Photo: Hereford, TX Post Office Wood Sculpture
A sculptured wood mural located in the Hereford, TX. 79045 post office.
Title: “On the Range”
Artist: Enid Bell
Year: 1941
A poster commented on the Flickr page:
According to the TX PO mural book this piece is lucky to still be in one piece and in the PO:
1967, during PO renovations, a contractor took the piece home and installed it above his fireplace. In the early 70′s after the US General Services Adm. took control of the building and art, they tracked the piece down however, they stored it in a warehouse in Ft Worth for “years”. Reportedly, the GSA refused the Hereford Postmaster’s request to return it to Hereford. In 1973, with intervention by US Senator Ralph W. Yarborough, the GSA returned the piece to the PO. Then, in 1985, a painting contractor knocked the piece off the wall and it split into sections. Fortunately, the worker was able to reassemble the piece with carpenters glue
Photo: Garage Converted into Post Office
Kettle Island, Kentucky 40958
According to notes on the photo from Flickr: “This building used to be a garage.”
Kansas tornado destroys Post Office and homes of postal employees
From USPS Newslink:
The tornado that devastated the community of Greensburg, KS, on May 4 also destroyed the town’s Post Office.
“The Greensburg Post Office is now four feet of rubble — it’s a total loss,” Post Office Operations Manager Shirley Crane said. “We were able to salvage a few pieces of mail. We couldn’t get to most of the box section because it was under a brick wall that collapsed. And we couldn’t locate the collection box or our two LLVs.”
The facility’s eight employees survived unharmed. But three lost everything except the clothes on their backs. They are staying with co-workers or with family members.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who reside in Greensburg,” said District Manager Mike Holloway. “The fact that three of our employees lost everything brings it even closer to home.”
Mail service to Greensburg’s 1,200 box, city and rural customers will be provided out of the Pratt, KS, Post Office. Customers on Greensburg’s only rural route received mail out of Pratt on Monday — just two days after the tornado.
Editorial: Abusive Postal Supervisors Plague the Workplace
by Jim Burke, APWU Eastern Region Coordinator
A problem that continues to be a plague on the Postal Service workplace is abusive supervisors.
There are certain supervisors who simply cannot manage to treat employees with dignity and respect. And there are other supervisors — including many good ones — who are victims of the system: They serve abusive higher-level managers, and are prevented from treating employees decently.
A number of programs have been created to address this matter, some effective, and some not. APWU President William Burrus instituted a system in which members identify abusive supervisors, and the regional coordinators do the follow-up. Most of the time, however, management turns the complaint over to an internal, management-only process. Read more
Photo: A Very ‘Unique’ Looking Post Office in Mississippi
Photo of post office in Indianola, Mississippi 38751
APWU: Military Leave Ruling Applies to Postal Employees
by Greg Bell APWU Industrial Relations Director
In the March/April 2006 issue of the American Postal Worker, I wrote about a 2003 court decision that overturned the federal government’s longstanding practice of charging employees “military leave” for non-workdays spent training in the armed forces. The Postal Service, however, had taken the position that the court decision does not apply to its workforce. We initiated a national-level dispute over the matter, which is now pending national-level arbitration.
Since that article appeared, there have been several new developments in the law, including a Merit Systems Protection Board ruling that indicates that postal employees are indeed eligible for back pay for non-workdays during a time when they are undergoing armed forces training.
USERRA
The Uniformed Service Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA), prohibits discrimination against employees of federal agencies, including the Postal Service, who are in the armed forces. Among other things, the law specifically prohibits the denial of any employer benefit on the basis of an employee’s military service.
Title 5, Section 6323, of the U.S. Code grants federal employees who are in the National Guard or the armed forces reserves up to “15 days” of paid military leave.
Although the federal code does not apply to postal employees, USPS regulations provide the same entitlement of paid military leave. Read more
Photo: A Very Unusual Looking Mobile Post Office
Mobile Post Office in Lookout, CA 96054
USPS Licensee Offering 30 Edible Stamp Images
This Mother’s Day, Return the Favor
Postal Service Licensee ‘Good Fortunes’ Cooks Up a Treat for Mom
Think of the hours and hours spent before the holidays. Picture an over-heated kitchen in the middle of summer. Remember the tireless devotion to birthday treats for homeroom celebrations.
As the day celebrating all that she does approaches, the U.S. Postal Service has a suggestion for a unique gift that will help sons, daughters and grandchildren everywhere put a little love in the mail to Mom: homemade and hand-dipped gourmet cookies.
Made with that special ingredient.
Stamps.
The sugar-coated, edible kind.
Good Fortunes, a Postal Service licensee, is offering more than 30 delectable stamp images to help thank and celebrate mom. Flowers, the popular Love stamp series, teddy bears and candy hearts are available to adorn the tops of cookies.
Boxed gift sets are available in eight-cookie and 16-cookie options. Each gourmet cookie is 2-inches by 2-inches in size. Good Fortunes takes Graham Cracker™ and Oreo™ cookies, then hand dips them in chocolate. The stamp images are produced on edible papers that are applied to individual cookies. Customers also can choose to have the cookies trimmed in colored sprinkles, pink hearts or pink-only sprinkles.
Baking might seem nostalgic or old-fashioned to some. In this web-based day and age, it might help to think of sending Good Fortunes confections as “cyber cooking.”
“We’re encouraging people nationwide to send a little love to Mom, whether they deliver a plate of cookies in person or send a box of cookies through the mail,” said Anita Bizzotto, chief marketing officer and executive vice president. “Of course, a card is always welcomed as well.”
Orders are filled usually the day after they are received. Orders received by 1 p.m. Pacific time are filled that day. Shipping is limited to the continental United States.
Note: To view stamp images or to place an order, please log on to www.goodfortunes.com.
Federal Trade Commission studies USPS unfair advantages
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is seeking comments on its study of the U.S. Postal Service:
From the Federal Register notice dated May 1, 2007
“On December 20, 2006, President Bush signed the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act into law. Congress intended the PAEA to increase competition and efficiency in the provision of mail service. The Act requires the Federal Trade Commission to prepare and submit to the President, Congress, and the Postal Regulatory Commission a comprehensive report by December 20, 2007, identifying Federal and State laws that apply differently to the United States Postal Service with respect to the competitive category of mail and to private companies providing similar products. To help prepare this report, the Commission is requesting public comment on several issues.”
From reader: “This was one of the provisions in the PAEA that APWU President Burrus warned about. A comprehensive report by the FTC identifying USPS advantages over private companies will lead to more regulation of the USPS.”
“I’m surprised that the NALC President failed to get language in the PAEA restricting contracting out, at least for his members. He has known of the problem for some time (see Tobin 2004 arbitration award (PDF). The NALC in the case failed to cite Postal Operations Manual 532.1, 644.2a and 663.2a, choosing to rely upon Article 32 instead. Big mistake! The case arose in 2002, a year before POM 532.1 was changed to remove the limitation “in sparsely populated areas” for Highway Contract Routes. The NALC did not challenge this change to the POM in 2003. Second mistake! Let’s hope there won’t be a third.”
The Federal Register notice further states:
The Act further prohibits the USPS, and other Federal agencies acting in concert with it or on its behalf, from engaging in conduct–with respect to any product not covered by the statutory postal monopoly provision–that constitutes an unfair method of competition, in violation of Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act, 15 U.S.C. 45(a), or otherwise violates the antitrust laws, as defined in the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. 12(a).\13\ In addition, the Act expressly prohibits the USPS from engaging in conduct that constitutes an unfair or deceptive act or practice, in violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act.\14\
FTC Study
The PAEA directs the Commission to prepare and submit to the President, Congress, and the PRC, a comprehensive report “identifying Federal and State laws that apply differently to the [USPS] with respect to the competitive category of mail * * * and to private companies providing similar products.” \15\ The report must include such recommendations as the FTC “considers appropriate for bringing such legal differences to an end,” and “in the interim,” to account–under the PRC’s regulations that will prohibit subsidization of competitive products–“for the net economic effects provided by those laws.” \16\ In preparing this report, the Act requires the Commission to consult with the USPS, the PRC, other Federal agencies, mailers, private companies that provide delivery services, and the general public.\17\
Photo: 1962 Mail Jeeps and Vans
From a 1962 school poster series called “Community Helpers”
“The mail is put on the trucks.
Some trucks go to the train.
Some trucks go to the airport.
Some trucks carry mail to big ships.
Other trucks deliver mail to the airport.”
