Legal expenses for APWU members sued by President
Donation protected
American Postal Workers Union National president Mark Dimondstein has filed a $5 million dollar lawsuit against two APWU members. Those members are hardworking, everyday members who are accused of slandering the president when one, Jerry Stidman, reposted an article written by another union that discussed the presidents contributions to that organization. The original article was from 2011. The other member simply shared on Facebook the article posted by the first.
It’s scary to think as Union members we can be personally sued by the president and have to try to scrape together the funds to pay attorneys from the living wages we earn. You see these members make approximately 1/4 the salary of the president of the APWU. Neither man has or can reasonably be expected to earn $5 million dollars each in their remaining years working.
This lawsuit appears to have have been filed to silence some of his fiercest critics. It appears that the president has more than enough funds to hire expensive DC attorneys to fight these members.
Both men men realize they will be spending money that will take food from their families, possibly cause them to lose their homes and cars and that will cripple them for the rest of their lives.
They have begun the process of hiring attorneys but both are struggling to come up with the funds they need.
They estimate about $10,000.00 initially needed to fight this battle. The president has requested a trial by jury rather than a summary judgment, which would be much less costly for all involved. This does make one wonder why?
All monies remaining after legal legal expenses will be donated to the Postal Employee Relief Fund or to any type program that aids in disaster relief for APWU employees.
It’s scary to think as Union members we can be personally sued by the president and have to try to scrape together the funds to pay attorneys from the living wages we earn. You see these members make approximately 1/4 the salary of the president of the APWU. Neither man has or can reasonably be expected to earn $5 million dollars each in their remaining years working.
This lawsuit appears to have have been filed to silence some of his fiercest critics. It appears that the president has more than enough funds to hire expensive DC attorneys to fight these members.
Both men men realize they will be spending money that will take food from their families, possibly cause them to lose their homes and cars and that will cripple them for the rest of their lives.
They have begun the process of hiring attorneys but both are struggling to come up with the funds they need.
They estimate about $10,000.00 initially needed to fight this battle. The president has requested a trial by jury rather than a summary judgment, which would be much less costly for all involved. This does make one wonder why?
All monies remaining after legal legal expenses will be donated to the Postal Employee Relief Fund or to any type program that aids in disaster relief for APWU employees.
Organizer and beneficiary
Miriam Bell
Organizer
Ellenboro, NC
Jerry Stidman
Beneficiary