THE BULLETIN BOARD
November 2007
[November 24th]Dismissals Come As Shock To Light-Duty Workers
Original story reported on http://www.todaystmj4.com
MILWAUKEE-- Claudia Marinkovich got a certified letter this week that shocked her. Her employer, The U.S. Postal Service, told her not to report to work on November 24th.
"I'm kinda nervous," Claudia said as she sat at her kitchen table in Menomonee Falls. "Nobody is saying anything. I don't know if I'm going to get my job back. I need my job back."
Claudia is one of at least 20 workers in the Milwaukee Post Office who got the letters. All of them had requested light duty because of various disabilities. The letters say there is "no productive work available within your restrictions."
A spokesperson for the Postal Service confirmed the layoffs saying volume in "non-automated" areas of the Post Office has decreased. Claudia is skeptical of that account. "They did it at this time just to prove a point," she said. "They want us to have our disability taken away so we can go back to work."
[November 23rd]U.S. Postal Service Opens Third Training Center
The U.S. Postal Service formally opened its third training center on the campus of the National Center for Employee Development on State Highway 9 in east Norman this past week. The 128,000-square-foot Northeast Learning Center will accommodate massive flat-mail processing equipment that is too large for NCED's existing training buildings.
With the new addition, the NCED has nearly 500,000 square feet of office and training space in addition to the nearly 400,000-square-foot housing facility. More than 20,000 students are trained at the facility each year.
Construction began in January. NCED staff began moving flats equipment into the center and instructors offered the first classes on the Advanced Flat Sorting Machine 100 in October. The new building also will eventually contain the Postal Service's planned Flats Sequencing System. Two large spaces sit ready to accept the new machines which should arrive in May.
The FSS will sort flats into letter carriers' route sequence like the Delivery Bar Code Sorters do for letter mail.
[November 18th]USPS Instructs Managers to Comply With CBAs
Reprinted from APWU Web News Article #106-07
In response to criticism by APWU President William Burrus, the Postal Service has officially notified its managers that efficiency-improvement strategies must be in full compliance with collective bargaining agreements.
"Strategic programs designed to increase efficiency will always prove to be more successful when accomplished by adhering to the contractual requirements in our respective collective bargaining agreements," wrote the Postal Service's highest-ranking Labor Relations executive in a letter sent to postal managers and executives nationwide.
The Nov. 15 letter was in response to Burrus' criticisms of an October USPS News Link report on the outcome of a meeting of 700 USPS managers. When asked to identify the best opportunities for improving postal efficiency, participants at a National Executives Conference gave top-ranking to managing sick leave, managing overtime, and maximizing the use of non-career employees.
In a letter to Postmaster General John E. Potter, the APWU president noted that "each of these issues is governed by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which details the rights of the employees." Compliance with the National Agreement was not among the highly-ranked objectives, Burrus pointed out, even though USPS contract violations have resulted in numerous grievance settlements totaling in the millions of dollars.
The Labor Relations letter cautioned managers that, "While all three of these areas provide potential to increase our efficiency, we must proceed by being mindful of our contractual obligations that govern these areas."
"Accordingly, it is fully expected that any and all programs designed to increase efficiency... will be accomplished in full compliance with the collective bargaining agreements."
Burrus said, "We are pleased that the Postal Service has withdrawn what seemed to be an invitation to ignore labor agreements. As long as the agreement is honored we do not object to efforts to improve the quality of service."
Participants at the USPS conference were asked to rank in importance from among a "list of areas of opportunities." The list did not include compliance with labor agreements or such areas as morale and harassment of employees. "Managers who simply adhere to the collective bargaining agreement can bring about serious change that would improve efficiencies," Burrus said.
[November 14th]Health Benefits Open Season, November 12 - December 11, 2007
The 2007 Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Open Season is scheduled for November 12 through December 11, 2007, 5:00 p.m. CT. Many open season changes may be made via self-service on PostalEASE. During this open season, eligible employees may make any one, or a combination of, the following changes:
- Enroll if not enrolled.
- Cancel enrollment.
- Change from one plan to another plan.
- Change from one option to another option.
- Change from Self Only to Self and Family.
- Change from Self and Family to Self Only.
Enrollment changes and new enrollments made during the 2007 open season will be effective January 5, 2008 (pay period 02-08). New premium payments will be reflected in paychecks dated January 25, 2008.
[November 14th]Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program
The Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) Open Season will be held from November 12 to December 11, 2007, closing at 11:59 p.m. ET. Employees will receive a mailing to their addresses of record with complete program information about this new pretax group insurance offering.
During this open season, eligible employees may elect dental insurance, vision insurance, or both via the portal at www.benefeds.com. Employees without access to a computer may call 877-888-FEDS (877-888-3337). Employees who are deaf or hard of hearing may place a TTY call to 877-889-5680.
New enrollments made during the 2007 FEDVIP Open Season will be effective December 31, 2007.
[November 1st]Union Condemns USPS Invitation to 'Ignore Agreements'
Reprinted from APWU Web News Article #100-07
APWU President William Burrus has criticized the outcome of a meeting of 700 USPS executives, at which participants were invited to identify the best opportunities for improving postal efficiency. According to a USPS News Link report dated Oct. 18, among the top vote-getters were managing sick leave and overtime, and maximizing the use of non-career employees.
In a sharply worded letter to Postmaster General John E. Potter, Burrus wrote, "As you are aware, each of these issues is governed by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which details the rights of the employees. A request for special focus on these contractual issues is best presented in preparation for contract negotiations.
"I note that compliance with the National Agreement was not listed among the leading objectives," Burrus continued, "even though millions of dollars have been distributed" as a result of USPS contract violations.
The union president did not object to the solicitation of input from responsible managers per se, he wrote, "but an open-ended invitation to improve efficiencies is a solicitation to ignore agreements."
Ending harassment of employees and improving employee morale were not included among the top recommendations, Burrus observed, "even though it is clear that serious change [in these areas] would improve efficiencies."
Burrus ended the Oct. 23 letter by requesting that the Postmaster General officially remind postal executives and managers that the provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement must be adhered to.
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