1998 THE BEGINNING: OCT. 20, 1998

Phone #727-546-2875 Fax #727-548-7029
E-mail: APWU1228@aol.com

October 5, 1998

«F NAME» «L NAME»
«ADDRESS»
«CITY», «STATE» «ZIP»
(Please note any changes to your address or zip code)

Dear Lucky APWU Retiree Member,

You are personally invited to the first ever organization meeting of the newly formed APWU RETIREES CHAPTER of the SUNCOAST AREA LOCAL, APWU covering APWU Retirees living in Pinellas and Pasco counties of Florida (encompassing zip codes 337 and 346).

The down county chapter meeting will be held at the NALC Letter Carriers Hall, 12550 66th St. N, Largo, FL, from 11am to 12noon on Tuesday, October 20, 1998, after the regular monthly union meeting adjourns. The up county chapter meeting will be held at the Gulfcoast Manor Retirement Home Hall, 5905 Pinehill Rd, Port Richey, FL starting at 5pm and ending at 6pm on Tuesday, October 20, 1998, the same day as the regular local union monthly meeting which starts at 6:30pm.

John R. Smith, Director of the National APWU Retirees Dept. in Washington, DC, has been invited to attend and speak! Refreshments and food will be served at both locations, at 12noon in Largo and 6pm in Port Richey upon adjournment of the chapter dual meetings.

The purpose of organizing an APWU Local Retirees Chapter is to provide a continuing link to the active local and the labor movement for union retirees; To give union retirees the opportunity to participate in social, political, legislative and educational activities to benefit themselves, active local communities and the labor movement.

Each of you with your many years of Valued Experience now have the chance to contribute by helping to organize the very first APWU Retiree Chapter in the State of Florida.
A resolution was adopted at the regular monthly local union meeting of the Suncoast Area Local on Sunday, September 20, 1998 in Largo, FL and on Tuesday, September 22, 1998 in Port Richey, FL approving a mailout to APWU Retirees in the Suncoast Area Local for an organization meeting in order to form the Local APWU Retirees Chapter, as authorized by the National APWU Constitution, under Article 16, Section 2 (h), Revenues and Charters.

Article 16 provides “that local retiree chapters chartered to be engaged in APWU Retirees Dept. programs shall receive forty (40%) per cent of the annual retirees per capita tax per retiree member of that local chapter.”

Please volunteer the information and complete the enclosed Retiree Interests Profile and return to us in the enclosed stamped self-addressed envelope so we may develop an agenda before our first chapter meeting. Many of you were formerly involved on the local, state and national levels as officers, stewards and/or delegates to APWU seminars, conferences and/or conventions and ALL OF YOU WERE ACTIVE DUES PAYING MEMBERS AND THE HEART AND SOUL RANK AND FILE OF THIS GREAT UNION IN THE USA AND THE UNIVERSE.

There are currently about 308 APWU Retirees paying national APWU retiree union dues, of $24 yearly, living in our Local’s area including zip codes 337 and 346. We look forward to personally seeing you at the meetings or hearing from you by letter, e-mail, fax or by phone.

Fraternally with thanks for your early reply,

Jack Gose,
Chair, Retirees Chapter

Organization Committee

Don Delgman, President

Suncoast Area Local, APWU