{"id":3708,"date":"2012-02-21T08:20:02","date_gmt":"2012-02-21T13:20:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/?p=3708"},"modified":"2012-02-21T08:20:02","modified_gmt":"2012-02-21T13:20:02","slug":"oped-usps-open-shop-unions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/2012\/02\/21\/oped-usps-open-shop-unions\/","title":{"rendered":"OpEd – USPS Open Shop Unions"},"content":{"rendered":"

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In a September 19, 2011 OIG audit report \u201cmanagement at Postal Service plants were concerned that work rules inhibit their ability to manage effectively. 259 processing and distribution center (P&DC) managers were contacted using a web survey and 152 (59 percent) responded. Of those responses, 118 (78 percent) indicated they \u201cStrongly Agree\u201d or \u201cAgree\u201d that contract provisions limit their ability to manage the workforce effectively. Furthermore, 111 (72 percent) cited the restriction on assigning employees across crafts as the one provision posing the biggest challenge to workforce flexibility. 52 of 67 managers who selected overtime as limiting strongly agreed that converting full-time shifts to part-time would make it easier to manage more effectively.\u201d<\/p>\n

The OIG further determined from the same report that from FY 2007 through August FY 2010, the Postal Service spent approximately $29 million in APWU and NPMHU grievance costs directly related to these contract provisions. Those stipulations are probably the result of our union dues and representation at work. The USPS signed the same agreement with the Unions in regards to Collective Bargaining Agreements and when they violate the contract they should pay.<\/p>\n

People who choose to not pay union dues are known as freeloaders, free riders, or scabs. Whatever the appropriate adjective they are also equal beneficiaries of grievance payouts because a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) law requires unions to represent all bargaining unit workers regardless of their membership. That rule on the street is known to the non-member as the \u201cduty of fair representation\u201d and to the union member it is \u201crepresentation without taxation.\u201d It means that non-members get the same wages and benefits as those of us who choose to disburse a few dollars from our hard earned money as symbolic for a future return on investment.<\/p>\n

Everybody wants the benefits of pension, health care plans, safety, equal opportunity, organizational policies, higher pay, regular hours, breaks, choice vacations, voting rights, and trained representatives in times of conflict. The Postal Service is a better workplace because of the unionized force that paid their dues long before many of us. How many associates could care less and won\u2019t pay a red cent? Why should any labor force work on behalf of scroungers?<\/p>\n

Free-riders weaken union solidarity and impair our financial means to speak for the masses. With fewer members we minimize potential benefits, impede our economical muscle, and eventually we deteriorate from the weight of the moochers hopping the turnstile and riding this subway system for free. Before long we won\u2019t have enough money to operate, and no one to stand up for us because our shortened arms can\u2019t reach into our deep pockets. And by seniority we will be tossed out on the street.<\/p>\n

The laws should require everyone who benefits from union representation to share in the cost of union membership just like the membership costs associated with shopping at buy in bulk warehouses, country club memberships, and home ownership associations that all charge a fee for incidentals, and safeguarding. Without our fair share of taxes the city can\u2019t repair the roads and the fire department can\u2019t respond to the blaze.<\/p>\n

Maybe we should adapt the \u201cRand Formula\u201d where dues are mandatory regardless of a worker\u2019s union status. \u201cDesigned to ensure that no employee will opt out of the union simply to avoid dues yet reap the benefit of the union\u2019s accomplishments.\u201d Additionally if a person were to claim religious objections to paying dues then their dues could be contributed through the combined federal campaign to a jointly agreed upon charitable trust.<\/p>\n

Hear ye, hear ye, divide and conqueror are counting on us to keep those fraternal conflicts stewing. You have the power to vacate ridiculous excuses for not being a card carrying constituent. Since it\u2019s your Union too, please pay your fair share fees!<\/p>\n

Ronald Williams, Jr.<\/p>\n

PEN: The opinion expressed here are those of the writer and may or may\u00a0not be shared by PEN and\/or other readers.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In a September 19, 2011 OIG audit report \u201cmanagement at Postal Service plants were concerned that work rules inhibit their ability to manage effectively. 259 processing and distribution center (P&DC) managers were contacted using a web survey and 152 (59 percent) responded. Of those responses, 118 (78 percent) indicated they \u201cStrongly Agree\u201d or \u201cAgree\u201d that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3708","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editors-section","last_archivepost"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3708","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3708"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3708\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3710,"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3708\/revisions\/3710"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3708"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3708"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3708"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}