Obama budget backs six-day delivery

President Obama’s fiscal 2011 budget proposal requires the continuation of six-day delivery by the Postal Service. The administration also promises to work with postal unions and other stakeholders to keep the Postal Service strong for years to come.

In setting the amount for “revenue forgone” to cover the costs of free and reduced rate mail, the spending plan says payments will be made “provided that 6-day delivery and rural delivery of mail shall continue at not less than the 1983 level....”

Postal privatization a “bad idea,” Obama says

In a citizen question-and-answer interview, President Obama said privatization of government services is “a bad idea most of the time”—and definitely a bad idea when it comes to the U.S. Postal Service.

FERS sick leave credit approved

The Senate approved legislation October 22 that gives federal and postal workers under the Federal Employees Retirement System credit toward their retirement benefits for unused sick leave. The provision, a legislative priority for the NALC, was included in a compromise version of the 2010 Defense Authorization bill. The House approved the bill October 7 and it was sent to President Obama for his signature. Under the new law, FERS employees get half credit for unused sick leave through 2013; full credit takes effect in 2014. The bill also includes a provision to gradually move federal employees who live and work outside the continental United States away from territorial COLAs based on price differences and into a locality pay system based on wage differences.

USPS receives financial relief from Congress

On Wednesday night, the Senate approved a continuing resolution that included the postal financial relief language from H.R. 22. With the passage, the Postal Service will be able to defer $4 billion in payments to a fund for its future retirees' health benefits, giving USPS some flexibility for dealing with the current recession. "I want to thank all of the NALC activists who worked so hard for this passage," President Fred Rolando said at a legislative function Wednesday night. "Tonight we can celebrate, but tomorrow we must start all over to get a long-term solution."

Rolando installed as 18th NALC president

Fredric V. Rolando, a member of Sarasota, Florida Branch 2148, has been installed as the 18th President of the National Association of Letter Carriers. He officially became leader of the union on July 4.

Rolando, 56, had served as Executive Vice President since December 2006 and moved up under the terms of the NALC Constitution. He took the oath of office at a special ceremony at NALC Headquarters in Washington on July 2. The installing officer was William H. Young, who had earlier announced his retirement as president after more than six years in that office.

Pay Raise Schedule

* Value of COLAs depends on changes in the level of the Consumer Price Index. The basic salary shall be increased 1 cent per hour for each full 0.4 of a point increase in the applicable Index above the Base Index. In no event will a decline in the Index below the Base Index result in a decrease in the pay scales.

Flats Sequencing System

Click here to watch a video of the Flats Sequencing System machine in action on YouTube, or here for a more detailed look.

Click here to see some FFS photos.

Latter Carrier Roberta Clemmer worked with the FSS at the Carmel, Indiana Post Office and wrote of her experience with the system. Read her report, DPS Flats, A Look At Our Future (© 2007, The Summit City Mailbag, Fort Wayne, IN, Branch No. 116).

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