Birmingham postal inspector says someone local tried mailing thousands of counterfeit checks

  Birmingham postal inspector says someone local tried mailing thousands of counterfeit checks

"...BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Local postal inspectors are warning of a mail scam that could be on it’s way to your mailbox. Earlier this week, local US Postal Inspector, Tony Robinson, found four tubs filled with thousands of counterfeit postage and checks... “Inside is a letter that says ‘congratulations’,” Robinson said. “A lot of times it may be like a..."

Reference: www.wbrc.com
 

The Official and Final Version of the 2021-2024 APWU-USPS Collective Bargaining Agreement Has Been Published

  APWU Contract 2021-2024

"The official and final version of the 2021-2024 APWU Collective Bargaining Agreement has been completed. The linked PDF is being made available for immediate use. The file is fully searchable and bookmarked. ..."

Reference: apwu.org
 

2022 NPMHU Contract Update #2

  2022 NPMHU Contract Update #2

2022 No. 2 – June 23, 2022

You are reading the second Contract Update produced and distributed by the NPMHU during the course of 2022 negotiations. These updates, along with the Union’s magazine and monthly bulletins, will keep mail handlers throughout the country informed and involved in the issues raised during this round of bargaining.

On June 22, 2022, representatives from the NPMHU Negotiations Team and the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) met for the first session of main table bargaining at Postal Service Headquarters in Washington, DC. Both groups entered into the meeting with sincere optimism for positive and productive negotiations in the coming sessions. The purpose of these meetings at this early stage of the proceedings is to introduce and explain all of the parties’ official bargaining proposals.

During this first substantive meeting, each side discussed their objectives and priorities. The NPMHU and the Postal Service finalized the written ground rules governing this round of collective bargaining, the nature of the subcommittees and their respective leadership, and the best ways to facilitate an efficient and fruitful round of contract negotiations.

Both parties are eager to present their proposed changes to the current contract. Acting in his capacity as chief spokesperson for the NPMHU, National President Paul Hogrogian reiterated some of the changes that the union will seek in the new contract:

Fixing the broken wage scale for new career employees that worsens with every Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA)
Addressing the issues surrounding Mail Handler Assistants, including conversion, pay, and insurance Curtailing subcontracting, outsourcing, and privatization
Minimizing the use of temporary supervisors and other unnecessary details
Who’s at the Table?

Members of the NPMHU Negotiations Team include President Hogrogian; Secretary-Treasurer Michael Hora; National CAD Manager Teresa Harmon; National CAD Representatives Neil Ryan, Thomas Ruther and Eugene Horton; and our legal team from the NPMHU General Counsel’s office. USPS management was represented by chief spokesperson Patrick M. Devine, as well as a dozen other representatives and legal counsel.

What’s Next?

Main table negotiations will continue on June 29, 2022, when representatives of the USPS and the NPMHU will meet at NPMHU Headquarters for a full day of presenting and explaining proposals to amend the National Agreement. At that time, both parties hope to begin their discussions on a host of topics with a full exchange of ideas. The parties also have formed several subcommittees, which will meet in their own sessions. These meetings are off the record and focus on particular portions of the National Agreement, considering any related proposals as a group. Several subcommittees have so far been formed, including subcommittees on Articles 11, (Holidays), 12 (Principles of Seniority, Posting, and Reassignments), 32 (Subcontracting), Mail Handler Assistants, and Memoranda of Understanding and Letters of Intent (MOUs and LOIs).

On-the-record bargaining sessions will be routinely scheduled throughout the summer. Behind the scenes, the NPMHU Negotiations Team will be caucusing constantly to ensure that all the issues and proposals being prioritized in this round are carefully considered.

Future editions of this Contract Update will outline some of what’s being discussed this year, highlighting developments in negotiations as they occur. Please check your bulletin boards, the mobile app and npmhu.org for more bargaining information throughout the coming weeks and months.

2022 No. 2 – June 23, 2022 (pdf)

Reference: NPMHU via NPMHU Local 317
 

2022 Contract Negotiations Update for the National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU)

  2022 Contract Negotiations Update for the National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU)

2022 NPMHU Contract Update #1

You are reading the first Contract Update produced and distributed by the NPMHU during the course of 2022 negotiations. These updates, along with the Union’s magazine and monthly bulletins, will keep mail handlers throughout the country informed and involved in the issues raised during this round of bargaining.

Bargaining has officially begun! By the time this is posted, representatives from the NPMHU Negotiations Team and the Postal Service will have met for the Opening Session of this round of bargaining taking place on Friday, June 10, 2022.

The Field Negotiating Committee meetings in February and this month’s meetings of the National Executive Board have produced a final package of proposals—the majority of which were submitted by members from across the country—to amend or create new provisions throughout the NPMHU National Agreement. It is our hope that these improvements will be considered, understood, accepted, and implemented by the USPS for the betterment of all mail handlers. Over the course of the next three months, our bargaining team will present each of these proposed changes during negotiations.

During Friday’s session to officially open 2022 bargaining, NPMHU National President Paul Hogrogian and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy gave opening statements setting the foundation for this year’s bargaining process. Excerpts from these statements will be available on the NPMHU website, npmhu.org, in the coming days.

Who’s at the Table?

This year’s Negotiations Team for the union will consist of President Hogrogian; Secretary-Treasurer Michael Hora; Manager of the Contract Administration Department Teresa Harmon; National CAD Representatives Neil Ryan, Thomas Ruther and Eugene Horton; and our legal team from the NPMHU General Counsel’s office. USPS management will be represented by Vice President of Labor Relations Thomas J. Blum and chief spokesperson Patrick M. Devine, as well as a host of other representatives and and legal counsel.

BARGAINING OVERVIEW

Our current National Agreement is set to expire on September 20, 2022. The goal is to obtain a tentative National Agreement, subject to membership ratification, by that date, but previous rounds of bargaining have often been extended to allow the parties to continue meeting to finalize their collaboration. However, if no final agreement is reached, and the parties reach impasse, there are alternative dispute resolution procedures to determine the changes to the National Agreement through final and binding interest arbitration.

Looking back on prior rounds of negotiations, the Union has presented its non-economic proposals first, followed by the Postal Service’s non-economic proposals. That often leads to a series of reactions and counter-proposals that will be drafted during the bargaining process.

While those subjects are being fully discussed, the Union will then develop and present its economic proposals: those which directly impact wages, benefits, premiums, and differentials. More specifically, the parties will treat Articles 9 and 21 as the key economic provisions, but will also include parts of Article 26 (clothing allowance) and Article 8 (night differential and Sunday premium pay) in the focused economic discussion.

On-the-record bargaining sessions will be routinely scheduled throughout the summer. Behind the scenes, the NPMHU Negotiations Team will be caucusing constantly to ensure that all of the issues and proposals being prioritized in this round are carefully considered. Future editions of this Contract Update will outline some of what’s being discussed this year, highlighting developments of negotiations as they occur. Please check your bulletin boards for more bargaining information throughout the coming weeks and months.

2022 Contract Update #1 (pdf)

Reference: www.npmhu.org via NPMHU 317
 

Postal Service notified NALC of its intent to conduct testing of electronic bikes (eBikes) for mail delivery

  Postal Service notified NALC of its intent to conduct testing of electronic bikes (eBikes) for mail delivery

"...Testing began on August 7th, in two offices in Florida, Miami Beach and Open Air Station in St. Petersburg and will continue for approximately six months. Both locations included in the test have existing bicycle routes. The test includes two different models of eBike, both manufactured by Coaster Cycles. Currently, USPS is testing one model in Miami Beach while both are being tested in St. Petersburg. While there are still many things to consider and evaluate with these new eBikes, NALC is hopeful that the Postal Service will continue exploring eco-friendly options for city delivery. ..."

Reference: www.nalc.org