NPMHU Local 317 - Alabama
Official Site of the National Postal Mail Handlers Union Local 317. Postal News for NPMHU 317 members. We consist of branches in Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile, and Montgomery.
"Do you want a mailbox that will stand out in your neighbourhood? "
Reference: theownerbuildernetwork.co
"...The United States Postal Service is warning of a scam involving text messages that ask for information regarding a package delivery. According to the Postal Service, these types of text messages are a scam called smishing, a form of phishing that involves a text message or phone number. Victims will typically receive a deceptive text message that is intended to lure the recipient into providing their personal or financial information, the Postal Service warned...."
Reference: www.kwtx.com
"USPS and the Postal Inspection Service provided an update this week on their Project Safe Delivery campaign to crack down on postal crimes and attacks on postal employees.
Multiple USPS departments are working on the campaign, which was announced in May.
“As our nation continues to address a sustained crime wave, our targeted focus to crack down on postal crime is progressing,” said Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. “The safety of our letter carriers — and all postal employees — is our top priority. We will continue to work steadfastly with our law enforcement partners to increase the safety of our employees and protect the sanctity of the nation’s mail.”
“We have effectively focused our efforts with USPS on hardening both physical and digital targets to combat threats to postal employees and secure the mail,” said Chief Postal Inspector Gary Barksdale. “We continue to turn up the pressure and put potential perpetrators on notice: If you attack postal employees, steal the mail or commit other postal crimes, postal inspectors will bring you to justice.”
Under Project Safe Delivery, USPS and the Inspection Service have:...
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"The transition from disability to retirement is a scary one for Social Security recipients. ...The biggest concern that those receiving Social Security disability have about reaching full retirement age is that their benefit amounts might go down. The reason has to do with the way that disability and retirement benefits are calculated. Specifically, in determining how much you receive in disability benefits, Social Security takes a look at your average lifetime earnings during the period before your disability began. ...A special rule for early retirees Interestingly, there's a special rule that applies for those who become disabled and then apply for early retirement benefits under Social Security. If you became disabled, started collecting early retirement, and then had your disability application approved by the SSA, then you'll continue receiving your Social Security retirement payments, but you'll also get disability benefits that are enough to bring you to the full amount of the monthly payment you're entitled to receive. Moreover, when you reach full retirement age, you'll receive full retirement benefits as if you had never filed for early retirement benefits."
Reference: www.fool.com
"Federal employees and retirees share of 2024 Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) premiums will increase — on average — by 7.7% according to the Office of Personnel Management...."
Reference: www.myfederalretirement.com
...the Federal Retirement Fairness Act (FRFA), legislation to address a gap for federal employees who began their careers as temporary workers and were thus unable to make retirement contributions. The FRFA will allow these workers to make catch-up contributions to ensure they can retire as planned. In the absence of this provision, many face an unfair choice: exit the federal service without complete retirement benefits or delay retirement to achieve full benefits. Before 1989, the Office of Personnel Management permitted federal employees to make catch-up payments, enabling them to compensate for years they didn’t contribute to their retirement accounts. However, this provision was eliminated when the government transitioned to a new federal employee retirement system. ...
Reference: house.gov
The Postal Service is reminding facility managers to check the condition of their POW-MIA flags before Veterans Day, Nov. 11.
The upcoming observance is also a good time to check the condition of U.S. flags and the poles that they fly from.
USPS facilities are required to display the POW-MIA flag along with the U.S. flag.
The flags should be checked for wearing, tearing and fading.
When a flag is unsuitable for display, it is time to replace it. Tattered flags should not be flown.
Flag poles should be structurally sound, free of rust or corrosion, properly anchored, and able to hoist and lower the flag quickly and effectively.
If a facility’s flagpole needs repair, the manager should submit a work order for maintenance promptly.
The USPS Administrative Support Manual has additional guidelines on U.S. flag display, maintenance, and ordering replacement flags.
"...In a surprise announcement, postal management has invoked a targeted Voluntary Early Retirement (VER), limited to the Newark, NJ geographic area, with no monetary incentive and limited to employees in particular crafts and jobs. “The union is deeply disturbed that this announcement was made with virtually no advance notification to the APWU, either at the national level or with the local union leaders in the impacted facilities,” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein. “This lack of communication, lack of opportunity for the union to negotiate over these changes and the scope of this VER, what crafts are eligible and whether there should be monetary incentives is outrageous. Their disrespect for the union and postal workers, and their refusal to bargain, has been met with immediate demands for bargaining, information requests, unfair labor practice charges with the NLRB and will be followed up with appropriate grievances.” ..."
Reference: apwu.org
USPS has notified the Postal Regulatory Commission of mailing services price changes to take effect Jan. 21, 2024.
The proposed adjustments, approved by the governors of the Postal Service, would raise mailing services product prices approximately 2 percent.
The proposed changes include:
• Letters (1 ounce): 66 cents (current), 68 cents (planned)
• Letters (metered 1 ounce): 63 cents (current), 64 cents (planned)
• Domestic postcards: 51 cents (current), 53 cents (planned)
• International postcards: $1.50 (current), $1.55 (planned)
• International letters (1 ounce): $1.50 (current), $1.55 (planned)
The additional-ounce price remains unchanged at 24 cents.
The Postal Service is also seeking price adjustments for Special Services products, including Certified Mail, PO Box rental fees, money order fees and the cost to purchase insurance when mailing an item.
Because operating expenses fueled by inflation continue to rise and the effects of a previously defective pricing model are still being felt, the price adjustments are needed to provide the Postal Service with much-needed revenue to achieve the financial stability sought by its Delivering for America 10-year plan.
Even with the changes, the Postal Service’s prices remain among the most affordable in the world.
The complete USPS price filing can be found on the commission’s website. Price tables are also available on the Postal Explorer website.
The Postal Service’s Oct. 6 news release has additional information.
Postal Service employees can participate in an upcoming webinar to learn about Medicare and the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program.
The session, “Medicare and FEHB,” will be held Aug. 31 at 1 p.m. Eastern.
Representatives from GEHA, a not-for-profit provider of health plans for federal employees, will conduct the webinar and explain how Medicare works with FEHB plans, including information on Medicare parts A, B, C and D.
Participants must register before the event on the webinar website.
Participation is voluntary. Nonexempt employees may only participate off the clock or during authorized breaks.
For more information, go to the USPS Wellness LiteBlue page or email the USPS Health and Wellness team.
"The United Auto Workers (UAW) union on Friday said members voted overwhelmingly in favor of authorizing a strike at the Detroit Three automakers if agreement is not reached before the current four-year contract expires on Sept. 14.
The authorization was approved by 97% of voting members at General Motors (GM.N), Ford Motor (F.N) and Stellantis (STLAM.MI), said UAW President Shawn Fain, who leads the union that represents about 150,000 workers.
Fain reiterated that the union did not plan to extend the deadline to get a new labor contract. "The deadline is Sept. 14. ...set of demands, including wage hikes of 46%, an end to the tiered wage system that pays new hires less than veterans, reinstating cost-of-living adjustments and restoring defined-benefit pension plans for new hires that the automakers ended in 2007"
Re: Retroactive Salary Adjustments Delayed (pdf)
We were just notified that there will be a delay with retroactive salary adjustments in connection with the implementation of the 2022 National Agreement.
As a result of the ratification of the 2022 National Agreement, there was a 1.3% GWI effective November 19, 2022. That wage rate was implemented at the start of PP09-23 (April 8, 2023). Accordingly, the retroactive payment is due for the time period from 11/19/22 to 4/7/23. There is also a retroactive payment due for the March COLA for the time period from March 11, 2023 (when the COLA was effective) until April 7, 2023. Like the November 19, 2022 GWI, the March COLA was implemented at the start of PP09-23 (April 8, 2023).
These retroactive payments were to be included in PP19-23 paychecks. The Postal Service has now stated that they will be delayed. The USPS claims the reason for this delay is due to EAGAN programing issues. They hope to resolve these issues soon. As soon as we receive an update from EAGAN, we will let you know.
For information purposes only, the amount of the retroactive pay for a top step Mail Handler who worked full time (without consideration of any changes to pay, e.g., leave without pay or overtime) is estimated as follows:
- Level 4: $364.08
- Level 5: $369.85
The $978 COLA scheduled for PP19-23 will continue to be implemented in PP19-23.
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RE: Craft Determination, High Output Parcel Sorter (HOPS) PDF
We enclose a copy of an August 18, 2023 letter, just received in the National Office, that sets forth the Postal Service’s determination of craft jurisdiction for employees operating the High Output Parcel Sorter (HOPS). The HOPS processes machinable packages up to 25 pounds and a size up to 15”x18”x22. The HOPS is currently deployed in several facilities throughout the country and will be installed in many of the RPDC that are being planned.
As set forth in the attached letter, the Postal Service has determined that all jurisdictional assignments on the HOPS will be awarded to the Mail Handler craft except for the function of Keying or Facing on the Reject Lane.
The National Office will begin the process of disputing the craft jurisdiction awarded to the Clerk craft through the RI-399 Update MOU.
Should you have any questions about this letter or its implementation in any particular facility, please contact the National CAD. Please note that, as stated in the USPS letter, any HOPS machine that currently is operational should be adjusting assignments, if necessary, within 90 days from the August 18, 2023 date of the USPS letter, and this jurisdictional determination will go into effect no sooner than 45 days from the August 18, 2023 date of the USPS letter.
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Effective August 26, 2023 (Pay Period 19-2023), 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 second 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 2023 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.
Reference: NPMHU via NPMHU Local 317
"Shifting packages and envelopes from air cargo to ground transportation was part of DeJoy's larger plan to improve the Postal Service’s financial health. More than 95% of first-class mail and 95% of first-class packages are currently moving through the postal service's ground transportation system, he said. ..."
Reference: www.nbcwashington.com
The Postal Service has reported its financial results for fiscal year 2023’s third quarter (April 1-June 30). Here are some highlights:
• Revenue. Operating revenue was $18.6 billion, a decrease of 0.9 percent compared with the same quarter one year earlier. First-Class Mail revenue increased 4 percent, while Marketing Mail revenue decreased 8.8 percent. Shipping and packages revenue remained relatively flat.
• Volume. Total volume was approximately 27 billion pieces, down 11.4 percent from one year earlier. First-Class Mail volume declined 5.9 percent, while Marketing Mail volume declined 16 percent. Shipping and packages volume declined 2.4 percent.
• Expenses.Total operating expenses were $20.5 billion for the quarter, an increase of 9.6 percent compared with the same quarter last year. On a non-generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) basis, adjusted operating expenses increased by 2 percent compared with the same quarter last year.
• Net loss. On a GAAP basis, net loss for the quarter totaled $1.7 billion, compared with net income of $59.7 billion for the same quarter last year, due almost exclusively to the noncash effect of the Postal Service Reform Act becoming law in April 2022. On a non-GAAP basis, adjusted loss was $860 million, compared with an adjusted loss of $459 million for the same quarter last year.
“In alignment with our Delivering for America transformation plan, we are making positive strides in improving the service we provide the American public — including the introduction of new products like USPS Ground Advantage that provide excellent value to our customers,” said Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. “Concurrently, our team is working hard to reduce our cost of performance, which is helping to offset still sizable inflationary and economic pressures. We are setting the stage for long-term financial sustainability as we continue to modernize our processing, transportation, retail and delivery networks.”
The Postal Service’s Aug. 8 news release has additional information.
Dear Brothers and Sisters:
Please find enclosed a copy of the above-reference USPS issues updates for User Guide and FAQs to Enroll and Sign in to LiteBlue with Multifactor Authentication (MFA)
According to the Postal Service, maintaining the privacy of the employees' personal data is a shared priority of the Postal Service. Your private information stored online is a target for criminals who seek to compromise this data for their financial gain. As an additional safety measure, the Postal Service has deployed multifactor authentication (MFA) on LiteBlue.
This means that, in addition to providing your Employee Identification Number (EIN) and Password, you will be required to provide a second security factor (MFA), such as Push Notification approval from Okta Verify, Google Authenticator, One-Time Passcode (OTP) SMS Text, One-Time Passcode (OTP) Phone call or E-mail verification (default).
After January 15, 2023, employees are required to set up MFA to access LiteBlue.
After March 20, 2023, employees must have MFA enabled to access LiteBlue and their Self Service Profile (SSP).
"Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (D-MA) reintroduced his legislation, the Public Servants Protection and Fairness Act of 2023, to fix the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). The bill provides meaningful relief to current WEP retirees and fixes the WEP for future retirees, ensuring public servants can retire with the security, dignity, and peace of mind they deserve: “The WEP negatively affects 2 million retired public servants across the country..."
Reference: House.gov via Federal Retirement
"...the Postal Service intends to develop teams of volunteer maintenance craft employees to perform the removals and/or relocations of mail processing equipment, in conjunction with their 10 Year Plan. Maintenance Division resident officers immediately met with the Postal Service to discuss this project and relay our concerns. While we are pleased that this work will remain in-house, and not be subcontracted, other areas of concern remain.
We learned that the Postal Service intends to solicit volunteers from Electronic Technician (ET), Mail Processing Equipment Mechanic (MPE), and Maintenance Mechanic (MM) employees with the goal of getting individuals to participate on the MPE machine removal/ relocation teams. Participation will be strictly voluntary..."
The Postal Service is reminding employees that metallic mercury and items containing metallic mercury are prohibited in the mailstream.
Metallic mercury can be found in older thermometers, barometers, blood pressure monitors and the like. Newer or digital versions of these devices generally do not contain metallic mercury.
If a person knowingly mails items or materials that are dangerous or injurious to life, health or property, they may face a civil penalty of at least $250, but not more than $100,000 per violation; the costs of any cleanup associated with each violation; and damages. They may also face criminal penalties.
Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted and Perishable Mail, has complete information about mailing requirements for parcels containing mercury. Publication 52 can be found on the Postal Explorer website.
Exceptions to the outright ban on mercury in the mailstream include compact fluorescent lamps, fluorescent tubes and similar items that contain minute amounts of mercury in a vaporized state, invisible to the naked eye. These may be mailed domestically but not internationally.
USPS recently distributed a Domestic Mail Manual advisory on the topic of mercury in the mailstream. Employees with questions should speak to a manager or supervisor.
Starting July 9, USPS will require electronic indicators when shipping hazardous materials and dangerous goods. Publication 52 will be revised to incorporate new requirements for mailers to use unique service type codes and extra service codes within the tracking barcodes and electronic data submission for package shipments containing hazardous materials or dangerous goods.
The organization has also issued a news release to remind customers that metallic mercury is prohibited in the mailstream.
"...12,000 of the boxes will be installed across the country in the most high-risk areas, including Birmingham. Richardson says they will help prevent mail theft because entry into the boxes will be harder. ..."
Reference: www.wbrc.com
RE: U.S. Supreme Court Decision in Groff v. DeJoy (pdf)
On Thursday, June 29, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in the lawsuit Groffv. DeJoy.
The case was brought by Gerald Groff, who delivered mail as a Rural Carrier Associate (RCA) from 2012 to 2019 in central Pennsylvania. Groff is a Christian who observes Sunday as the Sabbath. Citing those religious beliefs, Groff consistently refused to work on Sundays. For several years, Groff and the Postal Service attempted to find workarounds, such as having volunteers take over his Sunday slots. Eventually, however, the Postal Service began disciplining Groff for his refusal to work on Sundays, and in 2019, Groff resigned. After resigning, Groff sued the Postal Service. He argued that under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act , the Postal Service was required to reasonably accommodate his religious beliefs by exempting him from Sunday work.
Before turning to the specifics of the Court's decision, we note at the outset that the Court's decision leaves in place the longstanding recognition that it would be an "undue burden" to provide an accommodation that would violate a seniority system in a collective bargaining agreement, like the National Agreement between the NPMHU and the Postal Service.
The Court's decision did proceed to answer two principal questions:
On the first question - whether the Court should disapprove the "more than de minimis cost" test for determining whether a religious accommodation was an undue hardship - the Court disapproved of the "more than de minimis cost" language. In its place, the Court held that an employer can show that a religious accommodation creates an undue hardship under Title VII if that accommodation causes a substantial burden in the overall context of the employer's business. The Court held that this is a fact specific inquiry. "Courts must apply the test to take into account all relevant factors in the case at hand, including the particular accommodations at issue and their practical impact in light of the nature, size, and operating cost of an employer."
As to the second question - whether an employer may demonstrate undue hardship under Title VII by showing burdens on co-workers - the Court held - using language consistent with the position the NPMHU took in its amicus brief to the Supreme Court, that impact on coworkers is relevant to the extent those impacts affect the conduct of the business. The Court acknowledged that "an accommodation's effect on co-workers may have ramifications for the conduct of the employer's business, but a court cannot stop its analysis without examining whether that further logical step is shown in a particular case."
The Court concluded by sending the case back to the lower court to consider Groff's claim in Iight of the standard described above.
As we wrote to you previously, the NPMHU supports employees' rights to receive reasonable accommodations for their religious beliefs and practices, and will continue to urge the Postal Service to provide those accommodations consistent with the terms of the National Agreement.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the National CAD.
Angelica Grace Neverson, A lifelong resident of Chelsea, she passed away in the peaceful surroundings of her home on Saturday June 17th after living courageously for the past 5 years with cancer. She was 36 years of age. Born on June 5, 1987, she was one of four children born to Malcolm E. Neverson and the late Angela G. (Go) Neverson. ..."She worked for several years as a mail handler at the So. Boston Postal Annex. ..."
Reference: www.legacy.com
"...years with an Average Investment Return (Before Taxes) of 4%, with a Marginal Tax Bracket of 10%, withdrawing $54,945 per year, with an Inflation Rate of ..."
Reference: www.creditdonkey.com via federalretiree.blogspot.com
"June 14th is observed as Flag Day each year because on June 14, 1777 the Second Continental Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes for the flag of the United States. The first national observance of Flag Day took place 100 years after the original resolution on..."
Reference: www.govinfo.gov
