The Long Road of Advocacy
Sunday, February 23 rd , up at 4:00 AM to start my day and my trip to Atlantic City for the Region 15 Rap Session like I have in past years. This time the trip had a few more wrinkles than it had in the past. The first was that I was the ranking officer and the second was that we would be joining the rest of the attendees of the RAP session on a Bus drive to Washington DC to attend a “Fight like Hell” Rally on Monday. The Sessions started at 10 AM and on the dais were the NBA Bruce Didriksen, RAA Orlando Gonzalez, RAA Tony Perconte, RWCA David Picconi, NAA Bradley Jasper, LPO Marc Ashmon, Pre-Arbitration Advocate Jeff Fox and Arbitration Advocate Frank Mongiello. Tony Perconte, Orlando Gonzalez, David Picconi briefly spoke Sunday morning on the training they would be giving that afternoon. The NBA spoke on Health Benefits,’ the NALC HBP, the Protect Our Letter Carriers Act. H.R. 1065/S.463 and the S&DC implementation schedule going forward. He also spoke at length about The Fight like Hell Rally at NALC head quarters in Washington DC on Monday February 24, 2025, the Bus transportation and event details. He also encourages local Branches to stage their own local rallies, promising support materials like T-shirts, banners, signs and planning to notify the local Press.
Frank Mongiello and Jeff Fox both spoke about trends in Grievance/Arbitration, giving advice on how to mitigate some of the ills caused by the growing back log of cases. They both encouraged the field to try to settle grievances at the lowest possible level.
The Breakout sessions seemed to go well, with Mr. Picconi’s OWCP class being especially filled with a lot of information, for those trying to help their members with Workers Compensation. Mr. Rotunda and I attended a general President’s session led by the NBA in a smaller conference room whereas the attending Branches could express their concerns with some of the issues and challenges they were experiencing. Many Branches are experiencing problems that seem to stem from a lack of qualified personnel in leadership positions. A lack of interest in Advocacy as well as Managers that are unwilling or unable to lead their workforce rather than talk to other Managers about how to cheat all the redundant reports they are required to complete. Additionally, there seems to be an overall inattentiveness to the Grievance procedure.
Tuesday morning, after a long bus ride, we arrived at the NALC Building in Washington DC. I have to admit that even after sacroiliac torturing ride, the sight of the NALC building with the Capital Building in the background still gives me goosebumps. I am so grateful to Vincent Sombrotto and what he has done for our Letter Carriers. The “Fight like Hell” rally was held across the street in front of the Taft Memorial Carillon. Between the Reg 15 Rap Session, the local Branches, the APWU as well as the employees and advocates from the NALC building there were about 350 or so in attendance. Although the short notice I thought the crowd to be of good size and very energetic.
I was very impressed by the number of speakers who participated in the rally and spoke on behalf of our beautiful Union. The speakers included: Ranking Member Gerry Connolly (D-VA), AFL-CIO Secretary- Treasurer Fred Redmond, APWU President Mark Dimondstein, TTD President Greg Regan, CWA President Claude Cummings, Rep. Eric Sorensen (D-IL), Union Veterans Council Executive Director Will Attig, Letters to a Pre-Scientist CEO Lucy Madden, AGMA Soloist Vice President Andrew Stenson, AFA President Sara Nelson, AFGE Vice President Ottis Johnson, ATU President John Costa, Rep. Eric Sorensen (D-IL), and Rep. Jill Tokuda (D-HI).
I and the rest of the Branch 6000 weary warriors did not ger back to New Jersey until about 8 PM that evening. All and all, I am glad that I had the opportunity to be a part of the rally; I thought it was run extremely well considering how quickly it was put together. I had only two disappointments; 1) that, despite what we are facing together, a divide in our organization still exists. And 2) even though we were within eyesight of the Teamsters building, there was no Teamsters Union representative at the Rally. Where were you, Mr. O’Brien?! Hey Brother, I wouldn’t want the USPS crisis to get in your way of your relationship with the Vice President!!!
Once again, I am confronted with something that has been a real issue for our organization. Too many Union leaders are confusing advocacy with politics. Both are necessary in a Union, but Advocacy should NOT suffer politics, end of story. Like this country I feel at times that parts of the USPS as well as its Unions have lost their way, mainly because they have forgotten their history. They have forgotten the pain suffered from those leaders before us, who have fought, given up their own well-being to blaze a path that we have all since taken for granted. I have become convinced that often strife and pressure are a necessary ingredient in the recipe that makes great leaders. I am also convinced that there are many that confuse Opinions with Actions. Real advocacy requires a lot more than posting on Social Media. Social Media is a great platform as well as a necessary evil these days, but it is too easy and of too little consequences to compare with those who really took the risks on the strike lines, or those that chew up miles and miles every week to speak to and educate our members.
I am extremely grateful and fortunate to have been exposed to so many great Union leaders that have taken the time to mentor me through my shortcomings and give me the knowledge and skill of which I am so proud. I am so thankful that they have had the patience to teach me the necessary lessons so I can go forward and teach, mentor and protect others. I am working on being more resilient of those that are so carless with their opinions that minimize this fight of ours, that think the Labor effort and Unions are part of the problem. I owe this Union a lot. I will leave you with what a great Union leader told me when I asked him “…but what should I do?” “You should run towards the fire Joseph, that’s where you’re needed.”
I pray that we can live up to the ideals of one of the best Union leaders that America has ever known; thank you Mr. Sombrotto, I pray to God to give me the strength to protect your children of the NALC.
