POSTAL NEWS

...from various sources.

4.27.2015

First-Class Mail (FCM) volume declines almost zero in some geographic locations

Declines in Postal Service Mail Volume Vary Widely Across the U.S.

"...Declining First-Class Mail (FCM) volumes pose a major financial challenge to the U.S. Postal Service because FCM contributes by far the largest proportion of revenue to the Postal Service’s bottom line. Between fiscal years 1995 and 2013, FCM single-piece volume dropped by 61 percent. But a close analysis of the decrease reveals significant variations in this decline by geographic area. In some areas, for instance, the percent of volume lost was even greater than 61 percent, but in other areas, it was almost zero. ..."   
Source: postalaffairsblog.intelisent.com

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4.18.2015

Mail processing ends at U.S. Postal Service distribution center on 9th Street in Oshtemo Township

Mail processing ends at U.S. Postal Service distribution center on 9th Street in Oshtemo Township

"...Todd said she was unable to provide a count of how many workers will continue at the plant. As of Friday, Sarratt estimated that the center had about 16 mail handlers, seven custodial workers, six motor vehicle services workers, and three or four supervisors. ..."   
Source: www.mlive.com

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4.09.2015

'Gratuitious Violence' Blocks Postal from Google Play, Dev Says

'Gratuitious Violence' Blocks Postal from Google Play, Dev Says

"...A port of 1997's ultra-violent game Postal has been rejected by Google for publishing on Google Play due to its "gratuitous violence."..."   
Source: www.gamespot.com

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4.08.2015

Maya Angelou Postage Stamp Controversy

Official Maya Angelou Stamp Features Misattributed Quotation From Different Poet

"...originally appeared in a 1960s poetry collection by a woman named Joan Walsh Anglund, who’s now 89 years old and hadn’t heard about the stamp until she spoke to the Post..."   
Source:

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4.02.2015

RMSS Settlement to compensate some

RMSS Implementation Dispute Settled for $2 Million

"...The agreement, signed by Assistant Director Idowu Balogun, says that 671 employees will each receive a lump-sum payment of $2,950, minus applicable deductions, by the end of Pay Period 10-2015. Payments to former employees and retirees will also be processed during the same time frame ..."   
Source: www.apwu.org

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3.18.2015

FedEx stock is down after fiscal 2015 outlook that was weaker than expected

FedEx Dips On Outlook Despite Delivering Strong Quarterly Profit

"... the stock is down after the company posted a fiscal 2015 outlook that was weaker than what observers were expecting to see. ..."   
Source: www.forbes.com

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3.12.2015

Atlanta Postal Service worker wins lottery

Atlanta postal worker wins $400K on Ga. Lottery ticket

"... Atlanta postal worker, Anthony King, 43, recently won the $400,000 top prize for the Georgia Lottery $20 Million Blowout instant scratch off game. ..."   
Source: www.ajc.com

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New Postmaster General Brennan has not backed away from Donahoe’s plan to shutter 82 processing facilities this year

Mailing Groups Cautiously Optimistic New Postal Leadership Will Stop All the Fighting

"... “Former Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe’s policies severely slowed mail delivery,” said American Postal Workers Union President Mark Dimondstein. “He lowered service standards, closed more than 140 mail processing centers, and set in motion plans to close or consolidate 82 more processing plants this year. The APWU has asked Postmaster General Brennan to restore the service standards that were in effect in July 2012 and to place a moratorium on any additional plant closings and consolidations. ..."   
Source: www.govexec.com

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3.03.2015

Alert: The Postal Pulse, a new employee opinion survey

Don’t Let Them Take Your ‘Postal Pulse’

"... The APWU has a long history of opposing employee opinion surveys because management uses workers’ responses against union members during contract negotiations. The timing of management’s notice to employees, Feb. 19, was especially insidious, Dimondstein said, because it coincided with the opening day of contract talks. ..."   
Source: www.apwu.org

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2.27.2015

Closing of Mail Processing Plants May Leave Too Few Inclement Weather/ Natural Disaster Alternative Routes and Processing Facilities

Closing of Mail Processing Plants May Leave Too Few Inclement Weather/ Natural Disaster Alternative Routes and Processing Facilities

As the Postal Service continues to close mail processing facilities, some find that when bad weather hits, there are no alternatives remaining to get timely delivery of mail. Across the nation, some are complaining that for the first time in history they do not get their mail when it snows. At what point will our elected officials stop the destruction of America's Postal Service Mail Processing Infrastructure. We can only hope it will be before another 82 mail processing facilities close this year.    
Source: The Postal News Network

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2.25.2015

Operation Southern Postal Powder

Thirty-five people indicted “Operation Southern Postal Powder”

"... Thirty-five people face federal charges in connection with the dismantling of a “large scale drug organization” based in Macon. During “Operation Southern Postal Powder,” ..."   
Source: www.macon.com

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2.13.2015

Postal Service National Computer Outage Prevents Employees From Accessing ePayroll on Payday, other services down sinceThursday


Technical problem -- not hackers -- takes out USPS email

USPS ePayroll at LiteBlue on Feb. 13, 2015
Screen Capture of USPS ePayroll result

"... As of Friday at 2 p.m. ET, the technical problem has not been resolved and, according to Delancy, affected services will be restored as soon as possible. Today's technical problem is different than the cyber breach the Postal Service exprienced last November, when hackers broke into some of USPS' information systems, putting the personal information of more than 800,000 postal employees at risk. ..."   
Source: www.federalnewsradio.com

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Danny Glover champions the need for a vibrant public Postal Service and asks the public to join with him (Video)


Danny Glover champions the need for a vibrant public Postal Service and asks the public to join with him (Video)

"...In this superb two-minute video, actor- activist Danny Glover champions the need for a vibrant public Postal Service and asks the public to join with him in A Grand Alliance to save it. ..."   
Source: Danny Glover Postal Service Video


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Post Office Understaffing Causing Long Lines and Wait Times

Postal Service Audit Blames Increase in Complaints about Rude Employees on Promotion by Seniority; Union Blames Understaffing

"...“The No. 1 complaint of postal customers is the waiting time in line, which is caused by understaffing,” Clint Burelson, the American Postal Workers Union’s clerk craft director, told Government Executive. “We urge postal management to correct this problem and give the people the service they want and deserve.” ..."   
Source: www.allgov.com

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2.10.2015

Significant delays in mail delivery in Tucson reported since Postal Service purposely slowed First Class Mail Standareds

Mail delays detrimental, Tucson business leaders say

"...Tucson business leaders said they are experiencing significant delays in mail delivery since the U.S. Postal Service changed its service standards Jan. 5. ..."   
Source: tucson.com

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2.09.2015

Phase I of Postal Service Network Rationalization plan not living up to savings projections!

USPS Cost Cutting Ain't Cuttin' It, Mailers Group Says

"...PostCom pointed out that USPS recently estimated only about $900 million annual savings, versus its projected $1.2 billion, from Phase I of its Network Rationalization plan that closed scores of mail-processing centers. ..."   
Source: deadtreeedition.blogspot.com

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Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah): "... there are some agencies and departments that I'd actually like to get rid of."

Chaffetz supports a federal pay raise but wants something in return

"..."I still believe we have probably too many federal employees. There are some people that may need to be paid more and some who may need to be paid less, and there are some agencies and departments that I'd actually like to get rid of. It has to balance itself out," he said, adding that IT workers should draw bigger salaries to encourage them to stay in the government. ..."   
Source: www.federalnewsradio.com

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2.07.2015

Postal Service wants authorization to further reduce its workforce

In the black? Postal Service has a 'fantastic quarter'

"...Finally, the service wants authorization to further reduce its workforce. The agency has already shrunk by about 320,000 employees since fiscal 2000, but the agency has maintained it needs legislation to let the Postal Service move from 485,000 career employees to 400,000 over the next few years. ..."   
Source: www.federaltimes.com

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2.02.2015

Web Call: Telephone/Web conference on U.S. Postal Service Fiscal 2015 quarter 1 results

New Postmaster General and CFO Host Web Call on U.S. Postal Service Quarter 1 Financial Results

"...Fri., Feb. 6, 2015 at 11 a.m. ET. The briefing will also be available on live audio webcast (listen only) at: http://about.usps.com/news/electronic-press-kits/cfo/welcome.htm. ..."   
Source: www.broadcastnewsroom.com

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1.28.2015

Examples of a slowed-down mail service are popping up more and more

Man's fruit package rots after being delivered late by postal service

"...They arrived a week later and it wasn't pleasant. "As a matter of fact, the juice was dripping out of the box," he said. His family had to throw out the rotted fruit. Alcantara was miffed because he paid for expedited delivery, but didn't get it. "What's the use of their offering that kind of service if they cannot perform it," he said. ..."   
Source: abc7news.com

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1.26.2015

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill: Postal Service ' essential to rural America'

McCaskill: Postal Service ' essential to rural America'

"... McCaskill continued: “I think we all know in our gut that if we allow [the Postal Service] to be totally privatized, that it will be our rural constituency that will pay a very heavy price. And I think we have the best postal service in the world, and I think if we allow it to atrophy and say, ‘well, just let privatization take over, let it just be private,' I'm going to have a hard time explaining that to my rural constituency why we weren't there for them at this incredibly important time in the history of the postal service.”..."   
Source: www.koamtv.com

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All post offices in the Greater Boston District will be closed Tuesday (1-27-2015) due to dangerous weather conditions

Officials: No mail delivery on Tuesday (Greater Boston District)

"...In a press release, the U.S. Postal Service cited dangerous weather conditions forecast throughout the region for shutting down operations. Normal post office hours are expected to resume on Wednesday. ..."   
Source: www.metrowestdailynews.com

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1.23.2015

Outgoing Postmaster General Suggests Using Postal Service as Lab Rats To "Reform" Pensions

Brace yourselves: Congress preps civil service reform

"...He said Postal Service reform could also serve as a precursor to governmentwide civil service reform. "I would encourage Congress to view the Postal Service as a test bed or laboratory of change that might be applied to the rest of the federal government," Donahoe said. ..."   
Source: www.federaltimes.com

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1.19.2015

Legislation proposed to impose a two-year moratorium on U.S. Postal Service mail processing plant closures

Senators: Stop postal service cuts

"... BURLINGTON, Vt., Jan. 17 – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) yesterday proposed legislation to impose a two-year moratorium on U.S. Postal Service plans to eliminate up to 15,000 decent-paying jobs, close more mail-sorting plants and end overnight delivery of first-class mail and periodicals...."   
Source: vtdigger.org

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1.13.2015

New mail service standard: 36 percent of single-piece mail will be delivered in three to five days, 82 mail processing plants to close

How the new service standards may slow down much more mail than the Postal Service is saying

"...on January 1, 2015, the Postal Service began implementing phase two of Network Rationalization. Service standards for First Class Mail were relaxed yet further — no more overnight delivery for any single-piece mail, and an extra day of delivery time for about half of all First Class Mail. The change paves the way for closing 82 more processing plants and eliminating thousands of jobs. ..."   
Source: www.savethepostoffice.com

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1.11.2015

2014: Postal Service Gains Employees For First Time In Fifteen Years

Federal Agencies Shed Nearly 20,000 Jobs in 2014

"...while the Postal Service employed just less than 600,000. USPS has begun each year with fewer employees than in the one immediately prior for 15 consecutive years, according to agency figures, but BLS data show the agency actually netted 3,000 jobs in 2014. ..."   
Source: www.govexec.com

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1.09.2015

Better Options Exist for Postal Reform in 2015 | Commentary

Better Options Exist for Postal Reform in 2015 | Commentary

"...Our founders understood that affordable, universal postal service was critical to the nation. Unfortunately, many in Congress and within the Postal Service management are willing to sacrifice service as a means of solving financial problems unrelated to its operations. ..."   
Source: www.rollcall.com

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1.08.2015

USPS Data Breach Could Have Been For Profit – ‘Health Files’ Fetch Handsome Figures, Indicate Investigators

USPS Data Breach Was For Profit – ‘Health Files’ Fetch Handsome Figures, Indicate Investigators

"...USPS data breach that took place in November could have been orchestrated primarily for financial gains, indicated the investigators. USPS Chief Human Resources Officer Jeffrey Williamson confirmed that data stored in “a file relating to injury compensation claims” was illegally accessed and siphoned-off by hackers. Health information of as many as 485,000 USPS employees ..."   
Source: www.inquisitr.com

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12.28.2014

We should be grateful for the U.S. Postal Service after Sony cyberattacks

Send a Letter. It's Safer.

"...And most absurdly, the Postal Service is waved off as some sort of 20th century anachronism, outdated and unnecessary in an era of email and electronic banking. This is the most facile and dangerous of the misperceptions about the service, since it ignores the very important national security function the office provides. ..."   
Source: www.usnews.com

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12.22.2014

City of Berkeley notifies prospective buyer of Berkeley main post office that sale is cancelled

Buyer opts out of purchase of historic Berkeley Post Office

"...Hudson said they asked the Post Office for an extension, but the Post Office declined, saying they had 'things to figure out.' Asked if he was disappointed, Hudson said he was hopeful they might be able to get back at the negotiating table. 'Maybe it’s not over,' he said." ..."   
Source: www.savethepostoffice.com

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12.19.2014

Two Queens postal workers stole $80,000 in cash and failed to deliver 2,500 pieces of mail

Queens postal workers steal $80K, hoard 2,500 pieces of mail in separate cases

"... admitted that she had voided money orders purchased by customers at the Far Rockaway post office and then pocketed the cash, according to a federal complaint. ..."   
Source: www.nydailynews.com

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12.16.2014

Local postal worker ‘saves lives’

Local postal worker ‘saves lives’

"...She put a call for help on Sebastian’s Facebook page, Sebastian’s Journey, where more than 47,000 people follow the everyday life of the tenacious tot, asking whether anyone could get in contact with their letter carrier, Quentin Keyler. ..."   
Source: www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com

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12.14.2014

Postal Service board in limbo

Senate gridlock freezes Postal Service board

"... Miller has previously called for privatizing the Postal Service but said he wouldn’t advocate for that position on the board of governors. ..."   
Source: thehill.com

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12.12.2014

NLRB Charges Postal Service with Illegal Surveillance of Staples Protests

NLRB Charges Postal Service with Illegal Surveillance of Staples Protests

"... The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has charged the USPS with illegally spying on postal employees while they protested outside a Staples store in Atlanta on March 4 and 9, 2014. “Respondent has been interfering with, restraining, and coercing employees in the exercise of the rights guaranteed” in Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act and the Postal Reorganization Act, the board charged in a complaint issued Dec. 9. A hearing on the complaint will be held on March 11, 2015. The complaint stems from charges made by the APWU that the Postal Service dispatched managers posing as..."   
Source: www.apwu.org

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12.09.2014

Legislative clarity needed to prevent destroying Postal Service mail processing network in 2015

Blunt, McCaskill push Postal Service to delay closure of local mail center

"... "If the USPS postpones the closures for a few months and we can get moving on postal reform early (in the) next Congress, we may be able to get the USPS to further postpone the closures until there is some legislative clarity," he said...."   
Source: www.news-leader.com

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12.06.2014

The right to equal access to secure, efficient, and affordable mail service.

Vintage photos of post offices and mail deliverers in N.J.

"... According to usps.com, the independent agency of the U.S. federal government has "a single, great principle: that every person in the United States – no matter who, no matter where – has the right to equal access to secure, efficient, and affordable mail service."..."   
Source: www.nj.com

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11.25.2014

Intoxicated Postal Worker Crashes Mail Truck

Utica postal worker charged with DWI after crashing mail truck

"...A postal worker faces drunken driving charges after her mail truck hit another mail truck in a post office parking lot. ..."   
Source: www.syracuse.com

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11.24.2014

Former Postal Service letter carrier gets 15 years in mail truck robbery

Former Postal Service letter carrier gets 15 years in mail truck robbery

"..."By providing her co-defendants with inside information Evans enabled a robbery that nearly killed her co-worker. Evans used her knowledge of the Postal Service for personal gain and violated the trust of the public and her fellow postal workers." ..."   
Source: www.bizjournals.com

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11.21.2014

Delayed notification of Postal Service hacking ‘doesn’t fly’

Lawmaker: Delayed notification of postal hacking ‘doesn’t fly’

"... Lynch suggested he was not satisfied with the agency’s answers. “The way this should work is, as soon as you know that a file has been compromised and it contains personally identifiable information, Social Security numbers, that employee should be notified,” he said...."   
Source: www.washingtonpost.com

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11.18.2014

Dangerous USPS 911 Policy May Have Caused Critical Delays in Life and Death Situation

USPS Policy May Have Caused Critical Delays in Life and Death Situation

"... the USPS’s 911 procedure prevented Macasieb from receiving emergency medical care as soon as possible. Employees said they want postal service leaders to create a new policy that encourages employees to call 911 first—then notify their supervisors and the postal police. ..."   
Source: www.nbcbayarea.com

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