PSHB Virtual Seminar October 3

  PSHB Virtual Seminar October 3

USPS employees and annuitants may participate in an upcoming virtual seminar on the new Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) Program.

The session will be held Thursday, Oct. 3, from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern and from 4 to 5 p.m. Eastern.

PSHB — which takes effect in 2025 — is a new, separate program within the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program and will be administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

USPS employees, annuitants, and eligible family members are required to enroll in this new program.

The MyHR website’s PSHB page has more information, including the Zoom links and passcodes to participate. To find the page, enter “Postal Service Health Benefits” in the MyHR search bar.

Participation is voluntary. Nonexempt employees must be off the clock or on authorized breaks.

Employees can also receive updates by texting “PSHBP” to 39369.

Reference: news.usps.com


 

National Arbitration Decision: PostalEase Fraud

  National Arbitration Decision: PostalEase Fraud

"...We are writing to inform you of a recent national arbitration decision issued by Arbitrator Dennis Nolan in a grievance brought by the National Association of Letter Carriers, which concerned the Postal employees who did not receive their paychecks as a result of the breach of the Postal Service’s PostalEase system. The NPMHU also filed a grievance on this issue, and the NPMHU (along with the APWU) intervened in the NALC grievance. By way of background, on December 20, 2022, the Union received notification from the Postal Service that some Postal Service employees had unknowingly provided their usernames and passwords to criminal websites while attempting to access PostalEase. We were told that employees had been using Google to access PostalEase and that Google in turn was redirecting them to third party criminally run websites that mirrored the look and access of PostalEase. ..."

Reference: www.npmhu.org


 

USPS will hold virtual fairs for sales jobs | The events will show how to find and apply for open positions

  USPS will hold virtual fairs for sales jobs | The events will show how to find and apply for open positions

The Postal Service will hold two virtual job fairs for sales positions this month.

The events are part of the organization’s efforts to expand its sales force and align sales strategies with new operational capabilities to drive revenue, one of the goals of the Delivering for America plan.

Topics to be covered during the fairs include:

• The roles and responsibilities of territory representatives and senior territory representatives;

• The number and locations of vacancies spanning 20 Postal Service districts;

• How to navigate the USPS Careers online page and create an eCareer profile; and

• How to effectively respond to knowledge, skills and abilities questions to demonstrate your qualifications.

The fairs are open to both career and noncareer employees and will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, Sept. 29, and Monday, Sept. 30.

To participate in a fair, employees must complete an online registration form on LiteBlue or Blue by clicking on the “Looking for a career in Sales?” banner. A list of districts with sales vacancies will be listed on the registration page.

All participants must be current Postal Service employees and attend while off the clock. Participation is voluntary.

Reference : USPS via NPMHU Local 317




 

Medicare Enrollment Window for Postal Retirees Closing; Health Rates Announcement Ahead

  Medicare Enrollment Window for Postal Retirees Closing; Health Rates Announcement Ahead

"...September 30 is the end of the “special enrollment period” in which Postal Service retirees eligible for Medicare Part B but not currently enrolled in it may elect that coverage without the standard penalty for enrolling more than three months beyond first eligibility, which typically is on turning age 65.

The period opened in April under terms of the 2022 Postal Service reform law ordering creation of the new Postal Service Health Benefits program, which will replace the FEHB program for postal employees and retirees starting in January.

The voluntary period, applies to those already retired and who are not enrolled in Part B, which covers physicians and related services. ..."

Reference: www.fedweek.com


 

Alabama | Audit cites problems with U.S. Postal Service facilities in Jefferson, Tuscaloosa counties

  Audit cites problems with U.S. Postal Service facilities in Jefferson, Tuscaloosa counties

"...An audit of postal facilities in Center Point, Birmingham, Northport and Tuscaloosa found operational problems that the report said was hampering the quality of service in those locations.

The audits, conducted by the United States Post Office’s Office of the Inspector General, found issues related to delayed mail at all four of the sites, including problems with scanning of packages, carriers and the condition of the properties. The Birmingham facility had difficulty with clearance times, outbound trips, scan compliance, security and other issues, the report said. ...

"

Reference: alabamareflector.com


 

PSHB virtual seminar will be held Thursday, Sept. 19, from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern and from 4 to 5 p.m. Eastern

  PSHB virtual seminar will be held Thursday, Sept. 19, from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern and from 4 to 5 p.m. Eastern

USPS employees and annuitants may participate in an upcoming virtual seminar on the new Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) Program.

The session will be held Thursday, Sept. 19, from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern and from 4 to 5 p.m. Eastern.

PSHB — which takes effect in 2025 — is a new, separate program within the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program and will be administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

USPS employees, annuitants, and eligible family members are required to enroll in this new program.

The MyHR website’s PSHB page has more information, including the Zoom links and passcodes to participate. To find the page, enter “Postal Service Health Benefits” in the MyHR search bar.

Participation is voluntary. Nonexempt employees must be off the clock or on authorized breaks.

Employees can also receive updates by texting “PSHBP” to 39369.

Reference: news.usps.com via NPMHU Local 317


 

  USPS enters into new agreements with package consolidators

"...while USPS has and will enter into new agreements with package consolidator companies consistent with its current business strategy, the organization will no longer offer discounted rates through negotiated service agreements (NSAs) for packages entered by consolidators at Post Office delivery units.

“As we engage in the process of modernizing our network, we are also changing our product and pricing strategies to ensure that they are aligned with our operating model and goals,” said Postmaster General Louis DeJoy.

“As one part of this new approach, we have decided that it is appropriate to make changes to how we utilize NSAs in the provision of our Parcel Select product. ..."

Reference: news.usps.com


 

NPMHU | Official Call for Bargaining Proposals

  NPMHU | Official Call for Bargaining Proposals

Official Call for Bargaining Proposals (pdf)

NPMHU 2025 Bargaining Proposal Form (pdf)

With preparations underway for negotiations over the terms of the 2025 National Agreement between the NPMHU and the Postal Service, the National Office is issuing its official call for bargaining proposals from all members and Local Unions.

To be fully considered prior to the onset of negotiations, proposals must be submitted by January 31, 2025. Although formal bargaining is not scheduled to begin until June, the Union’s Field Negotiating Committee will be meeting for a full week in February 2025 to review all submitted proposals and outline the changes in the National Agreement that should be proposed by the NPMHU.

To be sure, planning for collective bargaining is a continuous process at the National Office, as the National Officers and representatives working in the Contract Administration Department routinely identify and collect proposals for improving the language currently found in the 2022 National Agreement. But an equally important aspect of preparing for bargaining is the collection and review of proposals generated by mail handlers across the country.

Thus, National President Paul Hogrogian has issued this official call for bargaining proposals from the membership, the Local Unions, and other subordinate bodies of the NPMHU. If you have any proposals that you would like to have considered for the upcoming round of bargaining, now is the time to submit them to the National Office. Every proposal submitted will be fully analyzed by the NPMHU’s Field Negotiating Committee and the National Negotiations Team while the Union develops its opening bargaining proposals. All proposals should set forth the Article, Section, Paragraph, and/or Page of the National Agreement that you are suggesting should be changed; the specific language you would like to see added to, or deleted from, the current National Agreement; and your specific reasons for suggesting the change. If you have supporting evidence or documentation that you believe would support the change that you propose, please submit those materials to the National Office along with your proposals. The National Office is asking that all proposals be submitted as soon as possible, but no later than January 31, 2025. The National Office also has issued a form that can be used to submit proposals.

Once again, proposals from any member (or group of members) and any Local Unions or other subordinate body should be submitted to the National Office by January 31, 2025, by faxing to 202-833-0008 or by using the following address:

National Postal Mail Handlers Union
ATTN: 2025 Negotiations
815 16th Street, NW, Suite 5100
Washington, DC 20006

Reference: www.npmhu.org via NPMHU Local 317


 

Audit Finds Postal Employee ‘Availability’ Slipping; Calls on USPS to Tighten Controls

  Audit Finds Postal Employee ‘Availability’ Slipping; Calls on USPS to Tighten Controls

"...availability fell from 84.4 percent in 2020 to 82.8 percent in 2023 ...“We found progressive corrective action has not been consistent and sick leave, LWOP, and AWOL hours have generally trended upward...In a sample of 400 regular sick leave occurrences of more than three days, management did not have the required medical documentation for 358, or 90 percent."

Reference: www.fedweek.com


 

NPMHU Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) set at $978

  Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) set at $978

Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) set at $978

Effective September 7, 2024 (Pay Period 20-2024), all career Mail Handler craft employees are scheduled to receive a cost-of-living (COLA) adjustment as outlined in Article 9.3 of the 2022 National Agreement. This is the fourth of six possible COLA increases under the terms of the current agreement. This COLA increase is based on the upward change in the relevant Consumer Price Index (CPI) following release of the July 2024 Index, using the July 2022 CPI index as a base. The resulting calculation provides an annual increase of $978 for all Steps in Table 1 and for Step P of Table 2. The remaining Steps in Table 2 will receive the proportional COLA increase percentages as outlined in Article 9.3 of the National Agreement.

Wage Charts coming soon

Reference: NPMHU via NPMHU Local 317 - Alabama


 

USPS Warns Indiana Residents of Alarming New Scam Wipes Out Bank Accounts

  USPS Warns Indiana Residents of Alarming New Scam Wipes Out Bank Accounts

"...With the help of AI and other technological advances, criminals are constantly adapting their ways to scam people out of their money and personal information. According to the United States Postal Inspection Service, customers in Indiana and the U.S. are falling victim to fraud through 'smishing' text messages with an alleged delivery notification and tracking link like..."

Reference: wkfr.com
 

Round and round | USPS to release upbeat, punchy Pinback Buttons stamps

  Round and round | USPS to release upbeat, punchy Pinback Buttons stamps

The Postal Service will release its Pinback Buttons stamps on Thursday, Aug. 15.

The round Forever stamps are designed to resemble the sort of pins that convey a political leaning, tell a joke, champion a social or environmental cause or simply serve as a souvenir.

The stamps’ circular shape, as well as the shadowing and reflection techniques used in the design, give the appearance of three-dimensional pinback buttons.

The 10 stamps feature work by various artists, each with a single, upbeat word as the central design element: “Smile” (Don Clark), “Hello!” (Tré Seals), “Peace” (Jay Fletcher), “Love” (Juan Carlos Pagan), “Fun” (Gia Graham), “Sweet” (Jeff Rogers), “Yes!” (Ryan Feerer), “Cheers!” (Lisa Congdon), “Kudos!” (DKNG Studios) and “Happy” (Gina Triplett).

Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps.

The back of the stamp pane features an illustration of a round silver button back with pin fastener repeated 20 times, one for each button shown on the front of the pane, further emphasizing the theme.

The stamps are available in panes of 20 and are available at Post Offices and usps.com. Several Pinback Buttons-themed products, including an informative stamp portfolio, are also available on the website.

The stamps will be dedicated at the Great American Stamp Show in Hartford, CT.

Reference: USPS via NPMHU Local 317
 

Changes Are Coming to How You Access Social Security’s Online Services

  Changes Are Coming to How You Access Social Security’s Online Services

We’re making changes to the way you access Social Security’s online services, including your personal my Social Security account. The changes will simplify your sign-in experience and align with federal authentication standards. At the same time, we’re continuing to provide safe and secure access to our online services.

If you created your my Social Security account before September 18, 2021, you will still be able to use your username and password to sign in. However, you will not be able to do so for much longer.

In the near future, all users will need to have an account with one of our two Credential Service Providers (CSP) – Login.gov or ID.me – to access your personal my Social Security account and other online services.

To learn more, read our press release. If you have an existing Login.gov or ID.me account, you do NOT need to create a new one. And, if you can access your personal my Social Security account through Login.gov or ID.me, you don’t need to take any action.

If you don’t have a Login.gov account

To avoid any disruptions in accessing Social Security’s online services you may want to transition your account now by signing in with your Social Security username. Our online instructions will guide you through the process of creating a new account with Login.gov. Once you successfully link your personal my Social Security account with your new Login.gov account, you’ll get a confirmation screen and have immediate access to our online services. In the future, you’ll sign in to your account with Login.gov and not your Social Security username.

Login.gov offers 24/7 customer phone and chat support to answer your questions.

We encourage you to make the transition to Login.gov or ID.me now before the username option goes away later this year.

You’ll find more helpful information here.

Please share these important upcoming changes with your family members, friends, and colleagues.

Reference: ssa.gov via NPMHU Local 317
 

USPS appoints a new historian

  USPS appoints a new historian

Stephen Kochersperger has been named USPS historian, a role he assumed on an acting basis in December.

He succeeds Jennifer Lynch, who retired last year.

Kochersperger began his USPS career more than 40 years ago, first as a clerk in Milesburg, PA, and then as postmaster of Julian, PA, where he served for 25 years.

In 2011, he became a writer/editor for the former Capital Metro Area. The next year, he joined the historian’s office at USPS headquarters in Washington, DC.

Kochersperger spearheaded two recent oral history projects: arranging interviews of employees with 50 or more years of service for the 50th anniversary of the Postal Service’s as creation an independent federal agency in 1971 and interviewing postal executives on how USPS handled delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic.

His master’s thesis was on the postal system’s role in American independence.

Kochersperger is a distant cousin of John Wanamaker, the 35th postmaster general, and is related to Charles Kochersperger, the defendant in an 1860 court case that led to the development of the Private Express Statutes, which guarantee the Postal Service’s exclusive right to carry letters for compensation.

“Postal history is in my blood, quite literally,” he said.

Reference: USPS via NPMHU Local 317
 

New NPMHU Organizing Webpage

  New NPMHU Organizing Webpage

We have created a new webpage to provide tools for Officers and Stewards to Organize new Members into the National Postal Mail Handlers Union.

This “Digital Organizing Toolkit” provides easy to follow steps to recruit new members into the NPMHU.

New Organizing Webpage Announcement (pdf)

Reference: www.npmhu.org via NPMHU Local 317
 

FedEx Express Retires 22 Boeing 757 Freighters

  FedEx Express Retires 22 Boeing 757 Freighters

"...On April 1, 2024, United Parcel Service, aka UPS (5X), announced that it was becoming the primary air cargo provider for the United States Postal Service (USPS), replacing FX in this role and ending its more than 20-year partnership with USPS. The new contract between 5X and USPS will begin in late September 2024 after the current contract between USPS and FX expires on September 29. ..."

Reference: www.airwaysmag.com
 

OPM alters its final rule for the postal health benefits plan

  OPM 'tweaks' its final rule for the postal health benefits plan '

"...OPM officials added language to Monday’s rule clarifying that a USPS annuitant or their family member must “promptly notify OPM or the Postal Service, in writing, if they choose not to enroll in or to disenroll from Medicare Part B,” and they removed references tasking the USPS as the entity to receive overseas residency documentation for beneficiaries trying to qualify for an exception to the Part B enrollment requirement “to provide more operational flexibility” to the postal service and OPM. After Jan. 1, retiring USPS annuitants, and their family members, entitled to Medicare Part A coverage must also enroll in Part B coverage as well, unless they meet one of the following exceptions: ..."

Reference: www.govexec.com
 

Law enforcement is spying on thousands of Americans’ mail, records show

  Law enforcement is spying on thousands of Americans’ mail, records show

"...The Postal Service approves thousands of requests every year from police officers and federal agents seeking information from Americans’ letters and packages. ...The U.S. Postal Service has shared information from thousands of Americans’ letters and packages with law enforcement every year for the past decade, conveying the names, addresses and other details from the outside of boxes and envelopes without requiring a court order."

Reference: www.washingtonpost.com
 

The oldest operational post office in the state of Alabama

  The oldest operational post office in the state of Alabama

"...The Mooresville Post Office in Mooresville, Limestone County, is the oldest operational post office in the state of Alabama. Several of the mailboxes have been owned by the same families since before the American Civil War, and it continues to serve local residents. ..."

Reference: encyclopediaofalabama.org
 

Senior Moment | At what age do seniors stop paying property taxes in Alabama?

  At what age do seniors stop paying property taxes in Alabama?

"...If you are over 65 years of age, or permanent and totally disabled (regardless of age), or blind (regardless of age), you are exempt from the state portion of property tax. County taxes may still be due. ..."

Reference: Alabama Department of Revenue
 

2025 Federal Retiree COLA Watch – FERS / CSRS / Social Security

  2025 Federal Retiree COLA Watch – FERS / CSRS / Social Security

"...The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) increased 3.4 percent over the last 12 months to an index level of 307.811 (1982-84=100), according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For the month of April, the index increased 0.4 percent prior to seasonal adjustment. ...Trend For Estimated 2025 COLA (FERS / CSRS / Social Security): ..."

Reference: www.myfederalretirement.com
 

Further Rules Proposed for Postal Service Health Benefits Program

  Further Rules Proposed for Postal Service Health Benefits Program

"...The proposed rules also address technical issues including financial matters and integration of Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage with the PSHB. ..."

Reference: www.fedweek.com
 

Chicago | NPMHU Steward, Local President and Activist Passes | Barry Romo

  Barry Romo, Anti-War Vietnam Veteran And Logan Square Activist, Dies At 76

"After graduating high school, Barry enlisted in the Army in 1966. He was sent to Vietnam in 1967 and served there until May 1968...Romo worked at a post office near O’Hare for nearly 40 years and was a union steward and president of the National Postal Mail Handlers Union, where he helped defend his coworkers’ rights, Clack said. ..."

Reference: blockclubchicago.org
 

Root Causes of Mail Issues in North Alabama | Looking Back At The Consolidation of the Huntsville, AL, Processing and Distribution Facility

  Consolidation of the Huntsville, AL, Processing and Distribution Facility

"The U.S. Postal Service uses the Area Mail Processing study to determine whether it should consolidate Postal Service facilities. The Huntsville, AL, Processing and Distribution Facility (P&DF) consolidation consisted of two phases: the originating mail consolidation (mail sent from Huntsville) and the destinating mail consolidation (mail delivered to Huntsville). The Postal Service completed the originating consolidation on December 31, 2011, but has not fully implemented the destinating consolidation. This report responds to a congressional request for a review of the consolidation. ...What the OIG Recommended: We recommended the vice president, Network Operations, continue processing Huntsville’s delivery point sequence mail at the Huntsville P&DF. We also recommended to re-evaluate staffing and resources at the Huntsville P&DF to ensure timely processing of delivery point sequence mail so fewer carriers return after 5 p.m. ..."

Reference: www.uspsoig.gov
 

USPS files unfair labor practice charges against Alabama postal workers unions

 

"...In recent years, the Birmingham post offices have been a significant source of strife for residents due to a 2011 decision to process Huntsville’s mail in Birmingham facilities. As Huntsville grew rapidly, Birmingham’s postal facilities did not grow to match, overtaxing the existing facilities and slowing down the mail.

Rep. Dale Strong, R-Alabama, sent a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy on May 23 asking for the USPS to invest in another facility in the area. Strong said a “major cause of these inefficiencies originates from the overburdened P&DF [processing and distribution facility] in Birmingham, Alabama” and that “the facility has had to recruit outside help and reroute mail to other distribution centers.”

These ongoing problems could potentially have contributed or added to the reasons for the USPS’ recent filings. ..."

Reference: www.alreporter.com
 

PSHB Program Video Five-part Series | The Move Is Fast Approaching

  PSHB Program Video Five-part Series | The Move Is Fast Approaching

"...USPS has released a five-part video series on the new Postal Service Health Benefits Program.

The program, also known as PSHB, will begin Jan. 1, 2025. ...The videos are also available on Keeping Posted, the website for postal retirees.

USPS is encouraging employees and retirees to watch the complete video series."

Reference: usps.com
 

Want to be in a USPS TV commercial?

  Want to be in a USPS TV commercial?

"...The Postal Service is inviting employees to audition for this year’s holiday advertising campaign.

Employees who are selected to participate could be featured in a variety of ads, including TV commercials.

The casting call is open to all employees. No prior acting experience is required.

The USPS Employee Casting website has instructions on creating and submitting audition videos and uploading a current headshot. Employees who have trouble accessing the site from a postal computer should try using a personal device or a home computer. ..."

Reference: usps.com
 

Memorial Day | May We Never Forget Their Sacrifice | A Message From LiUNA

  Memorial Day | May We Never Forget Their Sacrifice | A Message From LiUNA

"...Dear Brothers and Sisters,

This Memorial Day, we come together as one union to honor and remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Their courage and dedication show us the true meaning of patriotism and service.

As we reflect on their legacy, let's renew our commitment to fight for the rights, freedoms, and values they defended.

WATCH NOW: "May We Never Forget Their Sacrifice"

We will never forget their sacrifice.

Fraternally yours,

Brent Booker
General President

Reference: www.npmhu.org
 

Good Stories | After exchanging letters during the Vietnam War, the pair met for the first time 56 years later

  After exchanging letters during the Vietnam War, the pair met for the first time 56 years later

"It was happenstance how a 30-year-old U.S. solider serving in Vietnam and a 12-year-old girl from Michigan became pen pals in 1967. When Ned Felder visited an Army mail room, he received a surprise care package sent by a Camp Fire group. “Receiving mail from anyone — and especially family — was important during the war, but to receive a..."

Reference: USPS News Link