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CONSOLIDATIONS
The USPS has released the list of postal plants that will be consolidated this summer with additional offices deferred until next year. This is a worst case scenario for employees represented by APWU who will be reassigned to continuing facilities where vacancies exist. It can be expected that some employees will be assigned extended distances as vacancies in the closest continuing plants are filled by employees reassigned in the first wave of consolidations leaving only more distant available vacancies. The interpretation of a 50 mile limit for excessing will be tested as the parties determine if the limitations apply to consolidations. In addition, it will be necessary to consolidate the lists of employees who have retreat rights from prior excessing with employees who are reassigned through consolidations. Which employee has first option to available vacancies in continuing installations?
Challenges will also be presented on the USPS’ right to hire/utilize PSEs in closed facilities while consolidated employees are reassigned to more distant locations. There are many issues and questions that have to be addressed and resolved to ensure fair application of contractual provisions. In the history of the Postal Service, there has never been a wave of this magnitude involving consolidations in two phases.
The House has deferred action on Postal Reform legislation and it is highly unlikely that legislation will resolve the immediate USPS issues. Much attention has been placed on the postal deficit caused by the 2006 PAEA; Congress has the opportunity to address that financial problem, but the postmaster general has not used USPS financing as the reason for plant consolidations citing instead continuing erosion of mail volume. So even if the health care payment is addressed, consolidations would be pursued to match lower volume. The revised service standards will facilitate a smaller processing network.
Bill Burrus
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PARANOIA
I do not spend a lot of time looking over my shoulder, but that does not mean that I am not paranoid. I believe that Lee Harvey Oswald did not act alone. Shots from the third floor at a 45 degree angle at a target coming towards you with a bolt loaded rifle requires skills way beyond that of a casual shooter. The Florida chads were the vehicle used to steal the election. The Supreme Court decision declaring George Bush the winner was a forgone conclusion I look back on these events and others and my suspicions are aroused. Is it me or are forces at work to achieve a desired end?
Following this line of reasoning, the indictment of George Zimmerman raises a red flag. There was an outcry that he had not been charged but after the intervention of the Special Prosecutor, Angela Corey the charge of second degree murder was issued. This is where I get suspicious and my paranoia takes over. Is this a part of a devious plot to exonerate George Zimmerman for killing an unarmed boy? Was Zimmerman overcharged as a means of clearing him of any wrongdoing?
A second degree murder charge requires proof of intent and the facts that have been made public indicate a struggle ensued during which a shot was fired. Mr. Zimmerman did suffer cuts and abrasions reflecting the real possibility that he was losing the fight and reacted. This is not the ingredients of second degree murder. Most legal experts expected the charge of manslaughter which is more in keeping with the known circumstances. What happens if the judge or jury rejects the charge of second degree murder and Mr. Zimmerman walks free? Is this the plan or is it just my paranoia?
The bookend to the Zimmerman case is Marissa Alexander who also was overcharged with "endangerment" which fits the facts of the case. She retrieved a gun, fired it while children were in the house. There was no dispute of the facts and the judge rejected “Stand Your Ground” as a defense. The result is that Alexander has been sentenced to 20 years in prison while there is a real possibility that Zimmerman will walk free. Maybe I am paranoid.
Bill Burrus
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IT'S YOUR CALL
Despite the torrent of anti-union rhetoric espoused by Congressman Issa it appears that his colleagues have impressed upon him that his version of reform including the closing of Post Offices is not a good move immediately prior to the elections. The demonstrations and petitions by union members have had the desired effect and the House is in no hurry to antagonize voters across the country. Union leaders and members are commended for waging an effective campaign to engage the public. From the USPS’ perspective, they are in limbo, desperately needing to reduce the bleeding that according to the PMG is in the range of $25 million a day. He reports that they can survive the fiscal year without legislation, but in 2013 they will be in a difficult financial condition.
The recent announcement is that the USPS has abandoned the threat to close over 3,000 offices and 250 plants. The strategy now is to staff the small offices with PSEs on a reduced schedule and modify the list of plants scheduled for consolidations. This provides some breathing room for employees who would have faced relocation/reassignment and generates modest USPS savings; it needs more.
The immediate problem is to entice the more than 100,000 eligible employees to retire. Agreement has obviously eluded the parties as significant savings are generated when employees whose wages are at the top of the pay scale (Grade 6 Step 0) $53,102 plus night differential are replaced with PSEs at an hourly rate of $12 to $14 per hour or career employees at Grade 6 Step FF. These savings would be in the range of $30,000 annually or $23,000 plus per year. For each 1,000 employees who retire and are replaced, the savings equal $23 million per year. The numbers being thrown around are an expectation of 100,000 employees retiring or savings equaling in the range of $23 billion per year. If the employees are not replaced the numbers double and the savings equal over $40 billion per year. These are the numbers driving USPS efforts to consolidate and close offices, but the lynch pin is reducing the complement and/or changing the service standards.
The odds are that the House will dodge Postal Reform until after the election which leaves the Postal Service with few options between now and November. The threat of arbitrary closures and consolidations has been resisted effectively so the only game left in town is complement reductions through voluntary retirements. Postal management is left with the union demands or more red ink. It's your call!
Bill Burrus
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I MUST BE MISSING SOMETHING
I must be missing something. The year is 2012; we live in the United States of America and justice is blind. We recently engaged in extended public discourse over the killing of Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida and agonized over the prosecutor’s refusal to charge George Zimmerman with a crime, any crime. After public outcry, the State Special Prosecutor, Angela Corey conducted a thorough investigation and concluded that 2nd degree murder charges were appropriate. From no charge to 2nd degree murder, Wow!
Zimmerman now awaits trial after intense public debate ensued between those who defended the killing of a 17 year old high school student citing the Florida "Stand Your Ground" law as justification and those who cried foul. The National Rifle Association, Russ Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and fervent supporters of the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution defended the actions of Mr. Zimmerman, exonerating him of any culpability in the tragic shooting. At the same time, we were bombarded with character assassination of the deceased, learning that he had been expelled from school, had been found to have traces of marijuana on a container in his locker, and was dressed in a hooded sweater on the evening of the encounter. We were asked to visualize images of a physical confrontation resulting in cuts and bruises to Mr. Zimmerman. I expressed my views on this website that blind justice demanded that Mr. Zimmerman be charged and provided the opportunity to defend himself in a court of law; now I have my doubts.
We are a violent society and guns are prolific so the court system is tested daily with contrasting stories of who is to blame. That is where the issues are settled, not in a local prosecutor’s analysis of who has the right to defend against real or perceived threats of bodily harm or property. I voiced the opinion that the Florida “Stand Your Ground” law could not be used to exonerate these actions resulting in the death of a young boy without the sanction of a judge or jury. After three months of appeal, justice was served and charges brought against the accused. Trayvon, though deceased, will have his day in court and Mr. Zimmerman will receive the benefit of the Florida law intended to grant citizens the right of defense. I thought that was justice.
With these events still fresh in our memory, the state of Florida has moved once again to center stage and a 31 year old woman, Marissa Alexander, a resident of Jacksonville discharged a registered handgun in a confrontation with her husband. Ms. Alexander has a Master’s degree, has no criminal record and had obtained a restraining order against her husband for spousal abuse. The husband has admitted that he has five "baby mommas" and he has put his hands on each (except one) in anger. At the time of the shooting, Alexander's newly born child was nine days old and the shot did not strike any person or animal. It is not clear if her aim was bad or she intended the shot as a warning, but assuming that the gun was fully loaded, she fired one shot and he did not take the gun from her. He may be a wife beater but he is not dumb. Her husband admitted in court that the gun was never pointed at him. Testimony in the trial confirmed that the husband choked Ms. Alexander and she escaped to the garage where the door was "broke" impeding her escape. On the night of the confrontation, her husband had announced that "if he could not have her, no one would." In a perfect world, one would think that these are the facts that the Florida legislature and the defenders of the right to defend one’s self had in mind. Where are the defenders of the right to bear arms?
But no, the same prosecutor in the Zimmerman case, Angela Corey charged Ms. Alexander and she was found guilty of discharging a firearm and sentenced to 20 years in the Florida penal institution. The judge decided that under the sentencing guidelines, the penalty was required. The “Stand Your Ground” law did not apply. Whoa!
In the Martin case, a weapon was discharged and a person died. In the Alexander case there is a hole in the ceiling or wall as determined by the prosecutor. It is expected that Zimmerman's defense will be “Stand Your Ground,” yet a Florida judge, governed by the same law, ruled that it did not apply to Ms. Alexander. After following Trayvon Martin and ignoring the instructions of the police, Zimmerman will allege that he was losing the physical contest and in fear for his life had no choice except to react. A judge or jury will weigh the evidence and render a verdict, but the same court system has decided that Ms. Alexander had no legal right to defend herself. She was not facing a black kid dressed in a hoodie.
The similarities and the differences are so stark that we must be talking about another country. Marissa Alexander has been charged, tried, found guilty and sentenced. Zimmerman was not charged for a period of three months. A 17 year old unarmed boy was killed - in the other circumstance, the ceiling/wall suffered minor damage. Alexander had sought and received protective orders from law enforcement while Zimmerman was ordered to break contact. Martin and Zimmerman had no prior contact while Alexander's spouse had a record of physical abuse and threats and had choked her that night. Nevertheless, the same law that was applied by the Sanford prosecutor to release Zimmerman without charges has been found not to apply to Ms. Alexander. She has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for firing a gun. Not for killing her husband; not for wounding her husband or an innocent non participant but for shooting the ceiling. Ms. Marissa Alexander is a Black woman and this is Florida. Am I missing something?
Bill Burrus
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HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!
To all of those wonderful human beings who brought us into this world, nurtured us and gave us our values, you are deserving of so much more but this is the one day that we have reserved just for you. During our busy and complicated schedules we often focus on things and events that are insignificant in this journey through life, but in our heart we know and appreciate the sacrifices that you have made and the lessons taught to get us this far. We do not say it every day but we know and depend on your love and support. We want to say thank you. And though it may appear that we take you for granted, we know that you are the glue that holds us together; the sunshine that brightens our day; and the strength that enables us to hold on when we want to let go.
To all of those lovely human beings who passed on their genes and make it possible for each of us to carry on, thank you. On behalf of all of us who have become so accustomed to all that you give, for these 24 hours accept our appreciation for all that you do and for being the very special person that you are.
To my mother, your mother and their mother - where ever you are -Happy Mother’s Day!
Bill Burrus
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Déjà Vu All Over Again
Wise men say that history will repeat itself and if you stay around long enough and are observant, behavior will play out in similar ways. President Obama's address that he favors the right of gays to enjoy equal rights harkens back to the historic struggle to apply the constitution to all born on these shores or involuntarily transported in chains to serve those who were citizens. When writing the constitution, those revered figures debated at length the status of slaves and consciously elected to deny them civil rights and all legal protections. For almost 200 years and a civil war between the states, this debate raged throughout the country - who was entitled to civil rights under the constitution? Those "patriots" who are honored in American history found repeated justification for the subhuman status bestowed on millions of human beings born on these shores, but denied civil rights.
In joining the debate about President Obama's announcement you will hear similar defense of the status quo that was echoed 300 years ago, 200 years ago and 100 years ago. Passages of the Bible were and will be quoted justifying the withholding of civil rights to citizens based on differences. For those who claim American ‘exceptionalism’ they conveniently ignore this sordid past. I cringe each time I hear a politician vow a desire to return to "the original intent" of the constitution, knowing that it represents a desire to return me and my family to an undesirable state.
Many would want to relegate this sordid past to a different era when human beings were less enlightened, conveniently forgetting that the Civil Rights Bill of 1964 was a mere 48 years ago and the debate surrounding the rights of gays is very similar to that which occurred at that time. And there was no single location more prominent in voicing opposition to civil rights for all than the church; a segregated bastion of piety.
President Lincoln belatedly accepted the principle of freedom for all after espousing for years a preference of subordinate status and then expressed a desire to compensate the owners for their slaves, and then deport them to some unspecified location. After the Civil War, Reconstruction and the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution, the issue of equal civil rights still haunted the nation until President Johnson signed the historic legislation that was equally as contested as President Obama's announcement. Do you recall the national outcry over busing to achieve educational integration? At the time, I found the debate incomprehensible because I went to school with children who were bused 20 miles one way to justify racial separation. Prejudice is often contradictory, yet we cling to it as a threat to our existence.
One who desires to appreciate how deep this feeling of denial runs they need only evaluate the announcement. The President of the United States informed the nation that he "believes same-sex couples should be granted the right to marry." He did not announce an Executive Order or the drafting of legislation to impose his moral position but merely said what was in his heart. He only shared with the country his personal beliefs and "here we go again." How dare the President believe that the civil practice of marriage, which is a personal commitment, qualify for legal acknowledgment and be sanctioned by the State? We demand of our elected officials that they share our biases and we are outraged.
I ask that you visit the library and check out books that chronicle the national dialog in 1776, 1880 and 1964 and read the Dred Scott Supreme Court decision, insert the word "gays" wherever the debate joins the rights of people who were different. We will discover that Yogi Berra was a genius when he coined the phrase "Déjà Vu all over again."
Bill Burrus
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DON'T SPEND IT YET
In the zeal to blog about something that is relative there have been casual references to a $25,000 retirement incentive as though it is preordained. The amount was included in Congressional legislation and testimony, referenced in a number of news articles and highlighted in this blog with no clarification that whatever amount, if any must be negotiated.
The recent offer to Postmasters points out that the actual amount of an incentive is not set in stone and while the postmasters do not have full bargaining rights they could not achieve agreement on a $25,000 retirement incentive. I do not know the state of the bidding for APWU represented employees, but those who are making plans should include the uncertainty of the incentive amount. It will be in the amount negotiated, no more, no less.
Nonmembers of the APWU should take particular note that if an incentive is negotiated, the specifics will not be completed without the union’s consent. Whatever amount is agreed to and it is anticipated that final agreement will be reached, but those nonmembers who rode the back of the union during their career will end their service true to form, blaming but not participating.
Bill Burrus
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GET ON WITH IT
Something doesn’t add up. Congress has introduced legislation authorizing the use of the retirement overpayment as incentives for eligible employees to retire. The postmaster general repeatedly tells everyone who will listen that he plans to reduce the work force through voluntary retirements without replacing the employees, while tens of thousands of eligible employees who meet the retirement eligibility await the announcement that incentives are being offered. Yet, the USPS’ revenue is not sufficient to meet its expenses. OK, if all of these things are true, why hasn't the Postal Service offered incentives to reduce the compliment? Natural attrition has slowed to a trickle as normal retirement has been deferred awaiting the incentive. An employee would be foolish to retire without an incentive, if it is expected that shortly they will be entitled to $25,000 extra for doing what they plan to do.
The normal excuse of the Postal Service not having the funds to pay the incentive does not make sense because they have enough money to continue paying the employees every two weeks in an amount that is four times the incentive that is being considered. It is clearly contradictory that they can continue to pay the employees who are waiting to retire $60,000 a year because they cannot afford to pay the employees $12,500 in 2012 and 2013. Added together, the Postal Service is willing to pay these employees $120,000 over a two year period instead of $25,000.to incentivizes them to retire. The math just does not add up.
Assuming that the Postal Service uses available resources as an excuse to delay paying the incentives, it won't wash. It is obvious that they have more than sufficient resources because they continue to meet the bi-weekly payroll. The simple fact is, if they have a financial problem they cannot afford "not to pay" the incentive(s) as soon as possible and cut their losses.
If the issue is service and the removal of X number of employees from the rolls will adversely affect 1, 2 and 3 day delivery, this will not change when and if Congress passes legislation. Either they need 550,000 employees to process, transport and deliver the declining volume or they do not. If they can get by with 30,000 fewer employees, they save big bucks by reducing the complement as soon as possible. Delaying the incentive(s) will not result in some employees retiring and missing the opportunity of receiving free money. The simple logic is "get on with it."
Bill Burrus
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WHY DELAY?
It is generally understood that the Postal Service will offer an incentive to retiree eligible employees but the only delay is being caused by Congressional inaction. The Senate has voted to approve S1789 which includes the release of the funds and the House bill awaiting Congressional approval includes the fund transfer with authorization to apply it in part to retirement incentives. Each time that the postmaster general is interviewed, he confirms that upon receipt of the funds he intends to use it to incent eligible employees to retire. So, since each of the approving bodies confirm their intent, why the delay?
In addition to the required Congressional action, Donahoe must negotiate the specifics with each of the unions whose represented employees will be governed by the offer. It would not be surprising if confidential discussions are underway or have been completed, but it is surprising that retirement offers have not been extended and announced to eligible employees with the incentive payments delayed until final Congressional action. It is generally understood that legislation will be approved this year and even if final approval is delayed until 2013 or beyond, it is not a stretch to believe that Congress would approve separate legislation to release $400 million needed to pay the first $12,500 payment of the expected $25,000 incentive(s).
The mechanics of such an agreement are simple, consisting of a commitment to compensate the employees the $25,000 in two parts and even if Congress had not approved the release of the funds, the Postal Service has $1.5 billion left in its borrowing authority. The pattern of previous retirement incentives have been to divide them into two fiscal years in equal amounts (2 x $12,500) with the first payment delayed for several months so there is no expectation based on past experiences that the payment will be made on the date of separation so a delay is anticipated. Add this delay to the window of opportunity and receipt of the first payment is expected to take approximately six months. This process could begin immediately with the commitment to pay the incentive(s) scheduled to coincide with the release of the retirement funds.
Postal management is expected to insist that a limit be placed on the total number of employees who will be eligible for the incentive(s) with a first come, first serve demand so they could begin the process immediately agreeing that any employee announcing their retirement after a certain date will receive the agreed to payment with a specific date contingent upon the date legislation is approved, or in the event that Congress does not act by a date certain when the USPS will pay from postal funds. By removing an employee from the payroll, the Postal Service reduces expenses bi-weekly in the approximate amount of $2,300 per employee (salary/benefits etc.) so USPS’ generated savings are equal to the incentive in five months ($2,300 x 5). (It is understood that USPS costs extend into retirement but the bi weekly check is eliminated).
If the Postal Service intends to reduce the compliment and it can meet the service standards with a workforce reduced by X number of employees it makes little since to delay offering the incentive to reduce the payroll. Such an agreement would read in part that "Eligible employees who voluntarily retire effective _______ will receive an incentive in the amount of $25,000 in two installments no later than _____________ and ___________ with the specific dates determined by Congressional action. In the event Congress does not approve legislation authorizing the expenditure of the retirement overpayment by ___________, USPS will compensate the retiring employees from USPS funds no later than _________.”
Why Delay? Get on with it!
Bill Burrus
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Tomorrow
Randy has posted a USPS posting on the 21st Century Postal Worker. It is interesting as it shows (duties and responsibilities) the next generation of postal employees, what they will earn and what they will do.
Bill
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TO RETIRE OR NOT
Over the past year, employees have been bombarded with information about the expectation that the Postal Service would offer a $25,000 incentive to those eligible to retire. This message has been targeted at the more than 100,000 employees who have reached eligibility and it is assumed that an incentive will inspire them to pull the trigger and that they will exchange their postal badge for a ticket to leisure world. In building this expectation, has anyone talked to the 100,000 employees? The plan is that a financial incentive of modest amount will be sufficient for the employees to reorder their lives and that they will transit from being gainfully employed to retired.
As a retiree, I can share with those who are considering the offer that there is much more to leaving employment than the benefits achieved from $25,000. After taxes, Social Security, Medicare and other miscellaneous deductions, one can expect to net in the range of $20,000 additional income, spread over two years. That equals about $10,000 more in family income for a period of two years. That will not change your life or elevate you to a different tax bracket. You can pay a few nagging bills, like the MasterCard that got out of hand and maybe invest in a new car, but generally, $10,000 will not change your life. If you were disgruntled before receiving the incentive, you will be disgruntled after you spend it. Retirement is about changing a lifestyle from one that is structured around reporting to work and performing required tasks to one that is unstructured, unless you plan what you will do.
After 30 plus years engaged in a structured environment among friends and associates, if you plan to walk away, at the very least know what you are walking into. You cannot replace the inner satisfaction of performing a task that benefits others, and just knowing that you played a role in the transmission of messages from point A to point B brings subconscious rewards. The challenge of serving the public, petting the dog and the human interaction with other human beings who have a commonality of interest is a part of your working day that will not be automatically replaced with something that is rewarding, unless you plan. The benefits of employment go far beyond the value of a pay check that cannot be exchanged for two $10,000 payments. Putting it in perspective, you earn in excess of $10,000 per year today than you did 10 years ago and the added income did not change your life.
I was recently asked by a member on this website for my advice on the question to retire or not and my response was to not be influenced by incentives. The decision to work or retire transcends the income, extending to the question "retire to what?” When you retire, one does not cease to exist so the principle question is are you prepared to engage in other specific activities to fill your day? The decision to retire should include the desire to engage in specific tasks in lieu of postal employment. Do not believe that you will naturally transit to meaningful endeavors in place of your postal assignment unless you plan to watch Judge Judy and other means of visual entertainment as a substitute for structured employment. When life consists of watching television it has lost purpose. It would be a mistake for you to imagine that the two days off that is incorporated in your work week is an indicator of retirement. For most of us these are catch up days for activities deferred during the work week so retirement is not weekends multiplied. Retirement is not full time employment and you will find that in short order you will be caught up and what will you do for the balance of your life? Grandchildren are also often used as an excuse, but with time they mature and their circle of companions will soon exclude you and you will still be retired.
Over the past year, I have been engaged in writing a book about my life and experiences that has replaced those activities while employed. Now that it is at the publishing stage, I must shift gears and plan daily activities that will engage my mind and body beyond "existing." I think I have a plan, do you?
Bill Burrus
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SPORTS' LIFE
In my daily reading of the news, I have developed a ritual of a cup of coffee and privacy. I am interested in the world around me and the daily news provides an opportunity to see beyond my limited environment. As a former athlete, the sports page receives special attention so my recent review focused on the success of the Washington Capitals, the local professional hockey team. The news of their victory included a subject beyond the sports diversion, touching societal problems that have plagued our country for over 300 years, racism.
The hero of the Capitals’ victory qualifying them to advance in the playoffs was a scene repeated in other cities that had scored more goals than their opponents, but what set the Washington victory apart from the others was that the winning goal was scored by a black player. If this had been basketball or football, the race of the hero would not have qualified for mentioning, but the picture exposed that something was different; a black hero in hockey.
OK, so far so good and one would expect the article to expand on the inclusion policies of the last sports bastion to permit talent to be the deciding factor, but no - the story was about hate emails because a man of color scored the winning goal. A black man can be President, but how dare he be a hockey hero?
Why do some white people harbor such hate simply on skin color? If this was just the crazies on leave from psychiatric care, we could marginalize their behavior but there is a sizeable number lurking in every job site, neighborhood and beer hall. If you don't believe it, listen in to Russ Limbaugh any day of the week and hear the racist drool being broadcast to the largest radio audience in the country. And it is not just the visible bigots who proudly proclaim their dislike for others, but the silent majority that plays both sides. They mix with the other race comfortably while harboring friends and relatives who express their bigotry without reproach. In the privacy of personal friends or relatives they may even join in the latest expression that blacks are sub-human.
An example of how people keep alive the perception that blacks and browns are inferior. Let’s assume that there was a cult in the country that believed that people who were 5' 8" tall and under were inferior and made contributions to everything that was negative, and you were in their company as they espoused this hateful superstition. The difference between irrational hate and unacceptable behavior is if you were in their company and they engaged in spiteful language about "short" people contributing to school drop outs, crime, pregnancies, food stamps etc. etc. etc. you would not hesitate to join the conversation, pointing out that height has nothing to do with character, but instead we giggle, encouraging the bigot that he/she is right.
If the ill-founded perception was about height instead of color you would reject the statistics showing the number of people less than 5'9" who engage in unacceptable behavior. You would conclude that no matter their height, the actions of some do not reflect on all and you would be vocal. Nevertheless, you set quiet while some idiot expounds on bigoted feelings encourages more bigoted feelings and contributes to racial stereotypes. It is not the isolated deranged individual who is a threat to civil discourse but the throngs that sets by quietly and permits short people to be prosecuted. Are you 5'8" or shorter?
That my comments not be misinterpreted, I am not a victim. I rose to the highest position in my profession that is dominated by white men. In fact, I am the only African American in the history of the country to ascend to the position of national union president on the votes of the members. A feat that I could not have achieved without the support of many white APWU members who looked beyond my color and trusted that I would represent their interest. At this stage of my life, there is nothing that you can give me or take away so do not read this from a position of power. I do not seek affirmative action, food stamps or any special consideration, but I wonder why the dominant race cannot see beyond skin color and enjoy the hockey goal, if you support the winner or take your beating like a man.
After 300 years and the relaxation of discriminatory laws that denied equal education and access, we generally accept that given equal circumstances, all human beings will respond similarly. Doctors, lawyers, astronauts and parents, given the same opportunities, the results will be the same, regardless of race, but there are bigots who have negative opinions without the benefit of personal knowledge and harbor silent mistrust, passing on to the next generation this cancer of division.
The winning goal scored by Joel Ward exposed the continuing divide that exists in our country. Beyond the looters, the food stamp recipients, the drive by shootings, there are millions of human beings born of parents who were black and brown who play by the rules, go to church and fulfill all of the expectations of citizenship. What is your problem?
Bill Burrus
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BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE
Postal employees find themselves in the uncomfortable position after legislation passed the Senate that includes many objectionable features and a House bill under the control of forces that are anti-union. Each of the options is unacceptable, but the third one of no legislation at all includes the USPS self-imposed deadline of May 15 for the closing of over nearly 200 plants and thousands of small offices. Then there is the Senate Bill, an unfriendly House, mass closings of offices - all horrible options.
The chances of another voluntary or congressionally imposed moratorium on office closings are unlikely because the politicians can hide behind pending legislation. So in May 2012, bad things will start to happen. Either legislation will be finalized and include many bad features or the ax falls on plants and small offices.
The possibility of relief in the House Bill is remote as political pressure will have minimum effect on the base of the electorate supporting the Republican House members. Convincing Democratic members through phone calls and letters will not be sufficient because Republicans hold a 242 to 190 member majority in the House so the final vote to be favorable would require 27 Republicans voting against their Party. That is heavy lifting.
As currently written, the House Bill is similar to the Senate Bill in the following areas:
· Five day delivery (now or soon)
· Transfer of surplus in retirement funds
· Authority to close facilities
· Requirement that arbitrators consider USPS financial health
· Authorization to change service standards
The differences between the Senate and House Bills are:
· Senate Bill reduces USPS contribution to health care fund
· House Bill increases employee premium for health care
· House Bill caps employer contribution for health benefits (increases employees’ share).
· House Bill increases health care fund contribution in year one while reducing total funding
So as we await action in the House, the likelihood that sufficient political pressure can be brought to bear is highly unlikely. That does not mean that the effort should not be made because that is the only hope. A reasonable assumption is that when the smoke clears, if a bill survives the Senate/House conference it will include:
· Release of overpayment authorizing retirement incentives
· Five day delivery on the horizon
· Process for closing plants and offices that will delay but will not stop
· Obligation that arbitrators consider USPS’ finances
· Flexibility to change service standards
This is not a pretty picture and no matter the vehicle chosen (Senate/House or USPS) the future holds the reduction of the employment compliment in the range of 100,000 with 90% from the APWU crafts (a reduction of 75,000 APWU members). This would mean significant realignment with employees transferred from office to office and craft to craft. If the retirement incentive is approved, dependent on the limits of the number of employees included, the complement will be adjusted downward with the holes created by retirements, filled with reassignments. If Congress does not approve legislation, management is expected to create reassignments through office closures, sufficiently negative that retirement eligible employees will retire in lieu of relocating and the Post Office will achieve the intended reductions.
The Postal Service of 2014 will be totally unlike the Post Office of 2011. It will truly qualify as a new direction.
Bill Burrus
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The Senate passes S1789 to reform the Postal Service on a vote of 62 to 37, meeting the 60 vote requirement by Senate rule. Debate now commences on HR 2309. The House Committee and Subcommittee chairmen are Republicans and have expressed strong opposition to the union’s objectives. The Senate Bill includes the following:
- Refunds the retirement overpayment
- Restructures Health Benefit payment
- Requires arbitrators to consider USPS’ financial health
- Delays 5 day delivery
- Retirement incentives
- Delays change to Delivery Standards
- Establishes a process for the closing of facilities
- Changes FICA
- Medicare coordination
- Time limit on service changes
- Reduces compensation of top executives
In that 51 Senators are Democrats, to achieve the 62 vote total, 11 Republicans voted yes to approve. Senators McCain, Coburn and Paul offered negative amendments to:
- End mailbox monopoly
- Pilot privatization
- Prohibit collective bargaining
- Establish Postal Commission
- Require retirement eligible(s) to retire
- End monopoly
- Prohibit unions from using dues in political arena
HR 2309 will now be debated in the House which is Republican controlled and it has included provisions more negative to postal employees. After the House completes deliberations, members of the House and Senate will be appointed as conferees to resolve the differences between the House and Senate Bills. In that the Democrats have a majority in the Senate it is expected that the best opportunity at achieving the union’s objectives was in the Senate Bill that will not be improved in the House or the final Bill.
Bill Burrus
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GO FIGURE
To APWU represented employees who consider themselves Republicans, you should watch the Senate Hearings on the legislation to reform the Postal Service. Setting aside the disputes over Congressional culpability in the current USPS deficit through the 2006 PAEA, you should be interested in the McCain substitute amendment that proposes to liquidate the Postal Service and abrogate the collective bargaining agreements covering postal employees. If adopted, postal assets would be sold off to the highest bidders and sections would be closed with an up or down vote of Congress. The no lay off provisions would be nullified and managers would be free to cherry pick employees for termination with no appeal. That is the position of the Republican’s standard bearer in the 2008 elections (McCain) and the candidate that you voted for. It is simply illogical for any postal employee to act in their own self-interest to the extent that he/she supports a political party that thinks so little of their own employment.
All of this talks about contraception, budget deficits and gas prices pales in comparison to your Party proposing to eliminate your job. You took the postal test and passed so you are intelligent enough to understand that your life revolves around the income received from your job. It is illogical that you can form an alliance with the forces that wish to eliminate that job. If you think I am making this up turn to C Span and watch your political hero attack your livelihood. There will be a vote on the McCain Substitute and it will be defeated, but you should take notes and record how your Senator votes. Is he/she on your side or have they figured out a way of convincing you that they share your values as they attempt to destroy you. Are you really that big of a fool?
Bill Burrus
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YOUR JOB
The Senate is debating S1789 Postal Reform intended to provide financial relief to the embattled US Postal Service. After the Senate completes its debate which is expected to be concluded tomorrow, April 24th, votes will be taken on changes that if enacted into law will affect current employees. Of primary concern from a union perspective is the impact on the employee compliment that will be adversely affected by Congressional authorization to substantially reduce the work force.
The numbers being discussed are in the range of 100,000 employees. To accommodate such a significant reduction in personnel it will be necessary to modify service standards as the number of processing plants will be reduced as well as many offices that serve rural communities. There is expected to be serious debate over the closing of offices as many citizens and union members have contacted their Senators voicing their opposition.
The return of the $14 billion in overpayment to the retirement funds will be targeted in part to retirement incentives authorizing up to $25,000 per retiring employee and early retirement of one year for CSRS employees and two years for FERS. Employees considering applying for the early retirement incentive should be aware that the legislation under consideration will not permit application for the "early out" and the $25,000 incentive.
The Republicans have raised an objection that S 1789 is covered by the Budget Reduction Act and the Congressional Budget Office CBO has scored the legislation as impacting the Federal Budget in an amount exceeding $30 billion that must be offset in the legislation. This is an awkward reading of the law in that the $14 billion is USPS money that was overpaid and the legislation only returns the overpayment and even though no taxpayer funds are used to provide postal services, the law is being interpreted as requiring an offset of $30 billion in savings. This procedural matter has to be resolved for the Senate to proceed to adopting Reform legislation.
It is expected that the Senate will complete discussion and vote on Tuesday, April 24th with the House scheduling debate on HR 2309 shortly. The financial future of the Postal Service is in the balance so it is advisable that employees follow the instructions of union leaders and get involved. The vote of your Representatives will impact your future.
Bill Burrus
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A Party of Intolerance
There is an old saying that you can tell a person’s character by the company he/she keeps. If that is so, reflect back on the political party that is supported by the Ku Klux Klan, the Neo-Nazis, the White Citizens’ Council, Neo-Confederate, the Tea Party and others of similar ilk. These are hate groups that are solid supporters of the Republican Party, no matter the selection in the Primaries. These bigots will flock to the polls with hope that they can export their special brand of hate and division. Their vision of America is one that existed 300 years ago when white males dominated the political arena and they join with other apologists who want to "take back their country." Individuals will attempt to mask their intentions with flowering excuses of individual rights, balanced budgets and conservative values, but if you scratch the cover and expose the core of their objectives you will find beliefs that look like, smell like and feel like a white supremacist. You cannot get into bed with fleas and arise proclaiming a bug free zone.
Bill Burrus
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TO SAVE - AGAIN
In a five part series published on this site Will the Post Office Survive I reviewed the current state of the Postal Service and projected its future. Consistent with my conclusion, Congress is currently considering legislation that will shape that future and the Congressional final product will confirm or refute my projections. After much posturing by the politicians and lobbying by interested groups, including affected employees, the US Senate has begun deliberations on legislation that will determine this future. The legislative process is slow and torturous so it is not surprising that the debate is protracted, but I expect that the final Senate Bill will include:
· A modification to the health care payment
· A process for the closing of postal facilities and plants,
· Release of the $13 billion in overpayment to retirement funds
· Authorization for retirement incentives
· Delay in conversion to 5 day delivery
· Expanded retail opportunities
· Modification to delivery standards
Following the vote in the Senate that is expected to be affirmative with bi-partisan support (including Republicans Senators Collins, Snow and Brown) HR 2309 will be called up in the House for debate and vote.
The House Bill will have far more objectionable provisions than the Senate version and since the Republicans have a majority it is expected that they will resist amendment to the onerous provisions. The House Bill does not address the health care fund, requires conversion to 5 day delivery and requires arbitrators to consider the USPS’ financial health in an award. I expect that the House will pass an amended HR 2309 and the two versions of Postal Reform will be decided by a select group of Senators and Representatives for final legislation and vote by each Chamber.
I am optimistic that postal legislation will pass the House and Senate before the expiration of the May 15 moratorium on office closings. A projection of its shape and affect is much more difficult to project. There are several certainties, including retirement incentives, release of retirement overpayments and a process for closing offices. Other more onerous provisions are still in play and whether or not they are resolved favorably, the final outcome will result in changes that will be negative for postal employees and APWU. After the smoke clears, there will be far fewer employees, far fewer union members and rampant employee reassignments as the Postal Service realigns the personnel.
The simple means of Postal Reform is to release the retirement overpayments and declare the $40 billion presently in the health care fund to be sufficient, but it is not expected that Congress will do the right thing, if there is an opportunity to satisfy political objectives. A history of the Post Office is that the first Postal Reform was not legislated until 194 years after inclusion in the constitution (1970 - 1776), and then 36 years later they legislated the misguided 2006 PAEA (2006 - 1970). Now just six years from the most recent Reform, Congress is at it again. At this pace, we can expect that in 2013 legislators will justify a new effort to "save" the Postal Service.
As I observed in Will the Postal Service Survive, the USPS future depends on Congress undoing the 2006 mistake and returning postal monies that have been overpaid and "Thank You" but the Postal Service cannot afford any more of your help.
Bill Burrus
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WHAT DRIVES US
The mind of human beings separates us from all other forms of life on the planet enabling us to apply experience and knowledge to a myriad of circumstances. As the opportunity to make decisions arise we have the ability to identify and decide in our best interest. When the challenge exceeds our individual abilities we form alliances with others who share commonality of interest to achieve collective goals therefore it is an abomination that so many of us share values and objectives that are anathema to our individual betterment. Two obvious cases in point are employees who refrain from combining their efforts with their coworkers to achieve improved working conditions and poor and middle class people who support principles advanced by the Republican Party.
Unchallenged statistics reveal that unionized workers have higher wages, improved benefits and a collective voice in employment matters. In that most middle class workers and all of the poor seek employment solely for the exchange of money and benefits in return for effort, so working for others is not a matter of choice but a requirement to afford life style sustaining exchanges. We work that we can afford. So logic would dictate that we would participate in any vehicle that advances our objectives. Not so with nonunion members. Accepting their intelligence to be equal to ours we begin with the assumption that each realizes that the power of one does not equal the power of many so their refusal to participate in collective effort is with the acknowledgement that their efforts cannot lead to the same results. They know that they cannot increase wages, improve benefits or modify terms of employment through individual actions. This result defies logic. Why would an intelligent human being eschew the only forum available to improve their conditions? No matter how hard they work, maintain a regular schedule or foster a relationship with the supervisor, their conditions cannot be improved, absent a union (collective) initiative. These are human beings who can connect the dots and know that collective actions generate superior results. The resulting non membership defies the basic assumption that human beings will decide in their best interest.
The other exception is the affiliation with a political party. People of average means have absolutely nothing in common with the Republican Party, yet they embrace its rhetoric as though up is down and white is black.. In that wealth is generated collectively, their sole objective is to manipulate the social system that it moves in one direction, up. The prime goals as advanced by the Republican elected officials are to enhance the economic abundance of the wealthy. This includes their tax policy, foreign policy and the distribution of government resources is continually skewed in favor of the wealthy to the detriment of the rest. As they verbalizer these prime objectives, social issues are sprinkled in with no authority to demand private behavior. It is beyond rationale that workers can ignore the continuing assault on their well-being by the Republican Party and support the demise of benefits achieved collectively: unions, Social Security, Medicare, minimum wage, jobs and food safety. You name a benefit that is achieved through collective activity and the Republicans oppose it. In defense of these illogical positions they offer illogical excuses. Take the one in opposition to the equal taxation for secretaries and billionaires. They defend by saying that taxing the rich equal to the middle class would not generate sufficient revenue to solve the deficit. Well, forgiving you from paying your taxes also would have no effect on the deficit but try telling that to the IRS. The invasion of women's femininity, restrictions on contraception, clean air, clean water, workers right to organize equal to the Chamber of Commerce, etc. etc.; this list is endless exposing the Republican anti-average citizen policies that are embraced by the very people who will be adversely affected.
To be a worker, a nonmember and/or a Republican is to be a fool.
Bill Burrus
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To Anonymous
I was cataloging papers in my library and came across documents reflecting the growth of postal wages during my presidency. I remembered back to the APWU member who regularly posts on my web site regarding the wages of Electronic Technicians ETs, Level 10 resulting from the contracts that I negotiated and thought about McQueen who repeatedly insisted that he was short changed. Following is the wage scale for ET 10/11s as compared to Grade 5/6 employees in the contracts over my presidency:
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Grade 5, Step O
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01/01/2001
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$40,952
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Grade 6, Step O
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03/15/2008
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$51,049
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An increase of 24.66%
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Grade 10, Step O
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01/01/2001
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$46,867
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Grade 11, Step O
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03/15/2008
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$60,950
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An increase of 30.05%
Now what was that you were saying?
Bill Burrus
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