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.
State Retiree Chapters | |
1 | Florida State Retiree Chapter |
2 | Ohio State Retiree Chapter |
3 | Michigan State Retiree Chapter |
4 | California State Retiree Chapter |
5 | Texas State Retiree Chapter |
6 | Missouri State Retiree Chapter |
Local Retiree Chapters | |
1 | Atlanta Metro Area Retiree Chapter |
2 | Baltimore Francis “Stu” Filbey Retiree Chapter |
3 | Brooklyn Retiree Chapter |
4 | Broward County Retiree Chapter |
5 | California Area Retiree Chapter |
6 | Central Florida Area Retiree Chapter |
7 | Chicago Area Retiree Chapter |
8 | Cleveland Area Retiree Chapter |
9 | Columbus Area Retiree Chapter |
10 | Dallas Area Retiree Chapter |
11 | 480-481 Dave Lenard Area Local Retiree Chapter |
12 | Dayton Area Retiree Chapter |
13 | Denver Metro Area Retiree Chapter |
14 | Des Moines Area Retiree Chapter |
15 | Detroit District Area Retiree Chapter |
16 | Fayetteville Area Retiree Chapter |
17 | Flint Area Retiree Chapter |
18 | Fort Worth Retiree Chapter |
19 | Gone But Not Forgotten |
20 | Greater Cincinnati Ohio Area Retiree Chapter |
21 | Greater Los Angeles Area Retiree Chapter |
22 | Greater Las Vegas Area Retiree Chapter |
23 | Heart of Illinois Retiree Chapter |
24 | Houston Area Retiree Chapter |
25 | Indianapolis Area Retiree Chapter |
26 | Kansas City Golden Jazz Retiree Chapter |
27 | Kansas KAW Retiree Chapter |
28 | Lima Area Retiree Chapter |
29 | Lincoln Nebraska Retiree Chapter |
30 | Long Island Area Retiree Chapter |
31 | Manchester Area Retiree Chapter |
32 | Miami Area Retiree Chapter |
33 | Moe Biller Retiree Chapter |
34 | Nation’s Capital/Southern Maryland Area Retiree Chapter |
35 | Northeast Florida Area Retiree Chapter |
36 | Northwest Illinois Retiree Chapter |
37 | Oakland Retiree Chapter |
38 | Omaha Area Retiree Chapter |
39 | Philadelphia Area Retiree Chapter |
40 | Philadelphia BMC Retiree Chapter |
41 | Phoenix Area Retiree Chapter |
42 | Pittsburgh Metro Area Retiree Chapter |
43 | Puerto Rico Area Retiree Chapter |
44 | Red Bank Area Retiree Chapter |
45 | Richmond Area Retiree Chapter |
46 | Saginaw 486-487 Retiree Chapter |
47 | San Antonio Retiree Chapter |
48 | San Diego Area Retiree Chapter |
49 | San Francisco Area Retiree Chapter |
50 | South Suburban IL Retiree Chapter |
51 | Southwest Coastal Area Retiree Chapter |
52 | St. Charles Retiree Chapter |
53 | St. Louis Area Retiree Chapter |
54 | St. Paul Area Retiree Chapter |
55 | Suncoast Area Retiree Chapter |
56 | SFVAL Golden Oldies Retiree Chapter |
57 | Tampa Area Retiree Chapter |
58 | Toledo Retiree Chapter |
59 | Tri-County Ohio Retiree Chapter |
60 | Twin Cities PDC Retiree Chapter |
61 | Western MI Area Retiree Chapter |
62 | Youngstown Area Retiree Chapter |
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:
- Voice and Vote at the National Convention. (2 Resolutions)
- Increase Rebate to Local and State Retiree Chapters. (1 Resolution)
- Increase due to Local and State Retiree Chapters. (2 Resolutions)
- Members at Large (MAL) Retirees Representation. (1 Resolution)
- 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