OPM IG Releases Study On USPS OIG’s Proposals to Change USPS Funding of Retiree Benefits

The OPM OIG study also concludes that generally the proposals would have a lasting negative effect upon the retirement programs and trust funds and have little, if any, positive impact upon the USPS's ultimate long-term profitability. In addition, the result of these proposals would be to shift costs fro m USPS ratepayers to the American taxpayers. It is unclear, however, what the effect would be upon USPS employees' or retirees' rights

 if the USPS ceased making its required payments into the FEHB Fund...it is possible that the OPM would have to exercise its regulatory authority to disenroll USPS employees and retirees as a class in order to continue providing health care coverage to all other FEHB Program participants. Dueling Inspectors General or Revenge of the Creditor |

OPM: Postal Service proposals could undermine funding of retiree benefits|

Richard Erickson, a distribution Clerk was removed from his position at Fort Myers P & DC. Erickson filed an MSPB appeal under USERRA, asserting that he was improperly removed because of his military service and requesting that he be reinstated. MSPB found that USPS violated USERRA by removing Erickson from his position but nevertheless denied him any relief. The AJ’s decision was based on the determination that Erickson subsequently waived his reemployment rights under USERRA by abandoning his civilian employment in favor of a military career. MSPB  denied Erickson’s appeal TWICE and the Court of Appeals has remanded this case back to MSPB TWICE. Erickson filed this appeal in 2006.  |

A protest on March 7th 2011 at the White House 'Regarding the Protection of the United States Postal Service' organized by active and retired APWU rank and file membership. The demonstration primarily focuses on a permanent solution and payback to/of the   CSRS and FERS pension overfunding to save postal worker jobs rather than the temporary 'relief' measures proposed by the Obama administration's budget plans allowing further   dismantling of the postal service.  |

"Some conservatives want to end the postal service’s monopoly and let private companies deliver rural mail. Rural residents, of course, would be charged rates commensurate with the cost of delivery. A move in that direction, however, would be a tragic break with history and a breach of the social contract, one that would be economically and sociologically devastating to much of rural America. PR note from APWU: ...among the reasons USPS provides "for closing stations and branches is that there are fewer “procedural requirements” for closing stations and branches than for small post offices. They also said that 34 percent (now 35%) of current postal revenue comes through alternative access, and that they are striving to increase that percentage."    |

OMB Director Jacob J. Lew,  according to the press release was invited to testify at the House Subcommittee on USPS on Wednesday, March 2nd. But Congressman Dennis Ross (R-FL) tweeted that OMB is refusing to  testify at the Postal Service hearing this Wednesday.   |

February A Record Month for USPS Consolidations

It's My Job: Kenneth Simmons, carrier technician with Postal Service

Somerville postman delivers big role in 'The Fighter'

Small towns mourn fast-closing post offices

Letter carrier retires after 37 years

USPS: Should some Gary operations consolidate into South Bend?

February 26,  2011

After More Than 100 years Historic New Jersey Post Office Set To Close

Post Offices Should Keep Downtown Presence

Did newspapers burst the Postal Service’s bubble wrap?
Postal worker gets prison for mail tampering
Editorial: Postal service can't abandon downtowns

Tuscaloosa Files Restraining Order In District Court to Keep Post Office Open - The restraining order alleges that the Eastside Station is improperly classified as a “post office station,” when it actually operates as a “post office.” This distinction is key because the requirements for closing a post office, such as public hearings and a notification process, are more stringent than closing a post office station.  The post office is scheduled to close Feb 26 |

Former Texas NPMHU Prez accused of defrauding Postal Workers Out Of $225,000 - A Fort Worth federal grand jury indicted a former Mail Handler and union leader who allegedly defrauded postal employees of more than $225,000. Woods helped to file class-action lawsuits against the Postal Service, which in turn agreed to compensate mail handlers, the release said. Woods is accused of creating and operating a scheme in which more than $225,000 of the settlements would be paid to him and his chief stewards. Note: the 25 counts of wireless fraud is based on number of times money was direct deposited  via USPS into his bank account.  The USPS OIG initiated the investigation.  If found guilty Woods "may" be ordered to pay restitution to USPS - not the postal employees (all employees involved were not union members). |

While those are good starts toward solving the Postal Service’s financial problems, there are unfortunately two key provisions in the bill that prevent the NALC from throwing our full support behind it. While the NALC can support some of the provisions in S. 353, we need to keep working with her and all of our friends in Congress to take out or amend other provisions in her bill before we can give it our full backing.” |

Postal Workers Class Action EEOC Cases Against USPS

The following are summaries of some class action EEOC cases pending and/or settled against USPS.  There are more class action cases that I will post at a later time. Most of the cases involved injured or disabled employees but some involve veterans, USPS forcing employees to take unnecessary medical exams.|

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) is reintroducing a bill that would require federal agencies to fire employees who don't pay their taxes. The legislation, if approved, would mean that anyone with a "seriously delinquent tax debt" could not work for the government, according to Coburn's office. He first introduced the bill in September, but it is now co-sponsored by Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.). |

The Daily Caller today has an incendiary headline on President Obama's budget proposal regarding the Postal Service.  "USPS Gets Short-term Relief from Obama’s 2012 budget, But Some Call it a Bailout"  The headline suggests that that there are individuals who are familiar with postal policy who are willing to call what the President proposed a bailout.  However, the quotes of two conservative critics contained in the article suggest that finding anyone to use the word bailout took a great deal of effort.   |

The foreign postal operators (foreign posts) in industrialized countries in GAO’s review have been experiencing declining letter mail volumes and have modernized their delivery and retail networks to address this challenge. As requested, GAO reviewed the innovations and initiatives that foreign posts are using and the lessons the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) might learn to help it address plummeting mail volumes and record financial losses. USPS currently manages more retail outlets--approximately 32,500--than all of the foreign posts we reviewed combined. In addition, USPS has twice as many delivery points as any foreign post we studied. |

Federal Disability Retirement Benefits for the Postal Worker: The Decision is Always a Personal One to Make-  Editorial by Attorney Robert McGill- It the adversarial nature and confrontational requirements of filing a grievance, or a formal EEO Complaint, or an appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board, or even becoming involved in a class-action lawsuit – is it worth the aggravation, or should one quietly “move on”? Sadly, this has been a haunting question which has plagued Postal Workers for the past decade or more. The workplace culture has become an altered landscape. There has not been a craft which has been left untouched. Whether as a result of increasing competition from private delivery companies, or because of the yearly deficit and chronic loss of revenue from email, technology, and top-heavy upper and middle management salaries, it is always the Craft Employee at the Postal Service who suffers from the trickle-down reality of a decaying system.   |

Sources said after the suspect was arrested, he confessed that he committed the post office murders in Henning, Tennessee. Word of the confession spread quickly in Henning on Wednesday. Paula Robinson and Judy Spray, both workers at the post office in Henning, were found shot to death inside the post office last October.  |

February 2,  2011 

The USPS is actively evaluating various alternative vehicle technologies for the eventual replacement of our fleet of delivery vehicles. Our technology with a good potential is a fuel-efficient gasoline drive train. The vehicle shall be used on multi-stop delivery, relay, collection, and parcel post routes.  The vehicle shall carry payloads up to 454 kg (1,000 lbs) and operate over hilly terrain, semi-improved roads, as well as city streets, and make as many as 700 starts and stops per day to deliver letter mail, parcel post, relays, and to collect mail from street letter boxes in addition to stops and starts required by traffic conditions.   |

Dead Tree Edition - In the past seven days, the U.S. Postal Service has announced it is considering the closing or downsizing of seven distribution centers as it steps up efforts to shrink its mail-processing network. The latest announcements mean that more than 15% of the country's approximately 260 processing and distribution centers are the subject of Area Mail Processing studies, which can lead to work being shifted to facilities in other cities. While the media pay attention to the recent announcement that 2,000 small post offices might close, the less publicized AMPS process could be equally significant for the USPS's workforce, cost savings, and customers. |

Senator Susan Collins, Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee today introduced legislation to stop the costly and escalating abuses of the federal workers' compensation system. The bill would reduce workforce-related costs government wide by converting retirement eligible postal and federal employees on workers' compensation to retirement when they reach retirement age.   |

Yuma mail now delivered on foot to save costs

mike martin, officer in charge of the yuma (arizona) post office, said the new delivery method is more cost effective and efficient, as well as safer for the mail carriers. “Before there was a lot of starting and stopping, hopping out of the vehicle. It was costing us a lot in starters, in gas, and causing physical injuries, twisted ankles, knee problems. “They continue to drive, but there's a lot more walking. You might see some leaner mail carriers,” he noted.   |

Senator Asks PMG To Study Impact On Communities When Closing Rural Post Offices - Senator Conrad urged Donahoe to gather input from the potentially affected communities and study the impact a closing would have on these areas." In many cases, the post office is the bedrock of a community. Shutting it down could have a ripple effect, impacting the local economy and closing off the community to the outside world," Senator Conrad said.  |

February 1,  2011