Statement of APWU President William Burrus on Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (S. 2468)

Burrus Update #08-2004

May 26, 2004

What’s Ahead for Postal Reform

As previously reported, the House Government Reform Committee has approved a postal reform bill. The next step would be a vote by the full House of Representatives. The timing of that vote is uncertain, but it is expected to take place sometime during the month of July.

The Senate Governmental Affairs Reform Committee is expected to consider a postal reform bill on June 2. The bill, jointly introduced by Chairperson Susan Collins (R-ME) and Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE), differs from the House bill in ways that are of major concern.

In the area of worksharing discounts, the Senate version would permit the Postal Service and major mailers to reach agreement on postage rates that violate the standard of “uniform rates.” The language in the Senate bill would permit excessive postage discounts that are currently in place to continue – and even expand.

This is unacceptable to the APWU and we will fight for the adoption of the House version.

The Senate bill also includes significant changes to the rights of postal workers when they are injured on the job. It would reduce an injured worker’s compensation when the employee reached retirement eligibility to 50 percent of monthly pay. This is in comparison to the current rate, which is 66 percent of pay, or 75 percent if the worker has dependents.

In addition, the Senate bill would eliminate “continuation of pay” for the first three days of temporary disability. Employees injured in the performance of their duties would be forced to pay for their injuries themselves by using leave or LWOP.

These changes would legalize the application of different standards for postal employees – they would be the only federal employees penalized in this manner for suffering on-the-job injuries. The concern we felt over double standards during the anthrax attack of 2001 would become engrained in the law. In the future, one standard would apply to postal employees, while another would cover all other federal employees, including members of Congress and their staffs.

A coalition of 156 business, non-profit organizations and several postal unions and postal management associations have endorsed the efforts of Senators Collins and Carper that have led to these proposals. APWU vigorously opposes these provisions and we will make our voices heard in the debate.

William Burrus

President

Burrus Update #08-2004

	postal reformpostal reform

	Agenda for Senate Meeting on June 2, 2004 (5/28/04) National Rural Letter Carriers Position on Postal Reform (5/28/04) National Mail Handlers Union Oppose to Provisions in Senate Bill (6/1/04) NAPS: Lieberman amendment promoted by APWU and small mailers(6/2/04) Lieberman Wins Limits on Excessive Discounts to Private Mailers(6/2/04) Senate committee approves postal reform bill (Federal Times)(6/2/04) Summary of the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2004 (6/2/04)
	APWU: Postal Workers and Americans Owe their Thanks to Sen Lieberman (pdf)

	Statement by William Burrus, President of the American Postal Workers Union, On Today's Mark-Up of the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act. (S.2468) "After years of hard work, we are at the brink of achieving real postal reform. Today's action by the Senate Governmental Committee has moved the process forward, although work remains to ensure that postal reform is fair and the best it can be. "Postal workers and American consumers owe their thanks to Senator Lieberman, whose amendment to place sensible limits on worksharing subsidies offered to corporate mailers will help to ensure the long term stability of the Postal Service and the delivery of high quality mail services. We are also appreciative of the vote of Sen. Specter--the committee's only Republican to support the Lieberman amendment. "Now, we must all work to make sure that the bipartisan efforts in both the House and Senate committees to limit these subsidies are upheld in both chambers and in conference. We recognize the efforts of Senators Collins and Carper in bringing this legislation to this important juncture. "While we applaud this positive step on worksharing discounts, we note that the Senate bill continues to create a two-tier system of protection for public servants. Under this bill, if our nation was ever again traumatized by an anthrax attack, the men and women who make our Postal service work would not received the same protection as Members of Congress and their staffs. "It is fundamentally unfair that the workers who handle our country's mail should receive less protection than those who receive it. We thank Senator Akaka for moving this issue forward and hope that the House language which provides equal protection under the law is adopted in conference." The APWU is the nation’s largest postal union, representing more than 330,000 postal workers in the Clerk, Maintenance, and Motor Vehicle Crafts.

	*Burrus Update #08-2004* *May 26, 2004* What’s Ahead for Postal Reform As previously reported, the House Government Reform Committee has approved a postal reform bill. The next step would be a vote by the full House of Representatives. The timing of that vote is uncertain, but it is expected to take place sometime during the month of July. The Senate Governmental Affairs Reform Committee is expected to consider a postal reform bill on June 2. The bill, jointly introduced by Chairperson Susan Collins (R-ME) and Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE), differs from the House bill in ways that are of major concern. In the area of worksharing discounts, the Senate version would permit the Postal Service and major mailers to reach agreement on postage rates that violate the standard of “uniform rates.” The language in the Senate bill would permit excessive postage discounts that are currently in place to continue – and even expand. This is unacceptable to the APWU and we will fight for the adoption of the House version. The Senate bill also includes significant changes to the rights of postal workers when they are injured on the job. It would reduce an injured worker’s compensation when the employee reached retirement eligibility to 50 percent of monthly pay. This is in comparison to the current rate, which is 66 percent of pay, or 75 percent if the worker has dependents. In addition, the Senate bill would eliminate “continuation of pay” for the first three days of temporary disability. Employees injured in the performance of their duties would be forced to pay for their injuries themselves by using leave or LWOP. These changes would legalize the application of different standards for postal employees – they would be the only federal employees penalized in this manner for suffering on-the-job injuries. The concern we felt over double standards during the anthrax attack of 2001 would become engrained in the law. In the future, one standard would apply to postal employees, while another would cover all other federal employees, including members of Congress and their staffs. A coalition of 156 business, non-profit organizations and several postal unions and postal management associations have endorsed the efforts of Senators Collins and Carper that have led to these proposals. APWU vigorously opposes these provisions and we will make our voices heard in the debate. William Burrus *President* *Burrus Update #08-2004*

	pdf version of press release

	Statement by William Burrus, President of the American Postal Workers Union, On the Introduction of the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (S. 2468) "Americans are counting on Congress to pass meaningful postal reform that will strengthen the postal Service and ensure that high-quality mail service is preserved. That means postal reform must deliver for all Americans. "As Senators consider this bill, we urge them to protect postal services by ending excessive worksharing discounts for corporate mailers. Worksharing discounts should not subsidize advertising mailers at the expense of American consumers. "True postal reform also should not be accomplished on the backs of postal workers. If our nation is ever again traumatized by an anthrax attack, the men and women who make the Postal Service work must receive the same protection as other public servants. It is totally unacceptable to change the law to deny postal employees equitable compensation when they are injured on the job. "if adopted, new rules in the Senate bill would apply only to postal workers-not other federal workers, and not to the members of Congress or their staffs. The Senate proposal to amend Title 5 of the U.S. Code by striking the words 'an employee and inserting 'an employee other than a Postal Service employee,' would engrain an unjustified legal disparity between postal workers and all other federal employees. The APWU is the nation’s largest postal union, representing more than 330,000 postal workers in the Clerk, Maintenance, and Motor Vehicle Crafts.

	Excerpts of bill text relating to change in Workers' Compensation Senate Bill (pdf) (added by PostalReporter.com)

	TITLE IX—COMPENSATION FOR WORK INJURIES SEC. 901. TEMPORARY DISABILITY; CONTINUATION OF PAY. (a) TIME OF ACCRUAL OF RIGHT.—Section 8117 of title 5, United States Code, is amended— (1) by striking ‘‘An employee’’ and inserting ‘‘(a) An employee other than a Postal Service employee’’; and (2) by adding at the end the following: ‘‘(b) A Postal Service employee is not entitled to compensation or continuation of pay for the first 3 days of temporary disability. A Postal Service employee may use annual leave, sick leave, or leave without pay during that 3-day period.’’. (b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENT.— Section 8118(b)(1) of title 5, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: ‘‘(1) without a break in time, except as provided under section 8117;’’. 101 S.L.C. SEC. 902. DISABILITY RETIREMENT FOR POSTAL EMPLOY- EES. (a) TOTAL DISABILITY.—Section 8105 of title 5, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following: ‘‘This section applies to a Postal Service employee, except as provided under subsection (c).’’; and (2) by adding at the end the following: ‘‘(c)(1) In this subsection, the term ‘retirement age’ has the meaning given under section 216(l)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 416(l)(1)). ‘‘(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for any injury occurring on or after the date of enactment of the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act, and for any new claim for a period of disability commencing on or after that date, the compensation entitlement for total disability is converted to 50 percent of the monthly pay of the employee on the later of— ‘‘(A) the date on which the injured employee reaches retirement age; or ‘‘(B) 1 year after the employee begins receiving compensation.’’. (b) PARTIAL DISABILITY.—Section 8106 of title 5, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following: ‘‘This section applies to a Postal Service employee, except as provided under subsection (d).’’; and (2) by adding at the end the following: ‘‘(d)(1) In this subsection, the term ‘retirement age’ has the meaning given under section 216(l)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 416(l)(1)). ‘‘(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for any injury occurring on or after the date of enactment of this subsection, and for any new claim for a period of disability commencing on or after that date, the compensation entitlement for partial disability is converted to 50 percent of the difference between the monthly pay of an employee and the monthly wage earning capacity of the employee after the beginning of partial disability on the later of— ‘‘(A) the date on which the injured employee reaches retirement age; or ‘‘(B) 1 year after the employee begins receiving compensation.’’.