Tom Brimm, Managing Editor,

e Kentucky Labor News, June 1981

It  would  be  the  most  famous  written GRIEVANCE in the history of man ...

It would be known forever as the DEC­LARATION  OF  INDEPENDENCE,  but it is, in  fact - a  pointed accounting of grievances of the colonists against King George III. Even  the  Magna Carta, sealed by King John at  Runnymede 750  years ago, followed a grievance of less fame than the  one we celebrate each Fourth of July!

Representatives of the 13 colonies were to  meet initially as the FIRST CONTINENTAL  CONGRESS  in

1774 at CARPENTERS' HALL.They met to form a union-the UNITED States of  America - and it was appropriate that their first meeting  would be in  the  early American union hall that had been erected in Philadelphia by the Company of Carpen­ters, a type of guild organization which had both master carpenters (often builders in their ownright) and journeyman carpenters. This forerunner of  modern  trade  unions established work standards and a common welfare fund where disabled workmen, or widows and  orphans, could get financial help ..  .

Early colonial leaders who still favored resistance to King George wanted labor's support:"Such men 
are the strength of any community and should be consulted in all government affairs."

But it would be another meeting of the Congress at Independence Hall two years laterthatwould 
adoptand sign thegrievance against the British monarch.

The "grievance  committee" was com­ posed of the following great men such as THOMAS JEFFERSON, 
chairman, JOHN ADAMS,  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN, ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON, and ROGER

SHERMAN.  86 changes were later made by the delegates and 480 words eliminated, leavin_g 1,337. Grievances should be clear and concise, stating the facts!

"He has erected a multitude of new of­ fices,  and sent  hither  swann s  of officers to harass our people,  and  eat  out of  their substance."

"He hasplundered our seas, ravished our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our 
people."

The solution to the problem was offered, as it should be in any grievance:

"That these  United  Colonies  are,  and of  right out to  be,  free  and  independent states ...  
"

There  was  to  be  a  BOYCOTT -  of British goods -     by these early American heroes. Then, as now, there were "SCABS." They were called''Tories"andthey lacked the courage to stand with theirfellow man against unjust treatment.

There was VIOLENCE. The Boston Tea Party was hardly a social affair ...

The LADIES AUXILIARIES were busy! "Even in their dresses," complained a British soldier, "the 
females bid us defiance" as he noted the stripes and thirteen stars sewed into their costumes . . .

Thomas Jefferson's committee ended the grievance with words of unity too beautiful to be forgotten 
. . .

"And, for the support of this Declaration,

with a firm reliance on the protection of Di­ vine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our 
lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."

Is it any wonder thatAmerican unionshave continued to carry the torch for freedom from. tyranny, 
inspired by the 56 signers of the most famous grievance of them all?

Members, there are several things you should do periodically to protect yourself, and to assist your Union in protecting your rights.

A very important and overlooked task a member should do is periodically review their Official Personnel File.  Know what is in your OPF, and if there is something that should not be in there, take action to have it removed. If something is missing, take action to have it put in there. For example, if you have had discipline in the past, it should be removed after two years if no subsequent discipline had been issued, or if it was overturned in the grievance arbitration system.

If you have had discipline in the past, and you check your OPF and see it is still there, you must put in a written request.  This procedure has been in our contract for a long time and is among the most  in Article utilized parts we have.  Note that Article 16, section 10 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement states "Upon the employee's written request, any disciplinary notice or decision letter will be removed from the employee's official personnel folder after two years..."  Further support is found in the Joint Contract Interpretation Manual (JCIM) under Article 16 page 7 "Arecords of totally overturned disciplinary actions will be removed from the employee's Official Personnel Folder".  If the criteria of Article 16.10 is met, the employee must be put in the form of a written request for the discipline to be removed.  As the paper OPF was converted to Electronic format (eOPF), the employee should utilize form 8043 and submitted to the District Human Resources Manager. The documents to be removed should ber specified on the PS Form 8043.

Another overlooked action that employees should do peridically is review and obtain copies of their training records. These records should include any formal training you have received in your career, such as window training, bulk mail, scheme, etc.  These records can be obtained through the Blue page.  Dor detailed instructions, please go to the Member page. This requries you to register on this Local Website.

In your OPF, you can review your Life Insurance selections, options, etc. Your employment application and other pertinent information regarding your Postal employment is also available.  This is all information that you should peridocially review.

The more information you have, the better off you are, and the better for the Union to properly represent you.

LONG ISLAND NY AREA LOCAL 

The American Postal Workers Union continually fights for safe jobs. The Postal Service, as we all know, is not the safest place to work. Learn what we can do to keep ourselves safe, and what the Union is doing to help keep us safe. For more information, click here.