From eNAPUS Legislative & Political Bulletin
Although the U.S. Senate was able to approve a consensus measure to provide fiscal relief to the US Postal Service months ago, the House of Representatives dropped the ball and skipped town without considering postal relief legislation. Just as troubling is that the House Leadership seems to be confused about the definition of “default”, the implication of their inaction and the effect on their constituents.
The House of Representatives, in a dereliction of its obligation to sustain a constitutionally-established governmental service, bolted from the Capitol late Thursday, without addressing the essential needs of the nation’s universal mail service. Based upon an on-the-record conversation between House Majority Leaders Eric Cantor (R-VA) and House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD), it appears that the House Majority will move a bill only when a postal-shutdown is near.
Last week, during a colloquy be-tween the two congressmen, Hoyer asked Cantor when a postal bill would be voted on, so House and Senate conferees could resolve any differences between a House bill and the already-Senate-passed bill (S. 1789).
Hoyer alluded to the narrowly-approved bill reported by the House Oversight and Govern-ment Reform Committee back in October 2011 (H.R. 2309). Finally, Hoyer opined that the USPS is “facing default” in its obligations unless legislation is enacted. (The USPS defaulted on a $5.6 billion retiree health pre-funding payment on August 1.) Cantor responded to Hoyer in three ways: First, he claimed that S. 1789 does not have the support of the majority of the House (i.e., the Republicans). Second, Cantor stated that the GOP Leadership is continuing to work with Oversight and Government Reform Committee chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) to assure that “there is not an incidence of default.” Finally, Cantor asserted that “the USPS has indicated that there is no risk of default in the short-term.”
In sum, the future of the USPS may be held hostage to legislative demands that could destroy its foundation and eviscerate the communities and customers it serves.
Five day!
Why is major news so lazy in reporting the real facts. Congress stole billions from the PO and now refuses to take responsibility and chooses to blame everybody but themselves.
We own the government. We own you.
It sounds to me like the House of Representatives should be re-named the House of No-Represenatives and that ALL THOSE PEOPLE SHOULD BE VOTED OUT! They underestimate the American people when they think they can play all these games and get away with it. But what the hell have they really got to lose? I mean, even if they lose their high-falutin’ jobs, they will still get benefits for life because they failed to vote to change anything about THEIR pay or benefits, just those of all the other federal workers. They sure did have time to do that, didn’t they? So, off they are, on ANOTHER vacation! And we are left to scrape for our futures and pray for our livelihoods – since those we have voted in to ‘represent’ us have no intention of doing their jobs. Get those people outta there and get someone in who wants to WORK and DO THEIR JOBS!
USPS RIF – Reduction in Force
USPS ELM: 354.211 Definition of Reduction in Force
Source: USPS ELM – Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
A reduction in force (RIF) is a uniform and systematic way of making organizational changes resulting in the release of an employee from his or her competitive level as defined in 354.217a. A RIF action occurs in the Postal Service when an employee is released from his or her competitive level by separation, demotion, or a reassignment requiring displacement. Release from a competitive level must be caused by elimination or significant modification of existing work, creation of new work, reorganization, transfer of function, an individual’s exercise of reemployment or restoration rights, or a reclassification of an employee’s position based on the erosion of duties that will take effect after a RIF has been formally announced in the employee’s competitive area (see 354.217b), or when a RIF takes effect within 180 days.
Note: With the exception identified above concerning the reclassification of an employee’s position, a change to lower grade based on the reclassification of an employee’s position due to a change in classification standards or a correction of a classification error is not a RIF.
Why is our own Government stopping alot of the mail that they used to send? Why don’t they just kick us in the teeth! As for the House, did you really think they were gonna help the USPS???? Most are Republican!! they want us gone, so they can privatize us! IDIOTS!! That’s what they are.. We can’t raise revenue if we keep closing everything! Cutting the window hours! in the mean time Fed Ex and the other one with the ugly brown, can’t wait for our own Government to F&@K us over! I for one will NEVER use either one of them..
ISC
Who’s jerking who around?
USPS does not has to answer to APWU on whether to call a buyout. Buyout money does not come from the Union. If the APWU thinks that they are holding USPS hostage over some measly negotiation, they need to think twice. The official contract has already been settled and this holdup only delay the exit of eligible employees.
USPS now has reasons to declare a bankruptcy and have the court review the contract in having it void and reorganize.
Even though Guffey is saying he is not negotiating in public, what is the “accepting the best offer that is not in the best interests of our members”? What can be improve of this buyout other than more money?
Will Guffey reveal what was his best interest offer for employees if USPS decides to go ahead with the buyout without the union’s approval?
Congress is going home and won’t return until the end of the month but USPS will continue to lose $2 Billion a month.
This $2 Billion is more than enough to complete the 100,000 employees exit. So far only 4,000 postmaster and 3,000 mailhandlers are leaving. This 7,000+ number is far short of expectation of USPS.
Are people forgetting USPS plans of 30,000 a year for the next 5 years? They’ve been short for the last 2 years.
Mr. Mctavish…………oops…..you’re right……..we will have to stick with Guffey.
Burning Down The House….Thats Right….Were in For Nasty Weather….
How about we tell these slackers in the house no legislation, no political ads will be delivered since we have no money, and they get it for free to boot!
The unions gave the democrats our money and the house and senate from 2007 through 2010 and they did not once offer legislation to undo the Postal Accountability Act that democrats helped pass in 2006. Even the great Union President BO who bailed out the Auto union’s pension plans with taxpayer money to repay their support while screwing bond and shareholders by fixing the bankruptcy laws with a corrupt judge, wouldn’t help us, in fact he put more postal enemies in positions of power.
I guess it just wasn’t a problem until the republicans to the house in 2011 when the politics were needed and especially in 2012, then it became an issue. Just read all the democrat lemmings postings who are ignorant of what their party did to them.
Joe Schmo, I hate to tell you, but Spartacus and the slaves were all slaughtered by the Romans!
Yeah! Tell that to Morons everywhere who vote for Republicans every year within the USPS.
With any luck the problems of the Service that effect employees, customers and related businesses will be looked at as the fault of a very incompetent pissy infighting Congress, which it is.
It may take holding the Representative’s feet to the fire to get anything done. Washington has been a disgrace and corrupt entity for a long time, but it has truly sunk to new levels.
Of course, we have to accept some of the blame for going back and voting in the same incumbents over and over and over again when we bitch about how terrible they all are in between elections. I don’t think there’s a body of people any more vile and disgusting than Republican lawmakers, but the Democrats are spineless cowards who act like they’re terrified of the GOP. Our country can’t hope to survive and prosper until the deep divisions between parties is lessened. Maybe that’s the way Congress wants it: a bitterly divided electorate means guaranteed votes and no matter how horrible a scandal may be, it will change nobody’s minds. It isn’t just the Postal Service: they’re coming after everybody and people who keep especially Republicans in power better pull their heads out of their asses, because it’s their darling party that wants to bankrupt us.
Hey look i know we can’t do it but what if we shut down for a week or two! I would gladly take that hit just today prove a point to congress.
IS ANYONE FREEKING SURPRISED?
The House of Reps = @#$%& $%#@ @#%$!!!!!!
We need Spartacus…………Spartacus where are You? Slaves UNITE!!!! Down with the Romans!
They skipped town back in early 70s on USPS and have never returned to it !
Been vacationing myself. Syria is so beautiful this time of year. Issa you an your Grand Outsourcing Party should come down.
Meet me at the crossroads, you’d look good in the White House, got an offer for you.
“legislative demands that could destroy its foundation and eviscerate the communities and customers it serves?”
Man come on down here, this $hit makes your consensus measures look like childs play.
Oh $hit a mortar just took this guys head off! God i love this place!
The first post brought to you by the dumbsh*t teabag fake news flat earth crowd.
What do you think? It’s an election year and important issues are held hostage for votes. Hussein will charge in just one month prior to election and will save the day and all the lemmings will chear and give him their votes. That’s the way it is in this country. So why is everyone so perplexed over doings in Wash DC? However, sorry…no VERA cause Goofey and Omar say NO!