USPS complement

 
USPS complement
"...USPS complement. According to the 2009 Comprehensive Statement on Postal Operations, the total USPS complement decreased by 53,043 employees, with career complement decreasing by 40,147. At the end of FY 2009, there were 712,082 employees on the rolls, of which 623,128 were career...."
Reference: liteblue.usps.gov

 

Postal Service needs patience: It's evolving

 
Postal Service needs patience: It's evolving
"...We know the lines are long, mail is delivered late. And service may not be what you expect. We ask that you don't take your frustrations out on the clerk at the window, the carrier on the sidewalk, the driver on the street or the mail handler on the dock - they are just doing their jobs...."
Reference: www.desmoinesregister.com

 

NPMHU Signs Settlement on National Reassessment Program

 
NPMHU Signs Settlement on National Reassessment Program
"...the settlement specifically addresses the potential impact of the NRP on employees assigned light duty under Article 13 of the National Agreement. On this issue, the parties agreed that “[e]mployees on existing non-workers’ compensation light duty assignments made pursuant to Article 13 . . . will not normally be displaced solely to make new limited duty or rehabilitation assignments unless required by law or regulation.”..."
Reference: www.npmhu.org

 

Unions Slam Proposed "Cadillac" Health Care Tax

 

"...after three years, begin to hit the most popular health care plan within the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) -- ultimately impacting 48 percent of all federal employees..."
Reference: www.cbsnews.com

 

Birmingham post office helps with letters to Santa: 'Every year, I laugh, and I cry'

 
Birmingham post office helps with letters to Santa: 'Every year, I laugh, and I cry'
"...one of at least 1,000 that will come through the downtown Birmingham Post Office en route to the North Pole. It sits among piles of letters, some of which chronicle broken hearts, broken lives and broken dreams. ..."
Reference: al.com

 

Santa getting lots of letters from Huntsville post office

 
Santa getting lots of letters from Huntsville post office
"...Santa's getting some help in preparation for his big night, thanks to the help of some special elves at the Huntsville post office. They're busy sorting letters and making sure those letters get to the North Pole for Santa to read...."
Reference: www.waff.com

 

National Reassessment Process

 
Watchdog urges Postal Service managers to support cost-cutting initiative
"...managers must emphasize the importance of the program, under which workers either receive meaningful assignments they can perform despite their injuries or a referral to the Labor Department's Office of Workers' Compensation Programs...."
Reference: www.govexec.com

 

Federal Times: USPS employee? Filed a grievance?

 
Federal Times: USPS employee? Filed a grievance?
"...Time for one of my periodic “I’m looking for postal employees…” posts. I’m working on a story about the Postal Service’s labor grievance process, and I’m looking for postal employees who have filed grievances against USPS. Don’t care what the outcome was — whether you won, you lost, or the complaint is still pending.

If you’re interested in talking — anonymously, of course — e-mail me at gcarlstrom@federaltimes.com...."
Reference: federaltimes.com

 

 
Here is a recent "Breaking News" article (letter) posted on the NAPUS site. Breaking News? Gearing up for something? Do they know something we do not know? ...or are they simply educating supervisors that there are better ways to correct situations than to put someone off the clock? You be the judge.
Click below to enlarge an excerpt from the posted letter:


Reference: www.napus.org

 

National Postal Mail Handlers Union November 2009 Update

 
National Postal Mail Handlers Union November 2009 Update
"...Wage Chart, Dues Increase, Open Season..."
Reference: http://www.npmhu.org/

 

November 2009 Mail Handler Wage Increase Pay Scale

The November 2009 Mail Handler Wage Increase Pay Scale can be found by clicking the image below. This is the fifth of six general wage increases to be paid to all mail handlers under the 2006 National Agreement and will be implemented effective November 21, 2009. The increase will be reflected in paychecks on December 11, 2009. Please also note that, as required by Article XIV, Section 3 of the National Constitution and Article VIII, Section 2 of the Uniform Local Union Constitution, mail handlers will see an automatic membership dues increase of fifty cents ($.50) per pay period, effective with this November 2009 negotiated wage increase. Of this amount, forty cents ($.40) per pay period will be sent to the Local Union, and ten cents ($.10) per pay period will be retained by the National Office in the form of increased per capita tax.


Reference: NPMHU 317

 

Mail Handler Contractual Pay Increase for November 2009

"...Postal employees covered under the NPMHU-USPS Collective Bargaining Agreement will receive a 1.2 percent increase in annual salaries effective Nov. 21. The raise will be reflected in paychecks issued Dec. 11, 2009...."    

This Article is From: postal-newsgroup.blogspot.com
 

USPS to use advertising space to gather information in the murder of Tony Harrelson at the Camp Hill Post Office

 
USPS to use advertising space to gather information in the murder of Tony Harrelson at the Camp Hill Post Office
"...Harrelson, 47, a Dadeville resident, was shot and killed at the Camp Hill post office between the hours of 5:45 and 6:15 p.m. on Oct. 2...."
Reference: www.thedadevillerecord.com

 

[Florida] After 37 years, Lee County postal worker cancels last stamp

 
After 37 years, Lee County postal worker cancels last stamp
Bob Ford
"...a mail handler. Ford came into work at 4 p.m. He placed postmarks on mail, doing his work quietly and with ease until his shift ended at 12:30 a.m. He remembers when there were no more than five mail handlers. Today, there are more than 100 at the..."
Reference: www.news-press.com

 

Health Care's Next Big Fight: Tax the Rich or Slam Workers?

Flexible Spending Account slammed
Health Care's Next Big Fight: Tax the Rich or Slam Workers?
"...There's also more than $400 billion in cuts to Medicare and Medicaid; a new $20 billion fee on medical device makers; $13 billion from limiting contributions to flexible spending accounts; sizable penalties paid by individuals and employers who don't obtain coverage; and a mix of other corporate taxes and fees...."
Reference: www.huffingtonpost.com

 

Past Practice: What is a Past Practice?

 
Past Practice: What is a Past Practice?
"...A past practice is any long-standing, frequent practice that is accepted and known about by the union and management. A practice that meets the standards of being a bone fide past practice is considered to be part of the contract. Since it is part of the contract, grievances can be filed if management violates a past practice. In most cases management cannot end a past practice without first bargaining with the union. In some cases management must wait until contract negotiations to change a past practice...."
Reference: www.ueunion.org
Get the book: How to win past practice grievances


 

NPMHU 317 - Huntsville Union Meeting Today

 
NPMHU 317 - Huntsville Union Meeting Today
"...Quarterly NPMHU 317 Union meeting will be held at China Buffet on Highway 20 at 11:00 AM. President Leonard will be present. Huntsville Local President Dockery will be conducting the meeting..."
Reference: npmhu317.blogspot.com

 

Mail Handler Wage Adjustments

 
Mail Handler Wage Adjustments
"...Largely because of the continuing decrease in the price of gasoline and other deflationary pressures during the first half of calendar year 2009, there was no cost-of-living adjustment added to the base wages of Mail Handlers in September 2009 (which is based on changes in the Consumer Price Index through July 2009). Please note that the base wages for all Mail Handlers will be increased effective in November 2009 (PP25-2009), when the fifth of six guaranteed general wage increases in the 2006 National Agreement is implemented. An updated wage chart reflecting those increases will appear in the November Mail Handler UPDATE....."
Reference: www.npmhu.org

 

NPMHU 317 - Huntsville Union Meeting wiil be October 17, 2009

 
NPMHU 317 - Huntsville Union Meeting October 17, 2009
"...Quarterly NPMHU 317 Union meeting will be held at China Buffet on Highway 20 at 11:00 AM, October 17, 2009. President Leonard will be present. Huntsville Local President Dockery will be conducting the meeting..."
Reference: npmhu317.blogspot.com

 

Huntsville - USPS saves Wynn Drive site

 
Huntsville - USPS saves Wynn Drive site
"...Officials: Merging facility with another in city not feasible. After a couple of months on the U.S. Postal Service's "hit list," the Wynn Drive post office has been given a reprieve. ..."
Reference: www.al.com

 

'How must an individual request a reasonable accommodation?'

 
Requesting Reasonable Accommodation

Excerpt 1:
'How must an individual request a reasonable accommodation?'

When an individual decides to request accommodation, the individual or his/her representative must let the employer know that s/he needs an adjustment or change at work for a reason related to a medical condition. To request accommodation, an individual may use "plain English" and need not mention the ADA or use the phrase "reasonable accommodation."'
_____________________________________________

Excerpt 2:
'Requests for reasonable accommodation do not need to be in writing. Individuals may request accommodations in conversation or may use any other mode of communication. An employer may choose to write a memorandum or letter confirming the individual's request. Alternatively, an employer may ask the individual to fill out a form or submit the request in written form, but the employer cannot ignore the initial request. An employer also may request reasonable documentation that the individual has an ADA disability and needs a reasonable accommodation.'
______________________________________________

Reference: www.eeoc.gov

 

Thieving Mailman Nets Jail Time For Flix

 
Thieving Mailman Nets Jail Time For Flix
"Springfield, MA (AHN) - ...plead guilty this week to stealing more than 30,000 DVDs from the mail. Weathers, who worked at the Postal Service's bulk processing center..."

Read more: Read More

Reference: www.allheadlinenews.com

 

Specter, Unions Disagree on Path for Overhaul of Labor Laws

 
Specter, Unions Disagree on Path for Overhaul of Labor Laws
"...Mr. Specter has for months been trying to broker a deal to revive the bill. He said Tuesday that Democratic senators participating in the talks included himself, Tom Harkin of Iowa, Chuck Schumer of New York, Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Thomas Carper of Delaware. Union leaders and business groups kept their distance from Mr. Specter's effort...."
Reference: online.wsj.com

 

H1N1 Virus Expected to Cause High Prolonged Absenteeism Numbers

 
Government outlines H1N1 flu guidelines for small businesses
"...agency encourages small businesses to put strategies in place before the flu season hits to be ready to deal with the possibility of prolonged absenteeism and, if the outbreak worsens, supply-chain disruptions...."
Reference: www.bizjournals.com

 

USPS Employee Unscheduled Leave Call-In Number

 
USPS Employee Unscheduled Leave Call-In Number
Lost the Unscheduled leave call-in number? If you have lost the call-in number, you might want to bookmark the site referenced below for those rare occasions you become ill and need to use unscheduled leave. With the possible H1N1 pandemic expected to reek havoc on us all, it might be a good idea to be prepared.
Reference: USPS Employee Unscheduled Leave Call-In Number

 

Privatized postal service would cause big problems

 
Privatized postal service would cause big problems
"...The increase in postage rates can be directly attributed to the growth of private sector mail processing networks which profit from workshare discounts. This process has reduced postage for mailers at the expense of the consumer..."
Reference: www.pennlive.com

 

At a crucial juncture, union leader is retiring

 
At a crucial juncture, union leader is retiring
"...John J. Sweeney, who rose to the pinnacle of US unionism from his roots as a son of immigrants, is stepping down this month as president of the AFL-CIO...."
Reference: www.boston.com

 

Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009

 
Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009
"...The vote was nearly perfectly split along party lines, with only three Republicans voting in favor (Ed Whitfield of Kentucky, Don Young of Alaska and Chris Smith of New Jersey) and two Democrats voting nay (Travis Childers of Mississippi and Parker Griffith of Alabama). ..."
Reference: wikipedia.org

 

Obama Quote

 
Obama Quote
"Every American owes something to the American labor movement" - President Obama [Labor Day Address/Labor Day picnic in Ohio, September 7, 2009]
Reference: npmhu317.blogspot.com/

 

North Alabama Mail Processing Changes

 
Official: Postal service change won't have much impact here
"...In an effort to cut costs, the Athens post office will soon send magazines and magazine-sized mail to Birmingham for processing rather than to Huntsville. One source says the change will slow the mail and force Huntsville workers to transfer,..."
Reference: www.enewscourier.com

 

Labor history of the United States

 
Labor history of the United States
"...Labor history of the United States describes the history of organized labor, as well as the more general history of working people in the United States of America. Pressures dictating the nature and power of organized labor have included the evolution and power of the corporation, efforts by employers and private agencies to limit or control unions, and U.S. labor law. As a response, organized unions and labor federations have competed, evolved, merged, and split against a backdrop of changing social philosophies and periodic federal intervention...."
Reference: wikipedia.org

 

Labor Day

 
Labor Day
"...The first Labor Day in the United States was celebrated on September 5, 1882 in New York City.[1] In the aftermath of the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the US military and US Marshals during the 1894 Pullman Strike, President Grover Cleveland put reconciliation with Labor as a top political priority. Fearing further conflict, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unanimously and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike.[2] Cleveland was also concerned that aligning a US labor holiday with existing international May Day celebrations would stir up negative emotions linked to the Haymarket Affair.[3] All 50 U.S. states have made Labor Day a state holiday...."
Reference: wikipedia.org

 

RETIREMENT-SEPARATION INCENTIVE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

 
RETIREMENT-SEPARATION INCENTIVE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
Memorandum of Understanding
Between The
United States Postal Service
And The
National Postal Mail Handlers Union, AFL-CIO,
A Division of the Laborers’ International Union of North America



Re: One-time Retirement Incentive

The parties agree that the Postal Service will make lump sum incentive payments totaling $15,000 (less applicable taxes and deductions) to eligible full-time career employees who choose optional retirement, retire pursuant to a Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA), or voluntarily separate from the Postal Service. Part-time employees shall be eligible for a prorated amount, as provided below. These payments are subject to the following terms and conditions.

1. All career employees covered by the USPS-NPMHU 2006-2011 National Agreement are eligible for incentives pursuant to this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) except for employees in a probationary status on the date of this MOU or employees who have a pending notice of discharge that was received on or before the date of this MOU.

2. Within thirty (30) days of the signing of this MOU, employees must indicate in a manner prescribed by the Employer their intent to participate in the retirement incentive program by indicating that they wish to take optional retirement, retirement pursuant to a VERA, or voluntary separation. Full-time employees will be assigned by the Employer a retirement or separation date of October 31 or November 30, 2009 based on operational need, or, at the employees’ option, they may retire or separate on or before September 30, 2009. Part-time flexible and part-time regular employees will be assigned a retirement or separation date of November 30, 2009. Employees who indicate they are taking a VERA under the terms of this MOU and wish to revoke their decision must do so on or before September 25, 2009.

3. The $15,000 incentive for eligible full-time career employees will be paid as follows. For those employees who separate or retire on October 31 or November 30, a $10,000 payment will be effective within two full pay periods after they retire or separate. For employees who separate or retire on or before September 30, the $10,000 payment will be effective pay period 21, to be paid October 16, 2009. The remaining $5,000 payment shall be effective for all eligible employees the first full pay period in October 2010 (pay period 22, to be paid October 29, 2010).

Part-time flexible and part-time regular employees shall receive incentive payments that are prorated based on the number of hours paid in the twenty-six full pay periods prior to the effective date of this MOU, in accordance with the following schedule:

Number of Paid Hours Percent of Incentive Payment

Under 520 25
520 and under 1020 50
1020 and under 1520 75
1520 and over 100

The prorated percentage shall be applied separately to the $10,000 and $5,000 payments. These payments shall be made on the same dates as for full-time employees.

An employee who accepts the incentive payment, and subsequently seeks future employment with the Postal Service, must return the incentive payment received to the Postal Service as a precondition for employment, unless a period of two years has passed from the date of retirement or separation and the date of rehire.

4. If excessive numbers of employees in particular offices take advantage of the provisions of this MOU, the parties at the national level will discuss the terms for relaxing contractual restrictions on casual use for a reasonable period of time (not to exceed 60 days past December 31, 2009) in order to meet operational needs. In such circumstances, the Employer reserves the right to amend the retirement and separation dates in paragraph 2 to the extent reasonably necessary to meet operational needs, but in no event later than December 31, 2009.

The parties further agree that these incentives will be provided to no more than 30,000 employees in the Mail Handler and APWU bargaining units combined. If more than 30,000 employees indicate that they wish to take advantage of the terms of this MOU, the number allocated to each of the bargaining units shall be proportional to the number of employees in the bargaining units that are eligible for these incentives. The parties agree to meet and discuss implementation of this paragraph once the number of employees indicating a desire to take advantage of this MOU reaches 25,000.

5. This MOU has the potential to impact pending excessing actions. In order to give the Postal Service time to review and consider those impacts, the parties agree to a moratorium on excessing from the date of this MOU through October 9, 2009. The parties recognize that they may need to discuss the proper application or modification of notice requirements under the provisions of Article 12 based on the impact of this MOU.

Any disputes arising under this MOU will be referred to the National Administrative Committee for discussion and resolution.

This MOU is without prejudice to the positions of the parties on any issue and shall not be cited in any dispute resolution proceedings, except for the purpose of enforcing its terms.


_Original Signed___ _Original Signed___
Anthony J. Vegliante John F. Hegarty
Executive Vice President and National President
Chief Human Resources Officer National Postal Mail
United States Postal Service Handlers Union, AFL-CIO

Date: __8/24/09_
Reference: www.npmhu.org

 

NEW RETIREMENT-SEPARATION OPPORTUNITIES ANNOUNCED WITH INCENTIVES UP TO $15,000

 
NEW RETIREMENT-SEPARATION OPPORTUNITIES ANNOUNCED WITH INCENTIVES UP TO $15,000
After in-depth discussions between NPMHU and USPS representatives at the headquarters level, the Postal Service has agreed to offer financial incentives for a new round of retirement and separation opportunities for most Mail Handlers. Under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding signed by both parties on August 24, 2009, those eligible Mail Handlers who choose to leave employment with the USPS will each receive incentive payments totaling up to fifteen thousand dollars (for full-time employees). These incentives will be available (with certain restrictions) to all Mail Handlers who are currently eligible for regular retirement, voluntary early retirement, and all other employees who may wish to separate from the Postal Service. Details are outlined below in the Memorandum of Understanding (which also is available for review on the NPMHU website at www.npmhu.org).

The NPMHU is pleased to have reached this agreement with USPS, as it may provide a financial cushion, and added peace of mind for Mail Handlers who might be prepared to move on to the next chapter of their lives – particularly during these extremely difficult economic times. To the extent that some Mail Handlers or other eligible postal employees choose to retire because of this incentive, the MOU also may benefit other Mail Handlers who will experience less excessing, more bidding opportunities, and other possible consequences of reduced staffing.

Please understand that none of the information in this bulletin should be considered as official retirement advice, and the NPMHU National Office assumes no responsibility for any decisions that you may make about your retirement or separation from the USPS. We have provided you with all of the pertinent information surrounding this offer. However, we realize that retirement/separation from the Postal Service is a very personal decision, based on each individual’s own finances and circumstances. Therefore, the National office is not authorized and cannot provide individual retirement advice. You should seek such advice from the USPS at retirement counseling sessions which will be scheduled in your area, and you also may wish to consult with your own financial advisor on this important decision. There are many personal and financial factors to be considered if you are thinking of accepting this incentive offer. For just some examples, you need to consider your personal family and health situation; how your health insurance, life insurance, and other benefits may be affected; what your future sources of income will be; and whether you have alternative plans and opportunities.
The Postal Service has made retirement videos available on the liteblue web site at: https://liteblue.usps.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/.scr/Login. You will need to log in with your employee ID number and PIN, and then go to the “MY LIFE” tab and underneath the “My Benefits” section, click on “Retirement Seminar Online.” There is a CSRS version, a FERS version, and also a video on “other benefits.” Also available at the site are workbooks to download as study aids. The sessions are presented in modules that vary in length from 4 minutes to 25 minutes, and they were specifically developed for Postal Services employees only, not for those of other federal agencies. The modules can be viewed in any order, but it is recommended that the basic information modules be viewed first.
The Postal Service has informed the NPMHU that it will be offering retirement seminars, on-the-clock¸ that employees will be able to attend. The USPS also will be issuing a list of ‘frequently asked questions’ (FAQs) to answer some of the many questions that will arise from the field.

Again, any Mail Handler who may be considering this incentive-based retirement or separation option should closely review the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding, do the necessary research on the liteblue webpage, and participate in a USPS retirement counseling session to ensure that any and all questions are answered prior to applying for this retirement or separation option.
Reference: www.npmhu.org

 

Postal Service Offering a $15,000 Retirement Incentive

USPS Offers $15,000 Retirement or Resignation Incentive
The United States Postal Service is offering a $15,000 Retirement or resignation incentive to certain employees. The first installment will be $10,000 in November 2009 and the other $5000 will be one year later. Mailings will go out in the next few days to eligible employees. Stay tuned for more details. Update coming soon. The Postal Newsgroup

Women accused of using post office to ship drugs plead not guilty

 
Women accused of using post office to ship drugs plead not guilty
"...conspiracy with intent to distribute, possession with intent to distribute and using the postal facility at Los Indios to distribute nearly 500 pounds of the illegal drug, records show...."
Reference: www.brownsvilleherald.com

 

"Postal Service is intent on reducing its physical presence"

  Excerpts from August 6, 2009, Senate Hearing
Excerpts from August 6, 2009, Senate Hearing
"..."Whether it is 5-day delivery, collection box removal or the closure of facilities, the Postal Service is intent on reducing its physical presence." - Ruth Y. Goldway, Commissioner, Postal Regulatory Commission..."
Reference: The Postal Newsgroup

 

USPS Voluntary Early Retirement (VER)

 
Excellent Suggestion Found on Online Postal Employee Community Forum
"...USPS should offer some type of liberal leave policy, as well as permitting a liberal "Leave of Absence" program, both designed and published as a program coinciding with the VER. This would give adequate time to find a job, go through the hiring process, and begin the new employment in an effort to ease the transition into a new life...."
Reference: postal-newsgroup.blogspot.com

 

Stopping Saturday mail delivery could mean layoffs for USPS

 
Stopping Saturday mail delivery could mean layoffs for USPS
"..."I can't say or guarantee that there wouldn't be layoffs," said Jordan Small, USPS acting vice president, during a hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Federal Workforce, Postal Service and District of Columbia Subcommittee. Small added that he hoped personnel cuts could be made through attrition..."
Reference: www.govexec.com

 

Huntsville P&DF Welcomes New Plant Manager Hyde

Huntsville P&DF Welcomes New Plant Manager Hyde
The NPMHU 317 Officers and Stewards of the Huntsville Processing & Distribution Facility welcomes new Plant Manager Hyde. Plant Manager Hyde Replaces the Alabama Top Performing Plant Manager Doug Miller. The union is excited to have a permanent plant manager put in place at the facility. Huntsville has been subjected to one temporary plant manager after another, causing continued turmoil, lack of communication, and inconsistency in application of leadership. We hope the installation of a permanent plant manager will assist in reestablishing some sort of consistency in the workplace and a return of the facility to one of the top EXFC sites in the Country. Local Branch President of the Huntsville P&DF, Alex Dockery, is to meet with Plant Manager Hyde this week in an effort to address latent deficiencies at the plant and to reestablish a team spirit between management and the union, while emphasizing the need to live within the National Contract. Welcome Plant Manager Hyde!
Reference: npmhu317.blogspot.com

 

S. 1507

 
SENATE COMMITTEE ADDS ANTI-UNION AMENDMENT TO S. 1507
"...The NPMHU is now forced to oppose S. 1507. “The amendment makes this bill unacceptable,” declared NPMHU National President John Hegarty. “The original bill, which was proposed by the White House, was transformed into a vehicle which attacks collective bargaining for Mail Handlers and all craft employees.”..."
Reference: www.npmhu.org

 

Alabama Stations and Branches Identified for Closure or Consolidation

Alabama Stations and Branches Identified for Closure or Consolidation
Below you will find a list of Alabama Stations and Branches currently identified for either consolidation or closure. Click on the image to enlarge please.

Source: USPS
Reference: http://npmhu317.blogspot.com/

 

Union Action Alert

Postal News Alert!

Although this article is from the APWU site, all union members should take immediate action to protect their collective bargaining rights (please forward to all the postal employees you know and urge them to contact their senators to urge a "NO" vote. Thanks):

“If the bill passes as written, it will destroy collective bargaining for postal workers.” Burrus said.

From the APWU Article: "... Because a vote on the bill is expected early next week, before the Senate adjourns for its August recess, local and state activists must move quickly, Burrus said. The national union will hold a teleconference for local and state leaders on Monday, Aug. 3, at 2 p.m. EDT, to discuss the issue.

“I call on every APWU local to generate messages to their senators based on a 1 to 5 ratio of their members,” Burrus said. “If the bill passes as written, it will destroy collective bargaining for postal workers.”

The amendment would require arbitrators ruling on postal contracts to take into account the “financial health of the Postal Service.”

“Given the severity of Postal Service’s financial crisis, if this bill passes, we can anticipate that in the next round of negotiations, many of the things our members take for granted — such as cost-of-living increases, raises, and protection against layoffs — will be at risk.” Under current law, arbitrators must consider the “comparability” of postal wages to employees in the private sector who perform similar work.
Click here to email your senators: http://www.capwiz.com/apwu/issues/alert/?alertid=13812926 ...help protect your benefits and pay!
“In fact, arbitrators routinely consider the Postal Service’s financial status as part of the context of negotiations,” Burrus said. “However, to attach this specific requirement to the law leaves workers at a severe disadvantage. ..."  
Source:

USPS Hits GAO "High Risk" List (Opinion)

 

USPS Hits GAO "High Risk" List

Editor. (views and opinions are not necessarily that of the National Postal Mail Handlers Union)

The Government Accountability Office has placed the U.S. Postal Service on their financial instability 'High Risk' List. 'The Postal Service urgently needs to work with Congress and other key stakeholders to develop and implement a restructuring plan to help put it on a more sustainable financial path. By adding the U.S. Postal Service's financial condition to the High-Risk List, we hope to bring attention to the agency's financial viability and its ability to provide sustainable, affordable, high-quality mail service,' said Gene L. Dodaro, Acting Comptroller General of the United States and head of the GAO.

The GAO report targets, unfortunately, employee damaging fixes while not addressing major issues contributing to the financial decline. Not addressed were overly generous work-share discounts^[1] to mailers and Negotiated Service Agreements which are special rate and service arrangements between the USPS and a mailer^[2]. Additionally, many USPS facilities, plants, and processing facilities have been staffed continuously with "detailed" (temporary) staffing and managers, causing inflated costs due to continued per diem type expenses, to include lodging, mileage, etc.

As a union steward, I continuously see the same union contract violations repeated over and over again, without holding managers responsible for correcting the issues. The grievances are often paid, but the issues never corrected. The repeated violations center around Improper By-Pass Overtime, Crossing Crafts, and Casuals in Lieu Of, costing the USPS untold amounts of money. This is an area where the postal service Labor Representatives could invoke some trend analysis to determine which managers and facilities repeatedly propagate these costly violations. This would permit the USPS to either educate the poorly performing managers or shed themselves of the poorly performing leaders. This is not taking place. Managers are not held accountable for their fiscal deficiencies, which should be a first and vital path to cost reduction. Instead, GAO focuses on issues that suggest the reduction of employee benefits, contributing to the rapid decline of the American working-class in this country. GAO suggest Reduction of compensation and benefit costs through retirements, early retirements (without suggesting changes to the antiquated OPM limits on monetary incentives to facilitate the willingness to retire early), increasing health and life insurance benefit costs to the employee, and consolidations that negatively impact employees by excessing them to distant facilities. Although GAO's intent may have been to provide an objective analysis, it gives the appearance of too much protection of the Direct Mailing Industry by overlooking this as a target area for radical improvement and profitability through reduction of costly discounts, as well as overlooking the effectiveness Cost-benefit analysis relative to the aforementioned issues ...but hey, I am just a Mail Handler, what do I know? I know that the "Voice of the Employee" and a non-adversarial union and management team effort is vital to the efficiency and effectiveness of operations and the return to financial stability.

In synopsis, hold leaders to a standard of accountability that will result in the reduction of costly repetitive contract violations (this does not mean altering the contracts to remove employee protections), apply the concepts of trend analysis and Cost-benefit analysis, and eliminate cost-escalating discounts for direct mailers (discounts are fine if they are profitable and not just put in place to generate profitless volume). As far as Mail Handlers, we will all continue to work hard to provide expedient and quality delivery of the mail to our customers!

If you have suggestions for cost reduction, please click the comment link below and share your thoughts:
Comments


Visit NPMHU 317 at: http://npmhu317.blogspot.com/

Source: PDF Document: GAO Puts USPS on "High Risk" List
_______________________________________
1. Alberta, Paul M. "Gleiman Blasts USPS Over Workshare Discounts." Direct. Apr 22, 1999 12:00 PM,http://directmag.com/news/marketing_gleiman_blasts_usps/
2. Burrus, William. "Postal Regulatory Commission: USPS Could Lose Millions in Proposed Deal." American Postal Workers Union. 2009. http://www.apwu.org/news/webart/2007/webart-0799-boa-nsa-071029.htm




Click the Image Below to Enlarge to 100%

 

Rumors of USPS Being Unable to Make Payroll Are Just That

 
Rumor Control: USPS Payroll
"...Rumors abound on the internet about the USPS being unable to make payroll in October of this year...."
Reference: postal-newsgroup.blogspot.com

 

Huntsville P&DF Mail Handler Job Bidding Temporarily Cancelled

 
Huntsville P&DF Mail Handler Job Bidding Temporarily Cancelled
"...Bid Posting 18676 has temporarily been cancelled. The bids should be re-posted soon. The posting was cancelled in order to facilitate the altering of a Begin Tour time on the Tour I Bid. Additionally, the union successfully grieved and had sustained the recent job reversion that was posted. This job will be posted on the August bid cycle (posted by the first Tuesday of the August. ..."
Reference: npmhu317.blogspot.com

 

Huntsville P&DF Job Bidding (0000018676)

Huntsville P&DF Mail Handler Job Bidding
Bidding is open for three positions. Below is a screen capture of the open bids:



Reference: liteblue

 

Does Federal Law Limit Post Office Consolidation?

 
Does Federal Law Limit Post Office Consolidation?
"...The laws of economics say the U.S. Postal Service needs to reduce the number of post offices. But the laws of the United States may say otherwise...."
Reference: From the blog titled Dead Tree Edition [deadtreeedition.blogspot.com]

 

Consolidating?

The 'image' found below is a snipping from an article found on the APWU site. The article references an Excel spreadsheet containing an updated list of 3,243 stations and branches in Level-24-and-above installations that are being reviewed. The snipping is from the spreadsheet.:

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Reference: http://npmhu317.blogspot.com/

 

Fred Smith: capitalist criminal

FedEx CEO makes billions exploiting workers, but still wants more

Fred Smith: capitalist criminal
"...FedEx’s, and Smith’s, contribution to the mailing industry has been to undermine the union wages and conditions won by the U.S. postal and UPS workers. His profits have been made not only by exploiting FedEx workers as much as possible, but also by undermining the gains of millions of other workers...."
Reference: www.pslweb.org

 

Phase Two RIF avoidance vacancy postings for District Customer Service Offices and mail processing organizational changes

VACANCY POSTINGS, PHASE TWO DEADLINE FOR LATEST ROUND IS JULY 1

Phase Two RIF avoidance vacancy postings for District Customer Service Offices and mail processing organizational changes
"...Phase Two RIF avoidance vacancy postings for District Customer Service Offices and mail processing organizational changes are available online at eCareer. The deadline for submitting applications is Wednesday, July 1. Don’t miss out on a potential job opportunity. Log on to eCareer today..."
Reference: liteblue.usps.gov

 

Huntsville P&DF NPMHU 317 Union Meeting for June rescheduled

 
Huntsville P&DF NPMHU 317 Union Meeting for June rescheduled
"...The NPMHU 317 - Huntsville union meeting has been rescheduled for July. The finalized date of the rescheduled meeting will be posted in the plant...."
Reference: npmhu317.blogspot.com
Tag: Postal News
 

Busy Huntsville Post Office evacuated

 
Busy Huntsville Post Office evacuated
"...Huntsville Fire and Rescue crews evacuated a busy post office..."
Reference: www.waff.com

 

FedEx's Anti-Union Drive

 
FedEx's Anti-Union Drive
"...would subject FedEx workers to the same rules as those performing similar work for Atlanta-based UPS. The measure affects employees of FedEx Express..."
Reference: www.businessweek.com

 

The Railway Labor Act - No Right to Strike Laws

 
The Railway Labor Act - No Right to Strike Laws
"...The Railway Labor Act is a United States federal law that governs labor relations in the railway and airline industries. The Act, passed in 1926 and amended in 1936 to apply to the airline industry, seeks to substitute bargaining, arbitration and mediation for strikes as a means of resolving labor disputes...."
Reference: wikipedia.org

 

H.R. 915 - FAA Reauthorization Act of 2009

 
FAA Reauthorization Act of 2009
"...would subject FedEx workers to the same rules as those performing similar work for Atlanta-based UPS..."
Reference: www.govtrack.us
More: H.R. 915
(Summary) FAA Reauthorization Act of 2009
 

PRIORITY MAIL FLAT RATE BOX CAMPAIGN FEATURES EMPLOYEE T-SHIRTS

 
PRIORITY MAIL FLAT RATE BOX CAMPAIGN FEATURES EMPLOYEE T-SHIRTS
"...By now, some 500,000 employees — including full-time letter carriers, rural carriers, mail handlers and APWU employees — have received Priority Mail Flat Rate Box campaign T-shirts. In the past, letter carriers have been issued T-shirts to wear in place of their uniform shirts to support marketing efforts. The success of those pilot programs helped bring this much more ambitious program to life...."
Reference: liteblue.usps.gov

 

AKQA Aims to Make Augmented Reality Deliver for USPS

 
AKQA Aims to Make Augmented Reality Deliver for USPS
"...Consumers can now go to prioritymail.com and use the AR technology to determine what size box they need to ship an item. All they need to do is print a logo..."
Reference: www.clickz.com
Tag as: Augmented Reality
 

Previous stories about Shelley Shannon

 
Previous stories about Shelley Shannon
"...John Brockhoeft, 42, a former US Postal Service mail handler who has been imprisoned since 1988..."
Reference: blog.oregonlive.com

 

Reassigned postal workers facing big financial hardships

 
Reassigned postal workers facing big financial hardships
"...At the Memphis Processing and Distribution Center on Third Street and the Memphis Bulk Mail Center on Elvis Presley, many postal workers are on edge as workers are being let go or moved. Reassigned workers may be given relocation expenses but they are only reimbursed after they have paid the moving costs, which is an economic hardship for many families...."
Reference: tri-statedefenderonline.com

 

Post Office Cuts 25,000 Jobs This Year

 
Post Office Cuts 25,000 Jobs This Year
"...The U.S. Postal Service has cut its staff by 25,000 this year as it struggles to reduce massive deficits, Postmaster General John Potter said Monday. Postal employment is now below 635,000, Potter said, down from about 800,000 in 1999. ..."
Reference: www.cbsnews.com

 

Same Office, Very Different Workplace

 
Same Office, Very Different Workplace
"...The new OPM Director said he wants to reverse what he said was an adversial relationship between labor and management that grew up during the Bush administration. Starting this summer, he said, their will be a new seminar at OPM Leadership Development Centers where federal officials and union leaders "can start this collaborative process."..."
Reference: www.federalnewsradio.com

 

Banner day honors combat vets

 
Banner day honors combat vets
"...Former Navy SEAL José Cabral, 52, of West Lafayette said he served during the Cold War and copes with post-traumatic stress disorder. "I feel uncomfortable being honored, but I am grateful that people remember us," said the soft-spoken Cabral, a mail handler with the Lafayette post office..."
Reference: jconline.com

 

USPS PHASE 1 RIF AVOIDANCE POSTINGS NOW ON eCAREER

FIRST PHASE OF VACANCY POSTINGS

"...Phase 1 RIF avoidance vacancy postings for District Customer Service Offices and mail processing organizational changes opened Tuesday, April 28 and will close May 13. To avoid missing out on a potential job opportunity, log on to eCareer today, create your profile and begin your search for jobs. ..."    

See the Organizational Changes website for more details on LACs and timelines of activity.

This Article is From: liteblue.usps.gov
 

Postal service inspector general seeking data on sick time views

"...The OIG is collecting the data as anecdotal information, and it may be used as part of an ongoing audit on attitudes in the postal service, an OIG spokesperson said. According to the blog, the USPS indentified about 35,000 of its 640,026 employees who had 20 or more unscheduled absences last year, which translates to 5% of employees with nearly one absence for every pay period...."    

This Article is From: www.dmnews.com

 

Queens mail could get rerouted to Brooklyn

 
Queens mail could get rerouted to Brooklyn
"...“We're the ones who are going to take the first hit,” said Trevor Stuart, the Branch President of the Mail Handlers Union, who said 39 of his workers are..."
Reference: www.queenscourier.com

 

New hope for stalled labor bill

 
New hope for stalled labor bill
"...Sen. Arlen Specter’s party switch is breathing new life into labor’s campaign to win new organizing rights for workers, an issue the business community hoped was stalled, if not killed. “This is a new day for the Employee Free Choice Act and labor law reform..."
Reference: www.politico.com

 

OPM CSRS Federal Employee Disability Retirement

 
OPM CSRS Federal Employee Disability Retirement
"...If you are still employed or have been separated from your employing agency for 31 days or less-- Your employing agency may help you complete these forms and if you are still on the agency payroll, will forward the completed forms to OPM. However, it is your responsibility to obtain all the information necessary for OPM to make a decision on your claim. This includes providing all of the required forms and documentation. ..."
Reference: www.opm.gov

 

OPM FERS Federal Employee Disability Retirement

 
OPM FERS Federal Employee Disability Retirement
"...When to Consider Applying for Disability Retirement You should consider applying for disability retirement only after you have provided your employing agency with complete documentation of your medical condition and your agency has exhausted all reasonable attempts to retain you in a productive capacity, through accommodation or reassignment. You must meet all of the following conditions to be eligible for disability retirement..."
Reference: www.opm.gov

 

FERS Social Security Annuity Supplement

 
FERS Social Security Annuity Supplement
"...With many people taking the USPS Voluntary Early Retirement, many of you may have questions relative to Eligibility for the Retiree Annuity Supplement. Check out the OPM PDF document on the subject. ..."
Reference: postal-newsgroup.blogspot.com

 

USPS offering summer mail discount, DMA says

 
USPS offering summer mail discount, DMA says

"...20% to 30% discounts, from June 15 to September 15, for mail volume over and above that mailer's past mailing. The Postal Service would establish a base mail volume for each mailer derived from that mailer's mailings from June 15 to September 15, 2008 adjusted downward by the current mail trends for that mailer during the first two quarters of Fiscal Year 2009...."
Reference: www.dmnews.com

 

Postal Employee Online Public Data Source

The CourierPostOnline has a Public data source that will identify salary, facility location, Title/Position and year hired ...all you have to do is supply the name.    

Editor Note: I checked my name and it was accurate to date.

This Article is From: courierpostonline.com

 

Definition of industrial arbitration

 
industrial arbitration
"...industrial arbitration method of settling disputes between employer and employees by seeking and accepting a decision by a third party. Such arbitration may be compelled by the government, as in New Zealand (since 1894), Australia (since 1904), Canada (since 1907), Italy (since 1926), and Great Britain (since World War II). In other cases, it may be by voluntary agreement, as is often the case in the United States, where the government occasionally intervenes in the case of a strike affecting the public welfare (see Taft-Hartley Labor Act ) by persuading the parties concerned to accept the decision handed down by the arbitrator. Additionally, the Supreme Court ruled in 2001 that companies can insist that employment-related disputes (such as discrimination suits) go to arbitration rather than to court. Arbitration machinery in the United States has been set up at both federal and state levels in the form of mediation and arbitration boards. The American Arbitration Association, founded in 1926, has nearly 17,000 members who help settle labor disputes. In voluntary arbitration a formal agreement is usually made to abide by the decision.

Bibliography: See F. Elkouri, How Arbitration Works (1985); M. Bognanno, Labor Arbitration in America (1992). ..."
Reference: "industrial arbitration." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 7 Apr. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

 

MSPB Decisions

 
MSPB Decisions
Interested in reading decisions made by the Merit Systems Protection Board? Often these cases can be interesting reading. The decision listing can also be a vital resource in prepping grievances and future MSPB cases. You can use the "search" feature to be more specific in your decision research. Type in "United States Postal Service" to read related case decisions.
Reference: www.mspb.gov

 

Postal worker hits 40 years

Dan Smith
 
Postal worker hits 40 years
"...Like with any other profession, Smith started out at the bottom as a mail handler at the Jackson Center Post Office in 1970...."
Reference: www.delphosherald.com

 

VA announces stimulus spending

 
VA announces stimulus spending
"...The $250 payments will be issued as early as June 2009. To be eligible, a veteran must have received a qualifying compensation between November of last year and January. ..."
Reference: www.federalnewsradio.com

 

House Approves Bill To Give Sick-Leave Credit to FERS Retirees

  Still must be approved in Senate
House Approves Bill To Give Sick-Leave Credit to FERS Retirees
"...The focus for correcting these FERS inequities will now shift to the United States Senate, where they may be considered as part of a bill providing the Food and Drug Administration with wider authority to regulate tobacco products...."
Reference: www.apwu.org

 

New Postal Voluntary Early Retirement VER for July 31, 2009

Postal News

Read it here: New Postal Voluntary Retirement VER for July 31, 2009

ALL EMPLOYEES except Electronic Technicians (ET); Maintenance Mechanics, Mail Processing Equipment (MPE); Part-time Postmasters.

"... Please Note: The age and years of service criteria must be met by the effective retirement date of this VERA: July 31, 2009. If you don’t meet the criteria by July 31, 2009, you are not eligible for voluntary early retirement...."  
Source: The Postal Newsgroup

 

USPS Announces VER, District Closings, Reductions

On March 20, the US Postal Service announced District Closings, Voluntary Early Retirement, and Reductions. The announcement reads as follows:

USPS ANNOUNCES ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE CLOSINGS, EARLY RETIREMENT OFFER AND
STAFFING REDUCTIONS

Today the Postal Service has announced it will close six of its 80 district offices. USPS is also
eliminating positions across the country and offering another round of voluntary early retirements.
These actions are expected to save the Postal Service more than $100 million annually.
The six offices closing — located in Florida, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania and Washington State — house administrative functions and will not adversely affect
customer service, mail delivery, Post Office operations or ZIP Codes. The functions of these offices will
be assumed by 10 surrounding districts.
The Postal Service’s districts are being re-aligned as follows:
�� The Boston and Connecticut districts will assume the operations of the Massachusetts District.
�� The Northern New England (formerly Maine) District will assume the operations of the New
Hampshire/Vermont District.
�� The Western Pennsylvania (formerly Pittsburgh) District will assume the operations of the Erie
District.
�� The South Florida and Suncoast districts will assume the operations of the Central Florida
District.
�� The Seattle and Salt Lake City districts will assume the operations of the Spokane District.
�� The Northern New Jersey and Southern New Jersey districts will assume the operations of the
Central Jersey District.
USPS will reduce administrative staff positions at the district level nationwide by 15 percent. In addition,
more than 1,400 mail processing supervisor and management positions at nearly 400 facilities around
the country will be eliminated, and nearly 150,000 employees nationwide are being given the


The Mandatory Stand-Up Talk reads as follows:

Mandatory Stand-Up Talk
District Closings, Staffing Reductions and VER Announced
With the economic recession resulting in the Postal Service ending fiscal year 2008 with a loss of nearly $3 billion, we
are facing an extremely difficult financial challenge.
Streamlining operations and improving efficiency throughout the Postal Service is a constant, ongoing process. Over
the past year, we have refined this process by modifying networks, consolidating functions, adjusting delivery routes
and restructuring administrative and processing operations. Today, Postmaster General Jack Potter announced new
steps to further our efforts. These actions are expected to save the Postal Service more than $100 million annually.
First, the Postal Service is closing six district offices.
These six administrative district offices were chosen based on their proximity to other districts that could absorb the
additional workload without compromising the delivery, retail and mail processing functions of the Postal Service.
Today, more than 500 employees were notified by their area vice president and/or district manager that their district
offices were closing.
An opportunity for voluntary early retirement (VER) also is being offered.
This nationwide offer is open to nearly 150,000 employees who meet the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
conditions, and who are at least 50 years of age with 20 years of creditable federal service, or any age with 25 years
of creditable federal service. An annuity estimate will be mailed to all VER-eligible employees starting April 6, 2009.
Another step being taken is instituting a 15% administrative staffing reduction of positions in all remaining 74
district offices.
Postal headquarters already has reduced its employee complement by approximately 15% and the area offices are in
the process of a similar staffing reduction.
At nearly 400 of our mail processing facilities around the country, more than 1,400 supervisor and
management positions are being eliminated.
Reduction in force (RIF) avoidance strategies will be in place for employees impacted by district closings and staffing
reductions.
There are no signs of an early economic recovery. Financial projections call for a continued decline in mail volume and
revenue.
Now, more than ever, we all must look for ways to do our jobs more efficiently and help to continue the service
performance and customer satisfaction improvements we have gained in recent years.
By doing so, we can help ensure that the Postal Service will continue to deliver for America now and in the future.
Additional information — and questions and answers — about all of these new changes can be found under the Hot
Topics section on Blue. VER information can be found under the Hot Topics section on LiteBlue.

 

District Closings and New USPS Early Out

 

One of the members over at the FederalSoup Community has provided information on "District Closings" [information not verified or confirmed] relating to the newly announced Voluntary Early Retirement action. It includes Districts and numbers. The information is found on the 10th page, third item of this link: http://community.federalsoup.com/4/OpenTopic?q=Y&a=tpc&s=4944011921&f=7604055441&m=1831021071&p=10.
Reference: community.federalsoup.com

 

U.S. Postal Service offering early retirement to 150,000 workers

 
U.S. Postal Service offering early retirement to 150,000 workers
"...Aside from offering early retirement to 150,000 of the agency's 646,000 workers, the Postal Service said it would reduce management staff by 15%, which would eliminate more than 1,400 processing, supervisor and management posts at nearly 400 facilities...."
Reference: www.latimes.com

 

Stopper Postcard Measures Delivery Speed While Stressing Out Postal Workers

 
Stopper Postcard Measures Delivery Speed While Stressing Out Postal Workers
"...Just how long does it take that postcard to get from A to B? The Stopper postcard can tell you..."
Reference: i.gizmodo.com

 

Changes to the Rehabilitation Act

 
Changes to the Rehabilitation Act
Click below to enlarge text

Reference: www.napus.org

 

Postal Service tweaks delivery of plummeting mail count

 
Postal Service tweaks delivery of plummeting mail count
"...The National Association of Letter Carriers, a trade union, inked a deal with the Postal Service that has allowed the reorganization of deliveries to begin, and the process is expected to be completed by the middle of next month. Union representatives are examining data from postal routes and approving adjustments on a case-by-case basis..."
Reference: www.keepmecurrent.com

 

LDC-18 Classified Positions

 

USPS Telecom for dissemination to employees (Alabama):

LDC-18 positions will be eliminated in plants

Plants must be at plan on work hours

No double DPS runs on Sunday

Reassignments to other crafts after April (editor note: we believe this to be clerks to carriers as reported in the news recently)

Bids will be changed to match workloads

USPS Forecast to lose 8.8 billion this year

Reference: March 2, 2009: Alabama USPS Telecom via employee communication

 

CHANGES IN STORE FOR BULK MAIL CENTERS --SUBCONTRACTING IS OFF THE TABLE

 
CHANGES IN STORE FOR BULK MAIL CENTERS --SUBCONTRACTING IS OFF THE TABLE
The USPS has informed the NPMHU of changes that they intend to make to the existing BMC network. According to USPS Headquarters, they intend to move forward with a new network which will utilize the existing BMCs as “Network Distribution Centers” (NDCs) to more efficiently process and transport the mail. The plans shared with the Union thus far call for three tiers of BMCs (NDCs), with each tier having different responsibilities. This new initiative eliminates the earlier USPS plan to subcontract much of the BMC work.

According to the USPS plan, Tier 1 BMCs (NDCs) will lose some volume because some of the mail that is currently being processed there will be rerouted to Tier 2 facilities.

The concept will be tested first, most likely in the Northeast Area, and involves three Bulk Mail Centers (Springfield, Philadelphia, and New Jersey). Springfield and Philadelphia are expected to be “Tier 1 NDCs,” and New Jersey is expected to be a “Tier 2 NDC.”

Further details regarding mail processing, transportation, staffing and other issues will be circulated to the Local Unions shortly. Discussions are ongoing with USPS Headquarters, and we will update you as further details become available.
Reference: www.npmhu.org

 

Save Lakeland Mail Center

Lakeland Processing and Distribution Center
 
Save Lakeland Mail Center
"...feasibility study to see if it would make sense to consolidate some of the operations into the Tampa P&DC. We realize changes are necessary in these trying economic times. However, closing the vital distribution operations at the Lakeland P&DC, possibly "excessing" my job, is not a viable option...."
Reference: www.theledger.com

 

Missing East Bay Postal Worker Found

 
Missing East Bay Postal Worker Found
"...had not been seen since Thursday morning outside of her work at 1675 Seventh St. She was disoriented and trying to get into her vehicle, police said...."
Reference: www.msnbc.msn.com

 

NPMHU TRAINS ON FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

 
NPMHU TRAINS ON FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
"...Special attention was paid to each Local’s reporting and disclosure obligations under the federal Landrum-Griffin Act and the constitutional and legal rules governing every Local Union officer’s fiduciary responsibilities for conducting the union’s financial affairs. ..."
Reference: www.npmhu.org

 

Hard Economic Times for All

 
www.apwu.org
Reference: www.apwu.org

More Work Hour Cuts

 
AN OPEN LETTER TO USPS EMPLOYEES FROM PMG JACK POTTER
"...We’re on track to reduce 100 million workhours this year — double last year’s reduction...."
Reference: liteblue.usps.gov

 

Amazon target of mysterious postal investigation

 
Amazon target of mysterious postal investigation
"...Amazon's annual regulatory filing, released yesterday, contains a curious disclosure: "In January 2009, we learned that the United States Postal Service, including the Postal Service Office of Inspector General, is investigating our compliance..."
Reference: www.techflash.com

 

Obama Moves to Reverse Bush’s Labor Policies

Obama Moves to Reverse Bush’s Labor Policies
"... Future monthly meetings will be held across the country to discuss the mundane but essential concerns of working people like child care, workplace safety and retirement security, the vice president said. The administration has set up a Web site, AStrongMiddleClass.gov, that Mr. Biden said would tell people what their government was doing and invite them to share their thoughts...."
Article Reference Source: www.nytimes.com
 

Union, Postal Service differ on cutting job hours

 
Union, Postal Service differ on cutting job hours
"...If the U.S. Postal Service cuts workers' hours, customer service will suffer and the mail will be delayed, says the president of a national postal workers union...."
Reference: www.philly.com

 

Experts See Dim Future for U.S. Postal Service

 
Experts See Dim Future for U.S. Postal Service
"... this raises serious public policy implications. In rural America, the post office is the face of the American government. Closing post offices brings out very parochial concerns. It's an area where they could save money, but it's an area that will receive a lot of political attention."..."
Reference: www.foxnews.com

 

Postal Hearing of Jan. 28, 2009

The following links relate to today's Hearing and the future of the Postal Service. You must read carefully and completely to understand the dynamics of the situation in full.

STATEMENT OF POSTMASTER GENERAL/CEO JOHN E. POTTER BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON FEDERAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, GOVERNMENT INFORMATION, FEDERAL SERVICES AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY OF THE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS UNITED STATES SENATE JANUARY 28, 2009
"...Contracts with the two unions that alone represent almost 75 percent of our 652,000 career employees – the American Postal Workers Union and the National Association of Letter Carriers – do not expire until late 2010 and late 2011. We cannot wait until then to address what are pressing needs today. So I am proposing to union leadership that we begin talks now to create needed levels of workforce flexibility. ..."
Article Reference Source: www.intelisent.com

Key Points Made By Witnesses before the
Senate Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services and International Security "... Senator Susan Collins:

* Enactment of PAEA was an arduous process.
* We need to continue the nation's universal postal services. Mail is still a key part of the nation's economic infrastructure.
* The current recession has placed the Postal Service back on the congressional agenda.
* The question has been raised as to whether the Postal Service is trying to use this crisis as a way of pulling away from PAEA.
* The PAEA retiree payments were a key part of the negotiating to make PAEA possible.
* A rwo-year reprieve is doable. Beyond two years make take too much pressure off the USPS to respond to its other challenges.
* GAO has been disappointed with the USPS' responses. GAO expressed frustration with the USPS' lack of transparency.
* Very disappointed that the proposed solution is the elimination of the six-day a week delivery requirement. Service cutbacks also can impact mail volume adversely.
* Already received many complaints from publishers in Maine. Service has been compromised.
* I don't know how you can ask for relief while proposing cutbacks in service that could precipitate further losses.
* I'm very concerned about the lack of the Postal Service's financial transparency. You're coming to Congress for relief with the needed transparency. This is unacceptable.
..."
Article Reference Source: www.postcom.org

Video: Title: The Impact of the Economic Crisis on the U.S. Postal Service
"... U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security ..."
Article Reference Source: hsgac.senate.gov

Area offices to reduce staffing levels
"... With this action, complement at Area Offices has been reduced – some vacant positions have been eliminated, while other occupied positions are impacted. Starting this week, employees occupying impacted positions will be notified and given information and guidance...."
Article Reference Source: www.postalnewsblog.com

Postal Announcement, Big Meeting ...No, it's a Hearing on the Impact of the Economic Crisis on the U.S. Postal Service

 
Postal Announcement, Big Meeting ...No, it's a Hearing on the Impact of the Economic Crisis on the U.S. Postal Service
"...examine how changes in the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA) could improve Postal Service operations so it can better weather the current economic downturn. Talk around the coffee pot and on workroom floors across the nation are concentrated on scenarios taking place during the hearing that would additionally focus on five day delivery, the universal service obligation, workforce reductions that are more employee-friendly, consolidations, Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments, and an emergency rate increase...."
Reference: The Postal eDaily

 

APWU to members

 
Significant Changes Expected; Sacrifices Must Be Shared, Burrus Says
"...when work-hour reductions are implemented, they should not be applied disproportionally to bargaining unit employees. Staffing is based on workload and responsibility, so if the number of employees must be reduced, reductions should be made across-the-board, including all craft employees, supervisors, postmasters, managers and contract employees...."
Reference: www.apwu.org

 

President Obama and NPMHU National President Hegarty

 

President Obama

 

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

All post offices will be closed, and only express mail will be delivered
 

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends."
...MLK

"We must learn to live together as brothers, or perish together as fools."
...MLK
Read More on Martin Luther King Jr.

 

COLA Update: December 2008 CPI-W (Released Jan. 2009)

 

"...The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers
(CPI-W) decreased 1.2 percent in December, prior to seasonal adjustment.
The December level of 204.813 (1982-84=100) was 0.5 percent lower than in
December 2007...."
Reference: www.bls.gov

 

Does the Mail Handler COLA figure in food and energy prices?

 
The Mail Handler COLA is calculated using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers known as the CPI-W. The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) is limited to the spending patterns of younger consumers. Many argue that this index measures only 1/3 of the U.S. population, excluding real spending by seniors. Currently the CPI-W "market basket" contains the following: rent, some medical costs, high tech consumer items such as computers, big screen televisions, cell phones, DVD players, food, gas and oil among other items.

Further Reading and Sources:
1) Bureau of Labor Statistics
2) Senior Citizens League

 

MTE Roundup

 
MTE Roundup
"...The program is intended to round up flat tubs, letter trays & sleeves, rolling stock (including hampers & cages), pallets, and mailbags that are not in use and return them to USPS inventory. ..."
Reference: www.usps.com

 

Federal authorities release sketches of suspects in robbery at Fairfield post office

"...Robinson said the U. S. Postal Service is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information and services that lead to the arrest and conviction of the suspects..."  
Source: blog.al.com