Former National APWU President (and APWU President Emeritus) William “Bill” Burrus is shutting down his blog effective October 5, 2013.
Over the past year Burrus has been very critical of current APWU President Cliff Guffey, the APWU Executive Board and the contract negotiated with USPS (which will expire in 2015). Burrus has endorsed the opponents, “Members First” Team over Guffey and the NEB in APWU’s National Election Of Officers set to end on Monday, October 7, 2013.
Here is what Burrus wrote on his blog:
Notwithstanding the outcome of the APWU election of officers, views and opinions on this website http://burrusjournal.org will be terminated on October 5, 2013.
Whether you have agreed or disagreed with my points, I have voiced my opinions and thank you for your input. Debate and dialogue are the necessary requirements of democracy and consistent with my service to improve conditions for all postal employees I have passionately opposed the allocation of rights and benefits based on the date of hire. I wish you well.
I was a steward and an Officer in my Local for 12 years and attended 7 National Conventions, so I know how difficult it is when you retire to just “stop” thinking about Contract issues. I have been retired for two years and I still get phone calls/text messages from members and stewards. And I am NOWHERE close to being as knowledgeable as Mr. Burrus, BUT I am smart enough to NOT PUBLICLY HUMILIATE AND BERATE THE ADMINISTRATION “YOU” ABANDONED DURING THE “CURRENT” CBA.
My Grandmother always told me, “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all!”
It appears (now) that you have spent all your “energy” getting your Members First Team elected, now you choosing to “shut” your site and your MOUTH!!!!
Just wanted to say I have always respected your opinions. I feel a person with your knowledge and passion for the working person will sorely be missed. I also want to tell you I am a mail handler but I have always respected your opinion and your stand on many important issues.
God bless and have a happy and healthy retirement.
fellow postal worker
True, Mr. Burrus probably should have simply gone on into retirement and kept his opinions to himself; like it took me a good long time to do. But when someone has as much of their life invested in the APWU as Burrus did, it’s rather hard to see the baby being thrown out with the bath water, or so I rather presume. That being said, I never really enjoyed my 30-years with the USPS, but I would never have characterized my time at any of the three Plants I worked at as “stalin communist and nazi death camps.” Even if they were, which they were not, any unpleasantness working for the Postal Service was certainly not the fault of the APWU or postal unions. More likely it was caused by moronic postal managers and the likes of fellow postal employees like Mister 1st Cav 229th AHB! Thanx Biller, Burrus and Guffey, et.al. for my retirement. Signed – Three Tours w/ C/2/7th Cav, 1st Cav and HHC 2/505th Recon, 82d Airborne Division “No Whining Allowed!”
other than a yearly 1% raise(after 25 years purchasing power destroyed by inflation), what did this clown do for the workers? working on the plant floor from 1986-2009 was like working in a stalin communist gulag and nazi death camp combined……burrASS did nothing! burrASS and Obumbles two peas from the same pod-losers!
Thank You Mr. Burrus for your time, energy and effort in helping to create a decent living wage and working conditions for union members.
I’m sincerely grateful because I’m not at the mercy of market forces and economic cycles. I don’t have to work for slave wages in this sluggish economy.
Full disclosure: I’m a clear thinking observant person and also union steward.
I’ve never interacted with Mr. Burrus, but I’ve watched him run a national convention in Las Vegas during the summer of 2008.
Mr. Burrus does seem to inspire a lot of biased ranting from angry people that seem unable to separate personal bias from objective facts.
In that regard, he reminds me of President Barrack Obama.
Both people are brilliantly strategic in out maneuvering their advisories to accomplish their goals.
Both people seem like control freaks to me, but perhaps that’s a product of working in a system where there isn’t much cooperation. I’m not being judgmental, just being observant.
I observed Mr. Burrus represent and defend the interests of union members with a strong passion.
Most people feel more comfortable remaining voiceless rather than standing up and fighting back for their rights. They fear the risk of expressing their thoughts, but Mr. Burrus had the balls to stand up, fight back and win a lot of benefits for the union members.
So it’s with a great deal of gratitude that I wish to simply say…
Thank You Mr. Burrus
Thanks Bill for Quiting during negotiations. Now you want to run your mouth! Dont want to hear it. You had your chance! Cannot stand it without attention. So where is the loyalty to the current administration that you hoped you would have as president. Frankly I am sick of hearing your quiting remarks. Please stay retired and donot cause an uproar in the establishment again. It is hard to have unification when you are trying to tear it down. Good bye, good luck, and please just shut up!!!
before you go tell us what you did with the 8 dollar union payroll deduction surcharge and the anthrax death fund money that went into the general fund……..you spent it on what? hookers in vegas?
Andrew Kearney-Guffey has been nothing but a puppet for Donahoe and has been detrimental to the future of all postal employees,only Mark Dimondstein and the Members First Team can unify all APWU members and fight for them.Guffey and the current self serving leadership are out of touch with the members,and they are getting out in droves.
Good Ridance
Now keep your mouth shut!
While it is always good to hear different views on issues, it is not to have us working against each other. We don’t need people trying to derail our efforts to unify and fight for our jobs and those in the future. I am sure he was well meaning at times but in others his message was detrimental to the future of the Postal Worker in every craft. Management is pushing us all into a box that is forcing us to work harder together to protect that future. Together we need to work to stop allowing them to sweep us into a nice tight box they can do away with in one easy move.
Thank God. Please don’t tease us again Burr-ass. Go away for good this time. It’s easy to criticize someone else who had to do the job you were too afraid to do.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Biller left – I didn’t notice. Burrus left – I didn’t notice. Burrus is leaving again? I am sorry I noticed. Same old same old….