U.S. Postal Service and Free Speech

In coming to the defense of a fellow unionist and union steward, it is my opinion that the postal service’s loose misinterpretation of the code of ethics is a desperate attempt to discipline one who is chosen to enforce the union contract between the American Postal Workers Union and the postal service.

This desperate move by postal management is scrping the very bottom of the barrel.

To say that Webb is “disloyal to the postal service” is a gross mistatement on the part of the service. Those of us who work for the postal service agree with Webb’s description of management although possibly overstated, for the most part it is true.

I find this incident similar to what our general president, Moe Biller, is presently fighting, in which the Merit System Protection Board, accuses him of violating the Hatch Act, for merely expressing his personal preference for a particular presidential candidate. The postal service is currently demanding his resignation.

To allow the postal service to infringe upon any employee’s rights to freedom of speech and expression is in itself disloyal to the employee not to mention un-American!

This inexcusable infringement of Brother Webb’s constitutional rights by the postal service will not go unanswered by the union. It is going to be the APWU who will prevail over this injustice, as it will always prevail when any of its members are unfairly treated and disciplined without just cause.

DAVID JOHN GORDILLO

La Verne

Gordillo is chief steward of the California Area Local of the AFL-CIO American Postal Workers Union.