THE BULLETIN BOARD
November 2004
[November 28th]Photos from RTC Strike, RCI Vote
We have photos posted of the striking RTC drivers from earlier this month, along with some information about why the strike was necessary.
Also, the members of the local RCI facility voted to have PMAPWU negotiate for them in early December. We have photos posted of the meeting and outcome of the voting.
[November 23rd]Ronald Reagan National Day of Observance
In accordance with the APWU/USPS Memorandum, APWU covered employees that are eligible for Administrative Leave for the Reagan Day of observance, must be granted and use this leave within 6 months of June 11, 2004.
Employees must use this Leave by December 11, 2004, or lose it.
[November 15th]Health Benefits Open Season
This year, the OPEN SEASON for making changes to your Health Plan is November 8 through December 14.
The APWU is pleased to present two great options:
High Option and Consumer-driven Option.
The Consumer-driven Option is a lower cost plant that combines affordability with flexibility and more control over healthcare decisions.
The highly rated High Option has been providing comprehensive benefits, a competitive price, and outstanding service for forty-five years.
The premium costs of the APWU Health Plan's Consumer-driven Options and High Option are substantially below the average increase in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program. Take a look at the Health Plan's premiums for 2005:
2005 Consumer Driven Option Premiums
Biweekly Postal Premium, Self-Only (474): $18.40
Biweekly Postal Premium, Self and Family (475): $42.85
2005 High Option Premiums
Biweekly Postal Premium, Self-Only (471): $36.06
Biweekly Postal Premium, Self and Family (472): $66.66
Postal Employees in a non-APWU bargaining units may now enroll as Associate Members for only a $35/year fee. Further information can be found at www.apwuhp.com or by calling toll-free 1-800-PIC-APWU.
Contact the PMAPWU Headquarters at 412-321-4700 for the $25 off coupon, or you can try to print this page on your printer and clip it out.
The coupon should be mailed to:
Attn: New Member Rebate Offer
APWU Health Plan
P.O. Box 3279
Silver Spring, MD 20918
[November 15th]Security Breach: Robo-Cops Replace Postal Police
by Flo Summergrad, NY Metro Area Postal Workers Union
The Postal Inspection Service is moving full steam ahead with its plan to "downsize" the trained Postal Police force and replace them with electronic security technology and private contractors.
These changes come despite questions about mail and employee security and protests from state and federal representatives as well as from the union that represents Postal Police nationwide, The Fraternal Order of Police, National Labor Council 2. These changes will affect NY Metro members within the coming months.
In New York stations, the plan is to remove Postal Police Officers (PPO) from the DVD facility and to supply non-PPO security services at the gates of the BMC and the lobbies of big stations like Morgan and JAF. On June 24, the Postal Service announced that it had signed a multi-million dollar contract with ABM Security Services to supply private security guards to more than 60 Post Offices nationwide. ABM Industries is a "parent corporation" that continually buys up smaller companies.
ABM Industries provides janitorial and mechanical services to numerous companies— functions that are currently performed by APWU members. How long will it be before ABM Industries begins to wrangle contracts to do custodial and maintenance work in our Post Offices?
At a time when the New York metropolitan area has been placed on a high terrorism alert, it is horrifying that the Postal Service is seeking to reduce protections for Postal workers and the public. In letters written last year to Post Master General Potter and Inspector General Williams, a group of US lawmakers voiced sharp criticism of the closure of six Postal Police Centers in September 2003. One letter read, "The anthrax attacks and the tragic loss of life of Postal workers were harsh reminders of the need to ensure the safety and preparedness of our Postal facilities. We must give these workers the tools they need to protect themselves and prevent future attacks on our mail system."
Read the rest of the article at the ILCA Online website.
[November 9th]Bargaining Unit Reassignment via the Internet
eReassign is a Web based application for career bargaining unit employees to submit requests for reassignment by logging in with their 8-digit employee ID number and their USPS PIN.
Visit USPS Bargaining Unit Reassignment for details on the plan. Questions? Contact your union official or shop steward to get them answered.
[November 9th]APWU Opposes USPS Surveys
News Article #21-04, November 5, 2004
The APWU opposes worker participation in USPS employee opinion surveys, President William Burrus reminded union members on Nov. 5. "We are aware that the Postal Service continues to mail Voice of Employee surveys to employees on an annual basis," he said, "but we discourage union members from participating."
The union's policy, adopted by the National Executive Board in 1998, contests "the use of all surveys, focus groups, polls and audits as a means of interviewing employees and union officials to evaluate job related and internal union issues."
Experience has taught union members a bitter lesson in that regard, said APWU Industrial Relations Director Greg Bell. "The Postal Service has misrepresented the results of previous employee opinion survey and claimed that employees supported the Postal Service's wage proposals during contract negotiations and interest arbitrations," he said.
The subjects addressed in the survey should be discussed in labor-management meetings where the concerns of all represented employees are considered, said Bell. "The APWU's concern is that results of a survey of individual employees can be misrepresented or manipulated by the Postal Service in order to achieve management goals that the union does not share."
Opinion surveys are often designed to elicit a specific response or result, Bell said. "In most cases, surveys conducted by an employer are designed to circumvent bargaining with unions and are used in management's effort to reduce employee wages, hours, benefit and working conditions. This has been our experience with the Postal Service."
[November 1st]Free Children's Circus Tickets
Free children's tickets (ages 12 & under) are available on a first come first served basis for Peter Pan's Magic Circus, being held at the Soldiers & Sailors Auditorium in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh.
Performance date is Monday, November 8, 2004 with show times at 4:30 pm and 7:30 pm. The cost for adult tickets are $14 each, and these tickets can be purchased at Soldiers & Sailors Auditorium.
If you are interested in receiving tickets, please call the Union Hall at 412-321-4700.
Hurry— they will go fast!!!!!
[November 1st]Latest Consumer Price Index (COLA) Update
from the APWU website
In September, the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W) rose to 552.4. After the second month of the six-month measuring period, the seventh Cost-Of-Living Adjustment under the extended 2000 National Agreement would give employees an annual raise of $83.00. The adjustment, which is subject to fluctuation in the next four months, would amount to a 4-cents-per-hour increase, which works out to $3.20 per pay period. The seventh COLA will be based on the January 2005 index and will take effect March 5, 2005 (pay period 6-2005, pay date March 25, 2005).
Under the 2000 National Agreement and the Operating Services Agreement, employees as of Sept. 4 have received the following adjustments totaling $1685: Sept. 4, 2004 ($624), March 6, 2004 ($208), Sept. 6, 2003 ($291), March 8, 2003 ($250), and Sept. 7, 2002 ($312). Note: Due to a falling CPI-W index late in 2001, employees did not receive any monies from the first cost-of-living adjustment.
For the latest payscales for Full Time and Part Time Regulars, and Part Time Flexibles, visit the APWU webpage of Pay Information.
Past Issues of the Bulletin Board
[October 2004]
[September 2004] [August 2004]
Use our Search function to look up further back-issues of the Bulletin Board.
