NALC President Young Assails GOP Ad Suggesting Carriers Are Possible Sexual Predators
The head of the 302,000-member National Association of Letter Carriers today assailed a television ad attacking Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire that suggests that U.S. Postal Service letter carriers are possible sexual predators endangering the lives of children on the street.
The television ad, being run by the Republican Governors Association in support of GOP gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi, shows a man walking a dog, and then a letter carrier (with satchel and mail), leering at young children near an ice cream truck, while in the audio background a woman depicting a mother warns that some convicted sex offenders have not properly registered with law enforcement agencies during the Gregoire administration.
“This television ad is beneath contempt,” said NALC President William H. Young. “It is ludicrous and shameful that the Republican Governors Association would stoop so low as to portray America’s most trusted government agents in this manner just to pump up a specious political argument against the incumbent governor.”
“I demand, on behalf of city letter carriers across the nation, that Republican Governors Association Chair Rick Perry (R-TX) immediately withdraw this ad from all television outlets and websites and publicly apologize to all letter carriers for this damaging portrayal of their character,” Young added.
Young pointed out that letter carriers are known throughout the country for their many heroic and humanitarian deeds—often coming to the aid of children, their support of charitable organizations, and conducting the nation’s largest food drive to feed needy families.
Postal Service Issues Report on Universal Service Obligation and Postal Monopoly
USPS Press Release
Postal Service Committed to Continued Affordable Universal Service
The Postal Service today submitted a report to the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) on its position related to the Universal Service Obligation (USO) and postal monopoly. The Postal Service confirms its continued commitment of trusted, affordable universal service to the American public. The report supports that no changes to the USO and monopoly are necessary at this time while additional flexibilities will be required to ensure affordable, universal service into the future.
Obligations of the USO include uniform prices, quality of service, access to services, and six-day delivery to every part of the country. To assure financial support for these obligations, the postal monopoly provides the Postal Service the exclusive right to deliver letters and restricts mailbox access solely for mail. Therefore, the USO and postal monopoly are inextricably linked. The report supports that eliminating or reducing either aspect of the monopoly “would have a devastating impact on the ability … to provide the affordable universal service that the country values so highly.” Relaxing access to the mailbox would also pose security concerns, increase delivery costs, and hurt customer service.
The Postal Service said that the USO should continue to be broadly defined and there should be no changes to the postal monopoly. Any changes would have far-reaching effects on customers and the trillion dollar mailing industry. “A more rigidly defined USO would … ultimately harm the American public and businesses,” according to the report, which cautions that any potential change must be studied carefully and the effects fully understood.
The report is available at http://www.usps.com/postallaw/universalserviceobligation.htm.
During hearings held earlier this year, the PRC also heard from mailers, mailing associations, and postal unions and management associations. Comments generally indicated that changes are not currently needed.
The Postal Act of 2006 requires the PRC to submit a report to the President and Congress on universal postal service and the postal monopoly in December 2008. The report must include any recommended changes. The Postal Service report supports the requirement that the PRC is to consult with and solicit written comments from the Postal Service. In addition, the Government Accountability Office is required to evaluate broader business model issues by 2011. Thus, the dialogue on universal postal service and postal monopolies, in many respects, is just beginning. Given the economy and significant dynamics in the marketplace, this dialogue may need to occur sooner rather than later.
USPS Wants Commercial Outdoor Advertising On Its Property
From USPS notice posted on Federal Biz Opportunities:
The USPS owns or leases approximately 35,000 properties and facilities throughout the United States that it wishes maximize the value of by being considered for use as commercial outdoor advertising signboards, billboards and displays. The USPS is seeking to contract with a commercial outdoor advertising management firm (the “Manager”) with the experience and capability of marketing and managing a large number of commercial outdoor advertising sites.
The Manager will fully develop commercial outdoor advertising as a source of revenue to USPS and work to make commercial outdoor advertising a positive element in the USPS’s facilities environment. The Manager shall use communication and a cooperative relationship between the USPS and the Manager to build and maintain a cooperative “co-development” approach to help provide the USPS with a viable source of income from the utilization of its facilities for commercial outdoor advertisement purposes. Commercial outdoor advertising sites shall be contingent upon compliance with all statutes and regulations governing such activity. Any contract developed as a result of this solicitation would be designed to cover properties controlled, in total or in part, through ownership, leases or other contracts or agreements by the USPS.
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Billboard RFP Questions & Answers
Q12: Will the USPS provide a list of USPS locations that currently have outdoor advertising structures, a description of the outdoor advertising structures and the identity of the lessee/licensee?
A: USPS billboard locations and lessees are proprietary information.
Q14: Is USPS currently a party to any contract with a third party for the provision of similar management services in respect of outdoor advertising? If so will USPS provide a copy?
A: The USPS is currently party to contracts with third party providers. The USPS agreements with those third parties are confidential and proprietary.
https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USPS/FP/DeFSO/072976-08-A-0039/listing.html
APWU: Discussions Continue With USPS On Implementation of 10-4 Workweek
Update From American Postal Workers (APWU) President William Burrus
Information received from APWU local presidents indicates that USPS management plans to eliminate Tour 2 at mail processing facilities across the country. This would eliminate tens of thousands of preferred duty assignments, which are filled by the most senior employees.
Postal management has failed to inform the national union of this plan, and no discussions on the subject have taken place. The union believes that this lack of consultation at the national level violates the employer/union relationship, and we will respond appropriately.
Mail volume continues to reflect the slumping economy, and personnel adjustments are the typical response to shifting work opportunities. In addition to the plans to eliminate Tour 2, the Postal Service has offered Voluntary Early Retirement to many categories of employees.
The total number of employees accepting early-out offers will not be known for several weeks, but I do not expect management to achieve the complement reduction it hoped for. My advice to employees is to continue to reject the early-retirement offer unless the Postal Service offers a monetary incentive. In this uncertain economy, there will be very few employment opportunities available for retirees to supplement their annuities.
The termination of Tour 2 mail processing may be intended to force senior employees to retire or accept unfavorable hours of work: If that is the intent, my advice is to reject this insidious option.
Layoffs continue to be a possibility, but the union has filed a national-level grievance [PDF] asserting that the National Agreement requires the Postal Service to grant severance pay as a precondition to layoffs or a reduction-in-force (RIF).
If the Postal Service initiates layoffs, it would nullify any justification for refusing to offer monetary incentives to employees who accept early retirement. If applied, severance pay would exceed the six-months-of-salary bonus that was included in previous early-retirement offers.
Four-Day Workweek
Discussions continue on the implementation of the 10-4 workweek, which would allow employees to work four 10-hour days each week. However, the national union does not intend to facilitate the elimination of Tour 2 by allowing management to use 10-4 workweeks to reduce the work schedule to two tours.
When I negotiated the Modified Work Week program in 1994, a central point in the accompanying rules was that participation must be voluntary on the part of each employee. No employee could be required to work 10 hours each day as a condition of his or her bid assignment.
I continue to believe that many employees would prefer to work four 10-hour days each week, but such a schedule would not be desired by every employee.
I will keep the membership informed as national discussions continue.
USPS to Implement Two Tour Initiative Nationwide
The following is a memo Memo sent to the Postal Plant Managers:
Subject: RPG Two Tour Initiative
Importance: High
Plant Managers,
On this week’s MOS telecon, it was stated that the two tour initiative to “close the GAP” must be given top priority.
The entire nation is expected to move to a 2 tour operation, while still protecting service.
Given the continued workload decline and recent RPG scenarios, the NYMA agrees with moving towards a 2 tour operation because of the economies of scale that it would provide. The first step in this process is moving to a 2 8-hour tour automation operation (AFSM and APPS/SPBS operations to follow). For the month of October, the weekly RPG telecons will be focused on your efforts to make this move. Every plant needs to be progressing on this initiative along the following timeline:
October 3rd – Validate all of the volumes used in your 2 tour automation RPG model (AVG heavy weekday); ensure that you have contingency machines for your operation so that service is protected; ensure that your PM schedule for all machines can be supported by your maintenance staff,
October 10th – Present your overall staffing impact to clerk craft and EAS (net reduction in employees),
October 17th – Present your new bid package for clerk, maintenance, and EAS,
October 24th – Present your overall implementation plan, including timeline and transition plan.
We are working towards an early January 2009 implementation date. Each week we will be providing suggestions and tools on how to effectively develop your plan.
Postal Service One of Best Companies for Hispanics
Press Release
USPS Only Federal Agency on Hispanic Business’ DIVERSITY ELITE 60 List
Hispanic Business magazine has again named the U.S. Postal Service to its annual “Diversity Elite 60” list of best companies for Hispanics, the only federal agency included in the magazine’s 2008 list. The rankings are determined by more than 30 variables that measure companies’ commitment to Hispanic hiring, promotion, marketing, philanthropy and supplier diversity.
In addition, the Postal Service was listed in the magazine’s list of the country’s “top 10 companies for workforce diversity.” This ranking measures and compares the percentages of minorities (Hispanics, African Americans, Asians, Native Americans, and women) in the workforce, and gives increased weight to higher-level positions such as managers and officers.
“A diverse workforce enables us to serve the needs of our increasingly diverse customer base,” says Susan LaChance, vice president of Employee Development and Diversity at the Postal Service. “We try our best to build a corporate culture that is inclusive and reflects the diversity of the communities we serve.
Two Longtime Texas Postal Clerks Arrested After Falsifying Financial Reports
Press Releases issued by the US Department of Justice on October 8, 2008
FALSE FINANCIAL REPORTS LEAD TO WINDOW CLERK’S ARREST
(HOUSTON, Texas) – Calvin Williams, 61, of Spring, Texas, has been indicted for making false entries and false reports of money collected, United States Attorney Don DeGabrielle announced today. Williams surrendered to agents with the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) this morning and is expected to appear before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at which time the issue of bond is expected to be decided.
On Sept. 25, 2008, Williams was indicted on one count of making false entries and false reports of money collected relating to his money and stamp stock inventory accountability in connection with his duties as a sales and service associate (window clerk) at the Panther Creek Postal Store in The Woodlands, Texas. The investigation was triggered by a pattern of stock shortages at the Panther Creek Postal Store. The indictment alleges that between May through September 2006, while employed by the USPS, Williams made a false and fictitious entry of stamp purchases with the intent to deceive.
If convicted, Williams faces a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine on each count of the indictment.
This investigation leading to Williams’ indictment and arrest was conducted by special agents with USPS-OIG. The case will be tried by Special Assistant United States Attorney Tammie Y. Moore.
FALSE FINANCIAL REPORTS LEADS TO SECOND ARREST OF WINDOW CLERK THIS WEEK
(HOUSTON, Texas) – Winston Williams, 59, of Channelview, Texas, has been indicted for making false entries and reports of money, United States Attorney Don DeGabrielle announced today. Having agreed to surrender himself, Williams was taken into custody today by agents of the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG). Williams appeared before U.S. Judge Frances H. Stacy and has been ordered released on a $20,000 personal recognizance bond. He has entered a plea of not guilty.
On Aug. 14, 2008, Williams was indicted for making false entries and false reports of money collected relating to his money and stamp stock inventory accountability in connection with his duties as a sales and service associate (window clerk). The investigation was triggered by a pattern of stock shortages at the Barbara Jordan Post Office, 401 Franklin, Houston, Texas 77002. The indictment alleges that between January and June 2007, Williams made a false and fictitious entry of stamp purchases with the intent to deceive.
Williams began his employment with the USPS as a Sales and Service Associate (window clerk) on Aug. 18, 1973. If convicted, Williams faces a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine on each count of the indictment.
This investigation leading to Williams’ indictment and arrest was conducted by Special Agents with USPS-OIG. The case will be tried by Special Assistant United States Attorney Tammie Y. Moor
PRC Commissioner Goldway Confirmed for Third Term
Press Release from Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC)
Washington, DC – On October 2, 2008, Commissioner Ruth Y. Goldway was confirmed by the U.S. Senate for her third term as a Commissioner of the Postal Regulatory Commission. Goldway was nominated by President Bush on July 10, 2008. Her term will extend through November 22, 2014.
“It is exciting for me to know that, ten years after I was first nominated by President Clinton, I am still engaged in rewarding work representing the interests of ordinary consumers and average citizens,” said Goldway. “I am grateful for the opportunity to carry on my advocacy for the residential customer, the single-piece mail user and small business as I continue working with my fellow Commissioners to finalize and implement all the new rules and responsibilities defined in the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act.”
Goldway earned a B.A. from the University of Michigan, and received an M.A. in English Literature from Wayne State University. In addition to her tenure on the Postal Regulatory Commission, she is a founding member and serves as Co-Chair of Women in Logistics and Delivery Services (WILDS), and is on the board of Tree People and New Visions Foundation. Goldway writes opinion pieces and magazine articles on public policy issues and is the author of one book about diplomatic life. She served as Mayor of Santa Monica, CA in the 1980s. Her family resides in Venice, California.
“The next six years will challenge the postal community in new and unforeseen ways,” Goldway added. “I look forward to working with all stakeholders to assure a vibrant and effective Postal Service in the years to come.”
USPS Outsourcing Public Relations?
According to a USPS notice posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website:
The U.S. Postal Service requires contractor support to provide strategic messaging services in order to respond to public communications and news media inquiries. Additional services to communicate these strategic messages will include communications to the American public, postal operations, and postal personnel in order to protect the overall security of the U.S. mail. Services will be provided in accordance with the attached Statement of Work.
Burrus: USPS May Layoff Employees But It Will Affect Very Few APWU Members
USPS Financial Difficulties And the Possibility of Layoffs
Update From APWU President William Burrus
There has been significant interest in my Sept. 30 Update for union members, which discussed the Postal Service’s bleak financial situation and the presidential election: Interest has been especially high about the reference to the possibility of layoffs – for the first time in postal history.
Let me be clear: The possibility that the Postal Service may exercise its authority to layoff career employees is real, but it would affect very few APWU-represented employees. The 2006-2010 Collective Bargaining Agreement guarantees that each employee who is employed in the regular work force as of Nov. 20, 2006, “shall be protected henceforth against any involuntary layoff or force reduction during the term of this Agreement.”
The agreement also provides that “upon completion of six years of continuous service in their regular workforce” APWU-represented employees are protected against any involuntary layoff or force reduction “during any period of employment in the regular work force with the United States Postal Service or successor organization in his or her lifetime.” To receive credit for the year, an employee must have worked at least one hour (or received a call-in guarantee in lieu of work) in at least 20 of the 26 pay periods during that anniversary year.
APWU-represented employees who meet the criteria listed above are protected for the life of the 2006-2010 National Agreement or for their lifetime, and are not threatened by layoffs resulting from the significant decline in mail volume or the USPS financial difficulties.
If the Postal Service’s offer of early retirement fails to reduce the workforce commensurate with USPS budgetary problems, the Postal Service will have a continuing need to reduce the number of employees. I expect that non-protected employees will be exposed to the possibility of layoff.
During a meeting between Postmaster General John E. Potter and the union presidents last month, he reported that 16,000 postal employees lack protection against layoffs. Members of the Mail Handlers Union and the APWU have the protections described above.
The threat of layoffs is just one of the factors mentioned in my previous Update, which informed union members that the November elections have great significance for postal employees and are much more personal than abortion, guns, gay marriage and terrorism. This time it is about your job.
source: apwu.org