January 12, 2016

Today we mourn the loss of OPWU Retirees Association President Velma Chism.  She passed away yesterday in Cleveland, Ohio.  Velma worked to strengthen and build our organization and she will be missed greatly.  Rest in peace dear Sister.

The Ohio Postal Workers Union is proud to have organized the first state retirees organization in the APWU!!!  The OPWU Retirees Association has been formed and it currently has

seven local chapters.  Tt remains today the largest state retiree organization in the union. 

The founding chapters were: Cleveland, Columbus, Canton, Lima, Toledo, Dayton. and Youngstown.  All are still active chapters and most meet at least on a monthly basis.  Other locals with active retiree chapters are Greater Cincinnati and Tri-County.

 The Central Region is a thirteen state area that covers most of the Midwest.  Velma Chism (216-233-6725) of Cleveland is the state retirees president.

We are extremely grateful that our retirees still stand with us and work to defend our rights & benefits.  We owe them a great deal of gratitude.

The 2012 APWU Convention brought changes to the constitution that provided retiree members the right to vote in the general election of national officers.  Retirees who belong to the APWU Retirees Association can now vote for president, vice-president, secretary/treasurer, legislative/political director, human relations director, and health plan director.

Our retirees are very active in the political arena and work many hours helping candidates who support working people get elected.  They also support their local unions in a variety of ways and should be congratulated for staying active.