The letter below was sent out to sister Deborah Bourque in the fall of 2002. It still applies today because nothing has been proposed to replace the old severance payout. "What about a reward system that helps a CUPW member address employer concerns over “sick leave abuse” and “declining employee productivity”? This would be an incentive program for employees to save sick days and increase productivity. · As mentioned before, profit dividends would go into a fund that would accumulate interest over a postal worker’s career. He/She would then get this back as a “severance reward” at retirement. · Added to the above, would be a pay-out for unused sick leave credits. It, also, would be part of the severance reward at retirement. Hopefully, something call be found to replace Article 28 that rewards rather than rolls back. I look forward to positive negotiations in the fall."