"...The U.S. Postal Service is finding it hard to deliver mail on time — and that’s having a financial impact and causing inconvenience for many. From social media to complaints to the Better Business Bureau, postal patrons are telling horror stories of bills that don’t arrive, payments that never show up, Christmas cards languishing in faraway places and packages making peculiar, circuitous routes home. “The slowdown is a national issue..."
"...In accordance with the 2018-2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement, career employees represented by the APWU will receive a 20 cent per hour cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), effective February 27, 2021. The increase is the result of a rise in the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W). It will appear in paychecks dated March 19, 2021 (Pay Period 06-2021).The value of the COLA for full-time employees in each step and grade will increase by $416.00 annually, and the hourly rates for part-time employees will be adjusted accordingly. The COLAs are in addition to general wage increases. This is the fifth cost-of-living increase under the 2018 contract. The COLAs received so far during the 2018 National Agreement will total $1,414.00 per year. Postal Support Employees (PSEs) do not receive cost-of-living increases, but have several general wage increases under the 2018 contract. The next increase is effective on May 22, 2021 when PSE’s will receive another 20-cent raise. Click here for updated pay scales...."
"...Some people say they are still facing such extreme delays with their mail and getting hit with late fees on bills that were paid weeks in advance. Rosalyn Christopher of Belle Vernon says despite being very meticulous with her bills, it happened to her twice over the last month..."
"...Here are the current and new retail prices: • First-Class Mail letters ..."
"...Ruebusch, 25, allegedly came up to a mail carrier inside their unmarked vehicle, tapped on the window and fired shots from a handgun as the carrier drove away, prosecutors said. The mail carrier was wounded but survived..."
"...Federal investigators say letter carriers across the country have been robbed at gunpoint, but the number of cases in Albuquerque is extremely high and alarming. "Between mid-October and this week there have been a reported eight armed robberies of letter carriers," said Postal Inspector..."
"...Biden won’t have the power to usher in a replacement. Only the Postal Service Board of Governors, which oversees USPS, can hire and fire the postmaster general. The president, instead, nominates people to the Board of Governors, and the Senate confirms them..."
"...According to the statement, “These organizational changes will not initiate a reduction-in-force.” The statement also said that the hiring freeze announced in August will continue. The last paragraph indicates that more changes are to come: “Further organizational modifications are expected to continue..."
"...As an example of USPS retirement under CSRS, a postal worker with a high-3 average of around $60,000 and 20 years of service earns...FERS also uses the high-3 average, paying 1 to 1.1 percent of the high-3 average salary for each year of service. Under FERS, a postal worker with a high-3 average of around $60,000 and 20 years of service earns..."
"...Who is eligible for the SRS? The SRS is paid to FERS employees who retire on an immediate, unreduced annuity before reaching age 62, when they become eligible for Social Security benefits—if you retire at 62 or above, you are immediately eligible and thus no SRS will be paid—and ends when they reach that age..."
"...Judge Stanley Bastian in Yakima, Wash., said he was issuing a nationwide preliminary injunction against the USPS sought by 14 states ..."
"...Allegations about which POGO seeks information:
Decisions that impact the mail-in voting process
Reduction in service standards
Removal of postal sorting machines
Politicization of management
Management decisions designed to deliberately slow mail processing and delivery
Reduction of overtime or reduction of hours..."
"...Gonzalez said the person seen on surveillance video tossing the bags of mail out of a Budget rental truck was a contractor and after watching the surveillance tape..."
"...“The disrespect of a Congress member who sits on the Oversight and Reform Committee that is protecting the post office and they’re denying her coming in,” said Nick Mosezar, the president of the National Postal Mail Handlers Union Local 318 who helped plan Wasserman Schultz’s visit. “Unbelievable.”..."
"...Entitled “Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor,” the commemorative stamp features original art by Greg Harlin and was designed Greg Breeding. According to the USPS, it conveys “a scene of desolate beauty at the end of the Pilgrims’ long journey to an unfamiliar world.” Since 2013, McKay, Plymouth 400 and Plymouth Rock Stamp Club have worked to convince the Postal Service to include stamps recognizing the founding of Plymouth by English settlers in 1620..."
"...It’s that time again: National elections are coming in November. For the federal workforce, this means that the number of employees found in violation of the Hatch Act will go up. Enthusiasm for a candidate or an issue will overcome individuals who never saw, never read about, or do not remember the periodic announcements issued regarding the Hatch Act and the impact it can have on a federal employee..."
"...The documents released Saturday are said to be part of a "PMG Briefing," a presentation prepared directly for the Postmaster General just last week. According to the internal report, significant dips in on-time delivery have been recorded by the Postal Service since the start of July but had been steady for several months prior. Maloney says DeJoy did not admit to "sweeping delays and reductions in service caused by his actions and detailed in these new documents." She says the documents contradict representatives on the other side of the aisle that claimed there were "no delays" in mail delivery and "no data" to prove the delays were real..."
"...“Most times, it may be a week to ten days late,” said Richard McBee. “It’s inconsistent and then a lot of times, I get people’s mail that’s not mine.” McBee says the issues are getting worse..."
"..."Right behind me is a sophisticated barcode sorter; this is the sort of automated mail handling equipment that U.S. Post Master General Louis DeJoy has had removed," Coons said Thursday. "This was just removed from this facility Sunday night (August 16, 2020) and put outside, so it's been here for days in the rain. I think it's important that the postmaster general has said he is going to put the brakes on any further changes to service delivery standards to the equipment or handling of mail, but this is physical proof that reversing those changes is going to be expensive and difficult because this equipment isn't serviceable again."..."