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USPS RESUMES
PLANT CLOSURES AND
CONSOLIDATIONS
The
Postal Service has announced
that it will resume
consolidation and closure of
mail processing plants in
2015. In early 2014,
the USPS had announced it
was halting all scheduled
sonsolidations and closures.
However, with this weeks
annoucement, the USPS is
resuming implementation of
their Network
Rationalization plan.
PMG Donhaoe
suggests that decreaing 1st class
volumes and "excess capacity"
are behind the need to reduce the number
of processing plants. "We find
ourselves with excess capacity in the
network and few alternatives to reduce
costs, "Donahoe said, adding that,
"Our operating costs are continuing
to increase, and our debt and other
liabilities threaten our financial
viability."
Pennsylvania
would be impacted as the Network
Rationalization plan calls for the
closing of the Erie, Lancaster and
Scranton Plants with the mail being sent
to Pittsburgh/Rochester, Harrisburg and
Lehigh Valley P&DC respectively.
This could result in the return of
Article 12 withholding as the change see
clerks, maintenance and MVS employees
being excessed. Click
HERE
to see a full list of propsed closures
and consolidations.
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NEW MEMBERS
The
PPWU would like to welcome
its newest union members
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LYNN MELLOTT |
LISA INCH |
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PSE Clerk
Hustontown
Post Office |
PSE Clerk
Kreamer Post Office |
If
you meet, or work with these
folks, be sure to introduce
yourself and welcome them
into the PPWU
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HOUSE COMMITTE
PASSES POSTAL BILL:
LATEST ATTACK BY ISSA
PASSES IN PARTISAN VOTE
On
May 21, 2014, the US House
Subcommittee of Governement
Oversight passed the
Secure Delivery for America
Act of 2014 (HR
4670) by an 18-13 vote along
party lines. The bill
introduced by Committee
Chairman Daryl Issa marks
his latest attack on the
USPS and psotal workers.
Rep. Issa in the official
summary of his bill, says
that HR 4670 is designed to
"enhance the
security and efficiency
of nationwide mail and
parcel delivery".
So moving from door-to-door
delivery to clusterboxes
would be more secure?
This would be laughable if
the threat weren't so dire.
The bill will now go to the
full house for a vote.
Be ready to call your
representative and tell them
to vote, "NO"
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22nd BIENNIAL STATE
CONVENTION - UPDATES
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The 22nd Biennial
State Convention got
under way at 3:30 pm on
Friday, May 02, 2014.
The convention will run
through Sunday
afternoon. In
addition to reports from
PPWU Officers, the
delegates will debate
and vote on resolutions
sent in by Pennsylvania
Locals. On Sunday,
the delegates will elect
officers to serve the
PPWU for the next two
years.
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| Click
HERE
for the convention page
to see updates |
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TRI-STATE EDUCATIONAL
CONFERENCE
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PPWU STATE CONVENTION
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 The
Pennsylvania Postal Workers
Union will be holding it's 2014
State convention at the Pocono
Manor Inn, Pocono Manor PA.
Registration information has
been mailed to all PA locals.
If you have questions, or need
additional forms, contact tha
host local.
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NEW
MEMBER!!
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The PPWU
would like to welcome a new
members to the union.
PSE Clerk
Chelsea Rowe
If you work
with, or do business in Chelsea's
office, be sure to say "hello" to
this newest PPWU member.
If you know
any non-members, now,
is the time to get them to join!
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PENNSYLVANIA LEADS THE WAY IN APWU
OFFICER ELECTIONS
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The
National Union has announced the
winners of the "Get Out the Vote"
contest tied to the election of
National Officers. APWU Locals
were divided into four catergories
based upon the number of members in
each local. A fifth category
included retiree chapters. The
locals with the highest voter
participation in each category were
awarded prizes.
The state
of Pennslyvania made a strong
showing taking first place in all
categories but one. In total,
four PA Local won prizes.:
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100 - 499 Members |
500 - 999 Members |
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Philadelphia BMC Area Local
- 69% (1st place) |
Lehigh
Valley Area Local - 62% (1st
place) |
| Lancaster
Area Local - 53% (3rd
place) |
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Retiree Chapter
Philadelphia
BMC Retiree Chapter - 57%
1st place) |
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Sadly, the
national average for voter
participation was only around 25%.
Not one single local in the 1,000+
member category achieved more than
50% member participation. It is not
surprising that Pennsylvania locals
led the way. Thanks to all
members who took the time to vote!
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PSE
OVERTIME ADJUSTMENT PAYMENT DELAYED
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The USPS
has notified the APWU that it failed
to complete back-pay adjustments for
PSE overtime hours, which were
expected in Pay Period 17. The
adjustments will be made in
Pay Period 19, management
says. The adjustments are being made
because the Department of Labor
found that the USPS was paying PSEs
for overtime at the wrong rate prior
to Pay Period 14.
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APWU WINS MAJOR SUBCONTRACTING CASE
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The APWU
won a major victory when an
Arbitratr ruled that locals must be
notified when management makes a
decision at the local, district or
area level to contract out craft
work. The dispute arose over the
definition of "field level".
The USPS believed :field Level"
referred to any subcontracts
intitiated at the District or Area
level. Subsequently, many
instances where work was contracted
out at the local level were never
reported to the Union. The
Arbitrator ruled in favor of the
union, stating that "field level"
meant anything below the
headquarters level. This win
could have huge implications for the
clerk, maintenance and motor vehicle
crafts.
More
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SEPTEMBER COST OF LIVING INCREASE
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Career APWU members will be
receiving two Cost-of-Living
increases in September 2013.
Included in the raise will be the
September 2013 COLA, which was
deferred until 2013, and the
September 2013 COLA. The amount of
the increase will be
$937 per year, or
$36.04 per pay period. The increase
will be effective on September 07,
2013 and will appear in paychecks
beginning September 27, 2013.
Postal Support Employees (PSE) are
not eligible to receive COLA
increases. Instead they received a
2% increase in 2012 and will receive
a 2.5% increase in November 2013.
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CUSTOMER
CARE AGENTS POSITIONS AVAILABLE
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The
USPS has announced it is offering
Customer Care Agent Tier 1 and
Customer Care Agent Tier 2 positions
to current postal employees
interested in reassignment to the
Edison NJ Customer Care Center.
The Care Cente will be located in
the building formerly occupied by
the Kilmer P&DC in Edison, NJ.
Employees interested in applying for
these positions, must make submite
their applications via the USPS
eReassign system. These job
opportunities are listed under the
New Brunswick Bid Cluster, within
eReassign.
See
the Posting.
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MEMORANDUM: CLARIFICATION ON
PSE SENIORITY
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The APWU and USPS have agreed on a
Memorandum
which clarifies issues with PSE
seniority with regards to
separations and layoffs due to lack
of work
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