Greetings to all members of the Michigan State Association of Letter Carriers. I would like to thank the delegates to our recent Convention for electing me to the position of Director of Education for this two-year term. I ran on the “Take Action” slate, and that is precisely what I intend to do along with the other members of the MISALC Executive Board. This certainly is no time for sitting on our laurels.

 

      These are certainly challenging times for the NALC and the United States Postal Service as a whole. The announcement of our new Postmaster General is disappointing and alarming. The new PMG, David P. Steiner, comes directly from service on FedEx’s board of directors. NALC President Brian Renfroe has released this statement: “His selection isn’t just a conflict of interest-it’s an aggressive step toward handing America’s mail system over to corporate interests. Private shippers have been waiting to get USPS out of parcel delivery for years. Steiner’s selection is an open invitation to do just that.”

 

      What this means is that the MISALC and its directive to engage in the political and legislative agenda for the betterment of our members is more vital than ever. It is time to Take Action, and we are now developing that strategy for the next two years. It is time to engage all of you to Take Action as well. Below are a few of the initiatives that we hope to accomplish over the next two years.

 

      We need to increase the Letter Carrier Political Fund participation in all of the branches throughout the state. We currently only hover around 13% participation statewide. I have a personal goal of increasing that to 20% within the next two years. We will work on a strategy of one-on-one discussions with our fellow members about the importance of the LCPF. I have found that personal communication, direct one-on one conversation, is the strongest influencer for getting a member to sign up. A little money from a lot of people goes a long way!

 

      We need to have at least one Letter Carrier Congressional Liaison in all of Michigan’s thirteen Congressional districts. MISALC President Zalewski has tasked me to develop a training program for that mission. This training will be done in a very hands-on way that will assist a newer LCCL to feel comfortable in communicating the NALC’s message to their Congressional representative. I will be traveling around the state when needed for this mission. If you are interested, please talk to your Branch President.

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      During next year’s mid-term elections, we will Take Action to ensure that all of our members statewide are educated on the candidates that are running, and at the same time using our resources to support any candidates that the NALC deems necessary. We will actively engage all of our members on that front.

 

      The MISALC Executive Board will Take Action to increase its presence at branch events throughout the state. We want you to know who we are! Michigan is a huge state, but please send an invitation to President Zalewski if you wish to have one of us attend. We want to engage and hear from your members on their thoughts concerning NALC’s political and legislative efforts.

 

      This year, we will reinstate our presence at the Labor Day March in Detroit. The MISALC was an active participant for many years in the Labor Day March before the Covid pandemic. The March has been reorganized and we have already begun discussions with the new leadership of the Labor Day March. More details will be forthcoming and we hope to see you down there on the morning of Labor Day.

 

      When an NALC rally or other event is planned that needs a big turnout, the MISALC Executive Board will assist in any way possible for that cause. The members need to be ready to spring into action when called. It is time for the American public to hear our message of Hell No to Privatization loud and clear and in the streets!

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      Members of the MISALC attended this year’s MDA Summer Camp in Lexington for the first time since Covid. We have already talked about how we can be more actively involved in next year’s MDA Camp, and possibly host an MDA event for branches to raise funds for this important cause. Thank you to the MISALC MDA coordinator VicePresident Jones for making this year’s participation in the Camp possible. It is so heartwarming and humbling to see the strong spirits of these kids in person.

 

      These are just some of the things we hope to accomplish over the next two years. Getting elected to this position was the easy part. Now it is time to roll up our sleeves and get the job done. I know we, the MISALC Executive Board, can’t do it alone. We will need all of you help make this agenda successful. We all have a precarious stake in the future of the NALC and the USPS. This is not a time for mere words. It is time to Take Action. Have a great summer and Don’t let the bastards get you down!

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