Owner Of Houston Pre-sort Company Gets 14 Years For Stealing Millions From USPS
HOUSTON – Neal Lim, former owner of one of the largest mail presort operations in the Houston area has been sentenced to prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and possessing and using counterfeit postage meter machines to affix counterfeit postage in his mass mailing businesses, United States Attorney José Angel Moreno and United States Postal Inspection Service Inspector-in-Charge Gary Barksdale announced today. Read more
NAPS: Issa’s Postal Bill Would Worsen USPS Financial Condition
Filed under: NAPS, politics, postal, postal news, postal reform, usps
“Mr. Issa’s legislation also falls short in failing to authorize new avenues of commerce for the Postal Service as part of a broader, realistic business model for the 21st century.”
Statement by National Association of Postal Supervisors (NAPS) President Louis Atkins on Postal Reform Legislation:
June 30, 2011
The sweeping legislation proposed by Congressman Darrell Issa (H.R. 2019) to overhaul the United States Postal Service is dangerously misguided. It is an attack upon the management authority of the Postal Service and its dedicated workforce. The legislation should be firmly rejected by the Congress.
The legislation is misguided because it fails to address the immediate cause of the Postal Service’s financial problems – far too aggressive retiree health prefunding payments and pension overpayments. Congress largely created these perverse problems; Congress should first fix them.
Mr. Issa’s legislation, by failing to deal constructively with the prefunding and pension overpayment issues, would only worsen the Postal Service’s deteriorating financial condition. The creation of new government entities under the bill, like the Commission for Postal Reorganization and the Postal Service Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Authority, will result in more government and more costs, not less. Mr. Issa’s legislation also falls short in failing to authorize new avenues of commerce for the Postal Service as part of a broader, realistic business model for the 21st century.
We continue to support proposals that will authorize the Postal Service to use billions of dollars in pension overpayments – as conclusively determined by the Postal Regulatory Commission and the Inspector General of the Postal Service – to help prepay its retiree health care costs. We urge the Congress to adopt the common-sense measures proposed by Rep. Stephen Lynch and Senator Tom Carper and Senator Susan Collins that would address the overpayments issue and help restore the Postal Service’s financial health.
Postal Worker Commits Suicide at Waukegan, IL post office
An employee of the U.S. Postal Service in Waukegan died in a gruesome act of suicide that began at a downtown Waukegan post office Tuesday night. Waukegan police responded to a 911 call from the post office at 326 N. Genesee St. at 7:40 p.m. Tuesday, arriving just after Stephen Specht, 44, of Mundelein, apparently drank poison and cut his own throat.
full story via Lake County News-Sun
APWU: Postal Jobs, Pay, Benefits Threatened by Congress
House Resolution 1351
A bill introduced by Rep. Stephen Lynch (MA), the ranking Democrat on the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, would address the cause of the USPS financial crisis without cutting pay and benefits, eliminating collective bargaining rights, or slashing service. H.R. 1351 would:
- Allow the USPS to use billions of dollars in pension overpayments to meet its financial obligations — including the congressional mandate to pre-fund the healthcare benefits of future retirees.
- Leave workers’ collective bargaining rights intact. It would make no changes to wages, benefits, or protection against layoffs.
t’s Time to Act!
“The choices are clear,” said APWU President Cliff Guffey. “But the word on Capitol Hill is that Chairman Issa won’t allow Rep. Lynch’s bill to come up for a vote!
“APWU members must let their U.S. representatives know that we adamantly oppose H.R. 2309 and that we urgently support H.R. 1351.
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“We must demand that Rep. Issa stop blocking H.R. 1351,” he added.
“We can’t win the battle to defend the Postal Service and protect jobs without you! We are asking local union officers to organize APWU members to visit their U.S. representatives to discuss our concerns with them,” Guffey said. “If you don’t hear from your local officers, ask them why.
“In the meantime, I urge you to call Congress to voice your opposition to H.R. 2309 and your support for H.R. 1351.” The phone number for the Capitol Hill switchboard is (202) 224-3121.
House Resolution 2309
H.R. 2309, introduced by Rep. Darrell Issa (CA), the Republican chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and co-sponsored by Rep. Dennis Ross (FL), the Republican chairman of the Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, U.S. Postal Service and Labor Policy, would:
- Do nothing to correct USPS overpayments to its pension accounts.
- Do nothing to correct the congressional mandate that requires the USPS to pre-fund the healthcare benefits of future retirees. (No other government agency or private company bears this burden, which costs the USPS $5 billion annually.)
- Force postal workers to make up the difference:
Ensure that Postal wages are “comparable” to the private sector.
(Rep. Ross claims postal employees enjoy a “compensation premium” of 34%.)
Empower a board to unilaterally cut wages, abolish benefits, and end protection against layoffs. - Create a commission that would order:
$1 billion worth of post office closures in the first year, and
$1 billion worth of facility closures in the second year.
Would that include your office or your facility? Would that wipe out your job? - Increase employees’ costs for healthcare and life insurance, and eliminate the right to bargain over these crucial benefits.
Rep. Issa says his bill is designed to avoid a “bailout,” but the USPS doesn’t rely on taxpayer funding, and doesn’t need a bailout. As noted above, the federal government is holding billions of dollars in excess postal payments to FERS (Federal Employees Retirement System) and CSRS (Civil Service Retirement System).
Video: Issa-The Sanctity Of Unions Must Be Respected
Darrell Issa was very supportive of unions just a short time ago. Now Issa and Florida Freshman Congressman Dennis Ross have lodged an all-out “perceived” war against the Postal Service and postal workers. Both Issa and Ross are aided by the Tea Partyers, who have launched an online petition to support Postal Reform.
The United States Postal Service (USPS) runs an annual deficit of more than 8 billion dollars. Congressman Darrell Issa, Chairman of the House Oversight Committee, has introduced legislation titled “The Postal Reform Act” that would begin to address the fiscal solvency of the nation’s mail service. This piece of legislation begins the process of chipping away at insolvent federal programs and agencies and needs our support!
Burrus said of Issa: “Congressman Darrell Issa’s (R-CA) has added his negative voice to the debate about the future of the Postal Service and has introduced legislation that is typical of his success in leading the removal of the Governor of California, Gray Davis. The record shows that California state’s debt which was at issue in the recall effort has worsened, and he has surrendered the moral high ground with former Governor Schwarzenegger’s out of wedlock child. Issa now proposes to direct his talents by dismantling the Postal Service. I wonder how he would like it if postal employees were to picket every Post Office in his District to tell postal consumers that their Congressman wants to deny them mail service. These legislators who wish to dismantle equal access and good jobs to average citizens must be held accountable. It’s the Post Office today, Medicare tomorrow and Social Security next week.”
In 2009, Issa at a dinner hosted by NALC said: The sanctity of unions must be respected. Now in 2011 Issa is trying to invalidate union contracts. Issa also said : Non-postal employees cannot perform the work of postal workers with the same efficiency. I hope one day I will be as good as a Democrat to labor unions. Of course today Issa is singing a new anti-postal tune.
One reader implied that said Issa may not be able to pass a background check if he applied for employment with USPS. Of course Issa is not new to controversies or changing his stance when politically expedient to do so.
See videos of Issa addressing at NALC in 2009:
Issa addressing National Association of Postmasters in 2009:
OWCP announces final rule updating procedures for Federal Workers’ Compensation Act claims
Filed under: Dept. of Labor, owcp, postal, postal news, press releases
Agency issues first major regulation updates since 1999
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs today released a final rule that revises and modernizes the procedures used in administering claims under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act. The rule, published in the June 28 Federal Register, modernizes those procedures to increase fairness and efficiency, updates the regulations to account for recent statutory changes and incorporates advances in technology that preserve administrative resources. Read more
OIG Finds Over $400k In Questionable USPS Purchases On Beer, Sports,Gift Cards
USPS OIG Audit Report – Purchasing Compliance and Imprudent Purchases Follow-Up Audit;
The Postal Service has an increased risk of loss when purchases are made without proper authorization or justification
This report presents the results of a follow-up audit to determine whether purchases complied with U.S. Postal Service policy and whether imprudent purchases were still occurring related to the SmartPay® Purchase Card and select Accounts Payable Excellence (APEX) system transactions since our last audit. Read more
USPS Announces Nonbargaining Employees Promotional Salary Increase Policy Change
The National Association of Postmasters released the following information:
USPS Executive Vice President of Labor Relations, Anthony J. Vegliante today announced promotional salary increase limits for nonbargaining employees. Mr. Vegliante said “The fiscal health of the Postal Service continues to be at risk and, as a result, we must remain focused on opportunities to encourage fiscal restraint.”
Effective immediately, promotional increases must be limited to the following:
- Salary increase of 3 to 5 percent for promotions
- Salary increase of no more than 8 percent if an employee is promoted more than once within 52 weeks.
All promotional increases that exceed the above guidelines must be reviewed and approved by the Chief Human Resources Officer. This applies to all Headquarters and field nonbargaining promotions, except under the following conditions:
- When a higher increase is necessary to bring the salary to the minimum of the new grade.
- For promotions to designated supervisory positions covered under the supervisory differential adjustment provision, when a higher increase is necessary to bring it to the minimum salary rate.
Requests submitted for review must provide clear justification for exceeding the above stated promotional increase amounts.
The above change eliminates the former policy of salary increases from 3 to 10 percent for the promotion of a nonbargaining unit employee and a higher level of approval for increases of more than 8 percent.
June 27, 2011
Charlie Moser
From National League Of Postmasters President Mark Strong
It’s important to clarify that the above language provides for review of salary determinations and does not suspend or change existing salary-regulations. What does this mean; the provisions in the ELM for salary-regulations still exists but to increase salaries above the 3 to 5 percent for a promotion or 8 percent in a year will require the Chief Human Resource Officers review and approval.
Gift Cards On Sale At Select Post Offices Starting Today
Filed under: post offices, postal, postal news, usps, USPS News Link
Customers can now purchase gift cards — “the most-requested holiday gift” — at more than 1,800 Post Offices beginning today.
The new line of “open-loop” gift cards — redeemable at any merchant that accepts the card brand — is part of a two-year market test and is being sold at Post Offices that also sell greeting cards.
“We’re always looking for new ways to improve the customer experience and generate new revenue,” said Kelly Sigmon, vice president, Channel Access. “Selling gift cards, greeting cards and stamps all at one location is a natural fit for our business model and a natural fit for our customers.”
According to Sigmon, the market test will expand to up to 3,000 additional locations — including Post Offices without greeting cards — in October 2011, to capture holiday sales.
“Gift cards are the single most-requested holiday gift, with 77 percent of consumers buying at least one gift card during the holiday season,” Sigmon said.
While the Postal Service can expand the market test to other vendors, American Express is the first company to participate in the program. American Express Gift Cards will be sold in denominations of $25 and $50 and in variable load denominations, with a minimum denomination of $25 and a maximum denomination of $100.
The Postal Service will operate only as a sales agent and will receive a negotiated portion of the purchase price of $3.95 for the $25 denomination, $4.95 for the $50 denomination and $5.95 for the variable load cards.
source: USPS News Link
U.S. Postal Service Resumes Accepting Mail to Canada
Global Express Guaranteed Service Still Best Option to Avoid Delays
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service will resume accepting mail for Canada starting Tuesday, June 28, as a result of legislation passed yesterday by the Canadian government requiring Canada Post employees to return to work tonight.
Mail that was held in the U.S. Postal Service network since the work stoppage began is being released today and transported to Canada in stages. Customers will experience some delays in service due to the large volume of mail that was being held. The U.S. Postal Service is working closely with Canada Post to keep these delays to a minimum and return service levels back to normal for all products as quickly as possible.
Meanwhile, Global Express Guaranteed (GXG) remains the best option to avoid delays in service. GXG is a premium, date-certain international shipping option with international transportation and delivery by FedEx Express. GXG is available online at www.usps.com and at thousands of participating retail locations throughout the United States or through Click-N-Ship at www.usps.com.
Additional information and updates regarding acceptance and movement of international mail is available at www.usps.com/communications/news/serviceupdates.htm.