PostalReporter.com Blog

USPS News Release:
 
Pay consultations with the Postal Service and the National Association of Postal Supervisors, The National League of Postmasters and the National Association of Postmasters of the United States have concluded, resulting in a four-year compensation package that will remain in effect through fiscal year 2010.

Labor Relations Vice President Doug Tulino said, “This four-year pay package extends our market-based, performance driven compensation philosophy using our award-winning Pay-for-Performance program as the foundation for building organizational success.”

For more information on the new EAS pay packages, including the PFP pay matrix and salary ranges, go to: http://blue.usps.gov/hrisp/comp/eas.htm. (internal link)

The United States Postal Service will restore “domestic status” for U.S. mail sent to the Marshall Islands and Federated States of Micronesia, the Palau Horizon reports.

USPS made the announcement during the USPS two-day workshop for postmasters and post office managers throughout the Pacific.

USPS terminated these services during the RMI and FSM Compact renegotiation in 2003. Paul Vogel, Managing Director, Global Business and Senior Vice President of USPS made the announcement.

 The Republican Reports:

Former Hampden postmaster pleads guilty to embezzlement
A longtime Hampden postmaster faces up to a year in federal prison after pleading guilty today to embezzling more than $27,000 in stamp proceeds over three years.

George E. Podmore Jr., who resigned in July 2006, admitted selling stamps to postal customers at the retail window between 2003 and 2006, then pocketing the money.

Podmore confessed to the scheme last summer when confronted by U.S. Postal Inspectors, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow. The shortfall was flagged by another employee at the Hampden Post Office when Podmore went on medical leave last year.

He had been postmaster since 1998. Defense lawyer Thomas J. Rooke said the case has sullied an otherwise sterling career with the postal service

 Postal Supervisors Also Announce Agreement

Joint Statement by the National Association of
Postmasters of the United States
And
The National League of Postmasters of
The United States

August 30, 2007

After 10 months of work by the Postmaster Organizations, and pay consultations that spanned about 6 month, the League, Napus and the Postal Service have come to agreement on a pay package for Postmasters.  As you know, actual pay increases are governed by how a Postmaster scores on the Pay-for-Performance process.  This system will remain in place.  Currently, PFP Core requirement ratings are done using a representative score of 0,6,11, or 14.  Beginning in FY08, these individual core requirement rating options will encompass the full range of the 1 through 15 point rating matrix.

A Postmaster’s pay will increase by the percentage earned through the Pay-for-Performance Program.  The change to the minimums and maximums of all EAS grades will be 2% for FY08 and FY09, and 2.25% for FY10 and FY11.  This is significant in light of the fact that the Postal Service is mandated to operate under the Consumer Price Index (CPI).  The average increase to a Postmaster’s pay last year was about 5%.  The raise to the minimum in EAS grades was the first in about 10 years.

From 2008 through 2011, the Postal Service’s contribution to a Postmaster’s Federal Employee Health Benefit Program will be reduced by 1% per year.  This is in line with the reductions experienced by craft employees through their contracts negotiated this year.

In addition to the other pay issues, the organizations were pleased that we were able to preserve a benefit that is good for the Postal Service and Postmasters and that benefit is our 5 days of Convention Leave.

Starting in FY2008, Postmasters will be allowed to use Administrative Leave for bone marrow, stem cell, blood platelet and organ donations.  In addition, EAS employees may be granted bereavement in the event of the death of a family member.

While no agreement was reached on pay and training for PMRs, The Postal Service has committed to consult with Postmasters regarding this extremely important issue.

No agreement was reached on Workload Service Credits (WSCs) but Postmaster General Jack Potter has promised the Postmaster Organizations that the Postal Service will continue to work with Postmasters to come up with an acceptable plan.  Additionally, the Postal Service has agreed to convene a work group to develop recommendations for policy change for the use of privately owned vehicles.

Postmasters from all over country, especially the pay team of Napus representatives Dale Goff, Ken Engstrom and Hugh Hager and League representatives Charley Mapa, Mark Strong and Steve Lenoir, worked long and hard on this pay package.  It is a credit to both organizations that this group worked so well together on behalf of Postmasters everywhere.

Details of Pay Package

USPS, Postmasters Reach Agreement on Pay Package (PDF)

According to Southwest Times Record

Carolyn J. Covey, aka Carolyn Sumpter, 38, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Muskogee, Okla., to embezzlement of [$13,172.93]government funds. The offense is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000.

According to a news release, the charges arose from an investigation by the U.S. Postal Service in connection with incidents that occurred between March 2005 and January 2007.

“Covey, a highway contract route driver, admitted purchasing fuel with her government-issued credit card that she had already been paid for as part of her contract with the postal service.

She admitted to using the card to pay for fuel for her personal vehicle. Additionally, she admitted to falsifying the fuel purchase form filed with the postal service,” U.S. Attorney Sheldon J. Sperling stated in the release.

According to Ballot Access News:

In 2000, the Initiative & Referendum Institute filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Postal Service against a regulation passed that year that makes it illegal for petitioning to occur on post office sidewalks. The part of the case involving interior postal sidewalks is still in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. Recently, the judge in the case asked the postal service to send a survey to all postmasters, asking to what extent people have used interior postal sidewalks for First Amendment activity, including petitioning. The results should be known in a month. “Interior sidewalks” means sidewalks that lead from the street to the post office, or to its parking lot, or between the parking lot and the post office itself.

Archive: Lawsuit Over Postal Regulation Banning Solicitations on Post Office Sidewalks Still Alive (3/23/2007)

The following are excerpts from an August 23, 2007 arbitration award [via 21cpw.com] that documents abuse of a clerk by postal inspectors in Clifton, AZ. The Union grieved under Article 2 and 17 of the National Agreement and got $50,000.00 in damages. APWU was represented by Steve Zamanakos, National Business Agent, Denver Region.

Award: The grievance is properly before me under the provisions of Art. 2.3. The Inspectors violated Art. 2.1 & Postal Bulletin 21826: their conduct on May 27, 1999 created a hostile work environment for the Grievant. They also violated Art. 17.3, the MOU, a Step 4 Decision, & Inspection Service protocols by denying the Grievant representation. Dent violated ELM provisions when he interjected himself into the CA-1 process. The Agency failed to adequately supervise the Inspectors, failed to cooperate with the Union during the grievance process and failed to investigate the Grievant’s sexual harassment claim in violation of Postal Bulletin 21826. The grievance is sustained and damages awarded. (more…)

According to the description: “This is located in the ACTUAL post office office building on the OTHER side of L’enfant Plaza” in Washington, DC.

Flickr Photos

From the Federal Register:

The Postal Service is amending two provisions in title 39, Code of Federal Regulations, to correct an outdated citation to a superseded Executive Order.

Accordingly, 39 CFR parts 232 and 447 are amended as follows:

PART 232–CONDUCT ON POSTAL PROPERTY

0
1. The authority citation for part 232 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 18 U.S.C. 13, 3061; 21 U.S.C. 802, 844; 39 U.S.C. 401, 403(b)(3), 404(a)(7), 1201(2).
2. Section 232.1(h)(1) is revised to read as follows:

Sec.  232.1  Conduct on postal property.

* * * * *
    (h) Soliciting, electioneering, collecting debts, vending, and advertising. (1) Soliciting alms and contributions, campaigning for election to any public office, collecting private debts, soliciting and vending for commercial purposes (including, but not limited to, the vending of newspapers and other publications), displaying or distributing commercial advertising, collecting signatures on petitions, polls, or surveys (except as otherwise authorized by Postal Service regulations), are prohibited. These prohibitions do not apply to:
    (i) Commercial or nonprofit activities performed under contract with the Postal Service or pursuant to the provisions of the Randolph-Sheppard Act;
    (ii) Posting notices on bulletin boards as authorized in Sec.  243.2(a) of this chapter;
    (iii) The solicitation of Postal Service and other Federal military and civilian personnel for contributions by recognized agencies as authorized under Executive Order 12353, of March 23, 1982.
* * * * *

PART 447–RULES OF CONDUCT FOR POSTAL EMPLOYEES

0
1. The authority citation for part 233 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 39 U.S.C. 401.
2. Section 447.21(g) and the note following are revised to read as follows:

Sec.  447.21  Prohibited conduct.

* * * * *
    (g) No employee while on property owned or leased by the Postal Service or the United States or while on duty, shall participate in any gambling activity, including the operation of a gambling device, in conducting or acting as an agent for a lottery or pool, in conducting a game for money or property, or in selling or purchasing a numbers slip or ticket.

see Federal Register notice

Re: Suspension of Custodial Exam 916 (8/27/2007)

From: Steve Raymer, Director, Maintenance Division via Gary Kloepfer, Assistant Director, Maintenance Division 

There have been inquiries from the field about the suspension of the custodial exam. This is to provide some information to the field so please forward along as appropriate.

We have received notification from the USPS that requirement to pass the Test 916, Custodial Exam, is suspended until September 30, 2008 for all purposes.

A meeting with the Service at this level is scheduled for Friday, August 31, 2007.

We believe this suspension may be a good thing (pending the responses at the above meeting) and possibly a step towards the total waiver of the Test 916. That would put us in the same position as with the old custodial exam, Test 911. The Test 911 had long been waived for career employees but the Service did not permit waiver or substitution of the Test 916.

As background, the Service had taken a position (in National case Q98C4QC02005533) that they could ignore or waive the exam at their discretion (for example, in cases of excessing) yet maintain that minimum qualification requirement for members of the Maintenance Craft. As one example of the absurd situation this creates; current maintenance employees could not down grade or be promoted into custodial duty assignments because they were not qualified (in the USPS’ position) due to not having the Test 916 on their record. Our position is the Service can’t have it both ways, either waive the requirement for everyone or it must be enforced across the board and cannot be selectively waived.

We will, as always, keep the information coming when we have an update to give

Gary Kloepfer
Assistant Director
Maintenance Division

(202) 842-4213
(202) 289-3746
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