Postal Union Leader’s Reply

I am writing in regard to the article about the Postal Workers Union printed in the Orange County section on Sunday, Jan. 3.

Your article failed to state that the group trying to recall me comprises the candidates from the other team who lost during the April, 1987, local union elections. This team of candidates would not accept the will of the members and has been completely disruptive at every meeting or function held by the union.

In order for a union officer to be recalled, a petition must be submitted to the executive board of the Southwest Coastal Area Local. The petition must be signed by a minimum of 10% of the members from five installations and represent at least 10% of the local membership. After this petition, which lists charges, is received, there is a hearing to determine innocence or guilt. If the executive board finds the officer guilty, the recall election proceeds and two-thirds of the voting members must vote in favor of the recall.

It is also not true that Barbara Ribar, editor of the local union newspaper, has been “locked out” of her office, as your article reports. Ribar has access to the office the same as any other union member. She was given all the material to publish a paper in October, 1987, and she has never returned the pasted-up newspaper to be printed. Ribar has been charged with failure to perform her duties as editor. There has not been any censorship of dissent.

It is not true that I have been charged with misuse of union dues or assets to promote my candidacy. The local union has been charged by the Department of Labor for using funds to promote candidates. I was not the incumbent president when these alleged violations occurred.

The Southwest Coastal Area Local has proposed to the U.S. attorney that the election for president of the local be rerun, or the entire election be held again, and the U.S. attorney has failed to respond.

Ribar’s estimate that the union would need $50,000 to $100,000 to fight the federal lawsuit is ridiculous. The Southwest Coastal Area Local is not a wealthy local by any means--the total worth of the local financially is $142,578.

BOBBY DONELSON

President,

Southwest Coastal Area Local

American Postal Workers Union,

AFL-CIO

Santa Ana