Postal Service proposal to shift more costs to postal workers and to weaken Medicare

GAO: USPS Healthcare Plan Would Hurt Medicare, Postal Workers

"...The Postal Service’s proposal to take postal workers out of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program would weaken Medicare and would result in reduced coverage and increased costs for postal workers. ..."    

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Postal worker input requested in IG review of employee conference costs and amenities: Were they appropriate?

Inspector general begins probe of Postal Service conferences

"...The Postal Service inspector general’s office has requested input from USPS employees, asking whether they feel conference costs and amenities were appropriate. Postal workers can submit comments through a page on the agency’s Web site...."    

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Article: Postal Service cuts are creating a slowed-down mail system

Postal bill draws protests in U.S. cities

"...Issa’s bill comes on top of sweeping postal actions in the last year that have closed 30 percent of mail processing plants; reduced hours by 25 percent to 75 percent in half of all post offices; put 10 percent of post offices up for sale; subcontracted trucking and mail handling; cut thousands of mail routes; and eliminated 60,000 postal jobs. The cuts are creating a slowed-down mail system...."    

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

Postal Service wants to remove employees from the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program

USPS Plan to Pull Out of Fed Health Benefits Could Cost Postal Workers

"...it would likely put postal workers at risk of paying higher premiums, incurring more out-of-pocket costs and receiving less insurance coverage for a variety of procedures...."    

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APWU COLA increase

$937 Cost-of-Living Raise Set for September

"...Career APWU members will receive a $937 annual increase in pay in September, APWU President Cliff Guffey has announced...."    

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UPS cargo plane crashes on approach to Birmingham airport - two dead

UPS jet crashes, 2 dead

"...BIRMINGHAM, Alabama— The pilot and co-pilot of a large UPS cargo plane were killed today when it crashed and burst into flames on approach to the airport in Birmingham, Alabama...."    

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eBay tracking number problem on packages sent via USPS

eBay Aware of Problem with USPS Tracking Numbers

"...eBay is aware of a problem impacting tracking numbers on packages sent via USPS that is causing consternation among buyers and sellers. Last week sellers began reporting that the tracking numbers the postal service issued on their shipments were showing delivery dates from last fall, a glitch in which the USPS or their shipping partners appear to be recycling tracking numbers. ..."    

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Merchants skeptical of Postal Service alcohol delivery concept

U.S. Postal Service Alcohol Delivery Idea Criticized By Merchants "...such an option would likely help boost sales, because craft beer is a luxury item, which people are willing to pay a premium for, even if that includes shipping fees...."    
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Carper removes provision from his bill authorizing Postal Service buyout incentives

Senators Introduce Postal Reform Bill With Bipartisan Support
"...The overhaul would place a two-year moratorium on current closures planned for processing plants, as well as the accompanying termination of overnight delivery. Carper opted to strip a provision from his last bill authorizing the Postal Service to offer buyout incentives to employees, aides said, simply because it has the resources to do so without explicit congressional authority<...."    
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IG says Postal Service needs to use social media to improve customer engagement

USPS could better utilize social media to improve customer service, IG says

Postal news blog

"...The Postal Service could better engage customers by utilizing blogs and other social media and analyzing customer comments..."    
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Patriots protesting sale of their post office warned ...

Berkeley: Post office warns protest campers

"..."Our plan is to stay here in direct defense of the post office," said retired postal worker David Welsh, who has camped on the steps since July 24. "We're saying this is our public commons. It belongs to the people and should not be sold off to private interests."..."    

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Postal bill would put postal retirees in Medicare plans instead of current Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan (FEHBP)

Pension, health care changes key to Senate postal reform plan

"...A new health plan would be created to address the needs of retirees enrolled in Medicare parts A and B. Some of these employees now pay for full Medicare and Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan (FEHBP) coverage. Those postal retirees not enrolled in Medicare would be able to do so without being penalized. ..."    

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Article I, Section 8, Clause 7 of the United States Constitution, known as the Postal Clause [Wikipedia]

Postal Clause

"...The Clause has been construed to give Congress the enumerated power to designate mail routes and construct or designate post offices, with the implied authority to carry, deliver, and regulate the mails of the United States as a whole. An early controversy was whether Congress had the power to actually build post roads and post offices, or merely designate which lands and roads were to be used for this purpose, and to what extent that power could be delegated to the Postmaster General.[5] The U.S. Supreme Court construed the power narrowly during the early part of the 19th century, holding that the power consisted mostly of designation of roads and sites, but gradually gave way later on, allowing appropriation of land for postal purposes.[..."    

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Postal Service delivery slowing as mail distribution plants closed and consolidated

USPS addresses delivery complaints

"...After the closure of the East Texas Processing and Distribution Center near Tyler, bulk mailers began reporting the loss of customers related to slow delivery times on time-sensitive material like newspapers and advertisements...."    

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Postal Service offers NFC discounts to marketers

USPS offers NFC discounts

"...Postal Service is offering marketers a 2% discount if they incorporate NFC, 2D barcodes or augmented reality in their direct mail campaigns..."    

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Issa bill to prohibit negotiating protections against layoffs for postal workers and much more

Oversight Panel Approves Postal Reform Bill Ending Saturday Delivery

"...the revised version would prohibit postal unions and management from negotiating protections against layoffs in future contracts; increase health insurance costs; limit collective-bargaining rights; close post offices, stations, and branches; consolidate plants; and privatize operations...."    

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An Outrage!! Postal Service wants to move mail delivery to 'Cluster Boxes'

GOP's Issa, US Postal Service Plan End to Home Delivery "...the agency is working toward a more "centralized delivery" approach in which residents pick up their mail from a mailbox at the curb or at clusters of mailboxes within their neighborhoods...."    
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Postal Service reorganization causing overtime to soar

Audit criticizes $65,000-plus in overtime for 7 Iowa postal workers

"...the use of overtime at the Urbandale facility as necessary to meet an increased workload created by the Postal Service’s ongoing reorganization...."    

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Royal Mail workers union rejects 8.6 per cent pay offer

Royal Mail union rejects 8.6% pay deal 'laden with conditions'

"..."Only a year ago the government and Moya Greene promised postal workers that their pensions were secure - now they have reneged on their promise and postal workers' pensions are again under attack. For the company to present this as some kind of benefit linked to a pay offer is scandalous. This is daylight robbery of a further £2 billion of pension scheme assets being used to subsidise privatisation.”..."    

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Cummings’ bill would grant USPS authority to offer buyout incentives

House Democrat’s New Postal Reform Bill Finds Some Common Ground

"...Cummings’ bill would also grant USPS the authority to offer buyout incentives through 2016 -- providing voluntarily separated employees with $25,000 or an extra one-to-two years of credited service...."    

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Siemens postal machines unit bidders line up

Bidders line up for Siemens postal machines unit: sources

"...The postal operation, which counts the U.S. Postal Service and Deutsche Post among its customers, has benefited from the growing number of consumers shifting to internet shopping...."    

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Postal Service 'right-sizing' damaging customer service

Postal-service staff reductions cut into customer service

"...Though staffing reductions may be necessary to keep the operation afloat, they are not proving popular with customers...."    

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Attacked postal employee clarifies attackers

Yuba City postal worker: 2 charged with assault not involved

"...group of about 10-15 people were present during the attack, but only four participated. Weapons were involved and the postal worker's..."    

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Postal Worker identified in fatal accident

Police ID Postal Worker Killed In Crash On The Job

"...mail truck was slowing down to make a left turn Saturday morning when it was clipped by a pickup truck whose driver was trying to pass the mail truck..."    

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Mail truck driver dies when truck hits home

Postal worker dies when truck hits home

"...truck went into a business Thursday afternoon in ..."    

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Postal Overnight Delivery Standards Need To Be Protected!

Rep. DeLauro Introduces Bill To Protect Overnight Delivery Standards

"...“Ending overnight delivery standards – and the subsequent consolidation of processing facilitates – will have a disastrous impact on unemployment. With unemployment high, this is a particularly bad time for the Postal Service to eliminate jobs...."    

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Postal Service should cut ties with contractor...

IG: Postal Service should consider cutting off Accenture work

"...Accenture “has demonstrated an absence of business ethics, a lack of transparency and insufficient internal controls in its business dealings with the Postal Service,” according to the audit, which also cited..."    

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Brooklyn postal employee killed

Employee Killed by Postal Service Truck

"...Brooklyn Center officers say a postal service employee was killed after being hit by a Post Office truck...."    

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Postal workers repainting Brooklyn Heights mailboxes after...

USPS only repaints 'defaced' mailboxes after anonymous 'Captain Cleanup' already covered up graffiti

"...The US Postal Service pays no attention when graffiti vandals deface its mailboxes — but when someone goes to tidy them up, they suddenly swoop in and take action, some Brooklyn residents are complaining. ..."    

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Rep. Darrell Issa again targets labor, proposing prevention of labor contract no-layoff agreements

Issa proposes new legislation to restructure Postal Service

"...back with new draft legislation that would allow the financially ailing agency to move to five-day delivery and ban it from entering no-layoff agreements with employees. The changes proposed by House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) on Thursday..."    

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Max Duty Assignment Tool (MDAT) goes live, says APWU

MDAT Computer Program To Win Good Jobs Goes Online

"...A new APWU computer program that will help win good jobs has gone live! The program, known as the Max Duty Assignment Tool (MDAT), will help local unions fight for jobs with better schedules, address excessing issues and retreat rights, and identify part-time flexible hours that justify full-time jobs, Clerk Craft Director Rob Strunk has announced...."    

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UPS and USPS package scanning leaves alot to be desired

When UPS Teams Up With USPS, Your Package Magically Travels To 29 States And Back-And-Forth Through Time

"...check on the shipping status of her Shutterfly order, only to find that UPS and the U.S. Postal Service had managed to fold space and time, somehow sending her package to 78 different locations in 29 states (and Washington, D.C.), all while going back and forth through time...."    

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Drug agents check mail to home of...

Drug agents check mail to home of Indians closer Chris Perez; updates with police news conference

"...At a news conference Wednesday, the chief said the operation likely originated with a package that appeared suspicious to postal employees. “They took it from there,” he said...."    

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Ricin investigated

New poison letters put ricin under microscope

"...At least 10 ricin-laced or suspected ricin-laced letters have been sent to government officials in recent weeks, including President Barack Obama...."    

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Birmingham, Alabama former postal employee pleaded guilty in 'package redirect' of guns

Former Birmingham postal worker pleads guilty to redirecting packages, including one that contained 11 handguns

"...entered his guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and two counts of theft of mail by an officer or employee of the U.S. Postal Service..."    

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Greensboro / Raleigh North Carolina mail affected by truck fire

Mail truck wrecks, catches fire

"...The tractor-trailer was carrying 12 containers of First-Class and Priority Mail to Greensboro/Raleigh North Carolina. ..."    

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Retired postal worker slain

Warwick police: Slain man was retired postal worker

"...in Warwick City Park has been identified as John "Jack" Fay, 66, of Warwick, a retired postal worker who used the City Park bike path as a running trail..."    

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Retirement Incentive: First installment payment due May 24

First Installment of Retirement Incentive Due May 24

"...APWU President Cliff Guffey is congratulating APWU retirees and other former employees who will soon receive the first installment of the $15,000 incentive the APWU negotiated last year. The first payment of $10,000 (minus applicable taxes and withholdings) will be available on May 24, 2013. The second installment of $5,000 will be paid on May 23, 2014. ..."    

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Mail pot-smuggling scheme busted

Crime boss Vincent Basciano's son busted for alleged pot-smuggling scheme

"...The son of a notorious crime boss was busted Wednesday after an alleged scheme to smuggle $65,000 worth of weed through the U.S. Postal Service went up in smoke, officials said..."    

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Fourth lottery win for retired postal worker

America's luckiest man? Retired postal worker scoops fourth lottery win

"...Melvyn Wilson, a retired postal worker from Virginia, may just be really skilled at scratch-off games: He has won more than $2 million in less than 10 years...."    

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PMG wants more from mail handlers: reopen contract negotiations

NPMHU Responds to PMG Donahue's Request to Reopen Negotiations

"...President John Hegarty responds to Postmaster General Donahoe’s request to reopen contract negotiations. President Hegarty’s letter reads, in part; “While we are always willing to work with the Postal Service to achieve cost savings, and to find new revenue streams, we cannot accommodate your request to reopen contract negotiations. Mail handlers already have contributed to the recent financial restructuring of the Postal Service..."    

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What role did Postal Service play in the Amanda Berry story?

McDonalds' new spokesman: Cleveland hero Charles Ramsey talks to Anderson, interview

"...I was on my porch and the mailman put his mail in my mail. I looked at it like here's his mail when he come home. Couple of minutes later, he pulled up. He checked the mailbox, grabbed his paper. Before he went in the house, I said Ariel, here goes your mail. We just had the same conversation when I hand him the mail. He said, they can't get it right. I said, damn postal service. ..."    

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Postal Service Extends Health Care to Non-Career Workers

USPS Extends Health Care to Non-Career Workers to Comply With Reform Law

"...The contract -- awarded to UnitedHealthcare -- will last a minimum of three years and could stretch as many as nine years. It is worth an estimated $239 million annually, the Postal Service said...."    

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Petition to Save the Postal Service

Sign the Petition to Save the Postal Service

"...The petition advocates re-establishing overnight delivery standards to ensure the timely delivery of mail and to prevent the closure of mail processing plants; opposes the move to five-day delivery, and proposes allowing the USPS to generate more revenue by ending a 2006 ban that prohibits the USPS from offering new products and services...."    

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Ricin laced letters investigation leads to another individual being taken into custody

Mississippi man targeted in ricin letters investigation arrested

"...Everett Dutschke, 41, was taken into custody by U.S. marshals at his Tupelo home early Saturday morning without incident, the city's police chief, Tony Carleton, told Reuters...."    

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Ricin mailing update

Man Named in Ricin Mailing Case Goes Into Hiding

"...A Mississippi man whose home and business were searched as part of an investigation into poisoned letters sent to the president and others has dropped out of sight in order to escape the news media spotlight, but is cooperating with authorities, a friend and his attorney said...."    

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Ricin laced mail investigation shifts toward another individual

Ricin investigation focuses on Mississippi men's online feud

"...The investigation into poisoned letters mailed to President Barack Obama and others has shifted from an Elvis impersonator to his longtime foe..."    

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$10.5 Billion Postal Contract for FedEx

FedEx Wins $10.5 Billion Postal Contract as UPS Shut Out

"...FedEx Corp. (FDX) won a seven-year contract with the U.S. Postal Service valued at about $10.5 billion to carry mail between U.S. airports, fending off a challenge from United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS) ..."    

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

Five people arrested protesting closure of Salem’s mail sorting facility

Five arrested during protest at Salem Post Office

"...Five people protesting the closure of Salem’s mail sorting facility were arrested by police after they refused to leave its work room on Wednesday...."    

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Possible poison ricin letter sent to President has been intercepted

Obama Ricin Letter: Poison-Tainted Mailer To President Intercepted At Screening Facility, Report Says

"...two more poison-tainted letters have emerged, including one to President Barack Obama..."    

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