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                        NEWSLETTER OF THE NJI&BMC BRANCH OF LOCAL 300

                                        “LETS TURN IT AROUND”             

   VOLUME 18, NO.3                                                      80 COUNTY ROAD J.C.N.J 7097

   APRIL 13, 2002                                                            (201) 653-1767, IN HOUSE 5082,5083

   GRADY R. FITZGERALD, BRANCH PRESIDENT       FAX NUMBER  (201) 714-4869

                                  BRANCH WEB SITE ADDRESS                                               

                                http://www.l300nji-bmcbranch.org/

OUR UNION CONTRACT FINALLY SETTLED!!!

After a long wait our contract has finally been settled and the members have overwhelmingly voted to ratify it. The terms of the new agreement were sent to all members along with their ratification ballots so you all should be familiar with it.

Now the big question that everyone is asking is when will we get our money?

Well we recently received a notice from the Postal Service giving us probable dates.

They are pay period 12 (June 7, 2002) for the $499.00 bonus. Pay period 13 (June 21,2002) the wage increases will be added to our base pay and the retroactive check will be in the pay period 17 check. Which, you will get on August 16,2002.

The next big question being asked is: Will these monies be in a separate check?

The answer to that question is no they will not be. They will be added to your regular check but taxed separately.

                       IT’S ELECTION TIME!    FOR LOCAL 300 OFFICERS!

The nomination meeting at which nominations will be accepted for candidates seeking positions for our Locals Executive Board and for all Branch Presidents has been set for April 27,2002. This is your chance as dues paying members to select those who will lead our Union for the next three years. I hope that all of you take the time to make your selections and mail back your ballots. Local 300 historically has always had poor participation of the members in this important process. This always hurts the Union in that with a small number of members who actually vote our leaders are selected by a minority of our members.

Many bitch and complain but few vote. It also hurts us, in the fact that our Local never gets the respect that a Local of our size deserves from our National Union. While, we are the largest local in the country, it means little in the political arena if only 25% of us vote. If we ever had, say a 90% turnout our Local leaders would wield considerable more influence and say with our National leaders. The simple logic is no vote, no power. Let’s all do our part this time around and mail back your ballots. With all the changes that are taking place it would be a good signal to send to management that we are concerned about our future and we are watching what is going on. A low voter turnout sends management the signal that we aren’t paying attention to what’s going on. Then they feel they can do what ever they want. So do your part and participate in the democratic process of electing your local leaders.

                                  FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW!!!!

As many of us here at the Bulk are approaching retirement, there are a few things you should consider. One, being the cost, of maintaining your life insurance coverage after you retire. Most of us are covered by the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance plan or FEGLI. When we started working here, the rates were low, but as we have aged the rates for maintaining that coverage has increased. When you get ready to retire you find out that the cost to keep that coverage is prohibitive, in that the rates are extremely high and many retirees are forced to drastically reduce their coverage. Example: the cost of keeping the standard five times your salary, at the age of 55 increases to $150.00 per pay period!!! Who can afford that?? You might want to take a look at some of the plans offered by different insurers. With some, if you are now in your late forties you can pick up a plan that will continue to provide you with five times your salary for twenty yrs. and you can lock it in at a much lower rate then the FEGLI plan. We are not endorsing any particular plan, we’re just letting your know that they are available. It might be worth your while to look at some of them you could save yourself thousands of dollars.

Another thing you should look into is income disability plans. As many of us find out the hard way that postal employees aren’t covered by any disability plans. If you get sick or suffer an off the job injury all you have is your sick and annual leave after that you have nothing, nada, zero income!!!! Again there are many plans out there and we are not endorsing any of them, we are simply telling you that they are available to you as postal workers. The cost and amount of coverage varies and you can often tailor a plan that suits your economic needs. Some even cover pregnancy, so some of our younger female employees might want to look into that. While no one wants to think about the thought of getting sick or disabled you should be prepared for the possibility.

                                                     SPECIAL THANKS

I would like to thank the Women’s Committee for the very successful luncheon that they had to celebrate Women’s history month. Approximately 100 women participated. The Committee did a lot of work to make it the success it was. I would also like to thank the men who volunteered to be the servers at the luncheon. This was the second annual luncheon that the Committee sponsored. Keep up the good work Sisters we do appreciate your hard work.

                                               FROM OUR WEB PAGE

Labor Quotes

 Well, for myself, I never had much faith in leaders.      [Applause and laughter.] I am willing to be charged with almost anything, rather than to be charged with being a leader. I am suspicious of leaders, and especially of the intellectual variety. [Applause.] Give me the rank and file every day in the week. If you go to the city of Washington, and you examine the pages of the Congressional Directory, you will find that almost all of those corporation lawyers and cowardly politicians, members of Congress, and  misrepresentatives of the masses — you will find that almost all of them claim, in glowing terms, that they have risen from the ranks to places of  eminence and distinction. I am very glad I cannot make that claim for myself. [Laughter.] I would be ashamed to admit that I had risen from the ranks. When I rise, it will be with the ranks, and not from the ranks. [Applause.]

        Eugene Debs, "The Canton, Ohio Speech," 16 June 1918

Time & Attendance Bulk:                  714-6251              Time & Attendance International:     714-6267

Tour Super’s Office in case of Emergencies   Bulk: 714-6089             International:                714-6261          

Safety           714-6019      Compensation           714-6218

Personal        714-6366       Accounting             714-6259

EAP              714-6098       Medical Unit             714-6020

Federal Credit Union     714-6230

Local Office      1-(212)-431-0040      National Office       1-(202)-833-9095

                                       Notice of Nomination Meeting

For

Election Officers of Local 300

This is to advise all members in good standing that on April 27, 2002, a meeting of Mail Handlers Local 300 will be held at the time and place set forth below for the purpose of nominating candidates for General Election of Local 300 Officers. The following Officers will be elected for a term of three years:

 LOCAL PRESIDENT and Delegate to NPMHU Convention

VICE PRESIDENT and Alternate Delegate

RECORDING SECRETARY

TREASURER

STATE EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER – Connecticut

STATE EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER – New Jersey

STATE EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER – New York

If you are unable to attend the nomination meeting, you may send your nomination via registered, certified or express mail to:

                                            Judges of Elections of Local 300

                                                           P.O. Box 2006

New York, NY 10013-2006

(212) 431-8806 FAX (212) 431-0311

If you are a new member or a member who has changed his/her address within the past several months, and you are a member in good standing, you must forward your address to the Judges of Election at once. Mailed nominations must be received prior to the nominations meeting.

The date, time and place of the nominations meeting will be:

DATE:     April 27, 2002

TIME:     9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

PLACE:  NY Metro Area Local Postal Union

                 350 W. 31^st. Street

                 New York, N.Y. 10001