The Next Mail Handler Cost of Living Adjustment

The effective date of the next Mail Handler COLA

"...the next adjustment will be effective the second full pay period after the release of the July 2008 Index..."    

Source: AGREEMENT between National Postal Mail Handlers Union, 2006-2011

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GPS Letter Tracking

Tiny gadget delivers a letter’s route

"...The U.S. Postal Service commissioned Burlingame-based TrackingTheWorld to create the world’s first letter-tracking GPS device that will ensure letters never again are lost in the postal Bermuda Triangle. Dubbed the Letter Logger, the device stores GPS coordinates throughout its journey and stores information on its micro-SD flash memory card so the post office can keep tabs on the letter’s location...."    

Source: www.examiner.com

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CFC Raises $273 Million in 2007

Federal Employees and Military Personnel Set Fifth-Consecutive Record Tally

"...praised federal and postal employees, and members of the United States military for their generosity. "The CFC is about people helping people," Springer said of the campaign now in its 47th year. "Federal employees feel good about the work they do for America, and I do believe their attitudes about work are part and parcel of their personal desire to support organizations that do so much good in their local communities or on a national basis..."    

Source: www.opm.gov

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NALC Food Drive

Food Drive tally breaks record

"...The nation's Food Banks are now breathing easier thanks to the efforts of 1,300 Post Offices and employees thanks to the 2008 NALC Food Drive...."    

Source: yourpostalblog.blogspot.com

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APWU Testimony Kicks Off Controversy

...about the Postal Service’s obligation to provide “universal service” to all Americans seems to have stirred up a controversy.

"...The PRC has hired contractors who favor privatizing essential USPS operations, Reid testified, noting that the individuals selected have expressed hostility to fundamental elements of universal service — the postal monopoly and uniform rates...."    

Source: www.apwu.org

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A site promoting the positive side of the postal service

Your Postal Blog is a production of the U.S. Postal Service Western Area Public Affairs and Communications team..."    

Source: yourpostalblog.blogspot.com

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Does the USPS provide information on early retirement or do I have to get my information from the OPM site?

The USPS has a link for information about early retirement

"...Questions and Answers on Benefits, Pay and Leave Under Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (06/28/04)... Summary of Benefits and Leave Provisions Under Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (06/28/04) ..."    

Source: www.usps.com

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USPS Intelligent Mail® Barcode Resource Download Site

Intelligent Mail

"... The Intelligent Mail® barcode (formally known as the 4-State Customer Barcode) is the next generation of USPS® barcode technology used to sort and track letters and flats. Intelligent Mail® barcode technology, among other things, combines the capabilities of the POSTNET barcode and the Planet Code® barcode into one unique barcode..."    

Source: http://ribbs.usps.gov/

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TSP Returns for May 2008

TSP Returns for May 2008

Source: tsp.gov

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Mailers Prefer Plastic Pallets To Wooden Pallets

"...Mailers were very happy to hear one MTAC report, regarding plastic pallets. Mailers have been facing challenges posed by the wooden mail pallets the USPS has been distributing. The wooden pallets can weigh up to 60-70lbs, skewing tare weights and posing safety problems for mail handlers. The USPS announced that they have purchased and are testing a half million new plastic pallets, that are both lighter and less expensive than the older plastic pallets. Real-world testing, including some pallets implanted with GPS devices, is being conducted with these pallets right now. ..."     [<- This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 28th, 2008 at 6:58 pm]

Source: plasticcontainerblog.com

Further Information: MTAC Notes - Plastic Pallets

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Stamp Collecting: The Inverted Jenny Stamp

Extra! Extra!

"...serious stamp collectors know that one of the rarest stamps in the world is the inverted Jenny. The Jenny stamp was issued by the U.S. postal office on May 10, 1918 in which the image of the Curtiss JN-4 airplane was accidentally printed upside-down, making this postal error one of the most famous of all time...."    

Source: www.canyon-news.com

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Postal Service's dispute with Eagan, Dakota County over mail-sorting facility escalates

USPS -v- Dakota County

"...The lines of communication between the principal players in Dakota County have reached a new low, with the latest impasse forcing the cancellation of a three-way meeting that had been scheduled for May 19. "We canceled it because of our deep frustration with the Postal Service," Dakota County Commissioner Tom Egan said. Egan has been speaking with Republican Sen. Norm Coleman's office, ..."    

Source: www.twincities.com

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Voluntary Early Retirement Authority

OPM Reduction in Force Portal

"...Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA) allows agencies that are undergoing substantial restructuring, reshaping, downsizing, transfer of function, or reorganization to temporarily lower the age and service requirements in order to increase the number of employees who are eligible for retirement. The authority encourages more voluntary separations and helps the agency complete the needed organizational change with minimal disruption to the work force. By offering these short term opportunities, an agency can make it possible for employees to receive an immediate annuity years before they would otherwise be eligible..."    

Tags: VERA, RIF, Early Retirement

Source: www.opm.gov

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OPM to remove RetireEZ from the web

OPM suspends contract for electronic retirement system

"...One federal source said the prime vendor for the contract and OPM have had concerns regarding aspects of the program that the vendor says are out of the scope of the contract. A former OPM employee also said there has been problems with data cleansing for the system, noting that annuity calculations have not consistently been correct as a result...."    

Source: www.govexec.com

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spouses' federal retirement benefits

New CRS reports on spouses' federal retirement benefits

"...A state court can award a former spouse a share of the employee's retirement annuity, a survivor annuity, or both. A court also can award a former spouse of a federal employee a portion of the employee's Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) account balance as part of a divorce settlement...."    

Source: lawprofessors.typepad.com

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Postal Workers Protected from Retaliation for Age-Discrimination Complaints

"...This is an important victory for postal and federal employees,” APWU President William Burrus said. “The ruling makes clear that postal workers enjoy the same protection against retaliation as employees in the private sector..."    

Source: www.apwu.org

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Postal Buyout

What is the latest information on the possibility of a buyout or early retirement bonus from the postal service?

A quick search of the web offers numerous possibilities in this arena. However, all the sources verify that there is not a postal buyout offer on the table at this time. Rumors are purely speculation and wishful thinking on the part of many. It appears that the environment is ripe for such offers. Some think that the USPS feels they can reduce employment numbers adequately through attrition. Although many feel reduction through attrition will not be sufficient due to the harsh economic realities this country is now facing, therefore many postal employees are either delaying retirement or not even considering it anymore. With the economy in such bad shape and postal pay raises being so small under the latest union contracts, many feel there will have to be an early out retirement cash bonus before retirement will be considered. If you are seeking more information on this subject, a search of the web offers the following informative links:

Postal eDaily

Postal News Network

Federal Times

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Postal and Federal Special Retirement Supplement

How do I calculate my eligibility for the FERS Annuity Supplement?

According to OPM, the supplement is computed as if you were age 62 and fully insured for a social security benefit when the supplement begins. By law, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) first estimates what your full career (40 years) social security benefit would be. Then we calculate the amount of your civilian service under FERS and reduce the estimated full career social security benefit accordingly. For example, if your estimated full career social security benefit would be $1,000 and you had worked 30 years under FERS, we would divide 30 by 40 (.75) and multiply ($1,000 x .75 = $750). The result would be your special retirement supplement, prior to any reductions...."    

Source: OPM

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Court sides with Destin postal worker in white powder case

Court sides with Destin postal worker in white powder case

"...Earlier this month, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the United States Postal Service broke the law when a Destin postal supervisor threatened an employee for filing a labor complaint..."    

Source: www.thedestinlog.com

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April 2008 COLA Update Released on May 14

COLA Update: APRIL INFLATION UP 0.7 PERCENT

"...The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) increased 0.7 percent in April 2008 according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS). Released on May 14..."   

Reference: www.narfe.org

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