Letter from the President

To the APWU members of Mississippi 

  I am very honored to have been elected as your new State President.  I have experienced almost every wrench management has thrown at “Our” collective bargaining agreement over the past 20+ years, so, don’t hesitate to test my knowledge of the contract. 

  I am looking forward to working with each Local President and our hard working group of District Directors to ensure that the Postal Service abides with “Our” contract. 

  I emphasize “Our” contract because that is exactly what it is, it’s not Managements contract nor is it the Unions contract.  Both parties agreed to the language in it.  It is our job as elected Union officials to police it. 

  I am already receiving word that Postal Management is now realizing exactly what they agreed to and are already balking at some of the language.  During negotiations, all they saw were dollar savings.  Now, their realizing that they agreed to some language that really benefits the crafts. 

  But none of the negotiations to achieve this contract will do any good if Congress sits back and does nothing to help the Postal Service.  President Guffy is calling for a grass roots effort to get everyone involved in contacting their respective representatives to support some bills and oppose others that are in Congress now. 

  If Congress does nothing, the Postal Service will be out of cash by the end of the Fiscal Year.  That’s right around the corner.  I urge every member, non member, neighbor, friend, family to take action.  You can go to the National APWU web site.  They already have links to important legislation that make it simple and easy to send your representative your thoughts.  There is even a section on some that allow you to send your message to 6 friends.  Please feel free to add my name, Mc204apwu@aol.com .  I challenge you to fill my in-box with messages from this site. 

  If we do nothing.  We will all be applying for unemployment.  Mississippi has some of the lowest unemployment benefits in the country. 

Mark Cunningham