The vice president of a Chicago-area postal workers union was cleared Friday of misdemeanor trespassing and resisting arrest when a Cook County judge found that he committed no crime when he visited a Norridge post office.
Supervisors at the post office said Michael Caref violated union contract rules when he failed to give notice that he was going to visit postal workers there and then refused to leave when ordered to. Police were called and Caref was arrested, prosecutors said. “It’s clear to me the evidence shows this was a dispute over union rules at the postal facility. – Judge Samuel Betar III
Caref, of the National Association of Letter Carriers’ Chicago Branch 11, said he was happy with the acquittal but noted his problems are not over. He said the postal service is still seeking to fire him.
The union official was arrested last Dec. 4 after he refused to follow the orders of postal service managers who demanded that he leave.
Caref had not given management 24-hour notice of his visit, as required by the union’s contract, prosecutors said. Caref resisted police when they tried to place handcuffs on him, prosecutors said.
Michael Caref started his career at USPS in May 1974 (20 yrs.) Caref is in his second term as Vice-President of Chicago, Illinois NALC Branch 11.
note: When USPS management starts calling the police on union officials over incidents like the one referenced above– it means the person is a thorn in USPS management’s side.
Here is a brief message from Michael Caref after he was found not guilty :
Michael Caref
Not guilty! Thanks to some great testimony from the ppl pictured here, I was found not guilty today by a judge of criminal trespass and resisting arrest. The postal service had 2 lawyers on hand all day in addition to the state’s attorney’s 2 lawyers. Plus 2 supervisors and 7 letter carriers were on their clock all day on admin leave. All this bcuz in Dec. of 2013 local mgmt had me arrested for doing my job as a full time officer of the NALC. They asked me to leave, I refused. Management in Chicago had already backed down and we’ve been in offices whenever the need arises per article 23 of the contract. The judge said it was a dispute over union rules – not a criminal matter. He also stated I wasn’t resisting arrest the only delay was I had books in my hand when they went to put the cuffs on me..
you gotta admit if he wouldve just left all this couldve been avoided, someone comes into your house that refuses to leave you calling the cops too. besides the pen is mightier than the sword, well maybe not in his case judging by his spelling.
Two attorneys and 7 carriers getting paid all day for this nonsense?
I noticed that Postal management said that Mr. Caref didn’t give management 24 hour advance notice, so he violated the contract. So then if management is so concerned about the contract, why did management pay out 100 million in arbitration awards 1n 2012? What arrogance! Management, what pud wackers they are. Mr. Caref,labor needs more people like you!
“Upon REASONABLE NOTICE to the Employer, duly authorized representatives of the Union shall be permitted to enter postal installations for the purpose of performing and engaging in official union duties and business related to the Collective Bargaining Agreement.” Where does it say 24 hours or any fixed amount? The past practice varies from office to office.
Keep up the fight brother…….Semper Fi
The Postal Management did this same thing years ago here in Portland, ORegon when a shop steward was attempting to watch the work for labor violations. Our Union Presdient advised that shop steward to peald guilty. Labor law gives Union officials wide latitude in the performance of their duties. One of these is that management will not impair the union officials in any way in the performance of thier duties, as long as they are quite and repectfull.
According to this legal case it is solely a labor/management problem. The Postal Service wants to have 24 hour notice so they can change the way they are doing thing so the union officials will not see the violations. That is why the contracts and the laws are written as they are. The union officials have the right to enter the work place at any time!
This VP of the NALC is apparently a good union memebr and a great leader!
Way to go Mike. Yes you are guilty. Guilty of being a badass union leader. Guilty of being a stand up guy for your members. Guilty of not taking bull sh*t from management.
Ron, it sounds like they follow the lead of your state government.
They lie, they cheat, they steal. They’re the United States government.
another knee-jerk reaction by USPS. Jerk the key word here!