2005 JACK GOSE MEETS PRESIDENT JOHN SWEENEY!

Jack Gose, President, APWU of Florida State Retiree Chapter, AFL-CIO, greets President John Sweeney, National AFL-CIO, at the Florida AFL-CIO Convention being held at Walt Disney World Coronado Springs Resort, 1000 West Buena Vista Drive, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830 on October 10, 2005. (Picture taken by Associated Press photographer)

FLORIDA AFL-CIO CONVENTION SET FOR
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL, OCT. 10-12, 2005

The Florida AFL-CIO Convention will be held at the Walt Disney World Coronado Springs Resort, 1000 West Buena Vista Drive, Lake Buena Vista, Fl. 32830 from October 10-12, 2005. I will attend and represent the APWU of Florida State Retiree Chapter, AFL-CIO at this annual conclave, and we shall take a strong voice to the Convention Delegates concerning the President’s Commission on the U. S. Postal Service and other current APWU legislative and retirement issues, such as Social Security, Medicare, Prescription Drugs, Housing, Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities.

Anyone may go online to www.flaflcio.org and click on Events to get a copy of the hotel convention letter, tentative agenda, committee list, and hotel reservation form to mail back to Disney’s Coronado Springs Group Reservation Office, P.O. Box 10000, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-9989. You may also make your hotel reservation by phone at 407-939-1020. The special Florida AFL-CIO hotel group rate for Single/Double occupancy is $119.00 per night, plus 11.5 % taxes. Room check-in time is 3 pm and check-out time is 11 am. Hope to see you in Lake Buena Vista at the House of Labor Convention!

FLARA EB & LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE TO BE IN TAMPA SEPT 16-17, 2005

Tony Fransetta, President, Florida Alliance for Retired Americans (FLARA), has announced a quarterly Executive Board meeting and FLARA Legislative Conference to be held in Tampa, Fl. on Saturday, September 17, 2005 at the Tampa Doubletree Airport Westshore Hotel, located at 4500 West Cypress Street, Tampa, FL 33607. Directions to the hotel from I-275 are to use Exit 40B go north on Lois Avenue, turn left at Cypress Street light, hotel on left hand side within sight of the Interstate.

The conclave has been called to discuss and layout plans for action in the State of Florida and in the Fall/Winter session of Congress. The meetings will be held on Saturday, September 17, 2005 and will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a break for lunch from 12 noon to 1 p.m. provided by FLARA. Many invited guests and well-known political figures will speak. Go online to www.flara.org to see our history!

All FLARA Executive Board members, Club and individual members including 3000 APWU of Florida State Retiree Chapter members, and invited family/guests are welcome at this exciting gathering to foster support for the important issues that face Florida Union active members, retirees, and seniors. Contact FLARA in West Palm Beach area at 1-561-792-8799 if you are interested or have any questions or comments. Phone Jack Gose, FLARA 2nd Vice President, at 727-343-2998 for more information!

Doubletree Hotel Tampa Westshore Airport hotel room rate is $79.00, plus 12% taxes per night, for FLARA members and guests. Call the Doubletree Hotel in Tampa at 1-800-222-8733 to make room reservations, and ask for the FLARA special group rate. You are to arrive on Friday, September 16, 2005 and check in at the hotel after 3 pm. All roads lead to Tampa for FLARA/APWU Retiree Actions now. Join us in real APWU Retiree Solidarity as We Continue to Fight for all of our Future!

CHAPTER RETIREES INVITED TO FREE LUNCHEON AT APWU OF FLORIDA FALL EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR IN JACKSONVILLE ON WED., NOV. 2, 2005

The first twenty (20) APWU of Florida State Retiree Chapter union dues paying members and spouse or family member who sign in and attend the APWU of Florida State Retiree Chapter luncheon scheduled to be held on Wednesday, November 2, 2005 at the APWU of Florida State Educational Seminar hotel, Radisson Riverwalk Hotel, 1515 Prudential Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32207 will be awarded a free luncheon, limited to two (2) free luncheons per Chapter Retiree family. The Retirees luncheon is scheduled from 11:45 am to 1:15 pm in the Radisson Hotel River’s Edge Café restaurant at the Fall Seminar. APWU of Florida State Retiree Chapter Happy Folders filled with interesting news articles will be distributed free to all in attendance at the luncheon.

An OWCP 2-day class for students will be conducted by Sue Carney, National APWU Human Relations Director, and Kevin Finn, DC staff on Nov. 1-2, 2005 to be followed by an APWU 3-day Retirement Planning class, to be led by Douglas Cowan Holbrook, National APWU Retirees Director and former National Secretary-Treasurer, and staff on Nov. 3-5, 2005. The Fall Seminar general morning session from 9 am to 12:30 pm on Thursday, Nov. 3 will feature National APWU Officers, including National APWU President Bill Burrus.

The Retirement classes will start promptly at 1:30 pm and end at 4:30 pm on Thur., Nov. 3, and are scheduled from 9 am to 4:30 pm on Friday, Nov. 4, and from 9 am to 12 noon on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2005. We look forward to a wall to wall full class attendance!

Pete Trunzo, APWU of Florida Education Director, has put together a terrific educational program for the Fall Seminar in Jacksonville, with Leadership Training led by Joyce Robinson, National APWU Research and Education Director; Veteran’s Rights, Instructor Chuck Sundgaard, National Maintenance NBA; PTF Issues, Instructor Mike Morris, National Clerk Asst. Dir.; RI-399 issues, Instructor Billy Woods, National Clerk NBA; Basic and Advanced Steward classes taught by National and State Officers; and Clerk, Maintenance, and MVS classes with National and State Officers.

The APWU of Florida Special Group hotel rate is $109.00 per night, plus 13 % taxes, from Nov. 1-5, 2005, and you may make your Radisson Jacksonville room reservations by calling 904-396-5100 Group Reservations, and for more reservation information on the Hotel go online to www.radisson.com or phone 1-800-333-3333. Go to www.apwuflorida.org for more info on the classes and instructors!

APWU of Florida State Retiree Chapter membership is growing with over 3,000 APWU dues paying members who pay $24.00 year union dues to the National APWU Retiree Department. Our State Chapter has the largest dues paying membership in the United States, and our Chapter is recognized by the National APWU as the #1 leader in planning and implementing new programs for the benefit of our members who live in 67 counties of Florida from the Panhandle to Key West. All National APWU Retirees Department dues paying members are automatically members of the APWU of Florida State Retiree Chapter with NO STATE OR LOCAL RETIREE DUES TO PAY to belong to the State Retiree Chapter. Isn’t it wonderful to live in Florida, and continue to enjoy all the APWU benefits!

We look forward to meeting you at the Retiree luncheon! I will be attending as many classes as is humanly possible, with my main focus on the 3-day Retirement Planning Super Seminar. Jack Gose is always open to any helpful suggestions, and if there is anything I can assist anyone with at the Jacksonville Seminar, just let me know or call my room! I get very little sleep at APWU events as most of you know, as Security must always be Priority One, for the safety and enjoyment of all the attendees, officers, stewards, union members, family, and invited guests. E-mail: jak.gose@excite.com for action!

RETIREE CHAPTER OFFICERS PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED INFORMATION!

Our APWU of Florida State Retiree Chapter Executive Board and Appointed Officers, blessed with many years of U.S. Postal Service and APWU Officer and Membership experience, provide APWU active and retiree dues paying members and families in need of information a wealth of useful tips. All you have to do is phone them at their home, and don’t forget to thank them for their dedication and commitment to a lifetime of fighting for the current APWU benefits and federal programs we all enjoy, such as CSRS or FERS Annuity, Social Security, Medicare, and Prescription Drugs. If you need help or have a question, contact one of the APWU of Florida State Retiree Chapter Officers listed below:

Jack Gose, President South Pasadena 727-343-2998
Valentine Serpico, Vice President Fort Lauderdale 954-396-4217
Dave Bernstein, Legislative Director Tampa 813-839-4233
John Sardin, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer St. Petersburg 727-347-5687
Michael Jordan, Sr., Health Plan Director Rockledge 321-631-0499
Elizabeth “Beth” Cramer, Benefits Director Cape Coral 239-242-9133
Charlie Redd, Trustee Cocoa 321-632-2898
Pedro Torres, Trustee Miami 305-251-7938