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Article Title: USPS proposes streamlining review process for closing post offices
Snippet of Article: "...If the changes are enacted, Granholm said, USPS would focus on whether to keep open thousands of smaller branches and stations located in city centers or far-flung rural towns that may get less traffic than nearby post offices...."
Article Title: SES pay system said to impede recruitment
Snippet of Article: "..."We do believe that right now is not the appropriate time to promote any kind of increase in pay for senior executives," Nancy Kichak, associate director for employee services at the Office of Personnel Management..."
Article Title: Former FEMA Employee and Contractor Indicted in Louisiana for Conspiracy
Snippet of Article: "...The indictment alleges DANGLER, with the assistance of BLEVINS, knowingly submitted false and fraudulent information in a contract proposal in an attempt to obtain a FEMA contract. Based on this fraudulent proposal, FEMA awarded 3-D Disaster Services, Inc...."
Article Title: Feds want employee's laptop in B-1 visa case
Snippet of Article: "...A lawsuit filed by an Infosys Technologies employee who refused to help the India-based company bring in B-1 visa holders is drawing attention from federal investigators, according to his attorney. ..."
Article Title: Federal employee arrested for pick pocketing
Snippet of Article: "...A Maryland woman and government employee faces two counts of credit card fraud in Alexandria after allegedly lifting a wallet from a La Madeleine patron in November. ..."
The Announcement
PMG ANNOUNCES CLOSING OF SEVEN DISTRICTS
I am confident we have developed a strong plan that takes a key step toward a leaner and less bureaucratic structure.
As part of the ongoing redesign of the Postal Service, PMG Pat Donahoe yesterday announced USPS will close 7 of its 74 district offices. This reflects continuing alignments within the organization to achieve core business strategies and, when fully implemented, will help realize approximately $750 million of annual cost savings (Link Extra, 3/23).
The district offices scheduled for closure — Columbus, OH, (Eastern Area); Southeast Michigan in Troy, MI, and Northern Illinois in Carol Stream, IL (Great Lakes Area); Southeast New England in Providence, RI (Northeast Area); South Georgia in Macon, GA, and Albuquerque in Albuquerque, NM (Southwest Area); and Big Sky in Billings, MT (Western Area) — house only administrative functions that will be assumed by surrounding district offices. The closures will not affect customer service, mail delivery, Post Office operations or ZIP codes.
“I am confident we have developed a strong plan that takes a key step toward a leaner and less bureaucratic structure. One that is fair to our employees and one that will meet the future needs of our customers and the mailing industry,” said Donahoe.
This organizational redesign builds on previous PMG announcements that include a 16 percent reduction in officer ranks, realigning revenue-generating business units, closing the Southeast Area Office, and further reducing the employee complement by about 7,500 positions.
While yesterday’s announcement focused on the administrative and executive corps, additional staff reductions will occur as the Postal Service makes necessary changes to its network and retail operations. The full scope and financial impact of these personnel actions should be realized in one calendar year — by March 2012.
Article Title: USPS offering $20,000 buyouts, shutting seven district offices
Snippet of Article: "...announced plans to shutter seven of 74 USPS district offices. The seven are in: Columbus, Ohio; Troy, Mich.; Carol Stream, Ill.; Providence, R.I.; Macon, Ga.; Billings, Mont.; and Albuquerque, N.M...."
Offer for targeted non-union employees only
Article Title: 2011 Special Incentive Offer FAQs
Snippet of Article: "...What are the basic details of the 2011 Special Incentive Offer?
On March 23, 2011, the Postal Service announced a Special Incentive offer for the following targeted groups:
Career non-bargaining employees assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Field Units, including PCES and attorneys
Career non-bargaining employees assigned to Area Offices, including PCES
Career non-bargaining employees assigned to District Customer Service Offices (the offer includes PCES in closing districts only)..."
Article Title: Congress's pay raises have varied widely
Snippet of Article: "...Under a 1989 law, members of Congress receive an automatic annual raise, based on a labor cost index, unless Congress rejects the raise. Also under the law, a raise for Congress cannot exceed that year's base federal employee raise -- excluding locality-based pay...."
Article Title: Thousands of U.S. Military and DOD Evacuees to Return from Honshu Japan
Snippet of Article: "...civilian DOD employees arrived at Sea-Tac Saturday morning from Honshu Japan as part of a U.S. State Department voluntary evacuation of U.S. personnel following last week’s earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
More than 200,000 U.S. personnel are being evacuated..."
Article Title: Wounded Warriors program finds veterans positions within the federal government
Snippet of Article: "...Through the expedited referral process, the program has been able to place 72 severely disabled veterans at installations worldwide with two at Aberdeen, she added...."
Article Title: Defense shutdown plans outlined in draft memo
Snippet of Article: "...The 13-page memo lists specific divisions and activities that would be exempt from a government work stoppage caused by a failure by Congress to pass a 2011 budget bill or a continuing resolution.
The memo was drafted before March 4, one potential shutdown date...."
Article Title: Highlights of the New Collective Bargaining Agreement
Snippet of Article: "...Each year from 2013 through 2016 there will be a slight shift in employees’ share of contributions toward healthcare coverage. This will amount to an increase of several dollars per pay period each year. (Similar changes were made in the last contract.)..."
Article Title: PIV Cards are in the hands of most federal employees and contractors
Snippet of Article: "...According to the most recent figures reported to the Office of Management and Budget, Personal Identity Verification cards had been issued to 3.75 million federal employees as of Dec. 1, 2010, or 80 percent of the government workforce..."
Article Title: US workers' comp covers Giffords', others' care
Snippet of Article: "...The compensation act covers all medical care that the federal Office of Workers' Compensation considers "likely to cure, give relief (and) reduce the degree or the period of disability." Such care would include hospital, rehabilitation and home therapy services "for as long as residuals of an injury continue," federal law says...."
Article Title: Federal shutdown once again threatens
Snippet of Article: "...current short-term spending law will keep the government operating until March 18. If Congress doesn’t approve a funding bill before then, the government will shut down. ..."
Article Title: Bill aimed at TSA screeners survives vote in committee
Snippet of Article: "...Under HB 628, touching or viewing a person's breasts or genitals by a government security agent would be a sexual assault. The bill would also require agents convicted of sexual assault to register for life as Tier 3 sex offenders -- the most serious classification...."
Article Title: OPM, Republicans spar over federal pay
Snippet of Article: "...Berry also was quick to point out that the federal government reformed its benefits system 25 years ago so the government is not facing the same financial crisis as many states are. Berry said employees pay a large percentage or all of their benefits ..."
Snippet of Article: "...Republicans in Wisconsin's state senate have pushed through the most severe assault on trade union rights for a generation, taking opponents by surprise and rushing a measure that sharply curtails collective bargaining for public sector workers in barely 30 minutes...."
More Reading:
Define: Collective Bargaining . Collective bargaining is the inalienable right of an American working class citizen to have the ability to have a voice in the negotiation process between employer and employee relating to wages, reasonable sharing of profit, hours, safety, health, healthcare, retirement security, corrective action, rules, and working conditions; the voice of an employee.
Article Title: Historic union vote for airport officers begins
Snippet of Article: "...TSA would not negotiate security policies, proficiency testing, job qualifications or discipline standards. Other than postal workers, no federal employees negotiate over pay.
AFGE and NTEU, the two biggest federal unions, both want to represent the TSOs..."
Article Title: Government updates weather closings policy
Snippet of Article: "...In response to a series of flubs during recent winter storms, federal employees in the Washington area may now leave even earlier than permitted on days the government closes early because of..."
Article Title: Congressmen call for job-cutting priority at USPS
Snippet of Article: "...“These efforts simply have not resulted in the changes necessary to maintain a self-funding Postal Service,” the Congressman from Florida said. “Realigning the work force by re-examining labor agreements must be part of the strategy to improve the Postal Service fiscal foundations.”
Darrell Issa, the chairman of the subcommittee’s parent committee..."
Article Title: House passes bill, averts shutdown
Snippet of Article: "...The House of Representatives passed 335-91 a stopgap spending bill to keep the government running through March 18, with $4 billion in spending cuts...."
Article Title: Majority backs government workers in unions
Snippet of Article: "...A new national poll delivers some encouraging news for federal employees and their unions: Most Americans oppose weakening the collective bargaining rights of public employees and oppose cutting their pay or benefits to reduce deficits...."
Article Title: Democrat TSA Shutdown | Wasted Union Dues: AFGE Silent on Democrat Attack on Unionized TSA Workers The disgusting AF...
