House Panel Approves Increase In Retirement Contributions
A House committee approved a GOP proposal on April 26 that would increase federal employees’ contributions to their pensions by 5 percent over five years, beginning in 2013. The vote was along party lines, with Republicans voting in favor of the measure and Democrats voting against it, 19-15. The legislation will be sent to the House Budget Committee as a recommendation for cost-savings.
Currently, postal and federal workers in the Federal Employment Retirement System (FERS) pay 0.8 percent of their salaries toward pensions and the USPS or government agency contributes 11.7 percent. (FERS employees also contribute 6.2 percent toward Social Security.) Postal and federal employees in the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) pay 7 percent toward their pensions.
If the bill is enacted into law, the changes would be phased in over a few years:
Employees would pay 1.5 percent more in 2013.
Employees would pay 0.5 percent more in 2014.
Employees would pay 1 percent more in each of the three years from 2015 to 2017.
New employees who begin federal careers in 2013 with less than five years of prior service would pay 5.8 percent of their pay toward their pensions right away.
The legislation also would eliminate the FERS supplement for new employees. The supplement is paid in addition to annuities to federal employees who retire before they turn 62 and become eligible for Social Security benefits.
Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD), the ranking Democrat on the committee, denounced the measure as an attack on federal workers. “And now, we are back again because House Republicans want to squeeze even more out of these middle-class workers… At the same time, House Republicans are adamant in their refusal to ask the wealthiest Americans to contribute one additional penny towards improving our government’s fiscal condition.”
The committee also approved an amendment, introduced by Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) and Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) that would allow federal employees to apply unused leave toward their Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) accounts.
via House Panel Approves Increase
APWU: Although the Postal Reform Bill is Flawed -It’s better than the Original
APWU News Bulletin 12-2012, April 27, 2012
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The Senate passed an amended version of the 21st Century Postal Service Act (S. 1789) on April 25, and legislative action on postal reform will now move to the House of Representatives.
“Although the bill is flawed, the amended version is far better than the original,” said APWU President Cliff Guffey. “That is a result of the tremendous effort of APWU members, postal customers, and elected officials who appreciate the importance of the Postal Service to American life. Thank you for your hard work,” he said.
“With the moratorium on the closure of mail processing plants and post offices set to expire on May 15, we must now turn our attention to the House. We expect to face very tough challenges there,” Guffey said. “But we will do everything we can to get a good bill. We call on our members, small businesses, individual customers, and lawmakers to re-double our efforts to Save America’s Postal Service.”
“House leaders have not yet given any indication of how they plan to proceed,” said Myke Reid, APWU Legislative and Political director.
The House could consider H.R. 2309, a bill sponsored by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Rep. Dennis Ross (R-FL), which would destroy the Postal Service. More than half of the members of the House are co-sponsors of another bill, H.R. 1351, which postal unions support, but Rep. Issa, the chairman of the House committee with jurisdiction over the Postal Service, has refused to allow it to come up for a vote. The House also could consider the Senate bill.
A Mixed Bag
“The Senate bill is a mixed bag,” Guffey said. It would provide the USPS, which is facing imminent collapse, with short-term financial relief, by returning $11 billion in USPS overpayments to federal pension funds to the Postal Service. “Keep in mind,” Guffey said, “this is money paid by postal customers, workers and the Postal Service – not taxpayers.”
The legislation also would restructure USPS payments to pre-fund healthcare benefits for future retirees, spreading the payments over 40 years – instead of the current 10 – and reducing the funding mandate from 100 percent to 80 percent. No other government agency or private company is required to make such payments.
“These are positive steps,” Guffey said, “but they do not go far enough. As a result, the USPS will not have access to the capital it needs to meet the challenges of the future,” he said.
Closings, Consolidations
Another improvement, Guffey said, is that the 21st Century Postal Service Act would allow more community input in the decision-making process for closing or consolidating post offices and postal facilities. It also would give the Postal Regulatory Commission authority to reverse USPS decisions on these issues.
In addition, the bill would provide limited protection for service standards for a minimum of three years. “Although we sought stronger, longer safeguards, this is an improvement over the original bill, which did nothing to preserve service,” Guffey said. “Protecting service is essential to preserving the Postal Service – and postal jobs.”
But the legislation also would have devastating consequences for the thousands of postal and federal employees who were injured on the job and who receive compensation from the Office of Workers Compensation Program (OWCP), Guffey noted.
Among other provisions, the bill would authorize the Postal Service to offer retirement incentives. It also would allow the USPS to negotiate with postal unions to create a health plan separate from the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program.
The legislation also would require arbitrators to consider the financial condition of the Postal Service, along with other relevant factors.
For the latest news, visit www.apwu.org.
APWU’s Largest Local Elects New President
Former Vice-President Jonathan Smith Ousts 3-term President Clarice Torrence
Here is the press release from the United for Change Slate:
Besieged Postal Workers Pick New Union President.
Jonathan Smith Defeats 3-Term Incumbent.
United For Change Slate Sweeps APWU NY Metro Area Election
April 26, 2012 Postal clerks, motor vehicle operators, and maintenance workers in Manhattan, the Bronx, and two processing facilities in New Jersey have overwhelmingly elected Jonathan Smith and the United For Change Slate in a hotly contested election.
Clarice Torrence, three-term incumbent was ousted in a strong rebuke by the membership of the New York Metro local, the largest in the American Postal Workers Union. Torrence who had won three previous elections by small margins, was defeated by Jonathan Smith and his slate.
Jonathan Smith received 51.9% of the vote; Clarice Torrence running on the Power to the Workers Slate, 30%; Bruce Webster of the Voice of the Members Slate, 16.68%; and Betty Reid running as an independent presidential candidate, 1.3%. Jonathan Smith; Tiffany Foster; Daniel Zachman, Jr.; Sharon Tyrrell; and Kevin Walsh have been elected New York Metro Area Postal Union full-time officers. The induction of the new officers will take place at the general membership meeting on Wednesday, May 16, 2012.
APWU:’Potential’ Consolidation List Not Reliable
APWU Web News Article 47-2012, April 26, 2012
A “potential consolidation list” [PDF] developed by the Postal Service and provided to members of the Senate on April 24 has generated a lot of interest at postal facilities across the country, but it is not an official management proposal or reliable list, the union is warning. Mail processing facilities are identified on the list as “Potential to Remain Open” or “Potential to Consolidate.”
In an April 24, 2012, Mandatory Stand-Up Talk, [PDF] the USPS wrote that the senators “requested details on what a potential mail processing and distribution network would look like, if modeled under proposed service standards contained in the bill, which would maintain overnight service for intra-SCF volume.”
The Postal Service has made clear that the list is not final, writing, “It is possible that further refinements to the model will be necessary.
“Details about the modeled network request may be appearing in the news media,” management wrote. “The Postal Service therefore wishes to clarify that information provided to the Senate does not represent a new Postal Service proposal, and should not be interpreted as a new Network Rationalization plan.”
“Management provided the list to the APWU for informational purposes, but does not consider the list official notification to the union of any decisions on consolidation,” said Executive Vice President Greg Bell.
“Although the Senate approved S. 1789 on April 25, the legislation is not final,” he pointed out. The House of Representatives must approve legislation, a conference committee must resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill, both chambers must pass the conference version, and the President must sign it. The next phase of our struggle will be in the House of Representatives.
Click here to see the April 24 USPS NewsBreak.
USPS puts Consolidations on “Hold”
Filed under: APWU, politics, post office closings, postal, postal news, usps
Northwest Illinois Area Local,American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO
Earlier this month USPS officials met with Postal Employees at the Carol Stream Mail Processing Center in Illinois and informed them of the following:
Carol Stream Meets with Employees..
Carol Stream met with employees on tour 1 and tour 3 in a series of one hour meetings to present information on staffing changes they will make when service standards change on 5-19-12, unless congress stops it. Mr. Colao and his staff worked up a power point presentation that aided in providing information on what is happening on the plant consolidations, what jobs will be posted for CS mail processing, and what the timeline of events will be for the staffing changes planned for 5-19-12. The change in service standards will change mail processing from a tour 1 to a tour 2 operation and bids will be shifted accordingly. Employees were given a hand-out listing the bids that will be posted in each unit as they left. As Mr. Colao said they want to give employees as much time as possible to review the new jobs because they will begin retreat right canvassing on 4-2-12.
But recently the Postal Employees were told:
USPS puts Optimization Plans on “Hold”
Employees are by now aware that the staffing changes planned for 5-19-12 are on hold. Carol Stream In-Plant Manager John Colao stopped canvassing for tour 2 retreat rights and has not issued any abolishment letters at CS. CS will continue to get Fox Valley LO-11 mail. Palatine Plant Manager Chuck Sciurba called me on 4-19-12 to confirm that the changes are on hold per Headquarters and no staffing changes will occur on 5-19-12. He confirmed that all Palatine abolishment letters will be rescinded. The consolidation of Chicago PARS mail to Palatine is also on hold. The reason that USPS has placed optimization plans on hold is because the Senate is discussing S. 1789, the 21st Century Postal Service Act. The 79 amendments submitted as of 4-19-12 have been reduced to 39. There is talk of an early out being offered but no official announcement.
APWU: Voting Begins on Postal Bill, Important Votes Set for April 25
Filed under: APWU, politics, postal, postal news, postal reform, usps
APWU Web News Article 45-2012, April 24 , 2012
The Senate began voting on amendments to the 21st Century Postal Service Act (S. 1789) on April 24, with action on the bill expected to be wrapped up in the Senate on April 25.
Still to be voted on is Amendment #2042, offered by Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA), which would maintain current delivery standards for four years. The amendment would not prevent all plant closures, but it would stop the USPS from implementing its “slash and burn” strategy to close or consolidate more than 200 mail processing facilities, shut 3,600 post offices, eliminate overnight delivery of first-class mail and generally slow mail delivery, said APWU President Cliff Guffey.
The APWU supports the amendment, and is urging union members to contact their senators before 2 p.m. on Wednesday, April 25, to ask them to vote in favor of the measure. “There is still time to contact both of your senators to ask them to support Sen. Casey’s amendment,” said Legislative and Political Director Myke Reid. To send your senators a message in support of this amendment, click here.
“USPS officials have demonstrated that they will attempt to slash service — unless Congress stops them,” Guffey said.
Action on Amendments
Among the votes taken on April 24 were the following:
Senators voted in favor of Amendment #2056, offered by Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), which would modify the process for closing or consolidating post offices and postal facilities. The APWU supported the amendment, which was approved by a voice vote.
The senators voted against Amendment #2034, by Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI), which would have replaced provisions that would be financially devastating to thousands of postal and federal employees who were injured on the job and who receive compensation from the Office of Workers Compensation Program (OWCP). The APWU supported the amendment, which was disapproved by a vote of 46-53.
Senators adopted Amendment #2020, offered by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), which would require the Postal Service to consider the effect of closing or consolidating a postal facility on the ability of the affected community to vote by mail. This amendment, which the APWU supported, passed by a voice vote.
Sen. Tom Coburn’s (R-OK) Amendment #2061, which would require retirement-eligible employees of the Postal Service to retire, was defeated by a vote of 33-65. The APWU opposed the amendment.
Sen. Corker’s (R-TN) Amendment #2083 also was voted down, by a vote of 29-70. It would have prohibited “no-layoff” clauses from postal collective bargaining agreements; removed a provision from current law that ensures benefits for employees cannot be lower than those in effect in 1971, and required a switch to five-day mail delivery. The APWU opposed the amendment.
Amendment # 2033, offered by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), which would have established a BRAC-like (Base Realignment and Closure) Commission on Postal Reorganization. This amendment, which the APWU opposed, failed with a vote of 30-69.
Amendment #2043, offered by Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM), to strike provisions that call for the Postal Service to go to five-day service in two years, was defeated by a vote of 43-56. The APWU supported the amendment.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) offered Amendment #2025, which would end the mailbox use monopoly, which the APWU opposed. The amendment was defeated by a vote of 35-64.
Click here [PDF] to read a section-by-section summary of the revised bill.
APWU: Senate Set to Vote on Postal Reform Bill
Filed under: APWU, Congress, postal, postal news, postal reform, usps
APWU Web News Article 44-2012, April 24 , 2012
The Senate will vote on the 21st Century Postal Service Act (S. 1789) on Tuesday, April 24, with action expected to begin at approximately 2:15 p.m.
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Sen. Casey’s Amendment #2042
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Senators will be asked to consider a revised version of the legislation, which the bill’s sponsors introduced on April 17, along with up to 38 other amendments.
“It is crucial that APWU members let their senators know where we stand on this important bill,” said APWU President Cliff Guffey. “With the moratorium on the closure of mail processing plants and post offices set to expire on May 15, we must do everything we can to improve the legislation,” he said.
“The revised bill is better than the original,” he said, “but it doesn’t do enough to ensure the USPS will be able to continue to provide the service the American people have every right to expect.”
The Amendments
The revised bill does not provide sufficient protection for current service standards, Guffey said. “It offers some safeguards, but it does not maintain service standards at current levels. Furthermore, the protection would expire after three years,” he noted.
“USPS officials have demonstrated that they will attempt to slash service, close hundred of mail processing facilities, and shut thousands of post offices — unless Congress stops them,” he said.
For that reason, the APWU is urging members to contact their senators and ask them to support several critical amendments. An amendment offered by Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) would maintain current delivery standards for four years. The amendment (#2042) would not prevent all consolidations, but it would stop the USPS from implementing its “slash and burn” strategy, Guffey said.
The union is also asking APWU members to seek support from their senators for an amendment (#2056) submitted by Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) that would modify the process for closing or consolidating post offices and postal facilities.
The APWU is also asking union members to encourage their senators to support an amendment (#2034) offered by Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI) to replace provisions that would be financially devastating to thousands of postal and federal employees who were injured on the job and who receive compensation from the Office of Workers Compensation Program (OWCP).
“The union supports numerous other amendments,” said Legislative and Political Director Myke Reid. “At the national level, we will be weighing in with senators and staff on the others.” The three mentioned above are the most important to APWU members, he said.
“After the amendments have been voted on, we will evaluate the bill and decide whether we can support the final product,” he said. “Please remain vigilant. We will provide additional information as it develops.”
| They’re At It Again!
Right-wing labor haters are at it again! Among the amendments submitted are: A proposal by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) to eliminate collective bargaining and another to end the USPS monopoly on first-class mail; an amendment by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) to require retirement-eligible employees to retire and another to establish “alternatives to post offices;” and an amendment by Sen. John McCain to adopt the hated House bill H.R. 2309. The APWU response? NO WAY! |
Click here [PDF] to read a section-by-section summary of the revised bill.
APWU: Senate to Debate, Vote On Postal Bill Starting April 23
Filed under: APWU, Congress, postal, postal news, postal reform, usps
APWU Members Must Let Senators Know Where We Stand
APWU News Bulletin 11-2012, April 20, 2012
The Senate will debate the 21st Century Postal Service Act (S. 1789) beginning on Monday, April 23, with voting set to begin on Tuesday, April 24, as a result of an agreement by Senate leaders.
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Senators will be asked to consider a revised version of the legislation, which the bill’s sponsors introduced on April 17, along with up to 38 other amendments.
“It is crucial that APWU members let their senators know where we stand on this important bill,” said APWU President Cliff Guffey. “With the moratorium on the closure of mail processing plants and post offices set to expire on May 15, we must do everything we can to improve the legislation,” he said.
“The revised bill is better than the original,” he said, “but it doesn’t do enough to ensure the USPS will be able to continue to provide the service the American people have every right to expect.”
The Amendments
The revised bill does not provide sufficient protection for current service standards, Guffey said. “It offers some safeguards, but it does not maintain service standards at current levels. Furthermore, the protection would expire after three years,” he noted.
“USPS officials have demonstrated that they will attempt to slash service, close hundred of mail processing facilities, and shut thousands of post offices — unless Congress stops them,” he said.
For that reason, the APWU is urging members to contact their senators and ask them to support several critical amendments. An amendment offered by Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) would maintain current delivery standards for four years. The amendment (#2042) would not prevent all consolidations, but it would stop the USPS from implementing its “slash and burn” strategy, Guffey said.
The union is also asking APWU members to seek support from their senators for an amendment (#2056) submitted by Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) that would modify the process for closing or consolidating post offices and postal facilities.
The APWU is also asking union members to encourage their senators to support an amendment (#2034) offered by Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI) to replace provisions that would be financially devastating to thousands of postal and federal employees who were injured on the job and who receive compensation from the Office of Workers Compensation Program (OWCP).
“The union supports numerous other amendments,” said Legislative and Political Director Myke Reid. “At the national level, we will be weighing in with senators and staff on the others.” The three mentioned above are the most important to APWU members, he said.
“After the amendments have been voted on, we will evaluate the bill and decide whether we can support the final product,” he said. “Please remain vigilant. We will provide additional information as it develops.”
| They’re At It Again!
Right-wing labor haters are at it again! Among the amendments submitted are: A proposal by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) to eliminate collective bargaining and another to end the USPS monopoly on first-class mail; an amendment by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) to require retirement-eligible employees to retire and another to establish “alternatives to post offices;” and an amendment by Sen. John McCain to adopt the hated House bill H.R. 2309. The APWU response? NO WAY! |
Postal Workers Picket as Senate Begins Debate
APWU Web News Article 039-2012, April 18, 2012
(4/18/2012) Members of the APWU and Mail Handlers Union rallied in front of post offices around the country Tuesday to alert the public to looming service cuts if Congress doesn’t act to fix the Postal Service’s finances by May 15. That is the day a moratorium on post office and plant closures expires. The moratorium is intended to give Congress time to come up with an alternative to the Postal Service’s plans to shutter more than 200 mail processing facilities and close over 3600 post offices to save money.
At the main post office in Royal Oak, MI, Local 480-481 President Roscoe Woods said he and his members have a simple message they are trying to get across. “Congress created this mess,” he said, “and Congress must fix it.”
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Rallying in Royal Oak, MI |
Woods was referring to the 2006 congressional mandate that the Postal Service pre-fund future retirement health benefits for the next 75 years, and do it in a 10-year window. No other government agency or private business bears a similar burden, which drains $5.5 billion in postal revenue each year.
“We’re reminding folks that we run on zero tax dollars,” said Woods “We’re making money, but we’re saddled with this huge debt.”
The picket in Royal Oak was just one of eight rallies in Michigan and several hundred around the nation on Tuesday.
In Vermont, protesters held rallies at the White River Junction mail processing center, which is slated for closure, as well as in Manchester and Montpelier.
“There are about 245 employees at the [White River Junction] facility,” said local President Wayne Martin Jr.
“We need to put pressure on Congress to act,” said Lorraine Clough, an employee at the White River Junction facility. “They just keep putting it off, and if they keep doing that they’re going to continue to keep closing plants,” said Clough.
As APWU and Mail Handlers began leafleting on Tuesday, the Senate voted 74-22 to begin debate on the 21st Century Postal Service Act (S. 1789). The APWU and the Mail Handlers Union are opposed to the bill in its current form and have been working with supportive senators to amend the bill to better protect current levels of service and to keep plants and post offices open. (See Senate Expected to Resume Consideration of Postal Bill.) Read more
Section-by-section summary of the revised S. 1789 postal bill
The Senate is expected to resume consideration of a revised version of S. 1789 [PDF], the 21st Century Postal Service Act, with proceedings broadcast and Webcast live on C-SPAN. Consideration of the bill began on April 17.
“We are analyzing the new provisions carefully and will comment once we have completed our review,” said APWU President Cliff Guffey. The APWU denounced the original version of the bill, saying it would lead to degradation of service and the closure of hundreds of mail processing centers and thousands of post offices. Read more