Melinda was elected Recording Secretary for Branch 36 in 2022. Melinda began her Membership with Branch 36 the same year she began her Postal career in 2003. Since the beginning, Melinda has always looked out for all carriers, and pushed herself to learn and do more within Branch 36. Melinda was elected to Shop Steward by her peers in 2015. Not long after, she became an On-the -job instructor and food drive coordinator. 2017 was a busy year for Melinda, she was selected to become a Customer Connect Coordinator and Carrier Academy Facilitator. Her abilities really shined when she was elected as the Director of City Delivery in 2017. In 2018, Melinda trained and became a Formal A Designee for Branch 36. Political Liaison became her next steppingstone in 2021 and her skills were noticed by National. She was tasked with covering the National Administrative Assistant position and handled that job with the same tenacity as her other post. In 2022, Melinda was elected to serve her fellow carriers in the position of Recording Secretary for Branch 36, where she continues to go above and beyond.

Documenting

Spring is here, Brothers and Sisters, and summer is rolling in right behind it! There will be proms, graduations, moving up ceremonies, weddings and other events to be enjoyed. Documenting these momentous events has become second nature to us, whether it is in the form of pictures, videos, or voice recordings. We can do so without repercussions because they are our personal recordings. But what happens when we do these same things when we are at work?
The Postal Service has policies in place when it comes to documenting events. Carriers are constantly placed in a position where they feel the only way to get a message across is through videos or voice recordings demonstrating manage- ment’s actions or a picture of what their route looks like when management fails to properly plan for their day/week(s) off. Although, at the time it will seem like a good idea, it may not be.
Management Instruction Manual AS-882-2011-6 establishes the policy and procedures for the use of cameras and monitoring in retail and informs us of the restrictions of cell phone cameras in the Postal Service. Page 3 of the manual states:

• Cameras must not be used to profile customers in any discriminatory fashion.
• Cameras must not be used to capture legible images of mail piece addresses or any documents, credit cards, or computer screens used in transactions.
• Camera images must not be transmitted via any network other than the Postal Service intranet (“Blue”).
• Wireless cameras must not be used without approval of the District IT Manager.
• Camera microphones must not be used to record or monitor any form of audio information.

Please keep these rules in mind when taking or sharing videos and pictures. What may seem innocent or non-consequential may become a headache later. Management is always watching and Postal Inspectors are always two seconds away when they feel carriers are in the wrong. You must be mindful when sharing pictures and videos on social media in regards to your work life. Normally we take a pic or video, and we instantly hit the share button without a second thought. When it comes to sharing that pic or video you took at work, try to remember the rules listed above. Be mindful of what is in the background or what is said in your video. We love documenting our day-to-day actions, but when you put on that uniform, it is a whole different ballgame. When sharing your video, watch your settings. If you are not careful, those you don’t know or associate with may have access to your videos or pictures. The Postal Inspectors do not have a time limit on putting a notch on their belt when it comes to management insisting you violated a handbook/manual.
In closing, the best way to document management’s behavior is in writing. Although some of us do not like to do it, we must. It is the best way to get your point across and the only way we can communicate our issues in the postal service. Let’s face it, the postal service will not give us permission to use any other form of communication, especially if it’s casting them in a negative light. If you decide to take a picture or video be sure to blur out those things that may become an issue. Use what you know, make it count and let your shop steward know when or if anything arises.

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