OFFICER NOTES
PRESIDENT`S REPORT

By Don T. Griggs
  Greetings to the Officers, Delegates, Special Guests and family members as we begin the 92nd Biennial Convention of the Georgia State Association of Letter Carriers here in Augusta, Georgia. I pause to give a "Big Thank YOU" to President Tim Gunnells, the executive board and the members of branch 263 for accepting the challenge of hosting the convention. A special thanks to those that serve on committees to ensure that the convention is as enjoyable as productive.
 
  During the past two years I have presided at all executive board meetings and training sessions. I have taken each opportunity to speak with the members about important legislative matters that could have lasting effect upon their benefits or employment and encouraged them to become more active in the legislative process. My number one subject has been the importance of "job security insurance" and how to pay the premiums through automatic contributions to COLCPE. I also encouraged them to become e-Activists and Carrier Corp members, especially during the last presidential election.
 
  I attended all State Chairs legislative conference and Region 9 Quarterly meetings with the exception of one, due to illness. I have walked the halls of the Cannon, Longworth and Rayburn buildings often enough that I no longer need the directory, but can find each congressional office by memory, as I lobbied letter carriers concerns. In my efforts to broaden my legislative and labor prospective I have signed up to several such websites for email alerts and updates. They include the national AFL-CIO, Georgia AFL-CIO, MOVEON.ORGPOLITICALACTION, Labor Notes, Congressmen David Scott and John Broun District Updates and Senator Saxby Chambliss News Updates and Weekly Reports to name a few. I have participated in quarterly and sometimes weekly updates with the Southern Region Field Coordinators, presently Bridget Early.

  I have kept the Congressional District Liaisons informed and instructed them in the performance of their duties, as well as the State Legislative Liaison. I assigned each board member to be responsible for a CDL in order to provide additional leadership and worked with branch presidents to get a workable phone tree. During the last general election I was assigned as a phone bank captain and I also walked neighborhoods knocking on doors encouraging voters to go to the polls. Lastly, I have used the local daily newspaper to inform the general public or correct misleading articles about the USPS.

  I pray that the sessions will be informative and productive, but most of all in a manner of brotherhood and true unionism. I finally want to thank my wife, Yvonne, as I seek one final term as president, if it be the desire of the convention, and thank the members for the opportunity to serve for the past two years. May God bless each one of us with his traveling grace as we journey home.


STATE CONVENTION REPORT
By
Zane C. Hollenberger, GSALC Executive Board Member
The 92nd Georgia State Association Biennial Convention was held in Augusta, GA June 11th and 12th 2010.  The State Convention was hosted by Augusta Branch 263, which held a welcoming BBQ on June 10th. The BBQ was a chance to renew old acquaintances and make new ones.

The Convention opened with an invocation and the National Anthem both done in a magnificent manner by Brother Steve Haith from Branch 263.  A motion was made to suspend the reading of the minutes from the previous convention.  This motion passed and the convention had a guest speaker from the Employee Assistance Program that explained the program and how the program could help all USPS Employees.  Next Michael Rosenblatt from the Legislation and Political Action Department of HQ NALC gave the delegates a briefing on the upcoming elections.  He stressed that it was important to get involved with this "off-year" election to maintain friends of the NALC in Congress.

After lunch the NALC's Director of Safety and Health Brian Helman gave the delegates a briefing on the NALC's efforts on keeping Saturday deliveries. He explained about the overpayment into the Civil Service Retirement Fund and the pre-funding of retiree's health benefits.  Mr. Helman went on to explain how cutting Saturday delivery will actually reduce the income of the USPS.  Mr. Helman stressed that it was important for all Letter Carriers and their family and friends to go the Postal Regulatory Commission website (www.prg.org) and leave comments on not doing away with Saturday delivery. NBA Judy Willoughby followed with a presentation of the Flat Sequence Sorter.

The next order of business was the consideration of a by-law change.  The by-law change was to increase the per capita tax in order to publish the Georgia Letter Carrier newspaper.  The GSALC executive board and the GSALC by-law committee recommended approval.  After a discussion the recommended by-law was passed.

At this time nomination of officers for the GSALC was conducted.  The following officers ran unopposed and were re-elected by acclamation:  President Don Griggs, Vice-President Jacob Alston, Secretary Bob Johnson, Treasurer Carl Hayes, Director of Retirees Chuck Windham, Director of Education Tim McCray, and Chairman of the Executive Board Bynoskia Sams.  There were eight members nominated for the four executive board member positions.

The convention adjourned for the day.  That evening a banquet was held where six members of Branch 263 received their gold cards for 50 years of membership in the NALC.

The second day of the convention started with voting for the four executive board member positions.  After the invocation and the National Anthem was given by Brother Steve Haith, several guest speakers from the Muscle Dystrophy Association (MDA) were welcomed.   After the guest speakers several awards were presented by the MDA to branches.

The GSALC executive board decided that the by-law change vote needed to be reconsidered due to the possibility of a misunderstanding on what exactly would happen because of this by-law change. Many delegates were under the impression that individual member dues would increase because of the per capita tax increase.  But that would not be the case, in fact the individual member dues would not increase, but the additional amount of money would be taken out the current dues and be sent to the GSALC, causing a decease in funds to individual branches.  A reconsideration vote was taken and the by-law change was not approved. Therefore the Georgia Letter Carrier newspaper will not be published.

Due to the fact no Georgia Letter Carrier newspaper would be published a motion was made that a CD/DVD of the State Convention minutes be made and sent to each branch.  It was determined that the GSALC had the capability of doing this and the motion passed.

A delegate suggested that a "members only" page be established on the GSALC webpage and that members would have to have a password to access the page.  It was determined that the GSALC had the capability of doing this and that members would have to email the webmaster of the GSALC to obtain the password.  This page would be put in place once the State Convention minutes were available to be published.

The next order of business was the announcement of the election results.  The election committee certified that Paul Barner, Zane Hollenberger, Ronney Harper and Marilyn Fuller were elected to the four executive board positions. At this time NALC's Director of Safety and Health Brian Helman installed the officers of the Georgia State Association of Letter Carriers. The convention closed on this note.


Georgia State Association
of Letter Carriers

Proud to serve the Letter Carriers of this great state