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Postal Reform | Dropping a day of service is a bad idea

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Dear Union Member: The Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) is currently gathering comments to determine whether to recommend to Congress that it eliminate mail delivery service on Saturdays. We need you to help us make sure they know what a mistake cutting Saturday delivery would be. Please click here and take a moment to visit the PRC's website and submit a comment in support of Saturday mail delivery. The commission's recommendation will be very influential in Congress, where the decision of whether to cut Saturday mail delivery service will be made. The more the commission hears from the American people, the more likely it is that they will see the value of keeping Saturday delivery and tell Congress to vote against the Saturday cut. The NALC believes that we must stop the Postal Service from destroying itself. We must preserve the excellent level of service we provide, six days a week, and seek to add new services that will generate new revenue for the USPS. Eliminating Saturday collections and delivery will slow service, drive away mailers who value Saturday delivery and make the Postal Service's financial problems worse, not better. We all know how important Saturday mail delivery is, so please take a moment to make sure the PRC knows it, too. Click here to visit the commission's website and submit your comment today. Here are some talking points on the value of Saturday mail delivery that can you can use when making your comments to the PRC: Saturday delivery is crucial for the Postal Service's long-term survival. Without it, the USPS will be less competitive and mail demand will decline further-it will lead to a downward spiral. Ending Saturday mail delivery does little to reduce costs. At most, it saves just 4 percent of costs while cutting out 17 percent of daily deliveries. Many people depend on Saturday delivery-seniors who need their mail-order prescription drugs, small businesses on Main Street trying to meet payroll, and major businesses such as eBay, whose business model depends on Saturday delivery. Eliminating Saturday delivery should be a last resort, not a first resort. More time should be spent determining if mail volume declines will slow-if not reverse-as the recession ends. The Postal Service's deficit was caused by the unfair requirement to pre-fund future retiree health benefits, and the Postal Service has been overcharged $75 billion for its pension fund obligations. Fixing the $75 billion pension overpayment and using that money to pre-fund future retiree health benefits would make the USPS profitable. The USPS' budget can be stabilized without having to sacrifice service. NALC activists across the country are educating the mailing public and our elected officials about how to save the Postal Service and steer it away from counterproductive reductions in service. Once you've put in your two cents' worth, ask your family and friends to do the same. The more voices we have, the clearer our message will be: Saturday delivery is crucial for the Postal Service's long-term survival. Thank you for your dedicated service. With your help, we can save Saturday delivery and the future of the United States Postal Service. In Solidarity,   Fredric V. Rolando, President National Association of Letter Carriers If you wish to unsubscribe from the NALC e-Activist Network, please click here.

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July Postal Record Article from Branch 193

Next month thousands of duly elected delegates will attend the 67^th NALC Convention in Anaheim, California.  Every two years letter carriers from across this nation come together to discuss issues impacting our ability to support our families and to chart the course this great Union will follow to protect our jobs and keep the Postal Service strong well into the future.  I have attended conventions since the early eighties and have seen many significant work changes create difficult challenges for our national leadership.  I would offer that the challenge will face today to preserve six day delivery is the most important battle we have faced.  Finding enough common ground to craft Memoranda of Understanding to deal with and resolve problems created by major changes in work methods can be tedious and time consuming. As we tackle the preservation of six-day delivery, we are dealing with the livelihood of many of our members.  This effort to stop the leadership of the Postal Service from crippling the organization and creating hardship for our members must be stopped.  Stand ready to respond when called upon and remember that our strength is in our unity.

Locally, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren introduced a bill to rename our Westgate Station in honor of our Past President Tony Cortese.  The bill passed and a dedication will take place sometime in August.  Many thanks to State President John Beaumont and all letter carriers and friends that help make this happen.  Other dates to mark on your calendars are August 18^th when a workshop to share information from convention will be held prior to our Branch Meeting and September 12^th when our family picnic will be held at Saratoga Springs.  Remember to warn children of safety hazards you may encounter as you vacation over the summer months.

                                                                                Danny Laffan, Branch 193

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June Postal Record Article from Branch 193

Many thanks to everyone who participated in the Help Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive this year.  Your efforts are greatly appreciated and will go a long way in helping to feed many families.  We should take pride in the fact that this Union with the help of several sponsors, other unions, and organizations fill the shelves at food banks across this country at a time when the need is the greatest.  Letter carriers are a part of the fiber of the neighborhoods where we deliver.  This one day effort brings joy to many people throughout the year.  Early indications are that we will exceed last year’s totals, once again thank you for your efforts.

A new agreement has been reached on future route adjustments.  This process is designed to provide the opportunity for the local parties to work jointly in the adjustments of letter carrier assignments.  I firmly believe that working together on workplace issues is a far better approach than bickering over mandated changes.  History has shown we are more successful with this approach. There will be issues that will have to be addressed as this program is rolled out; however, we are always better off being involved in the resolution than having someone else decide for us.  I commend our National leadership for their courage to stay the course in this important effort. Locally, our FSS machines are still in the boxes they were delivered in three months ago.  It seems that more training is needed for those tasked with the assembly.  Looks like it will be some time next year before they will be ready. 

Our thanks and congratulations to Pete Rondero, Ernie Lipari and Ralph Perotti who received their 60 year pins and Harry Wadahara who received his Gold Card at this year’s Retirement Dinner.   

 

                                                                               Danny Laffan, Branch 193

 

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                           What does the NEW Health Care Law mean for

                     Letter Carriers and their families this year?

The comprehensive health care legislation signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010, will be phased in over the next few years, which will allow the state governments to set up health exchanges similar to the FEHBP program that will let workers and small businesses choose among competing private insurance plans as well as one or two non-profit health plans. It will eventually help reduce postal employee health premiums, which are inflated by the need to pay for car given to the uninsured, by requiring many employers and all individual Americans to purchase health insurance if their employers don’t provide coverage. But many of the most important progressive reforms will take effect this year.  These include: 

• This year, this bill starts to close the Medicare Part D "donut hole" by providing a $250 rebate to Medicare beneficiaries who hit the gap in prescription drug coverage. And beginning in 2011, the bill institutes a 50 percent discount on prescription drugs in the "donut hole."

• This year, children with pre-existing conditions can no longer be denied health insurance coverage. Once the new health insurance exchanges begin in the coming years, pre-existing condition discrimination will become a thing of the past for everyone.

• This year, health care plans will allow young people to remain on their parents' insurance policy up until their 26th birthday.

• This year, insurance companies will be banned from dropping people from coverage when they get sick, and they will be banned from implementing lifetime caps on coverage.

• This year, restrictive annual limits on coverage will be banned for certain plans. Under health insurance reform, Americans will be ensured access to the care they need.

• This year, adults who are uninsured because of pre-existing conditions will have access to affordable insurance through a temporary subsidized high-risk pool.

• This year, this bill creates a new, independent appeals process that ensures consumers in new private plans have access to an effective process to appeal decisions made by their insurer.

• This year, discrimination based on salary will be outlawed. New group health plans will be prohibited from establishing any eligibility rules for health care coverage that discriminate in favor of higher-wage employees.

• This year, small businesses that choose to offer coverage will begin to receive tax credits of up to 35 percent of premiums to help make employee coverage more affordable.

• This year, new private plans will be required to provide free preventive care: no co-payments and no deductibles for preventive services. And beginning January 1, 2011, Medicare will do the same.

• This year, this bill will provide help for early retirees by creating a temporary re-insurance program to help offset the costs of expensive premiums for employers and retirees age 55-64.

• In the next fiscal year, the bill increases funding for community health centers, so they can treat nearly double the number of patients over the next five years.

• Starting January 1, 2011, insurers in the individual and small group market will be required to spend 80 percent of their premium dollars on medical services. Insurers in the large group market will be required to spend 85 percent of their premium dollars on medical services. Any insurers who don't meet those thresholds will be required to provide rebates to their policyholders.

• Starting in 2011, this bill helps states require insurance companies to submit justification for requested premium increases. Any company with excessive or unjustified premium increases may not be able to participate in the new health insurance exchanges.

The legislation signed by the president was the bill passed by the Senate, which contained many serious flaws, including an onerous excise tax on high-cost plans that could adversely affect FEHBP plans in the future. However, the House passed on March 21 and the Senate is now debating a package of improvements to the Senate bill that will dramatically strengthen the new health care law.  The so-called “fix-it” bill is being handled though the commonly used reconciliation process (that was used for welfare reform and the Bush tax cuts) and will not be subject to a filibuster in the Senate.  An up or down, majority rules vote is expected soon.

 

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A LETTER CARRIERS WELCOME TO

LAURIE DUARTE

Branch 193's New President!

Branch 193 President Danny Laffan, passes the Gavel to NEW BR. 193 PRESIDENT Laurie Duarte!

CONGRATULATIONS LAURIE!

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Branch Items Article from the upcoming May Postal Record!

 

“If you build it; they will come”.  If you have seen the movie Field of Dreams, you’ll probably remember the good feeling you had as the ballplayers and fans started rolling in to the baseball field built by an Iowa farmer in the middle of large fields of corn.  When management informed us a couple years ago that they were expanded our GMF to accommodate several Flat Sorting System (FSS) machines, the above quote was used again.  They have built it and they have come.  The first two machines started arriving last month and are being assembled now.  The projected “burn in” date is in mid-September.  Information about the exact way the processed mail will be incorporated into our current system is pretty scarce. 

 

The sharing of information and working together to implement new work methods into our units is critical to the success of those changes.  Vertical Flat Sorting was a major change implemented in the early nineties.  It was done as a joint effort with as much information being shared as possible.   Teams of letter carrier and management representatives went from office to office to ensure the people being asked to do the work were involved in determining the best way to spread the program.  It is my hope that the new work methods will be implemented in an atmosphere of cooperation and mutual understanding of each parties’ concerns.  I know we will work towards that goal and I hope our partners in creating a strong future for the Postal Service will do the same.  I’m dreaming, you say, I say if dreams can produce a ballpark in the middle of a corn field.  I’ll dream that we can conjure up some mutual respect and dignity and get the job done right. Attend Branch meetings – stay informed!

 

                                                                           Danny Laffan, Retired  Branch 193 President

 

                                                                       

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An "End of the Year" Message from the President of Branch 193

 

As we approach the end of the year, I find myself reflecting on the many changes that have occurred over the last twelve months.  It seems that there has been more operational changes this year than we have seen since the implementation of Vertical Flat Casing and DPS in the nineties.  Most of the changes have been driven by the decline in mail volume.  The recession has taken its’ toll on the Postal Service as well as other businesses throughout the country.  Our national leaders have done an outstanding job in crafting agreements with postal management and spearheading legislation that has benefited both letter carriers and the organization itself.  Through our efforts the Postal Service is in a better position to deal with the negative impact caused by the recession.  Many thanks to all who helped achieve these results.  

 

The holidays are upon us once again.  It is important to be thankful for the blessings we have in our lives and to help those who are in need.  The holiday season is a difficult time for many families who have lost jobs or suffered other life alternating events during the past year.  Take the time to help with a donation or by volunteering some of your time to an agency that helps needy families.  Spend time with your family and friends making memories that will last a lifetime.  Take time to listen to the children as they express their excitement with the holiday season.  Teach them the joy that comes with giving to those in need.  Stay focused on the things that are important and enjoy this special time of the year. Happy holidays to all from Branch 193!!

 

                 

                                                                             Danny Laffan,  Branch 193 President

                                                                                                            2009 December Postal Record Article  

 

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Current Letter Carrier Pay Schedule

Click on Link Below

http://www.nalc.org/depart/cau/pdf/wages/paychart1109.pdf

 

 

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DELIVERING FOR AMERICA

 

 

We deliver everywhere in the United States—that’s 144,000,000 households and businesses every day, six days a week.   Regardless of distance, we deliver at the same low rate—among the lowest in the industrialized world.   We are career government employees who take pride in our work, in our nation and in the U.S. Postal Service.   We care about our customers and the communities we serve.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Previous News and Resources: ____________________________________

Mid-Michigan local captures final COLCPE contest prize: A surge in the waning days of 2009 helped Mid-Michigan Branch 256 capture the prize for the highest percentage of Gimme 5 donors to COLCPE among branches with 500 to 999 members. The branch will award a $1,000 gift card to a lucky member as well as pick up prizes for the branch and the branch COLCPE coordinator. Winners in the other categories were announced in the February Postal Record magazine, but the 500-999 category was too close to call when the issue went to press. “It really was down to the wire,” President Fred Rolando said. “Branch 530 in Birmingham, Alabama, and Honolulu Branch 860 were right in there, signing up members all the way to New Year’s Eve. Those letter carriers should be proud they stepped up to help us all by supporting our political action fund.” Details here. _____________________________________________________________________________

Haiti relief update: Union Plus is now matching donations dollar-for-dollar for Haiti earthquake relief. Click here to make a donation, and Union Plus will automatically double contributions made to the AFL-CIO Solidarity Center's Earthquake Relief for Haitian Workers Fund. "Letter carriers have a great tradition of helping those in need, and now I ask that you join me in making a commitment of hope to these victims by sending a generous charitable donation," said NALC President Rolando. Click here for information on the charitable organizations that are providing aid to Haiti. Bulletin _____________________________________________________________________________

OIG: $75 billion over-charge for pension liabilities: In a special report, the USPS Office of Inspector General strengthens the NALC's case that the Office of Personnel Management badly miscalculated—by $75 billion—the postal surplus in the Civil Service Retirement Fund. More _____________________________________________________________________________

Rurals are national food drive partners: The NRLCA has been a longtime supporter of the NALC's annual drive. The union has now accepted an invitation from President Rolando to become a full national partner in the May 8 drive to "Stamp Out Hunger."More | Bulletin _____________________________________________________________________________

Agreement on key aspect of health care legislation: The NALC and much of the labor movement have successfully negotiated an agreement with administration and congressional leaders to improve financing provisions of pending health care reform legislation. NALC continues to follow the process and to lobby aggressively on behalf of letter carrier interests. Bulletin | Fact Sheet _____________________________________________________________________________

Contract training materials:

Material Reference System (MRS) available online: This prime resource for NBAs, RAAs, branch officers and shop stewards in their duties enforcing the National Agreement can be found here.

2009 JCAM: NALC and USPS have agreed to publish the 2009 Joint Contract Administration Manual. Get it online here. _____________________________________________________________________________

Change your address? Make sure your union can stay in touch with you. Call or write the Membership Department if your address changes. _____________________________________________________________________________

Contract-related or work rule question? Carriers who need information and assistance should contact the national business agent in their region. Locate your NBA here. _____________________________________________________________________________

COR Powerpoint: Joint NALC/USPS presentation and notes on Carrier Optimal Routing (COR) in the Modified Interim Alternate Route Adjustment Process (MIARAP) is available here. _____________________________________________________________________________

The latest Route Inspection Kit is available here. A Route Inspection Kit for Windows Vista is available here. _____________________________________________________________________________

Route protection materials online are available here. _____________________________________________________________________________

Online form for bylaw changes is available here. _____________________________________________________________________________

 

 

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A MILLION MILE AWARD RECIPIENT!
Click Here to View

 

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Milpitas Carriers Reach ONE MILLION DOLLAR$  in Customer Connect!

Click here to see Featured Station

 

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We welcome more information to share through YOUR articles* and pictures*. If you would like to add an article or picture(s) on this website, please contact Branch 193 President Laurie Duarte @ 408-288-8138 or write to:

1060 Minnesota Av. Suite #9, San Jose, Ca. 95125

*All articles and pictures must be approved through the Branch President before appearing on website.