Congressman Carter Calls for Post Office Closings Review
(Washington, DC) – Congressman John Carter is asking the U.S. Post Office for a review of the considerations used in determining which post offices to close in the agency’s cost-cutting decisions this month.
“We fully recognize that bringing federal spending under control requires difficult decisions and sacrifice,” says Carter. “But we also need to know that the tough decisions were made for the right reasons, and that any closings are based on what is least damaging for the postal customer, rather than the bureaucracy and unions.” Read more
USPS honors late Pioneering Publisher John H. Johnson with Forever stamp
Filed under: postal, postal news, stamps, usps, USPS News Link
Rising from poverty to the pinnacle of society, the late trailblazing entrepreneur and publisher John H. Johnson today is honored on this year’s Black Heritage Forever stamp by the Postal Service.
Johnson — the founder of Johnson Publishing Company, which publishes “Ebony” and “Jet” magazines — is the 35th honoree in the Black Heritage stamp series.
“I’m immensely proud that my father and his life’s passion are being recognized in such a high honor as the Black Heritage Stamp,” said Linda Johnson Rice. “His legacy lives on in all whom he touched and in the work we continue to do daily.”
Johnson was born in Arkansas City, AR, where schools were segregated and there were no high schools for black students. By the time of his death at age 87, he had created a business empire encompassing magazines, cosmetics, radio stations and book publishing. In 1982, he became the first black person to appear on “Forbes” magazine’s annual list of the 400 wealthiest people in America.
The John H. Johnson stamp can be bought at Post Offices nationwide, online at usps.com and by phone at 800-782-6724.
source: USPS News Link
Senator Sanders said he hopes postal reform legislation will protect 100,000 jobs in jeopardy
Filed under: politics, postal, postal news, press releases, usps
Addressing the National League of Postmasters on Monday at a conference in Crystal City, Va., Sen. Bernie Sanders was greeted with a standing ovation from local officials who welcomed his effort to block widespread closings of post offices and processing plants.
Sanders said he hopes legislation slated to come before the Senate next week will protect 100,000 jobs that are in jeopardy under a plan to close facilities around the country, including 15 post offices and two mail sorting centers in Vermont. Sanders also wants Congress to preserve overnight delivery of first-class mail and maintain Saturday mail service, both of which could fall under the budget ax as a result of drastic cost-cutting measures the Postal Service is considering.
Under an agreement with the Postal Service worked out by Sanders and other senators, closures and job cuts under study by the Postal Service were delayed until May 15 to give Congress time to consider reforms. Read more
NAPS: Senate May Consider Postal Reform Bill Feb. 6
Filed under: NAPS, politics, postal, postal news, postal reform
From the National Association of Postal Supervisors
CONTACT YOUR SENATORS TODAY
Urge Amendments to Senate Postal Legislation
Take Action!
Postal reform legislation is likely to be considered on the Senate floor very soon, possibly as early as February 6. NAPS is concerned that the bill approved by the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (S. 1789) is defective in critical ways. Important changes are needed before the Senate passes postal reform legislation.
Alert your Senators and urge passage of legislation that preserves postal service to all Americans and builds a base for a more profitable operation. The Senate can restore the Postal Service to profitability by fixing the defects in the 2006 Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act and kick-starting new growth initiatives.
Take Action. Contact your Senators today by clicking on the “Take Action” link. Take Action!
USPS Issues Weather Vanes Stamps
Eye-Catching Architectural Treasures Add Charm to Mailing Letters
Shelburne, VT — On Friday, the U.S. Postal Service issued the 45-cent Weather Vanes First-Class Mail stamps in five designs available in pressure-sensitive adhesive coils of 3,000 and 10,000. The stamps are available at Post Offices nationwide, online at usps.com and by phone at 800-782-6724.
Each of the five designs features a photograph of eye-catching 19th century weather vanes made in the United States and are part of Shelburne Museum’s collection: a cow, an eagle, two roosters and a centaur. Sally Andersen-Bruce of New Milford, CT, photographed the weather vanes under the art direction of Derry Noyes of Washington, DC. Read more
NALC Opens Its Archive For Research
The National Association of Letter Carriers has made its voluminous records archive available to the public at the Walter P. Reuther Library Collections at Wayne State University. The records have now been catalogued and there are descriptions available for each part of the NALC Collection. Read more
NPMHU Responds to USPS City Letter Carrier Position Job Posting
The Postal Service recently solicited all Mail Handlers with a message to consider transfering to a city letter carrier position. The message outlined how you could transfer to carrier and enumerated the advantages. USPS letter and NPMHU response Read more
NAPUS: Senate Postpones Consideration of Postal Bill
Filed under: NAPUS, postal, postal news, postal reform, usps
On Thursday, January 26, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced that the Senate would take up the “Stock Act,” rather than postal reform legislation during the week of January 30. The Stock Act bans insider trading by Members of Congress. In his State of the Union Address, President Obama indicated that he would promptly sign into law the Stock Act, when passed.
At this point, there is some uncertainty about scheduling Senate consideration of S. 1789, although the Senate Leadership, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Joseph Lieberman, and Ranking GOP Member Susan Collins would like to begin consideration during the week of February 6. A number of speed-bumps confront floor action: the Committee has yet to file its report on the bill; the Congressional Budget Office calculated a significant cost associated with bill; and there are number of controversial provisions in the bill that are generating strong opposition.
via NAPUS.
Editorial: USPS, NALC and Mail Handlers’ Negotiations
I have been asked to speculate on the breakdown of contract negotiations between the Postal Service, the Letter Carriers and the Mail Handlers. Having received no information directly from the negotiators or from anyone directly associated with the negotiators, I cannot speak with authority on the subjects discussed or the exact points in dispute leading to the termination of negotiations. Nevertheless having been involved in 13 contract negotiations, I can point to the most likely scenario and what issues are in play. Read more
Video: Moonshine sparks evacuation At Florida Post Office
Filed under: post offices, postal, postal news, usps, videos
JENSEN BEACH, Fla., Jan. 27 (UPI) — Authorities in Florida said the mysterious liquid behind the evacuation of a U.S. Post Office was found to be moonshine.
Read more: http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2012/01/27/Moonshine-sparks-postal-evacuation/UPI-50681327682145/#ixzz1kmIXDKEj