Feb. 20, 2014—There will be no third cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for letter carriers under the 2011-2016 National Agreement because the Feb. 20 release of the January Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed no increase in the CPI between July 2013 and January 2014.
This morning’s release of the January 2014 CPI-W (1967=100), 685.220, showed no increase over the July 2013 index number, 685.350. As there was no increase in the index, the third COLA for letter carriers under the 2011-2016 National Agreement is $0—i.e., there is no third COLA. The COLA calculation is based on the increase in the CPI-W between July 2013 and January 2014.However, under the terms of our agreement, the deferred payment of the previously announced first COLA, $146 annually, will take effect in the second full pay period after today’s release of the January CPI—that is, in Pay Period 14-07, which runs March 8-21, pay date March 28.
This first COLA was based on the increase in the CPI between July 2012 and January 2013. It amounts to 7 cents per hour, the equivalent of $5.60 per pay period or $146 annually.
This COLA will be added to the Step O pay rates in Table 2 of the Pay Schedule, which applies to city carriers hired in career positions on or after January 13, 2013. The pay rates of steps A through N of Table 2 will be increased proportionally, as provided by the contract. (For example, Step A is set at 61.5% of Step O, so the COLA for Grade 1, Step A is $90 annually.)
Letter carriers with questions should speak with their shop stewards and branch leaders.
For Employees Covered Under the APWU National Agreement
(02/20/14) In January 2014, the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W) rose slightly to 685.220. This index point is below the point of the last adjustment: 685.350. Based on the sixth month January Index point) of the six-month measuring period, the fifth cost-of-living increase under the 2010 National Agreement, due March 8, 2014 (pay period 07-2014) will be zero. The Index must climb to at least 685.750 before another adjustment would be paid.
The first and third COLAs were effective March 9, 2013 (pay period 07-2013, pay date March 29, 2013) and totaled $207.00 per year, $7.96 per pay, and $0.10 per hour.
The second and fourth COLAs under the 2010 National Agreement were effective Sept. 7, 2013 (pay period 20-2013, pay date Sept. 27, 2013) and totaled $937.00 per year, $36.04 per pay period, and $0.45 per hour.
There will be seven COLA adjustments under the 2010-2015 Collective Bargaining Agreement based on the Jan. 2012, July 2012, Jan. 2013, July 2013, Jan. 2014, July 2014, and Jan. 2015 releases of the CPI-W. So far, under the 2010 National Agreement, employees have received cost-of-living adjustments totaling $1,144.00.
For CSRS retirees:
(02/20/14) The 2015 CSRS retiree COLA is based on the third quarter (July, August, September) average CPI-W index in 2014 over the 2013 third quarter average. After the fourth quarter of 2013, the first quarter of the 2015 COLA adjustment period, the quarterly index has fallen by 0.4%.
(02/20/14) The 2015 FERS retiree COLA is based on the increase in the third quarter average of the CPI-W index in 2014 over the 2013 third quarter average. However, if the CPI-W quarterly average increases three percent or more, the COLA is the increase less one percent. If the quarterly average increase is between two percent and three percent, the COLA is two percent. If the quarterly average increase is two percent or less, the COLA is equal to the quarterly average increase. After the fourth quarter of 2013, the first quarter of the 2015 COLA adjustment period, the quarterly index has fallen by 0.4%.
For Social Security recipients:
(02/20/14) The 2015 Social Security COLA is based on the third quarter (July, August, September) average CPI-W index in 2014 over the 2013 third quarter average. After the fourth quarter of 2013, the first quarter of the 2015 COLA adjustment period, the quarterly index has fallen by 0.4%.
(02/20/14) The percentage increase in the December CPI-W index from year to year determines the FECA COLA increase. The 2014 FECA COLA will be 1.5% effective March 2014. After the first month of the twelve-month adjustment period for the 2015 FECA COLA, the CPI-W index has risen 0.378%
All I know is, WHEN our next CBA goes to arbitration, Eff that COLA BS. Diamondstud better be campaigning for some guaranteed money! I’m starting to feel like a DHL employee!
Obama is killing the middle class…Wake up people….
lOOK i THINK WE UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPTUAL THINKING OF THE UNION CONCERNING THE ED SHOW. NOBODY DOES ANYTHING FOR FREE SO THEY USE THIS PLATFORM TO VOICE CONCERNS THROUGH THIS MUCH LARGER PLATFORM.
TAKE IT AS YOU MAY BUT THAT’S WHAT THEY DO. WHAT I REALLY WANT TO
SAY IS….. OBAMA HAS THE NEW CPI FORMULA IN HIS 2015 BUDGET WHICH
CUTS 1/2 OF 1 % ONE WILL EARN POTENTIALLY COSTING PEOPLE THOUSANDS
OF DOLLARS. WHEN THE RESULTS ARE A BIG GOOSE EGG LIKE IT IS NOW
WHERE ARE THE DEMOCRATS WHO SEEM TO CARE MORE ABOUT MIDDLE CLASS
AMERICANS TO VOICE DISAGREEMENT WITH THE PRESIDENT ON THIS SYSTEM.
UNLESS THIS SYSTEM AVOIDS RECEIVING 0 AS A COLA IT WILL BE A
DOUBLE HIT WITH WHAT THEY PLAN TO DO. THESE RAISES EFFECT PEOPLE IN FERS, CIVIL SERVICE, SOCIAL SECURITY, ETC; THE GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO SLASH THESE LARGE POOLS OF MONEY IN AN ATTEMPT TO BALANCE THE BUDGET IN PROJECTED YEARS. ALL IS QUIET WHEN IT’S A GOOSE EGG BUT
WHEN IT’S AN INCREASE THEY WANT A CHANGE IN THE SYSTEM!
TSP they got 1 raise in 3 years and it was 1 percent…You my friend are a disgruntled postal worker….If you wanted that you should of been in management but you are proably a pathetic union loving slug who can’t do anything….The economy is terrible that why there is not COLA…Build the economy then we get more money and that won’t happen till this disgracefull adminstration gets out…Enufisenuf is correct the unions love the ED show because your union dollars go to him so he can talk about the union…ED Smuck only talks about the unions that give him money…
Not to worry…Diamondstein & Rolando will make the rounds of the “Ed Show” to place blame and will also organize pickets which will make the lemmings feel like something is being done!
Gasoline prices should be factored in and why they are not is a mystery to me. How about congress as they should receive their pay raises in merit only and since they never do anything for the american people then I guess they get nothing and that is what they are worth. Vote everybody out and get fresh blood in there. Let’s get term limits for these corrupt officials as they should only be allowed to serve two terms like the president.
Take an extra 5/10. UNWRITTEN law is in affect.
Now, if the same could only be said about eas/mgmt. bonuses, etc.