Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Postal Service / Mail Handler Union mediation effort fails to reach a negotiated settlement

Article Title: Mail Handler 2011 Contract Headed for Interest Arbitration

Snippet of Article: "...Several other factors also have come into play as the NPMHU dispute resolution process unfolds. First and foremost, the American Postal Workers Union and the Postal Service reached a comprehensive agreement in March 2011, and that agreement has been held out by some as a pattern or a baseline for future negotiations. Second, the National Association of Letter Carriers is also currently involved in interest arbitration, and has recently announced the selection of Arbitrator Shyam Das as the neutral arbitrator on that panel. Third, and perhaps of most importance, the Postal Service and the National Rural Letter Carriers Association have finalized their interest arbitration hearings, which began in December 2011, and are awaiting the decision from their panel, which is headed by Arbitrator Jack Clarke. The status of the bargaining agreements for our three sister postal unions clearly could have an effect on what is already an exceedingly complicated process regarding the NPMHU-USPS contract dispute...."

Source: www.npmhu.org National Postal Mail Handlers Union

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

"Fast and Furious": A Primer

Article Title: A primer on the "Fast and Furious" scandal

Snippet of Article: "..."Fast and Furious" is the name ATF assigned to a group of Phoenix, Arizona-area gun trafficking cases under Project Gunrunner that began in fall of 2009. It's the largest of several known operations in which ATF employed gunwalking..."

Source: www.cbsnews.com

Thursday, June 21, 2012

USAJOBS App

Article Title: USAJOBS App

Snippet of Article: "...application puts the power of searching for a Federal job at your fingertips. This application is a companion to USAJOBS.gov, the official job site of the US Federal Government..."

Source: android-apps-iphone-apps.blogspot.com
USAJOBS App

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Looking Ahead to the Federal Employee 2013 COLA

Article Title: The bad news/good news/OMG not-so-good news!

Snippet of Article: "...There are four months left to go in the retiree COLA countdown. The bad-news-good-news is that if the CPI continues to drop it will be because of lower gasoline prices and reduces prices for key staple items...."

Source: federal-retirement.blogspot.com Federal Employee 2013 COLA

Friday, June 15, 2012

Computation of FERS annuity supplement

Article Title: FERS annuity supplement Computation

Snippet of Article: "...The FERS annuity supplement is computed as if you were age 62 and fully insured for a social security benefit when the supplement begins. OPM first estimates what your full career (40 years) social security benefit would be. Then we calculate the amount of your civilian service under FERS and reduce the estimated full career social security benefit accordingly. For example, if your estimated full career social security benefit would be $1,000 and you had worked 30 years under FERS, we would divide 30 by 40 (.75) and multiply ($1,000 x .75 = $750). The result would be your FERS annuity supplement, prior to any reductions...."

Source: www.opm.gov Computation of FERS annuity supplement

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Court sides with unions right to negotiate certain issues surrounding an agency's implementation of a Reduction in Force

Article Title: Court of Appeals Sides With AFGE in RIF Negotiability Case

Snippet of Article: "...In a case brought by the American Federation of Government Employees, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has upheld the right of federal unions to negotiate certain issues surrounding an agency's implementation of a Reduction in Force...."

Source: www.marketwatch.com Reduction in Force

Friday, June 8, 2012

Employment Opportunities: Many psychiatrists needed at Fort Campbell

Article Title: Fort Campbell seeks psychiatrists, 48 needed

Snippet of Article: "...The greatest need is for clinical psychiatrists, said one of the post's psychiatrists, Maj. Joe Wise. "We'd love to have a flood of interest from clinical psychiatrists," he said, "but we're still recruiting and waiting."

On the USA Jobs website, the psychiatrist postings at Fort Campbell offered salaries starting at $96,000 up to $195,000. Competitive benefits packages are included and relocation expenses are paid up to 25 percent of salary...."

Source: www.wtvq.com

Friday, June 1, 2012

OPM contractor mailed postcards to about 3,000 federal retirees with their Social Security numbers

Article Title: OPM contractor accidentally exposes retirees' Social Security numbers

Snippet of Article: "...An Office of Personnel Management contractor last October accidentally mailed postcards to about 3,000 federal retirees on which their Social Security numbers were printed, according to an inspector general report released Wednesday...."

Source: www.federaltimes.com

Friday, May 25, 2012

Early retirement and buyout incentives offered to USPS Mail Handlers

Article Title: Mail Handlers to be offered retirement incentive

Snippet of Article: "...eligible Mail Handlers who choose to leave employment with the USPS on or before August 31, 2012 will each receive incentive payments totaling up to fifteen thousand dollars (for full-time employees)...."

Source: National Postal Mail Handlers Union Local 317 Early retirement incentive, Mail Handler Buyout, Postal Buyout Incentives, Postal Retirement Incentive, Voluntary Early Retirement (VER)

Friday, May 18, 2012

Postal Service Lists of Mail Processing Facilities Slated for Closure or Consolidation

Article Title: List of Mail Processing Facilities Slated for Closure or Consolidation

Snippet of Article: "...the Postal Service issued its list of 140 mail processing facilities to be impacted during Phase 1 under its amended closure and consolidation plan. Today’s public announcement by USPS details the phased-in plan for several dozen closings or consolidations this August, as well as a plan for additional closings or consolidations beginning early in 2013..."

Source: National Postal Mail Handlers Union Local 317 Mail Processing Closure List, Mail Processing Consolidation List, Phase 1 Mail Processing closure and Consolidation List, Postal Consolidation List

Thursday, May 10, 2012

$20,000 Postal Service Buyouts Offered

Article Title: USPS offers buyouts to postmasters, drops plan to close post offices

Snippet of Article: "...Under heavy pressure from Congress, the U.S. Postal Service is shelving plans to close up to 3,700 post offices and instead will offer $20,000 buyouts to..."

Source: Postal Newsgroup

Thursday, May 3, 2012

pending legislation to increase employee contributions toward annuity benefits

Article Title: Thrift Savings Plan: Groups ask about retirement benefits changes

Snippet of Article: "...Several members of the council raised concerns about pending legislation to increase required employee contributions toward annuity benefits in the Federal Employees Retirement System and the Civil Service Retirement System. Last week, a House committee approved a bill to raise those contributions by 5 percent of salary..."

Source: www.washingtonpost.com Federal Employees Retirement System, Civil Service Retirement System,

Friday, April 27, 2012

New Secret Service conduct standards,

Article Title: US Secret Service Tightening Conduct Standards

Snippet of Article: "...The new standards released Friday specify that agents on international trips may not allow foreigners into their hotel rooms, may not visit so-called “non-reputable” establishments, and may not drink alcohol within 10 hours of going on duty...."

Source: voanews.com secret service conduct standards,

Monday, April 23, 2012

Social Security Number Breach Larger Than Thought

Article Title: 750,000 More Social Security Numbers Stolen by Hackers

Snippet of Article: "...Officials originally estimated that about 24,000 people had their records stolen after a computer tracked to Eastern Europe infiltrated a server beginning March 30, then changed that number to 182,000 victims. Health officials now believe a total of nearly 900,000..."

Source: socialsecuritynewsgroup.blogspot.com Social Security Breach, Social Security Numbers, Social Security Hacking,

GSA Probe Coming

Article Title: Lieberman calls for broader GSA probe into spending, hearings

Snippet of Article: "...Lieberman said he wants Miller to investigate the other regions “to make sure that there’s no similar behavior such as what we found in Region 9.” Speaking on “Fox News Sunday,” the senator said his committee also plans to hold hearings..."

Source: www.washingtonpost.com GSA,GSA Region 9, GSA Probe, Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee,

Will Congress Preserve Americans Right to One and Two Day Delivery Standard of Mail?

Article Title: Senate to Debate, Vote on Postal Bill – April 23

Snippet of Article: "...doesn’t do enough to ensure the USPS will be able to continue to provide the service the American people have every right to expect.”..."

Source: news-postal.blogspot.com Destruction of the postal service, lowering service standards, mail processing plant closures, mail service standards, postal bill, Save the Postal Service

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Postal buyout incentives, early retirements, but still more plant closures

Article Title: Senate Seeks Ways to Save Postal Service

Snippet of Article: "...bill being debated on the Senate floor this week was recently modified to take into account the concerns of mostly rural states. For instance, it would:

• Cut in half the number of mail processing centers the Postal Services currently wants to close — from 252 to 125 — allowing more U.S. areas to maintain overnight first-class mail delivery for at least three more years...."

Source: www.time.com Postal buyout incentives, Early Retirements, mail processing center closures,

Thursday, April 5, 2012

GSA “Hats Off Program” reaps nice benefits for Federal Employees

Article Title: GSA employee rewards program now also under scrutiny

Snippet of Article: "...Under a so-called “Hats Off Program,” operated by officials in the GSA’s Pacific Rim Region – and possibly other regions – “at least $200,000 worth of taxpayer funded iPods, gift cards and other valuable items were handed out to employees for questionable reasons at best,” wrote committee Chairman John Mica , R-Fla., and Rep. Jeff Denham , R-Calif...."

Source: www.govexec.com “Hats Off Program” , GSA, General Services Administration,

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

$822,000 General Services Administration (GSA) conference raises ire

Article Title: GSA head out after lavish spending by agency

Snippet of Article: "...It's supposed to set the standard for government efficiency and cost-cutting -- something a scathing new report clearly shows the GSA didn't do. The report has forced three top Washington officials out of their jobs..."

Source: www.cbsnews.com

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

USPS proposed health plan proposal would "massively disrupt or destroy the FEHBP"

Article Title: USPS plan to set up own health plan faces lawmakers' skepticism

Snippet of Article: "...One health care expert said the USPS health plan proposal would "massively disrupt or destroy the FEHBP." ..."

Source: www.federalnewsradio.com FEHBP, Postal Service Health Plan, Destruction of the Federal Employee Health Plan,

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Is there an app for that? Android and iPhone Apps

Article Title: Etch A Sketch Craziness? Yep, There's an App For That

Snippet of Article: "...Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum holds an Etch A Sketch during a rally in Mandeville, La., ..."

Source: Android and iPhone Apps Etch A Sketch App

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Budget plan calls for extending pay freeze through 2015

Article Title: GOP budget plan extends federal pay freeze, changes retirement benefits

Snippet of Article: "...The Republican budget plan for fiscal 2013 calls for extending the federal pay freeze through 2015, increasing federal retirement contributions and cutting the federal workforce by 10 percent. ..."

Source: www.federalnewsradio.com Republican budget plan, Federal pay freeze, 2015 pay freeze,

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Outfox Social Security

Article Title: How to Outsmart Social Security

Snippet of Article: "...A new working paper offers guidance on how to maximize this present value of benefits, depending on the circumstance. The authors, economists John Shoven at Stanford University and Sita Nataraj Slavov at Occidental College, received a grant from the Social Security Administration for their research..."

Source: Social Security News

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Mail Processing Facility Closure "utter disaster" says...

Article Title: Closure of Frederick Mail Processing Facility 'utter disaster,' according to director of union organization

Snippet of Article: "...sent to Baltimore to be sorted, has been an “utter disaster,” overwhelming the Baltimore plant and leading to mail delays of, in some cases, more than a month, said Richard Shelley, who works at the Baltimore Processing and Distribution Facility ..."

Source: herald-mail.com

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Justice Department employees may see furloughs

Article Title: Justice warns of 5-week furloughs for 100,000 employees

Snippet of Article: "...More than 100,000 Justice Department employees — about 86 percent of the agency's workforce — would be furloughed for five weeks on average if automatic budget cuts take effect in January, a department spokeswoman said Tuesday...."

Source: www.federaltimes.com Federal Employee furloughs, Justice Department employees, sequestration budget cuts,

Friday, March 9, 2012

Postal Service suspending mail processing network consolidations

Article Title: Postal Service suspending mail processing network consolidations during the election mailing season

Snippet of Article: "...efforts include suspending mail processing network consolidations during..."

Source: Postal Newsgroup mail processing network consolidations, moratorium,

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Processing facility closures or consolidations not completed by the end of August will be put on hold

Article Title: Closure of some mail sites to be delayed for US vote

Snippet of Article: "...It announced on Wednesday that it would put any processing facility closures or consolidations not completed by the end of
August on hold until early 2013...."

Source: www.chicagotribune.com

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Los Alamos National Laboratory buyouts on the way

Article Title: Los Alamos Residents Brace for Layoffs at Lab

Snippet of Article: "...need to lay off up to 11 percent of its 7,600 permanent employees, a target that officials hope can be reached through volunteers. On Thursday, the lab’s director, Charles F. McMillan, met with employees to explain the terms of buyouts..."

Source: www.nytimes.com Federal Employee Buyouts, Early Retirements,

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

If RIF, what will be offered

Article Title: CSRS and break in service

Snippet of Article: "...If RIF, what will be offered to me for my retirement plan? 2. CSRS versus FERS..."

Source: federaltimes.com RIF,

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

More early retirement and buyouts for Agriculture Department

Article Title: The 2013 budget request: agency by agency

Snippet of Article: "...started closing 260 offices this year, plans to further use early retirement and buyouts to eliminate 900 more positions in 2013. Budget cuts forced..."

Source: www.federaltimes.com Early Retirements, Federal Employee Buyouts,

Friday, February 10, 2012

Bill to cut Federal Employee and Postal Pensions approved by House Panel

Article Title: House Panel Approves Bill To Cut Postal, Federal Pensions

Snippet of Article: "...legislation (H.R. 3813) was shepherded through the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee by a pair of politicians who are well-known opponents of postal workers: Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Rep. Dennis Ross (R-FL)..."

Source: The Postal Newsgroup Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), Dennis A. Ross (R-Fla.), Federal Retirement Cuts, Federal Employee Retirement,

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

2011 Buyout Figures / Early Retirements

Article Title: GPO Reports Results of Buyouts / Early Outs

Snippet of Article: "...GPO offered buyouts and early outs to the agency's employees during the second half of calendar year 2011 as a result of overall Government cutbacks and projected reductions in appropriated funding. The buyout..."

Source: whattheythink.com

Friday, January 20, 2012

Blue Button technology arrives for Federal Employee Health Plans

Article Title: Federal health plans to offer Blue Button digital health-record access

Snippet of Article: "...the Blue Button technology, whose use was spearheaded by the Veterans Affairs Department, will make it easer to share digital records with family members and physicians...."

Source: www.federalnewsradio.com Blue Button technology

Monday, January 9, 2012

Federal Employee Pay Increase for 2013 is minuscule

Article Title: AFGE Statement on Proposed Federal Employee Pay Raise

Snippet of Article: "...American Federation of Government Employees National President John Gage today issued the following statement in response to the Obama administration's proposed 0.5% federal employee pay raise for 2013..."

Source: www.sacbee.com

Monday, January 2, 2012

Federal worker rule

Article Title: Wait is over for federal worker rule but worries persist

Snippet of Article: "...It took DHS' U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services almost two years to issue the final worker rule. The rule was welcomed with a mixture of relief and anxiety...."

Source: www.saipantribune.com

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Federal employees' pay gains are slowest in 10 years

Article Title: Federal workers' pay gains are the slowest in 10 years

Snippet of Article: "...None of the wage gains kept pace with inflation. The federal pay numbers are the first full budget-year results since President Obama canceled automatic cost-of-living pay hikes..."

Source: www.usatoday.com
COLA, cost-of-living

Monday, December 19, 2011

Lawmakers stall Federal Employee unpaid furloughs for short period

Article Title: US Lawmakers Approve Government Funding

Snippet of Article: "...A shutdown would have forced government departments to halt non-essential operations and put tens of thousands of federal employees on unpaid furlough...."

Source: voanews.com Federal furlough, Federal employees,

Friday, December 16, 2011

Postal Service attempts to shutter vital mail processing facility in national defense mecca

Article Title: Huntsville mail processing center may relocate to Birmingham

Snippet of Article: "...Huntsville resident Ray Dunavant said if the measure passes, Huntsville will lose its historic postmark; something that Dunavant says is an emblem of a community...."

Source: Rocket City
destruction of postal service, essential services, Huntsville Alabama,

Friday, December 9, 2011

Huge cuts to federal employee pay and benefits

Article Title: Federal worker union opposes House GOP payroll tax plan

Snippet of Article: "...the measure would make “huge cuts to federal employee pay and benefits.”..."

Source: Federal pay cuts,

Monday, December 5, 2011

Another postal shooting (Montgomery, Alabama)

Article Title: Post office shooting suspect charged with Attempted Murder

Snippet of Article: "...postal worker carried two guns into the mail room at the post office and fired several shots. The suspect, 29-year-old Arthur Lee Darby Jr...."

Source: eastmontgomery.wsfa.com Postal Shooting