Month: July 2010

Jul 12th

US Labor Department’s OSHA proposes $272,000 in Fines Against USPS Capitol Heights MD Mail Processing Facility

for exposing workers to electrical hazards at Capitol Heights, Md., facility CAPITOL HEIGHTS, Md. – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited the U.S. Postal Service for workplace safety violations related to electrical hazards found at the Capitol Heights Processing and Distribution Center. Proposed penalties total $272,000. “These citations and […]

Jul 12th

Five-Day Delivery Would Mean 40,000-50,000 Fewer Letter Carriers

 Billings Gazette The least painful option Al DeSarro, spokesman for the western area of the United States Postal Service, said surveys show that elimination of Saturday mail delivery is by far the most favored option for trimming the post office’s losses Cutting Saturday delivery also wouldn’t be the first time the agency has tried that […]

Jul 11th

MSPB: An Appellant Is Held Responsible For Errors By Representative

From the Merit Systems Protection Board: The [MSPB] Board’s regulations allow parties wide discretion in choosing their representatives, subject only to disqualification for conflict of interest or position. Apart from those bases for disqualification, the appellant’s choice of representative is personal to her, and she may choose to be represented by an attorney or a […]

Jul 11th

AT & T Ships Products To Postal Employees Using USPS Discount Program Via FedEx, UPS

 The U.S. Postal Service has an “agreement with AT&T Wireless to provide discounted wireless phone service, phones, and accessories to postal employees.”  However, whenever Postal Employees order products online at AT & T’s website, the items are shipped via FedEx or UPS. An AT & T representative explained that shipping costs are cheaper using FedEx […]

Jul 11th

Union Decides Not To Challenge USPS Pilot Program With Office Depot

We have decided not to challenge the pilot program with Office Depot, which allows USPS services to be offered side-by-side with UPS products at Office Depot stores. President Burrus made the decision after an extensive review and discussion with Clerk Craft officers. Although we are always concerned about the possible loss of jobs, we concluded […]

Jul 11th

Postal Commentator Questions PRC Chairman’s Remarks On Five-Day Delivery

From Postcom.org The following is an extraordinary letter to the editor of the New York Times from long-time postal sage Murray Comarow: The Postal Service’s proposal to switch to five-day delivery is complex and controversial. [New York Times article “Sides Form Over Threat to Saturday Mail Service,” 7-6-10] Congress has therefore directed the Postal Regulatory […]

Jul 9th

Major Mailers Go Ballistic Over Rate Increase

Attempt to Shift the Burden to Postal Employees Burrus Update The Postal Service has filed a request to increase postage rates effective Jan. 2, 2011, and is proposing to raise the price of first-class, single-piece letters from 44 cents to 46 cents. Increases for other mail classes would range from 5.4 to 8 percent. As […]

Jul 8th

USPS Asks To Eliminate Saturday Delivery – Congress Still Has Questions

Excerpts from a report issued by INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH ON THE ECONOMICS OF TAXATION (IRET) Since 1983, Congress has annually included a rider in appropriations bills requiring the Postal Service to deliver mail six days a week. This paper examines the main developments since early 2009, when the Postal Service requested authority to eliminate the […]