"...WBNS-TV says the devices were found at postal facilities in Guysville and Stewart..."
This Article is From: usatoday.com
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Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Reports: Possible pipe bombs found at two Ohio post offices
This Article is From: usatoday.com
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Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Doggies Gone Postal
Postal Workers Barred From Carrying Doggie Treats
This Article is From: wcco.com
Read our latest posts!
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"...Mail carrier versus dog: the eternal conflict. Contrary to the cliché, some dogs aren't trying to chase mail carriers away, they can't wait to see them. That's because some carriers try to soothe the savage beasts along their routes with doggie treats..."
This Article is From: wcco.com
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Mailman seeks comfort in kilt
"...Paul Lunde, who promoted the resolution in Oregon and has worn kilts on St. Patrick's Day, Halloween, and occasional Saturdays when his supervisors aren't paying attention, said that expanding the uniform choices would be a way to express his Celtic heritage, just as Jewish postal workers are allowed to wear yarmulkes...."
This Article is From: www.boston.com
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Friday, July 18, 2008
USPS Advisory Council: APWU -v-Bush
APWU Sues Bush Over Failure To Appoint USPS Advisory Council
This Article is From: www.apwu.org
Read our latest posts!
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"...Under the law, the postmaster general serves as chairman of the council, the deputy postmaster general serves as vice-chair, and the president is required to appoint 11 other members, including four nominated by postal labor unions; four representatives of major mail users; and three representing the public at large. The postmaster general is named in the suit because the responsibility for forming the council may have been delegated to him as chief executive officer of the Postal Service..."
This Article is From: www.apwu.org
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Wednesday, July 16, 2008
COLA Update for June 2008 (CPI)
Contract COLA: $1,330
"...The actual COLA will reflect the increase in the CPI between January and July 2008. It will be payable the second full pay period following the release of the July 2008 index..."
Source: www.nalc.org
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(APWU) Burrus to VER-Eligible Employees: ‘DON’T GO’
"...about an offer of Voluntary Early Retirement (VER), APWU President William Burrus is advising union members to delay making a decision as long as possible.
“The decision about when to retire is a personal one that is influenced by family obligations and lifestyle,” Burrus said. “But the attractiveness of ending a career early should be weighed with consideration of factors that may not be readily apparent.”
In addition to life-long annuity reductions, he said, employees should realize that the Postal Service offer is being made because of the prospect of heavy financial losses in the current fiscal year and beyond. “The opportunity to retire early may be tempting, but it is not being offered for the employee’s benefit: It is intended to improve the financial condition of the Postal Service.”
“An employee who retires after 25 years of service can expect to receive an annuity of less than half of the average basic salary of the last three years,” Burrus said. He noted that this would exclude most of the time period covered by the 2008 upgrade and the September 2008 Cost-of-Living Adjustment, which is expected to be over $1,000 — one of the largest in postal history.
“Employees who can work for another 15 years before reaching their annuity maximums can expect pay hikes over that time equal to the nearly $18,000 in raises over the past 15 years,” Burrus said of the increase from $34,000 to September’s $52,000.
“The USPS would save about $1 million in salary, benefits, and retirement annuity for each such employee,” he said.
“Those who take the early-out offer will allow the Postal Service to avoid these future obligations, while receiving a significantly lower annuity for the balance of their lives — and lives of their survivors.” The annuity reduction would be “substantial,” he said, and cannot be justified unless the Postal Service offers an incentive.
“We have discussed incentives with the Postal Service,” Burrus said, “but, so far, management has refused to consider any kind of bonus in conjunction with the early-out offer.” The discussions with management are continuing, he said.
“We do not oppose Voluntary Early Retirement per se,” Burrus said, “but we believe incentives should be offered and all eligible employees should be included.”
“And we expect that if a sufficient number of employees do not accept the early-out, the Postal Service will still face a significant deficit, and will still be forced to find ways to reduce the workforce. We will be having continuing discussions with postal management,” he said, “and these discussions will be influenced by the number of employees who voluntarily retire without incentives.”
“In this uncertain economy, there is no reason to make a hasty decision,” Burrus said. “Energy and medical costs are escalating, which will make it extremely difficult to survive on a fixed income. One simply has to consider the financial disincentives to retire early, especially without an upfront monetary incentive.”
“As employees who meet the eligibility criteria think about their choices, I ask that they forgo making a quick decision. At this time, the union’s recommendation to eligible employees is that unless you have compelling personal reasons to retire early, DON’T GO.” ..."
This Article is From: www.apwu.org
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Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Clinton to Address Letter Carriers' Convention
Over 8,800 Delegates Heading to Boston Event
This Article is From: www.marketwatch.com
Read our latest posts!
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"...Over 8,800 letter carriers are planning to convene in Boston July 21-25 as delegates to the 66th Biennial National Convention of the National Association of Letter Carriers -- the largest convention among AFL-CIO unions...."
This Article is From: www.marketwatch.com
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Employees Would Be Best Served by Postponing Early-Out Decisions
"...We also can expect that if a sufficient number of employees do not accept the early-out offer, the Postal Service will still face a significant deficit, and will still be forced to find ways to reduce the workforce. In light of these factors, it would be foolish for employees to retire early without achieving all of their personal objectives. The union will continue to discuss the details of the early-out offer and will report the results of those discussions. Among the subjects to be addressed are whether all APWU-represented employees will be included and whether eligible employees will receive an incentive bonus for retiring...."
This Article is From: www.apwu.org
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Saturday, July 12, 2008
Severance Pay for Postal and Federal Workers
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Federal Severance Pay
Description
Severance pay is authorized for full-time and part-time employees who are involuntarily separated from Federal service and who meet other conditions of eligibility.
Eligibility for Severance Pay
To be eligible for severance pay, an employee must be serving under a qualifying appointment, have a regularly scheduled tour of duty, have completed at least 12 months of continuous service, and be removed from Federal service by involuntary separation for reasons other than inefficiency (i.e., unacceptable performance or conduct).
Ineligibility for Severance Pay
An employee is not eligible for severance pay if he or she is serving under a nonqualifying appointment; declines a reasonable offer of assignment to another position; is serving under a qualifying appointment in an agency scheduled to be terminated within 1 year after the date of the appointment; is receiving injury compensation under 5 U.S.C. chapter 81, subchapter I; or is eligible upon separation for an immediate annuity from a Federal civilian retirement system or from the uniformed services. The employing agency must determine whether an employee was provided a reasonable offer, as defined in 5 CFR 550.703.
Qualifying Appointments
The following appointments are qualifying appointments for severance pay eligibility:
* A career or career-conditional appointment in the competitive service or the equivalent in the excepted service;
* A career appointment in the Senior Executive Service;
* An excepted appointment without time limitation, except under Schedule C or an equivalent appointment made for similar purposes;
* An overseas limited appointment without time limitation;
* A status quo appointment, including one that becomes indefinite when the employee is promoted, demoted, or reassigned;
* A time-limited appointment in the Foreign Service, when the employee was assigned under a statutory authority that carried entitlement to reemployment in the same agency, but this right of reemployment has expired; and
* A time-limited appointment (or series of time-limited appointments by the same agency without any breaks in service) for full-time employment that takes effect within 3 calendar days after the end of a qualifying appointment.
Nonqualifying Appointments
The following types of appointments are nonqualifying appointments and do not convey eligibility for severance pay:
* An appointment at a noncovered agency (see the definition of agency in 5 CFR 550.703);
* An appointment in which the employee has an intermittent work schedule;
* A Presidential appointment;
* An emergency appointment;
* An excepted appointment under Schedule C or an equivalent appointment made for similar purposes;
* A noncareer appointment in the Senior Executive Service or an equivalent appointment made for similar purposes; and
* A time-limited appointment (except for a time-limited appointment that is qualifying because it is made effective within 3 calendar days after separation from a qualifying appointment), including�
o A term appointment;
o An overseas limited appointment with a time limitation;
o A limited term or limited emergency appointment in the Senior Executive Service, as defined in 5 U.S.C. 3132(a), or an equivalent appointment made for similar purposes;
o A Veterans Readjustment Appointment; and
o A Presidential Management Fellows appointment.
12 Months of Continuous Employment
To be eligible for severance pay, an employee must have completed at least 12 months of continuous service by the date of separation. This continuous service may consist of one or more civilian Federal positions held over a period of 12 months without a single break in service of more than 3 calendar days. The positions held must have been under one or more qualifying appointments; one or more nonqualifying temporary appointments that precede the current qualifying appointment; or an appointment to a position in a nonappropriated fund instrumentality of the Department of Defense or the Coast Guard that precedes the current qualifying appointment in the Department of Defense or the Coast Guard, respectively.
Resignations and Involuntary Separation
If an employee expects to be involuntarily separated and resigns, the employee is considered to have been involuntarily separated if he or she resigns after receiving a specific written notice that he or she will be involuntarily separated by a particular action effective on a particular date; or a general written notice of reduction in force or transfer of functions which�
* Is issued by a properly authorized agency official;
* Announces that the agency has decided to abolish, or transfer to another commuting area, all positions in the competitive area by a particular date (no more than 1 year after the date of the notice); and
* States that, for all employees in that competitive area, a resignation following receipt of the notice constitutes an involuntary separation for severance pay purposes.
However, a resignation is not considered an involuntary separation if the specific or general written notice is canceled before the separation (based on that resignation) takes effect. Resignations under any other circumstances are voluntary separations and do not carry entitlement to severance pay.
Computation of Severance Pay Fund
An employee�s severance pay fund may consist of two parts�the basic severance pay allowance and an age adjustment allowance, if applicable.
Basic severance pay allowance
The basic severance pay allowance consists of�
* One week of pay at the rate of basic pay for the position held by the employee at the time of separation for each full year of creditable service through 10 years;
* Two weeks of pay at the rate of basic pay for the position held by the employee at the time of separation for each full year of creditable service beyond 10 years; and
* Twenty-five percent of the otherwise applicable amount for each full 3 months of creditable service beyond the final full year.
The weekly rate of basic pay for employees with variable work schedules is determined based on the weekly average for the last position held by the employee during the 26 biweekly pay periods immediately preceding separation. The regulations at 5 CFR 550.707(b) provide specific instructions on calculating the weekly rate for various types of variable work schedules, including part-time work and seasonal work. For information on how to calculate the approximate amount of severance pay for employees with non-variable work schedules, please see the �Severance Pay Estimation Worksheets� at http://fehb.opm.gov/rif/general/egrifben.asp.
Age Adjustment Allowance
The basic severance pay allowance is augmented by an age adjustment allowance consisting of 2.5 percent of the basic severance pay allowance for each full 3 months of age over 40 years.
Rate of Basic Pay
Rate of basic pay means the rate of pay fixed by law or administrative action for the position held by the employee, including, as applicable, annual premium pay for standby duty, law enforcement availability pay, straight-time pay for regular overtime hours for firefighters, night differential for prevailing rate employees, locality payments, and special rate supplements. Rate of basic pay does not include additional pay of any other kind. (See definition of rate of basic pay in 5 CFR 550.703.)
Lifetime Limitation
An employee may not receive a total of more than 52 weeks of severance pay during his or her lifetime.
Creditable Service for Computing Severance Pay
The following types of service are creditable for computing an employee�s severance pay:
* Civilian service as an employee (as defined in 5 U.S.C. 2105), excluding time during a period of nonpay status that is not creditable for annual leave accrual purposes under 5 U.S.C. 6303(a);
* Service performed with the United States Postal Service or the Postal Rate Commission;
* Military service, including active or inactive training with the National Guard, when performed by an employee who returns to civilian service through the exercise of a restoration right provided by law, Executive order, or regulation;
* Service performed by an employee of a nonappropriated fund instrumentality of the Department of Defense or the Coast Guard and who moves to a civilian position with the Department of Defense or the Coast Guard, respectively, without a break in service of more than 3 days; and
* Service performed with the government of the District of Columbia by an individual first employed by that government before October 1, 1987, excluding service as a teacher or librarian of the public schools of the District of Columbia.
Accrual and Payment of Severance Pay
Severance pay accrues on a day-to-day basis following the recipient�s separation from Federal employment. Severance payments must be made at the same pay period intervals that salary payments would be made if the recipient were still employed. The amount of the severance payment is computed using the recipient�s rate of basic pay in effect immediately before separation. Severance payments are subject to appropriate deductions for income and Social Security taxes. Severance payments are the responsibility of the agency employing the recipient at the time of the involuntary separation that triggered the current entitlement to severance pay. The regulations at 5 CFR 550.709 provide more details on the accrual and payment of severance pay.
Reemployment and Termination or Suspension of Severance Pay
If an individual entitled to severance pay later accepts a position with the Federal Government or the government of the District of Columbia, he or she is no longer eligible for severance pay and severance pay is terminated. The employing agency must then record on the appointment document the number of weeks of severance pay the individual has received. If the employee again becomes entitled to severance pay, the agency from which the employee is involuntarily separated must recompute the severance pay allowance on the basis of all creditable service and the individual�s current age. The agency must deduct the number of weeks for which severance pay previously was received from the number of weeks it would take to exhaust the recomputed allowance.
If an individual entitled to severance pay is employed by the Federal Government or the government of the District of Columbia under a nonqualifying time-limited appointment, severance pay is suspended during the life of the appointment, but resumes (without being recomputed) when the employee separates from the nonqualifying time-limited appointment. The resumed severance payments are the responsibility of the agency that originally separated the individual involuntarily.
References
5 U.S.C. 5595
5 CFR part 550, subpart G
Read our latest posts!
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Federal Severance Pay
APWU President Burrus states, "...that for this VER, which is not the result of contract negotiations, severance pay must accompany an offer of early retirement."
With this valid statement, postal workers are wondering how severance pay is computated. OPM explains it as follows [Reference: http://www.opm.gov/oca/pay/html/severance_pay.asp]:Description
Severance pay is authorized for full-time and part-time employees who are involuntarily separated from Federal service and who meet other conditions of eligibility.
Eligibility for Severance Pay
To be eligible for severance pay, an employee must be serving under a qualifying appointment, have a regularly scheduled tour of duty, have completed at least 12 months of continuous service, and be removed from Federal service by involuntary separation for reasons other than inefficiency (i.e., unacceptable performance or conduct).
Ineligibility for Severance Pay
An employee is not eligible for severance pay if he or she is serving under a nonqualifying appointment; declines a reasonable offer of assignment to another position; is serving under a qualifying appointment in an agency scheduled to be terminated within 1 year after the date of the appointment; is receiving injury compensation under 5 U.S.C. chapter 81, subchapter I; or is eligible upon separation for an immediate annuity from a Federal civilian retirement system or from the uniformed services. The employing agency must determine whether an employee was provided a reasonable offer, as defined in 5 CFR 550.703.
Qualifying Appointments
The following appointments are qualifying appointments for severance pay eligibility:
* A career or career-conditional appointment in the competitive service or the equivalent in the excepted service;
* A career appointment in the Senior Executive Service;
* An excepted appointment without time limitation, except under Schedule C or an equivalent appointment made for similar purposes;
* An overseas limited appointment without time limitation;
* A status quo appointment, including one that becomes indefinite when the employee is promoted, demoted, or reassigned;
* A time-limited appointment in the Foreign Service, when the employee was assigned under a statutory authority that carried entitlement to reemployment in the same agency, but this right of reemployment has expired; and
* A time-limited appointment (or series of time-limited appointments by the same agency without any breaks in service) for full-time employment that takes effect within 3 calendar days after the end of a qualifying appointment.
Nonqualifying Appointments
The following types of appointments are nonqualifying appointments and do not convey eligibility for severance pay:
* An appointment at a noncovered agency (see the definition of agency in 5 CFR 550.703);
* An appointment in which the employee has an intermittent work schedule;
* A Presidential appointment;
* An emergency appointment;
* An excepted appointment under Schedule C or an equivalent appointment made for similar purposes;
* A noncareer appointment in the Senior Executive Service or an equivalent appointment made for similar purposes; and
* A time-limited appointment (except for a time-limited appointment that is qualifying because it is made effective within 3 calendar days after separation from a qualifying appointment), including�
o A term appointment;
o An overseas limited appointment with a time limitation;
o A limited term or limited emergency appointment in the Senior Executive Service, as defined in 5 U.S.C. 3132(a), or an equivalent appointment made for similar purposes;
o A Veterans Readjustment Appointment; and
o A Presidential Management Fellows appointment.
12 Months of Continuous Employment
To be eligible for severance pay, an employee must have completed at least 12 months of continuous service by the date of separation. This continuous service may consist of one or more civilian Federal positions held over a period of 12 months without a single break in service of more than 3 calendar days. The positions held must have been under one or more qualifying appointments; one or more nonqualifying temporary appointments that precede the current qualifying appointment; or an appointment to a position in a nonappropriated fund instrumentality of the Department of Defense or the Coast Guard that precedes the current qualifying appointment in the Department of Defense or the Coast Guard, respectively.
Resignations and Involuntary Separation
If an employee expects to be involuntarily separated and resigns, the employee is considered to have been involuntarily separated if he or she resigns after receiving a specific written notice that he or she will be involuntarily separated by a particular action effective on a particular date; or a general written notice of reduction in force or transfer of functions which�
* Is issued by a properly authorized agency official;
* Announces that the agency has decided to abolish, or transfer to another commuting area, all positions in the competitive area by a particular date (no more than 1 year after the date of the notice); and
* States that, for all employees in that competitive area, a resignation following receipt of the notice constitutes an involuntary separation for severance pay purposes.
However, a resignation is not considered an involuntary separation if the specific or general written notice is canceled before the separation (based on that resignation) takes effect. Resignations under any other circumstances are voluntary separations and do not carry entitlement to severance pay.
Computation of Severance Pay Fund
An employee�s severance pay fund may consist of two parts�the basic severance pay allowance and an age adjustment allowance, if applicable.
Basic severance pay allowance
The basic severance pay allowance consists of�
* One week of pay at the rate of basic pay for the position held by the employee at the time of separation for each full year of creditable service through 10 years;
* Two weeks of pay at the rate of basic pay for the position held by the employee at the time of separation for each full year of creditable service beyond 10 years; and
* Twenty-five percent of the otherwise applicable amount for each full 3 months of creditable service beyond the final full year.
The weekly rate of basic pay for employees with variable work schedules is determined based on the weekly average for the last position held by the employee during the 26 biweekly pay periods immediately preceding separation. The regulations at 5 CFR 550.707(b) provide specific instructions on calculating the weekly rate for various types of variable work schedules, including part-time work and seasonal work. For information on how to calculate the approximate amount of severance pay for employees with non-variable work schedules, please see the �Severance Pay Estimation Worksheets� at http://fehb.opm.gov/rif/general/egrifben.asp.
Age Adjustment Allowance
The basic severance pay allowance is augmented by an age adjustment allowance consisting of 2.5 percent of the basic severance pay allowance for each full 3 months of age over 40 years.
Rate of Basic Pay
Rate of basic pay means the rate of pay fixed by law or administrative action for the position held by the employee, including, as applicable, annual premium pay for standby duty, law enforcement availability pay, straight-time pay for regular overtime hours for firefighters, night differential for prevailing rate employees, locality payments, and special rate supplements. Rate of basic pay does not include additional pay of any other kind. (See definition of rate of basic pay in 5 CFR 550.703.)
Lifetime Limitation
An employee may not receive a total of more than 52 weeks of severance pay during his or her lifetime.
Creditable Service for Computing Severance Pay
The following types of service are creditable for computing an employee�s severance pay:
* Civilian service as an employee (as defined in 5 U.S.C. 2105), excluding time during a period of nonpay status that is not creditable for annual leave accrual purposes under 5 U.S.C. 6303(a);
* Service performed with the United States Postal Service or the Postal Rate Commission;
* Military service, including active or inactive training with the National Guard, when performed by an employee who returns to civilian service through the exercise of a restoration right provided by law, Executive order, or regulation;
* Service performed by an employee of a nonappropriated fund instrumentality of the Department of Defense or the Coast Guard and who moves to a civilian position with the Department of Defense or the Coast Guard, respectively, without a break in service of more than 3 days; and
* Service performed with the government of the District of Columbia by an individual first employed by that government before October 1, 1987, excluding service as a teacher or librarian of the public schools of the District of Columbia.
Accrual and Payment of Severance Pay
Severance pay accrues on a day-to-day basis following the recipient�s separation from Federal employment. Severance payments must be made at the same pay period intervals that salary payments would be made if the recipient were still employed. The amount of the severance payment is computed using the recipient�s rate of basic pay in effect immediately before separation. Severance payments are subject to appropriate deductions for income and Social Security taxes. Severance payments are the responsibility of the agency employing the recipient at the time of the involuntary separation that triggered the current entitlement to severance pay. The regulations at 5 CFR 550.709 provide more details on the accrual and payment of severance pay.
Reemployment and Termination or Suspension of Severance Pay
If an individual entitled to severance pay later accepts a position with the Federal Government or the government of the District of Columbia, he or she is no longer eligible for severance pay and severance pay is terminated. The employing agency must then record on the appointment document the number of weeks of severance pay the individual has received. If the employee again becomes entitled to severance pay, the agency from which the employee is involuntarily separated must recompute the severance pay allowance on the basis of all creditable service and the individual�s current age. The agency must deduct the number of weeks for which severance pay previously was received from the number of weeks it would take to exhaust the recomputed allowance.
If an individual entitled to severance pay is employed by the Federal Government or the government of the District of Columbia under a nonqualifying time-limited appointment, severance pay is suspended during the life of the appointment, but resumes (without being recomputed) when the employee separates from the nonqualifying time-limited appointment. The resumed severance payments are the responsibility of the agency that originally separated the individual involuntarily.
References
5 U.S.C. 5595
5 CFR part 550, subpart G
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Early Retirement Incentive ...other government entities
While the USPS attempts to reduce employee numbers without benefit or cash incentives, other government organizations provide a more appealing offer. In one example, the State of New Jersey offers (2008) an Early Retirement Incentive (ERI) with Paid New Jersey Health Benefits Program (SHBP) post-retirement medical benefits, additional years of service (an additional 5.45% of final average salary), and $500 per month for 24 months after retirement, paid separately from the retirement allowance. Now that's a State that appreciates their employees ...and of course the $136 million in immediate budget savings, and more savings in future years. If one singular State can reap such huge benefit, how much would the Postal Service save in a similar early retirement offer?
Of course, no one can fault the USPS for FIRST attempting to reduce numbers without benefit or monetary incentives, as it makes sense to first try to take the cheaper way out ...no matter how unsuccessful that will be. However, there will be a few that will take the Voluntary Early Retirement without incentive, and that will produce an economic benefit to the USPS. The big question is, "when will the USPS offer a VSIP to truly entice individuals to retire that were not already considering retirement?" Some speculate they will not offer a cash or benefit incentive at all, while some realize that will be the only way to reduce numbers substantially. Let's wait and see how well this non-incentive offer pans out.
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Friday, July 11, 2008
USPS VERA Approved
[NPMHU] First Update on VERA: Voluntary Early Retirement
This Article is From: npmhu317.blogspot.com
Read our latest posts!
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"...The National Office has learned that the Postal Service has formally been granted authority by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management to offer a VERA to certain postal employees during the period from June 30, 2008 through June 30, 2009. ..."
This Article is From: npmhu317.blogspot.com
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Postal Early Outs
"...a buyout payment. Some agencies are offering both (on a very limited basis) but the USPS is not going to do that. Buyouts are worth a maximum of $25,000, but after deductions the take-home payment is in the $16,000 to $18,000 range. ..."
This Article is From: www.federalnewsradio.com
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Post office to cut 20K employees
"..."I've heard rumors that they're not offering cash -- this would be a buyout without cash, so they must be going to offer years of service," said Jones, a clerk at the drive-through service window. "I'm planning to stick around a couple of more years."..."
This Article is From: www.delmarvanow.com
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Thursday, July 10, 2008
Local postal workers tired of violence in workplace
"..."Management is constantly harassing, intimidating, finger pointing, and bullying letter carriers on the workroom floor on a daily basis," said Williams. "Management is constantly standing behind us while we are prepping our mail, in order to try and see if they can intimidate us into speeding up in the office." Tensions are high because of the need to deliver mail on more routes with fewer employees. Representatives from the U.S. Postal Service say they are facing economic challenges and are looking for ways to work more efficiently while still treating their workers appropriately. ..."
This Article is From: www.9news.com
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APWU Meets with USPS, Seeks Bargaining Over Early-Outs
"...“I also reiterated our request for all pertinent information,” he said, “including the Postal Service’s request to the Office of Personnel Management requesting authority to offer early-outs, and OPM’s response.” Under the law, federal agencies, including the Postal Service, must receive approval from OPM to offer Voluntary Early Retirement (VER) opportunities to their employees...."
This Article is From: www.apwu.org
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Wednesday, July 9, 2008
COLA CPI-W Update: May 2008 CPI-W
May 2008 CPI-W COLA
This Article is From: www.narfe.org
Read our latest posts!
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"...The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) increased 1.0 percent in May 2008 according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS)..."
This Article is From: www.narfe.org
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No Buyouts for USPS Postal Early Retirement
20,000 postal clerks, mail handlers may get early retirement
This Article is From: federaltimes.com
Read our latest posts!
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"...a statement issued to Federal Times July 8, the Postal Service said it will not offer buyouts to anyone taking early retirement. The Postal Service said further details on the early retirement offer will be released later this week...."
This Article is From: federaltimes.com
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Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Contract letter carrier followed...
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Hidden camera crew trails 'contracted' letter carrier
This Article is From: www.workdayminnesota.org
Read our latest posts!
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Hidden camera crew trails 'contracted' letter carrier
"...Union leaders warned management this would happen. If the U.S. Postal Service contracted out mail delivery in places like Beaverton, Ore., there would be accountability problems and breaches of mail security, said National Association of Letter Carriers officers like L.C. Hansen, president of Branch 82 in Portland...."
This Article is From: www.workdayminnesota.org
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Ben Franklin produced the first catalog in the U.S.
Benny does catalogs
This Article is From: yourpostalblog.blogspot.com
Read our latest posts!
http://postal-newsgroup.blogspot.com/2008/06/benjamin-franklin-philately.html
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"...You know I don't like to brag, but I was reminded by the postal newsgroup that I was the very first customer to send out a mail order catalog. It only happen..."
This Article is From: yourpostalblog.blogspot.com
http://postal-newsgroup.blogspot.com/2008/06/benjamin-franklin-philately.html
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Monday, July 7, 2008
Early Out: APWU and USPS to Meet July 8, 2008
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APWU, USPS to Meet July 8 Over Possible 'Early Out' Offer
This Article is From: www.apwu.org
Read our latest posts!
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APWU, USPS to Meet July 8 Over Possible 'Early Out' Offer
"...The union learned unofficially on July 3 that the Postal Service had requested authority from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to offer early retirement to 40,000 postal employees.
No specifics of any early-retirement plan are available. “As information is provided, we will share it with our members,” Burrus said.
The meeting, which was rescheduled from July 7, is being held at the request of the APWU. As Burrus reported in an Update for union members last week, the union interprets the National Agreement as requiring bargaining over early-retirement offers. A written demand for notification has been sent to postal management..."
This Article is From: www.apwu.org
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FMLA Rights
Employer May Require Doctor's Note to Support Paid Sick Leave In Addition to FMLA Medical Certification
This Article is From: federalfmla.typepad.com
Read our latest posts!
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"...a better argument had she alleged that the Postal Service interfered with her FMLA rights by requiring that she provide FMLA medical certification. While the FMLA permits an employer to require the employee to abide by the procedural requirements for paid leave, it also provides that, if the paid leave certification requirements are less onerous than the FMLA certification requirements, an employer may only impose the less strict paid leave requirements. 29 CFR 825.207(h). ..."
This Article is From: federalfmla.typepad.com
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Standard Mail Delivery
Requesting In-Home Dates Only Inflates Postage Costs
This Article is From: www.qg.com Quad/Graphics
Read our latest posts!
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"...There is a general lack of understanding by many postal processing facilities and personnel as to what the requested dates really mean. Because of that, there are times when postal employees go out of their way to ensure that mail is being processed and delivered by the dates on the mail. How do they go out of their way to ensure this? It could be segregating the mail by the dates requested which results in additional handling or utilization of additional floor space. It could be processing the mail in a separate pass on sorting equipment or, in the worst-case scenario, manual processing it to avoid waiting for the normal machine time. Or it could be "warehousing" mail that has been delivered too early...."
This Article is From: www.qg.com Quad/Graphics
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USPS Early Out Offer
APWU to Meet With USPS Over Possible 'Early Out' Offer
This Article is From: www.apwu.org
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"...The union has learned unofficially that the Postal Service has requested from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) the authority to offer early retirement to 40,000 postal employees. In response to an inquiry from my office, a meeting with Postal Service headquarters has been scheduled for Monday regarding these reports...."
This Article is From: www.apwu.org
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Sunday, July 6, 2008
Postal Retirement and Military Retirement ...Combining the two
With the Postal Service requesting Voluntary Early Retirement Authority, there have been many questions about combining military retirement and postal retirement. The big question is whether or not it is a good idea to do so or not. Simply put, you must determine (calculate) if combining the two will generate more income or not. www.govexec.com has an excellent article to assist you in making that difficult decision. Read the article here: Mixing Civilian and Military Retirement
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Thursday, July 3, 2008
USPS Early Out Retirement
APWU to Meet With USPS Over Possible 'Early Out' Offer
This Article is From: www.apwu.org
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"...The union has learned unofficially that the Postal Service has requested from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) the authority to offer early retirement to 40,000 postal employees. In response to an inquiry from my office, a meeting with Postal Service headquarters has been scheduled for Monday regarding these reports.
No specifics of the early-retirement plan will be available until full discussions have taken place with the USPS. ... APWU is demanding bargaining on any proposal to offer “early outs.” We believe that all APWU-represented employees should be eligible, and that there should be monetary incentives for interested employees. ..."
This Article is From: www.apwu.org
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Postal holiday closing on July 4
ARTICLE TITLE: Postal windows get some extra shuteye on Saturday, July 5
This Article is From: www.mountainx.com
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"...offices of the postal-service area known as the Mountain Mini Cluster, which encompasses facilities from Nebo to Murphy and is managed from the General Mail Facility on Brevard Road in Asheville...."
This Article is From: www.mountainx.com
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Postal Workers Honored for Finding Beetles in Mail
"...recognized U.S. Postal Service employees at the Mohnton Post Office this morning for intercepting an illegal shipment of Asian beetles. ..."
This Article is From: wfmz.com
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Thieves steal gas from postal trucks, cars
"...Postal workers called police when they noticed a broken gas cap on the ground along with the nozzle to a gas can. Police then checked other cars in the lot. At least half a tank of gas was siphoned from the postmaster’s sport utility vehicle..."
This Article is From: www.bostonherald.com
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Support Keeps Growing For Mail Network Protection Act
"...The following House members added their names as co-sponsors of the bill between June 19 and July 1: Mail Network Protection Act —
Shelley Berkley (D-NV-1)
Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO-5)
Frank A. LoBiondo (R-NJ-2)..."
This Article is From: www.apwu.org
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Wednesday, July 2, 2008
USPS Mail Handler Level 6
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A reader asked, "is there a Level 6 Mail Handler?"
A reader asked, "is there a Level 6 Mail Handler?"
Answer: Yes ... a reference in the current Mail Handler National Contract found in Article 9.2 , page 21 identifies the "Step Progression" of a Level 6 Mail Handler. We can find no corresponding pay scale, so we do not know if a Level 6 still exist or not. Rumors of the past mention some position that either does still exist or held by a senior mail handler somewhere. If anyone else has information, please comment.
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Concord postmaster charged with sex offenses
"...held her against her will while they were working at the post office. A 25-year U.S. Postal Service employee..."
This Article is From: www.salisburypost.com
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Retired Postal Workers Sinking in Economic Hard Times
Retirees squeezed as home values, stocks dive
This Article is From: www.mercurynews.com
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"... To retired mail carrier Durant Simon, these are the sounds of economic malaise:
Aging pipes creaking from beneath his house...."
This Article is From: www.mercurynews.com
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Literary Postal Employee(s)
Going Postal, Literary Style
"... William Faulkner who expressed his unhappiness while still on the job. In 1924, the future author of The Sound and the Fury (Norton Critical Editions)
was fired as a Mississippi postmaster. The charges: throwing out mail—and writing on government time..." 
Source: www.newsweek.com
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National Postal Mail Handlers Union meets with Sen. Barack Obama
"...NPMHU President Hegarty Meets With Presidential Candidate Sen. Barack Obama ..."
::► Source: npmhu317.blogspot.com
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Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Direct Mail Related Revenue Will Continue to Increase
Paper Lives
Source: members.whattheythink.com
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"...Some reasons paper will not die for the foreseeable future.
* Internet access is not universal, so mail remains the primary method of delivering transaction documents such as bills and invoices as well as marketing messages. While Internet adoption rates continue to rise, it is unlikely that it will ever reach the near 100% coverage provided by the postal service. A recent study in the U.S. found that only 62% had home Internet access.[6]
* The Future of Mail and Transaction Documents Study concluded that the value of printed transaction documents will remain essentially stable, dropping .0066% a year through 2010 and that revenue related to printed direct mail will continue to increase at 4.5% a year..."
Source: members.whattheythink.com
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Man Describes Shooting To Police
Man Describes Shooting To Police
Source: www.wlky.com
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"...Police also released new information in this case about an incident between Parrish and a postal carrier. The postal worker called police following the shooting to report that Parrish has allegedly been harassing and stalking her over a three-year period. The postal worker told police it got so bad Parrish followed her into a shopping center and the postal worker was so afraid, she ran into one of the stores for help..."
Source: www.wlky.com
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USPS KEY ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES
KEY ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES: New Shipping and Mailing Services, Customer Relations groups created
Resource: liteblue.usps.gov
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"...We are consolidating all IMB activities under the direction of DPMG and Chief Operating Officer Pat Donahoe,” Potter said. Tom Day, Sr. VP, Intelligent Mail and Address Quality, will be supported by a new VP of Business Mail Entry and Payment Technologies. Pritha Mehra has been named to that position. To round out the team, Chief Information Officer Ross Philo will designate dedicated resources to support the IMB objectives. Employees who support all these groups will begin transitioning during the next few days..."
Resource: liteblue.usps.gov
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Monday, June 30, 2008
NEEOISO: USPS Seeks Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Investigators
Solicitation Number: 072368-del-eeo
Source: www.fbo.gov, Solicitation Number: 072368-del-eeo
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"...Selected individuals will be home-based independent contractors, located throughout the United States, who will enter into Ordering Agreements with the USPS to provide investigative services in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in the Agreement. Individual Task Orders assigning the investigation of particular complaints of discrimination may be issued under the Ordering Agreement in a "fee for service" arrangement. There is no guarantee of work or the number of cases assigned. An investigator is paid on a “per case” basis, generally $1100, on successful completion of the case..."
Source: www.fbo.gov, Solicitation Number: 072368-del-eeo
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Saturday Mail Delivery in Danger?
Live From the ACMA Forum: So Long, Saturday Mail Delivery?
Source: multichannelmerchant.com
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"...The House Appropriations Committee approving an amendment from Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA) that would require the USPS to study the cost effectiveness and fuel consumption of a five-day delivery system and consumer demand for Saturday postal mail. Kingston said in a June 26 press release he’s been trying to get the postal service to end Saturday delivery for years. “It’s a perfect example of government waste that is driving up the price at the pump,” he said...."
Source: multichannelmerchant.com
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Odd Mail Items
Dicey mail
Source: Your Postal Blog at yourpostalblog.blogspot.com
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"...a regular-sized dice, with a stamp folded around the edges. It had..."
Source: Your Postal Blog at yourpostalblog.blogspot.com
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Post Office Pushes The Envelope In Pojoaque
No Mail Delivered To Residents
Source: www.koat.com
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"...Those with a Pojoaque address can pick up mail from a van parked on West Guiterrez Street between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m..."
Source: www.koat.com
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Justice Dept. to pay scientist $5.8 million in anthrax lawsuit
A former Army scientist who was named as a person of interest in the 2001 anthrax attacks will receive $5.8 million to settle his lawsuit...
Meta: Steven Hatfill
Source: seattletimes.nwsource.com
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"...The former Army scientist who for years was the prime suspect in the deadly 2001 anthrax mailings agreed Friday to take $5.8 million from the Justice Department to settle his claim that the government invaded his privacy and ruined his career...."
Meta: Steven Hatfill
Source: seattletimes.nwsource.com
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Smartmobbing a rural postal crisis
Ripton, Vermont Post Office
Source: www.smartmobs.com
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"...Our local post office has suddenly been closed, without much warning, and without explanation. So the residents of this town used email and a blog to coordinate a protest. We blogged an account here, have set up at least one Flickr pool here, and are putting up YouTube videos..."
Source: www.smartmobs.com
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Friday, June 27, 2008
Colorado Stamp problem?
Exclusive: Wyoming Mountain Depicted On Colorado Stamp?
Source: www.thedenverchannel.com
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"...Al DeSarro, with the U.S. Postal Service, said that Engeman's artwork "was not based on any specific picture of a mountain." He said it is supposed to be a generic representation of a mountain -- not a specific mountain in Colorado. The U.S. Postal Service plans to issue a total of 60 flag stamps in alphabetical order -- one for each state, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories as well as the stars and stripes..."
Source: www.thedenverchannel.com
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Thursday, June 26, 2008
USPS Network Plan and the Impact on the Postal Employee
The following are excerpts from the June 2008 USPS Network Plan relative to employee impact. Again, these are only excerpts, you must read the plan in its entirety to fully understand the excerpts in their proper context. However, it is obvious that the USPS workforce is in for substantial changes:
"...By measuring local mail processing equipment performance against national
benchmarks, Machine Performance Scorecards give local managers a
convenient metric against which to analyze machine and operator performance..."
"...the Postal Service is evaluating the relocation of various mail
processing operations..."
"...assuming the removal of existing
equipment in Bulk Mail Centers, the availability of BMC floorspace for other
operations may affect surrounding Processing & Distribution Centers. If Flats
Sequencing Systems and bundle sortation equipment are deployed to BMCs, the
P&DCs will experience a reduction in flat and bundle processing..."
"...Should the implementation of the Network Plan
make it necessary to apply these processes, all Postal Service career employee
personnel actions will follow a general sequential escalation of impact and will
comply with applicable rules and regulations, including Veterans’ Preference
laws..."
"...d. Voluntary Early Retirement Provisions
Under these provisions, the Postal Service requests authority from the
Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to offer eligible impacted
employees opportunities to apply for voluntary early retirement. It is the
Postal Service’s policy to request such voluntary early retirement authority
from OPM even for impacted employees covered by collective bargaining
agreements that do not contain voluntary early retirement provisions..."
"...Qualified employees who are involuntarily separated due to organizational
changes, and who are not eligible to apply for discontinued service retirement or
optional retirement, receive severance pay..."
"...The Area Mail Processing consolidations and proposed Bulk Mail Center network
reconfiguration will involve numerous site-specific employee impact
determinations which cannot be quantified until the changes proposed for
particular facilities have been identified and thoroughly analyzed. The Postal
Service considers that, for purposes of its Network Plan, it has sufficient flexibility
with which to make the workforce changes that may be necessary. To the extent
that implementation of the plan requires the accomplishment of workforce
reductions more expeditiously than can be achieved through attrition..."
Source: The above information is taken from the USPS POSTAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND ENHANCEMENT ACT § 302 NETWORK PLAN, June 2008 as found in the public domain on the world wide web from the APWU union website. NOTE: We would like to thank President Burrus of the APWU for his continued informative articles in keeping us all informed of relative postal related issues. Keep up the good work Mr. Burrus. Your union members should be proud to to have elected such a dedicated President. Job well done!
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Verizon To Provide Postal Service Network
"... the Postal Service to meet its critical mission. "Whether employees are processing the mail or picking up the phone, Verizon Business is looking forward to building on that relationship in the decade ahead." The network will see the postal services ..."
Source: www.comms-express.com
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Postal Committee meeting of Arizona City
Over 150 attend Postal Committee meeting
Source: www.zwire.com
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"... Among the first points of the presentation was a reference to Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution, which enumerates the powers of Congress. "Section 8: The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;...to establish post offices and post roads...." ..."
Source: www.zwire.com
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Postal Delivery Two Times A Day?
Twice-A-Day Postal Service
Source: www.courant.com
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"... restored normal postal service in April 1934. In a statement from Farley that restored postal employees to the duties they performed before March 2, 1934, he said that the reduction in postal services was not necessary, as he had previously thought. Postal revenues had increased from February to March and he said he believed that they would continue to do so. Twice-a-day residential mail delivery was eliminated in the U.S. permanently in April 1950 ..."
Source: www.courant.com
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Wednesday, June 25, 2008
TSP News
News From the TSP Site
Source: www.tsp.gov
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"...Beginning July 1, the TSP will display share prices to four decimal places. This change from two to four decimal places will allow for greater precision in calculating account values and in tracking the TSP funds to the indexes with which they are associated..."
Source: www.tsp.gov
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Investing From Day One
TSP Investing Article
Source: www.federalnewsradio.com
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Read the article on Federal News Radio ->
Source: www.federalnewsradio.com
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Monday, June 23, 2008
Mail Network Protection Act
Six More U.S. Representatives Co-Sponsor Mail Network Protection Act
Source: www.apwu.org
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"...the U.S. House of Representatives endorsed the measure to help preserve inexpensive, trustworthy mail service for the American public.
The bill would help reduce wasteful, inefficient, and detrimental subcontracting by the U.S. Postal Service..."
Source: www.apwu.org
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Expedited Legal-Sized Envelopes
Postal Service Launches Expedited Legal-Sized Envelopes
Source: www.usps.com
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"...Attorneys, financial professionals, real estate agents and other mailers who depend on shipping legal-sized documents for their businesses have new U.S. Postal Service (USPS) overnight and two-day delivery options. USPS has launched new legal-sized Express Mail and Priority Mail envelopes, available to customers free of charge. The new Express Mail envelope allows legal-sized papers to be sent without folding anywhere in the U.S. for the lowest price of any guaranteed overnight service..."
Source: www.usps.com
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Sunday, June 22, 2008
Price of Gas in China..
How much does a gallon of gas cost in China?According to WikiAnswers, a gallon of gas, as reported as of this date, is $1.54 per gallon.
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