THE BULLETIN BOARD
May 2009
[May 14th]Excessing: Know Your Rights
excerpted from Burrus Update 06-2009
In response to significant reductions in mail volume and revenue, postal management is aggressively adjusting employee complements. These modifications are generating thousands of excessing notices to local unions and employees, indicating that junior full-time employees will be reassigned to other crafts or more distant facilities.
When confronted with reassignments that would require them to relocate hundreds of miles away, many employees consider terminating their postal employment— especially if they are not knowledgeable about the applicable contractual rules.
To combat this coercion, the union advises employees who are notified that they are excess to their craft or installation to make sure they are knowledgeable of all of their contractual rights and to demand specific information from management about their "new assignments."
Postal management is hoping that many employees will respond to the pressures of excessing by quitting.
The Postal Service must send potentially affected employees a notice at least 60 days in advance when excessing outside the installation may occur. The notification letter typically contains few specifics, and some people who receive it may never be reassigned. This initial letter serves as notice to the employee that he or she is excess to the needs of the craft or installation, but it does not constitute a reassignment, per se.
Read the entire article....[May 1st]Senate to Consider Legislation Giving Sick Leave Credit to FERS Retirees
excerpted from APWU Web News Article #050-09
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has placed on the Senate calendar legislation that would give retirement credit for unused sick leave to postal and federal employees enrolled in the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS).
Although supporters of the bill hope to pass it before Congress' Memorial Day recess, because of objections to the tobacco provisions, Republican senators are expected to filibuster the legislation.
"The APWU has sought sick-leave credit equity for FERS employees for many years," said APWU Legislative & Political Director Myke Reid. "We have an opportunity to accomplish that goal in the coming weeks."
"I encourage all APWU members to contact their senators and ask them to support this important legislation."
In an April 1, 2009, "Statement of Administration Policy" the White House expressed strong support for the bill.
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