Wednesday, October 31, 2007

October 31, 2007

Does Federal Employment Equate to Military Service? probably a good idea to be able to prove that you actually did serve in the military. In Burnett v. Merit Systems Protection Board, C.A.F.C. No. 2007-3232 (nonprecedential), 10/22/07, a fired USPS mail handler from Houston, Texas, learned this the hard way. ... [Reference:
www.fedsmith.com]

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

October 30, 2007

Oct. 30, 2007:   How's Your Balance? Compared To What?   "... Most federal and postal workers, and many retirees, have accounts in the federal Thrift Savings Plan. A growing number have balances in excess of one million dollars. ..."    [Reference: www.federalnewsradio.com]



Oct. 30, 2007:    Postal Regulatory Commission:
USPS Could Lose Millions in Proposed Deal
  "... Commissioner Ruth Y. Goldway agreed in part with Tisdale’s dissent: “First and foremost, through this NSA, the Postal Service will lose between $25 and $45 million and opens itself — if it is to be fair to other similarly situated mailers — to lose much more.” But Goldway ultimately decided to “go along with the majority” and voted to approve the NSA with the Bank of America. ..."    [Reference: www.apwu.org]


Sunday, October 28, 2007

News Archive

Oct. 28, 2007:   Does MSPB Order Supersede Union Agreement?   "... contended that the Board's order superseded the national union agreement. The court disagreed: "We reject this view. …[W]e agree that an agency is not required, pursuant to the terms of a Board order, to assign an employee to a particular position when that assignment would violate the applicable collective bargaining agreement." ..."    [Reference: www.fedsmith.com]



Oct. 28, 2007:   Pay for Doorstep Delivery   "... New Homeowners Decry Cluster Boxes": Why doesn't the U.S. Postal Service offer the service of delivery to the homeowner's house but for a fee? ..."    [Reference: www.washingtonpost.com]



Oct. 26, 2007:   Beware Buddies Bearing Buyouts   "... The USPS yesterday advised employees that the "buyout offer" they've been reading about, with very official-looking documentation, is a fake. A fraud. ..."    [Reference: www.federalnewsradio.com]



Oct. 26, 2007:   UPDATED MAIL HANDLER WAGE CHARTS: Including November 2007 Wage Increase   "... The second of six general wage increases to be paid to all mail handlers under the 2006 National Agreement will be implemented effective November 24, 2007, and will be reflected in paychecks on December 14, 2007 (PP25-2007). ..."    [Reference: www.npmhu.org]



Oct. 26, 2007:   Montgomery County Neighbors: Postal Service Won't Deliver Mail   "... According to Rutland, they've tried to come to an agreement with the Postal Service, but he says they won't give any of their recommendations a stamp of approval. He says, "It's almost discriminatory. For $.41, they won't deliver my mail to the box in front of my house." ..."    [Reference: www.wsfa.com]



Oct. 18, 2007:   [Federal Employees] A Slightly Sweeter Diet COLA   "... The 2.3 percent adjustment will show up in your January annuity payment minus deductions for taxes and for higher (in some cases) health insurance. ..."    [Reference: www.federalnewsradio.com]



Oct. 18, 2007:    GlobalOptions Group Clarifies USPS Award   "... program is with the United States Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General. GlobalOptions Group will work with the Office of Inspector General’s Workers Compensation Analyst (WCA) program to investigate and combat workers compensation fraud. ..."    [Reference: businesswire.com]



Oct. 18, 2007:   USPS sells out on zip code   "... The U.S. Postal Service has allowed Saks Fifth Avenue to have its own vanity zip code - for the shoe department at its flagship Fifth Avenue store in New York. It was just rechristened "10022-SHOE." Saks is the first entity to receive such a customized code. The Postal Service maintains that these last four letters are just a fun, creative marketing strategy and that they have nothing to do with processing or delivery. ..."    [Reference: www.philly.com]



Oct. 7, 2007:   Falling Prices & Suspicious Minds   "... Mike Causey: While the prices of everything seem to go up, why would the "cost of living" go down? ..."    [Reference: www.federalnewsradio.com]



Oct. 7, 2007:   American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO
2007 Unofficial Election Results
10/6/2007 15:00
  "... Ballots for the APWU Election of National Officers are being counted by the American Arbitration Association, under the supervision of the APWU National Election Committee. The results are preliminary and unofficial, and will be updated frequentl ..."    [Reference: www.apwu.org]




Oct. 7, 2007:   BOG approves USPS 2008 financial plan   "... “The Board of Governors approved continuing to reduce costs by building on our automation effort and by expanding standardization in all functions, [which includes improving the] use of data to target service improvements and cost reduction opportunities, and to better align our workforce to a changing workload; ..."    [Reference: www.dmnews.com]



Sept. 30, 2007:   Mr. Lebron "DT" Bass, Huntsville, AL; Mail Handler  "... July 23, 1961 - September 20, 2007 ... Rest in peace ..."    [Reference: www.royalfh.com]



Sept. 30, 2007:   USPS revises standard for mailing medical waste   "... so that medical professionals as well as individuals can mail medical waste to disposal sites in larger containers. ..."    [Reference: www.dmnews.com]



Sept. 30, 2007:      "... The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is accepting online applications for Postal Inspector positions from October 1 through October 5. Click here to fill out an on-line application or visit our Employment site for more information. ..."    [Reference: www.usps.com]



Sept.24, 2007:   North Dakota Post Office closed due to tornado   "... The Northwood, ND, Post Office remains damaged after being struck by a tornado. ..."    [Reference: www.usps.com]



Sept.24, 2007:   Open Season. Make That Open Seasons   "... In less than two months (November 12), the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) will start its annual federal employee "benefits" open season. The "benefits" open season will last through December 10, with any changes taking effect in the beginning of January 2008. ..."    [Reference: www.federalnewsradio.com]



Sept.24, 2007:   UAW to strike against GM if 11 a.m. deadline comes without deal   "... If no agreement was reached, bargaining committee members would clear the plant of unionized workers at 11 a.m., and many would head to the picket lines ..."    [Reference: www.mlive.com]



Sept. 17, 2007:   Prunes force evacuation of Sandy Springs post office   "... What kind of message can be divined from a bunch of jars filled with chopped prunes, a photo of President Bush, some Homeland Security pamphlets and a Santa Claus toy with a "New York" tag around its neck? ..."    [Reference: www.ajc.com]



Sept. 17, 2007:   2008 VEHICLES BUILT BY UNION MEMBERS
IN THE UNITED STATES & CANADA
  "... his guide is prepared by the UAW to provide information for consumers who want to purchase vehicles produced by workers who enjoy the benefits and protections of a union contract. ..."    [Reference: www.uaw.org]




Sept. 17, 2007:   US Postal Truck Stolen and Set on Fire   "... taken into custody at a nearby rest stop, where he was sleeping in the cab of the truck, along with pieces of stolen mail. ..."    [Reference: www.katv.com]




Sept. 17, 2007:   NPMHU 2006 National Agreement   "... Copies of the Agreement booklet are in the process of being mailed to all NPMHU members. Please follow this link to review a PDF version of the contract. ..."    [Reference: www.npmhu.org]



Sept. 17, 2007:   XMED MAIL SYSTEM   "... Waste is conveniently transported to the XMED Disposal Facility by the United States Postal Service in compliance with all federal regulations. XMED received approval from the United States Postal Service on January 23rd of this year after almost 15 months in development and testing. ..."    [Reference: www.xmeddisposal.com]



Sept. 16, 2007:   UAW, GM negotiators break for the night; talks to resume Sunday   "... The union is looking for terms that will secure factory jobs and stem the outsourcing of work to nonunion labor. ..."    [Reference: www.detnews.com]




Sept. 16, 2007:   Postal worker moonlights as a diehard for diehards   "...Ask most people who deal with him, and they'll say Salazar is a different breed: aggressive, dedicated and persistent. ..."    [Reference: www.fresnobee.com]



Sept. 11, 2007:   Remembering 9-11   "... Never before seen Video of WTC 9/11 attack found here ..."    [Reference: 9-11memorial.rocket-city.us]




Sept. 10, 2007:   USPS Must Do More For Veterans   "... “The Postal Service has systematically eliminated or contracted out the six job classifications that, under the Veterans’ Preference Act are restricted to applying veterans.” ..."    [Reference: www.apwu.org]




Sept. 10, 2007:   COLA OF $686
TO BE ADDED TO BASE WAGES
  "... will be reflected in paychecks on September 21, 2007 (PP19-2007). ..."    [Reference: www.npmhu.org]




Sept. 10, 2007:   Postal Truck Driver Killed At Mail Processing Center   "... A contract driver for the U.S. Postal Service, a single mother of three, was killed at the Dulles processing and distribution center when she was pulled under a tractor-trailer and dragged, authorities said yesterday. ..."    [Reference: www.washingtonpost.com]



Sept. 10, 2007:    Postal prizes: Kiosks give you shot at payoffs   "... "We liken it to automatic kiosks at banks or airports," Walton said. "When they were first introduced, people didn't go to them. They wanted to deal with a live person for every transaction. ..."    [Reference: www.news-record.com]




Sept. 10, 2007:   Man finds a lot of mail under some bushes   "... oel Leija says he was cleaning his parent's yard in northeast Houston when he found stacks of letters and packages. Some were certified letters, credit card bills and even child support checks. ..."    [Reference: abclocal.go.com]



Sept. 4, 2007:   July 2007 TSP Current Rates of Return   "... Rates of Return were updated on August 1, 2007. ..."    [Reference: www.tsp.gov]



Sept. 4, 2007:   Bridging Two Worlds, USPS Deaf Awareness Month   "... the Postal Service has approximately 4,000 deaf employees nationwide, including 95 in Colorado. Denver has the nation's highest population of deaf and hard-of-hearing postal employees with 65. ..."    [Reference: denver.yourhub.com]




Sept. 4, 2007:   ScanMyPhotos.com’s image raised by USPS flat-rate box   "... ScanMyPhotos charges a flat $99.95 to scan as many photos as can be packed into a single flat-rate box. Built into that fee is the $8.95 USPS flat rate for priority shipping. ..."    [Reference: www.dmnews.com]



Sept. 4, 2007:   Pay Raise, Tax Cut: What Are The Odds?   "... All of them would be possible - the pay raise, the annuity boost, the tax break - if Congress would get moving on three bills that have overwhelming support (in Congress) but can't get through Congress. Confused? Welcome to Washington, sometimes known as Disneyland East. ..."    [Reference: www.federalnewsradio.com]



Sept. 4, 2007:   Ex-postal clerk guilty of mail theft   "... sentenced to three years on probation. ..."    [Reference: www.montgomeryadvertiser.com]



August 27, 2007:   UAW influence on national labor agenda fading   "... the public needs to realize that good pensions and benefits don't come automatically but must be earned through hard bargaining. "I think maybe it's taken for granted that that stuff is automatically given to employees," he said. "I don't think the public is really aware of the impact that it's going to have on retirements and ..."    [Reference: www.freep.com]



August 27, 2007:   Mail call: Local carrier celebrates 50 years on the job   "... "When I left for Alabama A&M, I had no intention of returning until I had graduated," he said. "My mom kinda got in a tight, so I took my tuition and helped her. I never went back and got what I really wanted, but never regretted what I did for my mother." ..."    [Reference: www.al.com]



August 27, 2007:   You've got mail!
When it comes to delivering DVDs, and guarding secrets, Netflix runs a tight ship
  "... Netflix, the movie-rental company, a veritable postal service within the postal service. How does the right movie get to the right person on the right day with greater than 99 percent accuracy? ..."    [Reference: www.boston.com]





August 22, 2007:   2006 National Agreement   "...Copies of the Agreement booklet are in the process of being mailed to all NPMHU members. Please follow this link to review a PDF version of the contract. ..."    [Reference:npmhu ]



August 22, 2007:   A Conversation with Ronald Williams Jr. author of Deep Inside LiteBlue and Thinking Inside The LiteBlue Box.   "... I was motivated to write my books because forums for employee discussion are nonexistent in my working environment. Whenever anyone has an opinion, idea or plain old feedback we are barked at with the comments “that’s your perception or I’m not here to argue” and the discussion ends there ..."    [Reference: www.bookpleasures.com]



August 15, 2007:   Latest CPI Rise Will Yield $686 Annual Increase   "... The COLA will be effective Sept. 1, and will be reflected in Sept. 21 paychecks (Pay Period 19-07). The adjustment will amount to a 33 cents per hour increase, or $26.40 per pay period. ..."    [Reference: www.apwu.org]




August 13, 2007:   Postal workers battle the heat to deliver the mail   "They work harder than any of us realize,” she said. “They've got to be out there in temperatures of 102 and 103 and into a metal vehicle with no air conditioning and hotter than it is outside. It's hard work. It's risky. I think all the people would like to say thank you."    [Reference: www.rrdailyherald.com]



August 13, 2007:   Postal Service: Our building is not for sale   "... A snag developed last week in the plans to put Fernandina Beach City Hall on the second and third floors of the 1912 Post office building downtown: The Postal Service told backers of the plan the building isn't for sale."    [Reference: www.jacksonville.com]



August 9, 2007:   'Most improved' -- but still worst   "...according to Chicago postmaster Gloria Tyson. But mail delivery in city ZIP codes remains the nation's worst. In the most recent audit, Chicago lagged behind big cities including..."    [Reference: www.suntimes.com]




August 9, 2007:   Balchs have proud history of service here and abroad   "... Samuel and Joe Sr. were letter carriers for the post office. ..."    [Reference: www.al.com]



August 9, 2007:   Dogs rout delivery of mail to 639 addresses

BITES AND BOTHER: Mail carriers have reported 79 incidents this year.
  "... Instead of delivering mail to each of the 639 addresses in the neighborhood, which is south of Beach Boulevard and east of Southside Boulevard, the mail will be delivered to the box units being installed in eight locations throughout the affected area ..."    [Reference: www.jacksonville.com]




August 7, 2007:   Lawsuit over personal data brings out postal workers   "... Four days after a Seattle law firm accused the U.S. Postal Service of selling the personal information of employees without consent, more than 100 postal workers have come forward saying they want restitution. ..."    [Reference: seattlepi.nwsource.com]




July 30, 2007:    Tennessee AMP Study Terminated   "... “After review, it has been determined that there are currently no significant opportunities to improve efficiency and/or service through consolidation of certain mail processing operations at the Jackson, TN Post Office into the Memphis, TN Processing and Distribution Center,” the Postal Service wrote ..."    [Reference: www.apwu.org]



July 30, 2007:   (UK) Postal worker stabbed by needle   "... A postwoman faces an agonising wait to see if she has contracted any diseases after she was stabbed in the hand with a hypodermic needle ..."    [Reference: bbc.co.uk]



July 30, 2007:   Postal Facts 2007   "... We …

* Process and deliver more than 213 billion pieces of mail — letters, cards, ads, bills, payments and packages — every year.
o Nearly 703 million pieces per day
o More than 29 million pieces per hour
o More than 488,000 pieces per minute
o More than 8,000 pieces per second
* Deliver mail to more than 300 million people at 146 million homes ..."    [Reference: www.usps.com]





July 26, 2007:   Buyout Rumor Appears to be False -   "... It is speculated that the rumors began to spread due to a FY 2007 buyout in another agency. ..."    [Reference: see FAQ from other agency]



July 26, 2007:   COLA's and the Federal Retiree: A Mid-Term Report   "...the COLA increase is determined by a formula that is automatically applied each year. A retiree wil not know until late in the year how much of an increase there will be in next year's retirement check. The Department of Labor calculates the change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for urban wage earners and clerical workers from the third quarter average of the previous year to the third quarter average for the current year.
..."    [Reference: www.fedsmith.com]




July 26, 2007:   Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) Update   "... In June, the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W) rose to 607.374. After the fifth month of the six-month measuring period, and assuming the adjustment was made based on the June index point, the second COLA under the 2006-2010 National Agreement would be $728, which works out to $28.00 per pay period or 35 cents per hour. However, the adjustment will be made based on the July 2007 index and will be effective Sept. 1, 2007 (pay period 19-2007, pay date Sept. 21, 2007). ..."    [Reference: www.apwu.org]




July 26, 2007:   Too Sick To Work at One Agency But Not A Second One   "... The court points to the USPS Employee and Labor Relations Manual which states at Section 513.312 that "[a]n employee who is in sick leave status may not engage in any gainful employment unless prior approval has been granted by appropriate authority." The court finds reasonable and defers to the agency's interpretation of this policy that outside employment is not permitted "during any day for which an employee has taken sick leave" unless specifically approved by USPS. (p. 2) ..."    [Reference: www.fedsmith.com]



July 24, 2007:   Carlsbad man powerful ally for superheroes stamps   "... As one of six art directors for the U.S. Postal Service, the Carlsbad resident coordinated the design of a new Marvel Super Heroes commemorative stamp series. ..."    [Reference: www.signonsandiego.com]



July 19, 2007:   Postal carrier shot in Cal City   "... The gunman had drawn his gun when the mailman got out of the vehicle, and the man shot him in the leg with a small revolver, Krenn said. The gunman appeared interested in robbing the mailman, not stealing mail ..."    [Reference: www.thetimesonline.com]




July 19, 2007:   Postal service to offer Flight 93 postmark   "... I’ll start getting calls as soon as it’s out,” she said. “Some people collect them. Some people just want keepsakes. ..."    [Reference: www.tribune-democrat.com]



July 19, 2007:   NALC - Tentative Agreement Highlights   "... Under proposed terms, the average letter carrier salary would increase $4,200 over the life of the contract solely from general wage increases. ..."    [Reference: www.nalc.org]



July 18, 2007:   Postman who vanished is charged in federal court   "... Police in Columbus discovered Jordan at a coin-operated laundry Saturday after a customer reported seeing a handgun in a man's travel bag. They arrested Jordan on a charge of unlawful possession of a handgun. ..."    [Reference: www.indystar.com]




July 14, 2007:   NALC-USPS Negotiators Settle On Five-Year National Contract   "... The agreement, retroactive to November 21, 2006, provides general wage increases of 8.85 percent over five years along with regular cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) and a single lump-sum COLA payment of $686 for the period between July 2006 and May 2007. ..."    [Reference: www.nalc.org]



July 14, 2007:   Mail Man Disappears
  "... His truck was found by co-workers in downtown Greenfield with the mail still inside. Jordan usually parks his truck in the morning and walks his route.

..."    [Reference: www.wlky.com]




July 11, 2007:   Ex-postal exec enters guilty plea to years of graft   "... A former supervisor of more than 75 post offices in New Jersey yesterday admitted steering contracts to private businesses in return for cash and other favors and also to getting an employee to do work at his home. ..."    [Reference: www.nj.com]




July 11, 2007:   U.S. Compiling Suspect List in Goldman Mail Threats   "... investigators are probing whether 31 letters sent to media outlets threatening an attack on Goldman Sachs Group Inc., the world's biggest securities firm, were mailed by disgruntled employees, a federal official said. ..."    [Reference: www.bloomberg.com]



July 11, 2007:   OPM modifies rules for figuring certain employees' retirement benefits   "... According to an OPM benefits administration letter, federal employees on workers' compensation who hold a full-time appointment but are able to work only part-time now will be credited for full-time service. ..."    [Reference: www.federalnewsradio.com]



July 9, 2007:   [Fairbanks, AK] Postal changes aim to thin lines   "... Local postal leaders said they have not been allowed to replace employees lost over the past few years to relocation or retirement, leaving large gaps in operations. The current realignment aims to fix this staffing shortage by combining and shifting job duties. ..."    [Reference: newsminer.com]




July 9, 2007:   Postal service facing change   "... "I think within the next six to eight months the Congress of the United States is going to decide an issue that's going to determine whether or not we have a reliable, efficient postal service in the future," said William H. Young, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers. ..."    [Reference: www.dailybulletin.com]



July 9, 2007:   $525,000 house, no mailbox?   "... The National Association of Home Builders is lobbying against communal delivery. A.J. Holliday, a lawyer for the Washington-based interest group, called the new postal strategy "discrimination" against people buying new homes. ..."    [Reference: www.indystar.com]



July 5, 2007:   Chain-linked deception: Letters raise red flags   "... her daily mail, there was an offer in it that supposedly allowed the prospective participant to make as much as $250,000 in just a few weeks time. ..."    [Reference: www.oanow.com]



July 5, 2007:   Despite Majority Support, ‘EFCA’ Blocked in Senate   "...The Employee Free Choice Act (S. 1041) would give American workers greater freedom to make their own choices about joining unions. EFCA would stiffen penalties for harassment, intimidation, and other illegal tactics employers often use to prevent workers from having a voice at work and being able to bargain for better wages, benefits, and working conditions.

The legislation would also recognize workers’ freedom to form unions when a majority of employees sign forms designating a union as their bargaining representative. ... ... Voted Against EFCA: Sessions (R-AL),
Shelby (R-AL)
..."    [Reference: www.apwu.org]




July 5, 2007:   Jail time for postal carriers   "... sentences of four U.S. Postal Service workers arrested for selling cocaine and marijuana, at times from their post office vehicles. ..."    [Reference: www.bostonnow.com]




July 1, 2007:   "(AP) Postal Service fined for violation at building with asbestos" - OAK RIDGE, Tenn.   "... dust from crumbling old floor tiles at a U.S. Postal Service building in Oak Ridge "could cause health hazards," a federal report states. ..."    [Reference: www.wkrn.com/nashville/]




July 1, 2007:   Trainee signatures are not required to verify training; U.S. Postal Service is covered by the OSHAct   "... There is no OSHA standard that requires "the signatures of all employees in attendance for all safety stand up talks." However, certain OSHA standards, such as our Personal Protective Equipment standard, 29 CFR 1910.132, require verification, through a written certification, that each affected employee has received and understood the required training. The written certification must contain the name of each employee trained, the date(s) of training, and identify the subject of the certification. It is a common industry practice to take attendance of all employees who attended training sessions, however, OSHA does not require signatures from employees who have attended training sessions. ..."    [Reference: www.osha.gov]




July 1, 2007:   Ex-postal employee confesses to crime   "... pleaded guilty in US District Court to felony money handling charges for issuing herself a money order she did not pay for to pay off a traffic ticket. ..."    [Reference: www.wmcstations.com]