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

Meta Tags: Volkswagen (VW),  

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  

Processing facility closures postponed as closures required implementation of mail service standard changes

Revised Service Standards for Market-Dominant Mail Products; Postponement of Implementation Date

Snip from the Article: "... This document announces the postponement of the implementation date for the revised service standards for market-dominant mail products that were scheduled to take effect on February 1, 2014, as part of the Network Rationalization initiative. The new implementation date will be announced by the Postal Service in the Federal Register at least 90 days before it takes effect. ..."

Reference Source: www.federalregister.gov  

Six Sigma: Postal Service touting program of failure to managers?

  Six Sigma: Postal Service touting program of failure to managers?

"...Is the Postal Service becoming too dependent on a management program that has been discounted by some as a proven failure? It appears they are employing ‘Six Sigma’ heavily[1], but history and the S&P 500 may be proof as to why the Postal Service may be investing in the wrong direction with Six Sigma. Read more on the process and you decide...."

Reference: postalaffairsblog.intelisent.com  

Privatization, Delivery Standard Changes, closing processing facilities and reducing the number of postal employees

 

With a smile on his face as he gives postal employee jobs to Staples' stores, Donahoe said privatization “would be a crazy idea..."

Staples’ selling postal products without USPS workers stirs fears of privatization

"...Delivery standards are a personal issue with Tester, an issue he wants addressed in postal reform legislation that has bounced around Capitol Hill for years. “I’ve been late for house payments” because of poor delivery resulting from the closing of processing centers, he said in an office interview. He said his wife mails payments a week earlier than previously...."

Reference: www.washingtonpost.com  

USPS Headquarters staff increases, Mail Handlers and Clerks hit hard in employee cuts

  Clerks hit hardest by USPS cuts, stats show. Headquarters grows.

"...The one sector to grow during that time was headquarters staff (not counting field support), which increased a little more than 5 percent...."

Reference: federaltimes.com  

Mail service standard changes: Request for public comment

  Service Standards for Destination Sectional Center Facility Rate Standard Mail

"...The Postal Service seeks public comment on proposed revisions to the service standards for Standard Mail that is eligible for Destination Sectional Center Facility (DSCF) rates. The revisions would change the service standard (a) from three days to four days for Standard Mail pieces that..."

Reference: www.menafn.com  

Postal Service is booming! ...but being oddly quiet about outstanding revenue growth

  USPS Exceeded Holiday Package Delivery Volume

"...The USPS said package volume grew by 210 million pieces (6%), and that fiscal year revenues increased $923 million...."

Reference: multichannelmerchant.com  

Protecting the wealthy while slamming the working class

 

The new compromise budget is seen by unions as a scheme by Reps. Paul Ryan and Boehner to raid the pensions earned by workers.

Union leaders slam federal budget deal

"...In a letter to budget bargainers Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Ryan, a coalition of unions and other groups-including the Laborers, AFGE, AFSCME, the Fire Fighters, the Letter Carriers, the Mail Handlers/Laborers, the Machinists, the Postal Workers, the Air Traffic Controllers, NTEU, the Government Employees and the Rural Letter Carriers-said pension cuts are "simply unacceptable."..."

Reference: peoplesworld.org  

What Does the UPS Union Contract Look Like? (PDF Document)

  National Master United Parcel Service Agreement
Excerpt:

Reference: teamster.org  

More late mail and some residents claim they are not getting mail service

  Residents report late mail deliveries

"...a larger-than-usual load of greeting cards, letters and packages to mail carriers' loads, and some residents are not receiving their mail until after dark, if at all. Willard Lemonds of Cape Girardeau has not seen his mailbox flag pushed down over the last couple days because his mail has not been delivered...."

Reference: www.semissourian.com  

Mark Stevens, Mail Handler, 46, St. Paul Park (Obit)

  Mark Stevens, 46, St. Paul Park

"...In 1997, Mark started his career with the United States Postal Service as a mail handler until his death. Mark made and had a great number of friends there which he enjoyed...."

Reference: www.albertleatribune.com  

Former Montgomery postal mail handler gets 10 year sentence for shooting

  Ex-postal worker gets 10-year sentence for shooting at co-workers

"...Darby was a former part-time mail handler. He had pleaded guilty to attempted assault, discharging a gun during a violent crime and possession of a firearm in a federal facility. ..."

Reference: www.tuscaloosanews.com  

Funeral held for murdered postal carrier; killer still on the loose

  Funeral held in Rock Hill for slain postal worker
"...Barnette was murdered Nov. 23. He was shot multiple times while delivering the mail..."
Reference: www.wsoctv.com  

Nalcrest, Florida Retirement Community Open To Mail Handlers

  NALC Retirement Community Opened to Mail Handler Retirees

Nalcrest, Florida

"...Attention Mail Handler Retirees --- See the attached letter from NALC President Fred Rolando regarding openings at the NALC retirement community located in Nalcrest, Florida. An application form is also attached...."
Reference: www.npmhu.org  

Open Season: Federal Health Plans for singles

  The single life: Celebrating Open Season

"...the Consumers' Checkbook Guide to Federal Health Plans 2014 , says the good news for workers, retirees and survivors is that all the FEHBP plans are good. But some are too expensive. He says most people can save $1,000 to ..."

Reference: www.federalnewsradio.com  

Upcoming NPMHU Union Dues Increase

^ Click for full article  ^

Unfair Labor Practice Challenging USPS Lean Mail Processing Project Resolved

  Unfair Labor Practice Challenging USPS Lean Mail Processing Project Resolved

"...The Unfair Labor Practice regarding the lean mail project has been resolved; see attached letter from the Manager, Contract Administration Department, T. J. Branch for additional details. ..."

Reference: www.npmhu.org  

Mail Handlers to receive tiny pay increse of 1% ; MHAs to receive 2%

  Mail Handlers to Receive Wage Increase Effective November 16, 2013

Mail Handler Pay Chart - Nov. 2013

"...As provided for in Article 9.1 of the NPMHU 2011 National Agreement, the wage scales for all Mail Handler employees will be adjusted upward effective November 16, 2013. This is the first of three guaranteed wage increases provided for in the 2011 contract. Specifically, with regard to career employees: “Effective November 16, 2013 – the basic annual salary for each grade and step of Table One and Table Two shall be increased by an amount equal to 1.0% of the basic annual salary for the grade and step in effect on February 15, 2013.” In addition, in accordance with Article 9.7 of the National Agreement, the hourly wage rate for Mail Handler Assistant (MHA) employees also will be increased, as follows: “The hourly rates for MHAs shall be adjusted by the general increases provided for in Article 9.1. In addition, MHAs will receive the following adjustments: Effective November 16, 2013, the hourly rates for all grades shall be increased by 1.0%.” The hourly wage rate for MHAs will therefore be increased by a total of 2.0% effective November 16, 2013. Click here to view or download a chart which reflects the new wage rates, for both career and MHA Mail Handlers, resulting from these November 16, 2013 contractual increases. ..."
Reference: www.npmhu.org

Postal Plan To Alter Healthcare For Employees (Video)

  State of the Postal Service (Oct 8, 2013)

"...A message to all employees of the United States Postal Service from Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe. ..."

Reference: USPS

 

APWU Elects New President

  Dimondstein Wins Presidency

"...Mark Dimondstein was elected the new president of the American Postal Workers Union in a hotly-contested race that ended Oct. 7. His “Members First” team won most of the offices they sought, defeating incumbents. ..."

Reference: www.apwu.org  

Shift change not adverse employment action

  Shift change not adverse employment action

"... Employers should be aware, however, that shift changes or transfers can constitute adverse employment actions if, for example, an employee is transferred to a “dead end” job. It is always prudent to consult with counsel in order to properly determine whether any shift change or transfer may be considered an adverse employment action...."

Reference: www.lexology.com