The
Mail
Handlers
The Mail Handlers' Division has successfully met its
challenges throughout the years, and continues to grow at a rate unequaled in
the entire labor movement. Since merging with the Laborers' International Union
of North America in 1969, membership has advanced from 14,000 to nearly 36,000
members.
INFLUENCE EXPANDS
The
remarkable growth in both membership and financial standing, as well as the number of wage and benefit improvements which have been
successfully negotiated by the Union, are largely due to sheer hard work on the
part of the National Officers, the field staff, and local officers and members.
The Union has not only grown tremendously in size but in influence and power.
The respect accorded the Mail Handlers by the other postal unions and by
management, is reflected in the major role our Union played in bringing genuine
collective bargaining to the postal service, and in the negotiation of the
National Agreement.
A VITAL ROLE
It was at the National Headquarters of LIUNA and its Mail Handlers' Division that top labor and management figures first met following the massive postal strike in 1970. Their meetings, followed closely by the press and the public, eventually resulted in the first negotiated agreement signed in the Federal public sector; which specified wages as a negotiable item.
UNION’S HISTORY
Prior
to its active participation in those unprecedented talks, the Mail Handlers'
Division had already enjoyed a long history, liberally highlighted with numerous
victories on behalf of its membership. The
Union was founded in 1905, and early in its history began achieving wage
increases; was able to have holidays set aside; and secured other important
benefits which now seem commonplace such as an 8hour day, retirement benefits,
injury compensation and liberalized sick leave provisions.
THE TRYING 30’S
In
the 1930's, the Union continued to win benefits for its members, even during
that rugged decade when so many unions declined and even ceased to function.
A 5-day week was established; retirement, sick leave and holiday laws
were further liberalized.
DECADES OF PROGRESS
During the war years of the 1940's, credit for
military service toward retirement was secured; higher wages continued to be
won; true time-and-a-half pay was won for overtime work; and increased
disability benefits were acquired. In the mixed economy of the 1950's, the Union
was able to keep its members abreast of inflation with increased salaries and
retirement annuities.
BEST HEALTH BENEFITS
The
boom years of the early 1960's saw passage of the Mail Handlers' Health Benefit
Plan, considered the best medical plan available.
In addition, higher salaries and annuities as well as further
liberalization of group benefits were secured.
JOINS LIUNA
Pointing the way to this progress was the merger
in 1969 with the LIUNA, one of the nation's strongest and largest unions,
boasting a combined membership of approximately 650,000 men and women working in
both the public and private sectors. With this successful merger, the Mail
Handlers' Division began benefiting from the special services already
established within the large and highly effective Laborers' International Union.
Its Legal Department prepares drafts for legislation on wages, health
benefits, position classification and related issues of concern to Mail
Handlers. The Legal Department also
drew up some of the major provisions of the postal reform legislation and
assisted during negotiations following the postal strike.
UNEQUALED SERVICES
The
LIU's Legislative Department works with the Mail Handlers' Division in making
vital contacts on Capitol Hill with the members of Congress who are involved in
legislation affecting Mail Handlers.
The
LIU's Public Relations Department prepares speeches and testimony that are
presented on behalf of Mail Handlers to the House and Senate Post Office and
Civil Service Committees on the issues of pay, health, position reorganization,
etc.
The
Federal-Public Service Employees Division continues to work on a day-to-day
basis with the Mail Handlers' Division, and has provided it with material and
staff assistance covering all aspects of efficient and effective operations.
General
President Angelo Fosco personally gives a great amount of his time to assisting
the Mail Handlers' Division with critical issues, when only the stature and
reputation of the general president of a large organization like the Laborers'
is needed by the Mail Handlers' Division to rally the support it could not
otherwise mobilize. And in the
person of Mr. Fosco, an AFL-CIO Vice-President, the Mail Handlers are
represented on the Executive Board of the AFL-CIO.
HISTORIC REORGANIZATION
After the postal strike in 1970, negotiations between the exclusive postal unions and management began at the LIUNA and Mail Handlers National Office. Those talks led to further negotiations; which eventually resulted in the Postal Reorganization Act and the National Working Agreement. The Mail Handlers' Division played a major role throughout those historic talks and the subsequent activities in Congress.
LANDMARK YEARS
While
1960 and 1970 were landmark years for the Mail Handlers' Division-with the
merger, rapidly increasing membership, the Postal Reorganization Act, the first
Biennial Assembly -1971 was historically significant, too, with General
President Fosco signing the National Working Agreement to include the Mail
Handler craft in the provisions of the contract.
MEMBERS’ NEEDS ANSWERED
The
National Office and the services of the LIUNA continue to fight for better pay,
retirement annuities, group benefits and improved working conditions for Mail
Handlers. Extensive efforts persist
on Capitol Hill to secure needed legislation.
In addition, all unresolved local grievances are currently being resolved
at the national level.
Signs
of growth and progress continue to be strong, and more and more postal employees
in the Mail Handlers' craft are joining the Union in order to share in the
benefits that membership brings.
CONSISTENT RECORD OF WINS
Since
it was founded in 1905, the Mail Handlers' Union has consistently been a leader
in social and legislative reforms; which have served to benefit its membership.
Following is a brief review of past highlights in the Union's continuing
campaign to secure a better life for members and their families.
1905-Non-classified
salary, $600 per year. Non-skilled laborer did not have the right to organize or
petition grievances except through other groups, which was not very effective.
1912-Right
to organize and to adjust grievances. 8-hour day; weekly rest law.
1916-Compensation
for injury. Compensation for
holiday.
1918-Salary
increase to $1,000 per year.
1919--Salary
increase to $1,200 per year. Title
of Skilled Laborer.
1920-Salary
reclassification. Salary $1,300 per
year-sick leave law-credit for substitute work.
1924-Better
compensation for injury.
1925-Liberalization
of sick leave law. Higher rate of overtime.
1926-Improved
retirement law.
1927-Liberalization
of compensation for
1928-Improved
sick leave law. Wage differential
for night work.
1930-Further
improvement of retirement law.
1931-Saturday
half holiday; 44 hours per week.
1936-The
5-day week. Liberalization of
compensation law.
1938-Legal
holiday, November 11th. Further
improvement of compensation law.
1939-Exclusion
of Saturday from annual and sick leave. Granting
substitutes annual and sick leave. Liberalization
of retirement law.
1940-Absence
with pay for jury duty. Credit for
Military Service toward retirement.
1941-Adjustment
of overtime for Railway Mail Service laborers.
1943-Temporary
salary increase of $400 per year. Optional
retirement age reduced.
1944--Change
of title from Laborer to Mail Handler.
1945-Increase
in salary of $400. Time and
one-half for overtime.
1946-Credit
for Military Service in the Armed Forces.
1948-Salary
increase of $450 per year. Wage differential for night work.
1949-50-Increased
disability compensation benefits for injury or death; salary increase.
1951-52-
Salary increase retroactive to July 1st ;
sick leave accrual ceiling removed; new graduated scale of benefits
payment for those on the Civil Service retirement rolls.
1953-54-
Repeal of law which compelled Government Employees to "use or lose"
their annual leave; first $1,200 for those past 65 exempt; medical expenses,
dental bills deductible if exceeding 3 percent of gross income; working children
making more than $600 claimed as dependents if under age 19; Government term
life insurance established.
1956-Liberalized
retirement and survivorship benefits; annuities increased on an average of 25
percent; family survivor benefits boosted as much as 150 percent; retirement
after 30 years service at less financial penalty; disability annuities raised.
1958-Established
a postal policy to adjust rates and salaries of postal employees.
Salary was retroactive to January 1, 1958; increased annuities payable
from the Civil Service retirement and disability fund.
1960-Retired
Employees Health Benefits Act; 71/2 percent salary increase.
1961-Increases
in annuities payable from the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund.
1963-Mail
Handlers' Health Benefit Plan.
1964-Signing
of National Exclusive with Post Office Department.
1965-Increases
in annuities payable from the Civil Service retirement and disability fund,
severance pay for employees who are involuntarily separated through no fault of
their own.
1966-Automatic
cost-of-living increases whenever the Consumer Price Index has equaled at least
3 percent for three consecutive months.
1967-Six
percent salary increase.
1968-Five
percent salary increase.
1969-Six
percent salary increase.
1970-The
first contract negotiated in the history of the Federal sector-the National
Postal Working Agreement. Improved
retirement benefits and financing.
Unemployment
compensation-extended benefits and continuation of benefits during training.
Postal
Reorganization Act.
Credit
union share insurance.
Health
services improvements-authorizes Federal health benefits carriers to offer group
health prepayment coverage.
Witness
leave for Federal employees.
Federal
safety program-health and safety bill.
Federal
alcoholism program.
Intergovernmental
Personnel Act.
Retirement
survivorship improvements.
Salary
protection for downgraded postal mobile employees.
Postal
labor management relations.
Curtailing
mailing certain articles hazardous to postal employees.
1970-Postal
service created under the Postal Reorganization Act.
1971-Postal
Service appropriations amendment prohibiting salaries to postal officials
who
prevent employees from communicating with Congress.
Federal
assistance for public service employment during periods of high unemployment
includes
Federal
Government as an employer.
Federal
pay increases-January, 1972.
Federal
drug abuse program for Federal and Postal employees.
Equal
Employment Opportunity Act right of Federal and Postal employees to institute
court action after final decision of agency or Civil Service Commission.
Waiving
life insurance deductions during periods
of erroneous suspension or removal.
Cost
of living adjustments for those retiring after effective date of annuity
adjustments.
Relations
between Congress and Postal Service.
1973-Cost
of living increases on annuities.
Minimum
wage increase.
Postage
rates.
Requiring
Postal Service to pay retirement fund for unfunded liability created by
additional future employee benefits.
1974-Fair
Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to cover Federal, State and Local governments
including
all postal workers.
1975-Amendments
for Federal and Postal workers buying insurance benefits. (UWCP)
OSHA-U.S.P.S.
FIGURES SHOW UNION'S
GROWTH UNEQUALED IN
LABOR MOVEMENT
June
1976 marked the Seventh Anniversary of the merger between the Mail Handlers and
the Laborers' International Union. Under
provisions of the merger, the LIUNA assumed administrative and financial
responsibility of the Mail Handlers' Division.
In seven years progress for the Mail Handlers' Union-as indicated by
membership-far outdistanced the strong growth
rate of the Union during its previous history.
In fact, the Division's transformation has been unequaled by any union in
the entire labor movement.
Membership of the Mail Handlers'
Division 1969-1977