FEDERAL EMPLOYEES HEALTH BENEFITS - The new health law approved earlier this year will allow adult children up to age 26 to be covered family members under health insurance plans purchased by their parents or legal guardians, effective at the start of the next benefit plan year. For employees enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, that means Jan. 1, 2011.
There are steps employees can take prior to Jan. 1 to make sure dependent children who turn 22 - the age limit under existing rules - continue receiving FEHB coverage. - more info
Attached is a letter that Alex sent to District Manager Manny Arguello seeking clarification of the In-House Mystery Shops. The Union does not want any games to be played with this process and full disclosure is warranted.
RELATED Sales Service Associates BEWARE
It is the position of the Local that you should NOT participate in either the VOE survey or this New Survey. As management has shown that they will use the results to attack your benefits and pay... especially with contract negotiations coming up.
In July, the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W) rose to 637.138, still well below the July 2008 index of 644.303 (upon which the last COLA increase was based). The CPI-W needed to rise above 644.303 before another COLA was due. After the final month of the six-month measuring period, the eighth and final COLA under the 2006 National Agreement and the Operating Services Agreement is zero. more info
Advance Sick Leave - Please read the attached information concerning Advance Sick Leave, the first step is for the employee to request advance sick leave, the second step is either the denial or approval, in the event the advance sick leave request has been approved the stewards should make sure to follow up on the completed PS Form 1221. The employee should request a copy of the completed PS Form 1221 and ask when the completed form was sent to the USPS Scanning and Imaging Center.
Salary Advance - Be sure to request a copy of the completed PS Form 2240. The TCO will review the form, in our case that person is Mr. Walter Reese
Is there a solution in sight for the Postal Service's debt woes? (08/24)
Audio broadcast include Pat Donahoe, Deputy Postmaster General, Phil Herr is the Director of the Physical Infrastructure Team at GAO, PostCom President Gene Del Polito, and FERS information with Tom Trabucco of the Federal Retirement Thrift Investments Board and Art Stein, a Certified Financial. ... audio archive
Dirty Post Office Gets Complaints
(source-KSAT 12) - The Serna Post Office on Harlow Street has gotten a lot of complaints from Northeast side homeowners who said despite weeks of complaints of high weeds, dirty windows, graffiti on the building and marked up post office mail boxes, nothing is being done to clean up the area.
The Great Postal Strike of 1970
So invisible were the docile, dependable men in gray until last week that no one noticed that their passions were about to explode into a historic and ominous strike. The first national postal stoppage in U.S. history and the largest walkout ever against the Federal Government, the postal strike almost immediately began to strangle the operations of commerce, impair Government functions and vastly inconvenience the public. http://saaal-apwu.org/the_strike_1970.html
As reported in the May/June Issue of the Dispatch. A report written by Billy J. Sauls, USPS Assistant Inspector General, he reported on the "Effectiveness of United States Postal Service (USPS) Grievance-Arbitration Procedures". This report was designed to provide feedback on surveys, interviews, and case file reviews conducted at 10 USPS districts. ...read the report
'Why Do You Do It, Dad?' As my two lovely daughters were growing up, they learned more and more about Dad's profession. And by the time they had become young women and were working in a professional atmosphere in Florida, they had read and seen on TV more than the usual share of negative portrayals of labor-union officials. Their question, invariably, was: "Why do you do it?" ...read the article
The Union Treatment Center has asked us to pass along some very important information about the Postal Service and their use of "Scare Tactics" when dealing with employees who use the services of UTC. - ...more info
FEDERAL DISABILITY RETIREMENT LAWS, MEDICAL CONDITIONS, AND THE INTERSECTING COMPLICATIONS WITH OWCP, SOCIAL SECURITY AND FERS & CSRS - It is indeed a complex world. The multiple issues surrounding Federal Disability Retirement Laws, the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), the intersection between such benefits received under Federal Disability Retirement and the choices to be made with benefits potentially received from the Office of Workers Compensation Programs (OWCP), the difference between Temporary Total Disability benefits and a Scheduled Award, and further compounded by Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) payments; and add to all of this the aggressive implementation of the National Reassessment Program initiated by the U.S. Postal Service and -- have you paused, yet, to take a breath?
read the article...
Ask President Burrus - Question: I would like the National Executive Board to reconsider its stance on participation in Voice of Employee surveys.
Here is my reasoning: Management releases their "findings" and states something to effect that 63 percent of those participating gave a favorable response. That may be true, but it is very misleading because the good members of the APWU have boycotted and not voiced our opinions.
I believe that if APWU members honestly answered the questions, management might discontinue the VOE. I believe that if the National Executive Board reconsidered its position on boycotting the VOE and formulated a plan to tell the truth about what is happening in many facilities across the nation, the true voice of the employee would be heard.
Michael, Local 7038, Tri-County Ohio Area Local (07/22) |[Pres. Burrus Response]
New Heights - Of Absurdity - In Rate Setting The American Postal Workers Union has waged a continuing battle against the exorbitant rate reductions afforded large mailers and consolidators under the misguided premise that such “worksharing” practices are good for business.
****IMPORTANT NOTICE****
To All APWU Crafts:
If you receive any official letters notifying you that your job is to be changed, abolished, duties added, duties taken away or time changed, please notify the Union Office AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
The Postal Service is taking actions concerning employees jobs, and are deceiving you into thinking that the APWU is aware, this is not true. The Union HAS NOT been getting the notifications as required.
Again, if there are any actions affecting your jobs, please notify the Union Office ASAP at 271-0853 or fax a copy of the letter to 224-6221.
The job you save may be your own!!!!
Window Clerks! Attached is information concerning the Mystery Shopper Program... Mystery Shopper Comparison - The first attachment compares the 2008 program to the 2009 revised program and what they are looking for. Mystery Shopper Step 4 Agreement - The second attachment is a step 4 agreement between the Union and management that basically states that management cannot use the Mystery Shopper or similar programs as the basis for discipline.
If you have any question please contact your Steward or Craft Director.
Attention All Box Clerks If you are being pressured into, or ordered, to scan that all the box mail has been put up by the specified time, even though it has not been accomplished the Union needs to be made aware. If management is pressuring you or ordering you to scan that the box mail has been put up even though it has not been accomplished they are asking you to FALSIFY an official document. If this is happening the Union Office needs to know immediately. More info..Pop Up Box
*Take Action Now*
The APWU is praising a bill introduced by Rep. Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), which is designed to restore financial stability to the Postal Service. Please contact your Representative and urge them to cosponsor HR 5746. H.R. 5746 - Direct Link to contact your Congressman
SAAAL Office Drop Box Now Available
The Union has installed a LOCKED drop box in front of the Union Office at 13102 Lookout Run. If you need to drop off papers after normal business hours you can deposit them in the LOCKED MAIL RECEPTACLE to the right of the mail entrance. If you drop something in the box, please raise the Red Flag so that we are aware. We would also suggest calling the next day to make sure that we are aware something is in the box.
Congratulations to the San Antonio Alamo Area Local for receiving the "Honor Award" from the APWU National Organization Director Frank Romero for being 89% organized.
Rationale for Five-Day Delivery Shattered at House Hearing In response to questions by Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Postmaster General John E. Potter admitted that predictions that the Postal Service would amass losses of $238 billion by the year 2020 were “theoretical.” The exchange confirms allegations made by the APWU that the USPS forecast is wildly exaggerated, outlandish and unsupported.
AUGUST 2010
"The Heavens Make a Splash" August 2, 1946
"Frenchman's Revenge" August 14, 1719
"Forgotten Bloodshed" August 18, 1813
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES HEALTH BENEFITS - The new health law approved earlier this year will allow adult children up to age 26 to be covered family members under health insurance plans purchased by their parents or legal guardians, effective at the start of the next benefit plan year. For employees enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, that means Jan. 1, 2011.
Window Clerks!
The APWU is praising a bill introduced by Rep. Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), which is designed to restore financial stability to the Postal Service. Please contact your Representative and urge them to cosponsor HR 5746.
The Union has installed a LOCKED drop box in front of the Union Office at 13102 Lookout Run. If you need to drop off papers after normal business hours you can deposit them in the LOCKED MAIL RECEPTACLE to the right of the mail entrance. If you drop something in the box, please raise the Red Flag so that we are aware. We would also suggest calling the next day to make sure that we are aware something is in the box.
