THE BULLETIN BOARD
May 2006
[May 26th]USPS Plans to Cull Unneeded Injured Workers
excerpted from the PostalReporter.com Blog
Within 2 to 4 weeks the Postal Service plans to begin implementing a nation-wide program examining the status of workers injured on the job who are presently on medical restrictions in limited duty and permanent rehabilitation jobs. The goal of the program is to set up a process to place injured workers off the clock on compensation and then refer them to the Office of Workers' Compensation (OWCP) for possible employment in the private sector if no work can be found for them in the Postal Service.
Not much is generally known about what the USPS is now calling its "National Reassessment Process." Postal officials contacted at USPS headquarters refused to talk about it for this story, referring all questions to the American Postal Workers Union, which they say has been briefed about the program.
Sue Carney, the union's Director of Human Relations, says that under the Reassessment Program USPS will review medical documentation for injured workers, request updated medical information if required and then renew job offers or make new job offers "where adequate work is available, based on operational needs." Where work isn't available, injured workers will be put on compensation and referred to OWCP's vocational rehabilitation program.
Read the entire article at the PostalReporter.com Blog
[May 26th]Five Consolidations Cancelled
excerpted from APWU Web News, Article #32-06
The APWU has been notified that the proposed consolidation of "certain operations" at five postal facilities in the Northeast Area has been cancelled, because they present no substantial opportunities to improve efficiency or service. The five facilities are:
- Utica (NY) Processing & Distribution Facility
- Plattsburgh (NY) Post Office
- Burlington (VT) P&DF
- Springfield (MA) Processing & Distribution Center
- Portsmouth (NH) P&DF
In a May 22 letter [PDF] to APWU President William Burrus, the USPS wrote, "After careful and exhaustive review, it has been determined that there are currently no significant opportunities to improve efficiency or service through consolidation of mail processing operations at the locations listed above. Therefore, no significant changes will be made at this time."
The five facilities listed in the May 22 letter to the APWU were identified for "studies for the feasibility of consolidating certain mail processing operations" in November 2005.
Read the entire article on the APWU National's website.
[May 19th]Penn State Study finds Wal-Mart Contributes to Poverty
excerpted from OCA.org
A study focused on the effects of Wal-Mart stores on poverty rates found that an estimated 20,000 families nationwide have fallen below the official poverty line as a result of the chain's expansion.
Authors Professor Stephan Goetz and Hema Swaminathan write that the presence of Wal-Mart was "unequivocally associated" with smaller reductions in family-poverty rates in counties nationwide during the 1990s relative to places that had no stores.
The authors state in the study that "by displacing the local class of entrepreneurs, the Wal-Mart chain also destroys local leadership capacity."
The demise of mom-and-pop stores leads to the closing of local businesses that supplied those stores, such as wholesalers, transporters, logistics providers, accountants, lawyers and others. Many of these are higher-paying jobs. The study concludes that it is likely that these more highly-educated individuals depart from the rural community in pursuit of better opportunities elsewhere, contributing to the rural-to-urban exodus over the last decade, leaving behind those with fewer opportunities and raising the poverty rate by reducing the number of nonpoor households in the denominator.
Read the entire article at the Organic Consumer's Association.
[May 16th]2006 Solidarity Picnic Update
Plans for this year's Solidarity Picnic to be held at the Riverplex at Sandcastle are moving along at a rapid pace. The day for the picnic, Sunday, June 11th (11:00 am to 7:00 pm), is right around the corner.
The picnic committee has arranged a variety of fun activities and entertainment for the members and their families, including live music, games and much more.
Waterpark passes will be available for purchase from the picnic committee for $10.00 each (the regular ticket price is $22.95.)
Please visit the Events page for all the details on entertainment, music, food and more!
Sign up by Monday, May 22, 2006 in order to be eligible for the $50.00 early-bird registration prize. Final registration date is June 2, 2006.
Registration forms are available at the Union desks in the larger facilities, in a printer-friendly format, or you can call the Union Office at 412-321-4700 to sign up. Please register as early as possible to help us smooth the process!
If you have any questions about the Picnic, or about the eligibility of children and/or guests, please do not hesitate to call the Union Office at 412-321-4700.
Volunteers to serve on the Picnic Committee and to assist the day of the Picnic are always needed and much welcomed! Sign up today...
[May 8th]Dues Error to Be Corrected
from APWU News Article #28-06
Contrary to clear instructions provided by the APWU that the special dues assessment was to be deducted only in Pay Periods 07-06 and 08-06 in $2.50 increments, the USPS Data Center has processed a third $2.50 deduction in Pay Period 09-06, which is reflected in paychecks dated May 5. This third deduction is beyond what was approved by the APWU National Executive Board, and will be rebated to union members in Pay Period 10-06.
Dues will return to normal levels in Pay Period 11-06.
The National Executive Board approved the $5 assessment to help fund the union's fight against USPS "network consolidation."
This mistake was beyond the union's control, and it will be corrected as expeditiously as possible.
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