Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Postal Early Outs, Postal Buyout, Postal Early Retirement ...a look at the past

With all the talk amongst the Postal Service rank and file about Postal Early-Outs, USPS Early Retirement Offers, there is always the hopes and dreams for salary bonuses to workers as an incentive in a Postal Buyout. So far, all the rumors of any early retirement, are just that ...RUMORS! However, should a buyout offer present itself, what might it look like? It the past, 1992 specifically, the Post Office offered this:
A six-month salary bonus for either regular or early retirement. Workers are eligible for immediate pensions at age 55 with 30 years of service, at age 60 with 20 years or at age 62 with five years of service. During an early-retirement open window, employees can retire at any age after 30 years of service, or at age 50 with 20 years of service. [Reference: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1023543.html]

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Federal and * Postal employees will soon be able to calculate full retirement income online

Model your retirement online "... OPM bought the retirement calculator for $290 million in 2006 from Hewitt Associates. Not only will it allow employees to calculate their own retirement income, but OPM will use it to calculate retirement checks for federal retirees. ..." [Reference: federaltimes.com]

The program is named RetireEZ

Visit the RetireEZ website at www.retireez.gov

* Subsequent rollouts of RetireEZ will cover the remainder of the Executive Branch, the U.S. Postal Service and the Legislative and Judicial Branches, with the fifth and final rollout scheduled for February 2009.

Postal Service Cost Cutting

U.S. Postal Service plans $1 billion in cost cutting "... by reducing more than 10.5 million work hours ..." [Reference: deseretnews.com]

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Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Residents Attack Postal Carriers

[SAGINAW, Mich.] Postal Service Suspends Deliveries After Residents Attack Carriers "... "We've had rocks thrown at one of our vehicles, breaking the glass," said Sharon Adamczyk, secretary to Saginaw Postmaster Jacque S. Vican. "Our carriers get a lot of verbal abuse if they don't deliver [residents'] checks on the day they want it. "Out of each six-day work week, our carriers are hearing gunshots ..." [Reference: www.foxnews.com]

Need a Post Office Box? It's Only a Click Away

Finding a PO Box Only a Click Away "... U.S. Postal Service Post Office Boxes now can be found online at usps.com/poboxes. The new, online locator feature allows customers to find box availability, sizes and fees, as well as addresses, phone and fax numbers for each Post Office listed with available PO Boxes. ..."


[Reference] http://www.usps.com

Linked to this post: yourpostalblog.blogspot.com


cocaine found in express mail package

2 Pounds Of Cocaine Found In Mail Package "... discovered in an express mail package in Polk County and a man was arrested after a postal inspector in Puerto Rico alerted authorities ..." [Reference: www.local6.com]

Need a Post Office?

Officials say post office process is long, complex "... That means a review by either the North Florida district office in Jacksonville or the postal officials in charge of the Southeast area, which encompasses Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee. ..." [Reference: www.thevillagesdailysun.com]

[DeKalb County] Recent explosions in two mailboxes

Mailbox investigation continues "... A postal inspector out of Birmingham was in DeKalb County on Tuesday inspecting mailboxes. ..." [Reference: times-journal.com]

St. Paul and Eagan Postal Facilities

Postal facility's move from St. Paul to Eagan stalls again over plan for traffic light "... Last week, a tense comment at the end of an e-mail from a Postal Service official had city and county staff worried that the project was finished, and not in a good way. The subject was whether a traffic signal would be installed near the building's entrance at Gemini Road and Lexington Avenue by the time the new mail hub is completed in 2010 or 2011. ..." [Reference: www.twincities.com]

Priority Flat Rate Box

Larger USPS flat-rate box now available "... The box is 12 inches by 12 inches and is 5½ inches thick. It is 50 percent larger than the previous flat-rate box ..." [Reference: www.stripes.com]

Friday, February 29, 2008

Linus Pauling stamp

Linus Pauling stamp to be released next week
"... a 41-cent stamp honoring the only man to win two unshared Nobel Prizes. ..." [Reference: www.oregonlive.com]


To learn more about Linus Pauling visit wikipedia

Private Contractor Use of USPS Property

APWU Requests Investigation Of Private Contractors’ Use of USPS Property "... APWU President William Burrus has asked USPS Inspector General David Williams to conduct an audit of the postal practice of permitting subcontractors to park trucks and store equipment on USPS property free-of-charge. The practice raises USPS operating costs and defers potential revenue, Burrus charged in a Feb. 22 letter [PDF] to the Inspector General (IG). ..." [Reference: www.apwu.org]

Thursday, February 28, 2008

TSP Customized Statements

Check Your Mail. Seriously. '... One feature of the customized statements will show how much money you've put into the TSP. That's something most people don't know ...' [Reference: www.federalnewsradio.com]

Ancient Postal System

City of David Dig Reveals Information on Ancient Postal System '... Wet sifting and sorting through the soil revealed three fragments of clay stamps used to seal letters ...' [Reference: www.israelnationalnews.com]

Postal Employee Donates $2.2 Million for Scholarships

Two Guilford Collge Grads Give $2.2 Million For Scholarships '... Frank Werner graduated from Guilford College in 1934. He was a postal worker for 34 years. Ava Werner graduated in 1933, and worked for Blue Bell. ...' [Reference: www.digtriad.com]

Stamp Machines in Pensacola

[Pensacola, Florida] Post offices replacing stamp machines '... U.S. Postal Service is replacing older, cash-only, stamp vending machines with new, automated kiosks — Automated Postal Centers. However, the only Automated Postal Center in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties is at the Nobles Station post office on Tippin Avenue in Pensacola ...' [Reference: www.pensacolanewsjournal.com]

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Stamp Machines in Huntsville

[Huntsville, Alabama] No stamps in stamp machine frustrate Huntsvillians '... "I went to the one on Wynn Drive, the one on Mastin Lake, the one on Clinton Avenue, then the one on Governor's Drive, then the one on Whitesburg." ... The Post Office tells us they only have two people certified to work the machines, and one of them is out of commission too. ...' [Reference: www.waff.com]

Note: You can order stamps by phone or over the internet:

Buy Stamps On the Internet at: www.usps.com

Print Postage from Your PC at: stamps.com

Put your photo or your favorite photo on your stamps at: photo.stamps.com

Updated Mailhandler Pay Scale / Schedule

The National Postal Mail Handlers Union has posted an updated pay scale that includes the cost-of-living adjustments to be paid to all mail handlers under the 2006 National Agreement. The new wages are effective March 15, 2008, and will be reflected in paychecks on April 4, 2008 (PP 07-2008). The COLA of $479 equates to an increase of 23 cents per hour.

NEW Mail Handler Pay Schedule

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Mail Underpayments

U.S. Postal Service Undercharged Countries for Mail '... If auditors hadn't caught the errors, the facility would have undercharged foreign agencies $12.5 million over two years, the report said. ...' [Reference: www.bloomberg.com]