Charlie was elected President of Branch 36 in 2007. He has held this position for 15 years and was recently re-elected in 2022. Charlie’s long history of putting the carriers first began in 1979, when he joined the Postal Service and began his Union membership. Not long after starting his career at the postal service, Charlie was elected as Shop Steward in 1983. President Arty Ullman recognized his future within Branch 36 and appointed him to Formal A Designee in 1987. Charlie has held multiple positions, all of which increased his contractual knowledge and launched him to the forefront of Branch 36. In 1992 Charlie was elected as Branch 36 Executive Vice President and served in this position for 15 years. Charlie’s wealth of knowledge became an essential part of not only Branch 36 but the NALC when he was appointed to serve as a NALC AFL, CIO Delegate from 1996 thru 2022. In 2007, Charlie was elected as New York State Association of Letter Carriers Treasurer, a position he currently holds. From the beginning Charlie has always been for the carriers and he is quoted as saying “he always looks for ways to help Letter Carriers and make their jobs safe and worthwhile.” 2022 landed Charlie not only one elected position but two. Charlie was re-elected President of Branch 36 in early 2022 and was recently elected on the National level to serve as NALC trustee. Charlie’s positions will ensure Branch 36 always has a seat at the table.

In Memoriam
Patrick McNally & David Velazquez, Sr.

March was a very sad month, not only for me, but for many members of Branch 36. We lost two top key players, who over many years, stood up and successfully fought the fight for their fellow letter carriers. Pat passed away after a long illness. One week later, David passed away after a short illness. These men were giants among men and their presence and input will be greatly remembered and missed for many years to come.
Pat was a letter carrier in Grand Central Station aka: Vincent R. Sombrotto for many years. One of his earliest postal accomplishments happened when he was elected as the Chief Steward at Grand Central Station. His obvious talent in helping his fellow carriers made him the perfect candidate to be appointed as a Hearing Officer. Pat handled the second step of the grievance procedure in many stations, which soon led him towards the next stepping stone of becoming an Arbitration Advocate for Branch 36. Frank Orapello was impressed with Pat and soon asked him to run on our team as Second Vice President/Financial Secretary in 1998; and he held that position until his retirement in 2019.
Pat was successful in many other areas of his life; and a man, who wore many hats. He wore a Branch 36 hat, Veterans hat, Mets hat, and Knights of Columbus hat. Pat was a huge Mets fan and proudly served in the Navy and was elected Grand Knight of Council # 11449 in the Knights of Columbus. He was a deeply devoted Catholic and very active in his Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. One of his enjoyments was putting on a Fish-fry each month at the church for the neighborhood. I already miss my union brother.
David passed away a short five days after Pat. David was an elected shop steward at his Wakefield Station. He too was recognized by President Frank Orapello for his talent and appointed as a hearing officer. David had successfully handled the second step of the grievance procedure in many Bronx stations. So, it was no great surprise when Frank asked David to run with our team, as the Director of Safety and Health. David was first elected in 2010 and every three years since then. Whenever a station was experiencing a safety problem, my first call and email went straight to David. He took this role very seriously and I knew I could always count on him to follow up with management, communicate with the station stewards and make sure that the steward knew to fill out the vital 1767 form to get the ball rolling.
David was a big union man and his enthusiasm for union pride was shared by his wife, Maggie, who was an elected steward in Mott Haven Station and his son, David, Jr. who is a steward in Kingsbridge Station.
David always shared informative articles in our newspaper, The Outlook, and the membership always looked forward to reading them. David will long be remembered as an integral member of Branch 36. I already miss David. I know it will be very hard to fill his shoes! Rest in Peace Pat and David. On behalf of Branch 36 and our members, I offer heartfelt condolences to both families. Please know we appreciate both men for their hard-fought contributions to making our union great.

In Loving Memory of
Patrick McNally &
David Velazquez
So quick and unexpected
no chance for goodbyes.
I wonder if you noticed
by the look in our eyes.
You see here and there
we shared some moments,
and it may not seem like much,
But with every joke, laugh and conversation
Our hearts were surely touched.
Being beloved by your colleagues
is a testament to your soul.
And a feeling we all felt
and are blessed to forever hold.
May our heartfelt affection
carry you through.
While Heaven’s holy light
shines brightly upon you.
by Liz Rooney