The Post Script: 2009

Information for Unassigned Regulars (Branch 1100) The following is from the 'Unassigned Regulars' article from the Union Carrier Branch 1100, September-October 2009 issue.

"With the MIRAP process downsizing the number of routes in an office, we now have full-time carriers that no longer have a route. These carriers are known as unassigned regulars. Most of our cities have not had unassigned regulars for years so we have dusted off the rules pertaining to unassigned regulars to share in this article. An unassigned regular falls under the same rules as a reserve carrier. As an unassigned regular you have a fixed day-off rotation. It is the same day-off rotation that you had on the route you just lost. As an unassigned regular you still have a fixed start time – it is the start time you had on the route you just lost.

Under Article 41, the unassigned regular has the right to opt on a vacant assignment. If it has been a while since you last opted, then check with the steward on the current process in your office to submit opts. While holding down an opt, as an unassigned regular, you will adopt the hours and day off of the route you opted on. If you do not opt on a route, you will be given work throughout the office to fill the 8 hour day. If the unassigned regular is not on an overtime list then you should not work any overtime. If the unassigned regular is on the OTDL or work assignment, overtime tracking for the unassigned regular can be confusing. If the unassigned regular is on the work assignment list then you are available to work the overtime on the route you have been assigned for the day.

For example, you are scheduled for route 2 today. You could work the overtime on route 2. If management is having you case route 2 but carry swings then you do not have an assignment for the day and should not work any overtime. If the unassigned regular is on the 10 or 12 hour OTDL then, depending on where the carrier is assigned, the overtime may or may not count towards the equitability.

For example, you are assigned to route 2 today, any overtime you work on route 2 would not count towards the equitability. If you are assigned to route 2 and you carry overtime on route 3 then the overtime on route 3 would count towards the equitability. If you are assigned to carry five 2-hour swings then any overtime would count towards the equitability. As an unassigned regular, you can opt into a 6 day week and work all 6 days whether or not you are on an overtime list.

For example, this week your opted route, or your regular rotation, has Wednesday off. Next week you opt on a route that has Saturday off. You must work Saturday since the new opt does not start until Monday and your current route has Saturday as a regular day to work.

If your current opt has Saturday off and next week’s opt has Wednesday off, you get Saturday off. Next week on Wednesday, you would float since the T6 is on the route you opted on. An unassigned regular is guaranteed 8 hours a day for 5 days a week. If there is no work for an unassigned regular in the office the employer has the right to “bump” a PTF off of his/her opt. The “bumping” must be done on an hour by hour, day by day basis. The employer can not tell the PTF he/she is not on his/her opt at all next week because there is an unassigned regular.

T6 carriers that become unassigned regulars fall under the saved grade provisions in the ELM. Saved grade provisions guarantee the carrier his/her T6, LC2, pay for an indefinite time frame as long as the unassigned regular bids on any T6 that comes open in the city (even if they are not the successful bidder). If your pay drops to LC1 when you become unassigned, contact your shop steward or union officer.

If you are one of our unassigned regulars, please talk to your shop steward or call and talk to one of your officers if you have any questions. As an unassigned regular you never have to meet the office or street time listed for any route. Just do your best.

Barbara Stickler
Executive Vice President"

Sept. 25, 2009

Item O Effected Carriers, A Brief Overview (Branch 791) The following is an excerpt from the 'Buzzin' Around' article from the Snohomish County Branch 791, September 2009 issue.

"Item O is when a route is abolished that is not vacant and all the routes below the carrier's seniority all re-bid. It is kind of a postal "musical chairs" only with routes. Not fun at all and no winners.

Lynnwood during the IRAP invoked Item O and 13 carriers were displaced. All of those carriers were placed on bids. This time during MIARAP Lynnwood again invoked Item O and 20 carriers will be displaced with 5 to be unassigned regulars. That does suck. Some offices in the district had to excess a carrier to another station because of no work for the regular. I still believe being unassigned is better than being laid off.

Lynnwood
Chris Kelly"

Sept. 25, 2009

Accounting For Your Time (Branch 3520) The following is an excerpt from the 'President's Report' article from the Northern Virginia Branch 3520, September 2009 issue.

"The route adjustment process (MIARAP)continues.As long as volume continues to drop, the Postal Service will continue to inspect and adjust routes to try to capture any savings possible. I cannot stress enough the importance of being a good letter carrier. Do your job consistently every day. Keep in mind that the routes are adjusted using your clock rings. The more street time you show, gives less time to be added to the route. Keep your office time at a minimum. Any time spent on office time, when volume does not justify, will be taken away. If you are casing another route, make the clock ring move to that route. If you are waiting for mail, move to a waiting code. When you don't make those rings, that time will be lost on adjustment. And, when you do things like casing circulars, casing DPS, etc., you will lose all that time on adjustment as well. Losing that office time then translates to added street time to the route.

Tom Cleer"

Sept. 25, 2009

Surviving Route Adjustments Carriers all over the US are experiencing the same thing: route adjustments. As a result a large amount of carriers are affected by these adjustments some way or another. It may be having their routes added on to, or unfortunately, having their routes dissolved altogether.

The following posts are excerpts from NALC Branch Union Newsletters from across the country, documenting and commenting on how to cope with the many changes carriers are dealing with.

Sept. 25, 2009

Postal Heroes Honored in PEOPLE Magazine We are proud to announce that NALC Branch 782's own Melissa Kelley will be featured in an article in PEOPLE Magazine honoring Postal Heroes.

The following is taken from USPS News Link:

"PEOPLE MAGAZINE TO HONOR POSTAL HEROES

Oakland, CA, Letter Carriers Gilbert Rangel, left, Alan Girard, Karen Hill, and Tanya Joseph with Baywood Apartments Property Manager Kathy Walsh.

What’s a hero?

That’s someone who commits an act of remarkable bravery. And an upcoming article in the Aug. 14 issue of PEOPLE magazine will recognize several letter carriers who’ve done just that — going out of their way to perform heroic deeds — while delivering on their routes.

The feature article will highlight these postal employees’ actions and also bring these heroes to the attention of the American public.

For example, there’s William Perry Bland of Lebanon, KY, who rescued a pregnant woman and child after their vehicle was involved in an accident (Link, 6/15). And Walter Hayes of St. Louis, MO, who protected and comforted a child hit by a car (Link, 6/16). As well as Melissa Kelley of Bakersfield, CA, who saved a customer from two attacking pit bulls (Link, 7/11/08). And don’t forget Oakland, CA, letter carriers Alan Girard, Rick Quinonez, Gilbert Rangel, Tanya Joseph and Karen Hill, and the crucial role they played in rescuing 100 residents from an apartment fire (Link, 11/27/07).

In a letter to PMG Jack Potter, Baywood Property Manager Kathy Walsh wrote that the Oakland quintet of letter carriers displayed “extraordinary courage.” She added, “It’s not often that you find people of such character and willingness who go above and beyond the call of duty, and for this we are thankful.”

Each day postal employees across the nation touch the lives of millions of people, and sometimes those same employees and their heroic efforts make the difference between loss of life and property."

Congratulations Melissa for being not only an outstanding carrier but a hero as well.

August 16, 2009

Retail Mailers Worries About Five Day Delivery Many retail mailers are trying to adjust to the prospect of the five day delivery week looming in the near future. Arandell Corporation a distributor of catalogs and custom publications, recently posted about the pros and cons of the change.

The following is an excerpt from the article:

"With no delivery on Saturday; Monday and Tuesday will be heavy-volume days for the mail carriers. More than likely Wednesday thru Friday will become your preferred in-home days. Because this will be an overall industry change, suppliers and printers (such as Arandell!) will need to adjust quickly and seamlessly.

For retailers, the story is a bit different. Often our retail clients have specific events, with specific in-home date goals. If the USPS does eliminate mail on Saturdays, retailers will also need to change their event days. This is additional work for retailers that will affect their entire marketing strategies."

Read the full article

August 16, 2009

Postal Service Problems Make News Abroad The problems facing the US Postal Service is making news across the pond. According to an article guardian.co.uk the Postal Service is facing financial problems very similar to the British Royal Mail.

According to an article in the guardian.co.com many US citizens are feeling frustrated at the thought of the any post office closures slated for their cities. Many citizens and congressmen believe that closing these post offices will only add to the decrease in revenue for the Postal Service.

The following is an excerpt from the guardian.co.com article:

"In New York, congressman Anthony Weiner attacked the USPS for releasing information in "dribs and drabs": "It's no wonder that they have been losing business. If their intention was to raise alarms, what they've really done is raise questions about their management."

Read full article
August 16, 2009

Time for the Postal Service to 'Upsell'? A recent post on the Office of the Inspector General poses a question? Should the Postal Service 'upsell' its products? Upselling is a time honored tradition in many retail companies. Many retail companies train their employees to try and add just one more product to a customers finally purchase added on a few more dollars to the total purchase.

Many of the customers who wait in line at their local post office do so thinking that they will get the best price possible. As of now, many of the front window clerks are required to ask each customer if they would like to purchase stamps before they leave. How would the customers react if they were asked to purchase much more?

Read the full article

August 16, 2009

5 Day Delivery May Lead To Layoffs As the decline of mail volume has continued to decrease the Postal Service has proposed the eliminate Saturday delivery. The elimination of a delivery day may mean layoffs. According to an article from GovernmentExecutive.com, Jordan Small, USPS acting vice president acknowledges the possibility.

The following is taken from GovernmentExecutive.com

"If Congress eliminates Saturday mail delivery to help the cash-strapped U.S. Postal Service, then layoffs are a possibility, a top USPS official acknowledged to House lawmakers on Thursday.

"I can't say or guarantee that there wouldn't be layoffs," said Jordan Small, USPS acting vice president, during a hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Federal Workforce, Postal Service and District of Columbia Subcommittee. Small added that he hoped personnel cuts could be made through attrition and the service's temporary workforce, which handles many of USPS' Saturday deliveries."

Read Full Article

July 31, 2009

Amendments to USPS Bailout Approved PostCom.org posted the approved amendments too the Postal Service Health Benefits Funding Reform Act.

The following excerpt is from PostCom.org:

The following amendments were adopted to S. 1507 Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Funding Reform Act of 2009 on July 29, 2009 at the Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Government Affairs bill mark-up business meeting.

Coburn # 1 Would require any binding arbitration in the negotiation of postal contracts to take the financial health of the Postal Service into account.

Coburn #3 Would prohibit the Postal Service from issuing bonuses in any year that it reports a yearend net loss.

Collins #2 Would require GAO to expedite the reporting requirements for its study of USPS's options and strategies for the long-term structural and operational USPS reforms. The Postal Enhancement and Accountability Act of 2006 requires that GAO conduct this study by 2011. This amendment would require that the study be complete by March 31, 2010, so that USPS can benefit from this study sooner.

Collins #3 Would limit USPS's total outstanding debt to $15 billion, as required under current law. The underlying bill would allow USPS to borrow an additional $2 billion in fiscal years 2009 and 2010 (increases annual borrowing from $3 billion to $5 billion), but exempts the $2 billion from being applied to USPS's total debt ceiling of $15 billion. This amendment would require that any additional amount of the additional $2 billion USPS borrows apply to the $15 billion debt ceiling.

Read Additional Information

July 29, 2009

USPS OIG Poll Results Not Surprising The Office of The Inspector Generals Blog recently issued polls about ways to improve the Postal Service. The following are the results.

Which of these most common ideas do you think is the most important means to improving the Postal Service:

Cut management or supervisory positions (48%, 1,022 Votes)

Reduce administrative infrastructure (14%, 288 Votes)

Reduce delivery days (12%, 251 Votes)

Improve current product offerings (2%, 37 Votes)

Introduce non-traditional postal services (4%, 77 Votes)

Enhance retirement incentives (19%, 391 Votes)

Other idea not above (1%, 44 Votes)

Total Voters: 2,110

--------------

Which items do you think warrant further attention?

Replace walking routes with more efficient delivery option (31%, 460 Votes)

Charge fees for new delivery points (3%, 38 Votes)

Charge fees for extended holding periods (10%, 155 Votes)

Develop a web-based digital mail service (20%, 305 Votes)

Provide banking services through small offices (17%, 248 Votes)

Other idea not above (19%, 296 Votes)

Total Voters: 1,502

Read Full Article

July 26, 2009

Emergency Rate Increases According to a post in the Dead Tree Edition blog, postal officials may be looking into raising postal rates next year.

The following is taken from that post:

"Various scenarios have been bandied about, including one that would raise the price of the 44-cent First Class stamp to 50 cents and other rates by similar amounts. But after several meetings with postal officials, the Direct Marketing Association is telling some members that the Postal Service is more likely to seek an "exigent increase" of only 2% to 3%, including only one cent for the First Class stamp, to help shrink its multi-billion-dollar losses."

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July 26, 2009

Reassigned Jobs as Far as 330 Miles Away As the Postal Service continues to consolidate its work operations, the first impacted are clerks. Clerks positions are converted over to other work assignments, some of which will be converted over to the carrier craft. Those that are not are facing a dillemia.

In Cleveland some displaced clerks are being reassigned to positions some 330 miles away, according to an article in the OHIO REAL-TIME NEWS. Could the same happen to carriers dispalced by route consolidations?

The following is an excerpt from that article:

"More than 150 post office employees in Cleveland were handed the dreaded news Thursday -- not quite pink slips, but new job assignments up to 330 miles from home.

The U.S. Postal Service can't lay workers off under contracts with its employee unions. So when it cuts staff, as the Cleveland area is doing because the amount of mail is dropping, the contracts kick off a complicated shuffle of workers to fill open positions, first within the region, and then farther away as needed."

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July 26, 2009

Emergency Aid For USPS Proposed in Senate The fiscal down turn has hit the Postal Service just as much as any other for profit business. Over the last year the mail volume has dropped dramatically. Therefore, the Postal Service is taking steps to try to stay on step with the down turn. However, Emergency Aid for the Postal Service was introduced to the senate.

The following is an excerpt from eNAPUS:

"Like H.R. 22, a similar (but not identical) measure moving through the House of Representatives, Carper's bill restructures the Postal Service’s obligation to pay its retiree health benefit payments, generating significant savings to the Postal Service over the next several years. The Carper bill also gives USPS more borrowing authority to meet its financial obligations and get through this current fiscal year and next."

Read full article

July, 26, 2009

Customers Petition to Keep Letter Carrier The sweeping changes in routes happening across the country not only effect letter carriers, it effects the customers. Many customers who have had the same letter carrier for years will now see a new face delivering their mail.

Some customers aren't taking it very well. In an article from the LancasterOnline, some customers are petitioning to keep their mail man. The following is an excerpt from the article.

"The business people in Lititz have their own clock.

His name is Barry.

Every day, at the same time, Barry Lavender, a mustachioed dynamo, strides into their shop or deli or place of business with a cheerful greeting and their mail.

"He's right as rain," said Kim Berry, owner of the Curiosity Shoppe on East Main Street.

"He hearkens back to a time when people took the time to get to know other people and to do their job to make a difference," said Matt Shaub, a Lititz resident who sees Lavender on his daily routine. "You don't find people like that anymore."

So when they learned Lavender, "their" mailman, was going to be moved from his longtime route, they staged a petition drive, collecting more than 50 signatures and pleading to keep him there.

It didn't work."

Read Full Article

July 4, 2009

Postal Relief Bill Passed The NAPUS Bulletin reported that on "Wednesday, the House Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce, the Postal Service and the District of Columbia approved, by unanimous voice vote, a version of H.R. 22 that would permit the USPS, for 3 years, to borrow funds from its Retiree Health Benefits Fund to pay current retiree health premiums."

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(.pdf file)

June 26, 2009

Inspector General's Office Outlook on FSS The Office of the Inspector General's blog recently posted "Automation and The Life of The Letter Carrier." It gives a over view of what a carrier can expect after the implementation of FSS (Flat Sequencing System).

The following is an excerpt from the post: "It’s 7:30 am and you’re a letter carrier . . . so take a moment and imagine the following as a typical workday. First, you walk into the office, clock in, and check in with the boss. Then, you load up the vehicle with the mail that is already prepared for your route. Finally, at 7:45 am, you jump into the vehicle, drive off and begin delivering the mail. At no point are you required to manually sort mail. Is that day far off in the future . . . or, is it just around the corner?"

Read the full Article

June 18, 2009

Residents Notice Route Time Changes As the Postal Service continues to adjust carrier routes to balance the budget, it's not just the carriers that are seeing the difference. The customers are as well. Due to the route changes, customers who rely on a 'set time when the mail arrives' are getting a shock.

In post offices around the country, the 5 PM return rule is in place. Meaning that carriers should be in office by 5 PM. In some places the rule is 4PM. As many carriers know delivering past five is becoming less and less. Even so route changes on the street aren't going over so well with the customers.

The following is taken from an article in ajc.com

"Longtime Decatur resident Larry Vann, 81, said mail used to land in his box between noon and 2 p.m. until a year ago. His mail carrier said his route had changed, and he likely would receive letters around 3:30 or 4 p.m.

“It never happened,” Vann contends. Mail started showing up at 6 or 7 p.m., he said. Lately, however, he said he’s received mail in the mid afternoon.

Miles said carriers usually wrap up their travel between 3 and 4 p.m., but the goal is to deliver all mail by 5 p.m., but there are exceptions. “There’s no set time, but they have a set line of travel,” Miles said. “They are delivering in a pattern.”

Read Full Article

June 15, 2009

'Aloha from Hawaii' flat rate box. In celebration King Kamehameha, the Postal service issued special edition flat rate boxes. Designed by postal employee Jasmine Lum, the unique boxes sport a Diamond Head logo on the side.

An organization that sends care packages to US troops over seas, were quick to use the boxes. Sending the care packages with the symbol of Hawaii on the box gave the organization volunteers a sense of state pride.

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June 14, 2009

APWU Recieve List of Post Office Consolidations According to postalnews.com, the Postal Service submitted a list to the APWU of potentiel list of consolidation and or closing of postal branches. The list is in the form of a .pdf file which also has a cover letter and a list of stations for consideration. Note that the list seems to cover the western part of the U.S.

Read Full PDF file

June 6, 2009

NALC President to Retire

The following is taken from the official NALC website:

"William H. “Bill” Young is the 17th National President of the NALC, the 300,000-member union representing city letter carriers employed by the United States Postal Service. Along with serving as exclusive collective bargaining agent for active carriers, the 117-year-old NALC also promotes the interests of retired members of the craft."

Read full article

June 6, 2009

NALC’s Carrier Alert Program One of the lesser known programs of the NALC is the Carrier Alert Program. Ask any letter carrier and they may think this program is just part of everyday business.

The following is taken from the NALC website.

"Carrier Alert is a cooperative community service program to monitor the well- being of elderly and disabled mail patrons. As one of the few--and some days only-- point of human contact for home-bound patrons, letter carriers are particularly attuned to signs that could mean an accident or illness. Carrier Alert, begun in 1982, is a system to tap into that sensitivity.

When a volunteer carrier notes something unusual concerning a patron registered with Carrier Alert, he or she reports it to a postal supervisor or other designated individual who in turn contacts the sponsoring local agency. They check on the person and if something's wrong, contact family, police or emergency services as appropriate.

Carrier Alert is a joint program of the NALC and the Postal Service, but its foundation is built on the local service organization, which might be the local United Way, Red Cross or Agency on Aging. The agency handles promotion, registration, administration, establishing local procedures and funding.

Because participation is voluntary and operation depends on local agencies, the Carrier Alert program is well established in some regions and little known in others. Where it is in use it earns constant praise--just as letter carriers across the nation do every day, with or without a formal program, for their vigilance.

Delivering mail to the same residences day after day, letter carriers become familiar with customers' habits and often notice changes in routine that mean a patron is in distress. Accumulating mail is a common clue, but lights burning in midday, pet dogs crying, drawn draperies, or no tracks in the snow--all can signal trouble within.

To find out if there is a Carrier Alert program operating in your neighborhood or the community where an elderly or homebound loved one lives, contact the local NALC branch office or post office.

NALC branches that want to explore the possibility of establishing Carrier Alert in their community, should contact the local postmaster and major social service agencies. NALC branches can also download a PDF of the Carrier Alert brochure."

May 31, 2009

BRANCH 36 (New York, NY): Letter Carrier Hero The following os from Branch 39 newsletter:

"The morning commute on April 11th started out like every other for veteran letter carrier John Zabatta from Times Square Station. Not even he knew that his selfless act on that day would possibly save a life.

It was approximately 4:25 a.m., and he waited for his 4:32 train from Wantagh, he noticed a young adult on the platform standing close by him who didn't look so well. He didn't make much of it. He looked on the tracks to check if his train was approaching. As he did so, he heard a loud thump. When he looked back he didn't see the young man who was there before. To his dismay, he looked down and saw the young man face down on the tracks. Knowing the train would be arriving at any moment, reached out to another passenger on the platform for help and selflessly jumped into harms way and carried the injured man off the track back to safety on the platform. Seconds later, his train arrived and he continued on his way to work.

When asked about this heroics he said, "It's no big deal. I just did what I had to do. What did make me feel good was when my kids were on the same platform with me and asked, Is this where you saved the man daddy? That made me feel good."

So here's to you letter carrier John Zabatta from Times Square. Your incredible courage has earned you the Branch 36 Hero Award."

May 31, 2009

Postal Service Considers Banking Servies An article in The Federal Times written by Gregg Carlstrom reports that one possible new stream of revenue for the Postal Service could be banking.

Several European posts are also banks, thus generating revenue. In some of these countries commercial banks run daily operations in postal retail offices. This may be the model in which possible banking services could be incorporated with The United States Postal Service.

Such an idea must pass through congress for approval first. Additionally, great opposition from existing financial institutes would be a road block. A post/bank would be immense competition to financial institutions with the Postal Service readily available network of retail outlets.

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May 31, 2009

NATIONAL: Route Adjustments Around the country, post offices are preparing for the Modified Interim Route Adjustment Process. What seems to be agreed upon by NALC Presidents across the country is the ability of the union to oversee the route adjustments.

Though the NALC may agree that adjusting routes is preferable to layoffs, there is also the fact that carriers will loss their routes. During this period of adjustment, the most consistent advice given by NALC branch Presidents is to do your route 'by the book'. Which includes following flow charts, taking all allotted breaks and following all safety procedures.

The following excerpts are taken from the NALC The Courier Branch 51 Fall River, Mass. newsletter, written by branch President Paul Knarr. This is a good representation of information and advice being passed around to all union members during route adjustments.

"With the implementation of FSS, the interim route adjustments, and the projected decline in mail volume the USPS is looking to eliminate 1,861 carrier positions in the Northest, which translates to a loss of between 18-20% of city carrier routes in the Northeast."

"They are projecting that the FSS machines will sort 80% of the flat volume and that they can anticipate 40-50 minutes of savings in the office per route. Once again, their projections."

"DOIS and under time: There are some supervisors who review the DOIS numbers and inform the carriers that they have under time and they should have time to assist on another route.

1) The base data is still not accurate in the system, but it is being worked on. There are numerous errors in carriers % to standard, and fixed office time which can skew the DOIS numbers.

2) Just because I may be leaving the office 30 minutes early, that does not mean that I have an extra 30 minutes to give them on the road. My route may show I have 6 hours on the road and 2 hours in the office, hence 30 minutes under time. But because I have Red Plum, or 5 trays of DPS, or 15 parcels, or had a long service talk, my 6 hours of road time reflected in DOIS could easily take 6 1/2, thereby eliminating the 1/2 hour under time.

3) The carrier determines if they have under time. Remember that if management feels that a carrier is overestimating their workload then they always have the option of walking with the carrier. DOIS is just a tool for management, but if you hold a hammer upside down it doesn't work very well.

4) There may be days when your column is down, you don't have a 3rd bundle, don't have a lot of parcels, no occupant in the DPS and you are leaving the office early. On these days you may legitimately have some under time and may be able to assist on another route."

Branches around the country are seeing both positive and negative responses to the adjustments. The bottom line is, that the adjustments are going to happen. The best way to approach these proceedings is in a professional manner befitting a letter carrier.

May 29, 2009

GLOBAL: Privatization Hurts Britian Postal Service Privatizing the United State Postal Service has been suggested for years. The outcome of which is unknown. However, Britain's Royal Mail may give and insight to what may come. According to Morning Star UK liberalisation has hurt the postal service.

The following are excerpts from the Morning Star Article: "The global study was carried out in 13 countries and showed that full liberalisation [privatization]of the postal market simply does not work."

General secretary Billy Hayes said: "We've said for a long while that liberalisation doesn't benefit the market. The UNI report shows that postal services are public services and don't sit well in the private sector."

It revealed the tremendous job losses caused by liberalisation, deterioration of working conditions in competing postal operators, increasing precarious working conditions through the increase in atypical work, cuts in wages and wage dumping."

Read Full Article

May 26, 2009

Extended Voluntary Early Retirement NALC News reports that eligible letter carriers (carriers who are 50 with at least 20years of service or any age with at least 25 years of service)who wish to voluntarily retire have an extended deadline. Effective dates: May 31, June 30 or July 31.

The following excerpt was taken from the NALC website: "Those covered by CSRS must accept a permanent reduction in their annuities of 2 percent for each year they are under age 55 on the effective date of their early retirement. There is no reduction for eligible carriers covered by FERS, but those carriers would not receive the special supplemental annuity benefits payable to annuitants under age 62 until they reach their minimum retirement age (age 55-57, depending on the employee’s year of birth). The Postal Service’s VER offer does not provide any financial incentives (lump-sums, special severance payments, etc.) to choose early retirement."

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May 26, 2009

H.R. 22 Postal Accountability & Enhancement Act H.R. 22 which originally introduced in 2005 by Rep McHugh, John M. [NY-23] and was meant to reform postal law. It also included Title VIII (Sec. 803).

This is an excerpt taken from The Library of Congress: Title VIII (Sec. 803) establishes in the Treasury a Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund, to be administered by OPM, to cover the unfunded Postal Service liability for health care costs of current and future retirees. Requires the Postal Service, beginning in 2006, to compute the net present value of the future payments required and attributable to the service of Postal Service employees during the most recently ended fiscal year, along with an amortization schedule which provides for the liquidation of the net value amounts. Directs the Postal Service, for each year, to pay into the above Fund such net present value and the annual installment due under the amortization schedule. Makes OPM actuarial computations subject to PRC review.

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Major provisions to H.R. 22 have begun to gain support. The following is taken from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) website listing some of the proposed reforms.

"SUMMARY

H.R. 22 would change the laws that govern the operation of the United States Postal Service (USPS), particularly those regarding the cost of pensions and health care benefits of retired workers and the requirement to hold certain funds in escrow. CBO estimates that enacting this legislation would result in on-budget savings of $35.7 billion and off-budget costs of $41.6 billion over the 2006-2015 period. (The net expenditures of the USPS are classified as "off-budget.") Thus, CBO estimates the net cost to the unified budget would be $5.9 billion over the 2006-2015 period. All of those effects reflect changes in direct spending. In addition, we estimate that implementing H.R. 22 would have discretionary costs of about $1.6 billion over the 2006-2015 period, assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts. (Enacting the bill would not affect federal revenues.)

Enacting H.R. 22 would not affect how much the federal government spends on pension or health care benefits for USPS retirees. By increasing how much the Postal Service pays to finance those benefits and by eliminating the current-law escrow account requirements, however, the bill would increase future budget deficits as measured by the unified federal budget. Eliminating the escrow account requirement for the USPS would allow that agency to increase spending for capital improvements or other projects, pay down its outstanding debt, postpone or diminish future rate increases, or some combination of these options. Enacting the bill also would reduce direct spending by making the costs of the Postal Rate Commission and the USPS Office of the Inspector General subject to appropriation.

H.R. 22 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments.

Major provisions of H.R. 22 would:

- Eliminate a requirement in Public Law 108-18 (P.L. 108-18), the Postal Civil Service Retirement Funding Reform Act of 2003, that the Postal Service place savings from reduced pension contributions in escrow.

- Transfer from the Postal Service to the Department of the Treasury responsibility for paying pension costs associated with military service credits.

- Replace direct payments the Postal Service is making for retiree health care costs with payments designed to prefund some of the health care costs of current employees when they retire.

- Revise the procedure for raising postal rates.

- Strengthen the USPS Board of Governors and the Postal Rate Commission, which would be redesignated the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC).

- Make other changes designed to increase the Postal Service's competitiveness with private industry."

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May 26, 2009

Post Office To Reduce Home Purchases According to a CNN report , the Postal Service will reduce the amount of home purchases the relocate employees. It has been the practice of the post office to purchase the homes of upper management employees during relocation.

A review by Senator Chuck Grassley concluded "while Postal Service relocations are generally comparable to other federal and private sector companies, the benefits it provides to relocating employees are very costly to the Postal Service."

In the last five years the Post Office has purchased 2,646 homes. Two thousands of those purchase in 2008 at an estimated cost of $73 million. One house purchased, belonged to Ronald Hopson a former postmaster in Lexington, South Carolina. The 8,400-square-foot, six bedroom lakefront home included 5 acres, four bathrooms, two half-baths and an indoor swimming pool, was purchased for $1.2 million.

Due the investigation by CNN as of June 14, the Postal Service will set a limit of $800,000 for a home. Previous to February 2009 the Postal Service had no limit on home purchase prices.

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May 24, 2009

Postmasters Feel Budget Crunch In a memo sent out by Doug A. Tulino, Labor Relations, Postmasters will have all 'convention leave' suspended. Convention leave is granted to Postmasters to use for the purpose of attending Postmaster conventions. As of May 31, 2009 through 2010 Postmasters must now use annual leave to attend such functions.

Tulino stated facts such as the current postal budget and cuts that lead to this decision. However, the National Association of Postmasters perceive this as 'tantamount to a breach of faith', according to President O. Dale Goff Jr. "

"Under the existing benefits schedule, Postmasters are entitled to five
paid days of leave to attend the annual state or national convention of
NAPUS,” Goff explained. “Existing law limits altering such benefits to
statutory pay consultations; consequently, the Postal Service has run afoul of
the law and NAPUS has so advised Congress,” he added.

Read memo

Read Full NAPUS Press Release

May 22, 2009

USPS Urges 5-Day Delivery According to an article in The Washington Post, Postal Officials again urged legislature to reduce the postal delivery work week from six days to five. Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee on the federal workforce, Representative Stephen F. Lynch (D-Mass) stated, "The only way we'll embrace it is if we have no other choice, and we're getting to that point."

Due to the loss of mail volume the Postal Service finances have plummeted. Which led to several cost cutting measures. Among which are the closing of some administrative offices and hiring freezes. All of which have failed to help reduce the massive budget loss.

Though the overall tone was against the cutting of delivery days, the legislature concurred that cutting a delivery day may be an viable option. As of now the postal service receives no tax payer money. Some feel that cutting delivery days and a form of 'bailout' may not be beyond possibility.

Read the Full Article

Read statements from the actually hearing.

Branch 245 (Rockford, IL): Take Your Breaks Jerry Pyfer, of NALC Branch 245 wrote on article in Feb. 09 that seems to have baring on some recent issues that were brought up about comfort stops and breaks. Many letter carriers give up their breaks for one reason or another.

The following is taken from the NALC Branch 245 Newsletter:

"Management is predicting the mail volume will continue to fall off as time goes by. This whole review process is an ongoing process. It will probably last the remainder of the current contract. The same review will be repeated in the autumn of 2009 using the accumulated information of the months of May and September 2009. I will remain the Branch representative for IRAP at the New Towne Station as long as President Kelly Pruka feels you are getting proper representation from me. Between New Towne and Kilburn Station’s workload on this process, Belinda Anderson and John Abate represent Kilburn.

Here then are a few things you need to be mindful of. One thing that I heard
more than once during the consultations was the fact that some letter carriers did not take any breaks at all. These carriers just wanted to get it done and get out of there. The problem is that in doing so makes your route appear nearly an hour short and it will show-up in our review of the route information. There are several types of breaks. Lunch breaks are 30 minute breaks during which you are technically off the clock. That is why when you take your lunch, you have an eight and a half hour day. Some offices allow letter carriers to take a “No Lunch”. If you elect to take a “No Lunch”, make sure this fact is notated in your daily report by the supervisor.

Two 10-minute break periods are allowed for you to break away, refresh and
then go again. These breaks are on the clock and will not add or detract from your eight -hour day. However, if you work through these breaks you have shortened your route by 20 minutes. I don’t know of any authorizations to work through these breaks as some do with the lunch break. Management couldn’t care less if you work through the 10-minute breaks because they gain on your productivity by making your work day appear 20 minutes less. When we look at your route’s information next fall, you will appear to be able to take a 20 minute route addition. For those carriers that took a 10-minute break during office time, we made notations on the evaluation work sheet which gave you 43 minutes Fixed Office Time.

Personal needs time is neither an authorized nor unauthorized break. The M-39 puts it this way, “Reasonable comfort stops will not be denied.” I believe the term today is Personal Needs. A manager cannot suggest nor deny reasonable comfort stops. This covers bathroom needs as well as other bodily needs such as but not limited to; removing a pebble from your shoe, tying a shoelace, blowing your nose, changing clothing to meet changing weather conditions, etc. There are limits as to what can be considered reasonable comfort stops, so please don’t over do it just to extend your route. If the manager has a problem with your personal needs let your steward know.

Since John Abate and Belinda have been monitoring Kilburn Station’s progress, during this process, I will defer to them on that station’s progress."

2009 National Postal Forum The 2009 National Postal Forum is is being held May 17-20, 2009 - Washington, DC. It's held every spring goal it to help educate business mailers with the services provided by the Postal Service. It is also a trade show where companies go to show new technologies in mail processing.

In the current economic climate, this may be a good chance for the Postal Service to ensure confidence and build revenue for the coming year.

The following is an excerpt from The National Postal Forum website.

"The National Postal Forum (NPF) a not-for-profit educational corporation, was established in 1968 by a group of major postal customers/mailers who were committed to an ongoing partnership with the United States Postal Service. The Forum's goal then-as now has been to provide education to business mailers and communication/feed-back between the USPS and its business customers for a more responsive and efficient mail communications system.

NPF's mission is "To assist the United States Postal Service in building relationships with and educating mailers in the most effective and efficient use of the products and services offered by the United States Postal Service."

The Forum is the mailing industry's premier educational venue, trade show and networking event for industry professionals. It provides business mailers with ongoing training and education, and helps them keep pace with the mailing industry's rapid progress. Held once a year in the spring, the Forum is a combination educational conference/trade show offering a wide range of opportunities for attendees.

The Forum works as a partner with the U.S. Postal Service with the ultimate goal of a more efficient Postal Service thereby benefiting the entire USPS customer universe. To accomplish this goal the NPF facilitates educational opportunities by bringing the USPS together with its customers, suppliers and business partners. The NPF is the only industry organization that works directly with Postal Service managers to provide the most comprehensive educational and networking platform possible for meeting the needs of mailing industry and postal customers.

National Postal Forum events are financed on a break-even basis and are funded by attendee registration fees and exhibit booth rental fees. The USPS contributes a limited number of staff resources for management of the event and even pays registration fees for postal participants
"

Letter Carrier Rescues Senior Citizen Bowmansville letter carrier Tina Mederski helped to rescue a 81 year-old resident on her route.

Bowmansville, who used to be an Assistant Chief for the Bowmansville Fire Department, was delivering mail to the elderly resident when she heard a call for help. The resident, Pearl Rosenthal, had fallen in her room and was not able to reach a phone for help. Rosenthal had been there for five hours.

Bowsmanville called 911 and ambulance rushed Rosenthal to the local emergency room for treatment. As of Thursday night, Rosenthal was in the Intensive Care Unit having tests run.

Read Full Story

As many carriers check in on residents on their route as 'just part of the job.' For every Bowmansville there are hundreds if not thousands of letter carriers everyday that do some sort of helping. From letting residents know they left the lights on in their cars to taking back small children who have wandering off on their own.

Letter carriers can be proud of themselves for being heroes everyday.

Citizens Support to Save Local Post Office A petition drive to keep a downtown post office in Plant City, Florida is seeing some success. The backers of the petition had hoped to get 1,000 signatures and ended up with over 3,500.

The Plant City Chamber of Commerce was taken aback when the U.S. Postal Service offered to sell the city the post office or the a joining lot. As the Postal Service continues to try to cut costs, the citizens of Plant city took up a petition to keep the station open.

A spokeswoman for the Postal Service stated that no immediate plans where in place to close the station as they continued to study the issue.

Read Full Story.

USPS "Aggressively reducing work hours" The Postal News reports that despite aggressive tactics to grow revenue and cut costs will end the fiscal year in a $1.5 billion shortfall. The net loss for the last 10 of 11 fiscal quarters is estimated at $2.3 billion dollars.

All of which leads to aggressive cost cutting tactics. The following is taken from a Postal News article: “We are aggressively reducing work hours and other costs to limit losses, preserve cash and improve productivity,” said Joseph Corbett, chief financial officer and executive vice president. Initiatives designed to match work hours to reduced volume have resulted in a work-hour decline of 58 million hours – the equivalent of a reduction of 33,000 full-time employees – in the first half of FY 2009, despite an increase in the number of delivery points by 1.1 million from the same period last year. The work-hour reduction is on pace to meet the goal of reducing work hours by more than 100 million for the entire year, the equivalent of 57,000 full-time employees"

Corbett said other savings are coming from consolidating excess capacity in mail processing and transportation networks, realigning carrier routes, halting construction of new postal facilities, freezing Postal Service officer and executive salaries at 2008 pay levels, reducing travel budgets and similar measures."

Get additional information concerning the United States Postal Regulatory Commission. (note link is a .pdf file)

USPS Not Looking for Bail Out President Young testified $2.8 billion is the amount of money lost last year due to falling mail volumes to the House Postal subcommittee. In an attempt not to cut jobs and drop a delivery day the two biggest postal unions asked law makers to let them use a 'technical legal fix involving present funding for future retirees’ health care'.

The following is from an Associated Press article:“NALC strongly supports the policy of pre-funding future retiree health benefits. Those benefits are our benefits. They are benefits Letter Carriers and other postal employees are relying on to be there in the future – they are benefits that we have all worked very hard to earn. But we are seeking to adopt a more reasonable and affordable schedule of pre-funding,” Young added.

Young emphasized that unlike the banks, USPS and its workers are “not looking for a bailout. No taxpayer funds will be required by the bill. The USPS is seeking to use its own money to survive a cash crunch resulting from the economic crisis” that the bank collapse caused for the entire country."

Read Full Article.

Postal Service Slash Routes According to the website FederalTimes.com the Postal service has agreed to adjust city letter carrier routes if the mail volume continues to drop. Which will lead to route eliminations in the thousands. Many rural routes have already gone through this process.

The Postal Service reached an agreement today with its city letter carriers that will make it easier to adjust delivery routes if mail volumes continue to fall — a process that could eliminate thousands of routes.

The deal came after negotiations with the National Association of Letter Carriers, the union that represents more than 214,000 active city letter carriers. It allows the Postal Service to use a formula to analyze delivery routes, based on mail volume, and change the routes accordingly.

Read Full Article

Post Master General John Potter, also reported that there is no plan to offer incentives for early retirement. “Our employees would love some kind of a windfall, but the fact is, we can’t afford to,” Potter said.

2009 NALC Food Drive

It's time once again for the NALC Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. This year will be the 17th year that letter carriers will be out on the street picking of canned and dried foods.With the current US economy the annual food drive is more... important than ever.

This year more than 1400 local branches will be participating in the food drive. That's not including the food drop stations that will be contributing as well. “Millions and millions of families are suffering – struggling to make ends meet and put food on the table,” Young said. “More than ever food banks, pantries and shelters need our help this year. As families count on them for support, they’re counting on us and we must not back off on our commitment.”

Read full article.

Welcome!

Welcome to the first post of NALC Branch 782's The Post Script. This site is meant as a supplement to the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 782 E.A. Baker Union Update

As many of you know Basil Zuniga (Editor of The E.A. Baker Union Update) does a great job of getting out the union newsletter each month. However, there is usually some information that he must omit from the newsletter. For that reason Basil wanted to create a website that could include all of the extra information that he is unable to incorporate into the monthly newsletter.

Here you will find information concerning letter carriers locally and those from around the nation. Please check back often and feel free to leave comments.

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