Obama Budget Proposes 5-Day Delivery and Refunding USPS $11B In FERS Retirees Benefits Payments

The Obama administration released its 2013 budget  proposals today. Here is what the budget included for the Postal Service: Provide Postal Service Financial Relief and Undertake Reform. The Administration recognizes the enormous value of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to the Nation’s commerce and communications, as well as the urgent need for reform to ensure […]

USPS paid out nearly $1 Billion In Overtime During FY 2012 First Quarter

According to reports filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission USPS paid out $964,756,219.13 in overtime during the first quarter of  2012 fiscal year . Last year during the same period USPS paid out over $980 million. USPS attributed the $980 million to reduction in personnel (VERA and attrition) , mail rerouting, and equipment deployment delays and […]

Regional Insurance Group Moves Customer Communications To Digital Postal Mail Powered by Zumbox

According to Zumbox: Western National Insurance (WNI), a Minnesota-based insurance provider, is making the move toward digital customer communications through Digital Postal Mail, provided by Zumbox. It is the first insurance company to do so. WNI found its customers requesting more digital alternatives to traditional hard copy mailing. In addition, the industry has found direct […]

Mailers informed before employees on USPS Plans For the Future

PostalReporter.com reader suggests that mailers are informed about USPS plans for the future before employees. Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe’s web presentation to mailers: Timing Proposed Service Standard Change – Publish Final Rule Mid-April – Implementation After May 15 Proposed Network Realignment – AMP Decisions End of February – Overall Realignment begins after May 15 – […]

PMG Approves Postal Execs Alcohol Purchases With USPS Funds If…

The following excerpts were taken from the USPS OIG Report on “Officers’ Travel and Representation Expenses for Fiscal Year 2011” WHAT THE OIG FOUND: Officers’ travel and representation expenses totaling about $700,000 were supported. However, officers did not always comply with Officers’ Travel and Representation Expense Guidelines (Guidelines) when claiming expenses incurred during official travel […]

NAPUS: Senate Postal Bill Stalled for Now

From the eNAPUS Legislative and Political Bulletin: Earlier this week, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee approved H.R. 3813, legislation that would slash postal and federal retirement benefits by $44 billion over the next decade. The provisions included in the Committee-approved bill were hastily inserted in H.R. 7, a highway construction bill, and will […]

Court of Appeals Upholds Letter Carrier’s Firing for Disclosing ‘Mail Cover’ Investigation To Customer

Letter Carrier fired for “improper conduct/providing confidential information to a postal customer of a government matter/interference in a criminal investigation.”   Robert W. Holdsworth appeals from a final decision of the Merit Systems Protection Board , affirming a decision of the United States Postal Service to remove Holdsworth from his position as a letter carrier. […]

USPS Awards Contract For Next Generation Retail System Software

In December 2010, USPS issued a solicitation for the Next Generation Retail System Software (Next Gen RSS). According to the solicitation: “This software will be utilized across all of the retail Point of Sale platforms. USPS is seeking Software, Software Maintenance, Software Support, and Help Desk Support across the continental United States.” Recently USPS awarded […]

Portland Postal Action Video

(Portland, Oregon: “At 2:30pm on Tuesday, Feb. 7, over a hundred activists from dozens of unions and community organizations, under the banner of JOBS with JUSTICE and the slogan of GOOD JOBS, NO CUTS swarmed out of two buses into University Station post office, which is slated for closure. This 13 min. video, which includes […]

NALC: Retiree Pre-Funding Costs USPS $3.1 Billion Of Its 2012 QTR 1 Financial Loss

Statement by Fredric Rolando, President of the National Association of Letter Carriers, on the USPS Financial Report for the First Quarter of FY 2012 WASHINGTON, Feb. 9, 2012 – Despite the headline on its press release, the U.S. Postal Service announced today a net operating profit of $200 million delivering the mail in the first […]