October 30, 2009

Georgia Postmaster ordered to leave office under criminal investigation Allegations involve violating the Privacy Act - Jerry Schafer, who was in charge of all postal operations in the city, since has sought to retire voluntarily, but that retirement would not preclude charges being brought against him later, said Sam Montalvo, a public information officer for the postal service’s Office of Inspector General. Montalvo described the alleged criminal matter as “misuse of postal government information, which is a violation of the Privacy Act.”  |

The Reinterpretation of William Burrus

Many postal workers have jumped to the defense of APWU president William Burrus as a result of my article, Mathematically Challenged: Burrus Proposal Doesn’t Add Up for USPS. But if many of these defenders are correct, they should be angry at Burrus for garbling the message and distracting people from the real issue.   |

E-mail to save snail mail?

Wyandanch post office robbed at gunpoint

Grade Your Government: USPS

Mailman pleads not guilty to killing jogger

USPS Petitions Against Local Rent Increase

Ukiah postmaster wrapping up 35-year career

Mail carrier wouldn’t pick up ballots
Postal carrier made change that kept mail from Chesapeake couple

MS: Fondren post office boxes burglarized
Arrest made in robbery of St. Louis letter carrier

October 29, 2009

Retiring Postal Employee Pulls Gun on Postmaster

The main post office in Albany was shut down Thursday afternoon when a retiring employee pulled a gun on his boss. "We are locked down," said a Postal Service employee. "We had an emergency and we are locked down." Just after 12:30, a 52-year-old man, who's about to retire, confronted postmaster Ron Bradley in the back parking lot of the post office. Bradley was in his car and told police the mail handler pulled a gun on him. Updated: Postal worker pulls gun on Postmaster  |

APWU: Postal Service Relies on Incomplete Data, Discriminates Against Underserved Communities -An analysis of the postal stations and branches being considered for closure shows that the USPS study process “discriminates against communities with high percentages of low-income, minority and transit-dependent residents,” according to recent testimony submitted to the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) by the APWU. In addition, the union asserts, the Postal Service uses incomplete data to support its conclusions. |

Victory! FERS Sick-Leave Credit Becomes Law

President Obama signed legislation Oct. 28 that will allow postal and federal workers who retire under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) to receive credit for sick leave when they retire. |

Rap Song: I'm The Mailman

October 28, 2009

Congress Must Fix Funding Requirement; USPS Must Expand Goals, Burrus Says - In a follow-up to testimony before a Senate subcommittee, APWU President William Burrus explored alternatives to station-and-branch closures, facility consolidations, and five-day mail delivery — which the Postal Service is proposing in reaction to a severe financial crisis. Burrus urged lawmakers to encourage the USPS to expand its goals. The Postal Service’s financial difficulties are caused by three major factors, Burrus wrote [PDF] Oct 23: the requirement to pre-fund retiree healthcare costs; the nation’s economic crisis, and excessive workshare discounts.  |Comments (49)

Drew Aliperto Named As New Pacific Area VP

Postmaster General Jack Potter has announced the selection of Drew Aliperto as vice president, Area Operations, for the Pacific Area. He replaces Michael Daley, who will retire next month after a 37-year career with the Postal Service.  |Comments (63)

APWU Urges Locals to File OSHA Complaints Over Electrical Hazards

Why doesn't the USPS want a price increase in 2010?

October 27, 2009

St. Louis: Postal Carrier Robbed at Gunpoint

October 26, 2009

Congress in no rush to cut mail delivery

Despite the U.S. Postal Service's persistent financial distress, Congress appears unlikely this year to approve the postmaster general's cost-cutting proposal to eliminate Saturday mail delivery. Postmaster General John Potter, who proposed five-day delivery in January, contends that ending Saturday delivery could save his agency up to $3.5 billion annually. But a concurrent estimate by the Postal Regulatory Commission put projected savings at $1.9 billion.  |Comments (81)

USPS ‘Incentive’ Program Results In 19,000 APWU-Craft And 3,000 Mail Handlers Retirements - Depending on whether they were eligible for early or regular retirement, employees were required to apply for retirement by Sept. 25 or express interest by that date. Some employees can revoke their decisions until the effective date of retirement, so the final tally could be significantly lower than the 19,738 reported by the USPS. |Comments (74)

October 25, 2009

October 24, 2009

Congress should preserve postal service
Financial burdens forced upon the postal service and no one else in our nation, public or private, quash any chance of the postal service staying out of red ink in this economy.  |Comments (50)

October 23, 2009

Congress Approves FERS Sick-Leave Credit:

"At long last! After a protracted campaign, postal and federal workers who retire under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) will receive credit for sick leave when they retire. The new benefit was included among a number of pay and retirement provisions in a compromise version of the 2010 Defense Authorization bill, which the Senate approved 68-29 on Oct. 22." NPMHU: Victory on FERS Retirement Provision  |

Dealing with postal employee's fear
Steubenville May Lose The Rest Of Its Postal Processing

Did anyone take the USPS buyouts?
Leave With Pay
Casual exception, Penalty OT exclusion periods set

Bangor postmaster gets bail reduction

2,000 Coconuts Mailed to Postmaster General

Former postal worker gets five years probation

October 22, 2009

Mailers Council Calls for Legislative Reform to Avoid Postal Service Insolvency The Mailers Council’s white paper offers these recommendations for addressing the Postal Service’s problems: The Postal Service needs to be allowed to reduce its head count; It must be allowed to close unneeded facilities and consolidate its retail network; The Postal Service needs greater control over compensation.   |

October 21, 2009

Postmasters Say USPS Management Styles Are Like Some Banana Republic Dictators .......districts hounding Postmasters for having the courage to stand up for other Postmasters, districts whose management styles reflect something more in tune with some Banana Republic Dictators than with what should be expected of Public Servants treating their managers with respect, dealing with the threat of a Postal Service turning its back on the American people by wholesale closings of post offices and the constant shifting of workload from hardworking clerks, carriers and supervisors to the backs of Postmasters.    |

October 20, 2009

18,000 Sign Up for Postal Service Buyouts
About 18,000 U.S. Postal Service employees are expected to take $15,000 buyouts to leave their jobs this year - far less than the 30,000 originally projected by the agency. Postal officials say that figure isn't final. Employees were required to sign up for the incentives by Oct. 16, but they can still opt out of the program over the next few weeks. Most employees have until Nov. 30 to opt out - but those close to retirement age, called "optionally eligible" employees, must decide by Oct. 31.   |

October 19, 2009

 USPS To Close 65 Stamp Distribution Offices

The Postal Service notified NAPUS President Dale Goff that they will be consolidating its supply chain configuration in order to reduce the total cost of distribution and fulfillment for the Accountable Paper Network.  The USPS plans to consolidate and close 65 Stamp Distribution Offices (SDO’s) and the five Accountable Paper Depositories (APD’s).  The Postal Service will now consolidate the network into six Stamp Distribution Centers (SDC’s).   |

Postal Workers to Receive Pay Increase November 21, 2009

APWU-represented employees will receive a 1.2 percent increase in annual salaries effective Nov. 21, based on the grades and levels in effect on Sept. 6, 2006. NALC: 1.9%, NPMHU:1.2%,NRLCA:1.5%  APWU: Nov. 21, 2009 Pay Scale  |

Causey: USPS' perky benefits

if you are tired of paying high health-insurance premiums and sick about increases coming next year, here's a tip: Join the service. The U.S. Postal Service, that is. Although the USPS is losing money, handling fewer letters (can you say e-mail and Twitter?) and trying to get thousands of workers to take early retirement, it continues to pay a much larger chunk of its employee health premiums than does the Justice Department, General Services Administration or most other federal agencies. |

Obama Nominates Kessler For Re-Appointment to USPS Board of Governors

Career at post office a family tradition for postal clerk

October 18, 2009

MSPB: USPS Zero Tolerance Policy Violation Is Not Automatic Grounds For Removal - A Postal Employee appealed USPS’ decision to remove him based on a charge of Improper Conduct/Violation of Zero Tolerance Policy after the employee engaged in a physical altercation with a co-worker. The MSPB sustained the removal, but the Federal Circuit Court reversed the penalty determination and remanded the case. The MSPB found that a 30-day suspension was the maximum reasonable penalty, and therefore, ordered USPS to cancel the removal. PR note: Now this does not mean employees can hit t co-workers without fear of getting fired. It only points out  getting fired for violating the zero tolerance policy should not be a blanket penalty. |

EEOC Proposes Broader Definition of Disability

The Amendments Act makes important changes to the definition of the term “disability” by rejecting the holdings in several Supreme Court decisions and portions of EEOC’s ADA regulations. The effect of these changes is to make it easier for an individual seeking protection under the ADA to establish that he or she has a disability within the meaning of the ADA.  |

Stolen Postal Van  Recovered

383 Magazines Closed Jan-Oct.

Fix postal deficit by getting real
5 QUESTIONS for Dean Granholm, V.P. of delivery and post office operations for the U.S. Postal Service

October 17, 2009

National Officer Changes At APWU Headquarters

It has been reported that APWU Secretary-Treasurer Terry Stapleton will be leaving  soon to take a position at AFL-CIO National Office. Northeast Region Coordinator Elizabeth Powell will be appointed to the position. John Dirzius, President of Greater Connecticut Area Local will take over Ms. Powell's position as Coordinator.    |

Postal Service says no jobs will be lost in Elmira

Hickory: Workers, community leaders are trying to save USPS center from closing

USPS truck driver kidnapped, robbed in Taft

York postal carrier retires after 41 years

October 16, 2009

Postal Service OIG Says Workers' Time Sheets Altered
Managers at three southern New Hampshire post offices manipulated employees' time sheets, causing some people to be underpaid, the inspector general of the U.S. Postal Service said. The inspector general's office launched its investigation last spring at the request of Democratic U.S. Rep. Paul Hodes, who was asking on behalf of the National Association of Letter Carriers"

 From PostalReporter Reader: USPS OIG Letter To Congressman Paul Hodes | Congressman: New Hampshire Postal Workers Cheated Out of Wages |

VP Vegliante On End of Year Pay For Performance (PDF)

Congressman: Full-court press is on to save Elmira mail-processing center

In Digital Era, Marketers Still Prefer a Paper Trail

Late mail symptom of postal tweaking

Postal union claims consolidation will cause delays

USPS first agency to release data on greenhouse gas emissions

Ex-mail handler admits theft of video games in envelopes

Hey, Mr. Postman

October 13, 2009

Postmasters League No Longer Support USPS Voice Of Employee Survey

Recently your National Board met and decided that the League would no longer support the VOE survey. While the intent behind the survey may be good, the fact of the matter is that the work situation for Postmasters continues to deteriorate.  |  

Is This Postal Window Clerk Getting Forced Out of USPS?

In a nutshell, Postal Window Clerk Liz Jones submitted a request to change her work schedule for 3 hrs. once a week and 8 hrs. on Saturday (another window clerk offered to exchange her day off with Ms. Jones) for 4 months to attend school. Ms. Jones wanted to prepare herself for employment outside of USPS due to the excessing taking place in Walnut Creek. The excessing would require Ms. Jones to travel up to 200 miles away from her duty office. Management denied her request in the month of August stating that she could not be spared from the window.  Also, one month later (September) a letter was issued notifying her that she will be excessed from Walnut Creek effective 12/5/09. The following is a letter that Ms. Jones sent to several lawmakers about management's refusal to grant her request to attend school. |

Sick Leave Phase In...
Under a phase-in plan okayed by Congress, FERS employees who want to get full credit for unused sick leave will have to wait until January 1, 2014 to retire. They can leave earlier than that, but if they do, they will get only partial credit toward retirement under the phase-in rules.  |

Carrier suspended; post office investigating

Postal Workers Picket at Scottsville Rd. Office

Postal Service Seeks Extension in GameFly Complaint

October 12, 2009

USPS Issues Management Order For Additional Cleaning In Postal Facilities During Flu Season - The Postal Service issued MMO-109-09, titled “Influenza Cleaning Contingency” for facilities to impose ADDITIONAL cleaning methods to reduce the spread of infection during the current 2009 to 2010 Influenza (Flu) season which includes H1N1 influenza. |

Through rain, sleet, snow and even 50 years

Paul McNeil, who turned in a butcher's smock for a large, leather pouch when he was 20, first started on his appointed rounds in the city in 1959, and the Hattiesburg native, who turned 71 today, said he has no intention of stopping anytime soon.   |

USPS Issues Management Order For Additional Cleaning In Postal Facilities During Flu Season - The Postal Service issued MMO-109-09, titled “Influenza Cleaning Contingency” for facilities to impose ADDITIONAL cleaning methods to reduce the spread of infection during the current 2009 to 2010 Influenza (Flu) season which includes H1N1 influenza.   |  

Postal Employee Charged With Theft of 450 Netflix Movies From Mail

Two Alabama postal workers charged with delay or destruction of mail

Valpak opens up mobile local couponing with iPhone application

Digital marketing shift speeds up

Why Email No Longer Rules...

Federal Faces: Ruth Goldway

October 10, 2009

Letter Carrier Roy Rondeno Sr. to be memorialized this weekend

eNAPUS Legislative & Political Bulletin

Mailman saves life of Brook Park man, 71, who was in diabetic shock

October 9, 2009

Potter Doesn't Want to Hike Postage Rates in 2010

Postmaster General Jack Potter has been telling mailers’ groups in recent days that he does not plan to raise postal rates next year, a reliable source tells Dead Tree Edition. Worried that price increases would backfire and cause mail volumes to drop further, Potter is telling mailers that any increase in 2010 would be “very small,” the source says.  |

Mail Carrier: Stress Led To Jail Trip
Veteran Carrier Is Accused Of Assaulting Bosses- A mail carrier accused of assaulting her bosses on the job says a heavy workload and a lot of pressure to deliver pushed her to the edge. Vasquez said she didn't realize how angry she was when she pushed her supervisors, but they went flying. Police investigators said both supervisors fell hard and one broke her wrist. "(The supervisor) did have 3-inch heels on. Probably didn't help her balance any," Vasquez said.   |

USPS Continues Review of Stations and Branches

The U.S. Postal Service announced today that 371 retail stations and branches remain under consideration for possible consolidation. Today's announcement updates a review process begun earlier this summer that examined approximately 3,600 stations and branches in urban and suburban areas across the country, focusing on facilities in relatively close proximity to one another, to determine where consolidations might be feasible, while maintaining customer access to postal services.     Click here for the list of stations and branches currently being reviewed   |

Update on Gamefly Complaint With USPS That Netflix and Blockbuster Get Preferential Treatment
Postal Service Pays Some Workers To Do Nothing
Package leaks mercury at Wichita post office
Remote Encoding Center Closes in Charleston

October 8, 2009

PMG Potter: No More 'Business As Usual'
Plans to shutter some post offices and branches, which will be announced on Friday, may save $20 million to $100 million, a fraction of the $5 billion annual budget gap the Postal Service needs to fill. Options to put the Postal Service back in the black include allowing it to cut back on traditional mail delivery, reduce its workforce and sell more than stamps at its retail outlets. The Postal Service could save about $3 billion a year by eliminating Saturday mail delivery, an option that Potter said has to be considered given the declines in U.S. mail volume. Using post offices to sell cellular telephone services, or as an agent for banks and insurance companies, is another option that the Postmaster General wants to pursue. Times Are a-Changin' for Postal Service  | Postmaster General Begins National Dialogue   |

FERS Sick Leave Credit Passes House-Senate Conference Committee (No More FERS FLU)

The final agreement would allow federal agencies to re-employ federal retirees on a limited, part-time basis without offset of annuity; permit Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) workers to initially credit half, and later all, of their unused sick leave toward retirement; and provide for retirement equity for Federal employees in Hawaii, Alaska and the U.S. Territories.  The Conference Agreement is expected to pass the House and Senate.  FERS 'flu' cure a "done deal"  |

Editorial: USPS Saving $356,540 On East Bay Station Closures–Losing $10 Million

- by APWU East Bay Area Local President Stephen Lysaght - The irony of the Postal Service’s anticipated closure of these stations is that they yielded $10,462,613 in revenue in 2008 and are projected to yield $9,672,090 in 2009 --a reduction of only 7.5%. The lease costs for the buildings are $549,237 per year, which represents less than 6% of the revenue expected this year. Additionally, canceling the leases early would cost the Postal Service an additional $192,697 in penalties, decreasing the true cost of operating the stations to only $356,540—less than 4% of the expected revenue for 2009.  |

APWU Letter to USPS Regarding Minimum Qualifications for Cross-craft Reassignments

 It has been brought to the union's attention that APWU bargaining unit employees may have been improperly reassigned to city letter carrier positions for which they did not meet the minimum qualifications (driving test), and may have been subsequently disciplined for failing to meet those qualifications. It is the Union's position that an APWU bargaining unit employee must meet the minimum qualifications before being reassigned to a letter carrier position. |

Missing mail found at Passaic post office

Council: Don't stamp out postal plant in Hickory, NC

October 6, 2009

October 5, 2009

Over 40,000 Less USPS Career Employees Reported In FY 2009

On Rolls and Paid Employee Statistics (ORPES) published last week shows that USPS career employees have decreased by 40,110 since Same Period Last Year (SPLY). Over a 3-year period there are 61,151 less career employees.  The chart provided covers the last 3 years from 2007 through Pay Period 20 2009 (September 25,2009). note: USPS Fiscal Year ended September 30,2009.  |

Do all these post offices really need to be open?

Newsweek: Flying Like an Eagle? Seven ways to fix the USPS

October 4, 2009

What's Happening To The Post Office?

CBS News Andy Rooney - In 1900, there were 77,000 post offices around the country. Today with four times as many people, there are only 37,000 post offices - 40,000 fewer post offices for 230 million more Americans. No wonder it wasn't in the mail. We have a lot of things that need cutting, but post offices are not among them.   |

Carrier Who Lost Legs in Accident Dies
Rondeno, 57, a beloved mailman in the Uptown area, was struck by a careening car and then pinned between two vehicles on Sept. 26 . He lost both legs as a result and was in the hospital working toward recovery. But his heart stopped Friday shortly after 3 p.m., said John Gagliano, chief investigator for the Orleans Parish coroner.  |

Contract Driver Murdered at Postal Facility in Camp Hill, AL

Postal Retirement and Plant Consolidation

Fire Destroys Post Office

Cumberland Protestors Picket Post Office Closure

Some postal employees beat relocation

Public hearings to begin on NJ post office closings

October 2, 2009

Eye Opener: 23,000 Postal Workers Opt for Buyout
Approximately 5,000 full-time Postal Service employees eligible for retirement ended their Postal careers this week, accepting $15,000 buyout offers as part of a cost-cutting move. Another 18,0000 full-time workers have also accepted the offer, but have until Oct. 31 to complete the paperwork or opt out.   |

October 1, 2009

Burrus Charts Ambitious Course for Union’s Future

Urging conference participants to meet the daunting challenges facing the APWU — from the USPS financial crisis to upcoming contract negotiations and a shrinking workforce — Burrus asked members to draw strength from the union’s many achievements in recent decades and to recommit their efforts to the tasks that lay ahead.    |