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
USPS Moves Forward its Ill-Advised Plan to Reduce Service Standards
From the National Postal Mail Handlers Union
On Monday, December 5, the Postal Service filed a request with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC), asking for an advisory opinion to relax the service standards for first-class mail and periodicals. The NPMHU condemns this action as extremely short-sighted, and believes that substantial cuts in service like those being proposed could potentially contribute to the end of the Postal Service as we know it. Read more
NPMHU Contract Update: USPS Suggests Sweeping Operational Changes Are Necessary
In addition to the recent Finance Presentation discussed in last week’s update, the Postal Service has provided the NPMHU bargaining team with an Operations Presentation. During this meeting, the Postal Service highlighted key changes that the agency wants to make to the current operating model in order to reduce costs. Read more
Video: Save America’s Postal Service Rally in Jersey City, NJ
Filed under: NPMHU, politics, postal, postal news, usps, videos
Save America’s Postal Service Rally – Video National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU), Local 300 Jersey City, NJ. Featuring: Paul Hogrogian & Terry O’Sullivan
Over 400 participated in NPMHU Local 300′s rally to SAVE AMERICA’S POSTAL SERVICE. All four Postal Unions (NPMHU, NALC, APWU, NRLCA) and the NAPS have joined forces. Also attending Local 300′s rally was over 100 members from LiUNA, including General President Terry O’Sullivan. Be sure to check out www.saveamericaspostalservice.org
www.local300npmhu.org and www.npmhu.org Read more
APWU Launches Phase 2 Of Television Ad Campaign
Filed under: APWU, politics, postal, postal news, press releases, usps
The APWU has launched Phase 2 of its television ad campaign, in conjunction with the National Association of Letter Carriers and the National Postal Mail Handlers Union, APWU President Cliff Guffey announced. Spots will air on CNN, MSNBC, and FOX News. The ad will run for approximately two months. Read more
Postal Supervisors will join unions September 27, 2011 in effort to save USPS
Filed under: NALC, NAPS, NPMHU, NRLCA, postal, postal news, postal reform, usps
The leadership of the National Association of Postal Supervisors (NAPS) has agreed to join forces with the four postal unions representing employees of the Postal Service to designate September 27, 2011 as a day of action to Save America’s Postal Service.
Together, NAPS, the American Postal Workers Union, the National Association of Letter Carriers, the National Postal Mail Handlers Union and the National Rural Letter Carriers Association will rally in every congressional district in the country to concentrate our efforts to build support for H.R. 1351, a bill introduced in the House by Representative Stephen Lynch (D-MA). Read more
Postal Unions Join Forces To Save America’s Postal Service
Rallies Set for Sept. 27 in Every Congressional District
The APWU has joined forces with the three other postal unions to designate Sept. 27 as a day of action to Save America’s Postal Service.
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Together, the APWU and the National Association of Letter Carriers, the National Postal Mail Handlers Union and the National Rural Letter Carriers Association will rally in every congressional district in the country to build support for H.R. 1351, a bill introduced in the House by Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA).
“With the USPS’s dire financial situation making headlines, and a battle raging in Congress over what to do about it, postal workers must take action now,” said APWU President Cliff Guffey. “I urge APWU members to work with our brothers and sisters in the other postal unions to organize the rallies. We must let every U.S. representative know that we need their support.”
The Lynch bill would prevent the financial collapse of the USPS — without closing thousands of post offices, eliminating hundreds of mail processing facilities, delaying mail delivery, laying off 120,000 workers, cutting postal workers’ pay, or ending collective bargaining rights. It would allow the Postal Service to apply billions of dollars in pension overpayments to 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 forces the Postal Service to fund a 75-year liability in 10 years — at a cost of more than $5 billion annually. Without the mandate, the USPS would have shown a surplus of $611 million over the past four fiscal years. Read more
Has Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker Been Named The New Postmaster General?
USPS to Congress: Break Our Collective Bargaining Agreements
With National bargaining over the terms of the 2011 National Agreement about to begin, the Postal Service has publicly announced that management is seeking wholesale changes in its collective bargaining agreements. In short, they are asking Congress to override collective bargaining.
President John Hegarty and Secretary-Treasurer Mark Gardner have sent a memo out to the field outlining the NPMHU’s opposition to these ill-conceived schemes.
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August 12, 2011
TO: All Local Unions
All National/Regional CAD
FROM: John F. Hegarty, National President
Mark A. Gardner, National Secretary-Treasurer
RE: USPS to Congress: Break Our Collective Bargaining Agreements
With National bargaining over the terms of the 2011 National Agreement about to begin, the Postal Service has publicly announced that management is seeking wholesale changes in its collective bargaining agreements. USPS management also has decided to try to bypass the NPMHU and other postal unions, by asking Congress to enact legislation that would impose most of its outrageous proposals. Instead of coming to the bargaining table in good faith, management is looking for two bites of the apple. The mentality seems to be: let’s see what we can get through bargaining, and then if we don’t like it, we’ll go to Congress. This might lead one to ask: Has Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker been named the new PMG?
Just yesterday, the Postal Service announced that it was seeking to abrogate the no-layoff clause, eliminate the application of the CSRS and FERS retirement systems to postal employees, and end the Postal Service’s coverage under the Federal Health Benefits Program. And to make matters worse, the Postal Service did not propose these changes at the bargaining table, but instead went straight to Congress to seek these changes by legislation. USPS management has circulated two “white papers” on Capitol Hill and in the press that attempt to justify their actions. Those “white papers” will be posted on our web site, and will also be circulated to the Union Leadership at our upcoming National-level meeting (which ironically is being held in Wisconsin).
Apparently, the Postal Service understands that such draconian proposals would have little chance of being supported by the NPMHU during the next round of bargaining, so instead the agency decided to ignore its obligation to bargain directly and in good faith with the NPMHU.
Such tactics do not suggest that postal management will be adopting an enlightened and cooperative atmosphere during this year’s collective bargaining, but only time will tell. In the meantime, the NPMHU and all of its Local Unions and members are urged to oppose these changes with their elected representatives on Capitol Hill. This end-around by USPS management only reinforces the need for all rank and file mail handlers to put pen to paper, and write to their elected representatives to oppose this foolhardy scheme.
The National Office continues to gather additional information, and these matters will be discussed in greater detail with all of the Local Union Presidents.
source: National Postal Mail Handlers Union
Colorado Mail Handlers Local Withdraws From USPS, OSHA Ergonomic Program
“The Ergonomic Risk Reduction Process (ERRP) reduces both the number and severity of musculoskeletal disorders, builds labor/management teams with ergonomic skills, and cultivates partnerships to identify and control ergonomic risk. These partnerships include OSHA, NPMHU, and APWU. Since its inception in 2003, 176 plants and 9 districts have implemented ERRP, with over 155,000 employees receiving training. ERRP sites that have been involved in the process for at least 12 months experienced a 21.9 percent reduction in musculoskeletal disorders this year.”–source: USPS Read more
USPS: New Labor Contract Saves $3.8 Billion
Filed under: APWU, NALC, NPMHU, postal, postal news, press releases, usps
Extends Flexibility to Adjust to America’s Changing Mailing Trends
WASHINGTON — It’s official. The American Postal Workers Union (APWU) AFL-CIO ratified March 14 tentative labor contract agreement with the U.S. Postal Service that will save the nation’s mail system $3.8 billion over the four and a half year life of the contract that becomes effective today.
“This contract serves as a testament to the commitment the American Postal Workers Union has to its membership and to preserving the future of the Postal Service,” said Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe. “We worked together to negotiate a responsible agreement that is in the best interest of our customers, our employees and the future of the Postal Service. It offers short-term cost relief, structural changes to future labor costs and enhanced workforce flexibility to adjust to America’s changing mailing trends.”
“I am pleased that we were able to negotiate a contract that will strengthen the Postal Service for the future and protect the job security of union members so that we can better serve the American people,” said APWU President Cliff Guffey. “The new contract accomplishes those goals,” he added, “and it shows that public-employee unions and their employers can make collective bargaining work — even when faced with a financial crisis.”
The contract, which is effective May 23, 2011, through May 20, 2015, is a cornerstone for the Postal Service to achieve short-term cost relief, structural changes and enhanced workforce flexibility.
Short-term cost relief
The contract includes a wage freeze for the first two years, with low wage increases over the life of the contract (ranging from 0 to 1.5 percent), totaling 3.5 percent. Cost of living adjustments (COLAs) are eliminated in the first year, deferred in the second to the third year and resumed thereafter.
Structural changes
The agreement establishes a new career pay schedule that on average is permanently 10.2 percent lower than the current pay schedule. It also allows for significantly increased use of non-career employees from the current level of 5.9 percent to 20 percent in clerk craft and 10 percent in maintenance and motor vehicle craft function. As the Postal Service moves to greater use of non-career employees, which will happen as current APWU employees retire, the Postal Service will not be incurring long-term liability costs for retirements and other benefits.
Enhanced workforce flexibility
The contract introduces completely new scheduling flexibility for career employees; rather than working 8 hours a day for 40 hours a week, the Postal Service can schedule employees for irregular shifts with hours totaling between 30 and 48 hours per week. Employees will contribute additional amounts to health care premiums; employer contributions to health care will equal 76 percent at the end of the contract.
The agreement is a key component in the Postal Service’s strategy to address its dire financial condition. Other components include aggressive cost-reductions in excess of $12 billion over the last four years. The postal workforce has been reduced by more than 112,000 employees in the same time frame, through consolidating mail-processing facilities and reducing the Postal Service retail facility footprint.
Nearly 205,000 employees represented by the APWU generally work as clerks, mechanics, vehicle drivers, custodians and in some administrative positions.
Negotiations with the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association (NRLCA) came to an impasse upon the contract’s Nov. 20, 2010, expiration; however, discussions between the parties continue. If those discussions do not result in a negotiated resolution, the parties will continue to follow the current agreement until a third party determines the outcome of a new contract. Unlike in the private sector, when negotiations come to an impasse, federal employees are not permitted to strike. An arbitrator determines the final outcome and is not legally required to consider the Postal Service’s financial obligations when rendering a decision.
Employees represented by the NRLCA deliver mail in primarily rural and suburban areas. The NRLCA represents 67,000 career employees and 48,000 non-career employees who substitute for career employees on their days off. Employees represented by both unions received more than $20 billion in wages and benefits last year.
Two other unions represent most other postal employees. More than 203,000 employees represented by the National Association of Letter Carriers, AFL-CIO (NALC) deliver mail in metropolitan areas, and 48,000 employees represented by the National Postal Mail Handlers Union, AFL-CIO (NPMHU) work in mail-processing plants and Post Offices.
The NALC and NPMHU begin negotiations this year approximately 90 days prior to the midnight Nov. 20, 2011 contract expiration date. For additional background information on labor negotiations and the Postal Service’s workforce, please click on these links: Labor Negotiations and Workforce.