[January 28th]

Protect Your Job

If you are assigned to scan the mail, scan every piece, every time. Like most people, our customers don't want a refund; they want the service they paid for. Protect you job and deliver the service our customers are paying for.
Scan every piece, every time.

        [January 28th]

Do You Know Joe Smith?

Joe Smith started the day early having set his alarm clock (MADE IN JAPAN) for 6 am. While his coffeepot (MADE IN CHINA) was perking, he shaved with his electric razor (MADE IN HONG KONG). He put on his dress shirt (MADE IN SRI LANKA), designer jeans, and tennis shoes (MADE IN KOREA).

After cooking his breakfast in his new electric skillet (MADE IN INDIA) he sat down with his calculator (MADE IN MEXICO) to see how much he could spend today. After setting his watch (MADE IN TAIWAN) to the radio (MADE IN INDIA) he got in his car (MADE IN GERMANY) and continued his search for a good paying American Job.

At the end of yet another discouraging and fruitless day, Joe decided to relax for a while. He put on his sandals (MADE IN BRAZIL) poured himself a glass of wine (MADE IN FRANCE) and turned in his TV (MADE IN INDONESIA), and then wondered why he can't find a good paying job in... America.

        [January 26th]

An American Speaks Out About Our Rights

"And liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people.... But besides this they have a right, an indisputable, unalienable, indefeasible, divine right to that most dreaded and envied kind of knowledge, I mean of the character and conduct of their rulers."
John Adams, 1765

        [January 23rd]

Maintenance In-service Testing

In negotiating our contract extension, management agreed to provide opportunities for clerks to transfer into maintenance and motor vehicle jobs.

To that end, management is opening maintenance In-service Testing.

Career employees interested in reassignment to the custodial maintenance positions in the future, must take the in-service Exam 916. If you are interested in taking Exam 916, please submit a letter to that effect, and include the following information in your written request:

1. Date
2. Name
3. Social Security Number
4. Address
5. Phone Number (with area code)
6. Current Position
7. Custodial Maintenance Exam 916

Written requests will be accepted from Monday, January 20, 2003
through Friday, January 31, 2003. Submit to:

Attention: D. Aubrecht
US Postal Service
1001 California Ave., Room 2337
Pittsburgh PA 15290-9421

Career Employees interested in reassignment to the automotive mechanic positions in the future, must meet the in-service Exam 943 and Exam 941 to demonstrate their knowledge and ability to troubleshoot, diagnose, and make minor repairs to automotive systems. If you are interested in taking these exams, please submit a letter to that effect, including the above listed information to the attention of Dottie Aubrecht at the above address.

WRITTEN REQUESTS WILL BE ACCEPTED FROM MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2003 THROUGH FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 2003 CLOSE OF BUSINESS.

        [January 21st]

General Electric Takes the Prize!

In Jobs with Justice's second annual online election, General Electric beat President George W. Bush and Wal-Mart to nab the 2002 "Grinch of the Year" award bestowed upon the candidate voters say has most harmed working families.

Winning with 37 percent of approximately 1,700 votes, GE won because of its demands that workers and retirees pay substantial health care increases, the first ever mid-contract, while it lavishes millions on current and retired executives. Including former CEO Jack Welch. Workers have authorized a strike over the issues.

To learn more about the candidates visit www.jwj.org/Grinch/2002Vote.htm

[Taken from Work in Progress, January 6, 2003]

        [January 21st]

Airlines "Flying Low"

The Air Transport Association, the airlines' largest lobbying organization, is asking Congress to rewrite the Railway Labor Act, which applies to the airline industry as well, to make it harder for workers to strike.

"It's about getting the upper hand on workers," said AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department Executive director Edward Wytkind, who also said airlines are spending big sums on lobbyists while pleading poverty to workers. Some carriers, including Delta and American, are aggressively involved in the effort, while a few, including Southwest, are not.

APWU President William Burrus told us at the January Membership meeting that he believes the Bush Commission recently formed and appointed by President Bush (early January) will study the Railway Labor Act with an eye to applying it to all postal workers, too.

        [January 21st]

Bills on Paper May Soon Cost You Money

For several years, companies have lured customers to pay bills online by dangling a carrot, such as statement credits or gift certificates. But recently a small but growing number of businesses began wielding a stick: charging customers for the privilege of receiving a paper statement. As more consumers go online, telephone companies, banks and other businesses hope to switch consumers to online statements and eliminate costs as high as $1.50 per paper statement.

"There's no doubt that it's a lot cheaper to send out an e-mail and have someone come to your site instead of sending out a paper statement," said Aaron McPherson, research manager at IDC, a technology consulting company in Framingham, Mass.

Consumer advocates said the trend is too new, and they haven't yet heard any complaints. Companies say it's not cost-effective to send a bill via mail if the monthly charges vary little. And Internet-based banks and brokerages say customers expect to receive statements online.

But a bank statement printed on your inkjet might not be sufficient proof for a mortgage application, said Robert Leathern, senior analyst with Jupiter Research, a technology consulting company based in Manhattan. (More...)

Please read the entire Newsday.com article by Richard J. Dalton Jr, Staff Writer.

        [January 20th]

Gifts for the Rich -- Not Real Recovery

The centerpiece of the so-called economic recovery plan President George W. Bush announced last week is the complete elimination of the tax on stock dividends. With an estimated cost of $364 billion-- out of the $925 billion price tag (which includes interest on the national debt) for Bush's stimulus package-- the elimination of the dividend tax also could send the nation's deficit to record levels according to economists.

Bush's package also includes accelerating the tax cuts passed last year as part of a $1.3 trillion package aimed mainly at the wealthy. Bush's plan is "remarkably inefficient as stimulus, costing $925 billion to inject about $100 billion into the economy in 2003, when the economy is weak; remarkable in its fiscal profligacy, swelling budget deficits for years to come; and remarkably towards those at the pinnacle of the income scale, the very group that gains the most from last year's tax cut," said Robert Greenstein, executive director for nonpartisan Center for Budget and Policy Priorities.

The AFL-CIO unveiled its own Agenda to Create Jobs and Lift the Economy that combines more investment in schools, roads and bridges and financial aid to states with tax rebates targeted to low- and middle-income families, extended unemployment compensation and an increase in the minimum wage. The estimated price tag of the federation's plan is $260 billion, less than a third of Bush's plan, and it "puts money into the hands and pockets of families who need it and will spend it now," said AFL-CIO President John Sweeney.

Go to www.aflcio.org to download a copy of the plan.

        [January 17th]

Mutual Trade Desired for Pittsburgh from Portland OR

---

Current Position:FTR Level 5 Clerk, Main Post Office, Portland, Oregon
Seeking: Any level 5 Clerk position
Seniority Date: October 1993

Please reply to:
Thony Phillips
PO Box 90594
Portland, Oregon 97290-0594
503-888-5212
Email: demmbap@yahoo.com

Any one interested, please contact the above-named member.

        [January 14th]

Transitional Employees in the A.O.'s
by Clyde Lewis, CGO, AOs

Postal management has begun hiring non-career bargaining unit employees at Associate Offices. These employees are hired for time frames not to exceed 360 days. They are only permitted to work in their office of hire and they cannot work to the detriment of a PTF hired in the same installation in which the T.E. was hired.

Transitional employees are not hired at dual offices, meaning they can only work in the installation in which they were hired. If a Transitional Employee is hired at Office A, he may not work in Office B. Part-time flexibles, on the other hand, can work in both their office of hire and other offices.

If you are in an office where both a PTF and a T.E. are employed, be certain to protect the right of the PTF to work before the T.E. gets hours. Management cannot send a PTF home with less than eight hours, and keep a T.E. on the clock. Management is required to make reasonable efforts to ensure that qualified and available PTFs work before utilizing a T.E.

Arbitrator Goldberg, who never worked a day in the U.S. postal service, gave management the ability to use T.E.s without restriction as to the jobs they may perform. Help us to monitor the use of T.E.s in Associate Offices, and to protect the rights and hours of our PTFs.

NOTE: In the year 2005, the USPS is required to phase out the use of non-REC T.E.s.

Brothers and sisters in Associate Offices, I can now be reached at 724-938-3283.

        [January 14th]

Transfer into the Maintenance Craft

All employees who want to transfer into the Maintenance Craft must be eligible on the
916 Laborer-Custodial Examination.

Employees may request testing by sending their request to:

The Examinations Office
USPS Pittsburgh GMF
1001 California Avenue
Pittsburgh PA 15290

Employees will then be scheduled to test twice a year. Once an eligible score is received, the employee should send a letter of interest, including the eligible rating, to the Hiring Department. Names of eligible employees will be placed on a non-competitive list in order by date received and given consideration when their name is reached on the list.

If approved, a physical will be required to establish the employee's ability to perform the duties of the position. Once a release date is secured from the employee's current manager, the employee will be placed into a vacant custodial position.

In-Craft Open Season happens every three years. The next scheduled in-craft open season is scheduled for March, 2003. Check the General Orders for more details.

        [January 14th]

Mutual Trade Desired for Harrisburg, PA Area

---

Current Position: Level 5 DBCS Clerk at GMF, Pittsburgh
Seeking: Any level 5 Clerk position
Seniority Date: 11-05-1988

Please reply to:
Jerry F. Elswick
17 Walnut Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15205
412-928-0715 Leave a message
412-372-222 Cell phone

Any one interested, please contact the above-named member.

        [January 9th]

Charges Filed Against President Penascino

At the Executive Board meeting held Monday, January 6, 2003, former Trustee Cindy Stover filed charges against President Rose Penascino for declaring her position vacant. Although the President followed proper procedures as outlined in the Local Constitution and By-Laws in taking this action, she has decided that this issue is not worth the time and effort it will require to fight the battle. Attention should not be taken away from issues critical to the membership at this time. Many good things have been accomplished with arbitration wins, the lawsuit for non-compliance, the paying off of the Union HQ mortgage and the visit of President Burrus for this Saturday's Membership Meeting (January 11, 2003.)

In order to resolve this matter, President Penascino will be placing the name of Cindy Stover before the Local Executive Board at the February meeting and recommending that she be appointed to finish the term of Trustee D. The members will then have final say on the matter, at the February Membership Meeting. Hopefully the Local Executive Board will agree that there are more important matters to address than this type of infighting. With everything management is throwing at the membership right now (excessing, consolidations, reversion of bids), we need to be joining forces to battle postal management.

I trust the members will understand my reasoning in this instance, and indulge my decision to forego this internal battle at this time. Our conflicts should be with postal management, not each other.

See you all at the meeting this Saturday, January 11, 2003. Meet your National President, Mr. William Burrus, and hear him address issues of importance to you.

With every good wish,
Rosemary Penascino, President

        [January 8th]

Wal-Mart vs UFCW

Wal-Mart, the largest retailer in the world, is the target of a major organizing campaign by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. In this month's AIL Labor Agenda, UFCW President Douglas Dority explains why workers at Wal-Mart are in dire need of union representation as he announces the formation of "The People's Campaign, Justice@Wal-Mart."

Unless the union is successful, President Dority warns that America jobs in the 21st century will be defied by Wal-Mart-poverty-level pay, no pensions, and poor health care coverage. The People's Campaign demands corporate responsibility by Wal-Mart to provide America with good jobs, a safe workplace, and fair business practices.

The UFCW is dedicated to protecting middle class jobs and middle class values to bring respect and dignity to Wal-Mart workers. Wal-Mart may be big, but with 1.4 million members, the UFCW has the resources and the ability to be in their face a long time until it wins "Justice@Wal-Mart."

        [January 8th]

Labor Council of Beaver County, Pennsylvania

The Beaver County Labor Council Will award four (4) $1,000 scholarships for the 2003 school year.

Contact Chelsie Jones at Local Headquarters to get an application: (412) 321-4700.

The scholarship applications must be returned along with 1st semester grades,
by May 1st to:

Beaver County Labor Council
Scholarship Awards
P.O. Box A
Beaver PA, 15009

        [January 3rd]

Agencies Will Offer Early Retirement in 2003
by Mike Causey, Washington Times

Lots of people dream about early retirement. But for federal and postal workers in the right agency, geographic location or job, it is often a reality.

And while Uncle Sam imposes a slight pension penalty on early retirees (a 2 percent reduction for each year the retiree is under age 55), it's nothing like the hit (typically a 5 percent reduction for each year under age 65) imposed by many private companies.

For a fed to be eligible for early retirement, a couple of things must happen: First, the agency must offer it (after making its case to the Office of Personnel Management), and secondly, the individual must either have 25 years of federal service (military time counts, too), or be at least age 50 with at least 20 years of service.

Read the entire article at the Washington Times website, where you will find out exactly which agencies and workers may be eligible, as well as information about "early out" myths.

        [January 1st]

Happy New Year to Everyone from your Union!




May it be a prosperous and healthy New Year for you and your loved ones!

        [January 1st]

New Absence Policy-- Members, Be Alert!

This new policy on attendance or so called (RMD) does not change the National Agreement, nor does it change the ELM.

For absences of three days or less, ELM 513.361 provides:

For periods of absences of three days or less, supervisors may accept the employee's statement explaining the absences. Medical documentation or other acceptable evidence of incapacity for work or need to care for a family member is required only when the employee is on restricted sick leave (see 513.39) or when the supervisor deems documentation desirable for the protection of the interests of the Postal Service.

For absences of more than three days, ELM 513.362 states:

For absences in excess of three days, employees are required to submit medical documentation or other acceptable evidence of incapacity for work or of need to care for a family member.

Extended absences are covered by ELM 513.363 that says:

Employees who are on sick leave for extended periods are required to submit at appropriate intervals, but not more frequently than once every thirty days, satisfactory evidence of continued incapacity for work or need to care for a family member unless some responsible supervisor has knowledge of the employee's continuing situation.

An explanation of "acceptable documentation" is provided in ELM 513.364:

When employees are required to submit medical documentation, such documentation should be furnished by the employee's attending physician and should provide an explanation of the nature of the employee's illness or injury sufficient to indicate to management that the employee was (or will be) unable to perform his or her normal duties for the period of absence. Normally, medical statements such as "under my care" or "received treatment" are not acceptable evidence of incapacitation to perform duties. Supervisors may accept substantiation other than medical documentation if they believe it supports approval of the sick leave request.

Finally, if an employee fails to furnish acceptable documentation, ELM 513.365 states:

If acceptable substantiation of incapacitation is not furnished, the absence may be charged to annual leave, LWOP, or AWOL.

        [January 1st]

Remembering Dr. King

More than 200 Union Activists will honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. January 16, 2003 through January 20, 2003, in Jackson Mississippi. The Union movement's annual King holiday celebration will feature a town hall meeting, a commemorative breakfast and community action and outreach, voter education and civil rights activities.

For more information, contact AFL-CIO Civil, Human and Women's Rights Department at (202) 637-5270.