The Garden State Rural Carrier - img1.wsimg.com

: Inside this issue: - Contacts : 2; President Gavel/End of Year : 3; Sec./Treas/ End of Year : 4 ; Meet your new bord members : 5; End of Year /Reflections 6, 10, 11; Steward Reports: 7, 8, 9; 10; State Convention Report : 12; Back in the Day : 13; Finances: 14; New Members, Retirees, Deaths : 15;

Upcoming Events: 16 (note: All photos with the exception of Jack DiGirolamo and Back in the Day are by Diane Irrgang)

official publication of the nj rural letter carriers’ association

The Garden State Rural Carrier

Volume 37 Issue 4

Jeff McDonald is your 2018 NJRLCA

Member of the Year.

New State Board - Your 2019- 2020 NJRLCA State Board was elected during the 114th Annual State Convention. (l-r) Executive Board Dan Matthews and Anthony Previte; President Dan Veit; Executive Board Chair James Aiazzone; Secretary/Treasurer Kelly Inman; and Vice President Mike Logan.

Paula M Kozak AwardBill Collins was chosen by President McDonald to have his name added to this plaque for his unselfish help to all the members of our association.

1st Timers - Making their first of many appearances at the NJRLCA Convention were (l-R) Nick Loutas, Helen Layton, Scott Carpenter, Karl Vasquez, Luke Strittmatter, Janeen Blondo, Kimberly Trischitti, and Maria Pillar.

This year’s recipient of the $500 Florence and Clifford Perrine Scholarship was Jack DiGirolamo, son of regular carrier James DiGirolamo of Freehold. Jack will be attending Ramapo College in Mahwah, NJ.

Executive Board Jim Aiazzone - Chair 973-296-9907 Anthony Previte 908-565-4277 Dan Matthews 609-601-6395 (H) 609-214-4724 (C)

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Appointed Board

Janine Cowart - Chaplain 908-625-1239 Diane Irrgang - Editor [email protected]

WANTED

If interested in these positions, contact President Veit Provident Guild-Promote Provident Guild-Submit articles in the state paper-Keep forms readily available-Recruit Provident members-Assists families in claiming death benefits-Follow up with delinquent members

Auto/Homeowner Insurance-Promote National General Insurance Company-Submit articles in the state paper-Get everyone involved in promoting National General Insurance -Maintain communication with NBIC Plan

Health Plan Historian

Auxiliary Board Mike Pino - President Josh Armstrong - Vice President Sharon Swain - Secretary

Volume 37 - Issue 4 - July 31, 2019 The Garden State Rural Carrier is published bimonthly as a benefit to the members of the NJRLCA. Deadline for submission is the 1st of every odd numbered month. Late articles will not be published in that months’ paper. Any member of the Association may submit an article of interest to share. All articles and letters to the Editor must be signed and include an address and phone number for verification purposes. Names will be held at request, but, articles and letters not signed will not be printed. All Letters to the Editor must be reviewed and approved by a majority of the Executive Board before being printed.All content is the opinion of the author and not necessarily that of the NRLCA, NJRLCA, or Editor.

NRLCA Steward System Covering NJ

Northern New Jersey Postal District

District Representative : Phil TremperPO Box 515, Pine Bush, NY 12566 845-744-4437, [email protected] District Representative:Margaret Throne [email protected] PO Box 52, Franklin Park, NJ 08823 732-274-2663 Northern New Jersey/Westchester/Long Island

South Jersey Postal District

District Representative : Michael W. SwainPO Box 224, Egg Harbor, NJ 08215 609-625-1299, [email protected]

Assistant District Representative: William Collins PO Box 353, Lakehurst, NJ 08733 732-678-3834 [email protected] 085 & 086 OFFICES IN MERCER CO. AND OCEAN CO. WITHOUT LOCAL STEWARDS. BARNEGAT, HIGHTSTOWN, HOPEWELL, JACKSON, MANAHAWKIN, PENNINGTON, AND TUCKERTON

Assistant District Representative: Margaret ThronePO Box 52, Franklin Park, NJ 08823 732-274-2663 [email protected] OFFICES IN HUNTERDON CO, MIDDLESEX CO, AND MONMOUTH CO. OFFICES WITHOUT LOCAL STEWARDS. BELLE MEAD, EATONTOWN, ENGLISHTOWN. FREEHOLD, ROCKY HILL, RINGOES, MANAPALAN

NJRLCA District Officers

District I President Bruce Genung 333 Brown Trail, Hopatcong, NJ 07843 862-219-8002Vice President Heidi Fuhrman 207 Mohican Rd. Highland Lakes, NJ 973-222-8143Secretary-Treasurer James Aiazzone - PO Box 278, Hewitt, NJ 973-296-9907 [email protected] Anthony Previte 45 North Main St, Flemington, NJ 908-565-4277 - [email protected]

District II President James Massimillo 3004 Norma Pl Toms River, NJ 732-267-7368 jmassimillojr @verizon.netVice President Kimberly Trischitti Sec.-Treas. Anna Gibson 896 Forge Lane Toms River, NJ 732-581-5698 [email protected] Luke Strittmatter, Robert Kish

District IIIPresident Bonnie Boychuck 403 Kennedy Ave. Williamstown,NJ 856-562-2985 [email protected] President -Patrica Ray PO Box 513, Atco, NJ 609-519-0449 [email protected] Yvette Sharp 140 Joanie Ave,Williamstown 609-929-4034 [email protected] E-Board Dan Matthews, Maria Copsetta, Robert Tulini

2018 -2019 New Jersey State Board Vice President

Mike Logan Po Box 23 Mullica Hill, NJ 08062

856-889-8428 [email protected] PAC & Legislative Rep.

President Dan Veit

5 Brink RdSussex, NJ 07461-3225

[email protected]

Secretary / TreasurerKelly Inman

95 W. Main St. 5-156Chester, NJ 07930

[email protected]

Page 2

July/Aug. 2019 The Garden State Rural Carrier Page 3

FROM THE PRESIDENT’S GAVEL

Dan VeitPresident

Greetings fellow brothers and sisters and welcome to the 114th State Conven-tion at Swedesboro. With the closing of another year, I wish to share some thoughts and comments with you. It has been some what of a quiet year for me while serving on your executive board. With the recent push on hiring RCAs and ARCs our membership is doing well. Ironi-cally it has been disturbing not seeing that entity of our craft getting involved. It was decided not to have a fall booster meeting this year due to the decreas-ing show of interest. The district picnics were held in D-II and D-II with a handful of members attending and D-I opting out. The District Elections were successful and I am glad to see D-II on the come-back. D-I had 12 members out of approxi-mately 550 attend which equates to less then 3% of the membership. It is heart- breaking to see such a poor turnout. One highlight of this year was our state had the honor of hosting Eastern States Conference in Atlantic City. There was a good turnout and it was very informative as always. It was, however, disappointing to have only four national board members attend. The time studies and the contract were discussed along with a great presentation on FERS and retirement. A possible alarming issue, that faces the next generation of rural carriers’ within the next ten years, is that a vast majority of our present working force will be at retirement age. Keeping an open mind, being trans-parent, and keeping the lines of commu-nication open are paramount. Keeping everyone in the loop is a key element to success. Every member of the NJRLCA has a God-given right to speak and say what is on their mind. Our elected of-ficial, regardless of their ranking order or

End Of The Year Report 2018-2019 Dan Veit NJRLCA Executive Board opinion, should listen with an open mind. You should never be prejudged or told: “that will never work.” No idea is a bad idea and your opinion counts! The new deal is here and many of us still fail to see or accept the fact that we are in the 21st-century. It is going to take a 21st- century rural carrier to guide the craft through the challenges we are facing. A majority of our current elected officials that are making the decisions and paving the way to the future are from the 20th-century. Their knowledge is second to none and by no means am I trying to say that they are doing a bad job. As an elected official we are obligated to represent the entire membership and do what is in the best interest for all. We are failing at finding our successors with less then 10% of an active membership the remaining 90% non-active membership does not offer much of a choice. Attendance at union functions is very poor and becoming more and more puzzling. We need to look at different ways of doing business. Explore thinking outside of the box and take chances. Change is a hard pill to swallow for many, however, it can be good for the process! Many refuse to take their blinders off when someone comes along with a different way of looking at things. We fail to accept the fact that regardless of differ-ences the bottom line is we are all fighting for a common cause. We should set goals and work together in harmony to achieve them. This union belongs to the membership, not a chosen few. Our dues money and revenue does not belong in the bank collecting interest. It should be invested back into the membership. It is still very disturbing how many of us fail to understand and abide by what has been agreed upon in the National Agreement. The union provides a wealth of knowledge, all you

have to do is take time and digest what is offered or sent to you. Before you toss it in the trash, take a minute and absorb what is put on the table in front of you. Never be afraid or hesitate to ask ques-tions. There is no such thing as a foolish question, only a fool would not give you an answer. Your contract is a mutual agreement between the USPS and the NRLCA. With all the experts out there who think they know the way the Rural Craft should operate, there is only one way to do our job, and that’s the right way! It is a small sacrifice to take one day out the year to find out what being a rural carrier is all about. Getting first hand, correct information, direct from the source with out fabricated rules and regulations will make everyone’s job much easier and rewarding. It is our responsibility to preserve what our forefathers forged into stone. We need to look long term. The future depends on every one of us. I can not stress enough that the time is now! It is time to step up to the plate to make a difference on behalf of you and your fellow carriers. The future is in your hands and you will determine the course that the Rural Carrier Craft will take. A great majority of us, that are currently conducting your business, will be gone before you knowit. We have followed in the foot steps of our forefathers and it is your time to step up and start walking the walk to building a strong union. In closing I would like to leave with a few words of wisdom and something to think about that was passed on to me 40 years ago: “What can I do for the good of the Union NOT what can the Union do for me. UNITED WE BARGAIN DIVIDED WE BEG. God Bless and keep the fires burning!

I wish to thank the delegates that at-tended our 114th Annu-al State Con-vention in Swedesboro

to conduct the business of

the NJRLCA. As your newly elected presi-dent, I assure each and everyone that I will do my best. This Union belongs to all dues-paying members from our RCAs to our Retirees. It would be nice to see some of the older faces return. Your ideas and opinions count. We as Rural Carriers have the best job in the Postal Service. If you take deliv-ery out of the postal picture there would be no post office. The Postal Service is all

about delivery. Postal reform is a reality that is constantly changing the way we do our job to stay com-petitive with the private sector. Today’s rural carrier is a totally different breed than when I first started my career. I have seen quite a transformation. The future and destiny of the Rural Carrier are in the hands of each and every one. The handful of our fellow carriers who are fighting the fight will be gone before you know it. It is our goal to reach out to the younger genera-tion. This state board will welcome all fellow carriers with open arms. We are on a mission to solve the riddle “why are we seeing fewer and fewer fellow brothers and sisters give a damn and get involved.” I believe it is time for reform within and it is time to try something different. What is unique about this board? I sincerely believe we can work together to achieve goals as

well as we all share a common cause.I assure you we will listen to you and no one will be turned away. There is no such thing as a bad idea and it is time to look at different ways of doing busi-ness. I have been around for 40 years and have seen a lot of change. I have seen days at a union meeting where fellow brothers and sisters were stand-ing in the hallways and I would like to see that happen again. We are going to look into establish-ing a website and have information at your fingertip. We are also looking at expanding our newsletter to reach out to the RCAs and Retirees. This Board is full of fire and we have a big wish list. It is going to take one step at a time. Together, with your help, we can make things become a reality! (continued on page 5)

Page 4 The Garden State Rural Carrier July/August 2019

Kelly InmanSecretary-Treasurer

Membership- Membership is ex-

actly where it was at this point last year. I said that last year as well. I process at least 20 member-ship forms every two weeks. The new hires

only show up on pay days. Anyone else I can process imme-

diately. In the past two months I have mailed to every nonmember, except the ones who have been members and have cancelled their membership in the past. The State Board agreed to have a separate raffle for anyone who joined, to be entered into a drawing to win a $200 gift card. So far two regulars have joined. I send letters out year-round, anyone I don’t get in Orientation or South Jersey doesn’t get in Orientation or Academy, hears from me. Between Mike Logan, Mike Swain and I we get about 98%. So how can we be getting so many people to join and still be at the same number we were at last year? Not everyone stays a member after they retire, and we don’t keep all the RCAs. My goal this year was to be at 1600 members by June 30th, I still think we can do it. I hope you all can help.Orientations- We continue to go to orientations in both North and South Jersey. South Jersey has Mike Logan and Mike Swain who can attend. It’s just me up here in the North. If some-thing goes wrong and I can’t make it, no one goes. Sometimes I’m lucky and Marty is in the academy which is where orientation is, and he can cover for me. It has been a year since I have been allowed to teach in the academy. My district did not like that I told them dur-ing Union Presentation that they could transfer after 90 working days. I believe in retention. I believe that, that infor-mation might help keep them working for the rural craft and not cause them to leave the USPS. If they are hired for an office where there in little to no work, or no chance in becoming a regular any time soon. Then they should be able to transfer to another office. But our Head of HR says “NO” because they work so hard to hire them for that office. What about the situations where the RCAs are treated like crap, we can’t help them, they should be able to transfer out. Because I tell them this in orientation, I can’t teach, and no one can do anything to help me. Please

apply to be an Academy Trainer when it’s offered this year, but remember don’t tell them they can transfer, leave that to me.Financials/Budget- The Audit commit-tee gets the MVP award this year. I was asked why I bought Scooby Doo stamps. My answer, “because they are fun”. I believe people might be more likely to open an envelope with a fun stamp on in then one with a boring flag stamp. I don’t mind, at least they are looking at every-thing. That is what they are supposed to be doing. The board pays a day pay after you accumulate 8 hours, just like a local steward accumulates “z” time. This year, as of 6/1/19, I was compensated 7 “o” days or orientation days. Which is 3 more than last year and that is because I am not in the academy. When I was in the academy, I was already there and did not need to take time to get there. I had one 5-day National Secretary/Treasurer training in Alexandra, VA. I took one day for the National Delegate Committee when the committee chair had to count all the envelopes. There was one other day which was a Monday assignment at National Convention. Plus, five state board meetings, one more than last year. The rest of the amount you see under my salary. With all that I am still under budget, that is why Jeff lowered my pro-jected salary from $18,000 to $16,000 from 2018 to 2019. I know there are people out there that think I make too much money. This is a part time job. I work every day after work on this, the only benefit is that I am at home. Talking to Margaret Throne, she took a whole week to prepare for State Convention. I just worked all Memorial Day weekend. Districts-At the state convention in 2017, we passed a constitution change that the delegate strength for state con-vention would be determined by mem-bership strength on March 1. This year District 1 - 543=22; District 2- 448=18; District 3 - 590=24; giving this year a total delegate strength of 64. We had two district trainings this year. The one in the fall when we did the 990 and the LM4 and one last month to get the new officers up to date for this year’s state convention. I believe they will be able to do the 990 and LM4 on their own, but if they need help, whoever the new the state board is, they will be able to assist them.Meetings - I attended Eastern States Conference in Atlantic City this year. I was able to work the PAC table with Mike Logan. I also attended The Walk

the Hill trip with Brother Tony Previte, Mike Logan, Lynn Trainor, Diane Ir-rgang and Jeff McDonald. I was able to attend all three district election meetings. Walk the Hill-This year was great, the group worked so well together. It isn’t meant to work like this but everyone one got to talk a little to each person we met. Tony and I almost died when Jeff started to talk about intermittent wipers. It’s an inside joke, you will only get if you have heard Tony talk about our LLVs as cold war vehicles without having intermittent wipers. We love meeting with Congressman Chris Smith. It’s always a no brainer that he will help us with what ever it is we go to him with (Postal). This time he had something for us. He shared with us his bill H.R. 220 he needs help with, and it affects us. We are outside and can come into contact with ticks that can carry Lyme Disease. The National Tick-Borne Disease Control and Ac-countability Act (HR 220) is designed to remove barriers to improve the effectiveness of federal tick-borne disease programs in developing tools to prevent, diagnose and treat Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases. He gave us a lot of information on this topic, including the name of a book, BITTEN, that was all about how Lyme disease first started on Plum Island back in the sixties. Lyme disease has increased 300% in northeastern states. Rep. Chris Smith has been working on a Lyme Disease bill since 1992. This proves nothing is easy in Washington, especially not postal reform, 6-day delivery, RCA buy back, or to repeal the prefunding mandate. If anyone is interested in HR 220, I can send it to you in an email, it was too much to print out for everyone. There is so much more to our jobs besides putting mail in a box. You can teach, file grievances, promote the post office through rural reach, help educate fellow employees about bills and encourage them to call or write their congressmen. You can become a district officer and help plan meetings to grow and educate the membership. Our jobs change every day, if we like it or not. Management tries to change our jobs everyday, even when they can’t. I think of my new friend in Long Valley who should be a local steward. It might not seem fun at first, but knowl-edge is power, and we need more local stewards.

End Of The Year Report

Page 5 The Garden State Rural Carrier July/Aug. 2019

Anthony PreviteExecutive Board

Jim AiazzoneExecutive Board

Meet Your New Board Members

I work on a 16.3 mile, 45K route in Vernon, NJ. I have three busi-nesses with 2 regular boxes and one dis-mount. They are

all condos with a very high turnover.

The make-up on this route allowed the Postal Service to place a left- hand drive, Promaster, on my route. I was an RCA from 2005-2017 and was appointed the regular carrier on RD003 on Feb. 17, 2017. I have been a local steward for several years, serving as an RCA and now as a regular carrier. I am currently the secretary/treasurer in District I, since March of 2018. I was elected as a District I delegate to our recently held State Convention, where I was elected to the one year seat vacated when Dan Veit was elected president. I attended the 114th National Con-vention as a delegate and was again elected as a delegate to represent the NJRLCA this August. I live in West Milford NJ, enjoy the area lakes and eateries. I have a grown daughter, Christina, who re-

ceived her masters from Rutgers and I am extremely proud of her. I have enjoyed working with fellow union members and want to help all members by becoming more knowl-edgeable about our contract. I am awed by the depth of knowledge our union officials bring to bear on the issues facing NJ Rural Carriers’ every day. I am grateful to Dan Veit for getting me involved in the steward system and J9 (no other info required) for her insight and guidance at the district level. I look forward to serving on the NJRLCA State Board and with those members in both the District and State Boards in any way I can. I hope to be able to increase the participa-tion of members, learn more about the different committees, and assist with my experience as a business owner in any way I can. I am humbled by the support I have gotten from so many members across the state. While they are too numerous to list here, you routinely see their names in The Garden State Rural Carrier paper. I encourage all members, especially new RCAs, to attend meetings and other events and see for themselves your union in action, working for you, the membership.

I was born and raised in New Bruns-wick, and attended St. Joseph’s High in Metuchen. I gradu-ated from Rutgers College (on a 4-yr AF ROTC Scholarship.)

This was followed by a short stint with the United States

Air Force. I then embarked on a law enforcement career in the Hub City, eventually retiring after 26 1/2 years of service to my hometown. In the process, I married “the golf pro’s daughter” and settled down with my wife, Janet, and my growing family in Flemington, where we reared our now three grown children. Upon retir-ing from law enforcement and mulling some options, I acted on a recom-mendation from my local mail carrier and became an RCA, working out of the downtown Flemington Post Office. I served for a number of years as an RCA, subbing on various Flemington/Raritan routes and for neighboring area offices, while at the same time hold-ing down several rural routes as they became vacant. Before long, I was able to bid on and acquire my own route and attain regular carrier status. This happened approximately one and a half years ago. Since becoming a regular, I have most recently served as District I Vice Presi-dent and have traveled to Washington, DC, to “walk the hill” and lobby our representatives, on both sides of the aisle, for urgently needed postal reform legislation. I will continue to do so in my capacity as an executive commit-teeman. My short term goals, as a newly elected board member, are to “learn on the fly,” so to speak. I will learn the mechanics of the board and utilize that knowledge and insight to form a skill set to assist the board and our state membership in any way I can. Our postal workplace is an ever-changing and challenging environment. Glad to be aboard!

Presidents Gavel (continued frompage 3)

"We need to keep the fires burning" "What has happened in the past is now behind us and the delegate has spoken and it is time to move forward". "It is time to leap out of the 20th century way of doing business and get into the 21st century". "It is your God given right to voice your opinion and we will listen and treat everyone with respect". President Dan


My year began with my reelection to a position on the State Board, lasting three years. I ap-preciate the confi-dence that you have in me and I take my role as an Executive Committeeman very seriously. I was soon ap-pointed to the

position of Legislative Representa-tive as well as PAC Chair. I did my best to keep you all informed, via “The Garden State Rural Carrier", our bi-monthly publication of the various bits of Legislation as they moved thru the House & Senate. It still amazes me how slow the Legislative process has become. I was chosen to be a delegate at the National Convention in Grand Rapids, MI. I find that at-tending the National is always infor-mative, with the many seminars go-ing on thru the early part of the week. This year was no different, as I was able to attend seminars on the Rural Academy, Legislation, PAC and Legal. Each one was different but pertinent to my job or my various roles on the Executive Board. In September, I was the State Boards Representative at the District II picnic. Although the Venue was beautiful, right on the Bay, the weather did not cooperate. I thought that despite the weather, the turnout was positive. Sharing information on the Engineered Study, contract negotiations and Steward

End of Year Report

Mike LoganVice PresidentLegislative andPAC Chair

Issues dominated the discussion. Additionally, there was a Chili cook-off where I finished a close second to Bill Collins while Dan Matthews was a distant third. As the Legisla-tive Representative, I have submitted articles to the State Newspaper on a bi monthly basis. These articles are designed to keep you current on the Laws in Congress regarding Postal Is-sues. For example, last year also saw a Presidential Task Force formed by President Trump to look into generat-ing more revenue while still achieving cost reductions. Such as, 5-day deliv-ery, sharing Mailboxes with other car-riers, and potentially selling the Post Office to a private bidder. The Task Force also looked into the elimination of Collective Bargaining and Unions in general. These attacks on your livelihood are the mains reason you should get involved with your Union. Knowledge is Power and Strength in Numbers are well worn clichés, but certainly on point here. The Eastern States Conference was held in Atlantic City this year, hosted by the NJRLCA. The ESC has always been my favorite Conference as most National Board members are there and they are all quite approachable. As we were the host state, I spent the majority of my time at the PAC table. There were 15 different "silent auc-tion" items, 7 separate 50/50's and a "live" auction at the Banquet on Sat-urday night. At the conclusion of the conference, we had raised more than

Recently someone who was im-portant to me and my postal career passed away. Bob Hynes, a retired regular carrier from Chester Post Office was a local steward, area steward, academy trainer and driver trainer. I lost count the number of times he saved my job, but his words of wisdom have never left me. Every day I’m out on the road, I can say to myself “only back as much

as you need to” and that’s because Bob said that to me. He mentored me when I became a steward and I couldn’t be more grateful for the time I had with him. This is part of the rea-son why I do what I do. I want to make a difference in people’s lives like Bob made in mine. You have the steward side where you can possibly save someone’s job. The other side is the mentor side. That is why I liked work-

ing in the Academy as much as I did. I have my years of experience plus all the years of experience from the carri-ers before me who passed it on to me. The Post Office keeps changing and we are on the front lines. Everyone in management these days, if they were a carrier, they were a city carrier. If I just filed a grievance in October about not being allowed in driveways, why do I have to do it again in June just-because we have a new POOM? Bob had patience, he played the game so well, and maybe that comes with age. I would get called into the office for having the door to the LLV open, he would come in with the PO 603 where it says we can have it open. He would always make my problems go away. The new non-sense we deal with, your shoulder strap must be on when you are in a driveway, write down all your barcodes for closed businesses on Saturday, and create a firm sheet from your scanners. Besides all this real stuff happening now with the Rural Time Study and routes being driven for the mileage. My point is to appreciate your stewards while you have them, take the time to pick up a National Magazine, state paper or a copy of the contract (hopefully a new one) and educate yourself so you can protect yourself. We can only help you if we know about it, so don’t hesitate to call. Please come to a meeting!

RIP Bob Hynes. You are missed. Thank you for all your advice and wisdom. Stewards are under appreciated, and you were the best.

(continued on page 15)

Reflections -- A Union Friend that Changed My LifeBy Secretary - Treasurer Kelly Inman


When any local union examines the number of griev-ances filed in a year, they usually report that most of the paperwork deals with the issue of discipline. While we don't often

challenge the right of management to issue

rules, we do challenge the way manage-ment enforces the rules. Carriers have a right to a fair investigation and a hearing on the alleged infrac-tion. There are some basic rules which apply to all disciplinary hearings. If a carrier is called into any labor-management meeting in which he or she feels that discipline may be assessed as an outcome of the meeting, they should ask for a union steward to be present. This is right that the NRLCA must make clear to the carriers. The bottom line is that no member should go into this kind of meeting without union representa-tion. Few members are well-versed in their contractual rights, work rules, and limitations on managements' rights. A steward has protected rights at any labor-management meeting when acting as a Union Representative. A carrier does not. That means a steward can say things and act in the kind of advocacy role that a member cannot. A steward has two key roles at any disci-plinary hearing: (1) to protect the carrier, (2) to protect the union and the contract. These roles are inter-related. Many meet-ings which result in discipline do not appear to be formal hearings when they start. A carrier might be pulled aside by a supervisor who asks, “Would you mind stepping into my office for a minute?" A carrier should always question the nature of the meeting. If the supervi-sor's answer in any way indicates that the supervisor may be investigating an incident, reviewing a record, or if you feel that the meeting or its outcome in any way will take the direction of discipline, the member must ask to have a union representative present. If the carrier is unsure of the content of the meeting, he or she should still ask for a union repre-sentative to be present. Denial of that request is grievable and can (although not always) mitigate the discipline as-sessed over the alleged offense. If the NRLCA steward finds out and sees the supervisor's door closed, the steward

should knock at the door and request that the supervisor informs the carrier that a union representative is outside waiting to sit in at the meeting. It is up to the carrier at that point to request that the union steward be present. If the request is denied, document the denial in writing and ask the supervisor to sign it. What you are doing is creating a record that the supervisor is denying the carrier his or her rights to representation. The steward should speak to the member prior to the hearing. If it is a formal disciplin-

ary hearing with notice, check the notice and proceed with an investigation of the alleged infraction. If they are called in at the last minute, seek a postponement so that you can make a proper investigation. If the meeting is informal, make sure the member has time to talk with you ahead of time or take a recess to get some under-standing as to what happened. Prior to the hearing, inform the member who will be present, how the meeting will be conduct-ed and what he/she should expect. Get as much information as you can beforehand. Do not let the employer withhold informa-tion. If they do, speak to your next level union representative. Document any denials of information in writing and get it on the record. If there are any witnesses at the meeting or hear-ing you should question them as you see fit In most formal hearings, the process of questioning the USPS witness is called cross-examination. You have a right to ask these witnesses questions to determine the accuracy of their testimony and their biases. Your rights to questioning should not be interfered with by management. If you are denied that right, make sure that such denial is entered on the record. It is perfectly proper for the carrier to answer questions with, ''yes,'' "no," or "I don't know." Once the member has answered a question, he/she is under no obligation to elaborate. At most hearings, the steward can take as active a role as he/she sees fit. You can stop the meeting at any time to speak privately with the member. The steward should take notes or bring in a second person to take notes. Do not rely

on the supervisor’s notes. The written record is important. It documents what was said, not what was allegedly said. Cases have been won and lost on the accuracy of the record. The bottom line is to make sure that the carrier is treated as fairly as possible under circumstanc-es that are heavily weighted against him/her. You must handle all discipline as if the case will go to arbitration. Re-member, even if the investigation does not go the way you had hoped, you can challenge the discipline, how manage-

ment conducted itself through the process, or the just cause section of the contract by appealing through the grievance procedure. All employees in the collective bargaining unit have a right to union representa-tion during an investigatory inter-view. The employer does not have to advise the employee of his/her right.

The employee must invoke his/her right to union representation. The employee may invoke his/her right at any time dur-ing an investigatory interview. Only the union, not the employee or employer may determine who the appropriate representative is at the investigatory interview. The employee may refuse to answer questions during an investigatory interview if the employer denies the em-ployee's request for representation. This only applies to investigatory interviews. The standard is whether the employee reasonably believes that the interview could lead to discipline? An interview may not be an investigatory interview at the start but may turn into one at any point. Weingarten rights do not apply when: Management is simply informing the employee of a disciplinary decision that has already been made, such as, simply giving the employee a warning. Once the carrier asks for repre-sentation management has three options: Suspend the interview until a representative arrives; Offer the employee the choice of continuing without representa-tion; or End the interview. The Association may file an unfair labor practice ("ULP") charge with the National Labor Relations Board (''NLRB'') if management violates an employee's Weingarten rights.ULP charges must go through the NRLCA National Office. Your steward should meet with you prior to the interview and offer advice on answering questions.

Phil TremperDistict Rep.

The Pre-Disciplinary Interview

Once the carrier asks for representation management has three options: Suspend the interview until a representative arrives; Offer

the employee the choice of continuing without representation; or End the interview.

Weingarten Rights


Safety in Northern New Jersey and South Jersey, too!

Margaret ThroneADR

I have recently attended the Quarterly District Safety Meeting and the Safety Symposium in Northern New Jer-sey. Both meetings

were informative and covered a lot of important safety

topics that affect our working lives. For instance, in the Northeast Area, management is implementing man-datory safety talks 2 or 3 times per week. We all know that, during the mail count, we were only credited with one safety talk per week, and maybe one extra for Saturday if they gave it again for the RCA’s. So, if your office is following the new mandate, you should be submitting the actual time for all but the first one (or two if you were counted that way) on a Form 8127 if you are a regular carrier, or on Form 1234 (green card) if you are a relief carrier who has been required to listen to more than one safety talk in a week. Man-agement is required to validate these talks and who was present for them, so there should be no problem with requesting to be paid for them. If there is, call your steward. Most larger offices should have a lo-cal Safety and Health Committee that meets quarterly. These committees are not limited to management and the other crafts, the rural craft should be represented, too. If you are a local steward, request to be included in the committee. You should be paid for your time on the 8127 or with aux-iliary assistance for the time of the committee meetings. This is your op-portunity to help influence the safety of your office in a formal setting. Lo-cal safety issues are brought up and discussed. Just because there is a Safety Committee, it does not prevent any rural carrier from bringing up any

safety issue they encounter. If you do dis-cuss such an issue with the manager and they ignore the safety problem, you can always fill out a formal Report of Hazard, Unsafe Condition or Practice form, PS 1767, and submit it to your manager or to the safety manager in your district. Be sure to keep your copy. If there is still no response, call your steward. If you encounter broken equipment, report it, put a repair tag on it, and DON’T USE IT! If it is already tagged, DON’T USE IT! Your safety is more important than anything else—don’t let anyone tell you to work unsafely, or use broken equipment, or drive a broken truck. Obviously, the LLV’s are really old. But they should be maintained and repaired whenever nec-essary, so they are as safe as possible to use. Non-working lights, brakes, doors, windows, and so on, should be written up and repaired before a carrier is required to drive the truck. Don’t volunteer to use a truck that is broken, and don’t let any-one require you to use one. If you have to wait for a working truck, document your

waiting time so you can be paid for wait-ing. Every rural

carrier is entitled to work safely and go home the same as they came into work. Safe driving is always heavily discussed at these meetings. In Northern NJ, Thurs-days and Saturdays are the days with the highest number of vehicle accidents per day. People continue to drive with-out their seat belts on, with their doors open, and all too often they do not park properly before exiting the driver’s seat, in spite of the constant barrage of safety talks about driving and parking safely. The decisions you make when you are driving or parking an LLV can be life or death decisions.

—Your decision—Your life—Your job.

Your safety is in YOUR hands; make it your priority all day every day.

“Your safety is in YOUR hands; make it your priority all day every day.”

Margaret Throne

We all know that before long we will be sweating our collective behinds off in the LLV’s and FFV’s. What is heat exhaustion?

Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat-related ill-

ness that can develop after several days of exposure to high tempera-tures and inadequate or unbalanced replacement of fluids. Those most prone to heat exhaustion are elderly people, those with high blood pres-sure, and those working or exercis-ing in a hot environment. What is heat stroke? Heat stroke is the most serious heat-related illness. It occurs when the body becomes unable to control its temperature: the body’s tem-perature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails, and the body is unable to cool down. Body tempera-ture may rise to 106°F or higher within 10 to 15 minutes. Heat stroke can cause death or perma-nent disability if emergency treat-ment is not provided. How effective are electric fans in preventing heat-related illness? Electric fans may provide comfort, but when the temperature is in the high 90s, fans will not prevent heat-related illness. Taking a cool shower or bath or moving to an air-condi-tioned place is a much better way to cool off. Air conditioning is the strongest protective factor against heat-related illness. Exposure to air conditioning for even a few hours a day will reduce the risk of heat-related illness. How much should I drink during hot weather? During hot weather, you will need to

(continued on page 9)

Bill Collins ADR

HOT


increase your fluid intake, regardless of your activity level. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink. During heavy exercise in a hot environment, drink enough non-alcoholic cool fluids each hour to maintain normal color and amount of urine output. What is the best clothing for hot weather or a heat wave? Choose lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. In the hot sun, a wide-brimmed hat will provide shade and keep the head cool. Sunburn af-fects your body’s ability to cool itself and causes a loss of body fluids. What should I do if I work in a hot environment? Pace yourself. If you are not ac-customed to working or exercising in a hot environment, start slowly and pick up the pace gradually. If exertion in the heat makes your heart pound and leaves you gasping for breath, STOP all activity. Get into a cool area or at least in the shade, and rest, especially if you become lightheaded, confused, weak, or faint. As always, thank you for taking the time to read. Please view the chart below for quick recognition of symp-toms for heat-related illness’. Thank you and as always be safe.

The warning signs of heat exhaustion include the fol-lowing:• Heavy sweating• Paleness• Muscle cramps• Tiredness• Weakness• Dizziness• Headache• Nausea or vomiting• Fainting

The warning signs of heat stroke vary but may include the following:•An extremely high body temperature (above 103°F)• Red, hot, and dry skin (no sweating)• Rapid, strong pulse• Throbbing headache• Dizziness• Nausea• Confusion• Unconsciousness

It’s Still HOT (continued)

I was going to write an article about the rules of the matrix for RCAs, but after the multiple phone calls that I have re-ceived in regards to the language of the

new contract and oth-er issues, I changed my topic. Those of you that

know me understand how emotional I get when it comes to our rights, our job, and taking the time to understand and educate our craft members. What I don’t understand is why more mem-bers refuse to take the time to attend state or local district meetings or utilize the NRLCA website to educate themselves in regards to what is fact or fiction in regards to our rights, job description, or any other rule or regulation that involves what they do for a living. I have heard too many times from our craft members that “I do not have time to attend meetings. The meeting is too far away for me to travel.” I am not asking for you to dedicate your time as I do. My wife constantly tells me that I am insane for how worked up I get and how much time I put in to educate myself on a daily basis. I tell her that this is my livelihood and I owe it to myself to make sure that I understand my job and my rights! I am asked all the time by new hires and veteran craft members, “what am I paying dues for and where is the

Why should I attend a meeting?money spent?“ What most of our craft members do not understand is that not all of our dues are spent on stewards for grievances. Your union invests a lot of money to hold local meetings, state meetings, and regional conferences for us to come out and air our concerns and get information on the current events, issues, and future develop-ments of our job. Craft members tend to rely on second or third-hand infor-mation that gets passed down to them like the old game show Password. The information is often distorted and incorrect. I am asking you to PLEASE invest at least one day a year to at-tend a local or state meeting to keep informed, voice your opinion and hear first-hand information. I am also ask-ing for you to PLEASE take at least one hour a week to log onto our website,www.NRLCA.org, to see what is new and study the contract. When I started with the USPS in 2005, I relied on the veteran carriers for information. When I finally got in-volved and attended meetings, I could not believe how misinformed I was by those veteran carriers. They did not take the time to attend meetings and separate fact from fiction. I am in no way faulting those carriers, and I owe them a lot for taking me under their wing and training me on how to do my job. What I am saying is that it was sad that they trusted management. They followed management instruc-tions and guidelines that infringed upon their rights and just accepted it. Here is one example: On a very light Tuesday in the summer my Postmaster told us that one of us had to stay after we were done our route to wait for the afternoon truck for express mail and deliver them without any compensa-tion. It was part of our job. We just accepted it without question and it became part of our daily routine. This went on for two years and it came to a stop when I became a local steward and started to attend meetings and educate myself on the rules. PLEASE start taking the time to edu-cate yourself. Stop just accepting what you hear through management or the rumor mill. Take control of your job and livelihood and get involved! The best person to start helping you is YOU. You are the one that has the power to make the decision to educate yourself and get involved! Your job and future may depend upon it.

Dan MatthewsArea StewardExecutive Board


In closing I would like to thank our newest local stewards: James Boggess, Kristy Diggs, Rita Hirschmann, Louis Mintiens, Howard Mozer, Patricia Softchin, Kimberly Trischitti, Mark Ditman, and Michael Ross.The local stewards who have faithfully served the membership: Danica Collins, Christopher Nutter, Tracy Squier, Sharon Williams, Thomas Sarro, Michael Parks, Anna Gibson, Herman Nelke, Adam Turkel, Patricia Ray, Tammy Ventura, Jennifer Graeber, Jaime Riemer, James Saylor, John Sta-pleton, Arvil Prewitt II, Jeanette Hedrick, Jill Zimmerman, Jason Ottaviano, Janice Douglass, Steven Brandenburg, Area Stewards who cover many offices: Karen Breeding, Tonya Cornett, Daniel Matthews, Paul Reagan, Donna Reifsnyder. Assistant District Representatives: Sheryl Coe, William Collins, Margaret Throne, and Temujin Mack.The effort of these individuals help to protect our rights under the National Agreement and provide valuable resources to our members. Please let them know you appreciate their efforts.Should you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me at 609-625-1299.

Mike SwainDistict Rep.

The following is my annual report as the District Representative for the South Jersey and Philadelphia Districts. I assumed this responsibility on November 17, 2012 when the National Steward System was implemented. My efforts included:• Providing local steward trainings, both for enhancement training and new local stewards • Providing articles for the state papers• Attending labor management meetings at the district offices• Attending local, county, district and state association meeting and providing information• Meeting with rural delivery analysis to discuss operational issues.

• Working with the rural street database (rsd) mapping project assisting with the engineered study. • Representing members of the craft at pre-disciplinary interviews.

• Resolving grievances at step 1 and 2. • Appealing grievances denied at Step 1 to Step 2. • Appealing grievances denied at Step 2 to Step 3.

In the area I represent, during the last year, we have processed the following grievances:

Annual Report

7-1-20186-10-2019

IndividualContract

Total

IndividualDiscipline

Total

ClassActionTotal

134

Step 1Open

27131

TotalGrievances

TotalPDIs

326Totals 52

Step 2Open

18 211

Step 1Closed

Step 2Closed

91

Step 3Appeals

13 317

7-1-20176-10-2018

IndividualContract

Total


Total

ClassActionTotal

107

Step 1Open

12115

TotalGrievances

TotalPDIs

274Totals 16

Step 2Open

24 160

Step 1Closed

Step 2Closed

71

Step 3Appeals

15 238

7-1-20166-10-2017

IndividualContract

Total


Total

ClassActionTotal

64

Step 1Open

1786

TotalGrievances

TotalPDIs

135Totals 36

Step 2Open

18 103

Step 1Closed

Step 2Closed

56

Step 3Appeals

2 186

Here are the statistics for the previous two years:


This is my tenth and final annual report as a mem-ber of the NJRLCA State Board. Dur-ing the past year I attended every state board meet-

ing, all three District Election Meetings and the District II

and III picnics. As your president I attended the Eastern States Conference in Atlan-tic City, NJ, April 5-7, 2019, and the NRLCA Legislative Seminar in Wash-ington, DC, May 18-22, 2019. I would like to thank the other elect-ed and appointed board members, the district officers and the entire NJ National Steward System team for the time and energy they put into the running of YOUR UNION. Without the dedication of these members your union couldn’t function. Union membership remains strong. We currently have just fewer than 1600 members. That’s an increase of around 300 since 5/2/2014. I thank everyone involved in recruitment. Anyone can recruit new members. Get Involved – Attend your district meetings and see your dues money in action. At least one District Repre-sentative (DR) or Assistant DR (ADR) attends every meeting to answer your steward questions.Knowledge is Power – Learn ev-erything you can about your job. Read the National and State papers. Under-stand the contract and the PO-603 (the blue book that should be at every carrier’s case.) You must know your rights and protect yourself. Many

JeffMcDonaldPresident

managers have no clue about rural delivery. If you have any comments, con-cerns, questions or ways to improve Your Union please contact me via mail, email or phone. NRLCA Legislative Seminar- May 18-22, 2019 This was my fifth time attending the NRLCA Legislative Seminar in Wash-ington, DC. We spent the first two days preparing for our visits to the offices of our 12 Representatives and two Senators. Paul Swartz, our Director of Govern-mental Affairs, ran a great program covering the current legislative issues which included postal reform, six day delivery, prefunding of Health Ben-efits and maintaining service stan-dards. The guest speakers were all amazing. They covered topics includ-ing: how to address the issues when visiting the legislative offices, under-standing the way congress works, using your 15 minute visit to get your point across, and many more tips to give us the confidence to convey our message in a professional way. Postal Issues are truly nonparti-san. Changes in service standards are greatly affecting rural delivery. The Postal Service continues to try to cut services to the bone and rural

America is really feeling it. First Class Mail is taking three to five days to be delivered in many western states. During our visits to Capitol Hill, Exec-utive Committeeman Mike Logan and I were joined by three fellow NJRLCA carriers. Kudos to them for taking a full day off to experience “Walking the Hill.” They had an extremely long day commuting to DC! (A big thank you to Mike Logan for scheduling the office visits.) We have tremendous support on Postal Issues from our elected of-ficials. Most NJ Congressmen have signed on to support six day delivery and no privatization of the USPS.It was a very enlightening and busy trip. Your PAC dollars are vital to be able to reach out to Congress and tell them our concerns about maintain-ing a strong Postal Service into the future. Please support PAC (Political Action Committee). YOUR UNION dues are not used to lobby Congress! On a personal note: I retired Feb. 1st with 40 years of service in the USPS! One thing I have learned over the years is that the dedication of my fellow union members is amazing. I would truly like to thank everyone who has been a part of my incredible journey.

Kelly Inman listens as NJRLCA President Jeff McDonald (center) explains Rural Carrier issues to a congressional aide during the annual visit to Washington, DC. Congress can do more harm to our jobs and retirement than the Postal Service. With all the “new” Congressmen from NJ this year, the hill visits took on new meaning.

Congressman Albio Sires (D-8) poses with Executive Committeeman Mike Logan, Lynne Trainor and Diane Irrgang during the visits to Capitol Hill.

Annual Report of President Jeff McDonald - 2018-2019


On June 1, 2019, President Jeff McDonald called the convention to order after the NJRLCA Veterans Club advanced the colors. Chaplain Ja-

nine Cowart gave an invocation followed

by introductions. District Representative Mike Swain gave an overview of the grievance activity in our state and introduced the stewards that serve New Jersey. His presentation stressed the role your scanner plays in your daily du-ties. Not using the scanner correctly will affect your pay in the near future. He urged every carrier to do the job correctly and not take short cuts. District Representative Phil Tremper was unable to attend this year’s con-vention. NRLCA Vice President Don Maston spoke at length on the many changes happening to the rural craft . He spoke about the tentative agreement and the ratification meetings sched-ule. He stated we may have a national mail count in Sept. and if we do, it would give us a baseline for when the RRECS (engineered study) will be put in place. The goal is to have all routes in the country mapped, carri-ers trained in how the new pay system will work, and the data now being collected by your scanner will be used to evaluate your route. Maston spoke about the Postal Service wanting to eliminate the high option. No other craft has the abil-ity to work a high or low option. He gave us the stats for our craft, which is growing in both membership and routes. He also spoke about the NSS (National Steward System) and gave the stats on their activities. Maston spoke about the new acad-emy program which will have a better flow, better fit and is being brought up to date. It should be ready by the national convention. Do you know your pin number for lite

Report of the 114th NJRLCA State Conventionblue? Maston said rural carriers have lost a bid on a route because they didn’t have the pin number. He urged all carriers to make sure they have this information and that their senior-ity is correct on the list that must be posted in every office on the rural bul-letin board. The time to question that list is now, not when a route you want goes up for bid. The various convention committees gave preliminary reports. Bruce Ge-nung, Chair of the National Delegate Committee, told us that 1,670 ballots were mailed out, they had to resend ten for address corrections, and only 216 were returned voted. Of those four were invalid. The day concluded with a dinner and a trip to the Cowtown Rodeo. June 2, 2019, started with an invo-cation by Chaplain Janine Cowart. NJRLCA PAC Chair Mike Logan gave a PAC (Political Action Committee) re-port and spoke about the Legislative Seminar that recently took place. The Standing Rules were approved after the close of registration. The final report of the National Del-egate Committee was revealed. Your delegates to the 2019 NRLCA Conven-tion are: 1. Mike Swain 147 2. Margaret Throne 143 3. Kelly Inman 129 4. Joyce Armstrong 122 5. Diane Irrgang 115 6. Jeff McDonald 113 7. Theresa Pratt 112 8. Mike Logan 111 9. Bill Collins 103 10. Geraldine Showack-Pino 97 11. Bonnie Boychuck 96 12. Amanda Pratt 96 13. Yvette Sharp 95 14. Dawn Rodriguez 84 15. Patricia Ray 83 16. Heidi Fuhrmann 82 17. James Aiazzone 75 18. Anthony Previte 70 19. Louis Mintiens 69 Thirteen constitution changes were considered by the delegates. Three were about changes to the NRLCA

Constitution and ten were changes to our state constitution. The three for the national constitution will be considered by the delegates at the national convention. The state changes that were approved will be in bold print in the constitution booklet that will be mailed to every NJRLCA member. Executive Committeeman Mike Lo-gan reported that he had no place to present to the delegates for the 2020 convention. The new state board will be responsible for setting the time and place. The 2017 Member of the Year, Mike Swain, read the letter for the selec-tion of the 2018 Member of the Year. Jeff McDonald was elected to repre-sent NJ as the 2018 recipient. Next on the agenda was the election of the NJRLCA Officers’ for 2019-2020. The position of President had two candidates, Mike Logan, and Dan Veit. Veit was elected your new president, 21-15, with three invalid votes. The position of Vice President had one candidate. Mike Logan was elected your new vice president. The position of Secretary had one candi-date. Kelly Inman was elected your new secretary. The three-year com-mitteeman position had three candi-dates, Dan Matthews, Jim Aiazzone, and Anthony Previte. Dan Matthews was elected to the three-year seat with 22 votes, Aiazzone had eight and Previte had seven with two invalid votes. The two-year seat, opened when Logan moved to vice president, had two candidates, Jim Aiazzone and Anthony Previte. Previte won the seat 22-15. The one year seat, opened when Veit was elected president, had one candidate, Jim Aiazzone. Aiaz-zone is the newest committeeman and chairman of the board. During the balloting, Don Maston gave us more information from the national office. He thanked President McDonald for his leadership in our state. After his last bang of the gavel, Presi-dent McDonald presented the gavel to President Veit. Pura Vita

Diane IrrgangEditor


1969 - The Year Of Peace, Love, Music and “One Small Step”

USPS to issue 50 year anniversary Forever Stamps on July 19,2019

The USPS isn’t sure when it will release the 50 year anniversary Woodstock Forever Stamp, but just like the event, it’s sure to be a big hit.

Apollo 11 Forever Stamp The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) will issue some very special stamps to celebrate the first moon landing 50 years ago.On July 19, 2019 — the day before that historic anniversary — USPS will issue two new "forever stamps" to honor the Apollo 11 landing, which saw astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin descend safely to the surface. Each of the two new stamp designs shows an image representing the Apollo 11 landing. The first is based on Armstrong's iconic photograph of Aldrin — and his own reflection — during one of their moon walks. The other shows a photograph of the moon, with the Apollo 11 landing site marked with a yellow dot. Both stamps were designed by Antonio Alcalá, the art director for USPS. To mark the release, the stamps will be free on July 19 for any visitors to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex's Apollo/Saturn V Center (which requires a short bus ride from the main complex hub) at 11 a.m. EDT. USPS also plans to broadcast live on NASA Television from the Kennedy Space Center and other "remote locations" later in the day. When Apollo 11 launched, USPS had arranged for a stamped envelope to fly with the astronauts, so that they could postmark it on the moon. But Aldrin and Armstrong forgot to do so until after they headed back home, according to a 2013 Space.com article. USPS finally got its "moon mail" during Apollo 15 in August 1971, when Commander David Scott postmarked an envelope during his third and last excursion on the lunar rover. USPS, from a distance of 238,000 miles (383,000 kilometers) away from Scott, issued the same stamps on Earth. This "moon mail" was different from another set of stamps the Apollo 15 crew postmarked without NASA's knowledge. When a dealer began to sell the envelopes, the agency changed its rules about what astronauts could take with them during spaceflights, according to col-lectSPACE.

Woodstock Forever Stamp Oh, the irony! The ultimate counter-culture event of the ’60s is getting in bed with “the man”! On the same day it announced that Marvin Gaye would be the newest addition to its Music Icons series, the U.S. Postal Service revealed that 1969’s Woodstock Music and Art Fair – known to all, simply, as Woodstock, would also be commemorated with a 2019 Forever stamp, in recognition of the festival’s 50th anniversary. From the official November 20, 2018 announcement: “This stamp issuance celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, held in the small farming community of Bethel, New York, in August 1969. It was the most famous rock festival in history and an expression of the youth counterculture of the 1960s.“The stamp art, designed by art director Antonio Alcalá, features the image of the dove from graphic artist Arnold Skolnick’s promotional 1969 poster for the festival along with some of the poster’s words: ‘3 Days of Peace and Music.’ In the stamp art the words are stacked in the background in brilliant colors along with the year 1969, USA, and Forever (the value of the stamp). The white dove stands in the fore-ground.”

1969 NJRLCA Officers President: David Moore; Skillman 1st VP: Jack Smith; Titusville 2nd VP: Wesley Powell; Califon Sec./Treas.: George Bishop; Paulsboro Executive Board : Wm Carll; Bridgeton Joseph Urban; Wrightstown Albert Davenport; Branchville Clifford Perrine; Trenton Eugene Grace; Hackettstown Chaplain: Lamonte Dye; Titusville Provident Guild: Herbert Mimler; Linwood


Statement Financial Position May 1, 2019

ASSETS Current Assets Checking/SavingsAPCU Checking Account-20 17,325.33APCU Share Savings Account-01 . . 4,680.99Certificate of Deposit-71 . . . . . . . . . . . 15,762.56Certificate of Deposit-74 . . . . . . . . . . . 15,709.56Certificate of Deposit-75 . . . . . . . . . . . 15,694.77Certificate of Deposit-77 . . . . . . . . . . . 15,725.54Certificate of Deposit-82 . . . . . . . . . . . 15,453.52Certificate of Deposit-84 . . . . . . . . . . . 15,400.54Certificate of Deposit-85 . . . . . . . . . . . 14,858.33Certificate of Deposit -86 . 14.871.69Certificate of Deposit -87 . . . . . . . . . . 14,865.20 Certificate of Deposit-89 . . . . . . . . . . . 10,030.59Certificate of Deposit -90 . . . . . . . . . . . 5,671.51Certificate of Deposit -91 . . . . . . . . . . . 5,694.24Certificate of Deposit -92 . . . . . . . . . . . . .10,000Certificate of Deposit -93 . . . . . . . . . . . 4,848.14Total Checking/Saving . . . . . . . . . . . 196,592.51

Total Current Assets 196,592.51

LIABILITIES & EQUITY Total Current Liabilities 4,554.85 Total Equity 192,037.66

TOTAL LIABILITIES & EQUITY 196,592.51

Balance Sheet

INCOME July 1, 2018- June 30, 2019 Budget % of Budget Incentive Income 4,495.00 2,500.00 179.8% Membership Dues 83,582.18 95,386.00 87.63%

Interest/Dividends 2,743.61 2,200.00 124.71%National General Insurance 17,734.02 18,500.00 95.86%Reimbursements 927.49 0.00 100%Sales 369.00 0.00 1005Total Income 109,851.30 118,586.00 92.63%

EXPENSE Accounting Fees 2,530.00 4,700.00 53.83%Awards and Recognition 503.52 350.00 143.86%Education and Training 3,915.54 2,400.00 163.15%Equipment Purchases 0.0 500.00 0%

Equipment Rent 1,390.54 1,400.00 99.32%Insurance Expense 888.00 1,000.00 88.8%Miscellaneous Expenses 107.30 0.00 100%National Convention 28,169.34 26,000.00 108.34% Office Expense- Supplies 3,183.18 3,000.00 106.11%Office Rent 3,000.00. 3,000 100%Payroll Expenses 110.92 600.00 18.49%Payroll Taxes 3,440.61 4,000.00 86.02% Per Capita Dues 6,966.24 8,000.00 87.05%Postage 1,842.91 2,260.00 81.55%Printing 721.23 2,300.00 31.36%Regional Conference - ESC 4,576.27 5,000.00 91.53%Salaries 37,152.58 39,600.00 93.82%State Meetings 10,079.91 17,300.00 58.27%State Paper 16,577.90 14,725.00 112.58%Travel 7,744.48 6,900.00 94.26%Total Expense 132,900.42 143,038.00 92.91%Net Income ___________________ -33,642.41 - 24,452.00 137.59%

Profit & Loss

Best Dates to Retire The dates shown in the table below were determined based on OPM’s 2019, 2020 and 2021 leave year calendars used by the Postal Service. Retiring on these dates will maximize your annual and sick days. You can retire on any day of the year, but these particular days will put your earned leave money in your pocket. Employees are encouraged to verify all information regarding retirement planning with the postal service HR Dept. available on www.liteblue.gov.

Calander Leave Year: Beginning Date Best Days to Retire: Best Days to Retire Year to Ending Date CSRS/CSRS Offset FERS/ “Trans” FERS

2019 1/6/19 to 1/4/20 Jan. 3, Feb.2, Mar.2, Mar. 30 Mar. 30, Aug. 31, (26 pay periods) Aug. 3, Aug.31, Sept.28 Sept. 28, Dec. 31 2020 1/5/20 to 1/3/21 Jan. 3, Feb.1, Feb.29, Feb.29, Mar.28, (26 pay periods) Mar.28, Aug.1, Aug.29 Aug.29, Dec.31 2021 1/4/21 to 1/2/22 Jan.2, Jan.30,Feb.27, July 3, Jan.30, Feb.27, July 31, (26pay periods) July 31, Aug.28 Aug.28, Dec.31

CONGRATS TORETIREES

Erik S. ChristensenDover

Eileen M. DeBiaseHammonton

Jesus E. RosalesMontville

Enjoy the next mail box of your life!

RECENTLY DECEASED

Francis DonnellyRETIRED

Robert HynesRETIRED

“UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN”

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS


Kenneth CorderoRCA - VernonJoshua CreekmurARC - PhillipsburgMatthew GroupRCA - SomersetMelanie KownackyRCA - FrenchtownKatarzyna KvietkauskasRCA - HamptonIrene LandoRCA- Oak RidgeShiju MatthewsRCA- Monroe TownshipMiriam MedinaRCA - FlandersManda PerroneRCA - LafayetteVincent RomanoRCA -FreeholdTimothy SalinadoRCA -LafayetteOctavia SmithRCA - HillsboroughJohn AndersonARC - DoverJoshua BishopRCA - Lake HopatcongJames DyerRCA - Whitehouse StationChristina FasanellaRCA - TrentonMichael Grace Jr.RCA - NewtonLinda HendersonRCA - WarrenAnna RigaliRCA - SussexRalph ScovilleRCA - SuccasunnaMegan TraskRCA - VinelandLeo VogrinARC - Whitehouse StationFelix MojicaRCA - PrincetonJennifer SengstackRCA - Toms RiverTanisha Carney-WatertoRCA - ClementonSarah ColihanRCA - Cape May CourthouseAllen Hendricks Jr.RCA - FlemingtonRobyn LombardiRCA - JacksonRoberto Persichiili Jr.RCA - BurlingtonPaul RichardsRCA - AtcoBriana SamplesRCA - Burlington

Mukeshkumar DarjiRCA - BurlingtonTabitha DavisRCA - ElmerTaria HarmonRCA- Cape May Court HouseLeticia KimbrelRCA - BurlingtonMarc McGillRCA - Cape May Court HouseSamuel PiermanRCA - SwedesboroHansel Gonzales IIIRCA - TrentonChristopher GuzmanRCA - JacksonChristine MastersonRCA - SwedesboroShannon McCarthyRCA - Cape May Court HouseRon MunsonRCA - TrentonTimothy SlatonRCA -SewellJames TransueRCA - SwedesboroHarold Wyckoff Jr.RCA - SewellDebora GreeneRCA - TrentonJameelan Lewis

as well as changes coming to the Rural Academies. All three Districts held their elec-tions after ESC. I was fortunate to have attended each one, meeting new people and hearing new con-cerns. Each District elected some new faces to Leadership positions. It is always refreshing to see dif-ferent people getting involved. The more people are involved, the better they will be informed creating a stronger Union. Our annual "Walk the Hill" day was held on Tuesday May 21. Each year we do our best to make appoint-ments with all 12 of our Congress-men as well as both of our Senators. Because Vice President Armstrong was unable to attend, I was asked to take her place. Trying to sched-ule appointments with 14 different

members of Congress proved to be quite challenging. We were able to meet with the Legislative Directors of ten Congressman and one Senator and we were able to sit down with Albio Sires D (NJ-8) as well as Chris Smith R (NJ-4). The week began with meetings on both Sunday and Monday to review the vari-ous issues presently being discussed in Congress. Our mission was to educate our Repre-sentatives and ask that they co-sponsor various resolutions, including 6 day de-livery, service standards, privatization and allowing the USPS to ship alcohol. This has been an exciting and remark-able year for me, personally, as well as for the Postal Service. I am looking for-ward to continuing to share information with you, in whatever capacity available to me.

(Continued from page 6)End of the Year - Logan

Congraulations to the $200 Membership Award winner

Donna Delia - Regular @ SussexEvery Member Counts!

PRST STDU.S. POSTAGE

P A I DPERMIT #309VINELAND, NJ

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The Garden StateRural Carrier

DATE REMINDER

7/21/19 .......................Radification Meeting7/26/19 .............................................. Payday7/30/19 ..............District III Night at Phillies8/9/19 ................................................ Payday8/23/19 .............................................. Payday9/1/19 .................................. Paper Deadline9/2/19 ............................................Labor Day9/6/19 ................................................ Payday9/6/19 ............................ District I Pig Roast9/15/19 .............................. District III Picnic9/20/19 .............................................. Payday9/22/19 ............................... District II Picnic10/14/19 ................................ Columbus Day10/20/19 ..... Board Meeting before booster10/20/19 ..............Booster Meeting (South)10/27/19 ............... Booster Meeting (North)11/1/19 .................. Devils VS Flyers Hockey 1/23/20 ....................... State Board Meeting4/16/20 ....................... State Board Meeting6/5/20 .....State Board Meeting - Mt. Laurel

State Convention

6/5-6/7/20 ..................Hotel ML - Mt. Laurel

Eastern States

3/27-29/2020 ........................ Grantville, PA

National Conventions

Grapevine, TX ............................. 8/13-16/19Spokane, WA .............................. 8/18-21/20Orlando, FL ..................................8/17-20/21Washington DC .......................... 8/16-19/22 Grand Rapids, MI ....................... 8/15-18/23Reno, NV ..................................... 8/27-30/24

Unless otherwise noted, State Board Meetings will be at the Holiday Inn, 111 Main St. Clinton.

They start at 9 AM

PIG ROAST - $10/Person Come One - Come All - Regulars-RCAs-ARCs- Family

Friday Sept 6, 2019 4 PM until MidnightServing dinner starts 5:30 PM

Upper Greenwood Lake Ambulance Corp814 Warwick Turnpike Hewitt, NJ

Hosted by District 1 - all Districts are welcomeSend check to : NJRLCA District 1

c/o James Aiazzone - District 1 SecretaryPO Box 278 Hewitt, NJ 07421

Seating is limited - Reserve Early!

Bring your family and friends to come to see the Devils play the Flyers on Friday, Nov. 1st at 7p.m. The Devils are home at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. Seating will be together in the 100 section.

Ticket prices online are out of this world. Get them with us for $75 each. You can RSVP now to Kelly Inman but must pay by October 1st to secure your tickets. RSVP: email [email protected], text or call 201-230-4060, tell me the number of tickets you will be needing. Send checks or money orders to NJRLCA, 95 W. Main St. 5-156, Chester, NJ 07930 by October 1st.

Documents

The Garden State Rural Carrier - img1.wsimg.com