PostalReporter.com Blog

Wilmington News Journal Reports: Union election at DHL postponed

A union election set for today for nearly 470 DHL employees in Wilmington was postponed Wednesday by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

The election was postponed pending an NLRB investigation of an unfair labor practice complaint filed last Friday by the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) against DHL Express.

According to Assistant NLRB Regional Director Laura Atkinson, the order to postpone the election stems from Regional Director Gary Muffley’s assessment that if the probe does find merit to the complaint, then potentially the employees’ right to a fair and free election has been diminished, an outcome that would warrant postponement.

In other words, the union election was postponed because the unfair labor practice allegations, if true, would mean DHL has engaged in conduct that could impact its employees’ free choice to form a labor organization at the place they work.

Related link: APWU, Teamsters Both on Ballot at DHL

The following is a press release from the U.S. Dept. of Justice, U.S. Attorneys Offices:

November 16, 2006

Susan W. Brooks, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, announced that Gregory R. Taylor. Jr. 30, Jeffersonville, Indiana, was charged today with postal embezzlement, following an investigation by the U.S. Inspection Service and the Postal Service Office of the Inspector General.

The information alleges that from June to December 2005 Taylor was employed by the United Stated Postal Service as a Self Service Postal Center Technician at the Jeffersonville, Indiana post office. During that time period Taylor embezzled approximately $25,000, the information charges, by converting to his own use money that came under his control during his employment by the Postal Service.

According to Assistant United States Attorney Christina McKee, who is prosecuting the case for the government, Taylor faces a maximum possible prison sentence of 10 years and a maximum possible fine of $250,000. An initial  hearing will be scheduled before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in New Albany.

The information is an allegation only, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at trial or by guilty plea.

by Bill Lewis, APWU President, Trenton, NJ #1020

Anthrax Travel Grievance

An agreement has been reached in the Anthrax Travel Grievance.  On Wednesday, November 22, 2006 the parties finalized an agreement. This agreement is only for the employees of the Trenton P&DC who were displaced when the Trenton P&DC was closed due to Anthrax.  This settlement is compensation for time traveled to temporary duty assignments outside the local commuting area.

The agreement provides for the members of the Trenton Local to be compensated 5.300,000.00 dollars.  Payment will be in the December 15, 2006 paycheck.

The full text of the settlement is on the Trenton’s Web Page

(more…)

According to Lifehacker.com:

Shopper watchdog site The Consumerist has a link to a United States Postal Service page where you can register for free package scales.

The only information you need to provide is your name, address, and answers to a five-question survey. The scales themselves, stackable plastic “springs,” are good for packages up to six pounds.

Looks legit, though the registration page doesn’t explain much about the offer (nor even provide a picture), and I couldn’t find it via the USPS home page, so you’ll need to use the link below. Free Stack and Weigh Scales [via The Consumerist]]

Related Link: Whatever Happened to the Cardboard Postal Scales?

Although a voluntary agreement is still possible, APWU President William Burrus has instructed the union’s attorneys to make initial preparations for arbitration. In a telephone message to union members on Nov. 29, the union president said, “We must move forward to achieve a new contract.”

The full text of President Burrus message is below:

This is Bill Burrus, president of APWU, reporting to the membership on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2006. Negotiations have continued following the holiday weekend, but we have yet to find agreement on important issues of wages, benefits and working conditions. The parties are in general agreement on the provisions that must be resolved, but to date we have been unable to find common ground.

Important issues are at stake as we address the fundamental subjects of employment, and final agreement has been difficult to achieve. I have avoided setting artificial deadlines as long as we are engaged in positive discussions, but I have now directed our legal counsel to take the initial steps to prepare for arbitration.

A voluntary agreement is still possible, but we must move forward to achieve a new contract.

Thank you for calling in, and keep the faith.

The toll-free number for the APWU Contract Negotiations Hotline is 800-992-APWU (or 800-992-2798).

From USPS News Link

REAL-LIFE DRAMA — CARRIER HOSTAGE ON COURT TV

Postal Inspectors honored for their quick response

In January 2003, Miami Letter Carrier Tonya Mitchell was driving her postal mail truck on her route when an armed gunman jumped inside and held her captive. Postal Inspectors were quickly joined by a host of other law enforcement officials in pursuit of the hijacker. The gunman fired multiple shots at police and Inspectors, but fortunately no one was hit. Four tense hours later, the armed man released Mitchell unharmed. He finally surrendered to authorities an hour later.
 
Court TV will air the story, entitled “Mail Truck Delivers High Drama During Pursuit,” as the first of three segments on its “Most Shocking” series tonight at 8 p.m. ET. Inspector in Charge of the Miami Division, Henry Gutierrez, was interviewed about the incident. The suspect in the case was arrested and later sentenced to three consecutive terms of life in prison. Inspectors also arrested a co-conspirator, who received a six-year prison term and five years’ probation.

The Postal Service presented Miami-Dade Police and Postal Inspectors with awards for their exemplary response to this dangerous incident.

According to Wilmington News Journal, OH

A labor election is scheduled for Thursday among nearly 470 DHL employees in Wilmington. They will vote whether they want to be organized for collective bargaining by the American Postal Workers Union, by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, or neither.

Eligible voters include all full-time and regular part-time workers employed by DHL Express Inc. at the DHL Air Park in DHL’s Gateway, International Services, and Shipment Recovery Center departments. Excluded within those departments are all office clerical employees, maintenance employees, temporary, casual and seasonal employees, and all professional employees, guards and supervisors.

USPS Press Release:

People, planes, trucks to deliver 20 billion pieces of holiday “cheer”
 
Postal Service prepares for the busiest mailing and delivery days of the year

Washington, DC – Santa isn’t the only one who will be working Christmas Eve.

The U.S. Postal Service will deliver Express Mail on Dec. 24 and 25, helping families and customers across the country keep the “happy” in the holidays.

The Postal Service expects to deliver 20 billion letters, packages and cards between Thanksgiving and Christmas, with the busiest mailing day expected to be Monday, Dec. 18, when more than 280 million cards and letters will be processed – more than twice the average processed on any given day. Total mail volume on Dec. 18 is projected to rise to 900 million pieces of mail, increased from 670 million pieces on an average day.

About 100 million First-Class letters are processed daily. That number increases to about 150 million a day during the holidays. About 12 million packages will be delivered every day through Christmas Eve. The busiest delivery day will be Wednesday, Dec. 20.

“We work hard every day to make sure we meet the needs of our customers. But we take the extra step, meet the additional challenge, during the holidays,” said Pat Donahoe, deputy postmaster general and chief operating officer. “Our commitment to our customers remains strong. We have a goal ahead of us that we are going to meet.”

And meeting that challenge will take the coordinated efforts of 700,000 full-time and seasonal workers; a National Operations Center coordinating mail flow and delivery around the clock, seven days a week; expanding air cargo lifts by 60 percent; increasing the number of direct ground routes between major metro networks; and fueling, loading and driving more than 210,000 vehicles. (more…)

Sidney Wyche appealed the Postal Service’s August 20, 2005 decision to remove him from his position as a mail processing clerk at the Baton Rouge, Louisiana Processing and Distribution Center. The Postal Service removed Wyche for “failure to follow instructions.”

Wyche had refused to perform work on a Delivery Bar Code Sorter (DBCS) machine, claiming that working alone on the machine violated his doctor’s instructions. He also refused to participate in the reasonable accommodation process. The Court found that the employee never responded to the Postal Service’s requests seeking clarification of his condition or provided evidence of a medical condition or disability. The Court affirmed the removal as the proper exercise of the Postal Service’s discretion.

The Merit System Protection Board found that “Mr. Wyche: (1) did not to follow instructions to operate the DBCS machine alone when doing a “first pass” or when mail volume was low; (2) did not identify any specific safety procedure that was violated by the instructions he refused to follow; and (3) though offered multiple opportunities to submit medical evidence of some condition or disability that would prevent him from performing his assigned duties, did not submit medical evidence that he required an accommodation.

The Board concluded the “Postal Service did not discriminate on the basis of disability, as Mr. Wyche did not establish he was a “qualified individual with a disability” pursuant to 29 C.F.R. § 1630.2(g).  The Board also concluded that the Agency complied with the union contract or a settlement agreement, which clearly states that staffing the DCBS machine with one person during limited volume, i.e. low volume or “first pass,” is proper. It also found Mr. Wyche’s removal proper, as employee misconduct is left to the sound discretion of the agency and that the Agency gave due and proper consideration to the factors set out in Douglas v. Veterans’ Administration, 5 M.S.P.R. 280, 306 (1981).”

“An employee does not have an unfettered right to disregard an order merely because there is substantial reason to believe that the order is not proper. The employee must first comply with the order and then register his complaint or grievance, except in limited circumstances where obedience would place the employee in a clearly dangerous situation. Thus, the Board’s ruling is in accordance with the law and supported by substantial evidence. Accordingly, this court affirms.”
 Wyche v. U.S. Postal Service - C.A.Fed.2006-PDF

A brief history of Old Mountain Creek Post Office:
“Converted to a post office around 1906 the structure served the Alabama Confederate Soldiers Home until October 1939. The facility provided service to the community until December 5, 1975. The last Postmaster G.C. Kicker, Jr. donated the building to Confederate Memorial Park. It was moved to this site on May 16, 1988.”

According to comments following the photo on Flickr: “This old post office was moved (by helicopter) from its original site in 1988 and relocated to the Confederate Memorial Park south of Clanton, Alabama.”