USPS begins Pay Talks with Postmasters today
On August 27, 2010 LEAGUE and NAPUS jointly signed a letter asking that the OIG investigate the 2009 NPA process, specifically the suspected reduction of CORE scores to many Postmasters by higher level management. It was suspected that this unilateral reduction in scores without the immediate manager’s approval or input was driven by higher levels of management. On August 8, 2011 the results of the investigation were shared with the organizations and .found that our concerns were true. Read more
USPS withdrawal from federal benefits could put stability of plans into jeopardy
League of Postmasters Releases Statement on USPS Newsbreak Regarding Retirement and Health Benefit Proposal.
The National league of Postmasters fully recognizes the gravity of the financial position the Postal Service finds itself in, but is extremely concerned about the Postal Service’s radical notion to abandon the Federal retirement system and the Federal Health Benefit Plan, the most efficient and effective set of health care plans in the United States. Not only would such an action throw postal employees to the wolves, but withdrawal of postal employees from the Federal Plans could put the continued health and stability of those plans into jeopardy. Read more
USPS To Send RIF Notices To Postmasters Impacted By DUO
Postmasters Receive Second RIF Notice
On August 2nd Areas sent another RIF notice to Postmasters impacted by DUO. Many Postmasters had received a RIF notice when their office was going through the DUO process. This RIF notice apparently was just a notice of a possible RIF. The August 2 RIF letter was a General Notice that in fact you had gone through DUO and are RIF impacted. It is very unfortunate but many Districts were not aware this letter was going out and were not able to give much local assistance to why Postmasters were getting the second letter. On August 31, 2011 a Specific RIF notice will be mailed to all DUO impacted Postmasters. . This RIF letter will state that all Postmasters impacted by DUO will have a effective date of November 4, 2011. Those Postmasters who have been downgraded with saved salary and who have not been reassigned to another office already will get a Specific RIF assignment to their own office effective November 4. It is our understanding that the official 2 year saved salary agreement in the February 14, 2011 letter from Doug Tulino will begin from that date. This agreement is for DUO impacted Postmasters and Station Mangers only. DUO impacted Postmasters will not be separated by this DUO RIF notice. This does raise a lot of questions for those Postmasters who have already been forced to move to another office right after their office went through DUO and now are being told the effective date is November 4, 2011.
Mark Strong
February 14, 2011 Letter regarding impact of Delivery Unit Optimization (DUO) on Postmasters and station managers View Letter (PDF)
source: National League Of Postmasters
NAPUS: USPS Will Do Everything Possible to Find Positions for Postmasters Impacted By Post Office Closings
Filed under: NAPUS, post office closings, postal, postal news, Postmasters, usps
USPS Officials Commit to Do Everything Possible to Find Landing Spots for Postmasters Who May Be Impacted By Post Office Closings
Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe and members of the Postal Headquarters leadership team updated leaders of NAPUS, League of Postmasters, and NAPS on the financial condition of the Postal Service today. The overall financial picture of the USPS remains bleak, as First-Class mail volume continues to decline, with a current net loss of $5.6 Billion, and a year-end projected loss of $9 Billion.
Following the financial briefing, presidents of the three postal management associations requested time to discuss the impact on Postmasters and other supervisory personnel who may be impacted by the recently announced discontinuance study of more than 3,500 postal facilities. NAPUS President Bob Rapoza asked if impacted Postmasters would face layoffs and he was told that while the possibility of some layoffs may exist, the Postal Service has an obligation to provide the same protection for all employees and they would do everything possible to find landing spots for Postmasters.
Postal leaders committed to consider RIF Avoidance and Voluntary Early Outs (VER) as part of the process to reduce the need for layoffs. USPS Headquarters officials said they were committed to maintaining a good working relationship with the management organizations and would include them throughout the process.
Postmasters whose offices are on the Discontinuance Feasibility Study list are reminded that the current procedures could require several months before a post office could actually be closed. The Postal Service has introduced proposed revisions to the Discontinuance timelines which would allow the closing of a facility within 138 days, but that recommendation is not yet effective.
Postmasters who may be impacted by the Discontinuance Feasibility Study should remember that some of the offices on the review list may not be closed. Impacted Postmasters are encouraged to check the NAPUS website for updates on what will happen if their office is scheduled to be closed.
Charlie Moser
July 27, 2011
National Association of Postmasters of the US
Postmasters: Post Offices on study list does not mean they will close
National League Of Postmasters:
Today The Post Office released the list of offices that will go through the review process for discontinuance. You can click on this link to see the list. We want to emphasize that this is a review list.
Coming under review doesn’t necessarily mean an office will close. The post office announced in January it was reviewing 1,400 offices for closing. So far 280 have been closed and 200 have finished the review process and will remain open. Of the 1,400 offices announced for review in January, 620 are still in the review process and 300 will move to the new review list.
We are very concerned for those impacted Postmasters and communities. The discontinuance process takes over 120 days, if appealed even longer. We will share the entire discontinuance process shortly. The Post Office will ask for an Advisory Opinion from the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) today which is another process that needs to be completed. We do not want to give false hope but there is a lot we can do to reduce the overall impact.
We will share more information as it is made available.
source: National League of Postmasters
NAPUS: Postmasters Not Included In Pay-For-Performance Freeze
Postmasters will be impacted by the suspension of the awards program for employee recognition and incentive awards
NAPUS has been informed by Postal Headquarters officials that Postmasters were not included in the recently announced freeze on Postal Service officer and executive compensation, as it relates to the Postal Service’s pay-for-performance program. Postmasters will be impacted by the suspension of the awards program for employee recognition and incentive awards, which will be suspended until further notice.
The July 1st announcement by the Postal Service was the second in a series of cash conservation initiatives which are designed to cut spending during these extremely difficult times. On June 24th, the Postal Service instituted a cash conservation plan to suspend contributions to the Federal Employees’ Retirement System (FERS.) The suspension of payments to FERS will not impact employees and should free up about $800 million this fiscal year.
USPS officials re-emphasized the need for Congress to enact legislation to eliminate the current mandates requiring retiree health benefit pre-payments and to allow them access to CSRS and FERS overpayments. Postal leaders also requested authorization to determine the frequency of mail delivery.
July 5, 2011
Charlie Moser
Postmasters File Complaint With PRC To Put Post Office Closings On Hold
Filed under: NAPUS, NLPM, post office closings, postal, postal news, PRC, usps
Today,the National Association Of Postmasters Of The United States (NAPUS), The League Of Postmasters (NLPM), Mark Strong, Robert Rapoza, Retired Postmasters Marilyn Shaw and Marilyn Hill filed a complaint with PRC requesting a temporary hold on USPS post office closings.
Postmasters request a ruling that the Postal Service must obtain an advisory opinion from the Postal Regulatory Commission before “closing thousands of post offices, affecting nationwide postal service, and before abdicating its responsibility to serve communities through maintaining its nationwide network of rural post offices as local federal government offices.” Read more
USPS rejects postmasters’ recommendations on saved grade for RIF’d employees
Filed under: NAPUS, NLPM, postal, postal news, postal supervisors
From the National League of Postmasters:
The LEAGUE has received official notification that the significant recommendations that LEAGUE and NAPUS submitted in reference to the revisions of Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM) Section 415, Rate Retention and Change to Lower EAS Grade will not be adopted. There was one recommendation that was adopted regarding applying for lateral reassignment to vacant duty assignments at their saved grade levels within their commuting areas to protect the salary. This was minor language to include in the overall change. The organizations submitted recommendations on two occasions to try and save some of the salary protection that EAS had received in the past during RIF Avoidance period, Specific RIF Notice Period or a RIF.
This means that those Nonbargainig Unit employees impacted by RIF Avoidance period, Specific RIF Notice Period, RIF-Related 30-Day Nonduty, Nonpay Status period, or a Rif will not receive saved salary indefinitely. Employees retain their current grade and pay for a period not to exceed 2 years from the effective date of the change to the lower grade position. On expiration of the saved grade period, if the employee’s salary is within the salary range for the lower grade, the salary is continued. However, if the salary exceeds the maximum of the new grade, the salary is immediately reduced to the grade maximum.
The League is disappointed that the significant portion of our proposals was not adopted. Postal Headquarters continued to sight the financial conditions they were presently facing could not justify any saved salary past the two years.
Rate retention currently in affect for DUO impacted Postmasters and Managers is still in effect.
Click and hit enter to view some RIF FAQs regarding this change. (PDF)
Postmasters To PRC: USPS Must Comply With Existing Laws On Closing Post Offices
Filed under: post office closings, postal, postal news, Postmasters, usps
Update: Nation’s Postmasters Challenge Proposed Postal Service Regulations- On Thursday, the National Association of Postmasters of the U.S. and the National League of Postmasters filed paperwork with the Postal Regulation Commission that raise serious legal objections to USPS efforts to undercut statutory protections to which communities are entitled during a Post Office discontinuance and a USPS effort to illegally redefine Post Office management. In addition, NAPUS and the NLPM included an expert legal opinion by the former USPS general counsel, which agrees that the USPS is violating the law. The story is included in this week’s edition of the eNAPUS Legislative and Political Bulletin. In addition, the eNAPUS Bulletin includes news relating to how the ongoing congressional budget discussions impacts Postmasters
The National League Of Postmasters and National Association Of Postmasters of the US submitted a letter to Postal Regulatory Commission Chairman Ruth Y. Goldway. The Postmasters are in opposition to USPS’ proposed changes to regulations making it easier to close Post Offices.: Read more
Postmasters League urging action to stop USPS cloaked plan to close rural post offices
We are still working to stop the proposed changes to Title 39 CFR. We want to remind everyone if you have not already done so to contact all your members of Congress as soon as possible regarding Title 39 CFR Part 241. This is just a cloaked plan to close 1000s of Post Offices. We believe the long term impact to the Post Office brand, overall customer trust and service, especially to rural America has not been fully consider with this change. The Postal Service has filed formal notice through the Federal Register of a proposed change to the Discontinuance (closing) process for Post Offices found in the Title 39 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). This is different from US Code Title 39, which is law. These are Postal Service regulations and do not need legislative approval or a bill to change. It is simply a regulation change, not a change in the law. The Post Office will seek comments (written) for thirty days. They will review those comments and make their determinations on whether to make the regulation changes and change the face of rural America. The 30 days open for comments expires May 2, 2011. Unless we get our Representatives to intervene, these regulations will most likely be changed and, regardless of the nice spin being placed on this proposal, it will not be good for rural America. Read more