Rumors of.... USPS Postal Buyout? Volunteer Early Retirement?

Plenty of rumors are floating around across the nation from postal facility to postal facility about postal early outs, USPS buyout programs and Volunteer Early Retirement (VERA). There are very few articles to be found on this subject. There is no doubt that the postal service is determined to reduce the numbers of employees substantially to justify the cost of automation as well as justifying the ridiculously low rates offered to big bulk mailers. Here are a couple of articles we have found on the subject. NOTE: None of this information has been verified, so take it with a grain of salt. The first article is from the Federal Times. This short article details the USPS' authority, or lack of authority, relative to offering a program to only CSRS and excluding FERS. The second article is from the PostalReporter.com. This article references a letter from the Los Angeles APWU detailing an upcoming Volunteer Early Retirement Authority (VERA) approved by OPM. Again, we have not verified the source. However, we speculate, if the letter is genuine, there would not be many APWU members that would take this offer, as it offers no monetary incentive. L.A., due to the size of the district, would be a great test ground to determine if the USPS would be successful without an incentive ...not going to happen for the majority since it would be costly to an employee not at Minimum Retirement Age (MRA). What do you think? If you have any paperwork that the reference can be verified, please share it with us!

2009 COLA Forecast -v- Seniors on Social Security

Newly Released 2009 COLA Forecast Would Keep Five Million Seniors Below Poverty Line "... lobbying for a change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) used to determine the COLA. The government currently calculates the COLA based on the CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), a slow-rising index that tracks the spending habits of younger workers who don't spend as much of their income on health expenditures. ..." [Reference: prnewswire.com]

Jury Scam Defrauds Postal Service

Jury Ruse Defrauds Postal Service "... At the time of the first hoax, the Postal Service was struggling with significant problems and employee anxiety at the mail distribution center. Anthrax contamination had led to the deaths in fall 2001 of postal employees Joseph P. Curseen and Thomas L. Morris. The building was shuttered and workers reported to a site in suburban Maryland. The original facility reopened in December 2003 and was renamed for those who died. ..." [Reference: www.washingtonpost.com]

Article from the APWU on USPS Payroll Software Programming Delay

USPS Notifies Union of Payroll Glitch "... There is absolutely no excuse for the Postal Service’s failure to complete this project on time,” said APWU President William Burrus. “The 2006-2010 Collective Bargaining Agreement was signed on March 29, 2007. It is unacceptable that the programming required to implement the terms of the agreement is incomplete more than 11 months later.

“I have expressed my dissatisfaction directly to the postmaster general. Apparently, his intervention was insufficient to correct the problem in the short time that remained.” ..." [Reference: www.apwu.org]

Postal Job Scams

Postal Job Scams In the paper, on the internet, and even infomercials, you see ads for postal employment. Often these ads give the impression that the Post Office is hiring right now. Of course, unless there is a hiring freeze of some type, the Postal Service is typically hiring on a regular basis, but it may not be in your area, or even your state. Additionally, it might not be the type of position you desire. For example, the positions that are open may be part-time, temporary, or low-paying casual work, etc. Not all positions offer benefits or the promise of sustained employment. Some ads are so bold as to give the false impression they are the U.S. Postal Service or they are affiliated in some respectable manner. The fact of the matter is that some of these ads are legitimate ...meaning they offer an above-board package of study materials they have assembled and they genuinely provide good exam practice materials, and information on the postal system of hiring.

However, be aware that if you are seeking postal employment, you do not have to pay for study guides, as they are available for checkout at your local library. Additionally, if you sign up for an exam and are sent a test date, typically, you will be sent an practice exam booklet by the Postal Service. The best way to know when, where, and what type of jobs are available with the post office, is to do what you are doing now ...searching the internet. That's right, go to the postal service on the web at www.usps.com. We also suggest sites that detail how to use the postal service site to find employment information, as the postal site is difficult to navigate to some. We like the site, aptly titled, How do I get a job with the U.S. Postal Service? If you want to learn more about the U.S. Postal Service from the perspective of those currently working for them, we suggest going to one of the websites ran by one of the postal union organizations or postal workers themselves. We found numerous sites like The Postal Newsgroup, www.npmhu.org, www.apwu.org, or the Rocket City Mail Handler.

Post office workers, mail to be rerouted

150 workers could be transferred to Edison, Trenton

"Come April, the affected employees, who now work at the Monmouth Processing and Distribution Center (Monmouth P and DC) located at 307 Industrial Way West in Eatontown and the main branch of the Red Bank Post Office, 171 Broad St., could instead be stationed at facilities either in Edison or Trenton, according to George Flood, a postal service spokesman." [Reference: atlanticville.gmnews.com]

Pension inequity

Feb. 10, 2008:   Pension inequity an issue for Congress to fix, judge says   "... Just under 17,000 federal workers and 3,000 U.S. Postal Service workers get the 25 percent salary adjustments in Hawaii, with the remainder in Alaska. ..."    [Reference: www.adn.com]

NPMHU Files a National Level Grievance on Weighing the Mail

This process for notification is wholly unacceptable, and a flagrant violation of the National Agreement. Read the NPMHU letter here: http://www.npmhu.org/Pubs/News/Weighing%20MAil%20Appeal.pdf

How do I get a job with the U.S. Postal Service?

Here is a great resource for seeking employment with the U.S. Postal Service:

http://employment-assistance.blogspot.com/

APWU Upgrades

[APWU] Upgrades Reflected in March 7 Paycheck "The March 7 paycheck for all APWU-represented employees will reflect an upgrade negotiated in the 2006-2010 Collective Bargaining Agreement.

“On Feb. 16, every APWU member in the Clerk, Maintenance, and Motor Vehicle Crafts will receive an upgrade to the next highest pay level,” said APWU President William Burrus. " [Reference: www.apwu.org]

Tornado Destroys Castalian Springs Post Office

Storm Destroys Post Office, Kills 6 In Castalian Springs "CASTALIAN SPRINGS, Tenn. - Mail service will continue in Castalian Springs even though storms destroyed the town's post office." [Reference: www.newschannel5.com]

MAIL HANDLER NEW WAGE SCALES, mail decline, dot-post

Feb. 4, 2008:   MAIL HANDLER NEW WAGE SCALES EFFECTIVE
ON FEBRUARY 16, 2008   "... All mail handlers will receive a general wage increase of 0.6% effective on February 16, 2008. ..."    [Reference: www.npmhu.org]



Feb. 4, 2008:   Postal agencies respond to mail decline   "... Sellers, 40, now pays most bills online and receives financial statements electronically. The owner of Sellers Photo in Huntsville, Ala., he also has cut down on mailing clients CDs, transferring images over the Internet instead. ..."    [Reference: www.businessweek.com]



Feb. 4, 2008:   Domain name in the works for post office   "... A new "dot-post" Internet address in the works aims to set apart the electronic services increasingly offered by postal agencies around the world. ..."    [Reference: www.businessweek.com]

Postal Service Board of Governors, TSP, Chicago Postal

Feb. 1, 2008:   TSP Current Returns   "... These returns are net of the effect of accrued administrative expenses and investment expenses/costs. The performance data shown represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results. Investment returns and principal value will fluctuate, so that investors' shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost. ..."    [Reference: www.tsp.gov]



Feb. 1, 2008:   Chicago mail service improving, but overnight service still among worst in U.S.   "... while the improvements narrowed the gap between Chicago and other regions, the overnight delivery rate continued to lag behind most of the markets ..."    [Reference: www.chicagotribune.com]



Feb. 1, 2008:   Alan Kessler Elected Chairman, Postal Service Board of Governors   "... substantial experience in the defense of class-action litigation, including securities, antitrust, toxic tort and civil rights cases as well as a government relations and counseling practice. ..."    [Reference: www.webwire.com]

the USPS is composed mainly of relatively low-paid "...clerks and letter carriers, its officer corps does fine."

Here is a very enlightening article by Mike Causey over at Federal News Radio: Don't Go Postal Over This. The article details the pay disparity between USPS hierarchy and the blue collar workforce.
Posted by: Technorati Profile

Postal News

Jan. 29, 2008:   Teens' explosive device injures postal worker   "... The postal worker found a second device inside the home's mailbox Saturday and suffered minor chemical burns and an inhalation injury, police said. The Clayton County police bomb squad detonated the device, and no other injuries were reported. ..."    [Reference: www.ajc.com]



Jan. 29, 2008:   Teen Accused of Shooting Postal Worker In Court   "... Omaha, NE - A teen accused of shooting at a postal worker last August asked a judge to transfer his case to juvenile court today. ..."    [Reference: www.action3news.com]



Jan. 29, 2008:   Nigeria: Union Members Kick Against Postal Reform Bill   "... The union members who are angry with the dwindling fortune of the Nigerian Telecommunication Limited (NITEL), and the Nigerian Mobiletelecommunication (MTEL) since they were sold to Transnational Corporation (Transcorp), urged the federal government to put the postal reform bill in abeyance ..."    [Reference: allafrica.com]

Mail Handler Pay Increase Reminder

February 16, 2008 (PP05-2008), is the date and pay period for the next general wage increase scheduled to be added to base wages for the Mail Handler craft. This pay raise was negotiated by the National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU).

The future of buyouts

The U.S. auto market has typically been a pacesetter when it comes to union contract negotiations, collective bargaining agreements, and now ...buyouts. It is a fact that America's large unions keep their eye on the auto industry when it comes to comparative analysis for the purpose of wage, benefit, and buyout negotiations. UAW and Ford have set the stage for future buyouts in labor intensive industries where automation, subcontracting, illegal immigration, and foreign competition have taken a heavy toll on the U.S. blue-collar worker. Large unions that represent America's postal workers, like the American Postal Workers Union and the National Postal Mail Handlers Union, continuously monitor the labor climate during these troubled times to garner equal or greater results. As the country snowballs into a recession, the auto industry, led by Ford and the UAW, are taking proactive steps to re-take the competitive lead in the global auto market by offering buyouts to each and every worker. The Detroit Free Press reports the buyout offer will look like this:

Elements:

• Under a special termination-of-employment program, retirement-eligible workers who volunteer to leave the company and forgo all benefits except accrued pension can receive a $140,000 buyout.



• For workers who have at least one year of employment with Ford, the special termination program calls for a payout of $100,000, with the worker forgoing all benefits except accrued pension.



• Under an educational opportunity program, workers with one year of service are eligible to receive up to $15,000 in college tuition for up to four years. Workers who take part in this program can receive medical benefits and half of their regular pay while enrolled in school.
  
  
• Workers also could opt to set aside $100,000 in a family scholarship program to be used for an educational program for spouses, children or grandchildren.



• Workers 55 and older who have 30 or more years of service are eligible to receive a $35,000 check and begin retirement immediately with full benefits.



• Workers 55 and older with 10 or more years of service will be provided a fixed level of income for life, which varies according to each employee's service with the company.



• Workers with at least 28 years of service are eligible to take a leave for two years until they reach 30 years of service, when they can retire as normal. During their leave, the workers will receive 85% of their pay.

File under "postal buyout" for reference

Thrift Savings Plan, FERS, APWU Suit, Postal

Jan. 19, 2008:   APWU, NALC Sue USPS and Inspector General
Over Invasion of Medical-Records Privacy   "... The suit alleges that the OIG has routinely instructed medical providers that they must submit records to the OIG and that they should refrain from notifying affected employees that the records have been requested by the OIG. ..."    [Reference: www.apwu.org]



Jan. 19, 2008:   [Thrift Savings Plan] Can You Risk Playing It Safe?   "... "FERS employees (the majority of people now working for Uncle Sam) have the most difficult situation," he said. Because they have smaller civil service retirement benefits, and get diet-COLAs which don't kick in until age 62 ..."    [Reference: www.federalnewsradio.com]



Jan. 19, 2008:   Study Finds Postal Service Gets No Edge   "... Indeed, federally imposed restraints on the post office's operations increase its costs to provide competitive products by an estimated $330 million to $782 million a year, the FTC said. ..."    [Reference: ap.google.com]

PostalPeople, FEEA Scholarship

Jan. 16, 2008:   [PostalPeople] USPS consolidates HR systems   "... Officials say the new platform, which was completed in October, will help employees and HR managers. Employees can access HR information and apply for USPS jobs online, and supervisors can use new online management and administrative tools. ..."    [Reference: www.fcw.com]




Jan. 16, 2008:   FEEA 2008-09 Scholarship Application
available now!   "... FEEA Scholarship Program is an annual, merit-based contest open to civilian federal and postal
employees, their spouses and college-age children. Awards range from $500-$2,500 for one year.
Applications are available January - March each year. ..."    [Reference: www.feea.org]

More Postal News: Are you overpaid? ...and more articles

Jan. 11, 2008:   Are You Overpaid?   "... At least three presidents - Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton - thought so. They believed federal pay was out of line because the value of perks like retirements, holidays, and cradle-to-grave health insurance weren't considered as part of compensation. ..."    [Reference: www.federalnewsradio.com]



Jan. 11, 2008:   [Alaska] Former Kipnuk postmaster faces charges for assaulting workers   "... a postal employee in Kipnuk since December 2000, and became the officer in charge in September 2007. ..."    [Reference: www.adn.com]



Jan. 11, 2008:   U.S. Postal Service Gets Scientific With New Stamps   "... Due for self-adhesive glory are physicist John Bardeen, inventor of the transistor; astronomer Edwin Hubble ..."    [Reference: blog.wired.com]