The Southwest Coastal Area local will have it regular July Retiree Chapter Meeting on Wednesday, July 14, 2021,  Meeting times is 10 AM to 1 PM.  The meeting normally is a hour or so.

We are in 2020 now and the next National APWU, AFL-CIO Convention will be in Los Angeles, CA this August. As has been previously stated many not all retirees would like to see the National APWU, AFL-CIO Constitution changed to allow for retirees to vote and speak at the convention.

Therefore, the Southwest Coastal Area Local will be voting on the Article 6 proposed constitutional change at our February 5, 2020 Meeting.   If approved, we will send the proposed amendment to the National APWU, AFL-CIO as a resolution to be discussed at the National APWU, AFL-CIO Convention.

If we are to be successful, we need the support of many delegates. Unfortunately, in the past we have not had many non-retired delegates speak in favor of the proposed change. Because we have a very limited number of retirees who are full dues paying local members and therefore eligible to be a regular convention delegate, we have not had a lot of delegates speaking in favor the proposed change.

The resolution being voted on at our Retiree Chapter Meeting is:

Southwest Coastal Area Local Retiree Chapter
ARTICLE 6
REPRESENTATION

WHEREAS, as the mothers and fathers of the American Postal Workers Union, retired members are a storehouse of knowledge, battle-tested experience, and wisdom to be utilized as a valuable American Postal Workers Union asset, and

WHEREAS, American Postal Workers Union Retiree Department members paid full dues for decades, and

WHEREAS, most American Postal Workers Union Retiree are like all retirees and live on a fixed reduced income, and

WHEREAS, many American Postal Workers Union Retiree step forward when the union needs assistance or support,

WHEREAS, a united American Postal Workers Union benefits all APWU Members, therefore be it

Resolved, to amend the American Postal Workers Union Constitution and Bylaws Article 6.   Add a new Section 6 and changing current section 6 to Section 7.   New section 6 would read: National Convention local, state, regional affiliates, or organizations voting strength/representation provisions will apply to chartered APWU State and Local Retiree Chapters with the exception that Retiree Chapter’s voting strength/representation will be one (1) for one-hundred (100) or fraction thereof.

Bobby Donelson, Retiree Chapter President                                                                 Frank Townsend, Retiree Chapter Secretary Treasurer

Merry Christmas to all Southwest Coastal Area Local Retirees and your family and friend.

Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year to everyone.

October 2019 All Craft Conference Retiree Summary

Approximately 200 Retirees, the National Retiree Director, and five (5) Regional Delegates attended the All Craft Conference – Retiree Meeting. We came from all parts of the country.

I would like to thank the National APWU for accommodating retirees and making the conference comfortable for retirees. We are some of the oldest members of the APWU, AFL-CIO.

The Retiree Conference began with five (5) hour meeting on Sunday, October 27, 2019, 2 PM – 7 PM. We had approximately 65-70 retiree officers present.   Retiree Director Nancy Olumekor scheduled three speakers to address us and they reviewed all the reports chapter and state president had access to and discussed the fiduciary responsibility of retiree officers. The main thing I got from this meeting is the reports we have access and what they meant. The issue of cash paying retiree members being delinquent in dues was a major concern during the 2019 National APWU National Election.

We had retirees from 705 locals voting. Not all retirees listed are associated with a Local Retiree Chapters. Retirees voted at an approximately 33%. Currently the national APWU lists six (6) State Retiree Chapters and sixty (62) Local Retiree Chapters.

This was the schedule of event.

Sunday, October 27, 2019 

Registration for All Craft, Retiree and Legislative/Political Conferences

Retiree Officers Meeting

Installation of Officers Ticket Pickup

Exhibit Booths Grand Salon

Disability Retirement

FERS & CSRS Retirement System

TSP from A to Z

AA/NA

Monday, October 28, 2019

MVS Dinner Ticket Pickup

AA/NA Meeting Skyview Office

Training – wide range of subjects related mostly to the crafts/divisions.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019, 9 AM – 5 PM

All Day Retiree Conference

Wednesday, October 30, 2019, 9 AM – 5 PM

All Day Retiree Conference

Thursday, October 31, 2019

BMC Meeting 9 AM -2 PM

Installation of Officers 5 PM -11 PM

The Retiree Conference involved presentation from people that offer benefits to Retiree – TSP, Voluntary Benefits, Auxiliary, and Social Security. In addition, we heard speeches from our National President, Vice President, Secretary Treasurer, Legislative Director, Health Plan Director, and an introduction of our new Health Plan Director.

This took up a lot of time and we were rushed to discuss the Resolutions Submitted. This year the Retiree Delegates had a lot of resolutions to discuss.

The issues were:

1. Voice and Vote at the National Convention. (2 Resolutions)
2. Increase Rebate to Local and State Retiree Chapters. (1 Resolution)
3. Increase due to Local and State Retiree Chapters. (2 Resolutions)
4. Members at Large (MAL) Retirees Representation. (1 Resolution)
5. Forming State Retiree Chapters. (Referred to National Executive Board)

Items 2, 3, and 4 were all voted down because the Retiree Delegates voted to only submit one constitutional resolution to the National APWU – Voice and Vote based on 1 delegate for every 100 retirees in Local and State Retiree Chapters.

The actual resolution is being referred to the five regional delegates for development. I sent the blow to Dr. Pat Williams our Western Regional Delegate for consideration or for a starting point.

ARTICLE 6 REPRESENTATION

WHEREAS, as the mothers and fathers of the American Postal Workers Union, retired members are a storehouse of knowledge, battle-tested experience, and wisdom to be utilized as a valuable American Postal Workers Union asset, and

WHEREAS, American Postal Workers Union Retiree Department members paid full dues for decades, and

WHEREAS, most American Postal Workers Union Retiree are like all retirees and live on a fixed reduced income, and

WHEREAS, many American Postal Workers Union Retiree step forward when the union needs assistance or support, and

WHEREAS, a united American Postal Workers Union benefits all APWU Members, therefore be it  

Resolved, to amend the American Postal Workers Union Constitution and Bylaws Article 6.   Add a new Section 6 and changing current section 6 to Section 7.    New section 6 would read: SEC. 6. National Convention local, state, regional affiliates, or organizations voting strength/representation provisions will apply to chartered APWU State and Local Retiree Chapters with the exception that Retiree Chapter’s voting strength/representation will be one (1) for one hundred (100) or fraction thereof.

The Red T-Shirts with the slogan “We are not the Enemy” which came out of the 2018 National Convention was a success.

Many of the retirees are former officers and stewards, as well as delegates to State and National Conventions in the past. They would like to stay involved and allowed to speak and vote at the National Convention. This issue has been discussed at previous National Conventions and has been voted down. The primary reason was retirees did not pay full dues locally.

I have paid full dues to the National APWU and Southwest Coastal Area Local since I retired in July of 2003, cost to the retiree in excess of $750.00 annually this year in my case as well $36 annual dues to be a member of the APWU Retiree Department.

Bobby Donelson,

President Southwest Coastal Area Local Retiree Chapter and California State Retiree Chapter Vice Presdient

November 6, 2019

These two PDF files are the 2019 National APWU Election – Final Certification and Count by local.

Cover_Election_Final_Results_Oct_2019_

Election_Final_Results_Oct_2019_Results

Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Information for 2020

Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for nearly 69 million Americans will increase 1.6 percent in 2020.

The 1.6 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits payable to more than 63 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2020. Increased payments to more than 8 million SSI beneficiaries will begin on December 31, 2019. (Note: some people receive both Social Security and SSI benefits)

Read more about the Social Security Cost-of-Living adjustment for 2020.

The maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) will increase to $137,700.

The earnings limit for workers who are younger than “full” retirement age (age 66 for people born in 1943 through 1954) will increase to $18,240. (We deduct $1 from benefits for each $2 earned over $18,240.)

The earnings limit for people turning 66 in 2020 will increase to $48,600. (We deduct $1 from benefits for each $3 earned over $48,600 until the month the worker turns age 66.)

There is no limit on earnings for workers who are “full” retirement age or older for the entire year.

2020 COLA Announced

The 2020 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will be 1.6 percent for Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) annuities, Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) annuities and Social Security benefits.

This is a lower federal retiree COLA than last year when CSRS annuitants received 2.8 percent and FERS annuitants received 2 percent.

Medicare B for most will Increase $8.80

Attached is the 2019 National APWU Election Results2019 Election apwu_nsb_16-2019_for_kelly_pressv2