2010 National Convention: Monday

Convention thoughts from Monday:

As usual, a host of foreign dignitaries - all leaders of the postal unions in their respective countries - were introduced. There were approximately a dozen, from nearly every corner of the globe, including Russia and New Zealand.

The New Zealand representative, and I'm sorry I didn't get his name or photo, relayed the foreign solidarity keynote address Monday morning. Don't feel isolated, folks ... he says there are two-and-a-half million postal workers, worldwide. They have a saying in New Zealand, where they are surrounded by salt water, "rust never sleeps." It's a colloquial way of saying we must be ever vigilant. It was a good word.


President Bill Burrus gave the "State of the Union" address. The American Postal Workers Union is currently approximately 182,000 members strong. When Burrus took over the reins as President, our union had a budget deficit, but will finish the 2010 fiscal year with a $10 million surplus, even with a loss of more than 32,000 members.

There are 2,016 delegates seated in Cobo Hall, with 84 of them being National Officers. 294 Locals are represented. Every state in America is represented, as well as Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

A little to my surprise, we began tackling the actual work of the convention - resolutions to be turned into negotiating strategies - before noon today, and made it through more than 90 of them before we adjourned. The convention runs from 10:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m., with no breaks.

Here is the bag they gave me at registration:











And here is what was stuffed inside of it (click photo for larger view):









I have posted more pictures on the Local's Facebook account.

-- Mark Raymond, Editor