e-Team Report, May 24, 2013

Support the Postal Service Protection Act

The Postal Service Protection Act (S. 316 and H.R. 630) is steadily gaining co-sponsors in both the Senate and the House. Since last week, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) added their names as co-sponsors, bringing the total number of co-sponsors of S. 316 to 26. In the House, the following 10 representatives became co-sponsors: Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Rep. Theodore Deutch (D-FL), Rep. James Himes (D-CT), Rep. Gloria Negrete McLeod (D-CA), Rep. Louis Capps (D-CA), Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI), Rep. Ed Pastor (D-AZ), Rep. Sandy Levin (D-MI), Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH) and Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), bringing the total number of co-sponsors of H.R. 630 to 156. 

APWU Legislative and Political Director Gary Kloepfer urges members to continue to speak to their congressional representatives to request additional co-sponsors. Legislative relief is crucial to maintain the world’s greatest postal service and the Postal Service Protection Act, if enacted will provide the necessary relief. 

Lawmakers ask PMG to stop accelerated consolidations and wait for postal legislation

In the face of the Postal Service’s announcement that it is accelerating the closures of over 70 mail processing facilities, this week 47 members of Congress signed a letter asking Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe to “maintain operations at mail processing facilities as originally reported to allow Congress to take action on postal reform legislation.”  The processing centers were previously identified as sites for possible consolidation in 2014. 

Under the Postal Service’s mounting financial burdens, the agency has resorted to measures that would decimate the postal network and degrade delivery standards American consumers and businesses rely on.  In the letter, members of Congress urged Donahoe to hold off on further cuts stating, “It is critically important the postal service not preempt Congressional action by unilaterally moving forward with elimination of overnight delivery, allowing for major shutdowns across the country of mail processing facilities.”

To learn more and to see if your representative signed on, click here.

Obama Cabinet picks still waiting for Senate confirmation

Thomas Perez, the nominee for Secretary of Labor, cleared the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) with a 12-10 vote along party lines.  Senate Republicans have expressed concern about Perez, contending the nominee has a pro-union bias and favors liberal policies.  Some have vowed to block Perez’s appointment, signaling a possible filibuster on a confirmation vote.  Senate Democrats, however, have accused Republicans of obstructionism as other Obama nominations (Richard Cordray’s nomination to head to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Gina McCarthy’s nomination as leader of the Environmental Protection Agency) have faced similar opposition among party lines.  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has stated, however, that he plans to tackle immigration reform before taking on the contentious Cabinet nominations.

For more on Obama nominees awaiting Senate confirmation, please click here.

U.S. Treasury Dept. to dip into Postal benefit funds to make ends meet

In a letter to Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH), the U.S. Treasury Department stated it would take extraordinary measures to avoid defaulting on its obligations, including tapping into investments of the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund, and the Postal Service Retirees Health Benefit Fund.  The Treasury Department is taking the action following the reinstatement of the national debt ceiling this week after Congress voted to temporarily suspend the debt limit in January. 

For more on the Treasury Department’s measures to avoid default, please click here.

National Labor Relations Board Facing Paralysis

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the agency tasked with protecting America’s workers from unfair labor practices, is under partisan attack and at risk of becoming inoperable.  Right now, the board is operating with the bare minimum of three members necessary to issue decisions and protect workers’ rights.  In August, NLRB Chairman Mark Pearce’s term expires and the board will not have enough members to form a quorum and conduct its important business.

To stave off this looming disaster, President Obama has nominated five individuals, including the three current members, to fill the board.  Unfortunately, Senate Republicans are threatening to filibuster and block the confirmation of these nominees.  In doing so, they would allow the NLRB to fall into dysfunction.  Labor leaders including AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka are urging senators to take every appropriate action to confirm the president’s nominees.  This week, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions approved the nominations along a party line vote.  Now, it is up to the full Senate to confirm these vital nominations.

To read more on the NLRB nominees’ confirmation process, please click here.

To read more about the stakes, and hear from a worker whose livelihood relies on a functional NLRB, please click here.