James D. Henry - Presidential Nominee

Main Table Bargaining Committee, made up of the President, and at a minimum of two other Executive Council members. This creates a redundancy system if one component of the bargaining committee goes down, there’s two others who don’t have to start from scratch.

• That the committee be required to give frequent detailed reports to the Executive Council of meetings, when they took place, who was met with and what was discussed.
• Will direct the Executive Council to establish an attendance control policy requiring all officers to request leave for absences and authorization for
• That the policy addresses how all officers request FMLA and if necessary, reasonable accommodation for work.
• Will direct the Executive Council to establish a sexual harassment policy that applies to all National Officers of the
• Will direct the Executive Council to establish a NALC driving privilege policy requiring all officers to have a valid driver’s license and insurance to drive. That the policy applies to NALC owned vehicles, rented vehicles or if reimbursement is requested for business travel.
• Transparency, being the key ingredient, for I will lift the veil of secrecy that surrounds National Headquarters. I will ensure that Executive Council minutes and financial reports will be published in the Postal Record.

Reestablish a Director of Education

• • We will launch a Steward’s Academy, offering a comprehensive on­ line learning platform on a diverse range of subjects. The NALC Advocate and Arbitration Advocate will resume It’s going to take well-educated stewards and officers to face the challenges of today and in the future. By developing a well-trained and talented pool we’ll create opportunities for Rank-and-File members to become Shop Stewards, Arbitration Advocates, NALC Step B Representatives, GRA’s, RAA’s and leaders of the future.

Establish A Dispute Resolution Task Force

• We must have a creditable Dispute Resolution Process that is just and swift. Currently there are over 15,000 grievances backlogged at Step Band 5,000 cases pending arbitration. This did not happen overnight. Obviously the 59 teams currently in place are inadequate to deal with the backlog and new cases coming in, more Teams are needed and that will happen. However, the NALC responsibilities for the DRT process are not specific to the STEP B and Arbitration process. The 1 5,000 backlogged grievances at Step B are just the tip of the iceberg, there are thousands of grievances backlogged at Steps A and Informal A. My experience as a Branch Officer and as Chief Instructor for the NALC’s Formal A and Beyond training tells me that we have a vast reservoir of talent and sophistication within the rank and file with that said, we can develop a force of aggressive advocates breaking the backlog, protecting the rights of Letter Carriers, and improving working conditions. We will always be mindful that “Justice delayed is Justice denied”.

Hostile Work Environment Abatement

• The use of electronic supervision has caused a significant decline in our working conditions and has given management tools to covertly conduct street observations. It’s not that our current leadership doesn’t recognize the daily torment caused by electronic supervision, it’s that they chose to ignore it and view it as a mere inconvenience. We will establish firm contract provisions with forbid the use of any kind of electronic device to supervise, conduct observations, or use for discipline.
• We will create task forces of well-trained and aggressive Advocates to intervene in those work sites with hostile environments in order to eliminate the harassment, bullying, intimidation, and manipulating of Letter Carriers. The initial focus of these task forces will be to address environmental issues with every resource in the book. We will spread the net of responsibility as far and as wide as needed to uproot the enablers who permit abusive managers to remain on the workroom floor. Once that process is under way, we will focus on training local Shop Stewards and Officers to aggressively engage every level of management until City Letter Carriers are treated with dignity and respect.

Establish an Organizing Director

• We will create a structure that taps into the positive public perception of Letter Carriers and seeks their support for our cause. We will provide training for local organizers and support direction action where the rank and file are a part of the bargaining process. Both National and Regional Organizers will work with Branches to motivate involvement and drive turn out. They will also have responsibility to work with Branches in making the community aware of the issues facing City Letter Carriers.

Making Letter Carrier Safety a Priority

• Letter Carriers are being robbed and assaulted in record numbers. Speeches and marches have done little to stem the ever-increasing number of crimes committed on Letter Carriers. It’s time for full court press, our legislative department needs to be involved with local officials to increase the police presence and quicker response times. And legislation needs to be passed to provide for substantial rewards for information leading to the arrest of those who rob and assault Letter Carriers. Our Director of Safety will work with the USPS to develop training for Letter Carriers and managers. An emergency device feature on the scanner needs to be added that can notify local police immediately of a robbery or assault and location. We need access to trauma counselors if necessary. If necessary, organize a continual direction action campaign to spur local officials to lend greater support, community awareness and demand that the USPS curtail delivery in high crime areas.

To Understand the possibilities, you need to understand where we are. The U.S. Postal Service reported a record high in revenue last year of 72 billion dollars, it also reported a loss of 6 billion. A very dramatic shift has taken place within the Postal Service which has caused the role of City Letter Carriers to evolve with social change. Mr. & Mrs. Jones on ELM Street in Anytown USA are paying their bills online, communicating with family and friends on social media and are shopping online. Unfortunately, this has caused first class letter mail volume to drop 50% over what it was just a few years ago. However, we have become the shipper of choice for the almost 6 trillion-dollar E-commerce industry. Expectations are for industry growth for years to come… which means City Letter Carriers will play an essential role in this new segment of the economy thereby providing job security. You must look no further than the Sunday work schedule to see the impact the E­-commerce industry has had on City Letter Carriers.

Nobody saw this coming back in the 1990’s when doom and gloom predictions permeated throughout the USPS and the NALC.  This mind set caused contract concessions and interest arbitration losses during some very difficult economic times over the past few years. In 1990 you hired in as a career City Letter Carrier, today you must endure being a CCA for two years on fast food workers’ wages and few benefits before career status. In 1984 it took eight years to reach top salary and today it takes almost 13 ½ years. In 1990 non-career casual employees were restricted to 5 percent of the work force and only two 90-day terms. Today non­-career CCAs make up 15% per district, plus another 8,000 nationwide. The employer has gone from paying 76% of the cost of health care to 720/o, passing that cost onto the backs of Letter Carriers. Regardless of how these and other losses took place, it’s time to take them back. City Letter Carriers deserve to be industry leaders in pay, benefits and working conditions. We will start by correcting the injustices inflicted on this generation of City Letter Carriers by the two-tier pay structure. We will work tirelessly to close the wage disparity and reduce the time it takes to reach top salary. One Union, one pay structure!

Contract negotiations cannot be about giving something up in one area to gain in another, simple logic dictates that there is only so much you can give back before there’s nothing left.  Therefore, I will refrain from modifying our contract by memos and advocate for new contract language when necessary. Furthermore, I will never ever agree to any program or process that is non-grievable. Contract negotiations must be about the value of our labor. As an example, the Teamsters recognized UPS role in this new economy and achieved a significant victory by placing a value on the value of their labor.

• TIAREAP: TIAREAP is perhaps the most controversial change suggested for the National We cannot allow ourselves to be caught between two false choices, TIAREAP or Chapter 2 of the M-39 …there’s an obvious third option of going back to the drawing board. TIAREAP contains too many give backs and lacks sufficient protections for the rank-and-file Letter Carrier. Chapter 2 of the M-39 is from a bygone era when letter volume was twice of what it is today. The USPS’s need to modernize the route evaluation process puts the NALC in the driver’s seat. It is possible to negotiate a process that doesn’t require us to give up our Article 15 rights to file a grievance, or our right to special route inspections. We don’t need an electronic leash that holds us accountable for every minute of the day to have a fair adjustment process. Current NALC leadership seems to be so blinded by their ambition to create a new process that they are intentionally deaf to management applying their so-called parameters as standards for loading time and street functions –which is leading to a deterioration of working conditions. And discipline for stationary events is on the rise, which relies on circumstantial evidence gathered by covert electronic means. The Union cannot be the facilitators of management’s mayhem. We are opposed to any inference of a street standard for Letter Carriers.  I am very confident that the NALC can come to an agreement that properly adjusts a Letter Carrier’s assignment to as close to eight hours as possible without giving away the store.
• Escalating Remedies for contract violations: Escalating remedies isn’t a bad thing… repeated and continual contract violations is a bad thing. The current administration has a genuine lack of empathy for the level of frustration within the rank-and-file caused by management’s continual violation of work rules including distribution of overtime, number of hours worked, and inappropriate & sometimes cruel behavior of management. The calculus is simple –stop violating the contract or face ever increasing remedies until upper management can find someone to run a station without violating the contract. If we are to improve working conditions, we need the tools in the contract that facilitate holding management accountable.
• City Letter Carrier Uniform Allowance: City Letter Carrier uniforms shouldn’t cost as much as designer clothing. It is also true that whatever amount a City Letter Carrier receives for their uniforms the cost will rise It’s time to get off the hamster wheel. With corporate mergers and buy-outs the number of uniform companies has been reduced to a point where there is no competition and they can charge whatever they want, leaving City Letter Carriers with worn out shoes/uniforms and nothing to protect them from the elements. Each Letter Carrier gets $499 per year in uniform allowance, with over 280,000 active City Letter Carrier that equates to approximately $139,000,000.00 per year in bargaining power. It stands to reason that an exclusive contract that specifies uniform cost would reduce margins for such a potential revenue stream. Another area that deserves attention is the initial allotment. Consideration should be given to provide the first set of uniforms as no cost, where each City Carrier is issued all the uniform items necessary with special consideration for areas with adverse weather conditions.
• Staffing and Excessive Work Hours: After years of mutual understanding that the 12/60 work hours limit was supposed to be a hard stop maximum work hour limit, management has “Flipped the Script”. Today Letter Carriers are being forced to work beyond the maximum limits as much as 16 hours per day –more in some cases– because of improper staffing. It’s not even a shared sacrifice because management will take Letter Carriers off the floor as 204-B’s and make them closing supervisors so management can maintain their eight-hour In other cases, management will detail carriers from one office to another which causes forced overtime issues in the losing station. It’s obvious that management is being willfully negligent… forced overtime being a strategy. Rather than taking up the fight over proper staffing, the previous and now current administration signed a memorandum of understanding (M-01968) which facilities management’s understaffing strategy. Rather, than taking up the fight in support of escalating remedies for overtime violations, the current administration sees them as punitive and a bigger problem than the violation itself. Now the Renfroe administration has floated the idea of removing the overtime caps to allow you a right you already have, not to work beyond 12/60. The current administration approach is typical of weak “hat in hand” give back negotiations. As your President, I will ensure the enabling memo M-01968 is withdrawn post-haste. I will direct the Executive Council to submit three resolutions to be brought before the convention delegates seeking contract language requiring carrier delivery units to be properly staffed, giving Letter Carriers the right to refuse to work beyond 12 hours and “cease and desist” language with escalating remedies be included in the National Agreement. Our collective experience with Postal Service has taught us that if the Union is not a lion…carriers are prey.

The four items mentioned are not inclusive, but they do give you some insight into a solution-based approach for some very difficult and complex problems faced by Letter Carriers. The NALC has a unique process which enables the rank-and-file member to submit contract resolutions to the convention for consideration. At times in the past the Executive Council has taken a rather heavy hand in their approach to many of these resolutions. To the extent possible we should strive to moderate that response and work diligently to incorporate these items into our bargaining position. In addition to publishing the NALC bargaining position during negotiations, I will ensure frequent bulletins, and provide updated podcasts outlining the Union activities on your behalf. I will call on the membership for a demonstration of solidarity and support for our bargaining objectives. In short, whether or not the Open Bargaining resolution passes, we can follow its intent and spirit to the extent circumstances will allow.                                               

NOTE FROM JAMES D. HENRY ON FOLLOWING ENDORSEMENTS:

Apologies to my supporters who are not on this endorsement list due to our submission timeframe. Please let CLC know if you want your name added for future endorsement publications. Thanks & appreciation to all supporters.

ENDORSEMENTS BRANCHES AND/OR STATE:

Carmen Penny, President Branch 106, Montgomery, AL.
Johnny Watson, President Branch 469, Mobile AL.
Carman Montgomery, State VP & Vice Pres Branch 469, Mobile AL.
Antonia Shields, State & Br. 530 President, COP Co-Chair, Birmingham, AL.
Ricardo Guzman, President Branch 70, San Diego, CA.
John McPherson, President Branch 133, Sacramento, CA.
Chad Lamb, President Branch 183, Santa Rosa, CA.
Jerry Anderson, Past President Branch 183, Santa Rosa, CA.
Ernie Arranaga, President Branch 193, San Jose, CA.
Greg Fuson, President Branch 213, Stockton, CA.
Karen Eshabarr, President Branch 214, San Francisco, CA.
Richard Najera, President Branch 231, Fresno, CA.
Gilbert Ramirez, President Branch 290, Santa Barbara, CA. 
Jeremiah “Jake” Dickson, President Branch 348, Eureka, CA.
Anthony Pallante, President Branch 411, San Bernadine, CA.
David James, President Branch 627, Napa, CA.
Phil Capuano, President Branch 737, Santa Ana, CA.
Mike Towery, President Branch 782, Bakersfield, CA.
Jess Camunez, President Branch 857, Watsonville, CA.
George Torres, President 866, Visalia, CA.
Paul Perry, President Branch 1100, Garden Grove, CA.
Charlie Miller, Past President Branch 1100, Garden Grove, CA.
Ed Fletcher, President Branch 1111, Oakland, CA.
Narciso Paderanga, Executive Vice President Branch 1111, Oakland, CA.
Manuel Mairena, President Branch 1280, Burlingame, CA.
John Collins, President Branch 1291, Modesto, CA.
Phil Padick, President Branch 1310, Monterey, CA.
Patty Cramer, Past President Branch 1310 & past State Sec’y, Monterey, CA.
Robert Ortiz, President Branch 1439, Ontario, CA.
Joshua Branson, President Branch 1563, Ukiah, CA.
Gustavo Canchola, President Branch 1726, El Centro, CA.
Debbie Kelly, President Branch 2086, Burbank, CA.
Dennis Binder, President Branch 2168, Upland, CA.
Serop Karchikyan, President Branch 2200, Pasadena, CA.
Kim Stagg, President Branch 2207, Torrance, CA.
Henry Cordero, President Branch 2293, Beverly Hills, CA.
Jemmayen Macaraeg, President Branch 2462, Van Nuys, CA.
Conrad Beck, President Branch 2525, Escondido, CA.
Rene Duarte, President Branch 2605, Calexico, CA.
Gene Massimo, President Branch 2614, Hawthorne, CA.
Rosa Bermejo, President Branch 2704, Brawley, CA.
James Perryman, President Branch 2902, Tri-Valley, CA.
Alfonso Gamboa, President Branch 4006, Canoga Park, CA.
Charles Bonner, President Branch 4149, Palm Springs, CA.
Robert Mitchell, President Branch 4494, Carmichael, CA.
Kira Munn, Executive Vice President, Branch 1779, Lakeland, FL.
Gary Formaro, President Branch 2072, Ft. Myers, FL.
Jerrell Kinloch, President Branch 2550, Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
Sante Zeppieri, President Branch 2689 (Space Coast), Melbourne, FL.
Matt Naufel, President Branch 4716, Naples, FL.
Ben Jackson, President Branch 73, Atlanta, GA.
Don Griggs, Branch 270, Macon, GA., Georgia State President
Ernie Wilson, President Branch 313, Brunswick, GA. 
Maria Ydil, President Branch 4093, Barrigada, GUAM
Howard Komine, President Branch 860 & COP Co-Chair, Honolulu, HI.
Alvin Matsumura, Branch 860, State President, Honolulu, HI.
Kristine Fiatoa, President Branch 4682, Pearl City, HI.
Pedro L. Semorile, President Branch 4683, Waipahu, HI.
Christopher Reed, President Branch 5516, Kailua-Kona, HI.
John Simbahon, President Branch 5579, Waianae, HI.
Sara Schawl, President Branch 126, Clinton, IA.
Gary Lange, President Garden State Merged Branch 444, South Amboy, N.J.
Michael H. Alexander, President Branch 124, New Orleans, LA.
Troy Scott, President Branch 129 & State President, Baton Rouge, LA.
Danny Hatchett, President Branch 197, Shreveport, LA.
A.J. Breaux, President Branch 914, Lake Charles, LA.
Gerald Soileau, President Branch 1760, Lafayette, LA.
Dennis Young, President Branch 2223, Hammond, LA.
Carl Jenkins, President Branch 2730, Gretna, LA.
Sterling Caston, President Branch 4342, Kenner/Norco, LA.
Freddie Warren, President Branch 4323, Marrero, LA.
Johnny “JJ” Mosely, President Branch 6377, Covington, LA.
Paul Kirby, President Branch 638, Cumberland, MD.
Jason L. Dunning, President Branch 320, North Oakland County, Ml.
Walt McGregory, President Branch 2184, Western Wayne County, Ml.
Quintin Joseph, President Branch 487, Meridian, MS.
Lakeyshan Bryant, State & Branch 1080 President, Greenwood, MS.
Maurice Beckwith, President Branch 1692, Columbus, MS.
Melvin Moore, President Branch 30, Kansas City, MO.
Curtis Walker, Vice President Branch 30, Kansas City, MO.
Denna Hoskins, President Branch 5847, Florissant, MO.
Natalie Davis, President Branch 382, Durham, N.C.
Jayson Jones, President Branch 459, Raleigh, N.C.
Wayne Green, President Branch 461, Winston Salem Merged, N.C.
Anthony Kennedy, President Branch 630, Greensboro, N.C.
Silvan Sly Stevens, President Branch 545, Charlotte, N.C.
Timothy Rorie, Vice President Branch 545, Charlotte, & State President, N.C.
Stephan Hancock, President Branch 936, Highpoint, N.C.
Caroline Jones, Vice President Branch 936, Highpoint, N.C.
Rowan Riehm, President Branch 709, Reno, NV.
Clarence McCarthy, Past President Branch 709, Reno, NV.
Paul Peterman, President Branch 2502, Las Vegas, NV.
Scott Mahe, President Branch 2778, Sparks, NV.
David Grosskopf, President Branch 3, Buffalo, N.Y.
John Cruz, President Branch 41,  Brooklyn, N.Y.
Kenny Montgomery, President Branch 210, Rochester, N.Y.
Ted Lee, President Branch 84, Pittsburg, PA.
William Kriebel, President Branch 254, Bethlehem, PA.
Kevin Sommers, President Branch 1495, Hollidaysburg, PA.
Roberto Santini, President Branch 826, Ponce, P.R.
Julio Santiago, President Branch 869, San Juan, P.R.
Gabraiel Hamm, President Branch 233, Columbia, S.C.
Michael L. Hamilton, President Branch 3902, Charleston, S.C.
Jason “JB” Leath, Vice President Branch 4, Nashville, TN.
John Walker, President Branch 27, Memphis, TN.
Tammia Sneed, President Branch 62, Chattanooga, TN.
Matthew Dover “Angry Mailman”, Branch 62, Chattanooga, TN.
John Collins II, President Branch 419, Knoxville, TN.
Daniel Everett, President Branch 1999, Kingsport, TN.
Kimetra Simpson-Lewis, President Branch 132, Dallas, TX.
Homer Hernandez, President Branch 421, San Antonio, TX.
Estaban Ramirez, Vice President Branch 421, San Antonio, TX.
Sanjera Johnson, President Branch 569, Texarkana, TX.
Carlos Rodriguez, Texas State Pres & Br 1456 Pres, Brownsville, TX.
Vera Joyce Thomas-Pinney, Pres Br 6412, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Keith Hooks, President Branch 142, Washington D.C.
Rob Kosier, President Branch 2, Milwaukee, WI.

ENDORSEMENTS NATIONAL:

Chris Jackson, NALC Director of City Delivery
Pete Moss, Retired National Business Agent, Region 8
Kenneth Gibbs, Jr., Retired National Business Agent, Region 9
Ron Adams, Retired RAA Region 11 & RWCA for Regions 6 & 11
Calvin Brookins, Retired RAA, Region 1
Corey Walton, Nationwide Activist “A to Arbitration”, Branch 4, Nashville, TN.
Ron Speakman, Nationwide Activist “FedUp”, Branch 274, Allentown, PA.
Anita Guzik, National AFL-CIO Delegate