A new report released by the USPS OIG discusses the possibility of self-driving postal delivery vehicles. The report, Autonomous Vehicles for the Postal Service, considers that such vehicles could become a reality within the next decade, offering increased driver safety, better fuel efficiency and boosted productivity. The OIG reports: “Driverless cars have captured imaginations for […]
The U.S. Postal Service has issued a set of four “Forever” stamps featuring illustrations from the 1962 children’s book The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. The book was one of the first 20th century picture books centered on an African-American child. Art director Antonio Alcala designed the stamps. See the book at Amazon.com
The last remaining Postal Governor James Bilbray signed several POST DATED orders in November/December 2016 to raise postal rate prices in January 2018, because any price increases must be approved by the postal governors. Currently there are no postal governors because the Senate has not confirmed any new governors in a couple of years. The […]
The United States Postal Service filed notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) today (10/06/2017) of price changes to take effect on January 21, 2018. The new prices, if approved, include a one cent increase in the price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp from 49 cents to 50 cents. Postcard stamps and metered letters […]
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has announced that the overall average increase in total premiums for the 2018 Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program will rise by an average of four percent. The Federal Benefits Open Season, which runs from November 13 to December 11, 2017, gives Federal employees and retirees the opportunity […]
The Postal Service is preparing to extend the rated lifespan of its LLV delivery vehicles from 30 to 32 or 33 years, because some LLVs were manufactured in 1987 and their service life ends this year. Previously, in 2009, the Postal Service extended the service life of LLVs from 24 years to 30 years. But […]
The USPS Office of Inspector General determined the Postal Service needs to improve its processes for handling prohibited inbound international mailings. The OIG determined the Postal Service returned at least 54,126 prohibited packages to international senders between FY 2014 and FY 2016. The OIG also discovered the Postal Service is storing about 25 bulk mail […]
Immediate Release, 7/26/17 POSTAL RALLY – Save Our Jobs, Save Our Service CONTACT: Jamie Partridge, 503-752-5112 Postal workers and customers rallied today at the Main Post Office in Portland to protest job cuts that are causing reductions in service to the public, including longer lines and phone calls unanswered at retail locations, and delay of […]
Photo: Texico, New Mexico Post Office 88135, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report USPS OIG: Opportunities Exist to Improve Mobile Delivery Device The USPS OIG recommends that management include descriptions or explanations in the weekly status reports for all known issues related to Mobile Delivery Device […]
Photo: Millersburg, Kentucky Post Office 40348, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report The Postal Service is in hot water for allowing LWOP letter carriers in 2016 battleground states to campaign for Hillary Clinton. The issue was brought to light by Wisconsin letter carrier Timm Kopp, who […]
Photo: Halfway, Missouri Post Office 65663, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report This week’s episode of “America’s Got Talent” will feature a Postal Service retiree who is part of a 1960s soul group on the comeback trail, reports USPS News Link. Harold “Sundance” Thomas is a […]
This is getting ridiculous! The Branch 500 (NALC Local 500, Harrisburg, PA) Rapid Response Facebook page has reported yet another LLV fire, this one in Ohio. There have been two other LLV fires reported in the news within the last ten days. Perhaps the hot summer is prompting more LLV fires, but plenty have already […]
Photo: Gallion, Alabama Post Office 36742, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Video USPS Unveils Disney Villain Forever Stamps @postallife So you want to be a mailman? What overtime looks like. I need a bigger truck #lettercarrier#usps#mailmanproblems #mailman #overtime#union #nalc #parcels#parcelsandpapercuts A post shared by Michael Garrison (@michaelgarrison13) […]
Photo: Burnt Ranch, California Post Office 95527, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Video For the past few weeks, the Postal Service has halted mail deliveries to a Glassell Park neighborhood after a letter carrier was nearly struck by a bullet last month. USPS mail truck stuck in […]
Photo: Whitewater, Colorado Post Office 81527, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report Some postal customers calling 1-800-ASK-USPS are reporting wait times of over one hour to talk with a customer service representative! Should ALL Postal Workers Wear Uniforms? The USPS OIG wants to know “where do […]
Photo: Zap, North Dakota Post Office 58580, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report Yet another postal vehicle has burned, reports the New Hampshire Union Leader. Over the last several years dozens and dozens of USPS LLVs have burned in dramatic fashion, yet the Postal Service continues […]
Photo: Melville, Montana Post Office 59055, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. @postallife #starwars #stormtrooper #deathstar #postalworker #usps #mailhandler #postal A post shared by imperialpostal (@imperialpostal) on Jul 8, 2017 at 6:56am PDT My Friday night festivities. #usps #tampa A post shared by Ruben (@bklynsown911) on Jul 7, […]
The United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General reports: “In late November 2016, Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin requested the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (OIG) review a constituent’s allegation that a select group of postal carriers took leave without pay (LWOP) to participate in union political activities. This report responds to […]
Photo: Arlington, Colorado Post Office 81021, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report USPS OIG Audit Report Assesses Marketers’ Barriers to Direct Mail The USPS OIG identified “negative personal experiences with the Postal Service” as one of the barriers. Click here to read the full report (PDF). […]
Photo: Lower Lake, California Post Office 95457, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report Watch the USPS Have a Ball! Forever Stamp First Day of Issue Event at the Erin Hills Golf Course in Hartford, Wisconsin on June 14. 2017. Video USPS “Rescue” Mission in Altamonte Springs, […]
Photo: Ophir, Colorado Post Office 81426, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report TSP Funds Mostly Positive in June 2017 Only the F and I Funds had negative results in June 2017. Except for the F Fund, the TSP is showing strong gains over the last 12 […]
Photo: West Kingston, Rhode Island Post Office 02892, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report Postal workers may have dodged one bullet this week as Rep. Jason Chaffetz stepped down as chairman of the House Oversight Committee. Chaffetz sponsored a postal reform bill that would have taken […]
Photo: Koshkonong, Missouri Post Office 65692, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report NALC Branch 82 in Portland Has Grievance Payout of $50 For Each Delivery Incident After Sunset Labor Notes reports: “Every year, Groshell estimates, 98 percent of Portland letter carriers get the equivalent of their […]
Photo: Quebeck, Tennessee Post Office 38579, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report Repeat Offenders Constitute 44% of Unscheduled Leave in New York District In the New York District in FY 2016, 578 of the district’s 8,417 employees (or 7 percent) had a combined 132 or more […]
Photo: Virgin, Utah Post Office 84779, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report NALC Ballots Arriving in Mailboxes NALC union members should check their mailboxes, as the ratification ballots for the proposed 2016-2019 National Agreement are being delivered. The ballot packet includes a complete copy of the […]
Photo: Great Mills, Maryland Post Office 20634, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report NALC Rap Session Details More than 1,200 letter carriers representing branches across the U.S. met in Atlantic City, NJ in June at a national conference commonly known as a “rap session.” NALC president […]
Photo: Santa, Idaho Post Office 83866, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report Postal Employees Remember Adam West Adam West, the “Batman” star who died this month at age 88, is being remembered fondly by USPS and Postal Inspection Service employees who knew and worked with him, […]
Photo: Weatherby, Missouri Post Office 64497, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report Disney Villains On Latest Forever Stamps The U.S. Postal Service is honoring the rich legacy of the Walt Disney Studios Ink & Paint Department by dedicating a sheet of 20 Forever stamps featuring 10 […]
Photo: Arcadia, Florida Post Office 34265, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report NALC’s Postal Record Magazine Seeking Information on Restored Mail Trucks The Postal Record wants to know for a future issue how people reuse old mail trucks. If you have one, or if you know […]
Photo: Wedderburn, Oregon Post Office 97941, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report Total Eclipse of the Sun Forever Stamp to Be Issued June 20th The USPS will dedicate the first-of-its-kind heat-sensitive Forever stamp in a ceremony at the University of Wyoming on June 20th, 2017, reports […]
Photo: Valmy, Nevada Post Office 89438, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report The Postal Inspection Service is accepting applications, reports USPS News Link. NALC Branch 238 Reports LLV Fire NALC Branch 238 has posted a photo on their Facebook page of yet another burned LLV. This […]
The APWU Reports: “Throughout the country, the Postal Service has launched an all-out assault on our jobs and is blatantly violating the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) in their staffing of post offices. The USPS is reducing service to the community and disrupting the lives of postal workers by reducing duty assignments (reversions and abolishments) and […]
FBI Investigating a Series of Suspicious White Powder Letters Sent to U.S Congressional 6th District Candidate Karen Handel, Neighbors, and Several Media Outlets The FBI reports: # # # ATLANTA—David J. LeValley, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office, provides the following information to clarify a series of suspicious white powder responses by FBI […]
Photo: Cimarron, Colorado Post Office 81220, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report USPS News Link has a list of five more unique delivery methods. RT reports that mail delivery has been put on hold in the Danish city of Odense due to threats and harassment in […]
Photo: Koosharem, Utah Post Office, 84744 by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report Post Offices Celebrate Milestones This Week More than two dozen Post Offices are marking their 225th anniversaries this week, reports USPS News Link. The post offices share the milestone due to a 1792 law […]
Photo: Gardiner, Oregon Post Office 97441, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report USPS Named a Top Employer for Veterans The Postal Service is a national leader in employing veterans, according to a new survey by U.S. Veterans Magazine, reports USPS News Link. The publication polls government […]
The APWU reports: “The APWU scored another victory today (6.08.2017), defending postal employees in the union’s bargaining unit. Arbitrator Goldberg issued an award in a national-level case over what remedy was due for the Postal Service’s failure to staff ‘POStPlan’ offices following an original award on September 5, 2014 and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) […]
Photo: Arrow Rock, Missouri Post Office 65320, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report USPS Announces New Education Discounts for Postal Employees The USPS has announced new postal employee discounts for higher education with three universities: American Military University is offering employees a 5 percent discount on […]
Photo: Sun River, Montana Post Office 59483, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report Postal Service Introduces Tool to See Incoming Mail USPS News Link reports the Postal Service has introduced Incoming Inventory Visualization, a tool that will make it easier for facilities to “see” incoming mail. […]
Photo: Volborg, Montana Post Office 59351, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report USPS HQ Salaries and Benefits Costs Expected to Increase 166.4% in 2017 According to the USPS FY 2018 Congressional Budget Submission (PDF, page 15), salaries and benefits for employees at Headquarters, Headquarters-related Field Service […]
Photo: Teec Nos Pos, Arizona Post Office 86514, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report USPS OIG White Paper Report: Play to Win: Competition in Last-Mile Delivery The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (OIG) asked Professor John Panzar, an expert in postal economics from Northwestern […]
Photo: Maunaloa, Hawaii Post Office 96770, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report APWU: Congressional Budget Office Reports a Positive Financial Impact of Proposed Postal Reform Bill The CBO estimates that H.R. 756 would result in a savings of $6.2 billion over the next ten years. The […]
Photo: Rugby, North Dakota Post Office 58368, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report TSP May 2017 Returns It was another month of solid returns for the Thrift Savings Plan with only the S Fund losing ground. The biggest winner for the month of May was the […]
PHOTO: Terrell, Texas Post Office 75160, by PostalMag.com Daily Report Non-Career Postal Employee Turnover Rates The annual turnover rate for City Carrier Assistants (CCAs) was almost 60% in FY 2016, reports the USPS OIG in its Spring 2017 Semiannual Report to Congress (PDF). The USPS is Considering Limiting First Class Mail International Service to Documents […]
Photo: Wills Point, Texas Post Office 75169, by PostalMag.com. Daily Report USPS Social Media Operations Center (SMOC) Check out this photo of the U.S. Postal Service’s Social Media Operations Center seen in a recent audit report issued by the USPS OIG. The audit report, Social Media Customer Inquiries, reported that the SMOC did not consistently […]
Photo: Aguadilla Post Office (Victoria Station), Puerto Rico 00603, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report USPS OIG Forecasts 9.6 Decrease in Employees For 2018 Budget The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General reports: “In keeping with the President’s agenda to reduce spending on lower priority […]
It’s something we’ve frequently suggested over the years here at PostalMag.com, that the U.S. Postal Service should do more to hire more military veterans. In our opinion, many military veterans are physically fit, have already gone through a rigorous selection and training process, are used to working outdoors and/or in challenging situations, and are familiar […]
The U.S. Postal Service has launched a quarterly newspaper (Mail Call) for employees who served in the military. The newsletter’s main goal is to keep employees (and non-employees) up to date on what the USPS is doing for veterans and to provide veterans with beneficial information and resources, according to the USPS. The first issue […]
Photo: Deerfield, Kansas Post Office 67838, by Jimmy Emerson, some rights reserved. Photo shared under the Creative Commons License. Daily Report NALC Rap Session Agenda The full agenda for the 2017 NALC Rap Session to be held in Atlantic City on June 13-15, 2017 is available here. Also available is information on hotel accommodations and […]
