CSRS and FERS “best” days (financially) to retire in 2019

  CSRS and FERS “best” days (financially) to retire in 2019

"...So be careful to use the correct date on all documents: don’t use your “last day in the office” or “last day at work,” which are less defined than your retirement date/effective date of retirement. Do you just want to know the “best” days (financially) to retire in 2019? Here’s a quick chart..."

Reference: Federal Worker News  

Information Request(s): Good reference for a problem that never seems to end

 

Circa 2015

NLRB: USPS managers could be disciplined who fail to supply relevant information to Unions

"...(b) Refusing to bargain collectively and in good faith with the National Postal Mail Handlers Union, Local 317, by failing, refusing, and unduly delaying in furnishing information that is relevant and necessary to the performance of their duties as agents of the National Postal Mail Handlers Union..."

Reference: www.postal-reporter.com  

Agency Pulls Back on Its Warning Against Talk of ‘Resistance’ in Federal Workplaces

  Agency Pulls Back on Its Warning Against Talk of ‘Resistance’ in Federal Workplaces

"...On Friday, the agency issued what it characterized as an extension and clarification, which stressed that casual discussion of impeachment remained acceptable. 'O.S.C.’s guidance was not intended to prevent all discussions of impeachment in the federal workplace,' the revised guidance said, adding: 'Merely discussing impeachment, without advocating for or against its use against such a candidate, is not political activity. For example, two employees may discuss whether reported conduct by the president warrants impeachment and express an opinion about whether the president should be impeached without engaging in political activity.'..."

Reference: www.nytimes.com  

Presidential Task Force on the USPS Finally Issues its Report

  Presidential Task Force on the USPS Finally Issues its Report

In April of this year, the Trump Administration issued Executive Order 13829 creating a task force charged with evaluating the operations and finances of the U.S. Postal Service, covering topics like pricing, USPS policies, and workforce costs. The report entitled United States Postal Service: A Sustainable Path Forward, was completed on August 10, 2018, but was not released until December 4, 2018.

The Task Force had the opportunity to recommend changes that would truly provide the Postal Service with a sustainable path forward. Notably, the Task Force did address the Postal Service’s obligation to fund retiree health benefits when writing that “[t]he Task Force believes that the obligation, including the $43 billion in pre-funding payments that the USPS failed to pay into the PSRHBF and the unfunded actuarial liability, must be restructured with the payments re-amortized with a new actuarial calculation based on the population of employees at or near retirement age.”

Unfortunately, the Task Force also issued some very detrimental recommendations which, if implemented, would cut services to the American public, raise postal rates to major mailers, and reduce the wages, benefits and collective bargaining rights of all postal employees. The Task Force’s recommendations include the following:

Redefining and reducing the Postal Service’s Universal Service Obligation
Reducing the number and density of Post Offices
Reducing delivery frequencies
Reducing door to door delivery
Lowering Service Standards
Raising rates for major e-commerce mailers
Increasing subcontracting of mail processing operations
Eliminating collective bargaining over the wages of postal employees
Reducing the wages of postal employees
Reducing pension or workers compensation benefits of postal employees

Some of these proposals could be implemented through administrative action, while others would require legislation.

The NPMHU believes that many of the Task Force’s recommendations would adversely affect the Postal Service, postal customers, postal employees, and the American public. Service would deteriorate, causing further decline in mail volume and creating a death spiral. This would set the stage for privatizing the Postal Service.

The NPMHU will continue to work with all stakeholders, including the other postal unions, USPS management, major mailers, Congress, and the White House, to find solutions that will truly put the USPS on a sustainable path forward.

United States Postal Service: A Sustainable Path Forward (pdf)

Reference: www.npmhu.org  

Federal employees warned not discuss Trump impeachment or ‘the Resistance’ at work

  Federal employees warned not discuss Trump impeachment or ‘the Resistance’ at work

"...Under the new guidance, federal workers are reportedly prohibited from supporting the impeachment of a candidate for federal office, as it would be construed as political due to its implications for elections in the future. Federal workers would also reportedly be prohibited from using terms like “resistance” and “#resist..."

Reference: thehill.com  

Executive order closes Government on Dec. 5 in honor of George H.W. Bush

  Executive order closes Government on Dec. 5 in honor of George H.W. Bush

"...President Trump has issued a proclamation for the closing of executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government on December 5, 2018, in honor of George H.W. Bush. The proclamation reads..."

Reference: www.wkrn.com  

New Mail Handler Wage Charts

  New Mail Handler Wage Charts

Effective November 24, 2018 — For career mail handlers, the basic annual salary for each grade and step of Table One and Table Two shall be increased by an amount equal to 1.3% of the basic annual salary for the grade and step in effect on May 20, 2016. This is the third of three-scheduled general wage increases as outlined in the 2016 National Agreement. In addition to the general increases provided in Section 9.1, MHAs will receive an additional increase of 1.0% annually, for a total of 2.3% effective November 24, 2018, as specifically outlined in Article 9.7 of the 2016 National Agreement.

November Update (pdf)

Reference: www.npmhu.org

...and this is the Wage Chart prior to the new one referenced above.  

NPMHU, APWU and USPS Come Together for Historic RI399 Training

  NPMHU, APWU and USPS Come Together for Historic RI399 Training

"...November 8-9, 2018 – Over 150 mail handlers who serve on their respective Local Dispute Resolution Committees (LDRC) gathered in Las Vegas, NV with an equal number of their USPS and APWU counterparts for the first gathering of two joint training sessions conducted by the members of the National Dispute Resolution Committee (NDRC) on the newly signed Updated MOU on RI-399 Dispute Resolution Procedures. The MOU was issued in June 2018. This historic MOU comes 26 years after the original Dispute Resolution Procedures (DRP) were issued in 1992 and marks an important milestone in the history of RI-399 and the process for addressing jurisdictional disputes between the NPMHU-represented mail handlers and APWU-represented clerks. Members of the NDRC plan to conduct five joint sessions in total, training over 1,500 LDRC members across the country. The parties are optimistic that the training will help ensure proper implementation of the Updated RI399 procedures. ..."

Reference: www.npmhu.org  

Your next contractual wage increase will be effective November 24, 2018

  Your next wage increase will be effective November 24, 2018
Effective November 24, 2018 - the basic annual salary for each grade and step of Table One and Table Two shall be increased by an amount equal to 1.3% for the basic annual salary for the grade and step in effect on May 20, 2016.

Reference: NPMHU 317

FERS retirement Information as found on opm.gov

  FERS retirement Information as found on opm.gov

"...Congress created the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) in 1986, and it became effective on January 1, 1987. Since that time, new Federal civilian employees who have retirement coverage are covered by FERS. FERS is a retirement plan that provides benefits from three different sources: a Basic Benefit Plan, Social Security and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). Two of the three parts of FERS (Social Security and the TSP) can go with you to your next job if you leave the Federal Government before retirement. The Basic Benefit and Social Security parts of FERS require you to pay your share each pay period. Your agency withholds the cost of the Basic Benefit and Social Security from your pay as payroll deductions. Your agency pays its part too. Then, after you retire, you receive annuity payments each month for the rest of your life. The TSP part of FERS is an account that your agency automatically sets up for you. Each pay period your agency deposits into your account amount equal to 1% of the basic pay you earn for the pay period. You can also make your own contributions to your TSP account and your agency will also make a matching contribution. These contributions are tax-deferred. The Thrift Savings Plan is administered by the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board..."

Reference: www.opm.gov

This information, as found on OPM.GOV, is accurate as of this posting date: 10/28/2018

 

Going Postal: Analyzing the Abuse of Mail Covers Under the Fourth Amendment

  Going Postal: Analyzing the Abuse of Mail Covers Under the Fourth Amendment

"...Since at least the late 1800s, the United States government has regularly tracked the mail of many of its citizens. In 2014 alone, for example, the government recorded all data on the outside of the mail parcels of over 50,000 individuals via a surveillance initiative known as the mail covers program. In the current age of mass surveillance, this program—like all surveillance initiatives—has grown exponentially. Unbeknownst to most citizens, the government now photographs and records the exterior of each of the roughly 160 billion mail parcels delivered by the USPS every year. Still, despite its ability to allow governmental authorities to uncover a startlingly accurate picture of citizens’ daily lives, the long-abused mail covers program continues to be implemented without any judicial oversight. This Note provides the first comprehensive legal analysis of the mail covers program in the modern era. In doing so, it also analyzes current Fourth Amendment jurisprudence and advocates for the adoption of the mosaic theory to privacy protection better capable of safeguarding citizens in an age of unprecedented government surveillance capability..."

Reference: amazonaws.com  

Man arrested in Plantation Florida in plot to send mail bombs through postal service

  Man arrested in Plantation in plot to send bombs

"...Mail bomb went through the processing and distribution center in Opa-locka, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, law enforcement officials said Thursday. The Miami-Dade Police went to the mail-sorting facility, located on the southwest side of the Miami Opa-Locka Executive Airport...the source of the bombs suspect that some of the parcels were mailed from Florida. The official said investigators have been examining a database of images of mail maintained by the U.S. Postal Service..."

Reference: www.sun-sentinel.com  

PP 21-2018 Payroll Issue Impacts Mostly APWU Employess and Some Others

 

ALERT: The following notice was posted and found on ePayroll at USPS Liteblue on 10/16/2018:

---

"An issue has been identified with the processing of the PP 21-2018 Payroll that prevented some employees from not being paid correctly. The largest percentage impacted were APWU employees but other bargaining and non-bargaining employees were also impacted. Impacted employees may not have been paid fully for overtime, penalty overtime & night work, and may have had their leave hours paid reduced. Employees should review their earnings statement to ensure they were paid correctly for PP 21-2018. A recovery is being planned to correct impacted employees' pay."

---

The APWU site has posted a the following article relating to the issue:

Significant Payroll Issue Identified

"... the APWU became aware that the Postal Service identified a computer glitch with the payroll system that will affect nearly 90,000 APWU represented bargaining unit employees. The APWU immediately contacted the USPS about the issue and will continue to monitor the situation..."

Reference: www.apwu.org  

2019 NPMHU NATIONAL NEGOTIATIONS: OFFICIAL CALL FOR BARGAINING PROPOSALS

  2019 NATIONAL NEGOTIATIONS: OFFICIAL CALL FOR BARGAINING PROPOSALS
2019 NATIONAL NEGOTIATIONS

*OFFICIAL CALL FOR BARGAINING PROPOSALS*

With preparations underway for negotiations over the terms of the 2019 National Agreement between the NPMHU and the Postal Service, the National Office has issued its official call for bargaining proposals from all members and Local Unions.

To be fully considered prior to the onset of negotiations, proposals must be submitted by January 18, 2019. Although formal bargaining is not scheduled to begin until June, the Union’s Field Negotiating Committee will be meeting for a full week in February of 2019 to review all submitted proposals and outline the changes in the National Agreement that should be proposed by the NPMHU.

To be sure, planning for collective bargaining is a continuous process at the National Office, as the National Officers and representatives working in the Contract Administration Department routinely identify and collect proposals for improving the language currently found in the 2016 National Agreement. But an equally important aspect of preparing for bargaining is the collection and review of proposals generated by mail handlers across the country. Thus, National President Paul Hogrogian has issued this official call for bargaining proposals from the membership, the Local Unions, and other subordinate bodies of the NPMHU.

If you have any proposals that you would like to have considered for the upcoming round of bargaining, now is the time to submit them to the National Office. Every proposal submitted will be fully analyzed by the NPMHU’s Field Negotiating Committee and the National Negotiations Team while the Union develops its opening bargaining proposals.

All proposals should set forth the Article, Section, Paragraph, and/or Page of the National Agreement that you are suggesting should be changed; the specific language you would like to see added to, or deleted from, the current National Agreement; and your specific reasons for suggesting the change. If you have supporting evidence or documentation that you believe would support the change that you propose, please submit those materials to the National Office along with your proposals.

The National Office is asking that all proposals be submitted as soon as possible, but in no event later than January 18, 2019. The National Office also has issued a form that can be used to submit proposals. Copies of that form have been mailed to all Local Unions and can be downloaded on the NPMHU website.

Once again, proposals from any member (or group of members) and any Local Unions or other subordinate body should be submitted to the National Office by January 18, 2019 using the following address:

National Postal Mail Handlers Union
2019 Negotiations
1101 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036


2019 Bargaining Proposal Form (pdf)
2019 Bargaining Proposal Fillable Form (pdf)
Reference: National Postal Mail Handlers Union

APWU and USPS enter final 10-day stretch of contract negotiations

  APWU and USPS enter final 10-day stretch of contract negotiations

"...The current Collective Bargaining Agreement between the American Postal Workers Union and the United States Postal Service expires at midnight September 20, 2018. The union entered the final 10-day stretch of intense negotiations – including days of round-the-clock bargaining – on Sept. 10..."

Reference: www.apwu.org  

Mail Hanadler Fifth COLA Under Current Contract Agreement

  Mail Hanadler Fifth COLA Under Current Contract Agreement

In accordance with the current National Contract under Section 9.3 Cost of Living Adjustment, career employees represented by the NPMHU will receive a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), effective September 1, 2018. It will appear in paychecks dated September 21, 2018 (Pay Period 19-2018), and will total $645.00 for all Steps in Table 1 and for Step P of Table 2. The remaining Steps in Table 2 will receive the proportional COLA increase percentages as outlined in Article 9.3 of the National Agreement.

See specific details and new wage charts HERE

Reference: NPMHU 317  

Unions Prevail in Hatch Act Arbitration Concerning Use of Union LWOP for Political Activities

  Unions Prevail in Hatch Act Arbitration Concerning Use of Union LWOP for Political Activities

We are pleased to provide a linked copy of a National Arbitration Award issued by Arbitrator Stephen Goldberg on August 6, 2018 in a case concerning the use of Union LWOP for political activities under the National Agreement. The matter was heard in June 2018, briefed in July 2018, and decided earlier this week. The case was initiated by the APWU, with the NPMHU and the NALC intervening.

Based on the investigative findings of the Office of Special Counsel, and on political pressures from Senator Johnson and his supporters, the Postal Service unilaterally issued a Corrective Action Plan, which included changes to the ELM and its regulations on the use of Union LWOP and to the Form 3971. Those changes were made unilaterally, and without any bargaining or even consultation with the major postal unions.

Arbitrator Goldberg easily found that these unilateral changes violated the National Agreement, and ordered that they be rescinded. He also ordered the Postal Service to bargain with the APWU about any changes to Union LWOP. To reach this conclusion, he rejected the USPS claim that the Office of Special Counsel has the authority to demand that USPS make these changes.

With this arbitral victory, bargaining over the changes to Union LWOP submitted by the Postal Service is expected to occur over the coming weeks and months.

(August 7, 2018) President Paul Hogrogian's memorandum re: Arbitrator Stephen B. Goldberg's decision; Hatch Act and LWOP Case No. Q15C-4Q-C 17697250 and Case No. Q15C-4Q-C 18033533 (pdf)

Reference: www.npmhu.org  

USPS Agrees to Provide NPMHU With All F-1 Scheduler Information in Accordance with NLRB Settlement

  USPS Agrees to Provide NPMHU With All F-1 Scheduler Information in Accordance with NLRB Settlement

The National Labor Relations issued a Complaint and Notice of Hearing against the U.S. Postal Service, based on an unfair labor practice filed by the NPMHU alleging that the Postal Service had illegally refused to respond to a series of information requests about the F-1 Scheduler that were filed by the NPMHU Contract Administration Department during the period running from May through November of 2017.

After the Complaint was issued, and hearings were scheduled first for May 24 and then for June 26, 2018, the NLRB, the Postal Service, and the NPMHU entered into settlement discussions, the result of which will provide to the National Office of the NPMHU all of the information requested.

The Postal Service is required to post the below referenced notice in all mail processing plants and on LiteBlue, and to certify compliance with its terms, which includes providing all information requested no later than July 9, 2018.

July 5, 2018- Read President Hogrogian's memorandum to Local Presidents (pdf)

NLRB settlement Case 05-CA-208552 (pdf)

Reference: www.npmhu.org  

Important changes to TSP withdrawal options

  Important changes to TSP withdrawal options

Did you realize that a new law has been passed that pertains to TSP withdrawal options. Although please note the law has been passed, but the new options are not yet available and it could take up to two years for them to become available. One important change is: Currently, when you take a withdrawal, the money comes from your traditional and Roth balances on a pro rata basis. For example, if 80% of your account is in your traditional balance and 20% is in Roth, any withdrawal you take will be 80% traditional and 20% Roth. Under the new rules, you can still use this method, but you’ll also have the option to take your withdrawal only from your Roth balance or only from your traditional balance. These options will be available for all types of withdrawals. Read the TSP Q&A relating to the changes at: https://www.tsp.gov/PDF/formspubs/tspfs10.pdf

Reference: NPMHU 317  

Mind-boggling new tech instantly identifies opioids and drugs hidden in USPS packages

  Mind-boggling new tech instantly identifies opioids and drugs hidden in USPS packages

"...The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents are also making use of a mind-boggling new piece of equipment called the Gemini. It’s able to identify 22,000 substances within seconds. “I’m going to activate the laser and within a few seconds, it’s going to take its reading..."

Reference: www.foxnews.com  

NPMHU, APWU and USPS Reach Agreement to Update RI-399 Dispute Resolution Procedures

  NPMHU, APWU and USPS Reach Agreement to Update RI-399 Dispute Resolution Procedures

We are pleased to provide a linked copy of a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding – executed earlier today by the NPMHU, the American Postal Workers Union, and the U.S. Postal Service – that updates the RI-399 Dispute Resolution Procedures that were originally signed in 1992. The parties have been negotiating and discussing the terms of this Update MOU for several years, and its execution marks an important milestone in the history of RI-399 and the process for deciding jurisdictional disputes between NPMHU mail handlers and APWU clerks.

The Update MOU resolves many of the pending disputes now being held at the National, Regional, and Local levels. The Update MOU also requires all local facilities employing both mail handlers and clerks to develop updated or “Revised 9-1-2017 Inventories” to reflect the actual assignment practices in each facility as of September 1, 2017, with a status quo agreement being enforced as of that date on most jurisdictional issues. If the local facilities do not sign their own inventories, then the National parties will send in representatives to complete these documents. The Update MOU provides for certain monetary payments to mail handlers and clerks, with details about the distribution of such amounts still to be determined. And, the Update MOU adopts new procedures to reduce future disputes and to keep the RI-399 process from again becoming a bottomless pit where jurisdictional disputes reside, but never get resolved.

June 26, 2018- Read the NPMHU memorandum to all local union officers and representatives (pdf)

Read the complete Memorandum of Understanding for additional details (pdf)

Reference: www.npmhu.org  

NPMHU REBUFFS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PROPOSAL TO PRIVATIZE POSTAL SERVICE

  NPMHU REBUFFS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PROPOSAL TO PRIVATIZE POSTAL SERVICE

The Trump Administration on June 21, 2018 released its so-called Reform Plan and Reorganization Recommendations – formally entitled the Office of Management and Budget’s Report on Delivering Government Solutions in the 21st Century. The plan includes various Trump proposals for reorganizing the federal government. Buried deep in the Report is the President’s plan to restructure the Postal Service into a “sustainable business model” and thereby “prepare it for future conversion . . . into a privately held corporation.”

“The plan itself is unsustainable,” said NPMHU President Paul Hogrogian after reading through the 128-page report. “It starts by noting that public trust in the federal government has declined over the last decade, but then proposes to dismantle the most trusted component of that government – the Postal Service – and move it into the private sector.” “The inevitable result of such privatization,” said Hogrogian, “would be to destroy universal postal services for every American,” which has been a mainstay of the nation’s systems for communications and commerce ever since the Founding Fathers put the Post Office into the U.S. Constitution. If postal services were privatized, as the Trump Administration envisions, many Americans would lose their daily access to postal services, and the cost of those services for other Americans would increase greatly.

To be sure, the Postal Service currently faces a difficult financial situation, principally caused by the mandatory pre-funding of retiree benefits ordered by Congress in 2006. But there is legislation currently pending in Congress and proposed rules already issued by the Postal Regulatory Commission to address USPS finances. Taken together, these proposals provide a roadmap for sustaining the Postal Service as the cherished American institution that it always has been. Policymakers and others interested in how to ensure the future of the Postal Service should take the time needed to read the materials that all four major postal unions recently submitted to the White House Task Force on the USPS.

That joint submission is linked here:


• Workforce Submission to the White House Task Force on the USPS (white paper)
• An Executive Summary of the Workforce Submission
• Policy Options for Eliminating or Reducing the Prefunding Burden (summary chart)
• History of Postal Reform Legislation
• Delivering Government Solutions in the 21st Century - Reform Plan and Reorganization Recommendations

Reference: NPMHU.ORG  

MHAs receive wage increase of 20 cents per hour effective on Saturday, May 26, 2018.

  MHAs RECEIVE WAGE INCREASE OF 20 CENTS PER HOUR

In accordance with Article 9.7 of the 2016 National Agreement between the NPMHU and the Postal Service, all Mail Handler Assistants will receive an hourly wage increase of $0.20 per hour effective on Saturday, May 26, 2018. This increase is in addition to the general wage increase of 2.3% that will be effective in approximately six months, on November 24, 2018. There also will be another increase of $0.21 per hour effective in May 2019.

The 20 cent per hour increase raises the Level 4 MHA hourly rate to $15.66 and the Level 5 MHA hourly rate to $16.50, which is an increase of approximately 1.3% and 1.2% respectively. These additional increases were included in the 2016 National Agreement to help close the current gap between MHAs and career employees and to reduce attrition among MHAs.

Reference: www.npmhu.org  

Feeling Left Behind? USPS Mail Handler pay is so low it doesn't even make this list by FedSmith

  Postal Service: Highest Paid Employees and Highest Averages
"...Six of the highest paid hourly employees in the Postal Service work in Alabama. Here is the listing..."

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Reference: www.fedsmith.com

Office of Personnel Management proposes federal employees pay more for retirement

  Office of Personnel Management proposes federal employees pay more for retirement

"...Mr. Pon said the proposed changes would bring the federal government more in line with the private sector. "The employee retirement landscape continues to evolve as private companies are providing less compensation in the form of retirement benefits. The shift away from defined benefit programs and cost-of-living adjustments for annuitants is part of that evolution," Mr. Pon wrote..."

Reference: www.pionline.com  

President Hogrogian and Secretary-Treasurer Dwyer Meet with Presidential Task Force During 120 Day Study of USPS

  President Hogrogian and Secretary-Treasurer Dwyer Meet with Presidential Task Force During 120 Day Study of USPS

"...There also were discussions relating to ongoing legislative efforts at postal reform, the need to reject additional enforcement of pre-funding for retiree health or pension costs, the use of USPS assumptions in calculating unfunded liabilities..."

Reference: www.npmhu.org  

USPS considering relocating Mountain Brook post office

  USPS considering relocating Mountain Brook post office

"...At the public meeting, the USPS will outline the need for relocation, take questions and solicit written input for a period of 30 days. The USPS will make a final decision after the 30-day comment period. Welch said the city is working to get the word out on the public meeting. "When it was first announced we got a fair amount of feedback. People were upset," he said..."

Reference: www.al.com  

FBI: Man claiming to be from New Mexico sent 'creepy' packages to over 50 girls

  FBI: Man claiming to be from New Mexico sent 'creepy' packages to over 50 girls

"...It's terrifying. I don't want her to be out of my sight right now," said Jena Willingham of Phenix City, Alabama. Willingham's young daughter received a package in the mail from the man in question, as did at least one other girl in their small Alabama town. "[She] came in there and she cried and..."

Reference: www.krqe.com  

USPS: Letters available Monday for customers whose mail was destroyed at the Prattville Alabama Post Office

 

USPS: Letters available Monday for customers whose mail was destroyed

"...USPS officials say the letters will be available for customer pick up on Monday. USPS officials did say the P.O. box area impacted by the fire remains under investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)..."   

 

Danny Miller, Past Huntsville USPS P&DF Supervisor (Retired) Passes

  Danny Ray Miller (Obit)
"...Mr. Danny Miller was a veteran of the United States Marines. He received three Purple Hearts while serving in the Vietnam War..."
Reference: www.decaturdaily.com

White House Issues Executive Order to Review Postal Finances, Pricing, Policies and Workforce Costs

  White House Issues Executive Order to Review Postal Finances, Pricing, Policies and Workforce Costs

April 12, 2018- President Trump issued an Executive Order to form a task force charged with evaluating the finances of the U.S. Postal Service including pricing, policies and workforce costs.

The White House reports that the Task Force will be comprised of multiple agency heads including the: Secretary of the Treasury as Chair; Director of the Office of Management and Budget; Director of the Office of Personnel Management; and other agency heads. The Executive Order goes on to highlight consultation with the Postmaster General and the Chairman of the Postal Regulatory Commission and the Secretary of Labor.

Postal Unions were not named in the EO as task force participants, however the Order does note that task force recommendations shall also consider the views of the USPS workforce; commercial, non-profit, and residential users of the USPS services; and competitors in the marketplace. In politics, it is often said that if you are not sitting at the table, you are being eaten for lunch. The leadership of the NPMHU believes that the voice of labor must be included in this USPS task force review. We will do everything possible to ensure that the interests of craft labor are properly represented.

In a report due (in 120 days) or no later than August 10, 2018, the task force will provide a “thorough evaluation of the operations and finance of the USPS, including: 1) the expansion and pricing of the package delivery market and the USPS's role in competitive markets; 2) the decline in mail volume and its implications for USPS self-financing and the USPS monopoly over letter delivery and mailboxes; 3) the definition of the "universal service obligation" in light of changes in technology, e-commerce, marketing practices, and customer needs; 4) the USPS role in the U.S. economy and in rural areas, communities, and small towns; and 5) the state of the USPS business model, workforce, operations, costs, and pricing.”

The NPMHU remains committed to the mission of the United States Postal Service, one that includes affordable and universal service to all boundaries of the United States while providing fair wages and benefits to the workers that accomplish this mission daily. The most immediate step to secure financial relief and sustainability for the USPS would be to address the 2006 Congressional mandate to pre-fund retiree health benefits 75 years in advance – an onerous burden that no other private or public entity in America is required to carry.

“We will work with the White House, task force members and Congress, and will champion pro-active steps to restore financial stability to the Service while protecting all mail handlers,” said President Hogrogian.

Executive Order (pdf)

Fact Sheet Issued by White House (pdf)

Reference: National Postal Mail Handlers Union  

When is the next contract salary increase?

  When is the next contract salary increase?

Effective November 24, 2018 - the basic annual salary for each grade and step of Table One and Table Two shall be increased by an amount equal to 1.3% of the basic annual salary for the grade and step in effect on May 20, 2016.

Reference: www.npmhu.org  

McConnell v. U.S. Postal Service, EEOC Issues Final Decision

  McConnell v. U.S. Postal Service, EEOC Issues Final Decision

The EEOC has rejected the Postal Service’s request for reconsideration after finding the National Reassessment Process discriminated against injured postal workers and violated their rights under the Rehabilitation Act.

This matter concerns a class of Postal Service employees consisting of rehabilitation and limited-duty injured-on-duty (IOD) employees whose positions were assessed by the USPS National Reassessment Program (NRP) between May 5, 2006 and July 1, 2011.

The NRP subjected qualified rehabilitation and limited-duty IOD employees to disparate treatment and resulted in rehabilitation and limited-duty IOD employees with disabilities having their reasonable accommodations withdrawn, as well as being subjected to disability-based harassment and having their confidential medical information accessed by unauthorized persons.

The Postal Service is now required to comply with a number of orders listed in the final decision. Impacted Mail Handlers were not required to file an EEOC complaint to be part of the class but members of the class are required to file a claim within 30 days of receiving notice from the Postal Service to avoid forfeiting any potential relief.

The Postal Service has begun complying with the EEOC order by notifying impacted employees Important Information about How to Submit a Claim and the Deadline to Make a Claim can be seen on the Law Firms website at www.nrpclassaction.com.

McConnell v. U.S. Postal Service, EEOC Decision (pdf)

Please note: The NPMHU makes no representation about the accuracy or quality of the information that is being provided by the law firm or its website. The claim form provided by the law firm commits claimants to being represented by these attorneys. Claimants should carefully review the terms of the retainer agreement, including how their chosen representative is paid. Claimants also should know that they are not required to use a lawyer to make a claim. The NPMHU cannot endorse the use of any law firm to submit claims and cannot give legal advice on whether to make claims directly to the Postal Service or to retain legal assistance for any part of the claim process.

Reference: www.npmhu.org  

Mail Handler Wage Chart Updated

  Cost of Living Allowance of 2018 - $520 to be in checks dated March 23, 2018

"...COLA increase as outlined in Article 9.3 of the National Agreement. The increase will appear in paychecks dated March 23, 2018. Click here for PDF wage chart. Additionally, you can view the current wage chart by clicking the link with the $20 currency note on the right-hand sidebar on this site. ..."

Reference: www.npmhu.org  

NLRB Issues Complaint Challenging Postal Service’s Refusal to Provide NPMHU with Full Information on F-1 Scheduler

  NLRB Issues Complaint Challenging Postal Service’s Refusal to Provide NPMHU with Full Information on F-1 Scheduler

Case 5-CA-208552

By memorandum dated February 27, 2018, President Hogrogian notified Local Presidents of a Complaint and Notice of Hearing issued by the National Labor Relations Board against the U.S. Postal Service. The Complaint is based on the Postal Service’s refusal to respond to a series of information requests about the F-1 Scheduler that were filed by the NPMHU Contract Administration Department during the period running from May through November of 2017.

The Complaint also alleges that the Postal Service, even with regard to other information that it eventually did provide to the NPMHU, acted unlawfully by unreasonably delaying its responses and disclosures to the Union.

The Postal Service has been given until March 7, 2018 to answer the Complaint, and a hearing already has been set for May 24, 2018.

A copy of the Complaint and Notice of Hearing, including all exhibits, is attached to this memorandum. (pdf)


Reference: www.npmhu.org

How much tax to withhold? New calculator to help figure it

  How much tax to withhold? New calculator to help figure it

"...The calculator unveiled Wednesday by the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service helps people determine whether they have the correct amount of money withheld by employers from paychecks — to avoid facing a huge tax bill for 2018. The calculator asks taxpayers to estimate their 2018 income and other items that affect their taxes, such as filing status and number of dependents..."

Reference: www.usatoday.com  

COLA 2018: First Cost of Living Allowance of 2018 - $520 to be effective March 3rd

  First Cost of Living Allowance of 2018 - $520 to be effective March 3rd
Effective on March 3, 2018, career Mail Handler craft employees are scheduled to receive the fourth of seven possible cost-of-living (COLA) adjustments as outlined in Article 9.3 of the 2016 National Agreement. This COLA increase is based on the upward change in the relevant Consumer Price Index (CPI) following release of the January 2018 Index, and provides an annual increase of $520 for all Steps in Table 1 and for Step P of Table 2. The remaining Steps in Table 2 will receive the proportional COLA increase percentages as outlined in Article 9.3 of the National Agreement. The increase will appear in paychecks dated March 23, 2018.
Reference: www.npmhu.org

Trump Suggests USPS Cut Retirement, Health Benefits in $80B Savings Package

  Trump Suggests USPS Cut Retirement, Health Benefits in $80B Savings Package

"...suggested USPS bring its retirement benefits in line with the same changes proposed for the rest of the federal workforce, which would save the agency $35 billion over the next decade. Under Trump’s plan, the postal service also would increase employees’ contributions toward their health and life insurance..."

Reference: www.govexec.com  

The Data Universe: Exploring U.S. Postal Employee Salaries

  The Data Universe: Exploring U.S. Postal Employee Salaries

"...Find out how much your local postal worker is paid to work, sort and deliver your mail. Simply enter a name or zipcode to be directed to information about a specific postman or postal employees in your area..."

Reference: www.app.com  
Example: Click Image for Postmaster General Base Salary 2017:

When is the next 'Cost of Living Adjustment' calculated?

  When is the next 'Cost of Living Adjustment' calculated?

According to Section 9.3, Cost of Living Adjustment:
A. Definitions
1. "Consumer Price Index" refers to the "National Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers," published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Department of Labor (1967=100) and referred to herein as the "Index."
2. "Consumer Price Index Base" refers to the Consumer Price Index for the month of July 2014 and is referred to herein as the "Base Index."
B. Effective Dates of Adjustment:
Each eligible employee covered by this Agreement shall receive cost-of-living adjustments, upward, in accordance with the formula in 4.C, below, effective on the following dates:
- the second full pay period after the release of the January 2018 Index (More reading here)... .
Note: The BLS states the release date of the January 2018 CPI data are scheduled to be released on February 14, 2018, at 8:30 A.M. Eastern Time.
Thus, in the event CPI has risen to the level needed to garner a COLA based on the aforementioned information, the next COLA would be in March checks since the January 2018 CPI data are scheduled to be released on February 14, 2018.

Reference: NPMHU 317  

OPM Guide to Voluntary Early Retirement Regulations (PDF)

  OPM Guide to Voluntary Early Retirement Regulations (PDF)

"...The Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA) provides agencies the option to offer voluntary early retirement when restructuring as well as when downsizing. The voluntary early retirement provisions are the same under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). The use of VERA is an option for increasing voluntary attrition in agencies that are undergoing substantial organizational change (e.g., reduction in force, reorganization, reshaping, delayering). Besides providing an incentive for employees to voluntarily retire or resign to avoid potential reduction in force actions, the agency may also offer VERA to employees in safe positions that could then provide placement opportunities for employees occupying surplus positions..."

Reference: www.opm.gov  

USPS Offers 'No Incentive' Voluntary Early Retirement

  USPS Offers 'No Incentive' Voluntary Early Retirement

"...The Postal Service is making a Voluntary Retirement Offer to eligible mail handler and clerk employees. However, much to the chagrin of workers, there are no incentives to entice employees to make a move in that direction. This has left employees questioning the move..."

Reference: The Postal Newsgroup  

Jacksonville USPS Distribution Center to Replace Mail Handling System

  Jacksonville USPS Distribution Center to Replace Mail Handling System

"...The Postal Service is looking to replace sixteen integrated mail handling systems at their Jacksonville National Distribution Center loading docks. The contractor who wins the bid is responsible for supply and installation of the machines..."

Reference: globenewswire.com