April 2007
Monthly Archive
Photo: Glorieta, NM Post Office
Postmasters : Is Mail Service At Risk?
According to the National Association of Postmasters of the U.S. (NAPUS)
“This is the title of a letter that went out to Congress during our Leadership Conference a couple of weeks ago by our National President Dale Goff. A few excerpts from the letter are as follows: The 41,000 members of the National Association of Postmasters of the U.S. (NAPUS) know that Congress has a deep commitment to quality postal services. Now that Postal Reform legislation has been enacted (PL 109-435), NAPUS believes Congress must reassert appropriate “oversight” regarding the Postal Service. Your nation’s Postmasters are concerned that the USPS is compromising the quality and reliability of mail service, by understaffing local post offices and overburdening the Postmasters who manage them. Chronic understaffing and overburden Postmasters create an unhealthy work environment and has a deleterious effect on the quality of mail service. Late mail deliveries, long lines, reduced window hours, and contentious labor relations are symptomatic of unacceptable understaffing. The three presidents of the management associations will be testifying before Congress on April 17, 2007 to the Postal Oversight Committee.”
A couple of weeks ago, NAPUS reported on hostile work environment in the postal service:
The three presidents of NAPUS, Postmasters League, NAPS wrote to PMG Potter requesting a meeting (held on March 21) concerning the deteriorating work climate that Postmasters, Managers and Supervisors are experiencing in the field. In a letter to PMG Potter they wrote :” Postmasters, Managers and Supervisors are under tremendous pressure, with more requirements, reports, and unrealistic expectations. We are concerned these conditions, if not reviewed at our level, could result in serious consequences. NAPUS also pointed out that “We have a lot of info now on threats, intimidation and retaliation that we will bring forward but we need to aggressively work to stop this form of violence in the work place… ” Letter to PMG (GIF) | President Goff’s Update After Meeting with PMG
Postal Service Awards Contract to Convert Employee Personnel Files to Electronic Media
Migration from paper to electronic media part of the largest employee self-service effort in the world
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Postal Service is implementing a program to convert all paper personnel folders to electronic folders, which will transform the way employee information is stored, retained and retrieved, ultimately enabling postal employees to have 24-hour access to the content of their personnel folder.
The Postal Service awarded a contract to SOURCECORP BPS, Inc. to convert the files from paper to electronic as part of the Electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF) program. SOURCECORP BPS, Inc. has extensive experience scanning and securing banking, medical and government documents.
“The safety and security of our employee records is a top priority,” said Anthony Vegliante, Chief Human Resources Officer and Executive Vice President for the Postal Service. “Implementation of the eOPF program will not only safeguard employee records but ultimately enable postal employees to have the same round-the-clock access to their records that private sector employees have come to expect.”
Paper employee records are currently maintained in many postal facilities throughout the country. Once these records are scanned, employee records will be maintained in a secure central database. The eOPF program supports employee self-service, the Human Resources Shared Service Center and disaster recovery.
The migration from paper to electronic media is one more successful phase of the PostalPEOPLE project. PostalPEOPLE, the largest project of its kind anywhere, involves the replacement of existing outdated Postal Service human resources technology with a fully-integrated system to streamline, standardize and automate HR processes. The project enables the Postal Service to increase efficiency, reduce costs and provide employees with 24/7 access to their personnel files and other HR-related information.
NRLCA To Join NALC in Protest at USPS HQ
“The National Rural Letter Carriers led by President Donnie Pitts will join NALC President Young in an informational picket on Monday, April 16 at 2:00 PM EDT to protest the Postal Service’s decision to outsource mail delivery to private companies and individuals. At the demonstration, President Pitts plans to deliver a message to Postmaster John E. Potter demanding a halt to the practice of Contract Delivery.”
See more information at RuralInfo.net
Related Link: A Stamp of Disapproval for Mail Delivery Contracting (Washington Post)
Forget the rain, sleet and snow. Outsourcing is what worries a major postal workers union. Concerned that the U.S. Postal Service plans to step up use of contractors to deliver mail in cities and suburban areas, the National Association of Letter Carriers is lobbying Congress to get involved and study the use of contract delivery services. The union plans to draw attention to the issue by picketing postal headquarters on L’Enfant Plaza on Monday.
Photo: Forever Stamp Goes On Sale Today
Forever Stamp to Ready Customers for May 14 Price change
“Alan Kessler, vice chairman of the United States Postal Service Board of Governors, introduces the new USPS Forever Stamp at ceremonies the Liberty Bell Pavilion at Independence National Historic Park in Philadelphia Thursday, April 12, 2007. The first class stamp is good for mailing letters anytime in the future regardless of price changes and is being released in advance of the May 14 rate hike which will push first class postage to 41 cents from 39 cents.” (AP Photo/Bradley C Bower)
more photos from YAHOO news
Letter Carriers to Picket Postal Headquarters Monday April 16
Letter Carriers to Picket Postal Service Headquarters to Protest Outsourcing Mail Delivery to Private Firms
Press Release
Letter carriers from 18 states across the nation, including National Association of Letter Carriers President William H. Young, will demonstrate in front of U.S. Postal
Service headquarters with informational picketing on Monday, April 16 at 2
p.m. EDT to protest contracting out of city letter carriers jobs.
Young and the letter carriers will be joined by members of Congress
angered at the Postal Service’s decision to outsource mail delivery to both
existing and future city letter carrier territory to private companies and
individuals.
The NALC and its supporters in Congress believe contracting out will
expose both residential and business postal customers to security problems,
poor service, and a disjointed and unreliable delivery workforce.
At the demonstration, Young plans to deliver a message to Postmaster
General John E. Potter demanding a halt to the practice.
WHEN: Monday, April 16 at 2 p.m. EDT
WHERE: In front of Postal Service Headquarters, 475 L’Enfant Plaza, SW,
Washington, DC.
WHO: NALC President William H. Young, letter carriers from over 18
states, and members of Congress.
WHAT: To protest contracting out of letter carrier work to private
companies and individuals.
Further information is available on the NALC website: http://www.nalc.org.
SOURCE National Association of Letter Carriers
63 Postal Sites on OSHA’s Highest Injury and Illness Rates List
Sixty-Three Postal Service facilities were among more than 14,000 workplaces nationwide that the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) recently identified as having high occupational injury and illness rates. see OSHA Advisory Letters to the Following List of USPS Sites
According to OSHA:
Establishments with the nation’s high workplace injury and illness rates were identified by OSHA through employer-reported data from a 2006 survey of 80,000 worksites (the survey collected data from calendar year 2005). The workplaces identified had 5.3 or more injuries or illnesses resulting in days away from work, restricted work activity, or job transfer (DART) for every 100 full-time workers. The national average during 2005 was 2.4 DART instances for every 100 workers.
Employers receiving the letters were also provided copies of their injury and illness data, along with a list of the most frequently violated OSHA standards for their specific industry. The letter also offered assistance in helping turn the numbers around by suggesting, among other things, the use of free OSHA safety and health consultation services provided through the states, state workers’ compensation agencies, insurance carriers, or outside safety and health consultants
The list does not designate those earmarked for any future inspections. An announcement of targeted inspections will be made later this year. Also, the worksites listed are establishments in states covered by federal OSHA; the list does not include employers in the 21 states and Puerto Rico, who operate OSHA-approved state plans covering the private sector
Editorial: Why Are We Raising Postage Rates?
By Ronald Williams, Jr., Mail Handler, United States Postal Service
As a young retired military leader currently employed with the United States Postal Service working in a Processing & Distribution Center (P&DC), I get a daily panoramic view from inside the mail giant working behind the scenes in an industrial environment. I love the work I do processing, distributing and handling U.S. Mail and using some of the state-of- the-art technology available to get the job done. I can tell all the readers that from my own perspective that we could put our “two cents” in for the next few years like I’m doing right now and our U.S. postage would still be the most affordable rate around the globe. At the same time I am frustrated with the unprofessional and inappropriate behaviors on the part of the front line leaders I am exposed to in this super-sized government agency. (more…)
postal& post officesApr 07 2007 10:44 pm
Great Falls Post Office Offering Massages on Tax Day
Traditionally, the deadline for filing and paying is April 15. This year, however, taxpayers nationwide will have until April 17, 2007. Why? because April 15 falls on a Sunday and the following day, Monday, April 16, is Emancipation Day, a legal holiday in the District of Columbia. see http://www.irs.gov
The Great Falls, Montana Post Office is offering chair massages and live music on April 17. “Great Falls Fire/Rescue will be on hand for blood pressure checks. Chrysalis Chair Massage will set up in the post office’s lobby to soothe the tense muscles of last-minute taxpayers. The live music will be provided by a variety of local musicians. ”
From 2006: Carribean-Inspired Drum Players to Entertain Last Day Tax Fliers At Post Offices
USPS Rejects NALC Offer, Interest Arbitration to Resolve Contract
NALC Blames Former OMB Director and now USPS Board of Governors Chairman James Miller III for bringing right-wing ideology of privatizing to Postal Service
Interest Arbitration To Resolve Contract
Postal Service Rejects Strategic Partnership;
Opts for Confrontation on Contracting Out
NALC to Seek ‘Substantial’ Pay Increase;
Withdraws Workforce Restructuring Bid
(NALC News Bulletin) NALC President William H. Young announced April 6 that negotiations for a new National Agreement have ended in impasse.
“I truly regret to inform the membership that the top leadership of the United States Postal Service has flatly rejected NALC’s offer of a strategic partnership to protect the future of the Postal Service,” Young said. “We are shocked by their refusal to work jointly, and now have no choice but to pursue our bargaining goals through interest arbitration.”
“The Postal Service power brokers have thrown down the gauntlet,” Young said.
“They apparently don’t believe NALC is militant enough to fight them on these
issues. They are sadly mistaken and will rue the day they so misjudged us.”
Young said NALC will spare no expense and no effort to win ‘substantial’ pay increases in the arbitration to reward letter carriers for their contributions to the success of the USPS.
The NALC leader also announced that in view of USPS’ action, NALC has formally withdrawn its innovative proposals to restructure the city carrier workforce to provide Monday through Friday jobs for all regular letter carriers while eliminating casuals and creating a unionized Saturday work force. These proposals, which would have produced billions in savings for the parties to share, were contingent on an agreement to prevent the outsourcing of city carrier work.
“This a triumph of ideology over common sense,” Young said. “Sadly, there are
those controlling the destiny of the Postal Service today who are committed to a
philosophy of privatizing and contracting out and damn the consequences.”
Privatizer at Work
The current chairman of the USPS Board of Governors, James Miller III, earned his right-wing reputation as budget director during the Reagan administration, and is now trying to ram that ideology down the throats of all at the USPS.
“Not on my watch,” Young said.
In a conference call with the NALC Executive Council, Young mobilized the union’s leadership for the fight ahead.
“The Board of Governors believes it should risk the trust of the public and threaten the longterm viability of the United States Postal Service for quick and ultimately illusory savings offered by contracting out. It has rejected the high road of partnership with the most dedicated and professional delivery work force in the world in favor of the low road of low-wage, contingent labor. It is a disgrace that an agency of the United States government would seek to create yet more contingent workers with low wages and few, if any, benefits. The NALC will not accept it.
We will fight back.”
Young instructed the NALC’s lawyers to work with their counterparts at the Postal Service to begin the process of selecting a neutral chairman for a tripartite interest arbitration panel. Under the law, NALC and the Postal Service will each name an arbitrator to the three-person panel and the parties are free to choose a neutral arbitrator to chair the panel. If the parties cannot agree, the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service will name the chairman. Once a panel is established, there will be hearings in which both sides present evidence and testimony to support their positions. In addition to pay increases, NALC will pursue a letter carrier-only health plan as an alternative to higher employee premiums.
“This is not just about a three- or four- or five-year contract,” Young said. “This
is about the future viability of the Postal Service.”
Young said the union would engage a multi-track strategy to confront outsourcing.
NALC Action Underway
In order to protect existing city carrier jobs, the union is pursuing two national-level grievances regarding contracting out, one focused on Article 32 in general and one concerning the proposed outsourcing of 10 existing positions in Reno, Nevada. In addition, the union has launched a lobbying campaign on Capitol Hill to prevent the rapid spread of Contract Delivery Service. Over the past year, the Postal Service has adopted a program to vastly expand contract delivery to areas traditionally served by career employees. Although NALC has no quarrel with traditional Highway Contract Routes, it will seek a legislative prohibition on expanded outsourcing.
“Thanks in no small part to the tireless efforts of NALC activists, there is finally
some oversight in Washington and we have many allies on this issue,” Young said.
“The lawmakers who worked side by side with us to implement postal reform will
not sit by and see all that good work undone by ideologues at L’Enfant Plaza. Many
of these legislators, Democrats and Republicans alike, have said that they did not
spend a dozen years on reform to see the Postal Service turn around and contract
out its core function.”
Young noted that 2007 was shaping up to be an “historic” year that would define the future of letter carrier work. He cited pending national grievances on DOIS, the third bundle, contracting out and a variety of issues relating to the Postal Service’s unilateral implementation of flat-sorting technology.
“We intend to pursue these grievances in rights arbitration at the same time we are presenting our contract proposals in interest arbitration,” he said. “As usual, we will keep the members informed of developments.”