The following links relate to today's Hearing and the future of the Postal Service. You must read carefully and completely to understand the dynamics of the situation in full.
STATEMENT OF POSTMASTER GENERAL/CEO JOHN E. POTTER BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON FEDERAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, GOVERNMENT INFORMATION, FEDERAL SERVICES AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY OF THE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS UNITED STATES SENATE JANUARY 28, 2009
"...Contracts with the two unions that alone represent almost 75 percent of our 652,000 career employees – the American Postal Workers Union and the National Association of Letter Carriers – do not expire until late 2010 and late 2011. We cannot wait until then to address what are pressing needs today. So I am proposing to union leadership that we begin talks now to create needed levels of workforce flexibility. ..."
Article Reference Source: www.intelisent.com Key Points Made By Witnesses before the
Senate Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services and International Security "... Senator Susan Collins:
* Enactment of PAEA was an arduous process.
* We need to continue the nation's universal postal services. Mail is still a key part of the nation's economic infrastructure.
* The current recession has placed the Postal Service back on the congressional agenda.
* The question has been raised as to whether the Postal Service is trying to use this crisis as a way of pulling away from PAEA.
* The PAEA retiree payments were a key part of the negotiating to make PAEA possible.
* A rwo-year reprieve is doable. Beyond two years make take too much pressure off the USPS to respond to its other challenges.
* GAO has been disappointed with the USPS' responses. GAO expressed frustration with the USPS' lack of transparency.
* Very disappointed that the proposed solution is the elimination of the six-day a week delivery requirement. Service cutbacks also can impact mail volume adversely.
* Already received many complaints from publishers in Maine. Service has been compromised.
* I don't know how you can ask for relief while proposing cutbacks in service that could precipitate further losses.
* I'm very concerned about the lack of the Postal Service's financial transparency. You're coming to Congress for relief with the needed transparency. This is unacceptable.
..."
Article Reference Source: www.postcom.org Video: Title: The Impact of the Economic Crisis on the U.S. Postal Service
"... U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security ..."
Article Reference Source: hsgac.senate.gov Area offices to reduce staffing levels
"... With this action, complement at Area Offices has been reduced – some vacant positions have been eliminated, while other occupied positions are impacted. Starting this week, employees occupying impacted positions will be notified and given information and guidance...."
Article Reference Source: www.postalnewsblog.com
"... The hearing is set to examine how the current financial crisis is hurting business at the U.S. Postal Service, Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) will hold the hearing at 2:30 p.m. today, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2009, in his Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management..." 
Source: postal-edaily.blogspot.com
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"...The letter states that the current financial crisis could cause either dramatic cutbacks in service or an increase under the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006. ..."
Source: www.mediabuyerplanner.com
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"... postal workers were shaped partially by fears of being "guinea pigs," disagreements among public health agencies about whether the vaccine should be recommended, physician advice, low perceived risk of infection and conflicting reports from national media organizations...."
Source: www.upi.com
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"... delivering smiles as well as mail. Anglea said that whenever Ross would meet someone, he would tell them, "Have a great day, and make the best of it!"
In addition to his work at Vanderbilt, Ross also earned a reputation as a magician..."
Source: www.insidevandy.com
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"... The Detroit News will be available for same-day delivery via the U.S. Postal Service beginning March 30 -- the day home delivery stops on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
In addition, residents in more than 200 senior care homes in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties ..."
Source: www.detnews.com
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Postal News
"... crisis that is confronting the Postal Service, and the substantial impact it will have upon postal employees. Although some in the postal community dismissed my warnings as alarmist..."
Source: www.apwu.org
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"... part of a U.S. Postal Service plan announced in 2006 to eliminate all stamp vending machines by 2010...."
Source: www.chicagotribune.com
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"... study to determine whether or not the current resources the service has are still needed...."
Source: www.whsv.com
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"... The first stamps were used in 1840 in England. They were called the Penny Blacks and Twopenny Blues. Before they were issued, people had to pay for letters and packages when they received them. By making the sender prepay for postage, it ensured letters got to where they were going. ..."
Source: www.chroniclejournal.com
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"...Robinson said the U. S. Postal Service is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information and services that lead to the arrest and conviction of the suspects..."
Source: blog.al.com
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USPS Big Announcement
OPINION - Apparently the "Big Announcement" from the United States Postal Service either never existed or maybe just delayed because the bigwigs didn't like the fact that news of an announcement had been leaked in advance. Whatever the case, nothing came to fruition relative to the news. The "Big Announcement" at this point is that there is not a big announcement according to an article over at "The National Spending Journal."
REFERENCE: The Postal Newsgroup
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"... the top USPS folks are now considering the idea and think it could eventually happen. But first there’s a ton of bureaucratic government red tape to go through..."
Source: www.lasvegasweekly.com
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"...the case of a 36-year-old man who created a disturbance ..."
Source: www.todaystmj4.com
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"... He lived and worked at the village post office alongside his parents, Ken and Judy, both 56. He was engaged to be married to Lisa Bundy, who he had known for 10 years...."
Source: news.sky.com
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"... Unfortunately there appears to be little information supported by referenced evidence. ..."
Source: postal-edaily.blogspot.com
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"... employees, who work at the U.S. Postal Service's main processing plant in Roanoke, are Dana Harris, Frank Mauceri and Jeffrey Young of Roanoke; Kim Holbrook of Lynchburg; Amanda Walkup of Troutville; Alfred Wray of Boones Mill; Robert Viers of Christiansburg and Steven Braxton of Bedford...."
Source: www.roanoke.com
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"... “It's a serious problem for business people if the mail usually comes at 10 in the morning and they can't get a deposit in for that day,” said Marry McHugh, of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce...."
Source: www.wfsb.com
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"... The matted prints of drawings of Wapakoneta's favorite son, Apollo 11 commander Neil Armstrong, are back on the wall. The portraits were reported stolen Monday when postal employees came to work and noticed the pictures were missing...."
Source: www.limaohio.com
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"... the U.S. Postal Service (claiming federal preemption) now says they will cease delivering to individual mailboxes in SRO’s – except in hotels that installed them more than three months ago. This effectively shuts out tenants in the private-run SRO’s whose landlords have not complied with the law..."
Source: www.beyondchron.org
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"... it is easy – just hand over control to unelected foreign bureaucrats and allow foreign companies to seize the profitable areas of business, forcing the remainder into debt...."
Source: www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk
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"...slowly damaging what some consider to be an important piece of American art—painter Sol Wilson’s mural titled “Outdoor Sports.” ..."
Source: www.27east.com
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"... confessed to getting drunk, breaking into downtown Flagstaff's post office, opening hundreds of packages and making off with loads of stolen property. The man is identified as 22-year-old ..."
Source: www.kold.com
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"... The anthrax letters killed five people and sickened more than a dozen just after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The letters, filled with bacterial spores, were sent to Senate Democratic leaders and news organizations. Those who died were two Washington postal workers..."
Source: www.cnn.com
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"... found last month inside a fake United Parcel Service truck in Pima County, according to a news release. ..."
Source: www.abc15.com
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"... What do Lassie, The Tonight Show, Abe Lincoln, Gary Cooper, Gulf Coast Lighthouses, Civil Rights Pioneers and Wedding Cakes have in common? They’re all 2009 stamp subjects the U.S. Postal Service is providing a sneak peek at today. All stamp issuance dates and dedication locations are subject to change. The public is welcome to attend unless otherwise noted...."
Source: www.usps.com
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"...A New York man has pleaded guilty today to charges of aggravated assault and driving while under the influence in conjunction with a 2006 crash in Ventnor that left a postal worker severely injured...."
Source: www.nbc40.net
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What are some of our customers doing with our services?
Source: www.shroomery.org
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"... Charlie Chamberlain, 59, sits atop his horse, cautiously leading a train of 16 pack mules down a dusty, narrow trail of the Grand Canyon, delivering mail to Supai, Ariz., a village at the canyon’s bottom. Chamberlain forgoes the typical blue U.S. Postal Service outfit..."
Source: www.americanprofile.com
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"... American Postal Union’s clerk craft says two machines capable of sorting 32,000 letters an hour do not need to be moved from Muskogee...."
Source: www.muskogeephoenix.com
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"...saw the iconic bell ringers at the Birch Street post office –- staffed by employees of the Evangelical Christian Credit Union -– he decided to speak up. The Salvation Army is Christian-based. ..."
Source: latimesblogs.latimes.com
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"...was arrested for theft of mail, a federal offense. Pfaff said she put him on emergency suspension, but said he then retired. ..."
Source: www.eveningsun.com
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"... The United States Postal Service (USPS) is choosing Clayco Inc. as the design-builder for its first two LEED Certified buildings. Plans include the renovation and expansion of the mail Processing and Distribution Centers (P&DC) in Troy, Mich., and Greenville, S.C. ..."
Source: www.mhmonline.com
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Office snooping pays off
"...Senior managers allegedly were ordering clerks to undercount the daily mail volume, reroute trailers of unsorted mail and change the color codes ..."
Source: www.philly.com
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"...The union says the new contract will give a private insurance company the power to access employees' medical records and "override" recommendations made by family doctors for sick leave. ..."
Source: www.canada.com
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"...Operation Letters To Santa has created a new online community for one single purpose - to bring public awareness to the USPS volunteer program “Operation Santa Claus”. ..."
Source: www.operationlettertosanta.com
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OPM to Provide Additional Protections in 2009 for FEHB Enrollees Who Use Out-of-Network Surgeons
OPM to Provide Additional Protections in 2009 for FEHB Enrollees Who Use Out-of-Network Surgeons
"... OPM is taking this action in response to concerns over a change in coverage in the Blue Cross Blue Shield reimbursement that would have established a $7,500 co-pay for out-of-network surgeries. The agency had negotiated this change to address situations where enrollees could be billed tens-of-thousands of dollars for non-emergency surgeries performed by out-of-network providers, a practice known as balanced billing. ..."
Reference: opm.gov
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"...However, in an earlier decision, Judge Robertson ruled that the Postal Service was exempt from the FACA and dismissed an APWU lawsuit seeking access to the meetings and minutes of the Mailers Technical Advisory Committee (MTAC). The committee represents large mailers — whose interests are often adverse to those of postal workers — and makes recommendations to senior USPS management on postal operations, rates, and regulations.
Both lawsuits were part of an effort by the union to end “secret policy-making” by the USPS. ..."
Source: www.apwu.org
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"...A grandfather who survived a triple heart by-pass fought off two hooded raiders when they attacked him with a Samurai sword in his country post office ..."
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
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"... While many employees would favor the opportunity to have three non-scheduled days in the course of a service week, their entitlement does not supersede the right of an employee to work the contractually required eight-hour, five-day schedule. It is advised that APWU locals refrain from making any commitment on a Modified Work Week program that would compromise the national position...."
Source: www.apwu.org
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