Candidate for Assistant Director “A” Maintenance Division
My name is Curtis Walker
I am asking for your vote for Assistant Director “A”, Maintenance Division. I am a full dues paying member of the Flint Michigan Area Local and former National Business Agent (NBA) in the Central Region “C” representing, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota.
“A Change is Necessary” and I believe that I am the best person to make these changes. Speaking with many Presidents, Maintenance Craft Directors and members of this Union, I have listened to you and believe that you are ready for a change of representation at the headquarter level. I believe our Union is not pursuing work that is either being subcontracted or being allowed to be worked by other crafts or supervision.
I witnessed, as an NBA, the lack of importance placed on securing this work for our Maintenance employees. The position of Assistant Director is vital to guiding our division in the right direction. The Director leads the craft; however, he/she must have a team that is willing to put forward a position that is best for the craft. I have been a vocal proponent of aggressively fighting for all Maintenance work to be captured in my 11 years on the Maintenance Council.
I believe without an articulate and outspoken Assistant Director who can stand at the microphone at any convention to motivate and instruct our Stewards on the proper grievances to file, our craft is harmed.
As an NBA I have taught at every national convention in my 11-year term. I have also conducted local and regional training in my region as well as being a guest instructor in the southern region and central region “B”. I have conducted training on MS-47- Line H, MS-1- building side staffing, Article 12- excessing, as well as contract articles to include Stewards training on discipline as well as contract violations.
I have been tasked by HQ APWU to conduct regional pre-arbitration discussions with HQ USPS, in an effort to bring our grievance backlog down to more manageable levels. In my term as an NBA, I reduced the grievance backlog in the central region “C” from nearly 3,000 case files to under 200 case files pending arbitration. I did this by working with Local Presidents and Maintenance Craft Directors to prioritize discipline cases and arbitrating high profile cases leading to offers of settlements on similar issues.
I was on the national negotiation team for the current contract negotiations. I saw firsthand what it takes to negotiate with HQ USPS on complicated issues that affect our members. I know I am up for the task of being a key leader for the Maintenance division in the future. I am humbly requesting your support and vote to make a change at the HQ level in the Maintenance division, Assistant Director “A”.
I can be contacted at cwalker4apwu@gmail.com and on my cell phone (810) 836-5724.
