By Tony Carobine, President Did you ever find yourself, as editor,pondering this question; what should Iwriteaboutforthenextissueofthepaper?Nomatterhowhardyoutry,youcan’tcomeupwithatopicthatyouthinkisworthyofspendingtimetodevelop into an article. I’msureallofuscouldadmit tobeinginthatframeofmindatonetimeoranother.Butwhenyouthinkaboutit,weshouldnever suffer from a lack ofsubjectmatter to address inourpublications. Fromour union or postalservice to the communities inwhichwelive,thereisalwayssomethingnewsworthyhappening that could be addressed in thevariousformsofwritingavailabletousaseditors. Today,oneofthemostneglectedformsofwritinginorganizationalpublicationsistheeditorial,whereintheeditorexpresseshisorherpersonalviews.Everyoneofushasanopiniononjustabouteverysubject. Intoday’sworldthereareeventshappeningonadailybasisthataffectusapostalworkers,consumersandcitizens,nottomentionourfamiliesaswell.Whynotdelveintosomeoftheseimportanthappeningsonaregularbasis by addressing them in the form ofeditorialsinyourpublication? By doing so youmay just generatediscussionon important issues of thedayand promptmembers to participate byexpressing their opinions in the form ofLetters to theEditor.Discussion on suchissues, whatever theymay be, projects“life”inanorganizationandmayverywellincreasereadershipofthepaper. Editorials should contain logicalarguments thatare reasonableandhonest.

What should I write about?May-June, 2017Volume 49, Issue 3

NewsletterPostalPressAMERICAN POSTAL WORKERS UNION NATIONAL POSTAL PRESS ASSOCIATION

Usinganalogiesandhumorcanalsomakeaneditorialmoreeffective.Awell-written,thought-provoking editorial is an asset

as it will work to increase the statureand credibility of a publication and theorganizationitservesasaresult. Opinion/editorial columns should, ofcourse,belabeledassuchwiththewriter’sbylinetoensurethereaderunderstandsthesearethepersonalviewsofthewriter.

Include the members When considering the inclusion ofopinions in the paper, we should notoverlook opportunities to include theopinionsofourmembers.Peopleliketoreadabout people; themselvesfirst and otherssecond. In this regard, consider a columnin each issuewhereby randomly selectedmembersareaskedthesamequestiononaparticular subject. Publish their responses(andifpossible,aphotoofeachmember).Thetopicsforsuchquestionsareendless;fromunion issues tomanagement actionstocommunityandnationalissues.

Plan ahead Insteadofwaitinguntil it’s timetoputthepapertogether,trytogetintothehabitofalwaysbeingonthelookoutforsubjectmatter for editorial andmember opinioncolumns.Indoingso,youwillhavetimetoformulateyourthoughtsanddecideonwhatyouwanttosay,thereforemakingyourtaskmucheasier.

The Meadows Events & Conference Center at Prairie Meadows Hotel, Racetrack & Casino site of the PPA Conference on August 3-5. Preceding the conference will be a full day of workshops on Wednesday, August 2. See pages 4-5 for more information and a registration form.

August Biennial PPA Conference —Make your reservations now!

Buy your insurance policy now!Page 2 Postal Press Newsletter May-June, 2017

Avoid the charge of libel

By Edward J. Brennan,Secretary-Treasurer InAugust,theAmericanPostalWorkersUnion National Postal Press Associationwill hold its biennial conference in Al-toona,Iowa.ThiseventwillbringtogethermanyAPWUcommunicatorsfromaroundthecountrywhohavevaryinglevelsofex-periencewithpublishingunionnewslettersfromtheseasonededitortotheneweditor.However,someofoureditorswillremainathomeforonereasonoranotherandourentire union could suffer great harm be-causeofit. Oureditorsareamajorlinkintheedu-cational chain of our union.They are thelifeline between the union leadership andthe rank and file members. They are theguardians of the written word. They aretheprotectorsofgoodjournalismandfairand honest reporting. They are the voiceof local and state organizations.They arethevoiceofthememberswhomtheyrep-resent. They are the protectors of propergrammar,freedomofthepressandthele-galitiesofjournalismwhichrelatetopostalunion publications. They should be thetrained editors which our union needs sobadlyduringthesetryingtimes. Every local or state organization should find some way to finance the edu-cation of their editor through the Postal Press Asso ciation. The PPA conference is only held every two years and is a long-

standing educational event in our union going back to 1967! Aseditorsweshould takepride inourpositions andhave the desire to put forthourbesteffortsinperformingthedutiesofediting.We should learn the necessity ofobtaininginstructioninboththefundamen-talmechanics of editing a newsletter andalsothelegalaspectsofthosethingsthatgointothatpublication. Additionally, the PPA conference is not just for the education of editors. Com-municating with the membership is also the responsibility of every representa-tive of our union. Therefore, workshops presented at the conference are not only geared towards helping editors, buts also helping all union representatives improve their communication skills. ThePPAconferenceis just likemoneyin thebank for our union.Everythingweneedtoknowtobecomemoreknowledge-ablecommunicatorsisthereforthetaking.Allwehavetodoisbethereandbeapartoftheconference.Itisaninsurancepolicyfor our local, state, and national union inthat the knowledge gained at the confer-ence could insure the education of ourmembership. It could insure the additionof members. It could rally our membersaroundournationalunion.Itcould insureusfromlawsuitsorelectionviolations.Dowehaveadequatecoverage?PlantoattendthePPAconference.Protectyourselves!

APWU National PostalPress Association

PO Box 888Iron Mountain MI 49801

Phone/Fax: 906-774-9599E-mail: ppa@apwupostalpress.org

Website: www.apwupostalpress.org

Statement of purpose: Published by theAmerican PostalWorkers UnionNational Postal PressAssociation,thePPA Newsletter is an educationaltool designed to assist PPAmemberswith the performance of their duties ascommunicatorsandtohelppromotethegoalsandobjectivesoftheAPWU.

This publication is 100% union printer produced: Union typeset, Union layout, Union printed.

Advisory CouncilAnthony “Tony” CarobinePresidentPO Box 888Iron Mountain MI 49801

Edward BrennanSecretary-TreasurerPO Box 451Saint Charles MO 63302

Jenny GustEditor-at-Large30630 Drouillard Road #76Walbridge OH 43465

Lance ColesEditor-at-LargePO Box 539Des Moines IA 50302

Cathy HansonEditor-at-Large1234 4th Street NEMinneapolis MN 55413

Diane NorthEditor-at-Large1421 SW 110 WayDavie FL 33324

Hank GreenbergHonorary Member2800 Black Oak DriveRocklin CA 95765

Youcanalwaysbesued.Thesuitmaynotprevailagainstyoubecausethepersonsuingmaynotwanttopursueitanyfurther,orthesuithasnomerit,butyoucanstillbesued.Therefore,it’sbesttobecarefulwithcontroversialsubjects. There is a rule ofthumb:“whenindoubt–leaveitout,”butthisisnotalwaystheproperroute. If you think, how-ever, that running a certainphoto, article, cartoon, or piecewillbringouttheworstinsomeone,strongenoughforthemtowanttosueyouoryourlocal,maybeyoushouldn’trunit.

Yourlocalcanberuinedbyalargelibelsuit. So could you.You don’twant your

localtodisappearjustbecauseofthenewsletter youwork hard to

produce. Unsureofwhetherornotanarticleislibelousorinappropriate?YourPostal PressAssocia-tion can help. Uponrequest,(if thematerial

hasnotalreadybeenpub-lished) thePPAwillprovide

aconfidential reviewandofferanopinion.Over the years this service hashelped to avoidmany potentially costlylawsuits.

May-June, 2017 Postal Press Newsletter Page 3

Tried anything new lately?By Jenny L. Gust,Editor-at-Large Suppose someonehandedyou a stackof PPA publications including your ownpaper. After reading the papers wouldthecontentofyourpaper rise to the top,hoverinthemiddleorsinktothebottom?Reading other publications can help youimprovewhatyouaredoing.Youwillseewhatworksandlooksgood.Youwillalsoseewhatdoesn’twork! If you are looking to change it up abit here are some ideas to help. Photosof your members/officers help to put afacewithaname.Tryaninterviewwithsomeone–get theirpointofviewanda

phototogowithit.Doasurveyofyourmembers – see what is on their mindsand/orwhat theywant to see in the pa-

per.Trytofindsomeoneorafewpeopletodraworworkupacartoonortwo.Weneedasenseofhumor!Ifyoufindanart-

istmaybe theycould redo thebannerofyourpaper. Every chanceyouget be sure topub-licize the victories – grievancewins, ar-bitrationwins, even things that arefixedbeforegoing through the steps– thatweall know can take forever in the system.Letthemembersknow–heywearefight-ingandwearewinning! Notices of meetings – when, where,time,andagenda.Reportonlastmonth’smeeting and what happened. Work onyourofficers,evenstewards,towritearti-clesforthepaper.Justtellthemitdoesn’thave tobeaPulitzerPrizewinner– justwrite like you are talking to someone.Writeabout futureevents–picnics,con-ventions,parties,LaborDaywalks,holi-dayevents,charityevents,etc. Legislativeandpoliticalnewsandhowit couldaffect their jobs.Let themknowwhatthenationalandstateAPWUaredo-ingontheirbehalf.Checkoutthewebsitesof thenationalandyourstatebeforeyoupublish.Theygenerallyhavelotsofinfor-mationavailableforyoutouse. Is someone in your local interested inhealthandsafety?Maybetheycouldwriteupsomethingonceinawhile.Also,peoplelovetohearaboutothermembers–birth-days, anniversary, births, grandchildren,memberswhoareillorhadsurgery.Showrespect for members/retirees who havepassedaway–putcondolences in thepa-per.Try to keep retirees in the loop also.You might find one who would love towriteaboutwhattheyaredoingnow.Haveamemberorstewardofthemonth.HaveanAsk theEditorcolumnforquestionscon-cerning the contract andgrievanceproce-dureandwhatyourrightsare. Last but not least, you can check outtheAPWU PPA website! There you willfind lots of union history, profiles, fillersforyournewsletter–allkindsofgoodies.There isnowayyouwillhaveanyblankspaceeveragainifyoucheckitout! Beproudofyourpaper!Maketheefforttohaveitrisetothetop! P. S. Hope to see you at the PPA con-ference. It’s going to be great! Wonder-ful, informative workshops, Awards Banquet, Friday Night at the Movies, and Joan Walsh will be the Keynote Speaker. You really don’t want to miss it!

Are you part of the SOLUTION or part of the PROBLEM?By Hank Greenberg, Honorary MemberPPA Advisory Council There’sa lotof talk todayaboutunionmembershipandthedirectionit’sgoing.Itseemslikeeveryonehastheanswer–andnoonehastheanswer.Let’sreviewsomeoftheproblemsinhopesthatyoucancomeupwithsomeofthesolutions. Everyone’sfallguyis“apathy.”Wecanall agree that apathy is amajor problemandpossiblythebiggestproblem.Butjustsaying“apathy”isnotgoingtomakeitgoaway. Instead,ask thememberswhy theyareapathetic;whytheydon’tcare;whytheyaren’tinterested? Youcangointoanypostofficeandfindmemberswhoaremoreexcitedabout lastSunday’ssportingeventthenwhattheunionisdoingtoprotecttheirjob.Hey!It’syourjobwe’retalkingabout!When“thegame”isover,youstillhaveamortgagetopayandafamilytoprovidefor. Therewasatimewhenjustoneemployeeoroneofficehadaproblemandpostalwork-ersalloverthecountryroseupinprotest.Unfortunatelytodaywefindpeoplesaying,“hey,it’snotmyofficesoit’snotmyprob-lem.”Forgiveme,butIthinkit’severyone’sproblem. It’sageneralattitudeinsocietytodayandunfortunatelytimeisrunningout;weneedtodoeverythingpossible toget everyone

tofocusontheissueswefaceinthePostalService. Drawupa listofquestionsandsurveythemembers.Putthequestionnaireinyourpaper.Give them enough space to vent.Membersdon’thavetosignit.Wemightfindthat“our”issuesarenotnecessarily“their”issues.Ifthisistrue,thenthiswillshowwehavenotbeenlisteningtoourmembers. Almost 60 years ago I beganmy ca-reeraseditorof theMiamilocalpaper.Ibelievedthen,andIbelievenow,thatthelocalunionnewspaper is thesinglemostimportantvehicletoeducatethemembersandmotivatethemembers.ArticlesaboutMembers–andtheiropinions,givethemasenseofbelonging. Ifyourlocaldoesnothaveapaper(orpublishoneona regularbasis), don’tbesurprised if yourmembers do not knowwhat’sgoingonandbelieveeveryrumorthey hear.You will always hear moredissatisfaction from peoplewho are un-informed….Your union newspaper is theLAST thing yourmembers need – andalsotheFIRSTthingyourmembersneed,becauseyourunionnewspaperisarumorkiller. FindoutaboutthisandmuchmoreattheupcomingPPANationalConference. It’sworthyourtime–andyourmemberswillbenefitfromtheknowledgeyougain.

Page 4 Postal Press Newsletter May-June, 2017

Plansaresetforthe2017biennialcon-ference of theAmerican PostalWorkersUnionNational Postal PressAssociation(PPA).Established in 1967, this event ispart of the PPA’smission; helping com-municators fulfill their responsibilitiesofinformingandenergizingthemembershipofourgreatunion. The intensive four-day program con-sists of eleven workshops that will behelpfultoallwhoattend;fromnovicetoexperienced,tolocalorstateorganizationsinterested in establishing, or enhancingacommunicationsprogramforitsmem-bership.Alsofeaturedwillbethreegen-eralsessions,alongwithfournetworkingevents. Heldeverytwoyears,thePPAConfer-ence is not just for editors. Regardlessof the office held in our union, learningabout communication as ameans to bet-terrepresentthemembershipshouldbeapartofeveryrepresentative’seducationaldevelopment. With postal workers facing constantchallenges, it is especially important tohaveanactive,supportiveandunitedmem-bership.Inthisregard,weshouldconsiderthevalueofmaintainingapresencewithourmembersand inourcommunitiesbytheregularuseofeffectivecommunicationmediums;suchasnewsletters,socialmediaandbycommunicatingthroughotherpublicforumsaswell. This event is an opportunity to learnmore about communication – a valuableactivity that can influence not only themembershipbut also everyone the unionneeds to reach in order to promote andprotect the interests ofAPWUmembersandtheirfamilies. The conference will be held at TheMeadows Events&Conference Centerat PrairieMeadowsHotel, Racetrack&CasinoAltoona,Iowa.Aguestroomrateof$129.00perdayforkingordoublequeenoccupancywill be in effect throughoutthe conference, in addition to three daysbefore and three days after the actualmeetingdates.Currenttaxrateis12%.Tomake room reservations, please visit thePPAwebsite,www.apwupostalpress.orgorcall1-800-325-9015usinggroupcode08022017APW.PrairieMeadowswillpro-videfreeshuttleservicefromDesMoines

InternationalAirport, complimentary In-ternetaccessandnochargeforparkingavehicle.

PRE-CONFERENCEWORKSHOPS

Wednesday, August 2

(A) Starting from Scratch

Thissessionisprimarilyforindividualsnewtoeditingaunionpublicationandforlocal or state organizations interested inestablishing or reestablishing a publica-tion for theirmembers. Includedwill beanoverviewofthereasonsanorganizationneedstocommunicateandtheABC’sofhowtogetstarted.Withanextensiverecordofinvolvementinlaborcommunications,theworkshop leaderswill share their experi-enceswithparticipants.

(B) Communicating to Win:Case Studies of Effective Communication in Recent Struggles and Victories

Howareworkers stillwinning againsttheodds,sometimesinthefaceofdauntingchallenges?Thisworkshopwill introduceselectedcasestudiesofrecentstrugglesinwhichunionsusedhighlyeffectiveinternaland external communication strategies tohelpachievebargaininggoalsorkeypolicychanges.Wewillanalyzerealexamplesfromcontractandissuecampaignsandaskwhatlessonswecanlearnandapplytoourowncontexts.

(C) Legal Issues: Who Paysfor What I Say?

Whodoes a union publication belongto?Dolibelandcopyrightlawsaffectyourfreedomofspeechandfreedomofthepress?Whatarethebenefitsofestablishinganedi-torialpolicy?Howdounionelectionlawsapplytounionpublicationsandwebsites?Legal Issues: Who Pays for What I Say? willaddressthesequestionsandotherswithapresentationontheissuesofeditorialpoli-cies,responsiblejournalism,libel,copyrightandunionelections.

CONFERENCEWORKSHOPS

Thursday, August 3 – Saturday, August 5

(D) Your Message and the Media,Improving Your Union’s Image

Publicsupportcanhelpanorganizationachieve its objectives.Your Message and the Media, Improving Your Union’s Image willhelpyoubuildapositivepublicimageforyourlocalorstateunionbylookingat:Howtopublicizeyourunion’scontributionstothecommunity;ideasforregularlymak-ingtheunionvisibletothepublicandwhyseekingmedia coverageonly topublicizethe union’s problems couldbedisastrous.Also discussedwill be the preparationofpressreleases,developingmediacontacts,interviews,andothertacticstousefores-tablishing andmaintaining a positive andprogressivepublicimage.

(E) Re-designing Your Publication

Isyournewsletterin-tunewiththetimes,orisitarelic?Thisworkshopwillhelpyoumodernizeyourpaper,transformingitintoapowerfulinstrumentthatcommandsat-tention.Learndesigntechniquesthatwillcapture the reader’s interest in the firstfewseconds;improvesixkeyelementsofyournewsletter:format,nameplate,mast-head,pagelayout,typechoices,andpaperselection; discoverways to use photos,headlines, outquotes, borders, rules andotherelementsformaximumimpact.Re-designing Your Publicationwill provideyouwiththespecific“how-to’s”forpropel-lingyournewslettertoanewlevelofqual-ityandeffectiveness.(Note: Participants should bring a copy of their publication to this workshop.)

(F) Labor Communicators –Linking the Past to the Present

Thisworkshopwillexploretherelevanceoflaborhistorytotoday’slabormovement.Byexamininghowourpredecessorsbuiltandmaintained effective unions,we canlearnwhat strategies and tacticsmight

Plans set for August Biennial PPA Conferencebe useful today.As the labormovementincreasinglybecomescomprisedofanewgeneration ofmembers, it’s important topassonthelessonsthatthefoundersofourunions learned sowell themselves.Thissessionwill help communicators educatetheirreadersaboutthepurposeofunions,inspirethemtoincreasetheirinvolvementandencouragethemtofaceuptotheissuesthatlieahead.

(G) Writing and Editing forthe Union Communicator

Atthisvaluablehands-onsession,youwilllearntheelementsofwritingandedit-ing.Youwillbetakenthroughahostofex-ercisestohelpyouwriteinspiringeditori-als,powerfulnewsstories,attention-gettingfeatures,headlinesthatscream“ReadMe”andmore.Thisworkshop is amust foranyonethatcommunicateswiththemem-bership through thewrittenword. (Note: The length of this workshop requires using two workshop choices. Therefore only make three workshop selections on the registration form if attending this workshop.)

(H) Communications for MemberInvolvement and Union Building

In today’smulti-media environment,unioneditorshavetheopportunitytomaketheirpublicationsthecenterpieceofastra-tegic communications system that buildsa stronger union.This highly interactiveworkshopwillwalkthroughthestepsofas-sessingyourlocal’scommunicationsneedsandcapacity,analyzingwhatmessagesandmediabestmotivatemembers,consideringprosandconsofprint,electronic,andface-to-faceformats,developingadistribution/communications network that reaches allmembers,andintegratingthenewsletterintoanoverallcommunicationsplan.

(I) Using ElectronicCommunication toBoost Your Message

To tweet or not to tweet?That is thequestion–indeedoneofmanyquestions

May-June, 2017 Postal Press Newsletter Page 5

Plans set for August Biennial PPA Conference2017 PPA Conference Registration FormName:______________________________________________________________________________

Title:________________________________________________________________________________

Publication:________________________________________________________________________

Local or State Organization:__________________________________________________________

Address:____________________________________________________________________________

City:________________________________________________________________________________

State:_________________________ Zip:________________________________________________

Registration Fee: (PPA Members): $160.00 After July 5: $200.00 Non-PPA Members: $225.00The registration fee includes workshops, dinner, refreshment breaks, and Awards Banquet. (Note: The registration fee is all-inclusive and must be paid in full prior to the close of registration.)

Pre-conference SessionWednesday, August 2

Please select two of the three half-day workshops (A-C). Walk-ins are not permitted.

____ (A) ____ (B) ____ (C)

Conference Workshops Thursday, August 3 – Saturday, August 5You must register for these workshops in advance by selecting four of the workshops and your alternative choices by using the letter next to the workshop description (D-K). Note: The length of Workshop G (Writing & Editing for the Union Communicator) requires using two workshop choices. Therefore only make three workshop selections if attending this workshop. Assignments will be made on a first-registered-first-served basis. Class size is limited. Walk-ins are not permitted.

____ First Choice ____ Second Choice ____ Third Choice ____ Fourth Choice

____ Alternative Choice 1 ____Alternative Choice 2

Please make your check payable to APWU National Postal Press Association and mail it along with this registration form to: APWU National Postal Press Association PO Box 888 Iron Mountain MI 49801

be useful today.As the labormovementincreasinglybecomescomprisedofanewgeneration ofmembers, it’s important topassonthelessonsthatthefoundersofourunions learned sowell themselves.Thissessionwill help communicators educatetheirreadersaboutthepurposeofunions,inspirethemtoincreasetheirinvolvementandencouragethemtofaceuptotheissuesthatlieahead.

(G) Writing and Editing forthe Union Communicator

Atthisvaluablehands-onsession,youwilllearntheelementsofwritingandedit-ing.Youwillbetakenthroughahostofex-ercisestohelpyouwriteinspiringeditori-als,powerfulnewsstories,attention-gettingfeatures,headlinesthatscream“ReadMe”andmore.Thisworkshop is amust foranyonethatcommunicateswiththemem-bership through thewrittenword. (Note: The length of this workshop requires using two workshop choices. Therefore only make three workshop selections on the registration form if attending this workshop.)

(H) Communications for MemberInvolvement and Union Building

In today’smulti-media environment,unioneditorshavetheopportunitytomaketheirpublicationsthecenterpieceofastra-tegic communications system that buildsa stronger union.This highly interactiveworkshopwillwalkthroughthestepsofas-sessingyourlocal’scommunicationsneedsandcapacity,analyzingwhatmessagesandmediabestmotivatemembers,consideringprosandconsofprint,electronic,andface-to-faceformats,developingadistribution/communications network that reaches allmembers,andintegratingthenewsletterintoanoverallcommunicationsplan.

(I) Using ElectronicCommunication toBoost Your Message

To tweet or not to tweet?That is thequestion–indeedoneofmanyquestions

– that union communicators face today.This fast-pacedworkshopwill examinewhenandhowelectroniccommunicationcanbroadenthereachofyourprintpubli-cationandreinforceimportantmessages,as well as how to recognize situationswhere electronic communicationmightnotbetherightchoice.Thenwe’lldelveinto“dosanddon’ts”ofmembercommu-nicationviae-mail,masstext,andsocialmediaplatforms,andtipsforestablishingor improving your local union’s on-linepresence.

(J) Public Speaking: Becomingan Effective Spokesperson

Towinatthemediagametherearetwoprinciples you need tomaster.Youmustdevelopa focusedmessageandyoumustdeliveryourmessageinabelievableway.This principle, alongwith otherswill beexaminedatthisworkshop,includingtacticsforgettingourmessageacross, regardlessof the questions askedorwhether the in-terviewisontelevision,radio,orinprint.Partofthishands-onworkshopwillincludea role playing exercisewhereby someoftheparticipantsarevideotapedinanactualinterview situation and critiqued on theirpresentation.

(K) Photojournalism:Capturing Visual Imagesof Your Union

This interactive sessionwill examinethebenefitsofincludingthemembershipandactivitiesoftheunioninyourpublica-tion,websiteandFacebookpagethroughthe art of photojournalism. Learn theprocessofproperimagetaking;propellingyoubeyondthetraditional“grip-and-grin”photographs to capturing eye catchingimageslikeapro!Wewillalsocoverthepropercareofyourcameraequipmentandshooting technique.A portion of thisworkshopwillalsoincludea“fieldtrip”wherebyattendeeswilltakephotosforaclassroom critique.Yes, youwill get tocritiquetheinstructortoo! (Note: Partici-pants should bring their Point & Shoot, Single-lens Reflex, Digital Single Lens Reflex, or Cell Phone Camera.)

Page 6 Postal Press Newsletter May-June, 2017

Sharpen listening skills Effective listeningcanmakeyoumoreefficientandmoreproductive. Unfortunately,mostpeopleareonly25percenteffectiveaslisteners. Thefollowingtipsandsuggestionscanhelpyoubecomeabetterlistener.

The benefit of listening People willrespectandlikeyoumore

becauseyouhaveshownthatyoucareaboutthemandwhattheyhavetosay. You’ll be better informed, becausewhenyouactivelylisten,youlearnmore. You’ll be better able to get thingsdone, because you’ll understand how tomotivatepeoplewhenyoupayattentiontowhatthey’rereallysaying–andthinking. People will listen towhat you’resayingbecause they realize thatyouhavemadethemfeelimportant–andtheywanttopleaseyou.

What good listeners do Look atthepersonwho’sspeaking. Questionthespeakertoclarifywhat’sbeingsaid. Repeat someofthethingsthespeakersays. Don’t rushthespeaker. Pay closeattentiontowhatthespeakerissaying. Don’tinterruptthespeaker. Don’t change the subject until thespeakerhasfinishedhisorherthoughts.

How to listen better Listen for ideas not just for facts.Whenyou listen only for facts, youmaynotgrasptheideasorthemesofthespeaker.Here are some questions youmight askyourselfwhenlistening: -WhyamIbeingtoldthisinformation? -Whatdoesitleadto? -Ifthat’strue,whatdoesitprove? Judge what the speaker says, nothowitissaid.Don’tletthespeaker’sde-liverygetinthewayofyourunderstandingthemessage.Ignoreanypeculiarmanner-

ismsorspeakingproblemsthespeakermayexhibit. Be optimisticwhenyoulisten.Trytofindsomethingofinterestinthesubjectnomatterhowdryitmayseematfirst.Openyourmindandtrytofindoutwhatattractedthespeakertothesubject. Don’t jump to conclusions.Don’tlistentothebeginningofasentenceandtry

tofill in therest.Waitandkeeplistening.Clearyourheadofyourownideasandlistentothoseofthespeaker. Be a flexible listenerwhen you’retaking notes.Determine as soon as pos-siblehowthespeakerputsforthhisorherideas,andgearyournote-takingstyletothespeaker’sstyle.Example:Askyourself,“Isthespeakerconciseordoesheorshetakeawhiletomakeapoint?” Concentrate. Remain relaxed butattentive.Butdon’tbecometense,oryou’llmakeanydistractionsmore pronounced.Your best bet:Try toremove asmanydis-tractions as possible.One way:Whengoingtomeetingsget thereearlyandsitupfrontwhere there will befewerdistractions. R e m e m b e r thatyoucanthinkatleastfourtimesasfastas someone can talk.Thatmeans that your thoughtswill raceaheadofthespeaker’swords–andyoucanbecomesodetachedthatyou’llhaveahardtimecatchingupwithwhatwassaid.Tostayontrack,trytosummarizewhatwassaid,orinterpretthespeaker’sideas,orevaluatethespeaker’slogic.You’llhavetimetodothesethingsbecauseyourthoughtsmovesoswiftly. Work atlistening.Trytolistenalertlyand enthusiastically.Strive to “be alive.”How: Respond to the speaker by givingfeedback.Examples:Comeupwithanap-

propriatecomment,smileifappropriate,andsummarizewhatthespeakerjustsaid. Keep yourmindopen–andrestrainyouremotions.Don’tbedistractedbystrongwordsthatmayoffendyou.Trainyourselftonotethepresenceofemotionalwords–buttoletthempasswithoutanemotionalreac-tiononyourpart.Workoninterpretingandevaluatingwhatthespeakerissaying. Practice mental exercises.Useeveryopportunitytosharpenyourlisteningskills.Workonyourattitude.Andpractice,prac-tice,practice.

A few more tips Trythesevaluabletipswhichwillhelpyoudeveloprapportwiththespeaker. Accept thespeaker’sfeelings.Showthatyouhaveempathyforthepersonorhisorherproblems. Ask questions to let the speakerknowyouarepayingattentiontohimorher.Peoplerealizeyou’relisteningtothemwhenyouaskaquestion,waitforananswer,andfollowupwitharelatedquestion.

AIM to listenTrythissimpleformulathatwillhelpyou

rememberthreevitallisteningconcepts.It’scalledAIM. A – Attention.Don’tfakepayingat-tention.Ifthepersonisimportantenoughtolistento,thentrytoresistdistractions. I – Interest.Trytomaintaininterestevenifyoudon’tthinkthetopicorpersonisinteresting.Tellyourselfthatthecontentmightproveusefultoyousomeday. M – Motivation. Try tomotivateyourselfbygoingoverallthereasonsyoushouldpayattention.Besuretolistmotivesthatofferyouthegreatestbenefits.

“Unfortunately, most people are only 25 percent effective as listeners.”

May-June, 2017 Postal Press Newsletter Page 7

Editing for brevity and clarity You’ve written a draft document, andyou’re fairly satisfied with your effort.Don’t stop now.Themost important partiseditingyourowncopy.Use these tips to tighten and polish your prose. Purge extraneous words from everyphrase. Weed out any word that addsnothing tomeaning. Example: Change“duringthecourseof”to“during.” Substitute short punchy words forlong,showyones.Examples:Use“try”for “endeavor” and “total” for “aggre-gate.” Avoid vague adjectives. Example:Insteadofwriting,“Wereceivednumer-ousinquiries,”write“Wereceived104in-quiries.”

Powerful anti- procrastination tools Scoresofpeoplehavefoundthese twotipshelpfulindealingwithprocrastination: Use the “five-minute plan.”Everytaskhasafirststep.Commityourselftothefiveor ten minutes it takes to make that firststep,perhapswritingaparagraphormak-ing a phone call.When that’s completed,consider committing to another fivemin-utes for thenext step ... and thenanotherfive.Onceyoustart,momentumwillkeepyougoing. Lighten the pressure. Before you be-gin,promiseyourselfthatyouwillworkontheprojectonlywithin the timeyouhaveavailable that day. By being reasonablewith yourself and your expectations, youstand a far better chance of starting, andthat’susuallythehardestpart.

Laughter really is thebest medicine A hearty chuckle combats stress withphysiological effects: It quickly increasesheart rate and blood pressure.Then thereisasuddenrelaxationperiodwherebloodpressure drops below levels previous tothe laugh; the brainmay then release en-dorphins,which are the stress busterswereleaseduringexercise.Agoodlaughalso

Editor’s toolbox:Helpful ideas for APWU communicators

gives the face,diaphragmandabdomenamusclemassage.Scientistsbelieveitevenincreasesthesaliva’sviruscombatant,im-munoglobulinA. By allowing us to takeamore removedangleonastressful situ-ation, and play up its absurdities, humorturnsourdailydisastersintocomedy.

Break writer’s block You’vebeenaskedtowriteareportonanimportantconferenceyoujustattended.Butthemoreyouwork,themorefrustrat-edyoubecome.Afour-steptechniquecanhelpyouwhenyou’re stymiedbya long,importantwritingassignment.Hereishowitworks: 1.Write down everything thatcomesto mind on the subject. Don’t try to ar-range,evaluateorcensoryourideasatthispoint.Don’tworry about organizingyourthoughts; therewill be plenty of time forthat. 2. Categorize your information.Atthisstage you should havevery broad classifi-cations.Takeanotepadandlistonegeneralheadingtoapage.Then,onthatpage,copyallthenotesrelatedtothecategory. 3.Create an outline.You’ll probablybeabletoeliminatewholesectionsbecauseyouwon’t have enough supportingmate-rial to justify including a topic.Youmayalso decide that youwant to keep certainsectionsandneedtodoadditionalresearchtofleshoutthesetopics. 4.Take a critical look at your outline. Doesonesectionleadlogicallytothenext?Haveyoukeptyouraudienceinmind?Canyoudosomemorecuttingtosharpenyourfocus? Do you build to a logical conclu-sion? Withaclear,well-organizedoutlineyoushouldhavelittletroublefillinginthesec-tionsofyourreport.

Me, myself and I Doyouuse reflexivepronounsproper-ly?Reflexive pronouns are words that endin -self and referback to the subject.Ex-amples:“Hehadhimself toblame.”or“Itimedmyselfinthereadingtest.”

Thesameformissometimesusedtoemphasizethatsomeoneisdoingsome-thing personally. Example: “The an-nouncementwasmadebythepresidenthimself.” Unfortunately, some writers mistak-enlyconsider“myself”tobemorepolitethan“I”or “me.” InStandardEnglish,reflexive forms are not used as substi-

tutesfor“I”or“me.” Incorrect: “Ms. Smith and myself at-tendedthemeeting.” Correct:“Ms.SmithandIattendedthemeeting.” Incorrect: “Theprojectwas completedbyHarryandmyself.” Correct:“TheprojectwascompletedbyHarryandme.”

Write killer copy foryour website Ifyouwritecopyforyourorganization’swebsiteyouneed to take intoaccount thereadinghabitsof thetypicalInternetsurf-er.Mostpeopledon’tactuallyread–theyscan. Researchindicatesthat79%ofsurfersscan the page instead of reading itwordforword.Ifyoudon’tadoptyourcopytothisscanningstyle–you’rejustamouseclick away from cyber extinction.Whenyouwriteforthewebmakesurethecopyis: Concise.Webcontentshouldhave50%fewerwordsthanitspaperequivalentandno single chunk of text should run morethan 75words.Towrite concise text youmusttightenyourlanguageandavoidover-lydetailedinformation. Scannable.Towritescannabletextaddtablesofcontents,sectionsummaries,bul-lets,numberedlists,highlightedkeywords,headings and short paragraphswithwell-developedtopicsentences.

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Why you need to edit You start editingby looking at thebigpicturedoesthisstorymakesense? Editing is crucial to a well-rounded,readable newsletter. Unfortunately, manypeople think of an editor as a censorsomeonewith a big, red pencil.Actually,an editor can be the writer’s savior andthereader’sbestfriend(eveniftheyneverknowit). Withoutanyeditingyournewsletterwillbeahodgepodge.Somearticleswillbetoolong.Otherswillbeincomplete.Somewillramble. Others won’t make sense.All ofthem will probably contain grammaticalandspellingerrors. Your main job is to read for compre-hension and interest, and to suggest anychangesneededtomakethestoryreadable.Secondly,you’lllookforerrorsofspelling,punctuationandgrammar.

What the editor does Readingforcomprehensionisamatterofputtingyourself inyourreaders’shoes,and “listening” as you read each story.Trust your own reactions. Here are thequestionsyoumayaskyourself: Didyouunderstandthestoryallthewaythrough? Canyoutellwhatthemainpointofthestoryis? Is the main point in the lead para-graph? Didyouhave to readanysentencestwice? Does the language sound natural?

Wouldanyreaderunderstandit? Does the article raisequestions thatdon’tgetanswered? If youfindproblems,note them in themarginsofthestory.Bepreparedtoexplainyourproposedsolutionswhenyou talk tothewriter.

An ounce of prevention Letallyourwritersknowwhatyouex-pect. Specify an article length (normallymeasuredinwords).Tellthemtheyshouldhave a good beginning that summarizesthearticle, thena logicalorderwithshort

words,sentencesandparagraphs.Tellthemyou’ll edit their articlewhen they’ve fin-ishedandthateveryonegetsthistreatment.

Be constructive Whenyouedit,alwayssuggestalterna-tives.Don’tsay,orwrite,“That’sboring.”Say: “This point might interest peoplemoreifyou...”Don’tmakemajorchangestoanarticlewithoutconsultingtheauthor.Anddon’ttrytorewritethearticleyourself.Senditbacktotheauthor,withyoursug-gestions.─ Canadian Association of Labour Media

Building a news gathering network Developing an enthusiastic team ofreporters for your publication canmakeyourjobeasierandyourpublicationmorecompleteandinteresting. The first step is to decide howmanyreporters you need and what they willcover.Ifyourorganizationisanarealocal,youmaywanttohaveacorrespondentforeachassociateofficewithinthearealocal.Ifyournewsletterisastatepublication,youmaywanttorecruitareporterforeachlocalwithinthestate. Gatheringinformationforyournewsletterwillnotbeahighpriorityformostofyourreporters.Therefore,trytomaketheirjobsaseasyandrewardingasyoupossiblycan. Atthebeginningoftheyear,giveeachreporteracolorful(hardtomisplace)folder

with pockets on either side. Includeyourpublicationscheduleandcopydeadlinesaswellasinstructionsonhowtosubmitcopy. Ifyouareluckyenoughtohavereporterswhoarewillingtowrite,thenbyallmeansask them towrite their stories. If yourreportersarereluctanttowrite,justaskthemtosubmitonlythefacts.Giveyourreportersrecognition in each issue if possible.Onemethod is to list contributing reporters inthemasthead.Anotheristohavetheirnamesappearinacreditlineattheendofeachstorytheysubmit.Iftheyhavedonethereportingandyouhavedonethewriting,yourcreditlinecanread,“ReportedbyEricSmith.” Finally,praiseyourreporterswheneverappropriateandthankthemeachtimetheysubmitinformation.