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Postal News - January 2007

 

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TOP POSTAL STORIES OF THE MONTH

January 31, 2007-

Memorial Marks One-Year Anniversary of Goleta Postal Rampage - One year after the Goleta postal murders, a community is still struggling with the senseless killing. A solemn memorial service was held this afternoon to honor six victims. Gathered in front of the Postal Service building were more than 100 people, including family, friends and coworkers of Charlotte Colton, See Fairchild, Nicola Grant, Guadalupe Schwartz, Maleka Higgins and Dexter Shannon." No words can describe how this tragedy has impacted us," says Postal Service District Manager John Byars. "We can't begin to describe the pain and loss the families and loved ones have experienced this past year." Goleta Postal Shooting Anniversary |

 

North Carolina Postmaster resigns amid federal probe

The postmaster of the Harbinger post office has resigned amid a federal embezzlement probe. Debbie Homer, postmaster in Harbinger since August 2005, stepped down recently, a U.S. Postal Service spokeswoman said in a phone message. It was not immediately clear when Homer resigned. Agapi Doulaveris, director of communications for the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Postal Service, confirmed Tuesday that Homer is being investigated for allegations of embezzlement from the Harbinger post office. No charges have been filed in the case, she said. "We do not prosecute. We investigate and provide background for the Postal Service to review," Doulaveris said. "It is then its decision whether to prosecute." |

 

January 30, 2007-

NALC Contract Proposal Includes Monday - Friday Workweek, Early Out Request (PDF)

 President Young details contract issues before record-setting Rap Session - Highlights: All Regular Workforce by 2011 - All carriers converted to Monday-Friday full-time regulars, eliminate casuals, keep City Carrier Grade 2 positions with new duties. Create Saturday bargaining unit workforce: with Retired carriers (preference), New hires, probationary carriers; USPS request early out for city carriers ; Sub-contracting protection and a share of the savings (increased pay); protection against outsourcing. Maintain health care payments as long as you belong to the NALC health plan. If not, USPS payments shrink to 72%.  PDF File from  NALC Branch 38 via PostalReporter  |

January 29, 2007-

OSHA: High-Visibility Uniforms Not Required for Mail Carriers Delivering After Dark - On November 13, 2003, at twilight, Evelyn Medeiros, a United States Postal Service employee, was struck by a car while crossing the street at a stop sign while delivering mail on her postal route in Fall River, Massachusetts. At the time of the accident, Ms. Medeiros was wearing Postal Service issued bomber jacket and rain pants. Five days after the accident, a formal complaint was filed with OSHA on the behalf of letter carriers in Fall River, Massachusetts alleging that the USPS required employees to deliver mail after dark without supplying them with reflective clothing that made them easily visible in the dark to vehicular traffic. In 2006, OSHA dismissed the complaint ruling that there is no evidence that high-visibility clothing would have done anything to prevent the accident.  |

 

January 28, 2007-

Mail Delivery Complaints In Chicago's 13th Ward

Temporary Carriers blamed for late deliveries - Ald. Frank Olivo (13th) called local Post Office officials and local community representatives together yesterday (Wednesday) to discuss the growing problems of mail delivery in the 60638, 60629 and 60652 Zip codes. They heard complaints about late delivery, carriers skipping days, letters delivered to wrong addresses, and mail being left on steps. The West Lawn Post Office has had a management vacancy for 14 months. The current manager is on sick leave, but the position is still his. After the meeting, the postal officials said they were going to go to the West Lawn Post Office not only to talk to the employees there but to monitor those who are working to make sure a good job is being done.  |

 

January 23, 2007-

GAO: Medicare Subsidy Could Have Lowered Health Premiums in 2006 - National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) President Margaret L. Baptiste said that a GAO report confirms her association’s belief that FEHBP premiums were higher than needed because of the OMB and OPM's decision to forego a subsidy provided under the 2003 Medicare Prescription Drug Act. OMB, which had a role in this decision, and OPM, should explain to federal workers, retirees and survivor annuitants, who often struggle to pay their steadily increasing premiums, why the federal government failed to do what a multitude of other employers have done to reduce this burden. USPS, petitioned Medicare in 2005 to provide the subsidy but was rejected on the grounds that postal workers are covered by the health benefits program. Postal officials sought the subsidy because it would save the agency about $250 million annually  |

 

January 21, 2007-

Bush Plan Would Cut Tax-Free Employer-Provided Health Insurance

President George W. Bush on Saturday proposed tax breaks to make health insurance more affordable to the nearly 47 million Americans who lack it, while removing some tax benefits for the most expensive employer-provided health care plans. The basic concept is that employer-provided health insurance, now treated as a fringe benefit exempt from taxation, would no longer be entirely tax-free. Workers could be taxed if their coverage exceeded limits set by the government. But the government would also offer a new tax deduction for people buying health insurance on their own.  |

 

Thirteen Postal Union Officers Target of DOL-OLMS Criminal Actions in 2006

Over a dozen postal union officers were the target of DOL/OLMS criminal enforcement actions in 2006. These were the most serious cases. A name that will be recognizable to many is John McGovern, who ran for APWU National President in 1998, 2001 and 2004. Delegates to the 2004 APWU National Convention voted to uphold his expulsion from the union. As a result his name was removed from the ballot. The lesson from these enforcement actions is for union officers to take their legal responsibilities seriously. Mistakes can be costly.  |

 

January 20, 2007-

Carbon monoxide levels trigger OSHA fine for Suffolk post office
The post office downtown must pay a fine for a November incident that exposed 39 employees to high levels of carbon monoxide. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration concluded after a six-week investigation that the post office was responsible for improperly placing two portable generators during an electrical outage. Last week, post office representatives agreed to pay $5,130 in fines and to correct the violations, according to a copy of the settlement obtained by The Virginian-Pilot. Workers at the Main Street location began feeling ill the morning of Nov. 8, before the building opened to the public. The generators had been running for hours due to an overnight power outage.
OSHA fines postal service more than $5,000 for 2006 incident |

 

MSPB Overturns Postal Worker’s Removal for $45,000 Stamp Stock Shortage

An Acting Finance Supervisor in New York City won mitigation of his removal from the Postal Service for "Failure to Account for Postal Funds / Failure to Follow Proper Procedures." Under his supervision shortages of postal stock from the Unit Reserve and from the Retail Floor Stock occurred totaling approximately $45,000. Management failed to consider mitigating factors such as his "lack of intent and culpability."   |

January 19, 2007-

Fired Postal Employee Sues Postmaster General

A woman who was fired from a Hamilton County Post Office, is suing the U.S, Postmaster General. According to court documents, Leila Mitchell's former supervisor at a local post office has been found guilty of sexually harassing her  (supervisor pled guilty to assault by offensive touching) . He apologized to her, in court. But, after the case was over, the man was allowed to keep his job. Now, Mitchell has filed suit saying she ended up losing her job because she called police about what she calls a hostile working environment. Note: The postal employee is representing herself (pro se) in the case.  |

 

Man killed in accident at Massachusetts Postal Facility

A Ludlow man is dead following an accident in South Hadley. It happened at the post office on Hadley Street a little after midnight. Police tell abc40 that the man was killed when a forklift fell off a flatbed truck and pinned him beneath it. His name has not been released. The cause of the accident is still under investigation, but Police tell us that the bed of the truck was coated in ice. |

 

January 18, 2007-

Postal Employee’s Whistleblower Protection Case Against OIG Dismissed- The Postal Employees alleged that OIG engaged in prohibited personnel practices in violation of the Whistleblower Protection Act . The MSPB dismissed the appeal for lack of jurisdiction because Postal Service employees cannot appeal violations of the WPA directly to the MSPB. The employee asserted that the OIG was not a part of the Postal Service. The Court found that the OIG is subject to appointment and removal by the Postal Board of Governors, which serves as the “head of department” for the Postal Service. The Court concluded that the employee was a Postal Service employee and that the MSPB lacked jurisdiction over his appeal.  |

 

January 17, 2007-

Editorial: Arbitrator's Postal Police Decision Costs Millions, Does Nothing
"Taxpayers across the United States might have to dole out $100 million to postal police for overtime they never worked, thanks to a decision by a federal arbitrator in Baltimore. Everything about the case is ridiculous, including the decision. A union representative said earlier this month the back pay for Baltimore postal police will be about $2.6 million. As background, the Fraternal Order of Police National Labor Council filed a grievance against the U.S. Postal Service in Baltimore for using cheaper part-time private security guards to guard its facilities instead of paying overtime to postal police officers. The union also filed grievances in 11 cities across the country, including Washington and San Francisco."
 |

 

January 04, 2007-

USPS Could Pay Up to $2.6M for Cutting Postal Police
With the deadly anthrax attacks of 2001 still fresh in many minds, the U.S. post office in Baltimore City made a cost-cutting decision that has proven costly. Officials replaced about 20 postal police officers on shifts with cheaper, less-trained security guards who don’t carry weapons. Now, the U.S. Postal Service could pay up to $2.6 million in missed pay to its Baltimore postal police officers after an arbitrator ruled the move violated the officers’ union contract, according to documents obtained by The Examiner. Baltimore U.S. Postal Inspector spokesman Frank Schissler said he believed the Baltimore case has national implications, since other cities have been using security guards.
Postal police could win at least $100 Million from 11 similar grievances > |

 

January 15, 2007-

Retired Postal Employees to Perform Retail Services

According to APWU President William Burrus in the Jan./Feb. 2007 issue of the “American Postal Worker” : Perhaps the most innovative aspect of the agreement is the memorandum committing the parties to develop rules and procedures for the employment of retired postal employees to perform retail services. These employees will be hired by and paid by the American Postal Workers Union, and contracted to the Postal Service. If successful this program will present an opportunity to expand retail services to locations where it is not cost-effective to open a full-service facility. Of course, care must be taken to ensure that these new retail opportunities do not distract from official retail sites and that our career employees are not adversely affected. MOU: Such workers will not be a part of a supplemental workforce under Article 7. The meetings will begin no later than February 1, 2007 and will be concluded by May 1, 2007.|

 

January 11, 2007-

Senator Collins Introduces Resolution Reaffirming Constitutional Protections of Sealed Mail - Senator Susan Collins has introduced a bipartisan resolution reaffirming that both federal law and the Constitution protect sealed domestic mail from being searched. The resolution is in response to a signing statement that the White House issued in conjunction with the signing of the Collins/Carper postal reform legislation. In a speech before the U.S. Senate, Senator Collins explained that following the singing of the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act, the White House issued a statement that resulted in confusion about the Administration’s commitment to abide by the basic privacy protections afforded sealed domestic mail. First wiretapping, now letter-opening?| NY Post editorial misrepresented Bush signing statement | Bloggers Put Senator Collins in the Hot Seat Over Signing Statement | First Class Mess | Can Bush Open Mail Without Warrant | Funnies: Complaint for Bush? Write Your Sister | Google it  |

 

January 08, 2007-

Video: Signed, Sealed and Delivered-  Labor Struggle in the Post Office
1978 Strike Against Mandatory Overtime, Speedups, and Hazardous Working Conditions -
"On July 21, 1978 thousands of postal workers across the country walked off their jobs when their contract expired, saying "No" to mandatory overtime, forced speedups and hazardous working conditions. As a result of this wildcat strike, six hundred thousand postal workers won a better contract. But two hundred workers were arbitrarily fired by management to teach all postal workers a lesson. SIGNED, SEALED and DELIVERED is the story of the struggle these postal workers waged to win back their jobs. It follows their fight into the streets, onto the floor of the American Postal Workers Union's National Convention and among workers and communities nationwide. But it took the tragic death of Michael McDermott, a 25 year old mail handler who was sucked into a conveyor belt and crushed to death, to bring their hazardous working conditions to national attention." |

 

January 31, 2007-

Woman Claims Neighbor's Mailbox Is Obscene

A Pomfret mailbox is at the center of controversy between two neighbors. Pam Lee said she is offended by the mailbox of her neighbor who lives across the street. ." It's very sexually oriented, very offensive and very risqué," Lee said. The United States Postal Service told Lee that it is not its job to censor patrons.  |

 

NALC President Young: Reforming Health Care  |

Semi hauling mail to Denver burns on highway

Ticking package turns out to be box of toys

NY: Fire destroys Adirondack post office

FL: Postal Service, Vero Beach continue talks on dispute


January 30, 2007-

APWU Receives 200 ‘Man-Year’ Office List
(01/30/07) The Postal Service has provided the APWU with a list showing facilities that qualify as
“200 man-year” offices [PDF].
In accordance with the recently ratified 2006-2010 Collective Bargaining Agreement, all Clerk Craft part-time flexible employees at facilities of 200 man-years or more will be converted to full time, no later than Dec. 1, 2007. According to the information provided by the USPS, 440 facilities qualify as 200 man-year offices.  |

 

Earl Miller led the postal workers' union

APWU: Postal Service Cancels Another AMP Study

Burrus: A Brief Conversation Rekindles the Commitment

USPS Promises, But Residents Skeptical

Woman gets 8 years in federal prison for Post Office Robbery  |
NALC: Rap Session Info

Postal Service Is a Backdoor ATM - Several times a week, the U.S. Postal Service is a backdoor ATM when customers buy a 39-cent stamp, pay with a debit card, and get cash back without paying bank fees. “Honestly, (our retail employees) see it three or four times a week, if not more,” Clovis postmaster John Yeast said. “Most of my employees are taking advantage (of it) themselves.”


January 29, 2007-

Goleta Postal Shooting Anniversary

It’s been nearly a year since a deadly shooting rampage in Goleta shattered a community. Tuesday marks the one-year anniversary of the tragic Goleta postal shooting massacre that left eight people dead. A somber private ceremony to remember those killed will be held Tuesday afternoon at the Goleta postal facility where the shooting occurred. Olive trees will be planted, each honoring a life lost.  |

 

Senator Objects to USPS Proposed Passport Card Acceptance Fee - U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) is objecting to a proposed $25 fee the Postal Service intends to charge to accept applications for the “passport card” Americans will need sometime in the next two years to enter the United States from Canada. He says the $25 fee is excessive, particularly since the Departments of State and Homeland Security, which will process the application and provide the passport card, intend to charge only $20 for adults and $10 for kids. Dorgan has asked the GAO to investigate the Postal Service estimate that an additional $25 fee is required to cover its costs.   |

 

Mailbox graffiti spurs demand for cleanup   |

Postal Carrier Finds Pipe Bomb in Mailbox

Group Purchases Former Marina del Rey P & DC from Home Depot

U.S. Lost Mail Turns Up in Juarez House | Juarez Postal Employees Arrested
Deal struck to keep Kinsey post office open

UPS Franchisees Charge UPS With Forcing Them to Distribute Pornographic Material

 

January 28, 2007-

House Judiciary to Hold Hearing on Bush Signing Statements

Photo: Delivering Mail By Bicycle in St Pete

Photo: Postal Truck Advertising Stamps and Fuel

Postal Cartoon: Different Title, Same Job

Mailman helps nab assault suspect  |
Shipping store bets on big business from Goin' Postal name
  |
Editorial: USPS is not the style authority
 |
Steroid dealer preferred USPS vs private shipping companies  |

 


January 27, 2007-

Supreme Court Rules Federal, Postal Employees Cannot Be Sued

In a 7-2 decision last week, the high court ruled that the government can insert itself as the defendant in lawsuits against federal workers who claim innocence, even if the alleged act was not part of the accused employee’s job description.  |

 

Fewer Clerks, City Carriers on Postal Rolls At the End of 2006

While Mail Handlers and Rural Carriers were the only two bargaining unit groups that had a significant increase for 2006. Clerks down by 8,354 (211,991), City Carriers 2,399(224,218), Mail Handlers increased by 1,376 (57,261) and Rural Carriers 1,996 (66,977). Casuals increased by 3219 (17,206).The Postal Inspection Service is down by 687 (2837) and The Office of Inspector General increased it staff by 272 (1132). Total workforce complement was down 7,921 –compared to 3704 at the end of 2005  |

 

PRC To Consider Creating Inspector General Office, Position  |

eNAPUS Bulletin (PDF)

Mailman Called Hero After Detecting Deadly Gas At Home

'Super postman’ rescues couple from burning house
Shared savings plan could help Postal Service save energy  |

Postal Worker Saves Baby Chicks Sent In Mail  |

Long Green Post Office will close

 School revives art of snail mail

Canada: Ottawa postal worker rescues lost toddler shivering in snow

 


January 26, 2007-

Burrus: Postal Workers Must Include COLA Raises in Wage Increase Comparisons

Postal employees often compare our negotiated wage increases with those of workers in other industries and conclude that postal raises don’t measure up. Postal increases in the range of 1.5 percent or less, they assert, don’t match the increases of 5 percent or more that the media reports for workers in other industries. These comparisons are flawed, however, because they fail to take into account that the raises provided in the APWU contract consist of general wage increases and cost-of-living adjustments. >  |

 

Long lines, lost mail, area residents give postal official an earful - (New York) One board member came forward with a bag of mail misdelivered to her address over the past six months. Another had a package of medication that had been misdelivered to her home a week ago, and had not yet been picked up by the post office. During a session that lasted perhaps 25 minutes, numerous issues were hurled at Warner and Andrea Burrows, the post office’s customer relations coordinator. The complaints ran the gamut from problems with deliveries to unsatisfactory lobby conditions. Board member Kenrick Wescott recalled waiting outside the post office for his wife for a full hour while she transacted her business within. “I thought she had gone someplace else,” he told Warner.  |

 

Post Office expansion may include Condos built above it

(Maryland) Montgomery County planners may approve renovations to the post office on Arlington Road in Bethesda that could lead to a larger facility with 111 condominiums above it. If the plans are approved, the existing 16,000-square-foot building, at 7001 Arlington Road, would be torn down and replaced with a new office, an underground parking lot for residents and postal workers, and four stories of residences.  |

 

Study: Women Prefer Direct Mail to E-mail Ads

Rio Rancho residents promised better postal service
Postal worker faces gift card theft charges

Raleigh's first female postal worker retires

Mailman Saves Family

Mail delivery stopped to retirement community because of virus |  

Postal Movie Set to Offend

Postal Worker aids heart attack victim at Post Office
Undelivered mail recovered in Caledonia

 

January 25, 2007-

USPS Consolidations, Tech Efficiencies Expected to Pare Work Hours
"Progress in increasing efficiencies was so good in 2006 and the prospects for more of the same in 2007 are so promising that the U.S. Postal Service hopes to reduce work hours dramatically during the next 12 months. The goal, revealed in the Postal Service's Annual Progress Report, released this month, states that new efficiencies will eliminate as many as 42 million work hours - or the equivalent of about 21,000 full-time workers. "It's a lot," said the Postal Service's vice president of strategic planning, Linda Kingsley. "There's only been one year in which we have achieved that before."   |

 

Mail Handlers Ratify 2006 National Agreement

The National Office of the National Postal Mail Handlers Union is pleased to announce that the membership of the NPMHU has voted to ratify the terms of the 2006 National Agreement between the NPMHU and the U.S. Postal Service. The final vote tally, subject to minor adjustment prior to final certification by the AAA, was 15,244 in favor of ratification and 2,116 in opposition to ratification. |

 

Editorial: Postal Service should butt out of a Denver election decision

Two Questioned In Nebraska Post Office Bomb Threat

Postal delivery changes set in Massachusetts town  |
Money order imprinter stolen from Ohio post office
"The machine and 60 blank money orders were taken. Authorities found a handwritten note on a desk that said they were sorry and only needed money."
 |

 

January 24, 2007-

Rise Seen In Postal Workers' Injuries Since Storms Began

 Some 80 U.S. postal workers have reported injuries in the Colorado/Wyoming area since the start of the blizzard five weeks ago and the several snowstorms that followed. A spokesman for the U.S. postal service, Al DeSerro, said the injuries have included fractures, sprains and a concussion due to slips and falls on the ice. DeSerro said workers were injured in over 30 vehicle accidents with postal trucks, though most of them happened at low speeds.  |

 

Automation Forces Elimination of Some Postal Jobs in Albuquerque - New automated mail systems will eliminate some U.S. Postal Service jobs in Albuquerque, though no workers are to be laid off, a spokeswoman for the service said today. A mail processing center is awaiting machinery that will read bar codes affixed to mail bins, directing them to the proper location for sorting - work that previously was done by postal workers, said spokeswoman Barbara Wood. A machine that handles change-of-address requests will also affect some jobs on the West Side, she said. The total number of jobs affected won't be determined until the machinery is in full operation, Wood said. But workers whose jobs will be made redundant can bid for vacancies within the postal service, Wood said. "There will be no layoffs due to technology," she said.  US Sen. Bingaman Concerned About Possible Reduction In Postal Service Staffing  |

 

New Prescription Benefit for Postal Employees Injured On Duty

Video: APWU Save Our Service Rally in Minneapolis

Retirees can expect faster full annuity checks – in 2008

Rise Seen In Postal Workers' Injuries Since Storms Began

Post Office Bomb Threat Closes Businesses, School In Stanton, NE
Third Generation Letter Carrier Dave Duerk loves people

Kodiak: Postal Service pushes ahead with new facility

Coming and going postal: APO down-low
Politicians give postal trucks plan Bronx cheer

Disparity in wages, profits widening: UPS carrots and sticks

International Post Corporation Re-elects Potter as Board Vice Chairman

Butch the dog forces post office to reroute mail

 

January 23, 2007-

Postal Truck Plunges 50 ft. off bridge, Driver Survives
(Dallas) A U.S. Postal truck plummeted from the Trinity River Bridge after a collision with a large milk truck Tuesday morning. The impact created a chain reaction of accidents that involved a total of five vehicles in the eastbound lanes of Interstate-30. The traffic near Sylvan Avenue had slowed down around 11:40 a.m. when the milk truck traveling in the left lane collided with the postal truck in front of it, said Sgt. Gil Cerda, a Dallas Police Department spokesman. The impact sent the postal truck across two right lanes of traffic and over the bridge railing. Postal Truck Plunges Off I-30 Bridge - Police said recent rains may have saved the driver of a USPS truck that crashed off a bridge . Postal officials said 65-year-old, Jimmie Simpson who has been a USPS driver since 1989, was expected to fully recover   |

 

Postal Service cites vote problems in Colorado - Trouble stems from mail ballots- The Postal Service sent a letter of complaint to the Colorado secretary of state's office last week about problems with the envelopes and the voter addresses used for the mail-in ballots in Denver's special election this month. More than 10 percent of the nearly 300,000 ballots sent out for Denver's Jan. 30 mail-in election were returned, calling into question the accuracy of the city's voter registration list. USPS chastised Denver for its handling of mail- ballot election |

 

USPS Issues Notice on Whistleblower Protection Rights

The Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002 (No FEAR Act) requires that each Federal agency provide notice to all employees, former employees, and applicants for employment about the rights and remedies available to them under the anti-discrimination laws and whistleblower protection laws that apply to them. Retaliation against an employee or applicant for making a whistleblower protected disclosure is prohibited by ELM 666.18. |

 

Postal Service aims to assist
GSA aims to raise mileage reimbursement in February

SteelCloud Intervenes to Dismiss Lawsuit Against USPS

Aberdeen: PRC says consolidation plans for postal service flawed

USPS: FAQs About the Financial Impact of the New Postal Law

Mike Causey: The Calendar Always Wins

Postal Officials Stick With Yakima

Sarbanes-Oxley Act Now Applies to USPS

 

January 22, 2007-

APWU: Shirley Jasper Named Western Region Maintenance Division NBA

Postal Officials Stick With Yakima

Photo: Seco, KY Post Office Needs Makeover

Postal Service should revisit its decision on mail delivery

Nonprofit postal plastic box maker gives perks to execs, layoffs to others - Minnesota Diversified Industries Plans To Layoff 250-300 Workers, many disabled, Many Making Minimum Wage. MDI Execs Get Treated To Parties, Spa Vacations, Golf Outings, Casino Trips.   |

 

January 21, 2007-

Moving Mail on Superhighway

At the end of the entrance hallway to the Chattanooga remote encoding center is a sign above a door that reads, "You are now entering the U.S. Postal Service Communication Superhighway." Chattanooga's facility will take on much of the 400-employee Tampa center's load. Postal Service officials here are looking to hire up to 250 workers, and possibly more, to meet the demand. The new hires must sign 360-day contracts for four-, six- or seven-and-a-half-hour shifts. They earn $12.27 an hour, without benefits. The center now handles mail from 27 plants from six states, including one at JFK International Airport in New York City, where most of the country's international mail is processed. Chattanooga's center has survived the consolidation because of its size and its employees' productivity, officials said. Last year, the center ranked No. 1 in cost efficiency in processing mail.   |

 

Thirteen Postal Union Officers Target of DOL-OLMS Criminal Actions in 2006

Over a dozen postal union officers were the target of DOL/OLMS criminal enforcement actions in 2006. These were the most serious cases. A name that will be recognizable to many is John McGovern, who ran for APWU National President in 1998, 2001 and 2004. Delegates to the 2004 APWU National Convention voted to uphold his expulsion from the union. As a result his name was removed from the ballot. The lesson from these enforcement actions is for union officers to take their legal responsibilities seriously. Mistakes can be costly.  |

 

Gonzales Defends Bush's Mail Snooping Statement
"I mean, obviously, there may be instances where either the sender or the recipient may consent to a physical search, so that possibility may exist. But to my knowledge, there is no physical search of mail ongoing under either the authority to use military force or the president’s inherent authority under the Constitution, except as otherwise authorized by statute passed by the Congress. For example, there are provisions in FISA which would allow physical searches under certain circumstances, so…"   ACLU and CNSS Seek Records on Warrantless Mail Surveillance  |


Pam Anderson goes postal over Colonel Sanders stamp  |

Update: Forklift accident kills man at postal facility

IT's in the mail ... or is it?  |

Woman's mailbox is five miles from her home |

Driver Killed In Collision With Mail Truck

Mail Truck Driver Crashes in the Amherst County Area

Postman Jim Looney recognized for holiday kindness

Ex-postmaster witness to mail transformation

CO: Mesa mail delivery change debated

 

January 20, 2007-

Carbon monoxide levels trigger OSHA fine for Suffolk post office
The post office downtown must pay a fine for a November incident that exposed 39 employees to high levels of carbon monoxide. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration concluded after a six-week investigation that the post office was responsible for improperly placing two portable generators during an electrical outage. Last week, post office representatives agreed to pay $5,130 in fines and to correct the violations, according to a copy of the settlement obtained by The Virginian-Pilot. Workers at the Main Street location began feeling ill the morning of Nov. 8, before the building opened to the public. The generators had been running for hours due to an overnight power outage.
OSHA fines postal service more than $5,000 for 2006 incident |

 

MSPB Overturns Postal Worker’s Removal for $45,000 Stamp Stock Shortage

An Acting Finance Supervisor in New York City won mitigation of his removal from the Postal Service for "Failure to Account for Postal Funds / Failure to Follow Proper Procedures." Under his supervision shortages of postal stock from the Unit Reserve and from the Retail Floor Stock occurred totaling approximately $45,000. Management failed to consider mitigating factors such as his "lack of intent and culpability."   |

 

Avoiding canine confrontation
“Dog Whisperer” comes to the aid of letter carriers - Last September, dog trainer and TV star Cesar Millan shared his expertise in animal behavior with letter carrier Bonnie Moon and several of her colleagues at the Roswell, GA, Post Office. His visit with the Peach State postal workers aired last night on The
National Geographic Channel,. The show airs again today at 2p.m.and Friday Feb. 2 at 4p.m. See Video Excerpt  | Pit Bull Owner Says PO Targets Specific Breeds | Post office reroutes mail around dog problem |

 

Photo: Dinosaur Post Office

Photo: Guinness Book of World Records for Postmaster?

eNAPUS: House Oversight and Govt. Reform Committee Organizes (PDF)

Mail carrier who died aiding motorist leaves a legacy of helping others

Fight that began in parking lot ends in the post office

Post office often ships, receives parcels with a pulse


January 19, 2007-

Fired Postal Employee Sues Postmaster General

A woman who was fired from a Hamilton County Post Office, is suing the U.S, Postmaster General. According to court documents, Leila Mitchell's former supervisor at a local post office has been found guilty of sexually harassing her  (supervisor pled guilty to assault by offensive touching) . He apologized to her, in court. But, after the case was over, the man was allowed to keep his job. Now, Mitchell has filed suit saying she ended up losing her job because she called police about what she calls a hostile working environment. Note: The postal employee is representing herself (pro se) in the case.  |

 

Man killed in accident at Massachusetts Postal Facility

A Ludlow man is dead following an accident in South Hadley. It happened at the post office on Hadley Street a little after midnight. Police tell abc40 that the man was killed when a forklift fell off a flatbed truck and pinned him beneath it. His name has not been released. The cause of the accident is still under investigation, but Police tell us that the bed of the truck was coated in ice. |

 

 Postal Workers' Paychecks Lost in the Mail

 Postal workers apparently have no special clout when it comes to being told the check's in the mail. That's the case in Owensboro in western Kentucky, where post office employees are still waiting for their Jan. 12 paychecks. They seem to have been lost - in the mail, Postmaster Kristine Fox told the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer." Somebody somewhere made a mistake," she said. "And nobody has 'fessed up yet." |

 

Through sleet and snow, with slips and slides

Slipping, sliding and falling; dozens of postal workers took a trip to the hospital in the last month." We've had 80 injuries so far to our letter carriers through out Colorado and Wyoming," said Al DeSarro, spokesperson for the USPS. "Everything ranging from fractured arms and legs, to sprains, to even a concussion." The Post Office says it will deliver no matter the weather, but DeSarro says some help from the residents would be nice.  |

 

Postal Service Takes Control of Powder Scares - A local Postal Inspector says the Postal Service ordered the makers of its machinery to replace worn down parts that were responsible for powder showing up on mail. The suspicious looking powder turned up three times in the past week.

 

Postal Worker pleads guilty to stealing cash, cards from mail  |
Investigators: Postal worker likely dumped mail on other occasions

Retired postal worker sentenced to 18 months in vote fraud case

Cape post office halts transition to curbside boxes

Retired postal worker arrested after standoff

 

January 18, 2007-

USAirports wins $24M contract to manage Newark Air Mail Terminal

USAirports officials said today that the Rochester-based company has been awarded a $24 million contract by the U.S. Postal Service to manage a mail terminal at Newark International Airport in New Jersey. The company will assume mail handling at the site beginning March 19. “More than 70 million pounds of mail will travel through the Newark terminal annually, making it one of the country’s largest outsourced postal operations,” said USAirports Senior Vice President John E. Wilson Jr. Wilson said the goal is for USAirports to provide faster service while reducing costs for the Postal Service. More than 75 people will work at the site.  |

 

Two Postal Service Consolidation Studies Scrapped

APWU: Official Local-by-Local Ratification Vote Totals

FMLA 1250 Work-Hours Eligibility Requirement Strictly Enforced

OLMS Establishes Program to Review Union Constitutions and Bylaws

USPS Changes Couple's Address Without Notice  |

Postal Bulletin: Retirement counseling, 2006 Tax Information, more

Manhattan Is No Place for Bronx Mail, Group Says   |

MO: Tickets considered for parking in front of mailbox  |

Kinsey fights to keep its post office
Postal Rate Increase to Drive Major Changes in Mailing Industry

Uncle Sam's Super CD

Opinion : Mail service helped to put Tucson on the map

Weather Stops Mail in Austin

'Flat pack' post offices piloted in Scotland


January 17, 2007-

Postal union seeks to oust supervisor -

On the busy Tuesday after the Martin Luther King federal holiday, the Levittown Post Office was besieged by postal union workers protesting the reinstatement of a supervisor. About 15 members of the American Postal Workers Union Local 7048, which represents Levittown, chanted, carried signs and persuaded dozens of postal customers to sign a petition to oust clerk supervisor Toni Battiste. Battiste, who had been in Levittown since the early '90s, was transferred to Philadelphia in June, but was reinstated over union objections last week. In a letter to union President Vince Tarducci, post office operations manager Dorita Barnes rejected the union's request not to bring back Battiste to Levittown. She also issued a warning to Tarducci that protest fliers distributed to Levittown postal workers constituted “violating postal regulations... |

 

Editorial: Don't Open Personal Mail

White House officials insist that President Bush's signing statement asserting the government's authority to open personal mail without judicial warrants in emergencies and for gathering foreign intelligence is no big deal. Mr. Bush was merely reaffirming the authority already granted to the Postal Service by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and by court precedent that allows warrantless searches in exigent circumstances, a spokesman explained. His argument might be credible if the Bush administration didn't by now have a track record of asserting the government's authority to imprison and physically abuse suspects without due process, eavesdrop on telephone exchanges without a search warrant and expand the definition of what constitutes a legal search. Postal Prying: Cartoonists' Take on Warrantless Opening of Mail |

 

USPS is federal agency with highest number of delinquent taxpayers- The federal agency with the highest number of delinquent taxpayers is the United States Postal Service, where 56,652 employees owe more than $320 million. So far, about 22,000 of those employees have agreed to a payment plan. A spokesperson for the Postal Service says the agency hopes all of its employees follow the law, but will leave enforcement to the IRS.  |

 

USPS Seeks Additional Comments on Proposed Mailing Standards

New Postal Law: COP Waiting Period

Close call for mail carrier
Bullet narrowly misses retired Marine on Saturday route in Hickory |

Third letter found with powder
Harmless substance is traced to machine that processes mail
Editorial: Don't Open Personal Mail

USPS CFO Carrying a Full Bag

Lubbock: Attacks have mail recipients in dog house

Why the Vanishing Mailboxes? E-Culprits Abound

Ice Storm Slows Mail Delivery
British postal worker attacked by cat

FedEx Kinko's Adds Direct Mail

Netflix to Deliver Movies to the PC


January 16, 2007-

Crowds jam post offices to apply for passports
 


January 15, 2007-

Help Desk Delivers for Postal Service

While new technology helps sort and deliver mail more quickly, it also increases complexity for postal workers charged with keeping the equipment running. Such was the case with USPS’ phone-in help desk. AT&T and Convergys Corp. of Cincinnati installed a new interactive voice response system for the Postal Service. Employees who phone into the help desk span the entire Postal Service, from senior managers to employees at the local post offices throughout the country. The system is needed anywhere a piece of equipment or software is in use and employees might need help correcting a problem with it.  |

 

Letter: Postal Picket Highlighted Volatile Situation - By John Flattery- "the American Postal Workers Union, Central Massachusetts Area Local 4553 AFL-CIO held an informational picket in front of the Leominster Post Office on Dec. 12. The purpose of this action was to bring to light the volatile situation inside the post office. The Central Massachusetts Area Local-APWU believes this hostile environment is a byproduct of Postmaster Scot Florio’s management style. As this point, it seems the postal service is less interested in addressing the concerns of the dedicated postal employees who toil in this volatile environment and more interested in hoping this story just goes away. Unfortunately, problems don’t just go away, they get worse with neglect. I only hope the postal service doesn’t ignore this problem until it becomes a tragedy."  |

 

Lawmakers deliver postal reform

Postal worker attempts rescue from burning house

Mail delivery change angers homeowners  |

Class of ’36 Celebrates 70th reunion via Postal Service

Postcard arrives decades late, mystery attached
Stamps Go Up In Canada Monday, But Does Anyone Still Care
MSPB: Injured Postal Worker's Reemployment Dilemma (PDF)

Box sent to Clinton causes scare, closes post office  |

Postal Supervisor's appeal timely due to MSPB e-filing malfunction (PDF)

 


January 14, 2007-

Letter carriers have a first-class relationship

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night can keep Gary and Judy Schroeder apart -- as letter carriers in Belleville and as husband and wife. Both work at the Dutch Hollow branch of the Belleville post office where they spend the mornings sorting mail together. They sort out family issues at home. |

 

Photo: Bobblehead Postal Worker

Postal Letter Carrier Ralph Trumbo is neither an athlete nor a celebrity. Nevertheless, he has a bobblehead likeness of himself sitting on his mantel. For Trumbo, it’s a kick to own a miniature version of himself, sitting there for all to see. From his postal uniform to his glasses and wedding ring, it’s a perfect match. “It’s one of a kind,” he said.  |

 

Lost wallet, cash or purse? It just might show up in your mailbox  |

Magazine Publishers Square Off Over Postal Rate Case

Complaint line puts bad stamp on Postal Service  |

City could deliver bad news to mailbox blockers

USPS town hall meeting set at PAC FOR Jan. 25

Wilson Hulme, National Postal Museum curator, dead at 60



January 13, 2007-

New Blog: Postal Workers United Against Tyranny

Postal Workers United is a group of American postal workers of all crafts committed to exposing the crimes of the Bush administration, specifically as they relate to his unlawful surveillance of innocent Americans without warrants, including the opening of our mail. The blog was created by Jeff Richardson, a Tacoma, Washington letter carrier, a trade unionist, a peace activist, and a populist progressive with big dreams for America. |

 

Anti-Consolidation Resolution Introduced

Bitter Cold Latest Hazard For Mail Carriers

Colorado: Postal worker indicted for gambling on the job
North Carolina: Mail operations to remain in Kinston (NC)
Florida: Mail carrier fired after letters are dumped

CT: Former postal supervisor gets probation

 

January 12, 2007-

APWU Membership Ratifies Four-Year Contract

APWU members ratified a four-year Collective Bargaining Agreement by a vote of 84,486 to 12,016, in balloting that concluded Jan. 12. The new National Agreement, which is retroactive to Nov. 21, 2006, will expire Nov. 20, 2010.“I consider this contract to be among our union’s strongest achievements,” said APWU President William Burrus. “Wage increases, upgrades, and Cost-of-Living Adjustments were secured, and ‘no-layoff’ protection and other benefits were continued.” Burrus: An Open Letter to the Union Membership - "Unfortunately, a majority of the members did not exercise their right to express their approval or disapproval of the negotiated provisions that will affect their lives over the four-year term of the agreement." "The dates of the retroactive pay and the identification of the 200 work-year offices are expected to be available within the next 14 days and will be published as soon as they are known."  |

 

USPS Opens First Bilingual Postal Unit in Arkansas - The first bilingual postal service location in Arkansas opened Thursday in Springdale, the U. S. Postal Service announced Monday. The service will be provided at Snappylogos Inc at 3138 Old Missouri Road. Customers can buy stamps and use express and priority mail service, receiving help in English and Spanish. This is the first U. S. Postal Service contract unit in Arkansas that will provide service to both English- and Spanish speaking customers. USPS also opened a bilingual contract post unit in Memphis last year.  |

 

UPS delivers to residents in new senior development, Postal Service doesn’t - The planned 1,425-home Del Webb neighborhood is just north of Lathrop Road and contiguous to the 640-home Chadwick Square Estates where the Postal Service delivers mail. In the mean time, Briggs along with all other Del Webb residents interested in picking up there mail, were asked to travel cross town to the postal annex located on Industrial Park Drive. Manteca Post Master Suzanne Sheldon Sheldon said the post office is currently negotiating with a private contractor to deliver and pick up mail at Del Webb, which will further delay service to residents of the development for another four to six weeks.  |
 

Postal worker pleads guilty to online obscenity - A 37-year-old Capital Region Postal Worker pleaded guilty to obscenity charges after police get a tip from nationwide website PervertedJustice.com.  That’s the group that teams up with Dateline NBC for the “To Catch a Predator” series |

 

Postal carrier claims throwing away mail was part of job - A Tolleson postal carrier charged with throwing away mail he'd been assigned to deliver claims he thought he was "doing the right thing," investigators said.In an interview with U.S. Postal Service agents, Jerry E. McDonald, 52, said he thought throwing away mail that didn't fit in his vehicle or customers' mailboxes was "part of the job," a memo obtained from the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General reveals."I did what I thought was right; what I have been taught," McDonald told Special Agent Kevin Kreitman during an Oct. 17 interview. |

 

Baucus: Mail sorting services to stay in Helena (MT)

New clues in Memphis postal worker assault
Signing statement creates political firestorm (PDF)
Missouri post office wants boxes at curbside

Postal worker charged with theft

2007 will be a good year for DM, says Winterberry Groups’ Biegel


 


January 11, 2007-

Postal Service Poised for Continuing Breakthroughs

According to New Progress Report - The U.S. Postal Service has achieved remarkable results and is better prepared than ever to help ensure a prosperous future for mail, according to a progress report on the organization’s transformation efforts. The 2006 Annual Progress Report examines progress made on key strategies identified in the Strategic Transformation Plan, 2006-2010. USPS says its transformation plan has achieved remarkable results |

 

USPS : No ID Numbers on Badges

Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD-12) will require the Postal Service to encode employee identification numbers as barcodes on the new employee badges. At no time will the EIN be printed as a number on employee identification badges.  |

 

2 Colorado Carriers Charged With Throwing Away Mail
"The federal government charged two postal carriers in Colorado with throwing away thousands of pieces of mail in two separate cases. "In both cases, we had members of the general public find discarded mail in trash receptacles," said David Montoya, Office of Inspector General. Jason Romero was charged with discarding 748 pieces of mail including passports, treasury checks and birth certificates. Vickie Ann Walker was charged with dumping 1,436 pieces of mail including 91 that were first class items."
Former Aspen carrier charged with tossing mail  |

 

Direct mail faces year of reckoning
"Several credit card issuers are now quietly questioning the value of not just mail, but the entire pre-approved credit approach to prospecting. They're asking why they should go through the hassle and expense of sourcing credit and compiled data - the exact same data that their competitors are using - for the privilege of paying a $132 to acquire a new customer. Enough about credit cards. The mail downturn won't be confined to that industry. Another case in point: telecommunications. One large firm I spoke with in this industry aims to squeeze out hundreds of millions in marketing spend next year. Where do you think they're looking first? Hint: not Internet marketing. In the last few weeks I've also heard from retailers planning to cut catalog pages and/or circulation next year. Some are freeing up more money for Internet marketing. Others are responding to more general pain.
Marketers still reaching people through their mailboxes — like it or not |

 

Postal Polo Shirt Saga Continues  |

Congress renews focus on postal issues
Postal Service finds Social Security checks
Carrier ticketed for parking to deliver mail
 |

Long-time postal worker retires

USPS appoints Peters Western NY District Manager

USPS prepares for foreign forays

Letter: Eliminating mailboxes is postal service failure



January 10, 2007-

Ask President Burrus: Why More Casuals in Contract?

I support the union and all the good that comes from it. However, I strongly disagree with the provision of the tentative agreement that would allow casuals to work year-round. Not to mention that we lose our right to protest the use of casuals in lieu of career employees. Please help me understand why our union would consider allowing this to be part of our contract.  |

 

Mail carrier accused of drunken driving in truck crash

A Waukesha, WI letter carrier mail carrier has been taken off his route after he was accused of being drunk on the job - with nearly four times the legal blood-alcohol level - and crashing his postal delivery truck into a sign. Thomas Lahiff, 46, was arrested Friday after he returned to the post office from delivering mail. He was incoherent, bleeding from his hands and at one point collapsed, police Capt. Mike Babe said.   |

 

Postal Service: ‘Intelligent Mail’ Fully Operational By 2009

Rolling gunbattle forces mail carrier to take cover  |

Ella Fitzgerald Debuts on First U.S. Postage Stamp of 2007 Today

NY Post editorial misrepresented Bush signing statement |


January 09, 2007-

Postage Rate Hike in 2008? |

Postal worker accused of stealing gift cards  |

No late post office dash  |

Longtime postal worker gets accustomed to life as a retiree
Melissa Data tool qualifies mailings for maximum postal discounts



January 08, 2007-

First wiretapping, now letter-opening? - Outrage continues over Bush Postal Reform Signing Statement -THE BUSH administration seems determined to raise the specter of surveillance over every means of communication within the United States. Not content to monitor selected phone calls and e-mails in secret, it recently hinted that letters and packages may be opened without a search warrant too. Bloggers Put Sen. Collins in the Hot Seat Over Signing Statement | First Class Mess | Can Bush Open Mail Without Warrant | Funnies: Complaint for Bush? Write Your Sister | Google it|

 

Whoops! UPS Ads Pimp Postal Service- The Postal Service’s legitimate ties to (and partnership with) the USPS, it struck me as a terribly odd choice of backing track for a UPS commercial. Seems like the folks at Moxie Pictures (production company) and The Martin Agency (the ad agency) didn’t really catch this up front, as they probably would have chosen a different track. Most (as in 99%) of the casual viewers of the ad will never notice this oddity, but I thought it was worth pointing out.  |

 

USPS: New Postal Law-The Financial Impact

Anita Bizzotto, Postal-service executive delivers the message

USPS Event: First Day Stamp Ceremonies for Love and Kisses

Calls end, junk mail still piles up
Pa. man receives letter postmarked October 1954

Cancer screening is focus of program at postal sites

Postal worker killed in fiery crash
Mailboxes' first-class exit

 


January 07, 2007-

NPMHU Sues USPS, APWU To Overturn RI-399 Arbitration Award

Late last year (2006) the National Postal Mail Handlers Union filed suit in District Court to overturn an RI-399 (Oakland, CA) Arbitration Award. The NPMHU alleged that the Arbitrator exceeded his authority by issuing the decision. "By rendering a decision on a merits issue that the parties to the arbitration proceeding had not in fact agreed to submit to him, Arbitrator Anderson exceeded his authority under the parties’ tripartite agreement, and his award cannot stand." APWU filed its answer and counterclaim to compel NPMHU and USPS to arbitrate RI-399 cases.  |

 

Hajec retires from Fenton Post Office after 41 years of service

Westfield letter carrier voted NALC president

Bypass mail still arrives, but with spoilage, criticism

Sketch of Suspect In Brutal Attack on Mail Carrier

Postal Service to Commemorate Keystone State's Hershey's Kiss


January 06, 2007-

Postal carrier arrested for illegal drugs, guns and undelivered mail in his jeep

(Texas) Lt. Philip Cash said the carrier, Jessie Orman Corder, Jr. 28, of Navasota, was apprehended when the SIU executed a search warrant around 5 p.m. at a residence on Dorietta Drive in Walden. "Marijuana was recovered from the postal service vehicle that was parked at the residence," Cash said. "U.S. Postal Service Inspectors were contacted and responded to the scene to secure U.S. mail and other postal property." Cash said he was not told what potential charges Corder faces regarding mail found inside the vehicle, since the two investigations were separate. Investigators learned Corder started his vacation a few days prior to his arrest, but still had mail addressed to other people inside his jeep. Two loaded .45 caliber handguns were also found in the jeep, but Corder had a concealed handgun license.

 

Stolen postal satchel leads to two arrests  |

He delivered for over 40 years

Parked cars hinder delivery of mail  |

Postal worker accused of stealing customer's cash

Licking his last stamp

Limerick post office not closing



January 05, 2007-

APWU Files Suit on Jurisdictional Disputes
APWU President William Burrus said the lawsuit was “absolutely necessary.” “Regrettably, the Postal Service and Mail Handlers Union have acted in tandem to delay and deny justice to APWU members.”
As a result of the breaches of the 1992 agreement, the APWU and the Clerk Craft employees it represents “have suffered and continue to suffer substantial injuries,” the suit charges. This includes the reassignment of APWU-represented clerks to lower-level work at distant locations, while the Postal Service assigns and hires Mail Handlers to perform the duties in question.
Mail Handlers Union React to APWU Lawsuit |

 

APWU Contract Ratification Balloting Extended to Jan. 12 |

Self-serve post office opens to mixed reviews

Postal workers on time despite holiday pileup  |

Mail sorting study to be extended

Former postmaster gets probation after guilty plea  |

Mail carrier accused of mail theft

Postal deal feathers nest at Kitty Hawk
ConEdison Solutions Selected to Deliver Energy Efficiency Services to USPS

Husband arrested for hiring hit-man to kill letter carrier wife on route

Mailman arrested, charged with delivering pot

Steep Kaiser increase hits federal retirees  |

Man Called 'The Bishop' May Become Next Unabomber
PA: Suspicious package closes post office in Lancaster


January 04, 2007-

W pushes envelope on U.S. spying
New postal law lets Bush peek through your mail - President Bush has quietly claimed sweeping new powers to open Americans' mail without a judge's warrant, the (NY) Daily News has learned (PostalReporter posted this claim several days ago)  .The President asserted his new authority when he signed a postal reform bill into law on Dec. 20. Bush then issued a "signing statement" that declared his right to open people's mail under emergency conditions. That claim is contrary to existing law and contradicted the bill he had just signed, say experts who have reviewed it. Reader: Good article on Bush use of signing statements | Editorial: George Bush, snooper in chief | Sen. Collins questions Bush's signing statement | USPS | MSNBC Video | CNN   |

 

Postal Bulletin 1/04/07 Issue

Postmaster headed to Iraq

 

January 03, 2007-

 3-day closure overloads postal carriers - The first ever national three-day closure of the U.S. Postal Service will increase mail volume and possibly delivery times.  Ford Day of mourning keeps post offices closed for 3rd day It's an exceeding rare confluence of events that would shut the national Postal Service for three days. How often would the president of the United States call for a day of mourning? And if he did, what are the odds it would fall on a day before or after an existing two-day holiday? Cleveland native Megaera Ausman, the historian for the U.S. Postal Service in Washington, D.C., said she had never heard of it happening before.  |


Postal Worker Accused Of Running Gambling Operation

Allegedly engaged in "book-making" while on duty- A U.S. postal worker is among four local men who face charges relating to an illegal gambling operation that raked in as much as $82,000 a week, Jefferson County District Attorney Scott Storey said Wednesday. Mark J. Evans, 38, a postal worker in Arvada, was indicted on charges of organized crime, professional gambling and conspiracy, according to a release from the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office. Evans met with undercover law enforcement personnel to allegedly process bets while on duty and in uniform at the post office in Arvada, Storey said. According to court documents, Evans also recruited other postal employees to place bets.  |

 

Trying to stamp out unwanted junk mail
"Legislators in New York, Missouri and Illinois introduced bills last winter to create a statewide "Do Not Junk" registry. But not all unsolicited mail is unwanted, said Stephanie Hendricks, a spokeswoman for Direct Marketing Association, the leading trade group. Some people like getting new catalogs and other mailers, she said. However, she said, marketers "want to hear from people who don't want their mailings -- it's in their best interest. The way we look at it, a company that wants to pitch you their business should have the opportunity to do that, but the consumer should also have the right to opt out of it."
|

 

USPS Board of Governors Set Agenda for Jan. 9-10 Meeting

APWU Locals Encouraged to Get Out the Vote  |

Polo Shirt Shortage?

The USPS Shapes Up

Former postal employee sentenced to prison for marijuana trafficking

A postman to the letter

The singing carrier hangs up his mailbag

Reports Required by the Postal Reform Act via Postcom (PDF)

Survey: Most oppose day off with pay for national day of mourning  |

Going postal - again

Denver: Delayed parcels coming, really!

Postal Nurses Lose Court Case Challenging USPS Employment of Contract Supervisors - Postal nurses duties include pre-employment health assessments for applicants to employment, treatment of USPS employees in need of medical care, reviewing medical reports for workers’ compensation claims, administering drug tests, and health education. They are supervised by Occupational Health Nurse Administrators (“OHNA”) and/or physicians. Some of the OHNAs and postal physicians are contract employees, and not career postal employees. The nurses union challenged USPS in federal court over its employment of contract supervisors. The case was dismissed.   |

 

January 02, 2007 -

AZ: Tolleson mailman charged with ditching mail
Rent-by-mail biz is going digital

 

January 01, 2007 -

Vote by mail spreads across U.S.

Voters in the rest of the country are joining Oregonians in skipping the tradition of going to polling places on Election Day. About 30 percent of voters in the November election either cast their ballot by mail or filled it out in the early election centers set up by some states, according to estimates by Paul Gronke, director of the Early Voting Information Center at Reed College in Portland Oregon. Secretary of State Bill Bradbury helped Portland activist Adam Smith form The Vote by Mail Project, a nonprofit group pushing for other states to adopt mail voting. Smith said he has received financial backing from the National Association of Letter Carriers, the union that represents mail carriers who are understandably interested in increasing the volume of first-class mail. He said unions in general like mail voting because it gives them more time to encourage their members to vote. |

 

Building manager, letter carrier feud stops mail delivery  |

 

 

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