PostalReporter.com Blog

USPS Linkextra

PMG Jack Potter met with more than 700 USPS executives this week in Dallas to recognize FY 2007 performances and to prepare for the challenges of FY 2008. The recap included milestone achievements in operations — Capital Metro and Western Areas earned 97 percent overnight EXFC scores, Western Area surpassed the 85 percent delivery point sequence (DPS) goal with an 87 percent DPS performance for the year and the Northeast Area was recognized as the leader in finishing below their total operating expense plan. Nationally, record levels of two- and three-day service were achieved.

But it was the Postal Act of 2006 and the opportunities it will provide USPS in the competitive marketplace that dominated the discussion.

“We must have aggressive growth to be profitable and we have to change to compete in the marketplace,” said Potter, on the new strategic direction USPS will take. “We have to drive innovation and leverage intelligent technology, be accountable at a higher standard and use knowledge to our customers’ advantage — and add new value to the mail to ensure we deliver for future generations.”

To help achieve that, all executives attended breakout sessions focusing on three topics — efficiency, culture and growth. Specifically, they looked at how to increase efficiency, how to engage employees to help us become more service driven, customer-oriented and profitable, and identifying the biggest opportunities to grow existing customer spending and generate new sources of revenue.

More than 2,000 suggestions were electronically transmitted to a “command center” where the Executive Committee sorted the ideas by themes and identified 10 areas of opportunity for each topic — as well as constraints that might prevent us from succeeding.

In a follow-up session, attendees voted for the top three opportunities from each topic. The results will provide the focus for USPS efforts during FY 2008:

To engage employees, we must shift from an internal focus to a customer focus, compensate to incent performance and improve communications by having simpler daily messaging.

To increase efficiency, the top vote-getters were managing sick leave and overtime, better utilizing transportation and maximizing use of non-career employees.

To drive growth, attendees recommended maximizing our competitive pricing flexibility, becoming the last mile of delivery for competitors and owning — that’s right, owning — parcel returns.

The next morning, Deputy PMG Pat Donahoe, Chief Human Resource Officer Tony Vegliante, Chief Marketing Officer Anita Bizzotto, Chief Financial Officer Glen Walker and Senior Vice President Intelligent Mail and Address Quality Tom Day each reported on how USPS performed in 2007 and what our 2008 goals will be, incorporating the ideas from the breakout sessions.

Lounge chairs, free WiFi and plasma TVs are featured at the renovated Woodfield Station post office on Mall Drive in Schaumburg, Illinois

The facility at 651 Mall Drive has just unveiled a cutting-edge renovation that couples customer friendliness with state-of-the-art technology and is the first of its kind in the U.S.

The timing and location of the next such facility is undetermined but could take up to two years of studying what works and what doesn’t in Schaumburg

Full Story (Chicago Daily Herald)

Post Office Built in 1830s

Photos 

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals today issued an opinion in CARLSON v. UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE:

Douglas F. Carlson, an attorney  and  self-professed postal watchdog appealed the United States District Court for the Northern District of California’s grant of summary judgment in favor of the United States Postal Service (USPS) in Carlson’s action under the Freedom of Information Act. Carlson sought public disclosure of the names, addresses, telephone numbers, regular business hours and final collection times for outgoing mail for every United States post office. The district court determined that the records sought were exempt from FOIA disclosure as “information of a commercial nature, . . . which under good business practice would not be publicly disclosed.”  The appeals court ruled that the requested records are not “information of a commercial nature,” and reversed the district court’s ruling.

In its ruling the court stated:
Thus, under the Postal Reorganization Act  USPS is a government entity, not a business, which provides a service, mail delivery, to the public. Post offices are a primary means of public access to mail service. Basic information concerning these access points, such as the location of post offices and their phone number, hours of operation and time of mail pick-up is not information that is commercial in nature.

See Full opinion

Archive: Among his discoveries: In order to meet schedules, the Postal Service began collecting mail two hours earlier than its own guidelines allowed in most of Contra Costa County.

The same thing happened in Daly City, where Saturday collections were moved back from 4 p.m. to noon, cutting service by four hours.

The Postal Service had similar service cutbacks in New York, Chicago and other places. One reason for it, Carlson thought, was that postal managers got paid bonuses for meeting performance standards. To meet them, and get the bonuses, they changed the schedules for collecting mail, so that they met the standards by subtly cutting service.

It was as if an airline made sure the 5 o’clock plane was on time by taking off at 3 o’clock. That way, the plane would never be late.

“They are playing a game,” Carlson said, “and the customers are the losers.”

From PostalReporter.com reader: 

Local taxes: The USPS is threatening to discipline employees that don’t follow local tax codes.  States affected include Alabama, Colorado, Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

If you are subject to any of these local taxes, you must be proactive and complete and submit the proper taxation paperwork.  Frequent contact between the Postal Service, Treasury, the Internal Revenue Service, and these taxing authorities indi­cates that many employees are not having the appropriate amounts withheld from their pay.  You are reminded that, as a Postal Service employee, you are personally responsible for ensuring that the correct local taxes are deducted from your pay.All Postal Service employees are reminded that they are bound by the materials contained within the Code of Ethics, Principles of Ethical Conduct for Government Officers and Employees.  This includes Principle 12, which states: “An employee shall satisfy in good faith their obliga­tions as citizens, including all just financial obligations, especially those — such as federal, state, or local taxes — that are imposed by law.”source:Postal Bulletin 10/11/07 Issue

Archive: Deadline Up for Postal Workers to Pay Off City Payroll Tax -[note: link is not active] (Paducah, Kentucky) 200 Postal Workers face prosecution over non-payment- Tuesday was the last day that Paducah postal workers could pay off payroll taxes they owed dating back to 2000 . Because Paducah has less than 500 Federal employees– Federal agencies are exempted by law from withholding Paducah payroll taxes. According to one clerk,” the local newspaper and TV reports made us all look like a bunch of “crooks & cheat’s”! They are expecting us (Postal employee’s) pay upon short notice.” The local APWU has hired an attorney and may work out some agreement with the city. (6/4/05)|

A postal worker from Tracy was sentenced today to two years in prison for stealing almost half a million dollars worth of money orders, authorities said.

Manuel A. Moreno, 46, pleaded guilty in April to one count of theft of a money order.

In entering the plea, Moreno admitted issuing himself money orders between October 2003 and July 2005 without paying their full face value.

Moreno has no prior criminal history and assisted in the investigation by highlighting loopholes in the U.S. Postal Service’s accounting system and auditing procedures, Assistant U.S. Attorney Shashi Kewalramani wrote in court documents.

This information allowed the agency to modify the accounting and audit procedures such that thefts on the order of what the defendant was able to carry out may be averted in the future. (source: court documents)

But Moreno has a gambling problem and needs treatment, authorities said. Moreno admitted to using money for gambling and personal expenses, federal prosecutors said.

source: San Francisco Chronicle or Tri-Valley Herald

According to court records in addition to the 24 month sentence, Moreno was sentenced to 3 years supervised release; $100 special assessment and $410,959.26 restitution.

From Federal Business Opportunities:

THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY-  The United States Postal Service (USPS) is seeking information regarding the potential for strategic partnerships to provide a modular kiosk solution capable of printing postage-on-demand, dispensing/vending postal products, supporting shipping and mailing functions, and providing supplemental or complementary services (government or non-government). The USPS needs to understand the feasibility of strategic partnerships to provide this solution in an attempt to expand our alternative access capabilities, provide ease of use for postal customers, and provide self-service options during and after normal retail operations. In addition, the USPS needs to understand the ability of providers within the market to fully support this solution (deploy, maintain, stock, and support) at no cost to the USPS

The Thrift Savings Plan on Monday began requiring enrollees to identify themselves using new account numbers rather than Social Security numbers, prompting concern from some participants who say they have not received or have lost the new numbers.

TSP officials announced the switch from Social Security numbers in August, noting that participants would have to use new account numbers in conjunction with Web passwords for online transactions. Plan officials alerted participants they would receive the new numbers by mail in September.

Trabucco said people who call the ThriftLine service will now receive a message that directs them to the Web site to request that their number be reissued. Participants also can ask for their account number or a new password directly through the Account Access portion of the Web site, he said

http://www.govexec.com/story_page_pf.cfm?articleid=38266&printerfriendlyvers=1

According to TSP: For security reasons, the TSP does not give out account numbers by telephone or e-mail.  So be sure your TSP address of record is correct before you make your request.

“The Postmaster of Bentonville (Ohio) , Ms. Verna Lorene Naylor is the oldest active Postmaster in the nation at 91 years. She took over for her husband on November 4, 1968. She has no plans to retire.”

Photos

(Associated Press) Major labor endorsements in 2008 Democratic presidential primary: 

2008 Democratic Presidential Primary:

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York

- United Transportation Union. Endorsed in August 2007.

- International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. Endorsed in August 2007.

- Transportation Communication Union. Endorsed in September 2007.

- National Association of Letter Carriers. Endorsed in September 2007.

- International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers. Endorsed in September 2007.

- National Federation of Teachers. Endorsed in October 2007.

Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut

- International Association of Fire Fighters. Endorsed in August 2007.

Former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina

- United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners. Endorsed in August 2007.

- United Steelworkers of America. Endorsed in September 2007.

- United Mine Workers of America. Endorsed in September 2007.

- Transport Workers Union. Endorsed in September 2007.

Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois

- Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association. Endorsed in September 2007.