‘Chemical incident’ at US military base as 11 people taken ill after ‘opening letter’

"...at least 11 people fell ill because of a letter containing suspicious material. Five people reportedly suffered nose bleeds and burning sensations said to have been caused by an unidentified substance..."    

This Article is From: www.thesun.co.uk
Read our latest posts! .

U.S. Postal Worker Has Been Found Fatally Shot Inside a Mail Truck in Texas

U.S. Postal Worker Has Been Found Fatally Shot Inside a Mail Truck in Texas

"...A U.S. Postal Service worker was found fatally shot inside a mail truck along a busy highway in Dallas on Monday, and investigators are treating the case as a homicide, according to police. Officers found the worker’s body inside the government..."    

This Article is From: time.com
Read our latest posts! .

COLA 2018: APWU and NPMHU represented employees to get 1st COLA of 2018

First Cost of Living Allowance of 2018 - $520 to be effective March 3rd

"...This COLA increase is based on the upward change in the relevant Consumer Price Index (CPI) following release of the January 2018 Index, and provides an annual increase of $520 for all Steps in..."    

This Article is From: NPMHU 317
Read our latest posts! .

Donald Trump Jr's wife in hospital after opening letter containing white powder

"...Vanessa Trump, daughter-in-law to US President Donald Trump called 911 on Monday morning (NZT Tuesday) after opening a letter addressed to her husband, at their midtown Manhattan apartment. Police say she said she was coughing and felt nauseous afterwards..."    

This Article is From: www.stuff.co.nz
Read our latest posts! .

USPS looking for suspects wanted for mail theft, stolen vehicle

"...Authorities say a man and a woman took a personal vehicle belonging to a mail carrier, who was delivering mail at the apartment complex at the time of the theft..."    

This Article is From: www.azfamily.com
Read our latest posts! .

Probe: Chinese opioid sellers exploit US postal service flaw

"...AP reporters found multiple sellers willing to ship carfentanil – an opioid used as an elephant tranquilizer that is so potent it has been considered a chemical weapon. The sellers also offered advice on how to evade screening by U.S. authorities..."    

This Article is From: www.spokesman.com
Read our latest posts!

Police: USPS carrier played key role in drug trafficking organization

Police: USPS carrier played key role in drug trafficking organization

"...Through wiretapping, DEA agents say they listened to calls and read texts between Garcia and Cruz where they arranged for deliveries. Cruz lives in Worcester, and neighbors say they are shocked to hear the quiet postal worker was involved in such an elaborate scheme. "I knew he was a postal worker..."    

This Article is From: www.fox25boston.com
Read our latest posts! .

Postal carriers arrested for trafficking meth on their routes

Polson postal carriers arrested for trafficking meth on their routes

"...suspicion of trafficking methamphetamine on their mail routes. Lake County Sheriff Don Bell says 62-year-old..."    

This Article is From: www.khq.com
Read our latest posts! .

Former U.S. Postal Service worker admits burning mail for months

"...took mail from his rural postal route in Louisiana to his home in Pitkin, where from Dec. 1, 2016 to May 1, 2017, he burned at least 20 tubs of mail..."    

This Article is From: www.cbsnews.com
Read our latest posts! .

Steroids by Mail: Steroids shipment results in Wyoming charges

Steroids shipment results in Wyoming charges

"...According to charging documents filed with the Circuit Court in Riverton, the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) International Mail Facility at LAX Airport in Los Angeles, California intercepted a mail parcel declared as “beauty products” on December 23, 2017. A “more intrusive examination” was then performed and resulted in the discovery of bottles marked as Proviron, Dianabol, and 16 vials marked as Tren-Mix 200. All items are known to be Anabolic Steroids..."    

This Article is From: http://www.ktvq.com
Read our latest posts! .

USPS Offers 'No Incentive' Voluntary Early Retirement

USPS Offers 'No Incentive' Voluntary Early Retirement

The Postal Service is making a Voluntary Retirement Offer to eligible mail handler and clerk employees. However, much to the chagrin of workers, there are no incentives to entice employees to make a move in that direction. This has left employees questioning the move as they see their federal employee brothers and sisters last year being approved by congress for a pilot program that increased Voluntary Separation Incentive Pay (VSIP) for DoD civilian workers to $40,000 for one year. The typical VSIP is maxed out at $25,000. However the Postal Service has consistently offered much less in their last three offers and now an offer of no incentive.

   

The current USPS offer begins Jan. 8. There will be three (3) effective dates in which eligible employees may choose in the Vonluntary Early Retirement offer. Those dates are: Jan. 31, Feb. 28 and March 31. Eligible employees should receive letters making the offer soon. To read more on the offer go to the following URL: https://link.usps.com/2018/01/04/voluntary-early-retirements/

The Voluntary Early Retirement offer with no incentive leaves one to question the intent of an offer that will most likely only derive a very small number of takers. Some may question whether this is simply an offer that is made to satisfy union obligations to reduce numbers with the least disruption to employees in the event of more consolidations/closures should something like that take place in the future. However, it is highly unlikely a no-incentivized offer would satisfy any union requirements with an offer that would seem unrealistic in generating much movement out the door. If you would like to follow the conversation or join the conversation, Federal Soup offers a great forum for doing so at: https://forum.federalsoup.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=79888

You can get more information from the two national unions at:

National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU)

American Postal Workers Union (APWU)

This Article is From: The Postal Newsgroup
Read our latest posts! .

1970 Postal Strike: Remember when postal unions had power to make positive change for the lower-paid middle class?

How a Postal Strike Became a National Emergency for Richard Nixon

"...At the time, pay raises for postal workers were almost unheard of: After 21 years on the job, noted The New York Times, a letter carrier would only earn $2,266 more than their starting salary. Though unionized, postal workers were forbidden from negotiating for pay raises due to cost of living. There was no chance to earn overtime, and many workers had to find a second job to make ends meet..."    

This Article is From: www.history.com
Read our latest posts! .

Trump Takes On Amazon and the Postal Service Again, Urging ‘Much More’ in Postage Fees

Trump Takes On Amazon Again, Urging ‘Much More’ in Postage Fees

"...Amazon regularly uses the Postal Service to complete what’s called the “last mile” of delivery, with letter carriers dropping off packages at some 150 million residences and businesses daily. It has a network of more than 20 “sort centers” where customer packages are sorted by zip code, stacked on pallets and delivered to post offices for the final leg of delivery. While full details of the agreement between Amazon and the Postal Service are unknown -- the mail service is independently operated and strikes confidential deals with retailers..."    

This Article is From: www.bloomberg.com
Read our latest posts! .

In final holiday push, UPS grabs its accountants to deliver packages

In final holiday push, UPS grabs its accountants to deliver packages

"...UPS had to supplement those workers this year by calling in employees from various desk jobs with little notice. Some are delivering packages using their personal vehicles. A shift to online shopping coupled with a tight market for seasonal workers left gaps in manpower across the delivery network..."    

This Article is From: http://www.foxnews.com
Read our latest posts! .

Police: Naked man kills Post Office supervisor early Saturday

Police: Naked man kills Post Office supervisor early Saturday

"...Police say a naked United States Postal Service employee shot a supervisor to death early Saturday morning at a post office before attacking and killing another supervisor at her home..."    

This Article is From: http://nbc4i.com
Read our latest posts! .

Tesla Secures Its Largest Order of Semi Trucks Yet With UPS

Tesla Secures Its Largest Order of Semi Trucks Yet With UPS

"...Shipping giant UPS announced this morning that it has pre-ordered 125 all-electric Tesla Semi trucks. The order is the largest yet for the truck, trumping last week’s order of 100 vehicles from PepsiCo. It adds to a growing list of big-name companies who have signed on for the truck..."    

This Article is From: fortune.com
Read our latest posts! .

Politicians make sure they will not get elected again: Their Shameful Tax Plan

U.S. Senate Seems to Have the Votes to Pass their Shameful Tax Plan

"...Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) acknowledged that the Republican drive to cut taxes for the wealthy is the prelude to a larger attack on Social Security and Medicare. On Wednesday, he told a group of lobbyists that hiking the deficit with the GOP tax bill is the first step in dismantling the programs. Responding to a question from Politico interviewers about how to address the federal deficit, he replied, “We have to do two things. We have to generate economic growth which generates revenue, while reducing spending. That will mean instituting structural changes to Social Security and Medicare for the future...Sen. Rubio may have just told a secret that he was not supposed to spill,” said Joseph Peters, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance. “The GOP strategy of increasing the debt and then saying we need to cut Social Security and Medicare usually flies under the radar..."    

This Article is From: www.apwu.org
Read our latest posts! .

Postal worker shot in the head while on the job dies

Postal worker shot in the head while on the job dies

"...United States Postal Services worker died after being shot in the head Monday night, Channel 2 Action News reported. The shooting occurred outside a post office..."    

This Article is From: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Read our latest posts! .

Amazon has privately blamed the U.S. Postal Service for grocery delivery issues that led to Amazon Fresh changes

Amazon has privately blamed the U.S. Postal Service for grocery delivery issues that led to Amazon Fresh changes

"...Specifically, Amazon officials have told several food brands that the USPS had delivered an unreliable experience to customers with too many late or missed deliveries, according to people familiar with the discussions. With no other good delivery options for fresh food in these areas, Amazon decided to shut down the service..."    

This Article is From: www.recode.net
Read our latest posts! .

As U.S. Postage Rates Continue To Rise, The USPS Gives The Chinese A 'Free Ride'

As U.S. Postage Rates Continue To Rise, The USPS Gives The Chinese A 'Free Ride'

"...almost impossible not to be amazed at how cheaply China-based merchants are selling products for: xlr cables for $.99, a necklace for $.78, 10 watch batteries for $.78 -- all with postage included. Perhaps you may feel a little suspicious or even a touch indignant about these low prices, as you know that ..."    

This Article is From: www.forbes.com
Read our latest posts! .