Several bills were introduced in Congress this month that would help resolve the Postal Service’s financial crisis and improve service to the American people, APWU Legislative and Political Director Myke Reid reports. Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI) introduced the Postal Investment Act of 2011 (S. 2014) on Dec. 16, which is intended to strengthen the USPS […]
(12/16/11) After several months of discussion with the APWU, postal management has agreed to eliminate the use of “dually appointed” Rural Carrier Associates and Postal Support Employees (PSEs). In accordance with a letter dated Dec. 7 [PDF], the dual appointments will end no later than Jan. 13, 2012. As a result, there are now no […]
The House of Representatives voted 243-193 on Dec. 13 to pass the so-called “Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2011,” which would cut take-home pay for postal and federal workers by increasing their contributions to the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). The bill also would […]
An arbitration hearing began on Dec. 13, 2011, on the first two of several disputes that arose when management incorrectly implemented new provisions of the 2010-2015 Collective Bargaining Agreement. The disputes involve the placement of newly converted full-time employees into non-traditional schedules, and the denial of retreats rights to Clerk Craft employees on posted Non-Traditional […]
As the House of Representatives prepares for a final vote on the payroll tax holiday extension later today, the Republican majority has once again turned to federal employees to foot the bill for it. NALC has weighed in over and over with Congress on the inappropriateness of treating federal workers as the cash cow or […]
Twenty senators are asking Congress to impose a six-month moratorium on USPS plans to consolidate more than 250 mail processing plants, close thousands of post offices, and eliminate overnight mail delivery, in order to give lawmakers an opportunity to consider postal reform legislation. The senators have asked Majority Leader Harry Reid to include language in […]
Time is running out for postal employees involved in the Walker Class-Action lawsuit to return questionnaires they recently received from the Postal Service. The class-action complaint alleges the USPS discriminated against the employees on the basis of disability; the questionnaire [PDF] is about damages the employees may have suffered. An Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Administrative […]
NALC contract talks extended New deadline set for Dec. 16, 2011 Dec. 7, 2011 — NALC President Fred Rolando and USPS Postmaster General Pat Donahoe announced on Wednesday, Dec. 7, that the parties’ 2006-2011 National Agreement has been extended a second time—to midnight Dec. 16, 2011—to give the parties additional time to negotiate the provisions […]
USPS Plan Will Hasten Demise Of a Still-Vital Institution Degrading Mail Service Will Hurt, Not Help, USPS “The Postal Service plan will hasten the demise of the USPS,” APWU President Cliff Guffey said in response to the agency’s announcement that it would seek an advisory opinion from the Postal Regulatory Commission on plans to eliminate […]
NALC President Fredric Rolando responded to the Postal Service’s announcement that it plans to reduce delivery standards with the following statement. “We are very concerned about the proposal to reduce delivery standards. High-quality service is essential to preserving the value of our networks and to any future growth strategy. Degrading standards not only hurts the […]