Anibal (Sonny) was elected 1st Vice President in 2019. He has held this position for 3 years and was re-elected in 2022. Sonny began his long postal and Union carrier in 1981. In 1998 Sonny was elected as Shop Steward by a group of his fellow carriers. As a Steward, Sonny strived to become the leader his fellow carriers needed and pushed himself to learn everything he could to assist them. In 2005, Sonny graduated the 1st NALC Leadership Academy. He continued in the leadership path by being appointed to the route adjustment team, Customer Connect and becoming a Formal step A representative that same year. In 2006, Branch 36 carriers banded together and elected him as the Director of Compensation. Anibal never stopped working for the letter carriers of Branch 36. In 2022, Anibal was re-elected to the position of 1st Vice President a position he has held with pride and will continue to do so.

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No doubt that many of us have set goals for the coming year, and hopefully most, if not all of those goals will be met. 2026 is the Year of the Horse, specifically the dynamic Year of the Fire Horse, beginning with the Chinese New Year on February 17, 2026, and ending February 5, 2027. This combination of the Horse sign with the Fire element signifies energy, freedom, passion, and a need for action and strategic focus, occurring only once every 60 years. There are a couple of things coming up this year that deserve our close attention. Coincidentally, they both involve elections.
First, I think that we can all agree that the current policies of this administration are not in the best interest of this country. The illegal deportation of people looking to become citizens goes against what we stand for. The laws of this land are being treated as suggestions, and when there is pushback from elected officials, they’re met with retaliation. Recently, two people were killed by an arm of the government whose job is to enforce the law as written, not to make it up as they go. The reasons for the killings fall flat when held up to the light of day. Social services meant to help the most vulnerable have been cut in order to pay for disproportionate tax breaks for the wealthiest.
The President has been able to achieve his agenda with the help of the Senate and the House of Representatives where the Republican Party enjoys the majority. This coming November we can do our part by ensuring that the politicians in office are upholding the Constitution they swore to protect against all enemies, both foreign and domestic. We will also have the opportunity to take back the Senate and House of Representatives in Washington. If this happens the rule of law can be restored, and president’s power to make policies that are detrimental to the good of this nation can be curtailed. I ask you to join me in this effort.
The second is the upcoming election in August for our union’s national officers. The negotiations on our next Collective Bargaining Agreement (our contract) will begin later this year. Now just like the elections in November you are free to vote for your preferences. All I ask is that you make an informed decision and remember that by turning down the last tentative agreement the arbitrator ruled that new carriers must work an extra 46 weeks before reaching top pay. This Union has always been all inclusive and administered by experienced competent leaders, keep this in mind when casting your ballots.
Finally, in the spirit of the Year of the Fire Horse, I urge you to use your energy to restore this country to what it was before the current madness began. I believe in a strong two-party system that can reach common ground through negotiation and compromise. I believe that in order for this country to prosper everyone must be included, no one can be left behind.