NALC Branch 193

Latest News and Resources From National:

Updated 6-30-09

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NALC pressing USPS on Saturday delivery: NALC is pushing the Postal Service for a full briefing on USPS’ internal study on the feasibility of eliminating Saturday delivery. That briefing is expected to take place shortly. Regardless, NALC remains adamantly opposed to ending six-day delivery, said NALC President Bill Young. See story.

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NALC unrelenting on six-day delivery: "NALC has received reports that some postal managers have been telling letter carriers and other postal employees that the Postal Service has decided to drop one day of delivery each week to cut costs," says President Young. "Worse, some have suggested NALC has agreed to this change. Nothing could be further from the truth." NALC supports H.R.22, a bill that would financially help the Postal Service and make cutting a day of service unnecessary. Contact your representatives and ask them to co-sponsor H.R.22.
Press Release | H.R. 22 Fact Sheet | Bulletin article

MDA cancels summer camp: NALC National MDA Coordinator Jim Williams has been notified that the union's official charity is canceling the remainder of this year's summer camps over concerns regarding the H1N1 (swine flu) virus. MDA page

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Register now for the Health Benefit Seminar: There's still time to register for the National Health Benefit Seminar in Las Vegas on October 18-21, hosted by the NALC Health Benefit Plan. The seminar will include classes and a health fair, as well as kick off the 60th anniversary celebration of the Health Benefit Plan. Call 703-729-8104 for additional information. More | HBP page

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NALC unrelenting on six-day delivery: A special message from President Young: "NALC has received reports from North Carolina, New Jersey and other states that postal managers have been telling letter carriers and other postal employees that the Postal Service has decided to drop one day of delivery each week to cut costs. Worse, some have suggested NALC has agreed to this change. Nothing could be further from the truth." Bulletin article

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NALC supports H.R.22, a bill in Congress that would financially help the Postal Service and make cutting a day of service unnecessary. Contact your House representatives and ask them to co-sponsor H.R.22. Press Release | H.R. 22 Fact Sheet

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NALC President Young announces retirement: President William H. Young has officially announced his retirement date—July 3, 2009. He has served 43 years as a letter carrier and 30 years as an officer of the NALC. Biography

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http://www.nalc.org/depart/cau/jcam.html

2009 JCAM released online: The NALC is pleased to announce the 2009 Joint Contract Administration Manual (JCAM). Included in the PDF document are: 1) a letter from NALC President William Young and the Postal Service’s Vice President of Labor Relations, Doug Tulino, providing direction to Delivery Unit Managers and NALC Shop Stewards on the use of the JCAM; 2) a letter from NALC Executive Vice President Fred Rolando to NALC Branch Officers, regarding the use of the JCAM; 3) a list of changes to the previous JCAM; and 4) the 2009 JCAM. JCAM page

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73.4 million pounds collected In food drive: People across the country donated in record amounts during the 17th annual "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive May 9. "This is an amazing testimony to the generosity of the American people even as they themselves struggle to make ends meet in these hard times,” said NALC President Bill Young. Press release | Food Drive page | Bulletin | Postal Record article

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2010 Leadership Academy applications now being accepted: The form is posted here and is also available from your National Business Agent. In order for you to be eligible for 2010 training, forms must be postmarked by September 30. Please note: Previous applicants must reapply and include updated information, along with a renewed commitment from your mentors. Application

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Details of MIARAP agreement: A training document jointly developed by the NALC and USPS (M-01703), which details the parties' mutual understanding of the provisions of the Memorandum of Agreement, Re: Modified Interim Alternate Route Adjustment Process - 2009 (M-01702), is now available. M-01703

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Save on summer trips with Union Plus: With programs to save on theme park admissions, vacation tours, rental car discounts and a motor club, Union Plus can help make your summer vacation affordable. Find these and other money-saving benefits from Union Plus here.

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Change your address? Make sure your union can stay in touch with you. Call or write the Membership Department if your address changes.

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Contract-related or work rule question? Letter carriers who need information and assistance should contact the National Business Agent in their region. Locate your NBA here.

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Updated Route Inspection Kit (12/06) available here. (Route Inspection Kit for Windows Vista available here.)

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Route protection materials online available here.

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Online form for bylaw changes available here.

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Jointly issued details of MIARAP agreement now available: A training document jointly developed by the NALC and the Postal Service (M-01703), which details the parties' mutual understanding of the provisions of the Memorandum of Agreement, Re: Modified Interim Alternate Route Adjustment Process - 2009 (M-01702), is now available. M-01703

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PREVIOUS NALC NEWS

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Rap Session draws 1,600 union leaders: The Modified Interim Alternate Route Adjustment Process (MIARAP) was among the hot topics during the National Training Conference and Rap Session held in Las Vegas over the April 25-26 weekend. The 1,600 local NALC leaders at the conference had their choice of four workshops on Saturday, with roughly 1,000 attending the two route adjustment sessions. About the same number sat in on the two City Delivery/CAU briefings. During the Sunday morning Rap Session, President Bill Young told participants that MIARAP “is the future and we all need to support it.” Fielding questions from the floor, Young addressed numerous topics during the two-and-a-half hour session, including the issue of five-day delivery, which he warned could be “the death knell” for the USPS. Bulletin article

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Congressional testimony on five-day delivery: President Young told the House subcommittee for the Postal Service that cutting mail delivery to five days a week could have disastrous consequences. See video excerpts of his testimony here. Also see the NALC Bulletin and the May Postal Record for a full report .

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H.R. 22 would help save the Postal Service: Contact your House representatives and ask them to co-sponsor the bill. In his recent testimony (see above), President Young said the legislation could help USPS weather the economic crisis. He also was interviewed on Federal News Radio about the bill. Press Release | Testimony | Interview | H.R. 22 Fact Sheet | Bulletin

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Voluntary Early Retirement update: The Postal Service has extended the deadline to elect the Voluntary Early Retirement (VER) option for eligible carriers to June 19. More

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NALC and USPS agree to Modified Interim Alternate Route Adjustment Process: The NALC and the Postal Service have entered into a Memorandum of Agreement on a Modified Interim Alternate Route Adjustment Process for 2009. Jointly issued details regarding each provision of the agreement will follow. M01702 | Bulletin article
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Food Drive 2009: More than 1,400 branches have registered for the annual drive on Saturday, May 9. Watch the promotional video here. Also, the Postal Service has announced that its Priority Mail service will lead the way in supporting the drive this year. Food Drive page | Bulletin

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Save on summer trips with Union Plus: Summer is right around the corner and now is the time to start planning your vacation. With programs to save on theme park admissions, vacation tours, rental car discounts and a motor club, Union Plus can help make your vacation affordable during this rough economic patch. You can find these and other money-saving benefits from Union Plus by going here.

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Change your address? Make sure your union can stay in touch with you. Call or write the Membership Department if your address changes.

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Contract-related or work rule question? Letter carriers who need information and assistance should contact the National Business Agent in their region. Locate your NBA here.

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Updated Route Inspection Kit (12/06) available here. (Route Inspection Kit for Windows Vista available here.)

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Route protection materials online available here.

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NALC and USPS agree to Modified Interim Alternate Route Adjustment Process: The NALC and the Postal Service have entered into a Memorandum of Agreement on a Modified Interim Alternate Route Adjustment Process for 2009. Jointly issued details regarding each provision of the Agreement will follow. Click here to review the Memorandum of Agreement itself. M01702 | Bulletin article

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Legislation to improve FERS, TSP benefits passes in House: The House approved legislation April 1 that addressed two long-standing disparities in treatment between workers in the Federal Employees’ Retirement System (FERS) and those in the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). The bill provides service credit to employees covered by FERS for unused sick leave when determining their retirement benefits—as under CSRS. The bill also gives FERS employees who leave federal service and withdraw their retirement contributions the same right CSRS employees have to “buy back” their service credit by re-depositing their contributions when they return to federal service. More

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NALC and APWU win key ruling in OIG case: NALC and the APWU scored an important preliminary victory in their lawsuit against the Postal Service and the Office of Inspector General (OIG). In a ruling issued March 30, U.S. District Court Judge Denny Chin denied a motion by the defendants to dismiss the case. The suit will now proceed for consideration of the merits. More

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H.R. 22 would help save the Postal Service: President Young told a House subcommittee that legislation modifiying how USPS funds retiree health benefits could help the Service weather the current economic crisis. “The Great Recession we face today threatens to destroy the most trusted and universal connection most Americans have with their national government," he said. Young encourages NALC members to contact their House representatives and ask them to co-sponsor H.R. 22. He also was recently interviewed on Federal News Radio about the bill. Press Release | Testimony | Interview | H.R. 22 Fact Sheet

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Early retirement offer will cover city carriers: The Postal Service has informed President Young that city letter carriers will be included in its new Voluntary Early Retirement offer. The timing for VER applications and deadline for action has not been set, but it will have the same terms as the 2008 “early out” program, Young said. That means there will be no financial incentives, and annuities will be reduced for those who take the offer. Other details are pending. See The Postal Record report on last year’s VER here, and the initial USPS announcement here.

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Battle for EFCA heats up: The legislation to make it easier for workers to form unions was introduced March 10 in both the House and Senate. NALC believes the legislation is vital to pulling the nation out of the economic crisis and rebuilding the middle class. More | Bulletin article

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Young responds to WSJ letter: In a letter to the editor of The Wall Street Journal, President Young declares that the Postal Service's experience with collective bargaining is evidence that, if passed, EFCA will work. His letter contradicts one from a formal postal manager, which was published in the paper March 16. More

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Change your address? Make sure your union can stay in touch with you. Call or write the Membership Department if your address changes.

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Route protection materials online available here.

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Five-day delivery not the best economic solution: President William H. Young has released a statement in response to media reports that Postmaster General Jack Potter is seeking to curtail the Postal Service to five-day delivery. "The continued appearance of letter carriers delivering the mail to the doorstep of every home and business and bank and credit card company six days a week is absolutely essential to economic recovery." In his statement, Young makes the case for an alternative economic solution: H.R. 22. Statement | H.R. 22 | Bulletin

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CIGNA PPO Locator Information: Is your doctor or hospital part of the CIGNA HealthCare PPO Network? Click here to go to the Health Benefit Plan page and access the CIGNA PPO Provider Locator. Or call the PPO Locator number, 877-220-NALC (6252), or the special Open Season PPO Locator number, 800-564-7642. For general info on NALC Health Plan benefits, call 888-636-NALC (6252).

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Save money with Union Plus: Union Plus can help you keep your New Year's resolutions. From health club discounts to credit counseling, you can start 2009 off on the right foot. Find these and other great money-saving benefits from Union Plus.

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