January 31, 2006 -
Post office copes with overflow - sorts mail under a tent -
post office
employees sort mail under the white tent and trailer outside the
brown brick post office, their means, at the moment, of keeping
up with the growth in Parrish.
|
January 30, 2006 -
Postal overhaul sponsors optimistic
about Senate action
Sponsors of sweeping postal overhaul legislation are optimistic the Senate will
approve the measure by unanimous consent in the coming days, said a spokesman
for Sen. Thomas Carper, D-Del. the bill's lead Democratic sponsor.
NALC President Young Vows to Fight for Enactment
of S. 662
-"Postal reform legislation was on the brink of
Senate passage January 25 when postal management unleashed a mind-boggling,
and frankly embarrassing, attack on the bill."
-
Day defends USPS position on Reform bill in letter to Senator Frist (PDF)
- USPS Senior VP for Government Relations Tom Day says that USPS opposition
to the pending reform bills was expressed in letters to the relevant committees
as late as September 2005, and was not a 'last-minute reversal of position'
- Postcom
|
January 30, 2006 -
Mail Volume Up, Postal Workers Down:
Technological
Change and (Un) Sustainability in the Postal Industry. "This paper will
describe the automation process, its impact on workers, and some steps their
unions can take to regain their lost leverage. We focus on the American Postal
Workers’ Union, whose members sort mail, but our conclusions also apply to the
three other unions in the industry. Our sources include interviews with APWU
leaders and members in New England, public testimony by postal union and industry
leaders, Postal Service documents, a tour of USPS facilities, and USPS videotapes
on automation. Postal workers are working unsustainable schedules, speedups,
repetitive stress injuries, with less job security.. New technologies have allowed
postal managers to reorganize the work process, decreasing workers’ control
over the pace and flow of work. This undercuts their unions’ bargaining power
and allows management to introduce still farther-reaching changes. Postal
unions’ power is also shrinking as outsourcing grows and more non-union workers
enter the postal labor market"
|
January 30, 2006-
Ask President Burrus: Why hasn’t night differential pay been increased?
When will it change? I remember at one time
it was 10 percent more than regular pay.
|
January 30, 2006 -
DoD may outsource mail delivery
The Defense Department is starting to move forward
on a plan to outsource its billion-dollar-plus mail operation, which would be
one of the government’s biggest privatization projects in recent years. An influential
advisory group concluded doing so would save money, improve mail service and
free up troops badly needed for war-fighting. The U.S. Postal Service,
which already handles portions of military mail delivery, declined to discuss
how a privatized military mail operation would affect it or whether it would
have an interest in pursuing more of that business if it were put up for bid.
|
January 30, 2006 -
Editorial: War of Words - So what the blazes happened last week? I don’t
know what officials at the U.S. Postal Service hoped to accomplish when they
came out full throttle against postal reform legislation that the Senate was
about to pass. If they wanted to completely and utterly alienate the lawmakers
with direct oversight over their agency, then they succeeded. To say the least,
bill sponsors Sens. Susan Collins and Thomas Carper are not pleased with the
interference....
January 30, 2006 -
Postal clerk praised for saving baby's life - A
post office clerk in Altus (Okla.) is credited this week with saving a 2-week-old
baby who had stopped breathing. Shirley Worrell responded when the mother of
Robert Estraca brought the infant into the office. The infant wasn't breathing
and was turning blue. Worrell administered CPR, and the baby was breathing again
by the time an ambulance arrived. Worrell credited a Red Cross CPR class she
took 15 years ago. |
January 30, 2006
Manzullo, postal service at odds over Rockford
center
National Postal Forum Just Around the Corner
Post offices planned for Rio Rancho, New Mexico
Hold for Pickup Goes on Hold to Study Test Results
Study Opens Eyes About Who Opens Envelopes
New postmaster bids farewell to veteran clerk
Letter to the Editor: Privatization
will hurt postal workers, consumers
January
29, 2006
Personalized Postage Is Big Business
Valpak Joins USPS in Opposition
to Postal Reform Bill (PDF)
Hey Hottie! What's Your Zip Code
The Art of the Stamp
NAPS
President Keating's Statement on Postal Reform
e-NAPUS
Newsletter: Postal Smack Down
-
How deep a grave did [the USPS] dig for itself, regarding its relationship with
Congress?" It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that the Postal Service
misfired, and misfired badly, in sending a 59-cent stamp aboard a heat-seeking
missile aimed at the Senate."
January
28, 2006 -
Deeper
Investigation Sought Into Late Mail
With Southern
California residents continuing to complain about mail that is delivered late
at night or not at all, Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Los Angeles) wants the nation's
postmaster general to provide extensive data about staffing levels, plant closures
and delivery schedules. The veteran legislator said that he wants to delve more
deeply into delivery problems to prepare for a hearing about the U.S. Postal
Service, to be held Feb. 16 by the House Committee on Government Reform, Congress'
primary oversight panel.
Harkin bill forces postal service review -"[On 1/27/06] Sen. Tom
Harkin successfully included language in the Postal Reform Bill that would force
the U.S. Postal Service to review the concerns of businesses and communities
affected by mail facilities consolidations."
|
-
Florida: Neighborhood complains of sporadic mail delivery
January
28, 2006
USPS to update automated forms
Congressman to challenge postal leaders on Rockford move
Postal Service's distaste for fractional addresses leads to headache
Postal mix-up equates to unwanted mail
California
Postmaster dies
New Mexico: Postal complaints rolling in to hotline
January
27, 2006 -Senators,
Mailers Council and NALC Respond to USPS Media Briefing
-
From Postcom:"
Mailers Council executive
director
Robert McLean has told
his members:
For those who missed it, today's Postal Service media event with Dick Strasser
and Tom Day was a collection of confusing, circular comments and more than a
few misstatements."
"Senators
Susan Collins (R-ME) and Thomas Carper (D-DE), reacted to postal letters,
news releases and media statements . As you'll see, they are not happy. The
Postal Service has damaged its relations on the Hill in a way that may be impossible
to repair..
With their latest release, the Postal Service appears to have sunk to a
new low."
From Postal
Reporter:
NALC sent out the following message to its members... "....when word
spread yesterday that passage of the bill was imminent,
the Board of Governors, led by Chairman James
Miller III, went to work trying to kill the bill. They knew they had
one willing ally, the APWU, and true to form that organization did not fail
them. "
|
-
Postal overhaul
bill held up in Senate
(Govexec)
January
27, 2006 -
Gas thieves suspected as postal vans catch fire
- Three U.S. Postal Service vans caught fire Thursday night in Land Park following
a series of gas thefts, Sacramento Fire Battalion Chief Niko King said. In recent
weeks, someone has been drilling holes in the plastic gas caps of the postal
Dodge Caravans to steal gas, King said. Fire investigators have not determined
if the fire was started on purpose, but they are calling it arson. The fire
began with the middle van and spread to vans to the left and right. Damage to
the vans, which did not have any mail in them at the time, is estimated at about
$30,000, King said. The vans were parked in an unsecured area of a shopping
center where a post office is located at 5930 South Land Park Drive. Someone
had tapped the vans for gas prior to them igniting at about 10:35 p.m., King
said.
January
27, 2006
Sioux City:
Postal Study Prompts Delegation To Lobby DC Lawmakers
Postal
Supervisor defends service
Santa Fe NM: City’s cost of living to blame, USPS says
Houston
mail carrier attacked by pit bull
Pony Express mail rides again
Postal
carrier seeks medical attention for ailing customer
Lost Military
Medals Found In Connecticut Post Office
Traffic, Automation Blamed For Late Mail Deliveries in Southern Calif.
Austin mailman accused of keeping mail
Otho residents want their post office
Businessman accused of mail fraud
Advo 4Q Earnings of $12 Million Top Estimates
January 26, 2006 -
Postal Service Goes on
Offensive in Fight With Senators Over System to Set Mail Rates
-
USPS headquarters launched
a media blitz yesterday to block a Senate bill, contending that the legislation,
in combination with White House demands, could trigger a 20 percent increase
in stamp prices in the near future"
The bill's sponsors, Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Thomas R. Carper (D-Del.),
said they were "outraged that the Postal Service would mislead senators." In
a statement, they said, "Nothing in the bill would lead to rate increases."
According to
Postcom.org: U.S. Senator
Jeff Sessions
(R- Al.) has placed a
hold on S. 662, ostensibly over concerns expressed by the Postal Service
Board of Governors. Postal
overhaul bill held up in Senate
|
-
USPS summary of all the news links below
-
USPS Board Opposes Changes to Postal Reform Bill |
USPS Letter to Sen. Collins
-
Burrus: Positions Change as Postal "Reform" Evolves
-
Postal Service Lobbies Against Reform Bill |
-
Mailer Groups Pleased at Reported Senate Postal Bill Action
-
Postal Reform Legislation Could Dramatically Boost
Stamp Prices
-
USPS “Officially” Opposes Senate Reform Bill--but Does That Matter?
January
26, 2006 -
Postal
Service Goes on Offensive in Fight With Senators Over System to Set Mail Rates
-
"The bill's sponsors, Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Thomas R. Carper (D-Del.),
said they were "outraged that the Postal Service would mislead senators." In
a statement, they said, "Nothing in the bill would lead to rate increases."
According
to
Postcom.org: U.S. Senator
Jeff Sessions (R- Alabama) has placed a hold on S. 662, ostensibly
over concerns expressed by the Postal Service Board of Governors"
|
-
USPS has provided a summary of all the news links below
-
Postal Service Lobbies Against Reform Bill |
Postal Service Goes on Offensive
-
Mailer Groups Pleased at Reported Senate Postal Bill Action
January
26, 2006
Reasons for New Mexico Postal Service Changes Disputed
|
Postal Clerk: Blame Congress,
not workers, for increase in postal rates
2-cent increase for stamps not
the solution; deliver mail 3 days
Paying for mail a sore subject
in Mackinaw
80 new Southern NY Postmasters
to take oaths Friday
Missouri Introduces Do-Not-Mail Bill
Opinion: Putting pressure on Postal Service may deliver some reforms
January
25, 2006-
USPS Board Opposes Changes to Postal Reform Bill
"The Board
of Governors of the U.S. Postal Service sent a letter to Sen. Susan Collins,
R-ME, yesterday opposing a Senate bill and new amendments to reform the USPS.
Collins and other senators are rumored to have worked out a compromise that
would allow the bill to be considered by the full Senate.
The amendments
are being circulated through the Senate, and the intent is to move the bill
for unanimous consent, which could happen as early as today. The USPS, however,
is hoping that at least one Senator will not agree to unanimous consent.
|
-
USPS Letter to Sen. Collins
|
Burrus:
Positions Change as Postal "Reform" Evolves
-
Postal
Reform Legislation Could Dramatically Boost Stamp Prices
-
USPS “Officially” Opposes Senate Reform Bill--but Does That Matter?
APWU: USPS ‘Network Realignment’
Update
Public Supports Workers’ Efforts
To Preserve Service, Postmarks, Jobs
"From Waterbury
to Waco, from western Pennsylvania to Pacific Palisades, public officials, consumers,
and local businesses are expressing alarm at wide-ranging plans to consolidate
“some operations” at postal facilities around the country."
|
January
25, 2006 -
National
League of Postmasters President Speaks Out on Service Issues
-
From Postcom.org - "Here at
LEAGUE Headquarters frustrated Postmasters are flooding me with calls from
all around the country. These are good Postmasters but they are upset for several
reasons. The number one reason is not being able to fill authorized positions
due to lack of hiring. We are working our employees six days a week, 10-12 hours
a day. That can only go on for so long. We are encountering not only poor morale
but also increased sick leave and safety issues." |
"Another
issue is Postmasters are being micromanaged to death. The Areas blame the Districts,
the Districts blame the Areas, and Postmasters are left with the work and aggravation.
We are aware that many Postmasters are not being treated with dignity and respect.
The same dignity and respect that we are expected to give our employees.
"Service
is also taking a beating in a number of areas throughout the country because
of hiring issues. Box sections are not up on time and there are long lines at
the windows. Many carriers are out until 9:00 p.m. or even past 10:00 p.m. delivering
mail and in many areas of the country Postmasters are being required to be present
to open their office as well as be present when the last carrier returns."
January
25, 2006
First African
American Oscar Winner Featured on New Stamp
PRC Broadens Authority to Approve Services
Woman follows postal workers, steals mail
Larger cities have more postal
service problems
Federal workers should worry less,
be thankful
Postal
Worker delivers for troubled youths
McCausland fights for its post office
FTC: Post Office Job Offers From Classified Ads Bogus
Stumpy Point losing post office
Henderson to keep Acxiom position after accepting Netflix post
Ex-postal workers face theft charges
January
24, 2006 -
Letter Carriers Given 6 p.m. Delivery Deadline - After a barrage of
complaints about late mail delivery, Southern California postal officials issued
a directive Friday telling carriers and post office managers that mail must
be delivered no later than 6 p.m. A story in The
San Diego Union-Tribune last month disclosed that many of the approximately
3,000 full-time and 100 temporary carriers in San Diego County routinely work
past 5 p.m. Union officials have filed grievances on behalf of haggard letter
carriers forced to work overtime shifts. One grievance involved a letter carrier
who was confronted by a homeowner with a gun. He was delivering mail at nearly
10 p.m. when his footsteps startled the homeowner, who burst from the house
and pointed a gun at the letter carrier's head.
January
24, 2006 -
Postal Inspector's car stolen, used in crimes - An official government
jacket, hat and stolen car decked with flashing blue lights became the tools
of a group of robbers Monday. The unmarked U.S. Postal Inspection Service car
was reported stolen near Charlotte/Douglas International Airport in western
Charlotte, police said. The car later appeared in northern, then eastern Charlotte
as the thieves tried to wield their newfound symbols of authority around town.
|
January
24, 2006 -
New Links:
Bloomington, Indiana APWU Local fighting to Save Postmark.
"... The Postal Service is studying whether or not to move the canceling and
sorting of collection mail out of Bloomington. This plan if enacted, will effectively
eliminate the
Bloomington postmark. ...".
APWU High Desert Area Local: The 'move' of Mojave's mail processing
operations is now on hold.
January
24, 2006
Postal cutbacks in Miami
Post Office back to normal after bomb scare
Stamps.com Applauds Bush and Congress for Postal Law Change
January
23, 2006 -OPM
Ousts Postmasters Benefit Plan From Health Insurance Program
-The
Postmasters Benefit Plan has been dropped from the federal employee health insurance
program, the Office of Personnel Management announced yesterday. Last month,
OPM launched an inquiry into the Postmasters plan because of concerns about
its solvency and its handling of insurance claims. OPM said steps are underway
to move Postmasters enrollees into Blue Cross and Blue Shield's standard option.
OPM inspector general, in a report last month, contended that the league's contract
with Medicure had not been approved by OPM. As a result, the federal benefits
program was inappropriately charged about $6.4 million for the contract from
2000 to 2003.
|
January
23, 2006 -
Postal Service Complement Committee Guidelines for Handling Staffing, Hiring
Issues (PDF)
-(NAPUS) "The PC Complement Committee will be responsible for providing guidance
and recommendations to Senior Management in all matters related to the use of
employees within the PC. These responsibilities include: Filling Vacancies:
The accession (new hires) of career employees to satisfy complement needs must
be a last resort consideration. The present outlook for the Postal Service indicates
that workload will continue to decrease for the immediate future. Therefore,
we have to plan for this decrease by utilizing casual and transitional employees
to the maximum extent we can contractually."
|
-
NAPUS Executive Committee Discusses Staffing Issues
January
23, 2006-
Mail Troubles Prompt New Promotions-
In response to
statewide complaints about poor service, the U.S. Postal Service has promoted
two managers from the Albuquerque office. Paul Nistler was transferred to the
East Coast and replaced as plant manager by George Lasica two weeks ago, and
Steve Harden was transferred to the Great Lakes area and replaced as customer-service
manager by Daniel Reyes, Margaret Romero, Postal Service spokeswoman in Albuquerque,
said Friday. When asked why the Postal Service promoted the men after receiving
complaints about the state's mail service, Romero said, "I can't answer that
question right now."
|
-
Malibu experiences late mail deliveries
-
Marina
del Rey P & DC closure center of mail delivery firestorm
January
23, 2006
Ten-Year-Old Arrested for shooting Letter Carrier with BB gun
|
Postal
plan could result in job losses for Aberdeen
Letter: USPS Still a First-Class Service
January
23, 2006 -
Senate
May Act on Postal Reform This Week
Senators may have
worked out a compromise on postal reform legislation stuck in limbo for the
past six months, DM News has learned. Sources said the bill may reach the Senate
floor for a vote as early as this week.
|
-
Editorial: Our two cents' worth on Postal Reform
January
23, 2006 -
Commission struggles to define 'postal service'
Members of the Postal Rate Commission said they hoped that their new ruling
on the definition of the term "postal service" would make it easier for the
commission to settle complaints that the U.S. Postal Service competes unfairly
when offering new services. But the commission's final rule might not be the
last word. USPS may appeal the commission's final rule to the federal district
court to protest the commission's authority. However, postal officials would
not comment.
|
January
23, 2006
Report: USPS Top other Federal Agencies in Hiring Veterans
Congressman working to keep postal center in Rockford
Senator goes to bat for New Fowlerville Post Office
Post Office being evicted from property
Postal truck robbed, suspect on the loose
Darrington enforces mail rules
Japan sets up company for postal privatization
January
21, 2006
APWU, Serco Open Talks Over Detroit MTESC Agreement
APWU purchases home for Southern Region - other new offices planned
|
Postal worker bids farewell to job
Dead man's ride: Postal worker sat hours on subway
Federal health plans overcharged government, audit says
U.S. will issue 39 cent Purple Heart stamp
Postal official: Better service coming to NM
Postal News Brief:
"Gary
Sawtelle, spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service's Suncoast District (Florida)
, said 465 proposed new post offices across the country are being put on hold.
Sawtelle said post office officials are reviewing the different projects because
new package sorting technology on the verge of being launched may minimize the
amount of space needed for each building. "For right now, we're in a holding
pattern because of potential new size requirements," Sawtelle said."
January
20, 2006 -
USPS: New Team Tackles New Mexico
Mail Woes
-"The
U.S. Postal Service has replaced New Mexico's management team in an effort to
improve the state's mail-delivery service. Potter told Sen. Pete Domenici he
was aware of the problems and recently had replaced the state's management team
at the Postal Service's southwest-area operations center in Texas. It was unclear
if the Postal Service had fired New Mexico's management team or reassigned them."
|
-
Letter carriers trying to keep up with demand
-
Albuquerque
APWU President: Staffing levels are at the root of the problem.
-
Postal worker pins hopes on new hires, long-term changes
-
Rio Rancho (NM): No Money for new PO, Contract postal facility planned
January
20, 2006 -
Postal Worker Honored For Saving Kids From Burning Home
- Wayne
Swisher was delivering mail Jan. 4 when he saw smoke coming from a house at
1024 Vinal St. Mr. Swisher coaxed two boys, ages 8 and 13, out of the home and
made sure no one else was inside before firefighters arrived.
January
20, 2006
Co-workers
celebrate postman’s return to work after being shot
New postal rates won't be used for increased operational costs
Nashville to close all-night window; APCs will replace clerks
Retiring postal workers are
recognized for service
USPS Wants Label Moved on Flats Mail
Suspect in mail carrier robbery gets 7 years
USPS Seeks to Extend Repositionable Note Test
January
19, 2006 -
NAPUS Executive
Committee Discusses Staffing Issues
NAPUS National
Vice Presidents and other committee members participated in the teleconference
to discuss the current complement review process, which they described as being
too cumbersome and inefficient to handle current hiring needs. Committee members
said “unofficial” hiring freezes and other delays in the complement process
have contributed to the delivery of mail late into the evening, as well as long
lines in retail lobbies and high overtime rates
|
January
19, 2006 -
Mail Handler Found Dead on NY Subway
January
19, 2006-
Council Eyes Postal Woes, Adopts Guiding Principles
"There
is no functioning management that I can identify," said Community Council chairman
Kurt Toppel last Thursday night as he described his ongoing frustrations dealing
with the U.S. Postal Service here and in downtown Los Angeles. These problems
started last summer with the closure of the Marina del Rey processing facility,
which served some 12 postal areas. Since that time we have had three different
postmasters or managers in charge, the latest of whom started Monday (January
9)." (Rep. Henry) Waxman has started an official inquiry into the matter in
Washington."
|
January
19, 2006 -
Oregon Postmaster faces DUI
case after wreck
Corvallis Postmaster John Herrington has been charged with reckless driving
and driving under the influence of alcohol after he flipped his car on a rural
road early Sunday morning. Doug Batchelor, the human resources manager for the
Portland district of the U.S. Postal Service, said he was not familiar with
Herrington’s case. But, he said, the charges probably won’t jeopardize Herrington’s
position. “We would not necessarily terminate someone’s livelihood because of
something like this,” Batchelor said. Rather, he said, officials will “try to
work with this individual ... to get control of whatever it is that led up to
this.”
|
January
19, 2006-
Frontrunner in Race to replace Rep. DeLay allegedly has 'done favors for UPS'
- The
front-runner now in the race to replace DeLay is Republican congressman Roy
Blunt of Missouri. Blunt has done favors for UPS, another of his son's clients,
by sticking a proviso into the Iraq emergency appropriations bill to require
that military cargo be carried by majority-owned U.S. firms. That was meant
to block foreign competitors of UPS and FedEx from getting a toehold in the
profitable wartime postal business. UPS and FedEx together have contributed
more than $125,000 to Blunt since 2001.
January
19, 2006-
Rural Letter Carrier detained by Border Patrol-
Arizona
Rural Letter Carrier Rick Encinas wants an apology after being pulled over by
Border Patrol agents last month while delivering mail. Encinas told the Range
News that he has a sign on the dashboard of his Nissan Pathfinder that says
"U.S. Mail."
|
January
19, 2006
Rural community takes on USPS
Rogersville Post Office gets the lead out
January
18, 2006 -Ask
Burrus: Can APWU Sue USPS Over Consolidations?
Question:
Why was the national APWU caught off guard by the USPS consolidation plans?
The only time I know of that the APWU protested management’s refusal to provide
the consolidation plan was during the first year of the contract extension.
Answer (in part): We are continuing to review the options for filing
a lawsuit, and are reaching out to appropriate congressional representatives
and requesting their assistance.
|
January
18, 2006 -
January 30, 2006- 