Sunday, July 7, 2013
Sinking the Postal Service
Tuesday, July 9, 2013, at 7:00 pm I will be speaking to the Fidalgo Democrats at the Anacortes Library in Anacortes, WA, regarding the attempts by various members of Congress to dismantle and privatize the Postal Service. I hope you will join me. Refreshments will be served, and there will be a question and answer period.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Political Bookkeeping Tricks
Two months into the new fiscal year, despite warnings of doom and gloom, the US Postal Service is actually showing a slight profit- at least until you apply the political bookkeeping tricks required by the 2006 PAEA law.
Through the end of November the USPS had operating expenses of $11.3 billion, and revenue of $11.6 billion, resulting in an operating profit of $237 million. This despite a 3.6% decline in first class mail volume. Standard mail volume was also down 3.3% for the month of November, but year to date it’s still up by 6.4%. That number likely reflects the large number of political mailings in October that evaporated in November.
The USPS numbers show a sharp increase in shipping volume, but that’s mainly due to the reclassification of mail types. The bottom line shows overall mail volume in November was down 3.4% for the month, while it’s still up by 2.2% for the year to date.
As has been the case for the last few years, unfortunately, the slightly positive results are completely wiped out by a bookkeeping debit entry of almost a billion dollars for “future retiree health benefits”. The USPS hasn’t actually paid the Treasury that amount, and never will, but it’s required under PAEA to carry the charge on its books, allowing politicians on both sides of the aisle to wag their fingers at the supposedly “bankrupt” USPS. Like the “fiscal cliff” and the “debt ceiling” “crises”, the postal service’s immediate financial problems are entirely artificial, created by politicians to advance their political agendas.
Given how difficult it seems to be for Congress to avoid the artificial train wrecks it has already created for the economy, it doesn’t seem likely that it will be able to do much for the postal service beyond naming more post offices and installing more of those clever little countdown clocks on Congressional web sites.
Monday, June 3, 2013
"I was faced more with apathy than opposition." - Adrian Cronauer
Last Saturday, June 1, 2013, I had the privilege of marching in Lynden's 104th annual Farmer's Day parade. I walked with the Whatcom County Democrats. There were a number of retired union members from many different unions, and there were the farm workers there showing solidarity as well.
I was the lone postal worker in the contingent.
I do understand that many of us work Saturdays, and many cannot physically participate. Marching in a small town parade may not sound like it means a whole lot, especially in the grand scheme of things, but it's one of countless ways to raise awareness regarding the importance of unions and the issues that matter to us as union members. So for those who have Saturdays off, or who are able bodied, why was there no turnout?
There has been a lot of talk about GMO's in our foods recently. In fact, in November, there will be a ballot measure regarding labeling of foods containing GMO's. A GMO is a genetically modified organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. Organisms that have been genetically modified include micro-organisms such as bacteria and yeast, insects, plants, fish and mammals. GMO's are the source of genetically modified foods. They are banned in some 30 countries around the world, restricting our ability to trade with them, and they are not required to be labeled here in the US, giving consumers a choice between foods that do or do not contain GMO's.
What does that have to do with unions? Plenty. If you are leary of GMO's in your food, then buy locally grown, locally produced foods, which are less likely to contain them. Buying local is always great for the community, and it's a way of supporting our union brothers and sisters in the UFW (United Farm Workers).
This is just a single example of how vital to the infrastructure of our country unions are.
I encourage you to get out there at any possible opportunity you can to support labor friendly causes and to participate in labor friendly events, particularly APWU events.
I found myself very disappointed that not a single other postal worker turned out to show solidarity in this parade. The weather was beautiful and there were thousands of spectators lining the streets. I couldn't help but wonder why there is such low participation in union activities. During the Labor Neighbor Campaign, when so much was at stake for the USPS, there were only three postal workers in Washington state who participated. None of the postal workers I personally contacted could spare even two hours to phone bank or pass out flyers.
The individuals with whom I marched were informed as to the nature of the problems facing the postal service, but many people in the public, and many people employed by the USPS simply don't know what's going on and how tenuous a position the USPS is maintaining. This tight rope we are walking won't hold forever, and without union participation, our jobs and even our pensions are at stake.
On October 1, 2012, because of congressional inaction, the USPS defaulted on a $5.6 billion pre-payment for future retiree health benefits. It was the second such default in two months; the Postal Service missed a $5.5 billion payment in August of 2012. Overall the postal service expected a $15 billion deficit and a projected shortfall of $238 billion over the next ten years. No other government agency or private business is required to make such payments. The USPS has asked Congress to drop the requirement, to no avail.
But then last month, Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew announced that he would start dipping into two government employee retirement funds to buy more time before he US Treasury is faced with the prospect of defaulting.
In a letter to congressional leaders, Lew said that he would begin tapping the civil service retirement and disability fund, and the fund into which the postal service has paid billions of dollars to fund health benefits for future retirees, 75 years into the future!
Where is the public outcry? More baffling, where is the outrage of postal workers?
I urge you to get involved. The job you save could be your own.
In solidarity,
Maria Risener
"We may have found a cure for most evils; but we have found no remedy for the worst of them all, the apathy of human beings."
~Helen Keller
I was the lone postal worker in the contingent.
I do understand that many of us work Saturdays, and many cannot physically participate. Marching in a small town parade may not sound like it means a whole lot, especially in the grand scheme of things, but it's one of countless ways to raise awareness regarding the importance of unions and the issues that matter to us as union members. So for those who have Saturdays off, or who are able bodied, why was there no turnout?
There has been a lot of talk about GMO's in our foods recently. In fact, in November, there will be a ballot measure regarding labeling of foods containing GMO's. A GMO is a genetically modified organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. Organisms that have been genetically modified include micro-organisms such as bacteria and yeast, insects, plants, fish and mammals. GMO's are the source of genetically modified foods. They are banned in some 30 countries around the world, restricting our ability to trade with them, and they are not required to be labeled here in the US, giving consumers a choice between foods that do or do not contain GMO's.
What does that have to do with unions? Plenty. If you are leary of GMO's in your food, then buy locally grown, locally produced foods, which are less likely to contain them. Buying local is always great for the community, and it's a way of supporting our union brothers and sisters in the UFW (United Farm Workers).
This is just a single example of how vital to the infrastructure of our country unions are.
I encourage you to get out there at any possible opportunity you can to support labor friendly causes and to participate in labor friendly events, particularly APWU events.
I found myself very disappointed that not a single other postal worker turned out to show solidarity in this parade. The weather was beautiful and there were thousands of spectators lining the streets. I couldn't help but wonder why there is such low participation in union activities. During the Labor Neighbor Campaign, when so much was at stake for the USPS, there were only three postal workers in Washington state who participated. None of the postal workers I personally contacted could spare even two hours to phone bank or pass out flyers.
The individuals with whom I marched were informed as to the nature of the problems facing the postal service, but many people in the public, and many people employed by the USPS simply don't know what's going on and how tenuous a position the USPS is maintaining. This tight rope we are walking won't hold forever, and without union participation, our jobs and even our pensions are at stake.
On October 1, 2012, because of congressional inaction, the USPS defaulted on a $5.6 billion pre-payment for future retiree health benefits. It was the second such default in two months; the Postal Service missed a $5.5 billion payment in August of 2012. Overall the postal service expected a $15 billion deficit and a projected shortfall of $238 billion over the next ten years. No other government agency or private business is required to make such payments. The USPS has asked Congress to drop the requirement, to no avail.
But then last month, Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew announced that he would start dipping into two government employee retirement funds to buy more time before he US Treasury is faced with the prospect of defaulting.
In a letter to congressional leaders, Lew said that he would begin tapping the civil service retirement and disability fund, and the fund into which the postal service has paid billions of dollars to fund health benefits for future retirees, 75 years into the future!
Where is the public outcry? More baffling, where is the outrage of postal workers?
I urge you to get involved. The job you save could be your own.
In solidarity,
Maria Risener
"We may have found a cure for most evils; but we have found no remedy for the worst of them all, the apathy of human beings."
~Helen Keller
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
We Need to Be Visible to the Public!
As you know, last fall I had the memorable experience of working with the AFL-CIO's Labor Neighbor program, in which many unions worked together to educate union members and their families about the union friendly candidates in both state and national elections. It was a lot of hard work, but it was important work. It is vital for the general public to see unions working together for the betterment of all. After all, a rising tide floats all boats.
Along those lines, I have two opportunities for us as union members and postal workers to shine.
The first is marching in the Lynden Farmer's Day Parade.
Every year, the town of Lynden, WA, celebrates its agricultural heritage with the annual Farmer's Day Parade. Various groups participate, and it's a big event in this small conservative town.
This year, the Big Tent Party will be marching in the Farmer's Day Parade. In politics, a big tent or catch-all party is a political party seeking to attract people with diverse viewpoints and thus appeal to more of the electorate. The big tent approach is opposed to single-issue litmus tests and ideological rigidity, conversely advocating multiple ideologies and views within a party.
I'll be marching with the Big Tent Party in my American Postal Workers Union t-shirt. ALL who identify with the idea of the big tent party are invited to join in. Marriage equality supporters, this means you. Union members and labor friendly folks, I invite you to join me. Nurses, transit workers, teachers, electricians, longshoremen, all of you!
Postal workers, let's turn out in full force, too!
We'll be meeting at the corner of Front St. and 10th St. in Lynden at 10:00 am on Saturday, June 1, 2013. Parade begins at 10:30 am. Wear your t-shirts and buttons, and bring your signs and banners if you have them.
After the parade, enjoy the open air market in downtown Lynden, half price admission to the Lynden Pioneer Museum, Whatcom County Safety Fair for kids, and more. See link for more info on the parade itself. If enough of us Postal Workers turn out, I'm glad to host a picnic at my home not far from the parade route.
Questions? Please contact me via FB or email, mariaelisa64@msn.com
http://lynden.org/
This year, the Big Tent Party will be marching in the Farmer's Day Parade. In politics, a big tent or catch-all party is a political party seeking to attract people with diverse viewpoints and thus appeal to more of the electorate. The big tent approach is opposed to single-issue litmus tests and ideological rigidity, conversely advocating multiple ideologies and views within a party.
I'll be marching with the Big Tent Party in my American Postal Workers Union t-shirt. ALL who identify with the idea of the big tent party are invited to join in. Marriage equality supporters, this means you. Union members and labor friendly folks, I invite you to join me. Nurses, transit workers, teachers, electricians, longshoremen, all of you!
Postal workers, let's turn out in full force, too!
We'll be meeting at the corner of Front St. and 10th St. in Lynden at 10:00 am on Saturday, June 1, 2013. Parade begins at 10:30 am. Wear your t-shirts and buttons, and bring your signs and banners if you have them.
After the parade, enjoy the open air market in downtown Lynden, half price admission to the Lynden Pioneer Museum, Whatcom County Safety Fair for kids, and more. See link for more info on the parade itself. If enough of us Postal Workers turn out, I'm glad to host a picnic at my home not far from the parade route.
Questions? Please contact me via FB or email, mariaelisa64@msn.com
http://lynden.org/
The second opportunity I'd like to share with you comes from the Labor-Dem Work Group in Skagit County.
At the last Labor-Dem Work Group meeting, there was great enthusiasm for participating in the Skagit County Fair this year with a “Labor Tent.”
A consensus from the people who participated last year was that the Labor Tent was worth the effort: We had a visually vibrant presentation, lots of handouts, information, freebies, and many discussions with the fair attendees. We Need To Be Visible To The Public!
The Labor Tent has to be staffed from Wednesday, August 7 to August 10, 10 am to 10 pm so we need approximately 6 people each day to volunteer (2 people for 4 hours x 3 = 6 volunteers). We will also need people for set up on Tuesday and Take down Saturday night or Sunday morning.
Are you interested in participating in the Skagit County Fair?
We need to hear from you very soon to meet the application fees deadline: best to response by July 1!
Call Janet McKinney at 360-724-4913 or email at cedarwaxwings@gmail.com
We will set up a schedule for 3—4 hour shifts each day, so for 4 days we will need approximately 6 people per day.
All you need besides volunteers is Pro-Union, Pro-Worker Handouts, Posters, and Freebies.
Let me know soon whether your Union is interested in participating. If you are a union member, ask your union to participate and plan on volunteering.
In Solidarity,
Janet
Labor-Dem Work Group Coordinator
I encourage you to step up and get involved in your union.
"Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals."
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Board of Governors
Thanks to one of the RCA's in my office for sharing these interesting facts with me:
Did a quick look and see that for the 9 Board of Governor positions 4 are Bush appointees (with well credentialed Republican pedigrees), 1 an Obama appointee and 4 seats are vacant. (Filibusters…?) The Board of Governors is who elects the PMG. They appointed Donahoe in Oct 2010.
I haven’t looked to see what other Boards they each may also sit on but look at their bio’s. http://about.usps.com/who-we-are/leadership/board-governors-bios.htm#p=1
This jumped out at me – Louis J. Giuliano is a “senior advisor to the Carlyle Group” “Mr. Louis J. Giuliano is an Operating Executive at The Carlyle Group. Mr. Giuliano focuses on buyouts in the aerospace, defense, automotive, transportation, and industrial sectors in United States. He advises the firm on investments in these sectors, helping improve portfolio company operations and mentoring portfolio company officials. He is a part of Corporate Private Equity segment within which he is focuses on Europe Buyout…”
(note LJ Giuliano with Carlyle, Thurgood Marshall Jr with Corrections Corporation of America – CCA is the world’s largest private prison corporation)
Thurgood Marshall JR’s Board connections
Mickey D. Barnett (Chairman) is a member of the Federalist Society (same group that Scalia, John Roberts, Clarence Thomas and Sam Alito belong to)
Ellen C. Williams has a private business “Capital Network” which does “government affairs and lobbying”. I want to look further into that….
The lone Obama appointee, Dennis J. Toner was Biden’s Deputy Chief of Staff for 10 years and on Biden’s staff for 34 years.
The Nevada lawyer (Bilby?) sits on the Board of the Lucky Lady Corporation (it a casino company) http://jonathanwarren.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/bilbray.pdf
Ellen C Williams – chart of other board connections http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/relationship.asp?personId=54911683
James H Bilbray shares board affiliations with Safefreight Technology Ltd (read the full company overview and when USPS goes to real time scanning, I’ll bet money this is the company that gets the contract. It’s what Safefreight Tech does.)
“…The company’s products comprise SecurityGuard, a GPS tracking device that is vehicle mounted or cargo embedded, which allows to manage various transportation assets online; and Smartfleet, a Web-based fleet management software, which enables to manage vehicles and drivers…”
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
The Gathering of the Thugs
It's that time of year again when we Washington State members of the American Postal Workers' Union converge on a city and hold our convention and spring seminar. We've got great speakers slated to speak, and the training is always beneficial.
Last year's convention was in Spokane; this year's will be on the west side of the state in Olympia. The Spokane local hosted a great event, and I'm sure the Olympia area folks will also do a fine job.
I'm hopeful that I'll be re-elected as your District One Representative so that I can continue furthering the cause of labor.
If you have any questions you think I could get answered at this meeting of the minds, please email me at mariaelisa64@msn.com, or text me at 360-201-2420.
Off I go to Olympia!
In solidarity,
Maria Risener
Last year's convention was in Spokane; this year's will be on the west side of the state in Olympia. The Spokane local hosted a great event, and I'm sure the Olympia area folks will also do a fine job.
I'm hopeful that I'll be re-elected as your District One Representative so that I can continue furthering the cause of labor.
If you have any questions you think I could get answered at this meeting of the minds, please email me at mariaelisa64@msn.com, or text me at 360-201-2420.
Off I go to Olympia!
In solidarity,
Maria Risener
Thursday, April 11, 2013
District One Meeting
Thank you to my brothers and sisters who attended this month's District One meeting of the WAPWU on Sunday, April 7, 2013. For those of you who were not able to attend, I'll give you a brief overview of the meeting:
District One meeting was held Sunday, April 7, 2013, in Lynden, WA, at the home of District One Rep Maria Risener.
Meeting began at 2:00 p.m. and adjourned at 3:30 p.m.
In attendance were:
Maria Risener, District One Rep, PTF Clerk, Lynden WA 98264
Cathryn Harrington, PSE, Mt Baker Station, Bellingham WA 98228
Gail Parbon, PTF Clerk, Custer, WA 98240
Devon Hoffman, FTR Clerk, Everson, WA 98247
Thomas Mayer, PTF Clerk, Pt. Roberts, WA 98281
Tom Devine, FTR Clerk, Shop Steward, Mt Baker Station, Bellingham, WA 98228
The meeting began with introductions and then I gave an overview of what's been going on in our state and in our district regarding the APWU. I discussed last year's state convention when I was named District Rep and I talked about the National Convention, going over some of the literature that was handed out in Los Angeles. I also talked about Steward's College and encouraged anyone interested to consider attending. I explained my participation in the AFL-CIO's Labor-Neighbor Program and how vital all unions are to working people. The floor was opened for questions, and some discussion was had about the 50 mile radius, converting PTF's to FTR's and PSE's to PTF's, and the recent Das award.
I opened the floor up for nominations for delegates to this year's WAPWU convention in May; I nominated Thomas Mayer, and Gail Parbon nominated Tom Devine.
Voting was by secret ballot; each nominee received three votes. Thomas Mayer then respectfully withdrew his name from consideration and expressed his hope to attend next year's convention.
As for information other than the District Meeting:
If you are in a Level 15 or 16 office your PM can only perform 25 hours of clerk work during the course of a week.
If you are in a Level 18 office your PM can only perform 15 hours of clerk work per week.
If you are in an office of a higher level then your PM or Supervisors CANNOT perform clerk work period except as outlined in 1.6A of the CBA.
I have a survey that WAPWU MAL’s can fill out on a daily basis and then mail or scan it in to me weekly. Also I can get access to POS WOS reports which can better pinpoint time on the window. I do need ACE user id’s to identify who is who as the POS WOS report only shows ACE user id’s, not individual names. If you are challenging management's time covering the window please give me the previously mentioned id’s.
There was a huge case won by the APWU recently. It's a MUST READ for anyone in a smaller office.
You can find it on the APWU website:
In Solidarity,
Maria Risener
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
District One Spring Meeting
Greetings Brothers and Sisters,
I am trying to get hold of everyone I can, but to help cover my bases, would you please let all the WAPWU members in your District One offices know that there will be a District One Meeting on Sunday, April 7, at my home at 314 East Grover Street in Lynden. We will be discussing the contract, answering questions, and electing a fully funded delegate to attend the State Convention with me in Olympia in May.
I realize Lynden is not convenient for many people, but our district is so large and spread out that no location would be convenient, and I'm going to be recuperating from major surgery on my hand, so travel is more difficult for me than normal.
If you are unable to attend but would like to nominate someone to attend the convention, please let me know. And please RSVP, I'll be serving refreshments and it would be helpful to have a rough idea of how many people will be there. Thanks. Looking forward to getting together with as many of you as are able to attend.
I apologize if you get this message more than once.
In Solidarity,
Maria
Thursday, February 7, 2013
The Right Man for the Job
Today I had the privilege of again being on the air with Joe Teehan, host of The Joe Show, a local progressive radio talk show in Bellingham, Washington. Joe understands the plight of the USPS very well and does what he can to educate the public about the real issues that are paving the path to privatization of the USPS.
Joe asked me whether I thought Postmaster General Donohoe was the right man for the job, the right man to be at the helm of this sinking ship.
The PMG is slashing jobs and hours, closing facilities, requiring the general public to pay more and more for less and less service, and disregarding the citizens throughout the US who don't have access to the internet, who are elderly, who are of low or modest income, who live in isolated rural areas. A true leader leads by example, but PMG Donohoe exempts himself from any kind of sacrifice. In spite of the Congressionally manufactured crisis faced by the Postal Service, and in spite of unjustifiable cuts to the service, PMG's compensation package in 2011 was just about $400,000.00. He has the audacity to require cuts across the board, but he and his executives, whose compensation ranges around $200,000 annually, show no signs of making any sacrifices themselves. Clearly, this is not the man for the job.
We as employees need a leader who will step up and speak out before Congress, who will rally the troops, so to speak, who will take a strong stand and fight for the Postal Service. If we are to survive this crippling time, we need a leader of strong character and ethics guiding the agency through these rough waters.
Ralph Nader has written an open letter asking PMG Donohoe to resign. It makes for an excellent read, and is signed by Nader and several other leaders. It can be found at
http://nader.org/2012/04/26/letter-to-postmaster-general-patrick-donahoe-it-is-time-to-resign/
I encourage you to read this. It's an informative and accurate narrative on why Mr. Donohoe should resign as PMG.
In solidarity,
Maria Risener
District 1 Representative, WAPWU
Joe asked me whether I thought Postmaster General Donohoe was the right man for the job, the right man to be at the helm of this sinking ship.
The PMG is slashing jobs and hours, closing facilities, requiring the general public to pay more and more for less and less service, and disregarding the citizens throughout the US who don't have access to the internet, who are elderly, who are of low or modest income, who live in isolated rural areas. A true leader leads by example, but PMG Donohoe exempts himself from any kind of sacrifice. In spite of the Congressionally manufactured crisis faced by the Postal Service, and in spite of unjustifiable cuts to the service, PMG's compensation package in 2011 was just about $400,000.00. He has the audacity to require cuts across the board, but he and his executives, whose compensation ranges around $200,000 annually, show no signs of making any sacrifices themselves. Clearly, this is not the man for the job.
We as employees need a leader who will step up and speak out before Congress, who will rally the troops, so to speak, who will take a strong stand and fight for the Postal Service. If we are to survive this crippling time, we need a leader of strong character and ethics guiding the agency through these rough waters.
Ralph Nader has written an open letter asking PMG Donohoe to resign. It makes for an excellent read, and is signed by Nader and several other leaders. It can be found at
http://nader.org/2012/04/26/letter-to-postmaster-general-patrick-donahoe-it-is-time-to-resign/
I encourage you to read this. It's an informative and accurate narrative on why Mr. Donohoe should resign as PMG.
In solidarity,
Maria Risener
District 1 Representative, WAPWU
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Five reasons to oppose 5-day delivery
Today the PMG announced the implementation of five day delivery by August of this year. This move has been lauded by those legislators who are either too shortsighted to see the big picture, or motivated by the potential profits they could make if the Postal Service were eventually privatized.
Other legislators and labor leaders have denounced this move by the PMG, realizing that there is a bigger picture, and that five day delivery is a temporary and ineffective stopgap measure.
Why exactly do so many people oppose five day delivery? Sure, it sounds good at first blush, but there are far reaching implications to this action.
1. It’s penny-wise and pound-foolish.
Saturday delivery is the Postal Service’s key strategic advantage over its private competitors, UPS and FedEx. Giving away our most important comparative advantage in the one area of the postal market that is likely to grow when the economy recovers—e-commerce package delivery—would be very risky. And there has been measurable growth: USPS package delivery has increased 14% since 2010. Over time, the loss of this growing revenue would outweigh the short-term savings. Dismantling the Postal Service is NOT the way to save it. It will lead to a death spiral that will harm rural Americans while doing very little to improve the condition of the Postal Service.
2. It will drive customers away.
Slower service—letters mailed on Friday nights would not be picked up until Monday morning or Monday afternoon—and less frequent delivery is likely to accelerate the shift to electronic invoicing and electronic bill paying. Booming businesses like mail order prescriptions would be threatened. Reduced service would also threaten one of the fastest growing segments of the mail—Parcel Select—as UPS, FedEx and other consolidators would reconsider their use of last-mile delivery services by USPS letter carriers. Consider that 30.4% of FedEx ground shipments are delivered by the Postal Service. Slowing mail service and degrading our unmatchable last mile delivery network are not the answers to the Postal Service's problems. Providing fewer services and less quality will prompt customers to seek other shipping options, dooming the USPS to ultimate failure, and paving the path to privatization. The USPS has already slashed service by reducing hours at post offices, closing hundreds of processing facilities, and closing 13000 post offices nationwide. Services have been downgraded and are being felt everywhere.
Just yesterday, a friend of mine in South Dakota posted on my Facebook page: This isn't a big deal to me personally (one less day to get bills!) but the lost wages/hours for the employees locally will matter. It's just one more service we won't have on top of our local post office being shut down which STILL bugs me!! Our mail service is spotty, every carrier has their own schedule at the other office so I never know when our carrier is supposed to be here and the new carriers seem to hate coming to our town. You never know what you've got till it's gone...
3. It would prompt the emergence of new competitors.
If the Postal Service doesn’t deliver on Saturdays, other companies will step in to fill the void. Executives from niche delivery firms welcome the news of five day delivery. Many companies view the Postal Service’s exit from Saturday delivery as a business opportunity. Once established, competitors will demand a “level playing field” and ask Congress to open the nation’s mailboxes to their services, making it impossible to enforce the monopoly and maintain affordable universal service, even in areas where it is not profitable. The move to five day delivery is misguided and counterproductive. Postmaster General Patrick Donohoe needs to come up with an effective business plan to tap the full potential of the Postal Service. The Postal Service is an essential American institution, mandated by the US Constitution. In fact, the PMG has yet to receive congressional approval to implement this change, which is mandated by law. Mr. Donohoe needs to realize that he is not above the law.
4. It would set a bad precedent.
If the language requiring six-day delivery were repealed, there would be no legal barrier to prevent the Postal Service from reducing delivery days further, from 5-day to 4- or 3-day delivery. Indeed, Business Week magazine called on the Postal Service to shift immediately to 3-day delivery within days of the Postal Service’s announcement of its action plan. That would not only destroy half our jobs, but also likely lead to a death spiral for the Postal Service—less service leading to less mail volume leading to less service, and so on. If the Postmaster General is unwilling or unable to develop a smart growth strategy that serves the nearly 50% of business mailers that want to keep six day service, and if he arrogantly thinks he is above the law or has the right to decide policy matters that should be left to Congress, it is time for him to resign. Benjamin Franklin must be rolling in his grave! The Postal Service needs to pursue avenues of revenue that will enable it to stay viable and competitive in the digital era, not pave the path to privatization.
If the language requiring six-day delivery were repealed, there would be no legal barrier to prevent the Postal Service from reducing delivery days further, from 5-day to 4- or 3-day delivery. Indeed, Business Week magazine called on the Postal Service to shift immediately to 3-day delivery within days of the Postal Service’s announcement of its action plan. That would not only destroy half our jobs, but also likely lead to a death spiral for the Postal Service—less service leading to less mail volume leading to less service, and so on. If the Postmaster General is unwilling or unable to develop a smart growth strategy that serves the nearly 50% of business mailers that want to keep six day service, and if he arrogantly thinks he is above the law or has the right to decide policy matters that should be left to Congress, it is time for him to resign. Benjamin Franklin must be rolling in his grave! The Postal Service needs to pursue avenues of revenue that will enable it to stay viable and competitive in the digital era, not pave the path to privatization.
5. It’s not necessary.
The Postal Service has hidden financial strengths, with fully funded pension plans and, if the accounting is done properly, fully funded retiree health benefits. If we can convince Congress and the administration to fairly allocate pension costs and correct the $75 billion error made by the OPM when it established our retiree health fund, eliminating Saturday delivery would not be necessary.
The Postal Service has hidden financial strengths, with fully funded pension plans and, if the accounting is done properly, fully funded retiree health benefits. If we can convince Congress and the administration to fairly allocate pension costs and correct the $75 billion error made by the OPM when it established our retiree health fund, eliminating Saturday delivery would not be necessary.
The Postmaster General acknowledged as much at a March 18 hearing before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee. “If that [recovering the $75 billion and applying it to future retiree health care] were to happen,” he said, “we wouldn’t have to go to six-, to five-day delivery.” Five day delivery is projected to save the postal service about $2 billion a year, far short of what is needed.
The financial woes of the postal service are a direct result of an unsustainable congressional mandate that was imposed in 2006, the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act. This federal law forces the USPS to prefund healthcare benefits for future retirees and to do so in the unrealistic period of ten years. Since the act was implemented in 2007, the USPS has been required to pay about $5.5 billion a year in pre-funding, but the same law prohibits the USPS from raising rates to cover those costs. The USPS is being massively overcharged for these pre-funding requirements, and there are excess postal pension assets in the civil service retirement fund that could be used to cover retiree health costs in the future. Five day delivery is projected to save the postal service about $2 billion a year, far less than the $5.5 billion that would be saved by Congress repealing this law. Congress manufactured this crisis; Congress must act to save the USPS.
And, for the record, the USPS receives not one penny of taxpayer money.
What can you do to help? Visit www.saveourpostoffice.us, the website for a private, grassroots organization founded in August 2012. They began a letter writing campaign, urging Americans to mail postcards to them, which they will then present to President Obama and Congress. They also have an online petition that already has over 14,000 signatures to maintain the postal service in its current form, without cuts to service, whether it be five day delivery, plant closures, or reduction or elimination of local post offices. And contact your legislators and tell them to Save Our Post Office.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Hi Ho, Hi Ho, The PMG Must Go
The lucky ones, some 26,500 of them, who took the early out have embarked on the next chapter of their lives, apres USPS. Those of us who are still working are left to wonder what's next for us and for the Postal Service.
Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe has repeatedly spoken about the $11 billion surplus in the pension fund. Yet in the latest video viewed by employees, the PMG said that the surplus is actually closer to $6 billion. Are we supposed to just accept that a $5 billion accounting error simply occured? That's a mighty big "Oops!" if you ask me. And not once in that address to employees did the PMG say anything remotely resembling "I'm sorry for this mistake" or "I apologize for misleading all of you." It seems to me that this man does not have the best interests of the Postal Service at heart.
Donahue came up through the ranks of the USPS yet he consistently has approached saving the Postal Service with proposals to slow service, close and sell post offices, and cut thousands of jobs. In times like these, when the USPS is facing serious problems, we need a leader who is willing to demonstrate creative problem solving skills instead of stumping to close over 3700 post offices and 252 processing centers.
Senator Bernie Sanders, a true champion of the USPS, has offered proposals to expand services at post offices that would create revenue. Donahue speaks about solving the fiscal problems by cutting services, and harps on how the internet is destroying first class mail. The PMG stated last year: "From a fiscally responsible standpoint, we have to move ahead on this. We've lost too much [mail] volume and we have to address the infrastructure." Restructuring sounds good, but Donahue's ideas of restructuring are very different from those of lawmakers who are friendly toward the USPS.
Ralph Nader has pointed out that the savings from closing rural post offices is so small, $200 million a year, that it isn't worth the havoc it would cause for "millions of rural Americans already strip-mined of other essential services." Closing post offices would force Americans to spend more time and more money on gas to travel longer distances to get to another post office.
Apparently Mr. Donahue forgets that we all work for the US Postal SERVICE. If SERVICE is part of who we are, then how does it make sense to cut services to the American public, rather than expand them?
Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe has repeatedly spoken about the $11 billion surplus in the pension fund. Yet in the latest video viewed by employees, the PMG said that the surplus is actually closer to $6 billion. Are we supposed to just accept that a $5 billion accounting error simply occured? That's a mighty big "Oops!" if you ask me. And not once in that address to employees did the PMG say anything remotely resembling "I'm sorry for this mistake" or "I apologize for misleading all of you." It seems to me that this man does not have the best interests of the Postal Service at heart.
Donahue came up through the ranks of the USPS yet he consistently has approached saving the Postal Service with proposals to slow service, close and sell post offices, and cut thousands of jobs. In times like these, when the USPS is facing serious problems, we need a leader who is willing to demonstrate creative problem solving skills instead of stumping to close over 3700 post offices and 252 processing centers.
Senator Bernie Sanders, a true champion of the USPS, has offered proposals to expand services at post offices that would create revenue. Donahue speaks about solving the fiscal problems by cutting services, and harps on how the internet is destroying first class mail. The PMG stated last year: "From a fiscally responsible standpoint, we have to move ahead on this. We've lost too much [mail] volume and we have to address the infrastructure." Restructuring sounds good, but Donahue's ideas of restructuring are very different from those of lawmakers who are friendly toward the USPS.
Ralph Nader has pointed out that the savings from closing rural post offices is so small, $200 million a year, that it isn't worth the havoc it would cause for "millions of rural Americans already strip-mined of other essential services." Closing post offices would force Americans to spend more time and more money on gas to travel longer distances to get to another post office.
Apparently Mr. Donahue forgets that we all work for the US Postal SERVICE. If SERVICE is part of who we are, then how does it make sense to cut services to the American public, rather than expand them?
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Get on Board!
The holidays are finally behind us. No matter how festive and full of love, joy, family and friends the holiday season is, the fact remains that for us postal workers, the season comes with tremendous stress, lots of overtime, and weariness. I know that I was too tired to enjoy much of the holiday season. Working six days a week all month long just wore me out.
But it's a new year, and we have new opportunities ahead of us. There will be new challenges, to be sure, and there will be even more changes in the postal service, as well as in the union. Some of the changes may not be welcome or pleasant, but that doesn't change the fact that they are coming.
We need to bond together as a union, now more than ever, as the postal service changes and morphs into something completely different than it's ever been before. United we stand. There is strength in numbers. It's cliche, but it's very true.
Do you work with someone who's a scab? Encourage them to join the union. I used to cringe when I heard the word scab, and I was reluctant to apply it to anyone. But that's no longer the case. The fact is that a scab is a scab; they benefit from the work of the union and the dues of the members, but don't commit at all to the cause of the union or the work that needs to be done.
How do we encourage non-members to join? It's a challenge to be sure. There are some people who simply will not join the union, regardless. But there are others who need the right nudge or motivation or encouragement... these are the ones to encourage, to educate, and to work on.
I worked with another clerk for many years. She was a scab and said she wouldn't join the union because she'd never known the union to do anything for her personally. She couldn't see the forest for the trees. The big picture of wages and benefits negotiated for all postal workers was lost on her, because she'd had minimal or no representation by the union when she needed it. She is an MAL and has no local to turn to; her district rep was busy and somehow she fell through the cracks.
An occasion arose when this person was disciplined for an alleged safety violation. I went to bat for her, representing her as wholeheartedly as I would represent a union member. The result was that she joined the union immediately. She's no longer a scab.
We're busy enough representing members, and there is a degree of resentment toward those among our ranks who are parasites, benefiting from our wages and hard work, and expecting to be represented when they need it, without contributing anything to the union, financially or otherwise. Yet these are the people we need to recruit and to organize. Membership is down; PSE's are encouraged to join the union, and that's wonderful. We need every member we can get. But new employees alone aren't enough.
Reach out to a scab... see if you can figure out a way to persuade them to join forces with us and to become part of our union, to be a brother or sister in our family.
In solidarity,
Maria
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