Charlotte Area Local Elections, Where Others Fail

If you haven’t noticed yet the Charlotte Area Local is entering an election period. A few weeks ago the local president requested of the Executive Board to delay the election due to the Coronavirus Crisis and they rejected the action. It should be noted at the time that the state had a bar against 50 or more people meeting in one place. Nominations are held at the union meeting and while one could predict unfortunately that less than 50 would be in attendance, with a nomination meeting you just never know. The local president cancelled the union meeting in accordance with the state proclamation. The Election Committee however did step in and delay the election.

Now the county has issued a shelter in place order until April 17th. The local president has closed the local union office and has had the full-time stewards report to their postal jobs and secured an extension on all grievances for 14 days beyond the April 17th date. Under the county’s order, union offices are not an exception. The order is intended to slow the spread of the virus. The state total to date is 763 cases and the county has 259.

The election in the local will occur and the election committee is working on setting a date and process that will ensure an election is held even if union meetings can’t be held. Now is not the time for political attacks and wasting of time and resources. Now is the time for leaders to step up and do the hard work where others fail to do so.

This is not an endorsement of any person or groups of people that may run for office in the local. It is however a message of hope. I hope that those who seek to one day lead in this local stop the game playing and name calling and support all those members who are going to work each and every day with the threat of this virus affecting them or their families.

First Name: LeRoy
Last Name: Moyer
Email: apwuldm@gmail.com
Union/Local: Charlotte, 375
Office held if any: Past President of Pennsylvania Postal Workers Union and Charlotte Area Local, Past Co-Chair NPC

6 thoughts on “Charlotte Area Local Elections, Where Others Fail

  1. Union and NAME of Local/Branch
    APWU - Charlotte Area Local #375
    Email Address
    lkrowe13@gmail.com

    According to your post, “The local president [Tony Wilson] has closed the local union office and has had the full-time stewards report to their postal jobs and secured an extension on all grievances for 14 days beyond the April 17th date.”

    Sooo… If the office is closed and the full-time stewards have reported to their postal jobs, then why has one of the full-time steward’s car been spotted at the office everyday this week for hours at a time instead of reporting to her window clerk postal job? What would a steward be doing at the closed office when “extensions on all grievances have been secured?”

    See: Union Meeting alternatives
    By Kevin Rowe on March 31, 2020

  2. Union and NAME of Local/Branch
    APWU - Charlotte Area Local #375
    Email Address
    lkrowe13@gmail.com

    Oh Leroy. Let’s take a closer look at your comments.

    Your post:

    “Charlotte Area Local is entering an election period”
    No one outside of the Local would have known if you hadn’t brought it up

    “A few weeks ago…”
    March 19, 2020 is far from weeks ago

    “The local president cancelled the union meeting in accordance with the state proclamation”
    Alternative measures could have been adopted. Plenty of room to hold the meeting outside. Cap the number of people that enter the meeting hall to 50.

    “The Election Committee however did step in and delay the election.”
    The Local Constitution does not give the election committee the authority to delay the election. LMRDA also does not give the committee a broad spectrum to delay the election.

    “Now the county has issued a shelter in place order until April 17th. The local president has closed the local union office”
    It’s awesome that the president is performing his duties out of the union booth at the plant… Huh? He’s not? He’s at home? He’s not on the front line with the members?

    “Now is not the time for political attacks”
    Yet you took the time to attack me. You might want to Google the definition of hypocrisy.

    “support all those members who are going to work each and every day with the threat of this virus affecting them or their families.”
    I totally agree. The president working out of the union booth at the plant, visiting the Mid-C building, and visiting the members at the AO’s and City Stations would be a great show of support.

    Your “now is not the time for political attacks” attack on me:

    “until you wanted to get involved in this election to remove Tony Wilson as local president.”
    I asked a simple question on Facebook out of curiosity. It was you and Tony that has blown it way out of proportion.

    “And once your name is presented to the membership at a local union meeting you again will be a full dues paying member of the local, but not till then.”
    Not true and you know it. Even so, I have already received a confirmation email from National stating I am now a full dues paying member.

    “Your history of using social media to attack candidates”
    Laughable. As if you’re above attacking people. At least my supposed attacks are public (and still public!). Unlike you creating a super secret members only Illuminati Facebook group.

    “you could be using social media to endorse your candidate or slate of candidates”
    I did and, again, you know it.

    “I see nothing about my post that is inaccurate”
    That’s been proven wrong. But! I guess if Pappy said it, it must be true.

    “The DOL also has recognized that there is a balance between union elections and the current crisis and has provided guidance on he issue.”
    Please post a link verifying this statement. The statement I read from LMRDA says nothing of the sort.

    “my comments should not be considered an endorsement of any candidate or slate of candidates.”
    Yet they are.

  3. Union and NAME of Local/Branch
    APWU - Charlotte Area Local #375
    Email Address
    nc.huskerfan@yahoo.com

    My apologies. I will rephrase my question. Why is a non full dues paying member of the Charlotte Area Local concerned about Charlotte Area Local elections?

  4. Union and NAME of Local/Branch
    APWU - Charlotte Area Local
    Email Address
    apwuldm@gmail.com

    Kevin Rowe, where do we start? I am a retired member of the APWU just like you were until you wanted to get involved in this election to remove Tony Wilson as local president. And once your name is presented to the membership at a local union meeting you again will be a full dues paying member of the local, but not till then.

    Your history of using social media to attack candidates that you don’t support is well documented. It however was rejected in the last local elections and will again this time. It’s a shame because you could be using social media to endorse your candidate or slate of candidates, if you haven’t noticed most of America is tired of the attacks.

    I see nothing about my post that is inaccurate. It was intended to remind folks that we are dealing with issues much greater than a local election. The DOL also has recognized that there is a balance between union elections and the current crisis and has provided guidance on he issue. Does anyone really believe that delaying an election 60-90 days during this crisis is what the members on the floor are actually concerned about?

    Could things be handled better? Could the local situation been communicated better? The answer to these questions is yes. I have been involved in the APWU in an elected capacity since 1990 and nothing like this has ever affected workers, their families or the union.

    Concentrate on the important things to the membership right now. There will be plenty of time for campaigning later. And again, my comments should not be considered an endorsement of any candidate or slate of candidates.

  5. Union and NAME of Local/Branch
    APWU - Charlotte Area Local #375
    Email Address
    nc.huskerfan@yahoo.com

    Why is a non member concerned about Charlotte Area Local elections?

  6. Union and NAME of Local/Branch
    APWU - Charlotte Area Local 375
    Office held, if any
    Secretary Treasurer
    Email Address
    Miriam_bell@yahoo.com

    Leroy that is not an accurate statement. Mr Wilson asked the executive board to vote to extend our terms “until”. We don’t have constitutional authority to do that. So o respect your post but it is inaccurate.

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