The Team - Boston Metro Area Local 100

*******

Click here to Get involved and Take Action!

*******
Crucial Postal Bill Clears First Hurdle
APWU Web News Article 071-2010, July 22, 2010
Legislation to restore financial stability to the Postal Service cleared its first hurdle July 21 when the House postal oversight subcommittee approved H.R. 5746. [Read more]

Congressman Stephen Lynch Introduces Legislation To Correct USPS CSRS Retirement Overpayments
Congressman Stephen Lynch introduced legislation to correct methodology which overcharges USPS for its CSRS retirement obligations. The legislation amends the provisions of title 5, United States Code, relating to the methodology for calculating the amount of any Postal surplus or supplemental liability under the Civil Service Retirement System. [Read more]

*******
Facts Don�t Lie:
Chart Shows True Picture of Postal Service�s Financial Health
Burrus Update 12-2010, July 21, 2010
"...Despite the accuracy of my Updates, numerous articles and editorials in the mainstream media have reported somberly on the Postal Service�s desperate financial situation. My response has been that USPS deficits are directly linked to the pre-funding issue, and do not accurately reflect the relationship between postal revenue and expenses related to providing mail service..." [Read more]

*******
Union Urges Affected Workers
To Complete NRP Questionnaire
APWU Web News Article 068-2010, July 15, 2010
To strengthen the fight against the Postal Service�s harsh National Reassessment Program (NRP), the APWU is encouraging limited-duty and permanent-rehabilitation employees to complete a questionnaire sponsored by a law firm that has filed a class-action complaint against the USPS. The complaint alleges that the NRP discriminates against disabled employees. [Read more]

*******
More Hypocrisy as Big Mailers Decry Rate Hike
In Run-Up to Postal Reform, They Championed Annual Increases
Burrus Update 11-2010, July 13, 2010
"...Unfortunately, commercial mailers have been permitted to influence postal management beyond the scope of their contribution. While direct mail accounts for an ever-increasing share of mail volume, its contribution to USPS revenue is a pitiful 20 percent. But the voice of the average citizen, who pays 44 cents postage per letter, is drowned out by those who have access to USPS decision-makers..." [Read more]

********
Major Mailers Go Ballistic Over Rate Increase
Attempt to Shift the Burden to Postal Employees
Burrus Update 10-2010, July 9, 2010
"...As anticipated, large mailers have gone ballistic. They have formed a new organization, the Affordable Mail Alliance, dedicated to stopping the rate hike..." [Read more]

*******
Management�s Grievance Strategy: Defer and Delay
Burrus Update 09-2010, July 8, 2010
This has been an extremely busy year, as we respond to the postal policies and decisions triggered by the recent decline in mail volume. [Read more]

*******
Department of Labor Safety Complaint
Underscores Widespread, Systemic Violations
APWU Web News Article 065-2010, July 7, 2010
The Department of Labor filed a complaint against the Postal Service on July 6 for ongoing and systemic violations of safe electrical work practices, marking the first time the department has sought an �enterprise-wide� remedy. [Read more]

*******
PRC Affirms USPS Overpaid
$50 Billion to Retirement Fund
OPM Must Reconsider Calculations
APWU Web News Article 064-2010, July 2, 2010
"...The Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) released an independent actuarial report [PDF] on June 30 which confirms that the Postal Service was overcharged $50-$55 billion for payments to the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) between 1972 and 2009. The report recommended an �adjustment� of $50-$55 billion in favor of the Postal Service..." [Read more]

********
Report (PRC): USPS should pay billions less into pension
"...The struggling U.S. Postal Service should be spared between $50 billion and $55 billion in projected long-term pension obligations, according to an outside actuary's report submitted today to Congress by the Postal Regulatory Commission..." [Read more]

*******
Capitol Hill Testimony
Burrus: USPS Can and Must
Expand the Services It Offers
APWU Web News Article 059-2010, June 23, 2010
"...Predicting that mail volume will grow in 2012, APWU President William Burrus told lawmakers June 23 that slashing service will not solve the Postal Service�s current financial difficulties. The APWU �believes the USPS can and must expand the services it offers,� he said..." [Read more]

*******
OIG Report: CSRS Overpayment by the Postal Service (PDF)
"...The return of the overpayment or a combination of actions to realize the benefit of the $75 billion overpayment to the Postal Service would fully fund the pension and health retiree plans. The Postal Service's more than $7 billion annual payments for retiree health care prefunding and retiree health care premiums would no longer be needed, because the pension and health retiree plans would be fully funded and interest income from the fully funded retiree health benefit fund could pay annual premiums..."
[Read more]

*******
Preparation for Contract Negotiations
Rank & File Bargaining Panel Meets
APWU News Bulletin 02-2010, June 16, 2010
�This will not be a giveback contract,� APWU President Burrus told members of the union�s Rank and File Bargaining Advisory Committee at their first meeting on June 16. �Negotiations may be difficult,� he said, �but it is our job to find a way around the obstacles we face.� [Read more]

********
Leave No Man Behind
"...This issue is about Americans who sacrificed their freedoms, and more than likely gave their lives for our freedoms. If House Resolution 111 gets a big push from labor and friends of labor, it may just be the push our politicians need to be compelled to act. It's hard to ignore the voices of 15.3 million voting unionists..."

*******
Postal Customers Tweet About Post Office Lines
Customers standing in lines at post offices are using Twitter to comment (tweet) about their waits.
Click here for Realtime "Tweets" results for post office lines.

*******
OIG Says Workshare Audit
Will Include Union�s Views
APWU Web News Article 054-2010, June 8, 2010
The USPS Office of Inspector General (OIG) has assured the APWU that the union�s views on �workshare discounts� will be considered in an upcoming examination of the controversial practice. Inspector General David C. Williams offered the commitment after President William Burrus criticized the OIG for excluding postal unions from providing input for the report. [Read more]

*******
Fight to Save Saturday Service
Approaches Important Milestone
APWU Web News Article 050-2010, June 3, 2010
Postal employees and customers are approaching an important milestone in the fight to save Saturday service, as a House resolution supporting six-day mail delivery continues to gain momentum. [Read more]

*******
It�s Time For The Postmaster General to Go, and The Inspector General as Well
"...The record is clear. The United States Postal Service has been abusing, bullying, and robbing their employees blind all over the country for years now, and with complete impunity. So it�s time for both Postmaster General John E. Potter and Inspector General David C. Williams to go. By overlooking the blatant corruption that has been clearly evidenced on their watch, they could both easily be charged with malfeasance at the very least..." [Read more]

********
Unions, Management
Reach Settlement of Unions� Privacy Lawsuit
APWU Web News Article 047-2010, May 24, 2010
�...The OIG can no longer violate employees� rights by using police state tactics when conducting sick-leave or workers compensation investigations,� said APWU President William Burrus. �The obligation to provide details about a request � instead of demanding access to private records � prevents the OIG from abusing its power when investigating routine personnel matters...� [Read more]

*******
A Pig with Lipstick� Is Still a Pig
Burrus Update 08-2010, May 20, 2010
"...Yes, postal management could have taken many steps in response to the crippling new obligations of the PAEA, each of which would have been vigorously contested. The proponents of the misguided legislation also could have expended their energies in positive endeavors and spared the Postal Service the agony of being pushed to insolvency..." [Read more]

*******
Capitol Hill Testimony
Burrus: USPS Postage Discounts Are Illegal, Self-Defeating
APWU Web News Article 043-2010, May 12, 2010
Postage discounts for major mailers are illegal and �self-defeating,� APWU President William Burrus told lawmakers May 12. Excessive discounts for corporate mailers who engage in worksharing �deprive the USPS of revenue that is essential to maintain the nation�s mail network,� he said. [Read more]

*******
Goldway calls USPS $238 billion loss estimate an �unsubstantiated figure with no connection to reality�
"...Goldway said the USPS is presenting dire forecasts to scare Congress into allowing the USPS to do the things it has wanted to do for years, such as moving to 5-day delivery, closing retail services and consolidating its network..." [Read more]

*******
President's Viewpoint
Phony Deficit Projections
Mask Management�s Real Goal
"...Every editorial writer with a pen has reacted to the phony projections by asserting that workers must accept severe wage and benefit cuts, and suggesting that if the unions do not willingly accept them, arbitrators should be required to consider the phony financial health of the Postal Service in their decisions..." [Read more]

*******
Postal Service Scores a Win with Walmart
"...At the National Postal Forum, postal officials were bragging that they had recently negotiated an agreement with Wal-Mart to be its exclusive shipper of prescriptions ordered by telephone. The drugs will be sent via Priority Mail, with Wal-Mart picking up the tab..." [Read more]

*******
Senate Subcommittee Hearing on The Future of the USPS
"...Postal Regulatory Commission Chairman Ruth Y. Goldway cautioned against deciding on major cuts in universal mail service until Congress considers possible changes to Postal Service funding of employee pensions and future retiree health benefits in remarks before the Senate postal oversight subcommittee..." [Read more]

*******
Rationale for Five-Day Delivery
Shattered at House Hearing
APWU Web News Article 031-2010, April 16, 2010
"...In response to questions by Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Postmaster General John E. Potter admitted that predictions that the Postal Service would amass losses of $238 billion by the year 2020 were �theoretical.� The exchange confirms allegations made by the APWU that the USPS forecast is wildly exaggerated, outlandish and unsupported..." [Read more]

Rep Connolly Questions Postmaster General John Potter
[Watch video]

*******
IDEAS FOR POSITIVE CHANGE IN THE FUTURE OF THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE
"...The list is excerpted from testimony delivered on April 15, 2010 by Postal Regulatory Chairman Ruth Y. Goldway before a Joint House Hearing on the Future of the Postal Service..." [Read more]

*******

For more news The PUBLIC EYE page has brought all the information together.

????????????????????????????????????????????????

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------