2008 Federal Pay Scales, New Stamps, and TSP Investing...

Jan. 7, 2007:    2008 Federal Salary Tables and Related Information   "... General Schedule and Locality Pay Tables, 2008 Locality Payments and Total Pay Increases for General Schedule Employees, Senior Executive Service, Special Salary Rate Tables ..."    [Reference: www.opm.gov]



Jan. 7, 2007:   [TSP] Investing: How Safe Is Playing It Safe?   "... Last year (2007) the value of a single share of the international stock index fund, the I-fund, went up $2.32. That may not sound like much unless you have a lot of shares, or unless you compare it with the performance of the super-safe treasury securities G-fund. The value of a G-fund share you had in January of last year went up only 56 cents by the end of the year. ..."    [Reference: www.federalnewsradio.com]



Jan. 7, 2007:   New Stamp Series Will Observe Chinese New Year   "... In observance of the Chinese New Year, the U.S. Postal Service will
debut a new stamp series for the 12 different animals in the Chinese calendar.
The series will continue through 2019. The first stamp in the series is for
the Year of the Rat, which begins Feb. 7, 2008 and ends Jan. 25, 2009. ..."    [Reference: www.reuters.com]

Postal Service inspection office moves from Birmingham to Hoover

"...terrorist acts and an increasing number of identity theft crimes committed using the U.S. mail have changed the "silent service" to one that is more vocal, said Tony Robinson, a spokesman for the Alabama Postal Inspection Service Office. Around Thanksgiving, the office moved to 100 Corporate Parkway, off U.S. 280 in Hoover's Meadow Brook Corporate Park..."    

This Article is From: www.al.com

Read our latest posts!

.

December 31, 2007 ...buyout rumors for CSRS, etc

December 31, 2007:   Let the Rumors Begin   "... chances are you will be getting bogus reports - typically via e-mail and often disguised as a "news" story - saying the super buyout of CSRS folks is in the works. It isn't! ..."    [Reference: www.federalnewsradio.com]














December 31, 2007:   House ‘Mail Network Protection Act’ Gains
Seven Co-Sponsors Prior to Holiday Break   "... asked union activists to make the bill a priority. “It is imperative that union members contact their representatives and let them know that this legislation is important to the future of the Postal Service and to postal workers,” Burrus said. ..."    [Reference: www.apwu.org]



December 31, 2007:   USPS seeks comment on proposed uses of Intelligent Mail barcodes   "... The notice is expected to be published in the Federal Register sometime in January. Once published, a 45-day comment period will begin. ..."    [Reference: www.dmnews.com]

December 26, 2007

December 26, 2007:   New surveillance video released of postal service robbery   "... hid under the truck as he waited for the postal employee to return from his fourth pick-up of money ..."    [Reference: www3.whdh.com]



December 26, 2007:   Letters to Santa ... Merry Christmas   "... Leesville main USPS branch Sales and Service Associate, as she sorts letters headed to the North Pole. ..."    [Reference: www.leesvilledailyleader.com]



December 26, 2007:   How does your mail get from here to there?   "... FAMOUS POSTAL EMPLOYEES,

Benjamin Franklin,

Abraham Lincoln,

Harry Truman,

Bing Crosby,

Walt Disney,

Rock Hudson,

Charles Lindbergh,

Knute Rockne,

Noah Webster,

William Faulkner. ..."    [Reference: www.cantonrep.com]

December 21, 2007

December 21, 2007:    Postal truck hijacked, looted in Roxbury   "... The postal driver had stopped at the Roxbury Post Office on Malcolm X Boulevard about 7:30 p.m. and was walking toward his truck when a man appeared from underneath the trailer, grabbed him and pulled him into the cab. ..."    [Reference: www.bostonherald.com]



December 21, 2007:   A day in the life: U.S. Postal Service carrier   "... mainly I do it because people don't expect it," he said. "Their package is unexpected, and they give an unexpected smile. That's what makes it worthwhile. ..."    [Reference: www.pegasusnews.com]



December 21, 2007:   Postal Service removing stamp machines   "... “It was a decision made at the national level,” Field said. “The vending equipment is old, and they decided to go with the alternative of selling stamps at the convenience counters of retail outlets.” ..."    [Reference: www.timesnews.net]

December 17, 2007

December 17, 2007:    CHARLIE LANGFORD: Some trivia, facts and figures for the holiday season   "... The USPS is the only delivery service that claims to deliver to every address in the nation, 146 million homes and businesses, six days a week. The Postal Service also delivers almost half the world's mail. ..."    [Reference: www.djournal.com]



December 17, 2007:   Thousands Of Postal Workers Not Paid   "... The United States Postal Service says 14 thousand rural route mail carriers across the country did not get a paycheck this week because of a glitch in the payroll system. ..."    [Reference: www.wcsh6.com]



December 17, 2007:   GAO to USPS: Address database errors   "... USPS developed the FDB in 2003 to capture and maintain data on the agency’s 34000 facilities nationwide, but five years later, the database is still not the ..."    [Reference: www.fcw.com]

December 10, 2007

۞ Dec. 10, 2007:   President Bush Delivers December 24 as a Day Off for Federal Employees   "... The day off does not affect Postal Service workers, nor does it include Executive Branch employees whose agencies determine they cannot be excused for reasons of national security, defense or other essential public need. ..."    [Reference: opm.gov]



۞ Dec. 10, 2007:   
USAJOBS Connects with Major Search Engines
Initiative raises visibility of Federal job postings   "... For example, someone who types in a job title on Google or other engines, such as "IT Specialist" or "Electrical Engineer", will now also see links to Federal vacancy announcements in those fields. ..."    [Reference: opm.gov]



۞ Dec. 10, 2007:   Netflix Deals with Ultimatum from U.S. Postal Service   "... Although the issue hasn’t been discussed by any of the Postal Service officials, Steve Swasey, a Netflix representative, stated: “"We're in full compliance with U.S. Postal Service regulations and specifications […] If the specifications of the post office were to change, we would change the mailer as necessary. We've already gone through 40 to 50 iterations of the mailer since Netflix started shipping DVDs a decade ago.” He also added: “We save them about $100 million a year. We pick up the returns from the post office. They are not delivered to Netflix, even though we're paying for it.” ..."    [Reference: www.efluxmedia.com]



۞ Dec. 10, 2007:   PTFs in Large Offices Eliminated as of Dec. 1
New Limits on Numbers of Casuals Also Go Into Effect

(APWU)   "... “Dec. 1, 2007, will be a historic day for postal labor,” APWU President William Burrus declared this week. “It marks the elimination of part-time flexible employment for the Clerk Craft in large offices. ..."    [Reference: www.apwu.org]

December 6, 2007

U.S. Postal Service to Netflix: You’re killing us on labor "... It’s a safe bet that Netflix will redesign its mailers ..." [Reference: zdnet.com]

Dec. 3, 2007: New security worries after Clinton hostage scare

New security worries after Clinton hostage scare:



The increased surveillance was ordered after workers in Democratic hopeful Hillary Clinton's New Hampshire office were terrorized Friday by a disturbed man who held them for several hours before turning himself over to police.

[Reference: www.newsday.com]

November 30, 2007

Nov. 30, 2007:   Royal Oak postal employee robbed at gunpoint   "... The two men popped up near the docking ramp in the back of the facility, located on West Second Street, and pointed guns at the man ..."    [Reference: www.candgnews.com]



Nov. 30, 2007:   
Is Netflix Costing the Post Office Millions?
A New Audit Suggests That the Postal Service Is Undercharging the DVD Service
  "... The mailers the customers use to return DVDs to the companies often jam in the Postal Service's automatic mail sorters. So instead, 70 percent or so of the DVDs need to be sorted by hand, costing the Postal Service roughly $21 million in extra labor costs each year. ..."    [Reference: abcnews.go.com]



Nov. 30, 2007:   RETURN TO SENDER: mail center complaints surface
Efficiency of LMU Mail Center in question.   "... USPS regarding his missing mail. "I have found documentation of them handing it over to LMU, but LMU says they have no records of it. I've done my research. I've called the head of the Westchester office and they have been more helpful than LMU," said Morales. ..."    [Reference: www.laloyolan.com]

Nov. 28, 2007: Santa Letters, APWU, USPS BlackBerry

۞ Nov. 28, 2007:   Postal Service has tips for sending letters to Santa   "... Many children eager for Christmas may have already written their letters to Santa. But where to send those letters? ..."    [Reference: www.bnd.com]



Nov. 28, 2007:   [APWU] Burrus Issues Stinging Rebuke
To USPS Inspector General:
Audit ‘Lacks Relevance, Ignores Legislative Mandate’ to Bargain   "... The APWU president also criticized the Inspector General for the OIG’s failure to address billions of dollars granted to major mailers in excessive worksharing discounts. “Despite the enormity of this loss of revenue, your office has failed to document and analyze this egregious violation of the integrity and accountability of the Postal Service.” ..."    [Reference: www.apwu.org]



Nov. 28, 2007:    AT&T Delivers 5,400 BlackBerry's to USPS Employees  "... deploying 5,400 BlackBerry devices, equipped with specialized mobile applications, to United States Postal Service (USPS) employees. ..."    [Reference: www.tmcnet.com]

November 22, 2007

Nov. 22, 2007:   Lawyers prompt Postal Service to tighten its Santa letter rules   "... On the advice of his legal counsel, Santa Claus is changing the way he does business. ..."    [Reference: www.tucsoncitizen.com]



Nov. 22, 2007:   Postal services   "... The US Postal Service is offering an online card and postage service enabling customers to purchase and send holiday cards from their home computer ..."    [Reference: www.sun-sentinel.com]



Nov. 22, 2007:   NCED by the numbers   "... 1969 — USPS began training operations in Norman on top two floors of OU’s Couch Tower with a staff of 50. They served 7,000 students in three training programs with a $4 million budget. ..."    [Reference:www.normantranscript.com ]

November 20, 2007

Nov. 20, 2007:    APWU-Backed Bill Introduced in Congress: Legislation Would Compel USPS to Bargain Over Subcontracting   "... “The requirement to bargain will enhance our ability to oppose wasteful, inefficient and detrimental subcontracting,” he said. “Too often contracting out ends up costing the Postal Service more than if the work were performed by postal employees, and too often subcontracting is ineffective and the contractors’ service to the public is poor.” ..."    [Reference: www.apwu.org]



Nov. 20, 2007:   AF postal squadron ready for for the coming holiday crush   "... The Air Force’s 2nd Air Postal Squadron handles all mail sent to and from the States to military members and their families in Europe. The center also processes mail sent from Europe downrange. ..."    [Reference: www.estripes.com]

The U.S. Public Service Academy...

Show your support for a U.S. Public Service Academy. Click on the image at left to read about it. Thanks for your assistance.

November 14, 2007

Nov. 14, 2007:   Job security still eludes some postal employees   "... "They (the Postal Service) say we have too many employees," American Postal Workers Union Local No. 469 President Angela Walters said by phone Tuesday. ..."    [Reference: www.southeasttexaslive.com]



Nov. 14, 2007:   Postal Service chili champion delivers a winner   "... Scott Crumrine may work in the U.S. Postal Service's maintenance division, but he "delivered" for the agency a couple of weeks ago.

Not mail -- but award-winning chili. ..."    [Reference: www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com]



Nov. 14, 2007:   UPDATED MAIL HANDLER WAGE CHARTS   "... 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]



Nov. 7, 2007:   Panama City post office investigation under way   "... City’s postmaster has been replaced temporarily, pending the outcome of an investigation into the post office. The Office of Inspector General for the Postal Service began an investigation into the local office this week, said OIG Spokesman Dan Mihalko. ..."    [Reference: www.newsherald.com]

Nov. 8, 2007

Nov. 8, 2007: Slain deputy had left postal service at 55 to begin second career "... After retiring from the postal service, Rein decided to try for a badge and uniform. "He got very high marks at the academy," Meyers said of Rein, whom she described as a 5-foot 7-inch "little strong guy." Rein served as a Broward deputy from 1987 to 2000; the department lured him out of his second retirement in 2003. ..." [Reference: www.jacksonville.com]

Nov. 8, 2007: Rillito postal worker wins national award "... The Benjamin Award is a yearly award the U.S. Postal Service gives to employees who create the most outreach programs and news coverage. ..." [Reference: www.explorernews.com]

Nov. 8, 2007: Decatur Postal worker gets into the Halloween spirit "... Past postmasters frowned on Halloween costumes, but Horton said Roy Hill has been more flexible in letting him enjoy the festivities of the day. ..." [Reference: www.decaturdaily.com]

YokweOnline : Marshall Islands: Return to Domestic Mail Services a "Great Victory"

Marshall Islands: Return to Domestic Mail Service ... In September 2005, the United States Postal Service announced the change from domestic to international designation for the Republic of the Marshall Islands and Federated States of Micronesia, Within six months of implementation, the private sector, which relies heavily on letter and package service from the United States, reported that the loss of domestic services was causing severe hardship and confusion. ... [Reference: www.yokwe.net] Editor Note: For you military folks at the Kwajalien Reagan Test Site on Kwaj, this is a great thing for the holiday mailing season.



Posted by Kwaj Cat

Design your own stamps

You can design your own official postal postage stamps!!... Wow! here's something you might not know. You can create your own official photo stamps. Imagine sending your holiday cards and gifts with your own official stamps online. Wouldn't Mom & Dad be proud to see your picture on a stamp. USPS has given approval for a product that lets customers design their own stamps. Visit stamps.com at the sub domain photo.stamps.com ... {Reference: postal-newsgroup.blogspot.com]

What Postal stamps would you like to see? ... we would like to see Family Guy, Tom Perkins, David Hyde Pierce, Fred Thompson, Gas Prices, Adrian Peterson, New England Patriots, Postal Workers, Union, ... [Reference: postal-newsgroup.blogspot.com]

Nov. 4, 2007

Video Catches Brothers Faking a Robbery ... the brothers are contract drivers for the Postal Service. The elder brother told authorities he was robbed Monday while loading up his truck behind post office in Danville, a hamlet of fewer than 400 people about 100 miles south of Atlanta. ... [Reference: ap.google.com]