Mail Handler COLA effective March 8, 2014

  Mail Handlers to Receive Wage Increase Effective March 8, 2014

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Effective on March 8, 2014, all career Mail Handler craft employees are scheduled to receive the first of seven possible cost of-living (COLA) adjustments as outlined in Article 9.3 of the 2011 National Agreement. This COLA increase is based on the upward change in the relevant Consumer Price Index (CPI) Base following release of the January 2013 Index. As prescribed in the Fishgold Arbitration Award, the implementation of this COLA increase was delayed by one year. This Consumer Price Index change resulted in an annual increase of $146 for all Steps in Table 1 and for Step P of Table 2. The remaining Steps in Table 2 have received the proportional COLA increase percentages as outlined in Article 9.7 of the 2011 National Agreement. Because of slight deflation in the U.S. economy and a corresponding decline in the CPI Index between July 2013 and January 2014 there was no COLA increase for that adjustment period.

Click here to download a chart which reflects the new wage rates for career Mail Handlers resulting from these COLA increases that are effective on March 8, 2014.

Click here to download a related correspondence and copy of the updated Mail Handler wage chart sent to each Local President on February 27, 2014.

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Reference: National Postal Mail Handlers Union

Mail carriers in oil patch offered incentives (20% pay increases; $1,000 Bonuses)

  Mail carriers in oil patch offered incentives

"...Sen. John Hoeven announced the agreement between the Postal Service and its union on Wednesday. The agreement calls for pay increases of up to 20 percent for rural carriers; newly hired carriers also will receive hiring bonuses that total $1,000 after one year. Current carriers also get the same sum within a year. ..."

Reference: www.sacbee.com  

All Article 12 Excessing Related to Area Mail Processing Events Placed on Indefinite Hold

  All Article 12 Excessing Related to Area Mail Processing Events Placed on Indefinite Hold

"...(February 24, 2014) All excessing related to Area Mail Processing events has been place on an indefinite hold. The Postal Service is releasing the residual vacancies withheld for placement of employees who were potentially impacted by AMP events. ...

Follow this link to read related documents.

Reference: www.npmhu.org  

Alabama scores low in 'Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index'

  Report: The most miserable states in the USA

http://info.healthways.com/wbi2013

"...The median household income in Alabama of just $41,574 in 2012 was fourth lowest in the nation. The relatively low income of many state residents may have made it difficult for them to access basic necessities. Relatively few Alabama residents said they had enough money to afford medicine, food or adequate shelter. Alabama residents also had among the worst physical health in the nation. High blood pressure and diabetes in particular were much more common in Alabama than in most other states. Also, there were 236 deaths per 100,000 people due to heart disease, the second-most nationwide...."
Reference: www.usatoday.com

You Still Get Busted for Mailing Marijuana in Alabama

  You Still Get Busted for Pot in Alabama

www.goingpostalt-shirts.com

"...police are also having to keep an eye on your mail box. Some are traveling to legal marijuana states and mailing pot to themselves via the post office, FedEx or UPS. Or, they are having friends to it for them. Some are getting away with it, but not all. Those caught, face a federal charge...."
Reference: www.wkrg.com

Mail Processing facilities across the country tout closure postponements

  USPS postpones closure of Cape mail-processing center

"... The timeline of the postponement, and whether it means mail processing operations will be moved back to the Cape Girardeau facility, are unclear. The new implementation date for the second phase will be announced in the Federal Register at least 90 days before it takes effect, according to the USPS statement. ..."

Reference: kzim-am.tritonflex.com  

Tallevast mail distribution center to remain open

  U.S. Postal Service to keep Tallevast center open

"...In a change of course that surprised many, the U.S. Postal Service has decided to keep open its Tallevast distribution center and 126 jobs will be saved as a result, it was announced Sunday...."

Reference: www.heraldtribune.com  

UPS pilot that crashed cargo aicraft in Birmingham says schedules were killing him

  UPS Crash Pilot Said Schedule Was ‘Killing’ Him, NTSB Says

"...Captain Cerea Beal told a fellow UPS pilot within a day of the Aug. 14 flight that “the schedules are killing him and he could not keep this up,” according to records released today at a hearing by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board...."

Reference: www.sfgate.com  

Former Postal Service Officer-in-charge of Shelby County post office pleads guilty to stealing more than $27,000 in money orders

  Longtime employee of Shelby County post office pleads guilty to theft charges

"BIRMINGHAM, Alabama...had worked for the post office in Shelby County since 1988. She later became the officer-in-charge, a position that included maintaining stamp stock and money order inventories. In April 2013, a report showed discrepancies in transactions..."

Reference: al.com  

Postal Reform Bill S.1486: Destruction of the national infrastructure and employee benefits

  Can it get much worse? The Senate tries postal reform, again

"...While the bill doesn’t take postal employees and retirees out of the Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan (FEHBP), it does create a separate postal risk pool and a separate postal plan within FEHBP. With a few exceptions, employees and retirees will only be permitted to join plans within the postal plan. Those eligible for Medicare must fully enroll in both Medicare Part A and Part B (there are exceptions but those are limited and eventually every eligible is shifted to Medicare). There is an open season for those currently eligible for Medicare who have not enrolled, and a waiver period is granted for penalties that would apply to those who did not enroll in Part B when first eligible...."

Reference: www.savethepostoffice.com  

VW, a company supporting blue coller workers; Will VW workers vote for a union?

  VW Plant's Union Vote Could Be a Southern Labor Breakthrough

"...VW considers labor-management cooperation a competitive advantage, and the company has said it concluded that the creation of a works council in the U.S. would require union representation at the plant...."

Reference: www.businessweek.com

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Shortage of 'outsourced' locks for cluster mailboxes

  Postal privatization sneaking in? Outsourced postal locks, forced neighborhood cluster mailboxes instead of curbside service

"...The nationwide shortage started after the Postal Service, which had historically manufactured the locks, decided last year to outsource..."

Reference: postal-edaily.blogspot.com