Carter Calls for Post Office Closings Review

(Washington, DC) – Congressman John Carter is asking the U.S. Post Office for a review of the considerations used in determining which post offices to close in the agency’s cost-cutting decisions this month.

“We fully recognize that bringing federal spending under control requires difficult decisions and sacrifice,” says Carter. “But we also need to know that the tough decisions were made for the right reasons, and that any closings are based on what is least damaging for the postal customer, rather than the bureaucracy and unions.”

Carter has received numerous complaints over the closing of the South Temple Post Office, which residents say is one of the favorite and most efficient locations in the area. Post Office customers have informed Carter that they agree post office locations could be closed to lower costs, but other locations would be better choices based on the superior customer service offered by the South Temple location.

The former Texas state judge is calling for the U.S. Postal Service to provide information on the criteria used to determine which locations should be closed, and what processes are available to challenge those decisions.

On Thursday, January 26, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced that the Senate would take up the “Stock Act,” rather than postal reform legislation during the week of January 30. The Stock Act bans insider trading by Members of Congress. In his State of the Union Address, President Obama indicated that he would promptly sign into law the Stock Act, when passed.

At this point, there is some uncertainty about scheduling Senate consideration of S. 1789, although the Senate Leadership, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Joseph Lieberman, and Ranking GOP Member Susan Collins would like to begin consideration during the week of February 6. A number of speed-bumps confront floor action: the Committee has yet to file its report on the bill; the Congressional Budget Office calculated a significant cost associated with bill; and there are number of controversial provisions in the bill that are generating strong opposition.

National Association of Postmasters of the United States

Letter carrier positions available
Employees can apply through eReassign.

The Postal Service has a limited number of city letter carrier positions available, and current employees are encouraged to apply.

What are the advantages of becoming a city letter carrier?

• Base salary ranges from $44,292 to $57,704 per year
• Daytime work hours
• Interaction with customers
• Outdoor work
• Typically off on Sundays and holidays
• Uniform allowance

Why become a city letter carrier now?

• Taking advantage of this option will provide the greatest selection of jobs and job locations, and increases the chances of finding a job near the applicant’s home.
• Letter carrier seniority begins as soon as the applicant starts.

For more information, employees should contact their local Human Resources office or visit eReassign on LiteBlue to review job listings and locations.

It appears likely that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) will call up S. 1789, the Lieberman-Collins-Carper Brown postal relief bill sometime next week. The only bills that could have supplanted the postal bill’s primacy were bills relating to internet security and reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The internet piracy bill was pulled from the Senate calendar late last week, and there is an agreement on temporary FAA funding.

Last year, the Majority Leader assured Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) and Ranking GOP Member Susan Collins (R-ME) that the Committee-approved postal bill would be one of the first bills to be considered in 2012. Although there are a number of contentious provisions in S. 1789, it seems that Reid will make good on his promise. For more information on full Senate consideration of S. 1789 and other news, link onto calendar year 2012?s first issue of the eNAPUS Legislative and Political Bulletin (PDF).

WASHINGTON — Separate contract negotiations with the National Association of Letter Carriers, AFL-CIO (NALC) and the National Postal Mail Handlers Union, AFL-CIO (NPMHU) have come to an impasse. Under the statutory procedures that apply to postal labor negotiations, if both sides agree, the parties may first engage in mediation and, if unsuccessful, go to interest arbitration. The parties currently are discussing how they will proceed.

Contracts with both unions expired at midnight, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011. All parties agreed to extend negotiations until midnight, Dec. 16, 2011, and again until Jan. 20, 2012. The existing contracts will be followed until terms of a new contract are resolved.

The NALC represents nearly 196,000 employees who work as letter carriers delivering mail primarily in urban areas. The NPMHU represents more than 46,000 employees who work in mail processing plants and Post Offices. Respectively, wages and benefits for NALC- and NPMHU-represented employees exceeded $15.7 billion and $3.5 billion last year.

Unlike the private sector, when negotiations fail, postal employees are not permitted to strike as Congress has designated the Postal Service as an essential service to the nation. An arbitrator determines the final outcome and is not legally required to consider the Postal Service’s financial obligations when rendering a decision.

For additional information on labor negotiations visit this link (PDF).

USPS declines to extend contract talks; NALC ‘disappointed’
Union to seek agreement in mediation

Jan. 20, 2012 — Today, the United States Postal Service declined to extend collective-bargaining negotiations with the National Association of Letter Carriers, triggering an impasse that will automatically send the matter to mediation under the auspices of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. If no consensual agreement is reached in a 60-day period of mediation, the issues will be submitted for final and binding resolution before an “Interest Arbitration” panel, which under law must consider all the evidence presented by the parties.

Fredric Rolando, President of NALC, issued the following statement:

“I am disappointed by the Postal Service’s decision. We have been making steady progress in negotiations, right up through this afternoon. Our negotiations have been innovative, professional and productive and have been conducted at the highest level.

“Now that the formal litigation process has begun, we will pursue a negotiated agreement through mediation and prepare to vigorously defend our members in Interest Arbitration, if it reaches that step.

“Notwithstanding this turn of events, NALC continues to believe that a negotiated agreement is in the best interests of the parties, the businesses that rely on us and the nation we serve. We will continue to negotiate in good faith as mediation takes place under the law’s dispute-resolution process even as we prepare for binding arbitration, and we will work with Congress on vitally needed reforms. We also will work with our external expert advisers to advance a new business model that will revitalize and preserve the USPS as a vital element of the nation’s business and cultural infrastructure.”

FYI: NALC Collective Bargaining Timeline: 1962-2006

Alabama Championship collectible commemorative envelopes
Alabama District – USPS

In celebration of the University of Alabama’s 14th National Football Championship, the USPS Alabama District will have available in select offices in Alabama on January 27 the limited edition Alabama Championship collectible commemorative envelopes for $10 each and double matted art (suitable for framing) for $25 each.

ROLL TIDE!

The commemorative envelopes will include a stamp and game-day cancellation. A list of participating post offices will be forthcoming.

Additionally, collectors can order this very special memorabilia by using the order form listed here. Get yours today because supplies are limited. Please allow three weeks for the delivery of your items.

A bipartisan majority in the House backs six-day mail delivery
NALC

The NALC has learned that 218 House members from both parties—a majority—have now signed on as co-sponsors of H.Res. 137, the measure introduced by Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO) that expresses the sense of the House that the USPS should take “all appropriate measures” to ensure continuation of six-day delivery. “Our members’ hard work continues to pay off,” NALC President Fredric Rolando said. “This level of support will shore up our defense against the attempts by Congressman Darrell Issa and others to ’save’ the Postal Service by cutting service—a counterproductive proposal that would surely fail if implemented.” Click here to find out whether your representative is among this majority, and if he or she is not, click here to find out how you can ask your House member to become a co-sponsor of H. Res. 137.

The U.S. Postal Service today asked the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) to expedite consideration of the Postal Service’s plan to make its operations more efficient, reduce costs and ensure the long-term affordability of mail.

The request filed with the PRC calls on the Commission to issue its non-binding advisory opinion on planned Postal Service network and service standard changes by mid-April 2012. The current moratorium on the closing of any Post Office or mail processing facility expires on May 15, 2012. The Postal Service voluntarily agreed to the moratorium in response to congressional requests in the hope it would help facilitate the enactment of comprehensive postal legislation.

The Postal Service had laid out a carefully designed plan to return to profitability while meeting the changing needs of its customers. The plan includes reducing the number of mail processing facilities from 460 today to fewer than 200 by 2013 and revising mail delivery service standards. The network changes will provide more predictable and reliable service and is part of a broader effort to stabilize the Postal Service finances and continue to provide affordable, universal service for generations to come.

The PRC issued a schedule last week that guarantees the Commission will not issue its non-binding advisory opinion until July 10, 2012, at the earliest. The Postal Service would like to move forward with its planned network and service standard changes with the benefit of the PRC’s advisory opinion, which it would need to have well before May 15.

The Postal Service believes that more than four months, from Dec. 5, 2011 to mid-April 2012, is adequate time for the PRC to evaluate and comment on these proposed operational changes.

The request filed with the PRC is available at http://www.prc.gov/.

It’s nobody’s business
USPS Public disclosure policy and lobbying restrictions

USPS has rules — designed to protect both the Postal Service and employees — that prohibit the communication of confidential, proprietary, and non-public information, as well as information that would violate anti-lobbying laws. These rulers are important, in times such as these, when legislative action has dominated discussions concerning the Postal Service. USPS wants its employees to understand the parameters of anti-lobbying laws and public disclosure.

Employees should not discuss non-public aspects of their work, or any other postal work with anyone other than those directly involved. Sales or cost data, and unreleased financial statistics are examples of such information.

The “Anti-Lobbying Act,” 18 US Code 1913, prohibits the use of postal resources to influence others to speak with Congress about postal issues.

The Government Relations office manages communication to Congress on the Postal Service’s position on issues and legislation, and postal employees may respond to Congressional inquiries through authorized channels. This information may be discussed with USPS stakeholders ? including members of the public. However, employees are prohibited from urging these stakeholders to intercede with Congress.

Anti-lobbying law violations are punishable by civil penalties and are investigated by the Government Accountability Office, which refers cases to the Justice Department for possible enforcement.

Click here for specific examples of what is and is not permissible by the anti-lobbying laws.