Politics isn’t fair. Politics is often dirty. The truth isn’t always told. My opponent in this election knows the truth but chose not to tell it in her campaign article that was published in the national union magazine. I chose the high road. Let me tell you why I announced a retirement, what I said and what happened to motivate me to run for Clerk Craft Director.
Four years ago I had cancer of the vocal cord. The Veterans Administration determined that the cancer was related to exposure to an herbicide (Agent Orange) while in Vietnam. The cancer was removed and I had radiation therapy. My voice lowered but there were no reasons that I could not continue my position in the union. The only change was perhaps my greater advocacy for veteran’s rights.
Early in 2009, my voice became “raspy” once again. I told my fellow officers in the craft and business agents that I would be retiring but I did say “unless something better happens”. In June of 2009, the VA hospital surgically removed nasal polyps and checked my vocal cord. There were lesions on my vocal cord and they were malignant. The doctors at the VA said I would have to have my larynx removed, speak with the aid of a mechanical device, eat through a tube and breathe through a hole in my throat. They even sent me to a speech therapist to begin the process.
I told the VA that there had to be another way. I knew that it didn’t look good but at least it wasn’t life threatening. My daughter is engaged to a wonderful young man whose uncle is a world renowned melanoma doctor. This wonderful man who is Uncle Steven to us recommended a throat specialist in Fairfax County named Dr. Patty Lee. I saw Dr. Lee who performed the surgery in early September. The surgery was success. I had a voice, I could eat and breathe like you. I could go to work. After the surgery I was scheduled for a PET scan that finds cancer in your body. Did I tell you that I lost a kidney to cancer in 1985? My political enemies in Phoenix spread the rumor that I was dying back then but they didn’t ask me.
After the PET scan the VA told me that I had a tumor in my only kidney. They told me that they would have to remove the kidney and put me on dialysis for the rest of my life. I told them that I had sisters and brothers who offered a kidney and the VA doctors said it won’t work. Again, there had to be another way and there was. My personal doctor recommended that I see a Dr. Gregory Schenk in Reston, Virginia.
Dr. Schenk had developed the type of surgery that would save my life while at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Dr. Schenk is also one of the coolest people I’ve ever met in my life. In short, the doctor described to me that he would “cut me wide open” because he needed room to work. Unfortunately he also told me I wasn’t going to win any beauty contests in the future. The doctor would then take out my only kidney, pack my stomach full of ice, remove the tumor, rebuild the kidney and put it back in. I got a transplant with myself. One reason it went as well as it did was my only kidney was almost twice the size of a normal kidney.
After the surgery, the good doctor told my family that everything went exceedingly well. That has been the same news I have received since by numerous doctors.
During my absence, Jim McCarthy had announced that he was going to run for reelection and then announced he was going to retire. I had heard that the Leadership Team was going to pick a candidate to replace Jim. I told my wife who told me that I had just undergone a miracle. “Miracles shouldn’t be wasted” she told me and I had always felt that I too could become Clerk Craft Director. I had spent 12 years training for this opportunity.
When I got back to work, I told my friend Mike Morris that I wanted to run for Director. Mike called Cliff Guffey and told him. From then on it all happened very fast. I told Pat Williams of my decision. Pat and I have been close friends for years, we discussed it and she told me that she would support me. The same conversation later took place with Mike Gallagher, another officer interested in the position. Both Pat and Mike are honest, competent and capable officers. I am not too presumptuous to believe that each of them would not be disappointed. I told each of them that they had a right to run. Both ultimately supported me.
I am running because I am qualified to do the job. I am running for the long term, not because of some back office deal. If my opponent had done just a little investigation, she would have easily found the truth. Maybe she did investigate but the truth didn’t fit with her campaign
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Now you have the truth. It is an emotional subject for me. My wife, daughters and family have been a rock of support. Our family is a team, just like the union.
My opponent is not a bad person. Her politics are bad for the union.
In a final note, I was local president in Phoenix from 1982 until 1998. I was president for 13 out of a 16 year period. There was a three year period that I was out of office from 1989 to 1992. This was the election that my opponent won as bragged about in her article. During that three year period I worked as a window clerk. It gave me great experience that I use until this day.
My Campaign
The Leadership Team is committed to represent everyone. Whether you are a member at large, member of a smaller or mid-size local or a member of what is considered a large local. Your vote counts. Elections matter. Elections have consequences.
Our Leadership Team is lead by a great team of officers with diverse backgrounds, vast experience and tremendous skills. Cliff Guffey, President – Greg Bell, Vice President – Liz Powell, Secretary Treasurer – Mike Morris, Director of Industrial Relations lead our team. Bob Pritchard and Mike Foster are great leaders in the Motor Vehicle Craft and they have my unqualified support.
Martha Shunn-King is our candidate for Director of Organization. Martha will work hard to organize both inside and outside the four walls of the Postal Service. The Leadership Team chose a dynamic leader in Princella Vogel to join John Dirzius, Mike Gallagher, Sharyn Stone and Omar Gonzales on our Team. Myke Reid, Steve Albanese, Joyce Robinson, Sue Carney, Judy Beard, Steve Raymer, Gary Kloepfer, Idowu Balogun, Greg See and Bill Manley complete our team.
I am a candidate for Clerk Craft Director. You have already elected Patricia Williams from the Los Angeles Area Local, Lyle Krueth from the Minneapolis Area Local and LaMont Brooks from The Northern Virginia Area Local as Assistant Director for the next three years. You made and excellent choice. It is very important for clerk craft officers to work as a team and these three extremely qualified officers all support my candidacy for director.
Our union has had its successes and failures but we don’t give up. Several years ago I didn’t understand why window clerks couldn’t wear “polo” shirts if they so chose. It took almost four years of bureaucratic and labor-relations battles but today window clerks have that choice. Many give me credit but it is the union who won.
Several years ago, when I was the local president of Phoenix Metro Area local, we compiled and developed a series of “questions and answers” that would help stewards represent their members. We published over 1500 such questions and answers. It has been recognized as the first JCIM. While I get credit for the concept, so many union officers have made it successful. When I came to headquarters, I helped lead the effort to develop CDs to provide locals and their stewards the information they need to help their members.
National Business Agents have offered their support. These are the officers who provide you the best possible representation in the labor movement. National Business Agents have to be able to count on the Clerk Craft Director and Associate Directors for leadership and support. I would be honored to have your support and especially your vote.
We are preparing for contract negotiations. Your new director takes office ten days before the contract expires. Your new director will have the responsibility of leading the craft negotiations until the conclusion of the contract and if needed lead the effort to prepare for interest arbitration.
These are serious times and I am a serious candidate. I want your vote. Elections do count.
In solidarity,
Rob Strunk