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Congressional
Support
Growing for Postal
Service Protection Act
(05/20/13) Since the beginning of May, 18 more U.S. Representatives have signed
on as co-sponsors of the Postal Service Protection Act (H.R. 630), a bill that
would help solve the USPS financial crisis without hurting workers or downgrading
mail service. The legislation has gained has 146 co-sponsors since it was introduced
by Rep. Peter DeFazio (OR-4) on Feb. 13. [read
more]
47 Members of Congress Tell PMG:
Stop Accelerating Consolidation
Of Mail Processing
(05/20/13) Forty-seven members of Congress have signed a letter to
Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe urging him to stand by his commitment
to keep more than 70 mail processing facilities open until next spring. “We
believe it would be imprudent of the United States Postal Service (USPS)
to close or eliminate processing of mail, at any facility, ahead of schedule,” the
May 20 letter says. The letter was written in response to management’s
decision to close or consolidate 71 mail processing facilities this year
that were scheduled for possible consolidation in 2014. [read
more]
 |
(05/06/13) The APWU is asking union members and supporters to sign an
online petition urging the White House to Save the Postal Service
and Save American Jobs by supporting the Postal Service Protection
Act (H.R. 630 in the House and S. 316 in the Senate). The We the People petition
must garner 100,000 signers by May 24 to generate a response from the
White House. We still need more than 80,000 additional signatures!
[read more]
Eight More U.S. Reps.
Co-sponsor Postal
Service Protection Act
(05/02/13) In the past week, eight more members of the U.S. House of Representatives
became co-sponsors
of the Postal Service Protection Act (H.R. 630), a bill that would
help solve the USPS financial crisis without hurting workers or mail
service.
[read
more]
(04/26/13) The APWU is asking union members and supporters to sign an online petition urging the White House to Save the Postal Service and Save American Jobs by supporting the Postal Service Protection Act (H.R. 630 in the House / S. 316 in the Senate). The We the People petition, which was posted by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), must garner 100,000 signers by May 24 to generate a response from the White House. “So sign the petition!” said Legislative and Political Director Myke Reid. [read more]
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(04/30/13) U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee (left) with Michigan Postal Workers Union President John Marcotte at an MPWU Educational Conference on April 27, during which Kildee pledged to support the Posal Service Protection Act (H.R. 630). |
(04/25/13) Legislation to restore financial health to the U.S. Postal Service has gained more support in Congress, thanks in large part to the efforts of APWU members who have contacted lawmakers. As of April 24, 20 senators and 120 representatives have signed on as co-sponsors of the Postal Service Protection Act (S. 316 in the Senate, H.R. 630 in the House). [read more]
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(04/17/12) "Our fight is at a critical juncture,” APWU President Cliff Guffey is telling union members. “After several failed attempts at postal reform, Congressional leaders are again negotiating over the terms of a postal reform bill,” Guffey said. “In the meantime, the USPS is proceeding with plans to dismantle the Postal Service — closing mail processing centers, slashing hours at post offices, and reducing service,” he added. [read more]
APWU President:
‘Congress
is Killing the USPS ’
Union Calls on USPS to Postpone Consolidations
(04/11/13)“Congress is killing the Postal Service,” President
Cliff Guffey declared on April 10. “Its failure to act is pushing
the Postal Service to the brink of bankruptcy and threatens to destroy
the institution,” he said. “While Saturday mail delivery
has dominated recent discussions about the Postal Service, little attention
has been paid to other drastic measures the USPS is taking that will
significantly delay mail and permanently damage the nation’s mail
system,” he remarked after the USPS Board of Governors announced
it was backing off plans to end delivery of letters and periodicals on
Saturdays. [read
more]
(03/27/13) “The APWU is outraged by USPS plans to accelerate the closure of 71 mail processing plants that were originally slated for possible consolidation in 2014,” said APWU President Cliff Guffey. “These closures will eliminate jobs, harm communities, and delay mail delivery every day — Monday, through Saturday,” he said. The consolidations will drastically curtail local mail sortation and will virtually eliminate overnight delivery. [read more]
(03/21/13) Legislation to restore financial health to the U.S. Postal Service has begun to attract widespread support in Congress, thanks in large part to the efforts of APWU members. Soon after the Postal Service Protection Act (S. 316/H.R. 630) was introduced, local officers who attended an APWU National Presidents Conference in Washington DC fanned out across Capitol Hill to make the case for preserving the USPS without hurting postal workers or damaging the service we provide citizens and businesses across the country. [read more]
(03/11/13) Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) introduced the Postal Service Stabilization Act (H.R. 961) on March 5, a measure that would enhance the financial viability of the USPS. The bill would require the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to recalculate the Postal Service’s pension liabilities to the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) using postal-specific salary and demographic assumptions. [read more]
(03/11/13)
Local officers who attended the recent APWU National Presidents Conference
in Washington, DC made the rounds on Capitol Hill March 4 to build support
for the Postal Service Protection Act (S. 316/H.R. 630). [read
more]
(03/01/13) APWU President Cliff Guffey is urging postal employees
to ask their U.S. senators and representative to support the Postal
Service Protection Act (S. 316 and H.R. 630). “This legislation would
go a long way toward solving the Postal Service’s financial crisis.
It would make many of the planned cutbacks in service unnecessary,
give postal employees a greater sense of security, and give the American
people a Postal Service they can count on for the future,” Guffey
wrote in a mailing to union members, non-members and retirees.
[read
more]
(02/19/13) The APWU President Cliff Guffey is calling on union members
to ask their senators and representatives to co-sponsor a pair of postal
reform bills that were introduced in the House and Senate on Feb. 13.
The Senate bill (S. 316) was introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
with eight co-sponsors; the House bill (H.R. 630) was introduced by
Rep. Pete DeFazio (D-OR).
[read
more]
Congress Must Act Now,
Guffey Tells Senate Panel
(02/13/13) “The crisis confronting the Postal Service is
dire, but the demise of the USPS is not inevitable,” APWU President
Cliff Guffey told a Senate panel on Feb. 13. “Congress must end
the mandate of the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA)
that requires the USPS to pre-fund healthcare benefits for future retirees.
This requirement, which ostensibly was implemented to protect taxpayers
in the event the USPS ‘goes under,’ is instead drowning
the agency in a sea of debt,” Guffey said in a written statement. [read
more]
(02/08/13) APWU President Cliff Guffey will testify before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on Feb. 13 about Solutions to the Crisis Facing the U.S. Postal Service.“I will tell members of the Senate Committee that they have a solemn duty to save the nation’s mail system,” the union president said. “The future of the Postal Service is in their hands. [read more]
The End Game
Privatizers Say: Contract Out Everything But Delivery
(02/08/13) A document prepared by a group of “postal industry thought leaders” about
the USPS financial crisis reveals the “end game of those who want to privatize
the Postal Service,” writes APWU Executive Vice President Greg Bell. “Privatization
is the ultimate goal of those who are using the unsustainable mandates of the
PAEA as an excuse to dismantle the USPS retail and mail processing network,” he
says. While corporations like Pitney Bowes, UPS FedEx stand to benefit, he adds,
privatization would mean “more cutbacks in service and higher costs
for postal customers.” [read more]
APWU Condemns USPS
Plans to Cut Service
Dismantling Postal Service Will Not Save It
(02/06/13) “The APWU condemns the Postal Service’s decision to eliminate
Saturday mail delivery, which will only deepen the agency’s congressionally-manufactured
financial crisis," said union president Cliff Guffey. "The USPS has
already begun slashing mail service by closing 13,000 post offices or drastically
reducing hours of operation, shutting hundreds of mail processing facilities,
and downgrading standards for mail delivery to America’s homes and businesses...
USPS executives cannot save the Postal Service by tearing it apart. These across-the-board
cutbacks will weaken the nation’s mail system and put it on a path
to privatization." [read
more]
Guffey:
Congress Must Act Quickly To Pass Postal Bill
(01/15/13) Congress
must work quickly to pass a postal reform bill, APWU President Cliff
Guffey told broadcaster Ed Schultz in a radio interview on Jan. 14. “It
doesn’t matter whether the Postal Service will run out of money
early this year or late this year — it’s the right thing
to do.” Lawmakers should pick up where they left off at the end
of the last session of Congress, Guffey said, instead of starting all
over. [read
more]
Guffey Tells Union Members:
Get Ready – The Fight Goes On
(01/03/13) Congress’ failure to enact postal reform in 2012 means
the legislative fight to Save America’s Postal Service goes
on, APWU President Cliff Guffey is telling union members. Postal reform
legislation that was introduced in the 112th Congress — but not signed into law — died on Jan. 3,
when the members of the 113th Congress were sworn in. “New legislation
must be introduced this year to reform USPS finances and undo the mess Congress
made when it passed the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA) in 2006,” Guffey
said. [read more]
Convenient Untruths
(01/01/13) When the postal service announced in November that it
had incurred a $15.9 billion loss in the fiscal year that ended Sept.
30, 2012, newspaper editorial boards and anti-government politicians
cited the figure as proof that the Postal Service is doomed. They bemoaned
the USPS financial crisis and called for privatization of the nation’s mail system.
Many blamed the Internet and some even attributed the postal deficit to “excessive” labor
costs. But those explanations are just convenient distortions of the
truth. [read
more]
PRC Urges USPS
To Preserve Overnight Delivery
(10/02/12) In an advisory opinion on the Postal Service’s “Network
Rationalization” plan issued Sept. 28, the Postal Regulatory Commission
(PRC) urged the Postal Service to preserve overnight mail delivery and concluded
that "there is a point in the Postal Service’s cost curve
beyond which the additional savings captured are too small to justify
the additional reduction of service that would result." [read
more]
House Inaction Brings USPS To Brink of Default – Again
(09/28/12) House inaction to resolve the congressionally-manufactured
USPS financial crisis has brought the Postal Service to the brink of default
for the second time in two months, President Cliff Guffey is warning APWU
members. The USPS has announced that, “absent legislative action,” it
will be unable to make a $5.6 billion payment to the U.S. Treasury to
prefund future retiree health benefits on Sept. 30. [read
more]
Postal
Service Default:
A Congressionally-Manufactured Crisis
(09/01/12) The Postal Service’s default on a $5.5 billion
payment to the U.S. Treasury on Aug. 1 — and an expected
default on Sept. 30 — is the result of a congressionally-manufactured
crisis that could have been avoided, the APWU charged over the
summer. Although the August default hasn’t had immediate
consequences for mail delivery or on employees’ pay, the
Postal Service’s
precarious financial situation is forcing the agency to scale
back overnight mail delivery, close half of the nation’s
mail processing centers, and slash hours at post offices, APWU
President Cliff Guffey pointed out. And businesses, communities
and individual customers are bracing for more severe cuts in
the months ahead. [read more]
Congress’ Failure
Pushes
USPS to Brink of Default
(07/26/12) The failure of House Republican
leaders to take action to resolve the congressionally-manufactured
USPS financial crisis has brought the Postal Service to the
brink of default, APWU President Cliff Guffey is warning union
members. A $5.5 billion payment is due to the U.S. Treasury
on Aug. 1, but the Postal Service cannot make the payment. The
default will have no immediate impact on mail delivery or employees’ pay,
Guffey noted. But the missed payment will focus attention on
the Postal Service — and many of the pronouncements will
be misleading or downright inaccurate, he warned.
[read
more]
Guffey
Blasts House Leaders
(07/18/12) APWU President Cliff Guffey is blasting
House Republican leaders for their “utter failure to solve the nation’s problems.” Guffey
made the remarks in response to recent signals that the chamber won’t
act on postal reform legislation until after Congress’s August recess – and
perhaps not until after the November elections. In light of the failure,
the union president is calling on APWU members to focus their attention
on the upcoming elections. “The House leadership’s inaction
demonstrates the importance of changing the politics in our country,” he
said. [read
more]
President's Viewpoint
The Long and Winding Road to Real Reform
(07/01/12) Are you ready for a busy summer? I hope so, because
it looks like APWU members will need to spend much of the season
persuading members of Congress that enacting customer-friendly,
worker-friendly postal reform legislation is absolutely necessary — and
urgent. Although the Senate passed a bipartisan postal reform
bill in April, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives
hasn’t been in any hurry to address the issue — despite
the fact that the USPS is beginning to consolidate mail processing
facilities and will start downgrading service standards effective
July 1. The Postal Service also plans to slash hours at thousands
upon thousands of post offices in the near future. [read
more]
APWU Members Keep Up the Pressure
(07/01/12)
Hundreds of members of the APWU and National Postal Mail Handlers
Union rallied in front of post offices around the country Tax
Day, April 17, to save America’s Postal Service. At the
main post office in Royal Oak, MI, Local 480-481 President Roscoe
Woods said he and his members have a simple message. “Congress
created this mess,” he said, “and Congress must fix
it.” Woods was referring to the 2006 congressional mandate
that the Postal Service pre-fund future retirement health benefits
for the next 75 years, and do it in a 10-year window. No other
government agency or private business bears a similar burden,
which drains $5.5 billion in postal revenue each year. [read
more]
(07/01/12) On May 17, the Postal Service announced that it would begin implementing a “new” network consolidation plan. Unfortunately, the new plan is the same as the old plan. In February, the USPS announced that it had approved 223 mail processing facilities for consolidation, with six more still under study. On May 17, we learned that the Postal Service intends to consolidate 48 plants before Aug. 31, take a break during the fall mailing season, and then consolidate another 92 plants beginning in January 2013. Management intends to consolidate 89 additional plants by the end of 2014 — for a total of 229 mail processing facilities. The bottom line is the same as it ever was: Cut the current mail processing network of 461 plants in half. [read more]
(07/01/12) Ignoring the urging of numerous senators and many others, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) has signaled his intent to bring to the House floor a postal bill that unions, customers, small businesses and many legislators have condemned. In a memo to Republican lawmakers dated May 25, Cantor said the GOP would work to bring H.R.2309 forward for consideration between the July 4 holiday and Congress’ August recess. [read more]
APWU to Re-Air T.V. Ad
As Campaign to Defeat House Postal Bill Heats Up
(06/22/12)The APWU will air a revised version of one of its popular
television ads beginning on June 25, President Cliff Guffey has announced.
The ad will be broadcast through July, with spots airing on CNN, MSNBC,
and Fox News. “Rep. Darrell Issa and GOP House leaders are trying
to round up support for H.R. 2309, a bill that would destroy the Postal
Service,” Guffey said. “We must make sure that the American
people — and members of Congress — realize the danger it
poses.” [read
more]
Watch Your Mail, Tell Your U.S. Representative:
Stop H.R. 2309, Vote NO!
(06/19/12) A bill that would destroy the Postal Service — and
our jobs — could be voted on in the House of Representatives in
July, and APWU President Cliff Guffey is calling on union members to
send their legislators a message: Vote NO on H.R. 2309! To help
APWU members send the message to Congress, the union will be mailing
a brochure to the homes of union members in the coming days. President
Guffey is asking all recipients to sign the postcard included in the
brochure, affix a stamp, and mail the card to their U.S. representatives.
[read
more]
PRC to Expedite Decision on APWU Complaint
(06/15/12) The Postal Regulatory Commission will issue an expedited
decision on a complaint filed by the APWU that seeks to stop the USPS
from implementing its network consolidation plan on July 1, the panel
has announced. The union filed a complaint on June 12 asserting that the
USPS cannot implement the changes without first obtaining an advisory
opinion from the commission. [read
more]
APWU Seeks to Stop
Consolidations
Until PRC Issues Opinion
(06/08/12) The APWU assailed a “modified” USPS consolidation
plan at a hearing before the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) on June
7, and notified the panel that the union will file a complaint seeking
to stop the Postal Service from consolidating mail processing facilities
and reducing service until after the PRC issues an advisory opinion
on the plan. [read
more]
APWU Tells Members:
Get Ready for a Busy Summer
(05/29/12) APWU members should get ready for a busy summer, union
President Cliff Guffey said as the unofficial start of the season got
underway. “We must continue to take our message to members of Congress and the American people,” he
said. [read
more]
Urgent Call to Action:
Contact
Members Of Congress
During Memorial Day Recess
(05/21/12) The APWU and the National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU)
are asking their locals and state organizations to meet with their U.S.
representatives at their district offices during the Memorial Day congressional
recess, May 21 to May 29, to urge them to act now to save the Postal Service
from financial collapse. “APWU members should urge House members
to act on postal reform as soon as they return, and use the Senate bill
as a starting point for discussion,” said APWU President Cliff Guffey. [read
more]
'Modified' Consolidation Plan Is More of the Same
USPS Union Members Must Fight Back, House Must Act Now
(05/17/12) USPS management announced on May 17 that it would
begin implementing a “modified” consolidation plan immediately,
but the “new” plan employs the same essential strategy as
the old plan: Impose drastic cuts to service and the mail processing network,
and eliminate tens of thousands of jobs. The only difference is that the “new” plan
will take a little longer to complete. [read
more]
Members of Congress
Seek Extension of Moratorium
(05/11/12) More than 100 U.S. representatives have signed a letter
to Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe, urging him to extend the moratorium
on the closure of post offices and mail processing facilities, and asking
him to refrain from cutting hours at rural offices.
[read
more]
APWU Urges House:
Address
Postal Reform Now, Start With Senate Bill
(05/10/12) As the May 15 expiration of a moratorium on the closure
of post offices and mail processing facilities approaches, the APWU
is urging the House of Representatives to address postal reform immediately,
and to use the Senate bill as a starting point. The USPS’ May 9
announcement about keeping rural offices open isn’t binding and
won’t solve the USPS financial crisis, so we must keep fighting,
the union says. [read
more]
APWU Statement
On USPS Announcement
About Rural Post Offices
(05/10/12) The APWU is continuing to analyze the Postal Service’s
May 9 announcement that it will allow rural post offices to remain open,
but with reduced hours. “We applaud the proposal to allow greater
community input on rural postal services and to keep offices open," said
APWU President Cliff Guffey, "but we are disappointed by the decision
to reduce hours at these offices." [read
more]
Fox News, Wrong Again!
(05/09/12) Fox News may have set a new record for inaccurate reporting
this week in a story about the Postal Service. The story, which was
broadcast on May 8 and posted on Fox’s Web site, frantically warns viewers
and visitors that because of a bill approved by the Senate, “taxpayers
may be on the hook for Postal Service losses.” The Web posting even
has a handy “taxpayer calculator” that shows visitors “how
much the bailout will cost you.” [read
more]
PMG: We Never Used the Word ‘Closure’
(05/04/12) In an interview televised on C-SPAN on April 27, Postmaster
General Patrick R. Donahoe down-played the threat of post office and
mail processing plant closures and suggested no major changes would
take place anytime soon. “‘Closure’ is a word we’ve never
used,” he said. Really? [read
more]
Senate Approves Postal Bill,
Action Now Moves to House
(04/27/12) “With the moratorium on the closure of mail processing
plants and post offices set to expire on May 15, we must now turn our
attention to the House. We expect to face very tough challenges there,” said
APWU President Cliff Guffey. “But we will do everything we can
to get a good bill. We call on our members, small businesses, individual
customers, and lawmakers to re-double our efforts to Save America’s
Postal Service.” [read
more]
Potential Consolidation List Not Reliable, Union Says
(04/26/12) A “potential consolidation list” developed
by the Postal Service and provided to members of the Senate on April 24
has generated a lot of interest at postal facilities across the country,
but it is not an official management proposal or reliable list, the
union is warning. [read
more]
Senate Approves Amended Postal Bill,
Next Up: The House of Representatives
(04/25/12) The Senate passed an amended version of the 21st Century
Postal Service Act (S. 1789) on April 25 by a vote of 62-37. “Although
the bill is flawed, the amended version is far better than the original,” said
APWU President Cliff Guffey. “That is a result of the tremendous
effort of APWU members, postal customers, and elected officials who
appreciate the importance of the Postal Service to American life. Thank
you for your hard work.”
[read more]
Senate to Vote on Postal Reform Bill
APWU Members Must Let Senators Know Where We Stand
(04/24/12) The Senate will vote on the 21st Century Postal Service
Act (S. 1789) on Tuesday, April 24, with action expected to begin after
2:15 p.m. Senators will be asked to consider a revised version of the
legislation, which the bill’s sponsors introduced on April 17,
along with up to 38 other amendments. [read
more]
Senate to Debate, Vote
On Postal Bill Starting April 23
APWU Members Must Let Senators Know Where We Stand
(04/20/12) The Senate will debate the 21st Century Postal
Service Act (S. 1789) beginning on Monday, April 23, with voting
set to begin on Tuesday, April 24, as a result of an agreement
by Senate leaders. Senators will be asked to consider a revised
version of the legislation, which the bill’s sponsors introduced on April 17, along with up to 38
other amendments. “It is crucial that APWU members let their senators
know where we stand on this important bill,” said APWU President
Cliff Guffey. “With the moratorium on the closure of mail processing
plants and post offices set to expire on May 15, we must do everything
we can to improve the legislation,” he said. [read
more]
Senate
Leaders Announce Agreement
On Amendments to Postal Reform Bill
(04/20/12) Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced an agreement
April 19 to consider 39 amendments to the postal reform bill (S. 1789),
with debate on amendments beginning on Monday, April 23. A cloture vote
to end debate is expected Monday evening. If the motion passes, voting
on amendments will begin on Tuesday, April 24. The APWU is reviewing the
amendments, said Legislative and Political Director Myke Reid. “We
will call on union members to contact their senators about the most important
amendments,” he said. [read
more]
Senate May Consider Amendments to Postal Bill
(04/19/12) The Senate could begin consideration of amendments to
S. 1789, the 21st Century Postal Service Act, on April 19. Seventy-nine
amendments were filed as of a 1 p.m. deadline on April 18, and they run
the gamut from provisions that would eliminate workers’ protection against
layoffs, to language that would extend the moratorium on consolidations,
to provisions to protect the benefits of injured workers. “The revised
version of S. 1789 is better than the original version, but we continue
to have serious concerns about several issues,” said APWU President
Cliff Guffey. [read
more]
Postal Workers Picket As Senate Begins Debate
(Updated
4/19/12) Members of the APWU and Mail Handlers Union rallied in front
of post offices around the country Tuesday to alert the public to looming
service cuts if Congress doesn’t act to fix the Postal Service’s
finances by May 15. [read
more]
Senate to Resume Consideration of Postal Bill
(04/18/12) The Senate is expected to resume consideration a revised
version of S. 1789, the 21st Century Postal Service Act, with proceedings
broadcast and Webcast live on C-SPAN. The APWU denounced the original
version of the bill, saying it would lead to degradation of service and
the closure of hundreds of mail processing centers and thousands of post
offices. [read
more]
Senate to Consider Postal Bill Today, April 17
(04/17/12) The Senate is expected to consider a revised version
of S. 1789, the 21st Century Postal Service Act, on Tuesday, April 17,
with proceedings broadcast and Webcast live on C-SPAN. The revisions
were announced late in the day on April 16. “We are analyzing the new provisions
carefully and will comment once we have completed our review,” said
APWU President Cliff Guffey. The APWU denounced the original version
of the bill, saying it would lead to degradation of service and the closure
of hundreds of mail processing centers and thousands of post offices. [read
more]
April 17 Plans Move Into High Gear
(04/13/12) Plans for April 17, Tax Day, are moving into high gear,
with hundreds of locals organizing activities. That day, the APWU
and the National Postal Mail Handlers Union will conduct informational
leafleting at post offices around the country to highlight an urgent
message: Congress must act now to avert a Postal Service disaster.
A moratorium on the closure of post offices and mail processing plants
expires on May 15, and postal officials have said they intend to
begin consolidating more than 200 mail processing facilities and
3,600 post offices if Congress fails to act by the deadline. The
APWU has posted a list of locals that will participate in the April
17 activities to Save America's Postal Service. [read more]
As Deadline Nears, APWU Keeps Up the Fight
(05/01/12) Time is running out. We are quickly approaching the May
15 expiration of the moratorium on the closure and consolidation of mail
processing plants and post offices. The moratorium is intended to give
Congress the opportunity to pass a bill to address the Postal Service’s
financial crisis — without drastic cuts in service and jobs. [read
more]
USPS Misrepresentations
Lead to Barrage of Criticism
(05/01/12) The Postal Service’s top management, including Postmaster
General Donahoe, has been drawing fire from all sides in recent months,
after a series of disturbing and embarrassing revelations. Criticism
of postal management started mounting after the USPS filed a request
with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) for an advisory opinion on
plans to degrade service standards — to eliminate overnight delivery
of most first-class mail and periodicals, and generally slow delivery.
Prior to the September request, postal managers had been telling legislators
and affected communities that consolidating mail processing facilities
would not affect service. [read
more]
(05/01/12) With the expiration of a moratorium on the consolidation and closure of mail processing plants and post offices approaching, there has been a tremendous amount of activity about postal legislation on Capitol Hill — and a tremendous amount of activity in the APWU Legislative and Political Department. The impending end of the moratorium has forced politicians and interested parties to step up their efforts to solve the USPS financial crisis. [read more]
APWU Public Outreach Campaign Continues
(04/10/12)
With tax filing deadline quickly approaching, the APWU will re-air
its Ever Wonder ad beginning April 11, with spots airing on
Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, and Headline News. The union’s 30-second
ad describes the enormity of the job postal workers do, and ends with
a simple question and response: Ever wonder what this costs you
as a taxpayer? Not a single cent. The ad informs the public about
the work APWU members perform, and dispels the persistent myth that
our work is funded by taxpayers. The airing of the ad is timed to coincide
with two nationwide union-sponsored activities this month. [read
more]
One Week Left; Lobbying Efforts Take Off
(04/09/12) APWU locals and state organizations are responding enthusiastically
to the call to lobby their senators during the congressional recess,
which began April 2 and ends April 13. In addition to rallies and meetings
with senators during the break, locals will conduct informational leafleting
at post offices around the country on Tax Day, April 17. With time
getting short, APWU President Cliff Guffey is urging all APWU members
to get involved.
[read
more]
Union
Calls for April Actions
To Save the Postal Service
(03/30/12) The APWU is asking state and local organizations to participate
in two nationwide activities in April: Lobbying your senators at their
home offices during the Easter recess, and informational leafleting on
Tax Day, April 17. “Time is running out for Congress to enact postal
legislation,” said APWU President Cliff Guffey. The moratorium on
post office closings and plant consolidations expires on May 15. “Congress
must address the Postal Service’s financial crisis to avoid drastic
cuts in service and jobs,” Guffey said. [read
more]
Senate Action on Postal Bill Expected in Mid-April
Use This Time to Advocate Union’s Position, APWU Says
(03/27/12) The Senate is expected to vote on postal legislation
in mid-April, following a congressional recess, APWU Legislative and
Political Director Myke Reid has reported. The postal bill, S. 1789,
is expected to be the Senate’s first order of business when lawmakers
return to the Capitol on April 16. [read
more]
USPS Explanation of Secret Study
Is Misleading, Inaccurate, Union Charges
(03/26/12) The Postal Service’s recent attempt to justify
the decision to keep market research secret is misleading and inaccurate,
the APWU has charged. The research, which was conducted in August and
September 2011, indicates that revenue losses from the USPS plan to degrade
service standards could eliminate any potential savings from consolidating
or closing 223 mail processing centers. [read
more]
Senate Vote on Postal Bill Could Be Taken on Monday
(03/23/12) An amended version of a controversial postal bill (S.
1789) is tentatively scheduled for a vote during the week of March 26,
and could be brought to the Senate floor as early as Monday, APWU Legislative
and Political Director Myke Reid is reporting. Details of the final bill
are unknown, however. The bill’s sponsors have been meeting to
discuss possible amendments, but have not released information about
their discussions.
[read more]
USPS Market Research on Consolidations:
Revenue Losses Could Wipe Out Savings
(03/22/12) In testimony before the Postal Regulatory Commission
on March 21, a USPS witness made a startling admission: The Postal
Service’s initial research on the network consolidation plan
indicated that it could result in revenue losses of $5.3 billion, with
net revenue losses as high as $1.9 billion. Revenue losses of that
magnitude would virtually wipe out any cost savings derived from the
plan. The testimony, which was elicited during cross-examination by
APWU attorney Jenn Wood, undermines the rationale for the Postal Service’s
plan to close or consolidate half of the nation’s mail processing
facilities.[read
more]
OIG Blog On Postal Solution
(03/16/12) The USPS Office of Inspector General (OIG) is sponsoring five
week-long blog discussions on “the elements of a postal solution.” APWU President
Cliff Guffey was invited to present ideas on the topic, “What would an
optimized Postal Service infrastructure look like in the 21st century and beyond?” Click
here to view his response.
A Stunning Admission:
USPS Hasn't Considered
Combined Effect of Proposed Changes
(03/13/12) In response to a motion filed by the APWU, the Postal Service
admitted March 9 that it has not considered the combined effect of several
of its major proposals, including plans to: Degrade service standards;
end overnight delivery for first-class mail and periodicals, and slow mail
delivery in general; Consolidate more than 220 mail processing facilities;
Close 3,600 post offices; Eliminate Saturday mail delivery, and Raise postage
rates. [read
more]
APWU Launches Next Phase
Of Television Ad Campaign
(03/13/12)
The APWU is launching the next phase of its television ad campaign, with
spots to begin airing on CNN, MSNBC, and FOX News on Wednesday March
14, President Cliff Guffey has announced. The ads also will appear in
a limited run on NBC Nightly News. In the new ads, postal workers and customers
talk about the importance of the Postal Service to our nation — and
the devastating effect closing post offices and consolidating mail processing
plants would have on our communities and our economy. The ads are slated
to run through mid May. [read
more]
[where and
when to see the ads]
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APWU Members Must Continue the Fight!
Of 264 facilities studied for closure, 223 were approved for
consolidation. Six are still being studied. Only 35 consolidations were
disapproved – at this time.
(02/23/12) The Postal Service’s announcement on Feb. 23 that
it has approved 223 mail processing plants for consolidation leaves union
members just one option, APWU President Cliff Guffey said: We must continue
the fight! “That means getting Congress to act now to Save America’s
Postal Service,” he said. In “stand-up talks” with employees
on Feb. 22, managers emphasized that consolidations would not take place
until after May 15, when a six-month moratorium on consolidations expires.
The moratorium was intended to give Congress “the opportunity to
enact an alternate plan,” postal officials pointed out. [read
more]
USPS Notifies Employees of Consolidations
APWU Continues to Oppose Plan
To Slash Service, Jobs, Network
(02/22/12) As the Postal Service notifies employees whether their
mail processing plants will be consolidated beginning in mid-May, the
APWU is fighting back. The union is continuing to oppose USPS plans to slash
service, eliminate 35,000 jobs, and destroy the mail distribution network.
In “stand-up talks” in offices all around the country
on Feb. 22, postal managers informed employees about the future of their
plants, but refused to tell the unions how many plants would be consolidated
and which plants they are. The USPS says it will notify the unions and
media on Feb. 23. [read
more]
UPDATE: The USPS has provided the APWU with copies of the “stand-up
talks” and the text of a video given to employees on Feb. 22.
The Postal Service did not provide the APWU with lists of the facilities
that fall in the various categories.
USPS Five-Year Plan: Doomed to Fail
(02/17/12) The Postal Service’s latest five-year plan, which
it announced with great fanfare on Feb. 16, is “a warmed-over menu
of proposals that are doomed to fail,” said APWU President Cliff
Guffey. “The Postal Service cannot cut its way to financial health.
The USPS must modernize, improve service, and offer new products in order
to succeed,” he said. [read
more]
Senators Seek Changes to Postal Bill
(02/15/12) Twenty-seven senators have signed a letter to the sponsors
of the 21st Century Postal Service Act (S. 1789) asking them to approve
amendments to the legislation that the APWU supports. The bill – which
the APWU says is “unacceptable in its current form” — is
expected to be brought to the Senate floor for a vote in the next few
weeks. APWU President Cliff Guffey is asking union members to contact
their senators and urged them to support the amendments to S. 1789 that
are outlined in the letter. [read
more]
Haven't Contacted Congress?
It Only Takes a Few Clicks
(02/13/12) If you haven’t done so already, now is definitely
the time to contact your senators and representatives and let them
know where you stand on critical legislation affecting APWU members,
said President Cliff Guffey. “We encourage union members to call, write, and visit their legislators,” the union president said. “There is also an easy, online way to express your views.” All it takes is a few clicks. [full
story]
APWU Members Urged to Take Action
As Senate Considers Postal Reform
(02/06/12) Postal reform is a hot topic in Congress as the Senate prepares
to vote on the 21st Century Postal Service Act, and APWU President
Cliff Guffey is urging union members to contact their senators and let
them know: Senate bill 1789 is unacceptable in its current form. As
lawmakers review the bill, Guffey is asking union members to let their
senators know that S. 1789 must be amended. [read
more]
Senate
to Vote on Postal Bill
APWU Members Must Take Action NOW!
(01/27/12) The APWU has learned that the Senate will consider postal
legislation very soon, and President Cliff Guffey is asking union members
to contact their senators immediately and tell them that the 21st Century
Postal Service Act (S. 1789) is unacceptable in its current form. “The
stakes couldn’t be higher,” Guffey said. As currently written,
the bill would give the USPS some short-term financial relief, but also
would inflict long-term damage to the nation’s mail system, he said. [read
more]
Postal
Workers Have the Right
To Speak Out Against Facility Closures
(01/18/12) Recent notices posted by management have generated questions
about APWU members’ right to participate in activities opposing
the closure of postal facilities. Off-the-clock, postal employees have
the right to: circulate petitions, participate in public meetings, encourage
others to attend public meetings, encourage local merchants and business
organizations to speak out against postal closings, and to contact elected
officials to urge them to oppose postal closings. [read
more]
Do You Know Where
Your Legislators Stand?
(01/01/12) Lately, USPS management seems hell-bent on destroying
the Postal Service — and some members of Congress have appeared
eager to help. In December, however, in response to protests by postal
workers, small businesses and community leaders, 22 senators persuaded
the USPS to adopt a five-month moratorium on the closure of post offices
and mail processing centers. The moratorium is intended to give Congress
more time to adopt legislation to address the Postal Service crisis. [read
more]
Postal Service Gets It Wrong Again
Slashing the Network
Won’t Save the USPS
(01/01/12) Among the Postal Service ’ s major plans for solving
the USPS financial crisis is to slash the mail processing network — to
close or consolidate as many as 252 of approximately 460 mail processing
facilities. Wrong again! The Postal Service notified the APWU on
Sept. 14 that it would study the feasibility of consolidating more than
half of its mail processing centers as part of a nationwide plan to cut
costs. The next day, with great fanfare, Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe
announced the plan to the media, and presented it as an essential component
of resolving the Postal Service’s financial difficulties. But the
reality is quite different. In fact, the Postmaster General’s prescription
would do more harm than good.
[read
more]
Sept.
27, 2011 Rallies to