A Fond Farewell From Support Services Division Director Brooks

I am retiring effective Nov. 18, 2022. As I look back on my tenure, many changes have taken place in the Support Services Division. We successfully defended attempts to reduce our work, eliminate private sector units. We have also organized additional units, both private and postal. Despite the implementation of new technology, aimed at reducing employee complement, we have managed to grow.

We have negotiated 13 new or successor Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) for private sector units alone. These include companies such as PAE, and Hollingsworth LLC for our Mail Transport Equipment Service Centers, and private sector mail hauling companies Salmon & Sons, Mail Contractors of America, 10 Roads Express, and B&B Trucking.

We negotiated several postal CBAs during my time in office. Between the IT/AS, Postal Nurses, main table Operating Services and Material Distribution, and most recently, for the HRSSC, we negotiated 11 new, successor, or extension agreements.

We stopped the Postal Service from shutting down the San Mateo Accounting office. We took the fight to California legislative representatives and senators to question the Postal Service on their proposed actions. Due to pressure from our members and legislative partners, the Postal Service retreated and we retained the accounting positions domiciled in San Mateo.

We also stopped Hollingsworth, a private sector company, from rejecting employment and union recognition when they took over operations involving MTESC work from PAE. Our membership stepped up and wrote letters to their state representatives. We filed NLRB charges and the company agreed to retain union members, as well as recognizing the union and the contract.

Our private sector unit, led by Rich Shelley, organized a new postal group at HRSSC. This was historic for the APWU as it was an EAS non-supervisory group. Once they officially voted to become bargaining unit employees, we negotiated a first contract for them, which allowed for a set pay schedule, step increases, and COLAs, which they did not have before our representation.

The private sector unit organized a group of mail haul drivers working for 10 Roads Express at the Harrisburg, PA terminal. To date, we have been working with the new group to establish their constitution and conduct an election of officers. We are scheduled to begin bargaining in November.

I couldn’t have accomplished these achievements without the help of National Business Agent Judy McCann. I had worked with Judy for many years prior to appointing her to the NBA position. I knew her work ethic and passion for the union and its members. She has a wealth of knowledge and fights hard for our membership. Judy has been a great co-worker, and an even greater friend. Judy is retiring at the end of this term and I wish her the best in her new chapter of life.

One of my goals was to bring awareness of the Support Services Division to the APWU membership. Many of our members were unaware of what the division was, and who we represent. I think that I have been successful in educating officers and members in the APWU of how important and diverse that the division is.

As I move into my retirement, I hope that I have had a positive impact on the members of the division and my entire APWU family. The union has given so much to me, and my goal was to give back to the membership. I hope that I have left it stronger than when I began. I’m truly going to miss the day-to-day activities, but it is time to move on to another chapter in my life. I will still be active as a retiree, as I can never forget how influential a union as great as the APWU has been to me.