What lengths will they go to crush a whistle-blower?

  USPS Sued By Feds For Labeling Whistle-Blower A Drug-Using “Terrorist”
"...This is when, says the DOL, the USPS management began to engage “in a concerted effort to pressure the county prosecutor’s office to criminally prosecute” the employee because he’d contacted the authorities about his safety concerns.

The complaint states that USPS supervisors told people the employee was a drug user, dangerous, unstable, and “a terrorist” with no factual evidence to back up these statements...."
Reference: consumerist.com

  Union Plus Supports Union Families with $20K Student Loan Giveaway

Union Plus $20K Student Loan Giveaway

The $20K Student Loan Giveaway is the latest way Union Plus is showing its commitment to Union families and higher education. Union Plus will put a major dent in the student loan debt of three lucky winners who will receive a grand prize of $10K or one of two $5K loan payments. Plus, more prizes of courses, consultations and books - provided by The Princeton Review - will also be awarded.

Eligible entrants can register and receive all contest and program details at this link.

Register to win by August 15, 2014. Terms and Conditions
Reference: www.npmhu.org

The US Postal Service announces plans to resume plant closings and consolidations

  USPS announces plans to resume plant closings and consolidations

(June 30, 2014) The Union was notified this afternoon that the Postal Service plans to reinstitute the “Network Rationalization Plan” starting next year, in January 2015. You will recall that many of the plant closings and consolidations were put on hold earlier this year, in February 2014, when the Postal Service announced in the Federal Register that it was suspending any further implementation of its changes to service standards.

This news is very disturbing, and continues a pattern of foolhardy actions by the USPS in a misguided “cut to survive” strategy that will ultimately lead to the demise of the Postal Service. It also represents the Service’s latest attempt to threaten Members of Congress with adverse consequences in their home districts if the Postmaster General does not get the legislation he is supporting.

You will recall that in prior rounds of closings and consolidations the National Office disseminated guidance to the Local Unions and all union representatives on how best to react to the various situations that may arise as a result of a particular closing and/or consolidation. We plan to update those materials, and will distribute them again during the coming weeks.

The National Office plans to work closely with all of our Local Unions to develop the best strategy to combat this ill-advised action by the PMG. Rest assured that we will insist on full compliance with the National Agreement, and that all contractual provisions will be enforced against the Postal Service should it proceed down this road.

Click here to view the correspondence received today, which includes a list of facilities that are targeted.

Click here to view the Network Rationalization Stand-Up Talk narratives provided by the USPS.

Click here to view the list of planned consolidations.

Reference: National Postal Mail Handlers Union

"the most important labor law case the court has considered in decades"

  Who Is Behind the National Right to Work Committee and its Anti-Union Crusade?

"... If the court follows National Right to Work's lead, every state in the country would essentially turn into an anti-union "right to work" state, which would be a significant blow to public sector unions' collective bargaining efforts and also complicate thousands of existing contracts..."

Reference: www.prwatch.org  

Reject Misguided Plan to Fund Federal Highway Trust Fund: Do Not Eliminate Saturday Mail Delivery as a “pay for”

  AFL-CIO Urges Congress to Reject Misguided Plan to Fund Federal Highway Trust Fund

"... I urge you to oppose eliminating Saturday mail delivery as a “pay for” to replenish the federal highway trust fund. The Highway Trust Fund cannot be allowed to run out of money, but Congress should not make one bad policy choice to avoid another...."

Reference: www.npmhu.org  

NPMHU supports APWU 'Stop Staples' campaign

  Mail Handlers Make It Official: Don’t Buy Staples

"...The National Postal Mail Handlers Union continues to demonstrate outstanding support for the Stop Staples campaign, with its National Executive Board voting unanimously to endorse the APWU’s ‘Don’t Buy’ call. “All Union members are being asked to avoid patronizing Staples during this boycott. The outsourcing of postal jobs and services must stop,” the NPMHU wrote on its website. “All NPMHU Local Presidents are encouraged to adopt a Don’t Buy Staples policy, said NPMHU President John Hegarty. “I am hopeful that our members, their families and friends will support this important cause by boycotting Staples.” “We greatly appreciate the expression of solidarity,” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein...."

Reference: www.apwu.org  

FedEx shooting suspect was strapped for battle

 

FedEx Shooting Update

Witness: Georgia shooting suspect looked 'like he was heading into war'

"...A gunman opened fire at a FedEx Corp facility in suburban Atlanta early on Tuesday, injuring six people before killing himself, apparently with his own weapon, police said...."

Reference: www.chicagotribune.com  

Litigation continues in Aug. 14, 2013, UPS Cargo Plane Crash: Birmingham couple $leeping close to scene demands damages

  UPS files motion for partial summary judgment in Birmingham crash suit

"..."The Bensons were never in the zone of danger," the motion states. "The closest the complaint describes any debris coming to the Bensons is 40 feet from the bedroom in which they were sleeping."..."

Reference: www.waaytv.com  

COLA Update: Consumer Price Index - March 2014

Contract Reference: http://www.npmhu.org/resources/agreement

BLS Reference: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdf

Postmaster General thinks workforce will be reduced by 10,000 in 2015 without buyout incentives

  Postal Service to reduce workforce by 10,000

PMG says no buyouts

"...The Postal Service plans to shrink its workforce by 10,000 positions in fiscal 2015, according to Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe. The reductions will be entirely through attrition..."
Reference: www.federaltimes.com

Postal Unions Unite in Historic Agreement to Protect Americas Postal Service

  Postal Unions Unite in Historic Agreement to Protect Americas Postal Service

Click for Larger Image

On March 10, 2014 an historic agreement was signed by the Postal Union Presidents representing the Mail Handlers, American Postal Workers, City Letter Carriers and Rural letter Carriers. The purpose of the agreement is to show our solidarity, and to protect the invaluable institution that is the United States Postal Service. We call upon our members, and the American Public to join with us in this important endeavor. We stand for a public Postal Service, enhancement and expansion of service and protection of good union jobs in our communities. We stand with the people of our country in defense of their right to a universal postal service operated in the public interest. We commit to work together to: Maintain six-day and home delivery. Protect and restore service standards and mail processing facilities. Maintain full-time, full-service public post offices in every community. Oppose the subcontracting of work and privatization of services. Expand postal services to include basic banking, notary, check-cashing and other services. End the corporate welfare of excessive pre-sort discounts. Form a common front in the fight for genuine postal reform legislation. Organize joint actions and speak in a united voice. Unite with other labor unions in defense of the rights of postal workers and all workers. Encourage joint efforts of our union members at the local level. Support maximum cooperation in the next round of contract negotiations. Build an alliance with the American people in defense of the public postal service. Follow link for more information.
Reference: www.npmhu.org

Destruction of the Postal Service and collective bargaining rights

  Postal Workers: The Last Union

NPMHU 317

"...The Postal Service, which is older than the Constitution itself, stands at a precipice. If this great institution, which provides one of the oldest, most reliable services in the country, is permitted to fall and Congress kills its great union, then truly no collective bargaining rights, no worker contract, no union will be safe within the United States...."
Reference: www.truth-out.org

Please take a moment to sign the Stop Staples petition

Stop Staples Petition

  U.S. Mail Is Not For Sale! Please take a moment to sign this p
"...Staples and the U.S. Postal Service have cut a deal that jeopardizes your mail service and your local post office. In fact, post offices across the country are at risk – along with thousands of good jobs. ..."
Reference: News Postal  

Obama Agrees With Issa and Endorses the End of Saturday Mail Delivery

  Obama Endorses the End of Saturday Mail Delivery

"... So the president’s budget puts Obama at odds with unions that helped elect him and on the side of Issa, with whom he rarely agrees. Such are the politics of postal reform in the United States...."

Reference: www.businessweek.com  

Mail Handler COLA effective March 8, 2014

  Mail Handlers to Receive Wage Increase Effective March 8, 2014

Click for Large View

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.

Follow this conversation at Federal Soup

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

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