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Postal News - October 2004 |
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Postal Employees Work Throughout Weekend to Prepare Election Mailings for Monday
delivery-In
some locations -- including Florida's Broward and Palm Beach Counties -- election
officials mailed some 8,000 absentee ballots as late as Saturday evening
Postal Service Put to the Test Over Last-Minute Ballots-Postal Workers Will Work Throughout Weekend to Deliver Ballots -Prompted by a late mailing of absentee ballots from the Palm Beach County Elections Office, the Postal Service will set up a curbside operation to collect ballots and deliver them in time for Tuesday's election - 2,500 ballots go out at last minute in Broward- - Statement of Azeezaly S. Jaffer 10/30/04 - Statement by USPS Azeezaly Jaffer 10/28/04 - Florida Election Officials Blame USPS over Missing Ballots - Internal e-mail reveals Postal Service may have mishandled ballots - Florida county to resend 76,000 absentee ballots - Broward Official Points Finger at USPS - Bush/Cheney Campaign Charges Against Letter Carriers | - Letter To Postmaster General John Potter On Ballot Mail Integrity - Who Will They Smear Next - Commentary by APWU Member Dan Sullivan |
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USPS Net Income of $2.8 Billion Over Budget -With one month left to report for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, USPS announced net income of $2.8 billion, or $656.6 million over budget, for Oct. 1, 2003, to Aug. 31, 2004. USPS fiscal and operating statements showed that revenue totaled $63.1 billion, 0.2 percent less than planned. Expenses of $60.3 billion were 1.3 percent under the planned budget, but up 2.1 percent versus the year-ago period | |
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Postal Managers May Face
Tougher Performance-Pay Standards in 2005
-"The
U.S. Postal Service and leaders of postal management organizations are considering
tougher standards for pay-for-performance raises in fiscal 2005. Vincent
Palladino, president of the National Association of Postal Supervisors, said
Oct. 22 that some national goals — which take the performance of the entire
Postal Service into account when considering managers’ raises — could be more
stringent.| |
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Commentary: Has the USPS Lived Up to Its Mandate? Whether the U.S. Postal Service has lived up to its mandate depends on whether you are talking about the mandate recommended by the Kappel Commission in 1968 or the mandate imposed upon the USPS by Congress. | |
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DMA Chief to Members: Postal Reform Looks Dead...For Now-With neither of the committee-approved postal reform bills scheduled for consideration by the full House or Senate as of Oct. 7, DM president/CEO John Greco declared that postal reform this year “appears very unlikely” as the 108th Congress winds down. But Greco notes that "the legislative process for postal reform can pick up where it left off early in the 109th Congress since both bills were passed through their respective committees. "Our industry," his message said, "is now closer than it has ever been to passing [postal reform] legislation."| - E-NAPUS Legislative Newsletter: Postal Reform Wait Until Next Year |
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First Veteran Rights Case Filed Against USPS Will Set Employment Precedent -The first case brought to the Merit Systems Protection Board involving a federal agency accused of violating the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) will set an important precedent for federal agencies and managers, according to Office of Special Counsel chief Scott Bloch. The case, which is being brought by the special counsel against USPS was initiated in June and is set for an MSPB hearing in early January. In the Postal Service case, the reservist alleged that his military duties were the motivating factor in his dismissal from a 16-week associate supervisory training program. | |
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- Bush Nominates Ex-Postal Commissioner Gallagher to USPS BOG (10/12) |
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Previous article: Postal rape suspect fighting DNA order (5/24/04) |
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Return to sending-Direct marketing spending is on the rise for many in the industry, which is welcome news, but the real excitement is centered around good old-fashioned direct mail. Despite indications that direct mail has taken a hit the past few years, including mail volume declines year over year cited by the U.S. Postal Service, the medium is experiencing a resurgence with marketers. This turnaround had been predicted by some in the industry. Mike Tuohy, VP-business-to-business at list manager Direct Media, told BtoB earlier this year that he expected a slight increase in mail volume this year, with "a big jump in 2005." |
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On-Roll and Paid Employee Statistics (ORPES) Pay Period 22, 2004 (PDF) -"Beginning with this report, and in the future, ORPES reports will be produced each pay period, as opposed to monthly." | |
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NALC Young: Bush Derails Postal Reform-"President George W. Bush drove a spike through the heart of postal reform legislation this week, ordering Republican leaders in the House and Senate to stop floor action on the H.R. 4341 and S. 2468 so the bills will die when the 108th Congress adjourns for the year. In so doing, Bush virtually ensured that the Postal Service will be forced to seek a 6 cent postage increase." NALC President Young said Bush has now clearly communicated that he is against postal reform." | |
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Ex-USPS Purchasing Specialist Pleads Guilty to Taking $800,000 in Bribes-A retired postal worker pleaded guilty Thursday to taking payoffs in what prosecutors called a "brazen bribery scheme." Daniel J. Williams, Jr., admitted taking at least $771,363 in bribes over 12 years. Williams, 62, worked as a purchasing specialist at USPS headquarters in Washington. Prosecutors said he accepted the money from companies that wanted printing contracts with USPS. In exchange for the cash, Williams gave the companies confidential bid information and preferential treatment. He also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. | |
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Rural Letter Carriers Ratify Contract Extension-As a result, the current collective bargaining agreement — set to expire on Nov. 20, 2004 — will be extended to Nov. 20, 2006. “The contract extension is fair to both parties,” said Labor Relations V.P. Tony Vegliante. “We are pleased that rural carriers have ratified the agreement.” The agreement provides for a 1.3% wage increase effective Nov. 27, 2004, and a 1.3% increase effective Nov. 26, 2005. Other terms include continuing the cost-of-living allowance, establishing a standard time allowance for reloading and unloading vehicles, increasing the reimbursement rate for rural carriers who furnish their own vehicles and creating a joint task force to discuss issues related to future developments in mail delivery. Other provisions of the contract remain in effect | |
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Cleveland (Ohio) Taiwanese-American Postmaster makes 'American Dream' come true-And, its 53rd postmaster is Taiwanese immigrant, Spencer Hsu. Many of us probably take the Postal Service for granted. When Cleveland got its first postmaster in 1805, U.S. mail was delivered nationwide on foot. Then came horseback, wagons, trains, canal boats and planes. If you think 37 cents is too much for a stamp, back in 1836, it cost 50 cents to send a letter cross country by stagecoach. |
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Two Massachusetts Postmasters Reassigned due to Nepotism-The longtime postmaster of Great Barrington, Marcia Moreau, has been reassigned to the Lee post office after the U.S. Postal Service determined that her having an underling who is also her son-in-law violated its code of conduct. Postmaster Elaine Daniels of Cheshire also faces reassignment for a similar issue. In Daniels' case, her son was hired as a part-time rural carrier in the late 1980s, when she was a clerk in the Cheshire office. In 1997, when her predecessor retired, Daniels applied for the post. According to Deakin, Daniels revealed that her son was a part-time worker during the interview. "She made them aware of the situation," Deakin said. "They told her it would be no problem." |
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Postal Employees
Invited to Join Class Action Suit on 'Clock Rings' |
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Gunman robs Miami post office-An armed robber stole $40,000 in cash, money orders and checks from the post office at 16750 NE Fourth Pl. at about 5:50 p.m. Oct. 4. According to North Miami Beach police, three postal workers were in a back area when a man walked in waving a shotgun and ordering them to get on the floor. He demanded the money that one of the workers was counting. He then ran out and got in a car that drove away. |
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Former Postmaster Sues for Gender Discrimination: A former Anderson postmaster has sued the U.S. Postal Service, claiming she faced gender discrimination and retaliation for filing complaints. Adele Striss, Anderson postmaster from 1997 to 2001, filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court on Oct. 1. Striss says she was passed over for promotions in favor of male workers with less tenure. |
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Official Winners of APWU National Officers Election - Official Results (pdf) - Official Tally has been posted. | |
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Mail Carrier shot at while delivering mail-Jay W. Jarrell. Jarrell is accused of pulling up next to Shannon Willis' car on Millpond Road about 3:00 Tuesday. He pointed a shotgun at her. She ducked, and he took off. Willis said she heard a gunshot and when she looked in her rearview mirror, she saw him make a U-turn. He chased the postwoman, reaching speeds of 100 miles per hour until she lost him. Jarrell is in the Colquitt County jail. Investigators don't yet know the motive. |
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Bush/Cheney Campaign Charges Letter Carriers Not Delivering Election Mail -NALC Young responds to charge by saying , "I am outraged at the allegation - without any substantiation - by the Bush-Cheney campaign that letter carriers may be attempting to influence the presidential election by failing to deliver election material in Florida and other states. Letter carriers for over a century have played a vital role in maintaining the integrity of our nation's election process and have no interest in altering that tradition by attempting to sabotage the results of this election. "The Bush-Cheney campaign owes every letter carrier in America an apology."( 10/21)| |
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Deputy PMG Says Agency Working on PhotoStamps Decision-The U.S. Postal Service is evaluating whether it will let Stamps.com continue offering PhotoStamps, according to deputy postmaster general John Nolan, who attended the Direct Marketing Association's fall conference here. |
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Motorola Israel Wins U.S. Postal Scanning Deal-"The devices developed by Motorola allow electronic scanning of mail items and ongoing reports of their location in the delivery route. The development and manufacture of the systems is concentrated in Israel in Motorola's mobile data communications division. Motorola is considered unlikely to expand its Arad factory as a result of the contract but will probably outsource some systems and services to a subcontractor with a 100-person payroll."| - USPS Sign $300M Agreement for New Hand-Held Scanners- (7/27/04) |
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Police, Postal Workers and Worried Wife Watch Carrier Deliver Mail- The worried wife of a postal employee drives down one street. USPS officials canvas one block Shreveport police patrol the other. All to insure that the letter carrier is out of harm's way while delivering mail in the 1400 and 1500 blocks of the Caddo Heights street. | |
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Postal Workers to Picket Over Closure/Sale of Marina P & DC- According to the APWU, Mail Handler press release: "USPS is being very secretive about their plans for the Marina facility. USPS has failed to inform the residents and businesses of the affected communities." In meetings with the representative unions, USPS has refused to provide copies of their proposal to close the Marina, their plans for the mail operations in the affected cities and their plans for placement of the affected employees, which number about 1,200. The informational picket will be held October 15th from 8am-8pm. | |
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USPS Tacoma P & DC Trashes Donation Program- In 1998, employees at USPS’s Tacoma P & DC came up with a plan that has saved roughly $3,000 a month in landfill fees and generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations. They salvage new books, merchandise and CDs from the dead mail heap and give them to nonprofit agencies. Last month, the program had nearly 170 agencies on its recipients’ roster. This month, it’s dead – killed by a new manager. | |
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Postal Tidbit: According to USPS: "The Self-Service Vending Program, implemented in October 1964, is one of the Postal Service's major programs. Nationwide, the Postal Service maintains approximately 30,000 vending machines (27,000 self-service postal centers and 3,000 other types of vending equipment) that generated over $1.9 billion in revenue during fiscal years (FY) 2001-2003." |
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Study: Catalogs Influence Online Spending-Catalog recipients are nearly twice as likely to buy online as non-recipients and prospects are even more inclined to do so, according to a study commissioned by the U.S. Postal Service. The research shows that people who received paper catalogs spent 16% more, and were 15% more likely to make additional Web transactions than those who didn't receive them. The USPS hopes the numbers will convince marketers they can't forsake the mails. And by one measure, it has a point. The USPS doesn't break out catalog figures from total Standard Mail results in its financials, but in the three months prior to June 30, both the number of Standard Mail pieces and the revenue generated by the category rose. |
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USPS to Reward Postmasters for Connecting with Local Businesses -USPS is launching a new program that will reward Postmasters for connecting with their local businesses. The effort is an extension of Customer Connect and seeks to educate local businesses on USPS.com and how it can serve all business segments. The new program intends to use Postmasters and station managers to create awareness of USPS.com with businesses and business leaders.| |
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Mail delays frustrate letter carriers, customers -"Sunset Tuesday marked the end of another long day for those that deliver your mail. But this day ends, carriers say, with mail undelivered. One carrier, who wished to remain unidentified, said that out of her seven trays of mail, only three were delivered Tuesday. What happened to the remaining trays? They were taken back into the station. Carriers in Cypress say they were called back in at six o'clock. They returned to the station with tray after tray of mail that would have to wait another day for delivery. The callback is a result of different trouble here Monday night -- carriers finally returning from their routes after dark because, they say, short-staffed clerks were behind getting mail to them." |
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OPM Calculations Delay Full Retirement Payments-Although he retired from USPS seven months ago, John Griffin of Pittsford, N.Y., is still waiting for the official calculation of his retirement payments--and he is not alone. Since his early out retirement, Griffin has been receiving an interim pension payment, which provides monthly income but is usually less than what he is due, to protect the government from making overpayments. | |
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10/30/04 Overtime Class Action Suit Update: 613 postal workers have filed consents to join the class action lawsuit Painted Porches Are Hazardous to Postal Workers Centerton mail service proving a mixed bag Cortez postmaster suspects arson in office fire
Postal Service Recognized for Outstanding Financial Management Postal employees unwitting foot soldiers of presidential politicking
10/29/04 Family will receive its mail after visit by postmaster Shelby mail carrier tells police man shot at her Mailers: RPN Fee Should Be Part of Rate Case
Letter carrier hero honored for fast action
10/28/04 USPS Board Accepts PRC's Decision on Discover NSA - USPS BOG Approves Discover Negotiated Service Agreement (PDF) USPS Publishes Final Rule on First-Class Versus Standard USPS Gets Nothing From Senate Tax Bill Mailer Groups Mixed on New USPS Standard Mail Rules Trading Places- What do a tree farmer and Postal Supervisor have in common?
Man Claims Letter Carrier Stole His Checks Anthrax detection system installed in San Diego, Calif.
When solicitations overwhelm mom, man tackles scams, post office itself
Federal workers to get flu shots
10/27/04
Florida Highway Patrol investigating
fatal accident involving mail truck, child USPS Board of Governors sets agenda for meeting November 4 in Washington
Troy, Mi.
P & DC to start screening letters for anthrax
10/26/04 Postal Carriers Have Heavy Load Before Election Delayed $65 million Portland, Maine mail plant project restarting Postal Unions Address NY Cutbacks
Democratic
Party reimburses Post Office for insufficient ballot postage
Unrequested
junk mail shouldn't cost you more . 10/25/04 Checks to clear much faster as 'float' disappears NALC Bulletin 10/25/04-COLA & more
Men Charged with Stealing Mail
Seasonal postal work a tradition for
some Caring For Troops Founder, Postal Worker sees community donating miracles
America Mails It In-"A
growing chorus is suggesting American voters don't necessarily need to go to
the polls Nov. 2 but rather elect the leader of the free world from the comfort
of their own homes."
10/24/04 Mail-sorting glitch gives some ballots a heave-ho
The States Want to Tax a Tax!
10/23/04 Is time right for bulk-mail pictorial permits? If the photo-stamp experiment is not revived, Vermont stamp collector John A. Lutz thinks his idea for a form of personalized postage could be a likely replacement, especially for bulk mailers.
10/22/04 Sister of Beirut survivor pushes for stamp Burrus Updates: Work of Thanks, COPA, Postal Reform Agencies at odds in addressing mail rule-Canada Post blames border security
10/21/04 Mail Carrier honored for protecting girls from attack by pack of dogs Railway mail clerk witnesses end of an era OfficeMax Wins 2004 U.S. Postal Service Quality Supplier Award Stamps.com Reports First Ever Profitable QuarterLockheed Martin to add jobs for USPS project
New Yorker will put stamp on Richmond, IN postmaster job Retirees Can Expect Bigger Checks and Higher Health Care Premiums-Most government retirees will get a 2.7 percent increase in their monthly checks next year, their largest cost-of-living adjustment since 2001. The COLA will go to retirees covered by the Civil Service Retirement System and those who receive military and Foreign Service annuities -
Postal Worker Pleads Guilty to Misappropriation
of Funds FedEx Rebrands Parcel Direct as FedEx SmartPost -FedEx SmartPost operates a highly efficient, low-cost network built specifically to tender low-weight, less time-sensitive packages into the U.S. Postal Service system, typically at the local post-office level, for final delivery to residences.
Mother
of Slain Letter Carrier fights killer's parole-Some Houstonians know
the name Debora Sue Schatz only because of the post office named for her at
Rogerdale and Westheimer. More than 20 years after Schatz was abducted and killed
while delivering mail in a west Houston neighborhood, her killer is being reviewed
for parole. In addition to letters written by family and friends, petitions
signed by postal carriers also are being sent to the parole board.
36,000 minutes to home USPS phone card drive benefits soldiers in Iraq-Letter carrier Mike Ramoska, who served with the Third Marine Division in Vietnam, delivered 249 calling cards Wednesday to the Red Cross on Colonial Boulevard, which is on his route. The cards offer 36,900 minutes of calling time for the troops overseas.
Judge orders UPS not to discriminate against deaf drivers-UPS Inc. violates anti-discrimination laws by barring the deaf and hearing-impaired from driving parcel delivery trucks, a federal judge ruled Thursday. U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson said the Atlanta-based company's practices breach the Americans with Disabilities Act, and ordered revisions in UPS' policies within 30 days. The U.S. Postal Service and FedEx Corp. allow some deaf drivers to operate delivery vehicles under 10,000 pounds.
10/20/04 Son of APWU Member Killed in Iraq Deaf Postal Worker sues police over arrest| Harassment case against deaf man is dismissed For Second Time in Two Months Motorist Crashes into New Jersey Post Office What Can We Expect With the Next Rate Case Filing?
Pitney Bowes Using New Technology
for Mailrooms
For postmaster couple, there's no place like home-Husband and wife postmasters Louis and Glenn Jackson - who served on St. Thomas and St. John - transferred to postal service jobs on St. Croix last month and left vacancies in the top positions at the two islands' post offices. Mildred Diaz, spokeswoman for the U.S. Postal Service in San Juan, said that the Jacksons requested the relocation to St. Croix.
Decision Time: Who is Best for Catalog Businesses-You need to dig deep to determine whether a second George W. Bush presidency or a John Kerry presidency would be best for catalog businesses. The key political issues of concern to catalogers — use taxes, postal affairs, privacy regulation — obviously aren't commanding the same attention as the war in Iraq, terrorism, or unemployment rates.“From what I've seen or read, neither one of them will have a pronounced affect on anything that will have a material impact on our business one way or another,” says Mike Muoio, president of the Oshkosh, WI-based Miles Kimball gift catalog division of Blyth APWU NBA Greg Poferl to speak on protest, prison experience-Greg Poferl, national business agent for the American Postal Workers Union, will speak about his recent three-month prison term for civil disobedience at the monthly Labor Speakers Club on Monday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m. Clerk Delivers Joy to Berkeley (Calif.) Post Office Regulars-When Tom Citron says he'll buy you dinner if you catch him in a bad mood, it's not an idle promise. "I mean a nice dinner," Citron explains, "I know some excellent chefs in San Francisco. We're not talking McDonalds." The 48-year-old postal clerk talks to hundreds of people every day at a small branch on San Pablo Ave. in Berkeley. Still, in 19 years of faithful work for the US Postal Service, no one has taken him up on his offer, because nobody- not co-workers, local business owners or customers- can remember anything less than a positive attitude. Man who shepherded mail for decades dies -Ben Luscher Jr., who worked his way up through the postal ranks from clerk in 1946 to an appointment to his dream job as Portland postmaster in 1973, died Oct. 17, 2004, at age 83 of Parkinson's disease. Mr. Luscher was one of the first postmasters in the nation who was not a political appointee after the U.S. Postal Service became a quasi-government agency. 10/19/04
10/18/04 Exhibiters On The Hunt For Leads At DMA Show; Nolan Pitches USPS Products-Deputy postmaster general John Nolan was present and said the U.S. Postal Service is “putting more emphasis on these shows to get our message out about business mail and how we are reaching out to small businesses." Nolan said he planned to talk to customers and partners “to get them to think about mail.” He said he wants to get the message out that DMers have several opportunities to be creative with mail.
Postal Clerk from Whittier wins $225,000 on "The Big Spin"
10/17/04 Post offices in rural areas also deliver community lifeline-The coconut sat balanced atop a stack of mail -- painted, addressed, and ready to be delivered. The Embarrass Post Office delivers one of these coconuts every so often, just one of a number of odd items to pass through the one-room office each year
Postal changes opposed
-The borough council voted this week to contact the U.S. Postal Service to complain
about changes its local branch is making within the community. Councilman Robert
J. Lewis said several mailboxes were removed from areas of the community, including
Catawissa and Spruce streets, making it difficult for many elderly residents
to mail parcels
10/16/04
Letter carrier delivered humor
to everyone Federal Government hits debt ceiling, Bush administration to borrow from CSRS - Treasury suspends TSP G-Fund investments in debt crisis
Ontario, Canada announces plan to ban pit bulls -Calling pit bulls "inherently dangerous animals" that should not be walking the streets, Ontario's Attorney General Michael Bryant has announced a plan to rid his province of the dogs. UPS, Georgia High School Delivery debacle probed-On Saturday, Oct. 9, roughly 230 area students found the doors at Salem High School (SHS) locked when they arrived to take a scheduled SAT exam. It was later disclosed that the exam had not been delivered to the school as expected on Friday, Oct. 8, because of a miscommunication between UPS and school administrators.
10/15/04 Leaking insecticide sickened postal workers Former KY Postal Worker Pleads Guilty to Stealing from Stamp Machines Teen in custody for postal worker's murder
Gene Polito: A Postal Water Torture Mailbox explodes in Michigan injuring postal worker Postal Service error delays some Dona Ana County absentee ballots White Powder Still Making News 3 Years Later Mail delivery a headache for Montreal officials Port Post Office Rallies to Assist The Family of Deceased Postman
10/14/04
Latest Postal Bulletin 10/14/04: PRC OKs Priority Mail Flat-Rate Box Test PRC Backs Discover Negotiated Service Agreement
10/13/04 USPS Brings Energy Efficiency, Solar Power to Northern Calif. P & DC American Locker Group, USPS extend Cluster Box Units contract Pennsylvania Post Office loses lease, will be evicted at end of month
Letter carriers struggle with dogs
Agreement reached on Mobile Home Park mail: |
