THE BURNING EMBER 2

WHAT HAS HE DONE TO YOU

There are some more things that you might want to know. Before I get to those, let me say, I was quite surprised by some of the responses that I heard on the workroom floor about the first “Burning Ember.” It seems that some members were unaware of what the Bullfrog has and has not been doing. Though one person posted a copy of it on a bulletin board, they scribbled some childish ranting and name-calling on it, but they never addressed the issues and points that were raised, so typical of our Local President and his few supporters. What was funny is that even though they complained of the anonymity of the author of the “Burning Ember” they did not sign their name to the paper and as far as anyone knows, our Local President still seems to be missing. Being missing or not acting however seems to be typical of his behavior.

As many of you know, our local was placed into trusteeship. This is when the National APWU takes over a local. Our not so esteemed Local President brought this action down on the Local; it seems he did not like the membership changing the local constitution shortening the length of terms of the local officers from three to two years. I guess he wants to remain the “MIA President” for one more year and getting paid for not working. Well he told National all about how the membership changed the constitution and he begged them to place the Local into trusteeship; something other Local Union Presidents would never have done. Now before National places a Local into trusteeship the have to follow the rules set down by the National Constitution and Federal Law. One of those procedures is a hearing. That is were the Local is given the opportunity to defend itself. Our Local President however decided not to meet his constitutional duty.

At the hearing, held in October, when the National Hearing Officer asked the Bullfrog if he had anything to say, he declined. So the Bullfrog, who is supposed to be the spokesperson for the Local just sat there throughout the hearing doing nothing but scribbling on a notepad. He just sat there and said nothing; he did not speak a word in or lift a finger to defend the rights of the members of the Local as the spokesperson for the local is suppose to do. Since the Bullfrog failed to fulfill his office and responsibility it fell to the Local Vice President to speak for and defend the Local. Other members stood and spoke their minds and hearts and though I do not necessarily agree with all of their points of view I applaud their courage. Now, you might ask what the Bullfrog’s motivation was for not speaking; my only guess was selfishness. Based upon brief conversations with the Bullfrog it is clear to me that he was hoping that all of the Local Officers would be removed so that he would have free reign to run the Local into the ground. Fortunately, through the efforts of other Local Officers the trusteeship was short lived and the Local was left intact.

Makes one wonder how much longer we can keep a president who would sell out the local for his own selfishness. Maybe you might want to e-mail him and ask him. He can be reached at:
orbulldog1@verizon.net or gstin29803@aol.com