lawyers and makers of law argue, it’s what the electorate perceives that becomes reality.

            You may ask; has Morris lost his mind?  What does an obscure county fighting a railroad have to do with me?  Well, lend me your attention and I will attempt to convey your connection.  This case, settled by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1886, gave corporations the same rights as persons under the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution.  All hell has broken loose since then.  The Fourteenth Amendment, among other things, guarantees your rights under the Constitution, those rights not to be denied without due process, by any of the individual states.   The effect of the Fourteenth Amendment, as I see it, guarantees your rights under the First Amendment, for example, free speech.  Again, what in the world has this to do with any letter carrier? 

            Again, give me a little more latitude with this idea.  Recently, the Supreme Court overturned the McCain-Feingold campaign contributions and participations law, in part at least, removing certain limitations to how much corporations could spend in elections.  As I understand most pundits, part of the reasoning was the 1886 ruling.  Are you getting the picture now?  I assume the Supreme Court considered the McCain-Feingold law to have abridged corporate (personal) rights to free speech.  This is America; money talks, so we cannot hinder the rights of speech when it’s tied to the dollar in political campaigns. 

            Thus, corporations are released from many cumbersome limits on their campaign contributions.  Digressing, how does this affect you? 

            This is the modern age; most people watch and listen to political advertisement.  We are slaves to the sound bite; we are willing victims of video propaganda.  Truth is sometimes the victim, more often than we might wish to admit.  Letter carriers are no less affected than the general population.  Along with purveyors of righteous information, there are liars and cheats putting “information” on the internet every minute, hoping to influence your opinions and actions with their falsehoods and innuendo.

            Unfortunately, the most effective way to combat lies and misleading propaganda is to counter their efforts with truthful information.  Getting the truth out costs, a lot. 

            Corporate Boards and high corporate officials can afford to spend millions to get their slanted ideas to the masses.  Labor unions and ordinary people are hamstrung by limited resources when it comes to countering the lies and deceit of corporations.  Corporations and corporate officers, especially now, make thousands, if not millions, more than the average worker, the average union man or woman.   Now, these captains of the corporate world are relatively free to make any accusations they wish, to attempt to slant any idea, to propagandize freely.  The only way we can combat this assault is through our voluntary contributions to our political action fund, COLCPE. 

            Our contributions are used to educate our members, to contribute to candidates who have a record of supporting us, who will support us.  That’s it, pure and simple.  It’s all voluntary, it’s all above board.  But why is it so important to find and help candidates who will support us?  This is where the second part of the first paragraph comes in, Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution.  Article 1, Section 8 states that Congress shall establish Post Offices and Post Roads. 

            As with all parts of the Constitution, there have been arguments back and forth concerning the meaning of this clause, and how that meaning is affected by technology and current political climate.  Does this mean that Congress is obligated to maintain a governmental entity addressing the need of Post Offices and Post Roads?  I think we helped settle part of that argument in 1970 when the NALC caused the re-organization of the old Post Office Department, then a part of the government, into the quazi-government United States Postal Service.  In order to help poor letter carriers (many letter carriers at the time actually qualified for welfare relief), we agreed to remove the Post Office Department from total government control.   Now, with the influence of changing society and technology, we are faced with having to adapt to new work methods, we are forced to look at new possibilities of revenue. 

            Most governmental agencies have been “outsourced” to virtual oblivion.  Even the military is dependent on contractors to literally feed their forces.  Is the military reduced in general knowledge of overall logistics, and thus, total potential effectiveness?  I think so, but this is open to conjecture.  Nevertheless, what does this all portend for the Postal Service and especially letter carriers?  By now, hopefully, you have heard or read NALC President Rolando’s visions of the future, or potential future, for letter carriers. 

            What you experience as a letter carrier now may be just part of what you do in the future.  It all boils down to this; the NALC will be working to insure employment for you for years and years to come, for generations.  To accomplish this move into the future we need the support of friends in Congress. 

            Will we be content to let the Postal Service go to contract workers, slowly replacing all letter carriers?  Will we be content to increase our contributions to our health care, so that you finally pay the full tab?  Will you be content to continue increasing route size?  These are questions on which you must give direction to our leadership.  Meanwhile, you must allow our leadership the means to fight on all fronts, especially politically.  This requires resources, this requires COLCPE.  Long past is the time you can spend on the wayside, watching as others give to protect your future.  Long past is the time you can expect to survive without contributing to the team. 

            Politics is life in America.  Politics is the means by which our system flourishes.  To not play in the game is simply wrong.  Do your part; join us.  Contribute to COLCPE.  Will you be part of history, or in the trash pile of history?  Join in and make history; sit on the sideline and become a footnote blurb.  The choice is yours. 

Keep It Simple

            I, like many, had thought that by now we would have some sense of resolution on issues of great importance to all Americans.  Health Care, the Federal Budget, banking, industry (especially the auto industry), Free Choice, the Postal Service; all are deeply profound to the American Way of Life, and all affect us to the core.  These do not even get into the issues of National Defense and military deployment.  We all have a stake in the above because they all influence the way we feel about the direction of our country.  I have my opinions, and so do you. 

            However, you elected me to lead you in matters pertaining to your job, your families future where affected by your job, and to help the NALC protect and continue your job.  Get it?  Your job, your job, your job. 

            Who, though, among us can get through a day without hearing about all of the other influences; and why do I even ask that question?  Because it is almost impossible to separate the different influences.  When you get treated badly by your boss and then come home, turn on the TV, and hear about the other factors, well, it’s hard to keep a positive attitude; but keep a positive attitude we must. 

            Okay, let’s get the joke out of the way, you are POSITIVE things are messed up beyond all recognition! 

            There are three areas on which we need to concentrate.  One, keeping friends in Congress and electing additional friends.  Two, working with those friends and convincing our less than supportive adversaries to support our jobs and the institution we work for.  Three, supporting the NALC in protecting our jobs and guarding against improper and unfair legislative changes to our jobs, and helping the House of Labor restore the middle class. 

            Three areas of concentration are not too much of a burden, they are simple, they are painless, they only take a little effort.  All I ask of you is to give a little effort, and help pass the message to others.  Your Board of Officers, Legislative Liaisons, and Branch Leadership will help you help yourself. 

            The issues can get complex, we have to be effective.  To be effective, we have to keep it simple.