Fwd: {{ruralcarriers@rootsweb.com}} NJ Postal and Rural News, Issue 36-NJ, V. 1, Dec. 15, 2007 (List 10)

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From: <hier...@comcast.net>
Date: Sat, Dec 15, 2007 at 12:05 AM
Subject: {{ruralc...@rootsweb.com}} NJ Postal and Rural News, Issue 36-NJ, V. 1, Dec. 15, 2007 (List 10)
To: Hier...@comcast.net
Cc: Ruralc...@rootsweb.com


NEW JERSEY POSTAL AND RURAL NEWS
Issue 36-NJ Vol. 1         December 15, 2007   Saturday        Hier...@comcast.net

Issues of the New Jersey Postal and NRLCA News are now posted and available on the following website: http://groups.google.com/group/rlc_onliners_pub?hl=en
I want to express my gratitude for all the comments, submissions and feedback and the tremendous interest in this newsletter.            PLEASE SHARE THIS NEWSLETTER WITH  ALL RURAL  CARRIER CRAFT EMPLOYEES!
_________________________________________________________________________
Issue Codes = Issue A(A is not usually used and constitutes just the issue #)-E are news and human interest stories; Issue NJ are New Jersey related issues; Issues SP are special issues with important news; Issues ST are steward related articles and Issues-X are breaking news articles of importance.  _________________________________________________________________________
Swain announces New Campaign

New Jersey - New Jersey State Steward, Michael Swain, has announced that he is starting a new campaign. He is actively seeking volunteers to assist with his new camapign. Michael Swain has run losing campaigns in the last two national elections for National Executive Committeeman.

In an Internet communication fully disseminated to numerous parties, Swain stated "I hope to have a part in the future of our accoaition ..If you would like to assist me in my next capaign, please feel free to contact me. Respectfully Michael Swain>"

At a meeting of the New Jersey State Board, Swain announced that he was requesting permission to travel to the South Atlantic Conference which is a regional meeting of the states in the Southeastern part of the United States and is the traditional campaign kcik-off for national officer candicacies. When asked if that meant he was going to run for National Office...again, his response was "I'll never run for office again ever!" Apparently, he was not being truthful even with the state officers who have suffered greatly by supporting him.

Also at least two people have been approached to be campaign manager for a new candidacy (one prior to the New Jersey board meeting). Informed sources have indicated that both persons approached have not only declined to serve as campaign manager, but have indicated they may not even support his candidacy.

In his last run for national Office, Swain's final ballot tally was 23 votes out of 1167 votes cast before he was forcibly dropped from the ballot. On the first ballot he managed to convince 80 delegates to vote for him. On the second ballot his total slipped to 34 and on the third ballot he had slipped to 23. His statement siad that he had hoped to pick up support as other candidates withdrew but that he was proud that he put forth "his best effort".

It is important to carriers in New Jersey to understand that Michael Swain will be traveling all over trying to convince people he is a sincere candidate. But like a rural carrier said when submitting a letter of resignation "At least Mike Swain won't ruin National like he has ruined New Jersey."

Barbara Kelchner writes Monday, July 30, 2007 2:46:42 AM Eastern Daylight time:
“I hear tell that he filed charges against the state board in New Jersey when they disallowed some of his weird expenses.”
Mike Swain writes Tuesday, July 31, 2007 3:00:44 AM Eastern Daylight Time:
“I doubt that there is an officer that has served as long as I have who has never had a dispute with their state board. I had a couple of minor expenses that were not allowed, and I paid for them. This never rose to the level of formal charges against the state board at the National Level. It did cause some fuss with the state board.”
Mike Swain writes Wednesday, August 1, 2007 1:04:21 Am Eastern Daylight Time:
“I don’t know what your problem with me is, but your information is wrong. I never filed any charges for actions by the state board.”
Terry Pratt writes Monday, January 22, 2007 9:04:35 AM Eastern Standard Time:
“If the past board members remember, when Mike Swain filed his appeal [charges] over his internet and spare cot being paid, he used the threat approach. Remember everything he wanted including the $10,000 to compensate him for all his personal items he had figured he used? (I still have the copy if anyone  wants to refresh their mind). After the threat and the board spending $2500 on hi s appeal, the very next board meeting he again put in for his Internet while away on union business, and the same board approved it.”
Joe Spazmodiac writes Monday, May 7, 2007 18:42:14 PM Pacific Daylight Time:
“When he first got to be the state stupid our dues went through the roof and I am expecting to see him driving a union ferrari anyday now.”
 Mike Swain writes Tuesday, May 8, 2007 1:16:47 Am Eastern Daylight Time:
 “I never requested a Ferrari or Cadillac. It doesn’t have to be a Cadillac. When I made the request I would have been satisfied with a new Ford or Chevy which would have saved the association a lot of money. It is only proper for the Association to assume the risk of operating a vehicle for Association business and not have the responsibility fall to the Association officer.”
 Barbara Kelchner writes Monday July 30, 2007 2:27 Am Eastern Daylight Time:
 “I hear tell that he tried a couple of times to get them to buy him a car for union business and in a state where no distance is more than 200 miles. I wonder if he still has a state credit card?”
 Mike Swain writes Monday, July 30, 2007 8:51:57 PM Eastern Daylight Time:
“The purchase of a vehicle for the State Steward has been discussed as a way to save money. Often times my mileage (at the IRS rate) over the period of many months is more that it might cost the state to supply a vehicle. There is also the issue of personal liability when driving your own vehicle for an employer. The issue is if I am involved in an accident while driving for the Association, whose assets are at risk, mine or the Association? I again am in the position of providing a "route ready" vehicle to do the Association's work. Plus I supply and office, lights and electricity to run computers, fax machines and copiers. Yes, my state board has disagreed with my expenses, nothing of a significant amount (less than $100). Those not approved were paid for by me.”
Mike Swain writes Tuesday, July 31, 2007 3:00:44 AM Eastern Daylight Time:
 “I have never asked for the Association to provide me with a car. It could be a money saver for the state, given my average mileage. When you consider the personal liability of operating a vehicle on the highway, it would be proper that the Association assumed the risk of operating a vehicle, not the officer.”
 Mike Swain writes Tuesday, July 31, 2007:
 “Yes the State of New Jersey is not all that large, but it still takes 3 to 4 hours to get from the top to the bottom of the State. We still run up lots of miles doing the business of the Union. And yes the State does provide me with a Union credit card for my official expenses, mostly postage, supplies, printing and lodging. It has always been used within the parameters set by the state board. No officer should have to finance the operation of the Union on their personal credit.”
 NJ State President Timothy Horner, Friday, September 24, 2007:
“There is only one way John Amtsfield could have known about Mike requesting a car and that was if he had access to privileged inside information from this board and the only one who could have told him was Linda Amtsfield, his wife. That’s all the proof we need.”
Mike Swain writes Wednesday, March 10, 2000  23:44:49 Eastern Standard Time:
“Is it possible to propose to the state board the idea of furnishing a vehicle for use on Association business.  The burden and the liability are a big concern and it is something the Association should assume.  If you agree, I could put something together to present to the board. Something has to be done to get them to recognize the liabilities.”
Telephone Log, Mike Swain Thursday, September 9, 2000  12:14 AM Eastern Daylight Time:
“Mike wants me to ask the board to furnish him with a car again. Told him I didn’t think it was appropriate.”
ANONYMOUS STATE BOARD MEMBER writes:
“So good to hear from you.  Things are not the same as when you were here. Did Mike ask for a car? Yes, it was a couple of years ago, but he had literature about car leases and tried hard to pressure us for approval.  He tried several times and was real put out when it was flatly rejected.”
NOTE: Neither Linda Amtsfield or John Amtsfield, were personally present at a board meeting when Mike Swain requested that the Union furnish him with a car. It must have happened between the last board meeting John Amtsfield attended December 7, 2001 and the first board meeting Linda attended in May of 2005. Although I was aware that Mike Swain wanted the Union to furnish him with a car simply because he had made the request to the previous state steward and asked  to try and get the board to furnish one for him as an assistant state steward; John Amtsfield did not know that he made formal requests to the board. The information came from a source that was told directly by Mike Swain and which information has now been corroborated multiple times.
Michael Swain has a various times admitted that he requested a car, confirmed that the issue was discussed at board meetings (but never raised by him – CREDIBILITY – who else would propose furnishing a car to the state steward), and/or  that he never asked for a car or that the prospect was never raised.
The issue isn’t the car, as ridiculous as the request might be. The issue is that when asked about it, he LIED! It wasn’t even necessary to lie. Just like the issue of bringing charges against the state board or being required to issue apologies for rude and inappropriate behavior or remarks. Even at times when there is no legitimate reason for lying; he lied!
The one thing a state steward, any steward, any officer any rural carrier, any manager has is credibility. Either you have it or you don’t.  Every time someone lies, they lose credibility and exactly how much good is a representative with little or no credibility in representing you.
No one is perfect! But when a mistake is made acknowledge it, fix it and move on! TELL THE TRUTH! So a car was asked for as well as a lot of other expensive, ridiculous items! Yes, it’s greedy and a little sleazy! So charges were filed against the state for disallowing expenses and the state was threatened with requests for reimbursement for electrical usage to the tune of $10,000. Yes, it’s kind of sleazy and greedy also. Yes, apologies were required for inappropriate things said or unprovoked and public angry responses to members or service people and that bespeaks a lack of respect and sleaziness as well. Sleazy and greedy are not exactly patterns that recommend someone for a position of responsibility; but I think that pattern is better than a pattern of sleaziness, greediness and lying.
IF A STATE STEWARD TELLS YOU THAT YOUR GRIEVANCE FILED SIXTEEN MONTHS AGO TO CONTEST YOUR REMOVAL IS AT STEP 4 at the National level? What do you do? Well, for one thing, it is impossible for a discipline grievance to be at step 4 since discipline grievances are arbitrated after step 3. DISCIPLINE GRIEVANCES cannot be at the National Level! Only national interpretive issues rise to Step 4. For another, as a grievant you should have gotten paperwork for each appeal and decision at each level. If you did not get paperwork to appeal the grievance to Step 2 or Step 3, the chances are that the grievance was never appealed.
This is a specific message to several specific New Jersey grievants that have been told their grievances are still active and under appeal; when in fact, the grievances have been withdrawn and/or are moot because they were never appealed.  When a Union does not keep a grievant informed about the status of their grievance they commit a most serious UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE. When a Union deliberately misleads, misinforms or refuses to properly disclose the disposition of their grievance, they commit fraud as well as the most serious of UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICES. When a Union lies to a grievant telling him/her a case is still active when it it not active, well, the union could be cominally and legally liable.
All grievants have a right to specific paperwork for their cases. If your case has dragged out more than 3 months, more than 6 months; write your union representative or state steward for copies of the grievance forms, appeal letters and decision letters and specifically request the status of your grievance. Keep a record of your correspondence!  If your case has languished more than six months, the Union owes you an explanation and do not let them put you off.  If necessary, contact someone else either at the National office or someone you trust.  I’d also like to hear about it at Hier...@comcast.net.
DISCLAIMER: I have no affiliation with USPS or the NRLCA and as such any information that I pass on is unofficial and constitutes advice and/or suggestions for your consideration. You may be advised to double-check with official sources before depending on its use and while you are doing that ask why is it that someone without official contacts has this information and is passing it on and its not coming from official sources. I do not speak for any Postal or Union entity and have no authority to serve as spokesman for, against or otherwise in Postal or Union matters.
Note: These email messages are being sent to the entire NJ State Board and almost all of the senior stewards in New Jersey. There should be no concerns about this being done secretly or behinf anyone's backs without their knowledge.
**If you know any rural craft employee who would like to receive this dissemination, please send email address, and office of employment to Hier...@comcast.net.
**If you do not wish to receive these disseminations, please notify Hier...@comcast.net  and request removal from dissemination list.
**Please address all comments, feedback, submissions, stories to Hier...@comcast.net and be sure to mark it OK to share or if you want the submission to be confidential and anonymous, please indicate that it is CONFIDENTIAL and I will never disclose authorship, content or any other identifying detail. Absent express authority to share, I will strictly maintain confidentiality per my legal obligations and responsibilities.
RURALC...@ROOTSWEB.COM MAIL LIST.
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STEWARD CONTACTS
http://www.nrlca.org/stewards.html
NRLCA CONTACT INFO.
National Rural Letter Carriers' Association
Fourth Floor
1630 Duke Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22314-3465
Phone: 703-684-5545
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