Melinda was elected Recording Secretary for Branch 36 in 2022. Melinda began her Membership with Branch 36 the same year she began her Postal career in 2003. Since the beginning, Melinda has always looked out for all carriers, and pushed herself to learn and do more within Branch 36. Melinda was elected to Shop Steward by her peers in 2015. Not long after, she became an On-the -job instructor and food drive coordinator. 2017 was a busy year for Melinda, she was selected to become a Customer Connect Coordinator and Carrier Academy Facilitator. Her abilities really shined when she was elected as the Director of City Delivery in 2017. In 2018, Melinda trained and became a Formal A Designee for Branch 36. Political Liaison became her next steppingstone in 2021 and her skills were noticed by National. She was tasked with covering the National Administrative Assistant position and handled that job with the same tenacity as her other post. In 2022, Melinda was elected to serve her fellow carriers in the position of Recording Secretary for Branch 36, where she continues to go above and beyond.

Dignity and Respect

We come to work every day with the expectation of having a great day, getting in and getting out without issue. But when you arrive it is a different story. Someone else woke up on the wrong side of the bed, and now their issue has become yours. I have heard of so many instances where this happens and next thing you know, you are placed on Emergency Placement (EP). Management charges conduct unbecoming and says you are threat to yourself or others.
When faced with this situation, you must learn to keep your cool. We are all aware that management has the upper hand when they come in with this type of attitude. Obviously, they are looking to make themselves feel better, and unfortunately, you are the target. You must be aware of these types of people and protect yourself. Begin by keeping an even tone when speaking; keep your distance so they do not accuse you of hitting or bumping into them (some like to cry wolf); and try to have a witness present (especially, if you have had previous issues with this management official). We have many supervisors/managers in our district that feel because of their title, they can say and do what they want. The Service has let it go on for so long and all they do is move them from one place to another and never address the behavior. It is up to the carriers to report it when it happens and for the stewards to put it down on paper. No one wants to be constantly disrespected or belittled. Get your steward involved. Write a very descriptive statement explaining what happened on the day in question, give it to your steward so they could investigate and it can go on from there. If this is an ongoing issue, then you should write a statement every time such issues arise. That is your way of keeping a log of the behavior.
Management has a responsibility to provide safe working conditions (Article 14.1) and Maintain Mutual Respect Atmosphere (M-39 section 115.4). How is this achieved if every day when you arrive, you see the steam rising off the top of their head or feel intimidated to the point where you do not want to ask a question? Management does not have the right to talk to you disrespectfully and do not have the right to threaten you or your job. The Joint Statement on Violence and Behavior in the Workplace states that there is no excuse for and will be no tolerance of harassment, intimidation, threats, or bullying of anyone. Anyone includes you.
Change will not happen right away, and it will certainly never happen if you do not put it on paper. We all must participate in making sure we are treated with the same dignity and respect that we give and are all entitled to at work. We are all in the same boat. It may not be you today, but it could be you tomorrow.