Where did OUR money go??
Our union's financial health is the bedrock of our collective strength. Recent decisions have raised serious questions about how our hard-earned funds are being managed. This page sheds light on specific instances of financial mismanagement, showing how these choices directly impact every member and why transparency and accountability are non-negotiable. It's time to demand answers and restore fiscal responsibility to our local. In just two years under Bob’s leadership, our union reserves have dropped nearly 30%. That kind of decline is not sustainable.
We cannot afford three more years like this.
It is time to restore accountability and protect our union’s financial future.
Unnecessary spending: grievance processing and failed ventures
San Diego Installation Reversion grievances were handled on the Union clock, creating an unnecessary financial burden of nearly $100,000 on our Local. This expense was completely avoidable. The Collective Bargaining Agreement allows these matters to be processed on the Postal Service clock, meaning the Postal Service—not the membership—could have paid for that time. Instead, union funds were used when they did not have to be.
In addition, approximately $10,000 in union funds was approved for an AI grievance initiative launched by Bob with his friend. The project was later abandoned after being deemed too expensive to continue and produced no meaningful benefit for the membership.
The result is simple: union money was wasted.
Abandoned projects and undermined steward support
The Access Data Base program, designed for tracking bids, was well into development when the “plug was pulled” by Bob Waterhouse, leading to money spent and nothing gained. Compounding this, President Waterhouse has decertified more Stewards in 2.5 years than all past presidents combined in the last 10 years, boasting about decertifying 15 stewards in the now defunct State of the Union newsletter. This represents significant money spent on training, only for resources to be wasted through decertification. Training stewards is not cheap.
Reduced representation and silenced communication
Despite significant spending, cost-saving measures were enacted only when it impacted member representation. Bob only took the required minimum Executive Board members to the 2024 National Convention, reducing our vote count – an unprecedented move. He also sent nobody to the 2024 California State Convention, another first. The Local Union Newsletter (State of the Union) has also ceased quarterly publication, leaving members uninformed. These 'cost savings' were direct consequences of overspending elsewhere, ultimately harming member engagement and influence.