HOUSTON KTRK — Authorities believe they have found the body of a missing postal worker in San Jacinto County.Related Content
Eddie Youngblood, also known as ‘Marie,’ was using her Jeep to deliver mail in San Jacinto County yesterday. That burned out Jeep was later discovered on the side of Morris Creek Road near Coldspring.First responders found the car on fire after receiving a 911 call. It’s still not clear who made that call.
Senate and House postal oversight leaders have agreed to a package of undisclosed “principles” to guide the shaping of similar, but not necessarily identical, Senate and House comprehensive postal reform bills, according to Congressional sources.
While the agreement does not clear the way for immediate action in either chamber, it reveals incremental progress between leading Senate and House lawmakers that potentially could lead to Congressional action on postal reform.
Washington, DC – May 14, 2013.The National Alliance of Postal and Federal Employees (NAPFE) is celebrating its one hundredth anniversary this year.The only independent black-controlled labor union in the Postal and Federal service was founded on October 6, 1913, in Chattanooga, Tennessee.At that time, it was the National Alliance of Postal Employees (NAPE).It wasn’t until 1965 that Federal employees were included in the membership ranks.
The union was founded because the A.F.L. unions would not represent African Americans in grievances and adverse actions.Indeed, most of them had discrimination clauses in their constitutions that banned membership in the union. It was the same year that Postmaster Albert S. Burleson of Texas moved to segregate every department in the Post Office. Separate swing rooms, laboratories, the working environment in its entirety. Continue reading ‘National Alliance of Postal and Federal Employees Celebrating its 100th Year Anniversary’ »
As the “Most Trusted Government Agency” for the last seven years, the USPS feels very strongly about its brand and how the American public views its employees. One of the most important aspects of the USPS brand is the uniformed employee. Who else do we open our doors for or welcome onto our yards as we do the mailman? Since 1868, when the Congress passed legislation authorizing uniforms for letter carriers, the US public has put its trust in the uniformed carrier.
The uniform allowance is a negotiated benefit, and the amount of uniform allowance is negotiated along with the pay and other benefits between the NALC and the USPS. The most recent contract negotiations concluded this past January 2013, and brought about some changes to the uniform program and postal uniform allowance. Continue reading ‘Editorial: How The New NALC – USPS Contract Effects Your Uniform Allowance’ »
APWU President Cliff Guffey is congratulating APWU retirees and other former employees who will soon receive the first installment of the $15,000 incentive the APWU negotiated last year. The first payment of $10,000 (minus applicable taxes and withholdings) will be available on May 24, 2013. The second installment of $5,000 will be paid on May 23, 2014.
“We hope our newest retirees are enjoying their new lives,” Guffey said. “We’re sure they will enjoy the incentive.
“But there are many battles still to fight — to strengthen the Postal Service and protect Social Security and Medicare to name a few — and we hope our recent retirees will spend some of their free time helping to win them,” he said.
Beginning May 24, 2013, retirees and other former employees who are eligible for the incentive payment may pick up their checks from the installation where they last worked. As an alternative, former employees may provide a PS Form 3077 [PDF] to their final employing office requesting to have the check mailed to their address of record or to an address they provide on the form.
Retirees Director Judy Beard is urging local union officers and retiree chapter leaders to reach out to retirees when they pick up their checks on May 24. “Please thank them for their years of service and their support for the APWU, and please encourage them to join the Retirees Department,” she said. Applications [PDF] are available at www.apwu.org.
COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WECT) – A United States Postal Service transportation vehicle caught fire along Highway 74/76 in Columbus County, damaging and destroying some mail.
The driver reported that there was an engine fire Wednesday night, while he was transporting mail collected from two offices in Leland.
Officials said the truck had collected mail from the Leland Post Office and a contract postal unit in Leland. Customers who sent letter mail and/or packages from either postal location in Leland, NC are being asked to contact the Consumer Affairs Office at 704-424-4422.
The U.S. Postal Service, one of the few government agencies explicitly authorized by the U.S. Constitution, has seen better days. After a plan by the post office to end most Saturday mail delivery, a proposed federal budget mandated six-day delivery, despite post office officials’ contention that the independent federal agency needs to trim costs. With steadily declining revenue, the specter of a world
without the U.S. Postal Service becomes more plausible each year. http://www.numbersleuth.org/trends/usps/Continue reading ‘InfoGraphic: A World Without the Post Office’ »
“An Oregon “Save Americas Postal Service” campaign action led by Jamie Partridge of Portland Communities and Postal Workers United and Greg Margolis of Portland Jobs With Justice. Around seventy protesters held a rally in front of the Salem, OR USPS mail processing plant” on April 17, 2013. Five people protesting the closure of Salem’s mail sorting facility were arrested by police.
From Communities and Postal Workers United
Activists vow to escalate the pressure on USPS
The “Forever Five” joined by leaders of the Salem American Postal Workers Union, from left, Patrick Fortune (APWU local 604 vice president), Fernando Gapasin, Jack Herbert, Jamie Partridge, Rosalie Pedroza, John Schwiebert, and Janeil Payne (APWU local 604 president)
“I suspect the authorities dropped the charges because they were afraid of us,” said Rev. John Schwiebert, one of the “Forever Five” arrestees (so named for the “forever” stamp and to protect “forever” the postal service).“They knew we were planning to plead not-guilty to criminal trespass and to demand a jury trial.We were ready to plead that our “occupation” of the Salem mail processing plant was in the public interest, to preserve our constitutionally mandated postal service.”The protesters claim that closure of the Salem plant is itself a criminal act, violating Title 39, U.S. Code, Sec. 404 which requires the postal service to provide a “maximum degree of effective and regular services…” and to consider the effect of plant “consolidations” on communities, jobs and service.
Mail sorting machines from the Salem plant began to be removed on April 30th, headed north to Portland and south to Medford.In the beginning of May, mail collection times and overnight delivery standards changed throughout Oregon.Although their plants are not scheduled for closure until later this year, mail from Eugene/ Springfield, Bend and Pendleton is already being shipped all the way to Portland to be sorted.Mail is being delayed one or two days. Continue reading ‘Postal arrestees’ charges dropped’ »
USPS is making changes in its expedited products to add to their value and make the Postal Service more competitive in the shipping marketplace.
Starting July 28, Express Mail will be renamed Priority Mail Express to make use of the strong Priority Mail brand. All characteristics of the current Express Mail service will remain unchanged.
In addition, Express Mail International will be renamed Priority Mail Express International. The Express Mail Corporate Account will be called USPS Corporate Account.
The Postal Service also is seeking approval from the Postal Regulatory Commission to automatically include insurance — at no additional charge — with most Priority Mail pieces. Customers will receive $50 or $100 of insurance coverage, depending on the postage payment method used.
“We’re taking steps to keep the Postal Service competitive and meet customer needs,” said New Products and Innovation VP Gary Reblin. “We can continue to grow our package business by innovating, offering customers a variety of delivery options and seizing new opportunities for growth, especially from e-commerce.”
Click here for more information on these changes. Additional details will be coming in the weeks ahead.
Preliminary lab tests indicated the presence of ricin on two suspicious letters in Spokane WA, the Postal Service told the APWU on May 15. The letters are being analyzed and tested further for hazardous material, according to a Mandatory Stand-Up Talk [PDF] management presented to workers.
One letter was addressed to the Spokane Post Office; the other was addressed to a federal judge in Spokane. Both letters were postmarked May 14.
“We have no reason to believe that any employees are at risk from handling the suspect letters as they passed through the mailstream in Spokane,” management told employees in the Stand-Up Talk. “The substance involved was not in a form that could be inhaled or otherwise readily ingested.
“If anyone were to inhale a quantity of ricin large enough to produce symptoms, they most likely would include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing and would appear within 24 hours. If you have not experienced such symptoms, you should not be concerned. If you have, we urge you to let your supervisor know and see your doctor promptly for an evaluation.”
The APWU will monitor the situation closely, said APWU President Cliff Guffey. “Our members’ safety is our primary concern,” he said. The union will provide updates as more information becomes available.
USPS is making changes in its expedited products to add to their value and make the Postal Service more competitive in the shipping marketplace.