e-Team Report, Jan. 6, 2012
Congress Passes Eight Month Extension
Before ringing in the New Year, Congress gave itself more time to deal with the problems facing the Postal Service. Language was included within the Omnibus spending package giving the Postal Service another 8 months, until August 2012, to pay the mandated $5.5 billion dollars to pre-fund future retiree healthcare benefits. Also, included in this package was language that mandates the Postal Service continue six day delivery.
To read more about the extension, please click here.
PRC Slams USPS Plans for Retail Closures
Recently, the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) came to the determination that the plans laid out by the Postal Service to shutter as many as 3,600 retail facilities is based on contentious data. The Postal Service’s plan to close thousands of retail facilities failed to take into account the amount of people facilities serve, failed to take into account if another post office nearby and also failed to take into account the overall needs of the community.
To read more about the advisory opinion from the PRC including a link to the full opinion please click here.
Senator Akaka Introduces New Legislation
Just before Christmas, Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI) introduced a new piece of Postal Legislation, S. 2014. This bill would alter the 2006 law that requires the Postal Service to pre-fund future retiree healthcare benefits, a demand made of no other private company or government agency is required to do. This legislation would set the target funding level for retiree health benefits at 80% of the 2006 obligation, recalculate and transfer back any FERS overpayments made by the Postal Service, along with several other provisions.
To read more about this piece of legislation on the APWU’s website please click here .
To read more about S. 2014 including the full text of the bill click here .
President Obama Makes Three Recess Appointments to NLRB
Earlier this week President Obama appointed Sharon Block, Terence Flynn and Richard Griffin to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The NLRB is responsible for resolving workplace disputes and handles other federal labor issues. These appointments will make sure that there is still a quorum in place to resolve important labor issues that come in front of the NLRB.
To read more about the appointments please click here.