.png)
The Trojan Horse in Our Midst
By Dee Perez
NAPS New York Area Vice President
Happy New Year, NAPS members. It’s 2024; another calendar year has ended, while another is just beginning. I wish great health and happiness and great NPA success in FY24 to all 27,000 NAPS members.
The rival postal management association continues to make false claims about who they represent regarding EAS employees. In February 2022, the 5th District Court of the District of Columbia affirmed NAPS has the right to represent postmasters and supervisors in pay and benefits and every EAS employee at USPS Headquarters.
UPMA can sit at the same table with NAPS to discuss postmasters’ pay and benefits and have equal input with NAPS, but that’s as far as UPMA can go. The organization has zero say in pay and benefits for any other EAS employee.
Regardless of this fact, the association continues to promote itself as having the ability to represent everyone, which it cannot. These half-truths or misrepresented lies (call them what they are) are being used to sell their association to potential future members from the craft and current members from the EAS rank and file.
UPMA, in my opinion, is a Trojan horse: It looks good from the outside, but is full of misinformation on the inside.
UPMA wants to be the association that represents everyone. However, per Title 39 U.S. code law, they cannot! NAPS is the only postal management association that can represent everyone—no matter how many lies they publish and misinformation they spread at their conventions. UPMA constantly spreads these falsehoods to attract new members.
Here are some examples:
In a column for the magazine titled, “Why Join UPMA?” the author wrote: “UPMA is the only management organization that can represent you at Postal Headquarters on specific Postmaster issues.” That is incorrect.
Another UPMA member wrote: “The organization is dedicated to representing the interests of Postmasters and Managers in the USPS. UPMA is actively involved in advocating for policies and regulations that are beneficial to its members, such as fair compensation, job security and employee benefits.” That is incorrect.
A member explained the history of both NAPUS and the League of Postmasters before their 2016 merger: “The merger combined resources and numbers to represent your interests with the Postal Service as a Postmaster, Manager, Supervisor and EAS professional, as well as those aspiring to be.” That is incorrect.
I’m going to dispel those three claims:
1. UPMA is not the only management organization that can represent postmasters at Postal Headquarters on specific postmaster issues. The U.S. District Court affirmed NAPS’ right to equally represent postmasters.
2. NAPS is the only postal management association that can represent your interests at Postal Service Headquarters in all three EAS employee categories: postmasters, managers and supervisors.
UPMA says it is interested in fair compensation, job security and employee benefits for you—who isn’t?! If UPMA truly is interested in those issues, why did UPMA testify on behalf of the Postal Service in the lawsuit NAPS filed regarding the lack of those three issues?
UPMA sided with trusting USPS Headquarters and allows it to decide what is best for you regarding your pay and benefits. This is who your UPMA organization is. When you become a member, they misinform and trust the USPS 100% in making life-altering pay and benefits decisions on your behalf.
In contrast, NAPS fights for your rights, demands through its lawsuit a seat at the table and fights for the pay and benefits you deserve and have earned. There is a huge difference!
It is time every NAPS member informs UPMA members about this and gives them an 1188 so they can leave UPMA and join NAPS.
Sign a UPMA member today to NAPS!
Categories: The Postal Supervisor
