Call For Action: Urge President Obama To Name Democrat To PRC
Filed under: APWU, Congress, politics, postal, postal news, PRC, usps
Clarification from APWU Oakland President Fred Jacobs: The call for action was initiated by APWU Western Region Coordinator Omar Gonzalez via Oakland APWU and sent to PostalReporter.
The following is a call for action from the APWU Oakland (California) Local #78 sent to PostalReporter.com
The Commission is composed of five Commissioners, each of whom is appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. No more than three members of the Commission may be from one political party. Currently, The Commission is composed of three Republicans and two Democrats. Commissioners [Mark] Acton (R) and [Tony]Hammond (R) terms have expired.
Currently, the PRC is considering issues critical to Postal Service employees. Consequently, we are encouraging all Postal Employees to contact their Democratic Representatives to urge President Obama to name a Democrat to replace one of the Commissioners whose term has expired. [Note: We have been advised by the Regional office that by practice, the opposing party is usually given deference to name a Commissioner, which is why we are asking that contact be made with Democrats].
If you do not know who your Democratic Representative is, please go to www.apwu.org link to Legislative Department. Click “Contact Your legislators” on left side of page, input your zip code and make contact with Representatives as soon as possible.
Call, fax, and email your Congressional Representatives! Urge them to have their White House liaison representative urge President Obama to name a Democrat to the PRC immediately!
Call For Action: Urge President Obama To Name Democrat Commissioner To PRC
OSHA Increases Enforcement Against Serious Safety and Health Violators
Filed under: Dept. of Labor, osha, postal, postal news, press releases, usps
From October 2009 to September 2010, OSHA issued citations in 164 significant cases where penalties reached $100,000 or more. OSHA found conditions warranting use of its egregious citation policy in 20 of these inspections. In a so-called egregious case, an employer is cited on a per-instance basis under the same standard rather than grouping similar violations for penalty purposes. The result is a considerably higher penalty intended to serve as a deterrent. Egregious treatment is often used when an employer exhibits deliberately violative conduct or indifference to employee safety and health or the law. Many of these cases spring from inspections of tragic worker fatalities, worksite catastrophes (such as explosions or chemical releases) or worker injuries or illnesses. This number of significant and egregious cases is more than OSHA issued during any similar period in the last decade. Egregious cases during this period include the BP Products North America oil refinery in Texas City, Texas; the Kleen Energy power plant in Middletown, Conn.; and the Cooperative Plus grain handling facility in Burlington, Wis.
The increase in significant and egregious cases demonstrates OSHA’s commitment to aggressively enforcing its standards when employers show indifference to protecting the safety, health and lives of their workers. The increase results from better inspection targeting, more follow-up inspections and the addition of more compliance officers. In addition, inspectors are issuing a higher percentage of citations for violations that seriously endanger workers or show an employer’s willful disregard for their safety. Also, many referrals to other facilities within the same company lead to more significant cases, such as the serious electrical and other hazards found at many U.S. Postal Service facilities across the country.
In a complaint filed earlier this year, OSHA alleged that “USPS’s actions demonstrate an enterprise-wide policy that resulted in ongoing systemic electrical work safety violations. USPS failed to adequately train workers in recognizing electrical hazards and how to work safely around such hazards, and did not provide workers with the appropriate tools and personal protective equipment to avoid injury or death while working around and on electrical equipment.”
“Even though it was aware of the hazards, USPS failed to institute the necessary measures to protect its workers,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels.
“Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to assure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance.”
OSHA rolls out presidential initiative to improve federal worker safety
The Department of Labor held an event at its Washington, D.C., headquarters Oct. 13 to roll out President Barack Obama’s new initiative to protect federal workers from on-the-job injuries and illnesses. The Protecting Our Workers and Ensuring Reemployment Initiative follows two former government programs in place since the mid 1990s. The new government-wide POWER Initiative sets aggressive target goals to help ensure federal workers are provided with safe and healthful work environments, as well as the support they need after experiencing a serious work-related injury or illness.
source: OSHA via several news releases
Obama Budget Backs Six-Day Delivery
President Obama’s fiscal 2011 budget proposal requires the continuation of six-day delivery by the Postal Service. The administration also promises to work with postal unions and other stakeholders to keep the Postal Service strong for years to come. In setting the amount for “revenue forgone” to cover the costs of free and reduced rate mail, the spending plan says payments will be made “provided that 6-day delivery and rural delivery of mail shall continue at not less than the 1983 level….” Looking to the future, the proposal, submitted to Congress on February 1, states, “The Administration will work with the Postal Service, its employee unions, the Congress, and other stakeholders to make sure the Postal Service (remains) a pillar of the American economy and a vital public resource through the current crisis and over the long haul.” Language in a separate section, however, proposes changes in the Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA) that could be problematic. The NALC is investigating those proposals and will act to protect letter carriers’ interests. See the USPS section of the budget, with key sections highlighted
The Postal Service’s presentation of its 5-day delivery proposal appears to be on a fast track for presentation to the Postal Regulatory Commission. In announcing the MTAC agenda, the Postal Service has included a 90 minute briefing on 5-day a week delivery on February 17. The Postal Service will repeat this presentation on the web four additional times in February.
source: NALC
http://www.nalc.org/images/FY2011AdminBudgetProposalUSPS.pdf