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TOP NEWS STORIES |
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. The law includes a provision long
sought by the APWU and other organizations representing
federal employees, which allows FERS-covered workers to
receive a 50 percent credit for unused sick leave until Dec.
31, 2013. Starting on Jan. 1, 2014, they will receive full
credit." -
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The Postal Service's 'get well' plan? Greeting cards
"Next time you visit the post office for stamps, you might
also be able to buy (and send) your brother his belated
birthday card. The U.S. Postal Service has started selling
Hallmark greeting cards at some post offices, a one-year
experiment that may lead the nation's 34,000 postal outlets to
eventually sell other goods and services, including banking,
insurance and cellphones." -
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Why doesn't the USPS want a price increase in 2010?
"Second, the USPS wants to apply pressure on the unions, since
2010 starts the contract negotiations for two of its four
unions. Simply put, the unions will find it hard to deny that
the economic position in which the Postal Service finds itself
does not require some significant changes in the agreements
between postal management and labor." (PostalMag.com
note: This is a business strategy known as self-starvation.
See: Downsizing Isn't What It's Cracked Up to
Be) -
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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. "There's no political will to do it
right now," said Jerry Cerasale, a lobbyist for the Direct
Marketing Association, a trade group of businesses and
nonprofit organizations that relies largely on mail to
communicate with customers. "The only way that you'd really
see it happen is if the dire financial straits of the Postal
Service continue well into the future." -
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eNAPUS: Finance Committee Health Bill Could Hurt Postmasters
and Federal Workers (PDF)
"On Monday, the Senate Finance Committee released the
"legislative language" of its contribution to the health care
reform debate (S. 1796). Two amendments were submitted to the
Committee that could have devastated the Federal Employees
Health Benefits Program (FEHBP); however, the provisions were
not accepted. Nevertheless, it is quite possible that these
ill-advised proposals could reach the floor of the Senate for
a vote." -
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APWU: 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." -
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Postal Service CFO Says More Lobbying Needed
"The stop-gap legislation signed by President Obama on
Sept. 30 reduced the U.S. Postal Service's $5.4 billion
health-care retiree payment for fiscal 2009 to $1.4 billion.
That's a big help, but the USPS needs permanent change, says
Joseph Corbett, its executive vice president and chief
financial officer... As far as the proposed five-day mail
delivery schedule, Corbett says the groundwork has been laid.
Hypothetically, he says, if no permanent structural changes
are made regarding prepayment of retirees' health-care
benefits, the "spotlight would grow brighter on five-day mail
delivery." -
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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." - Federal Times: Did you take
the buyout? - 18,000 Opt for Postal
Service Buyouts -
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NAPUS: USPS Plans to Consolidate and Close 65 Stamp Distribution
Offices
"The Postal Service notified 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)." -
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Postal Service 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." -
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PMG Says No Pricing Increase For Market Dominant Products in
2010
"While increasing prices might have generated revenue for the
Postal Service in the short term, the long term effect could
drive additional mail out of the system. We want mailers to
continue to invest in mail to grow their business, communicate
with valued customers, and maintain a strong presence in the
marketplace. Changes in pricing for our competitive products -
Priority Mail, Express Mail, Parcel Select, and most
international products - are under consideration. We expect to
announce a decision in November." - Why
Potter is Freezing Postal Rates, And What It Means For 2010 -
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APWU Issues a Challenge
"The Postal Service's precarious financial condition has
prompted APWU President William Burrus to issue a challenge to
Postmaster General Potter: Discontinue the exorbitant postage
discounts that are offered to large mailers - which are
currently as high as 10.5 cents per letter - and allow members
of the APWU to perform all mail-processing functions at the
rate of 10.4 cents for every letter and flat." -
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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. The change, which
will give FERS employees the same incentive to save sick leave
that has long been enjoyed by CSRS employees, is part of the
compromise Defense Authorization bill heading for the White
House." -
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APWU: 371 Stations Remain Under Consideration for Closure
"The Postal Service announced Oct. 9 that 371 stations
and branches in Level 24-and-above post offices remain under
consideration for possible closure, but cautioned that "the
filing does not represent a final decision on consolidation."
"The APWU is committed to fighting the Postal Service's
attempt to reduce service to our customers," said APWU
President William Burrus. "Our members have found significant
opposition to these plans virtually everywhere they have been
made public." - USPS Continues Review of
Stations and Branches -
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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."
- Postmaster General Begins National Dialogue -
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Mailers Fear New USPS Reform May be Needed
"Gene Del Polito, president of the Association for Postal
Commerce, thinks the time has come for postal employees to
start sharing some of the sacrifices. "Despite all the
terrible things that are happening to companies all over the
United States, there hasn’t been a single layoff in the postal
service and there hasn't been a single solid facility
closure," he said. "We've suffered, and they haven’t." -
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Carrier Who Lost Legs in Accident Has Died
"Rondeno, 57, a beloved mailman in the Uptown area, was
struck by a careening car and then pinned between two vehicles
on Sept. 26 near the intersection of St. Charles Avenue and
Valence Street. 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." -
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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." -
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