Postal Service mourns loss of five Santa Barbara shooting victims

USPS News Link EXTRA

6 Dead After Ex-Postal Worker Opens Fire at California Facility

Los Angeles Times

What can you say?

"Nothing, really. It helps, of course, to talk about tragedy, but nothing anyone can say will make sense of last night's tragedy in California."
postalnews blog

Post office copes with overflow

Sorting mail in a tent (or a trailer)
Bradenton (FL) Herald

Here we go again

The saga of the Rockford postmark continues...
postalnews blog

NALC's Young Vows to Fight for Enactment of S. 662

"Postal reform legislation was on the brink of Senate passage January 25 when postal management unleashed a mind-boggling, and frankly embarrassing, attack on the bill."
NALC Bulletin

Postal overhaul sponsors optimistic about Senate action

Government Executive

In letter to Frist, Day defends USPS position on reform bill

Postcom publishes a letter from USPS Senior VP for Government Relations Tom Day to Bill Frist defending the USPS's actions in opposing the passage of S. 662 last week. Day says that USPS opposition to the pending reform bills was expressed in letters to 'the relevant committees' in September 2005, and was not a 'last-minute reversal of position'.

Rural Iowa community takes on U.S. Postal Service

Eldridge North Scott Press

Editorial: War of Words

"So what the blazes happened last week?"
DMNews.com

Hold for Pickup Goes on Hold to Study Test Results

DMNews.com

A different opinion on postmarks

According to Mike Causey: "Postmarks and Zip Codes are important and have a definite meaning for many folks. I know people in the Washington area who live in one place but who drive out to Potomac, Md., or to McLean, Va., in hopes their out-going mail will get the high-class postmark those addresses confer." Really? Are they disappointed when the discover that the postmark reads :"So. Maryland" or "No. Virginia"?
FederalNewsradio.com

Save the postmark!

What's with the obsession with postmarks?
postalnews blog

Harkin bill forces postal service review

"[On Friday] Sen. Tom Harkin successfully included language in the Postal Reform Bill that would force the U.S. Postal Service to review the concerns of businesses and communities affected by mail facilities consolidations"
Sioux City Journal

Deeper Investigation Sought Into Late Mail

With Southern California residents continuing to complain about mail that is delivered late at night or not at all, Rep. Henry A. Waxman wants the nation's postmaster general to provide extensive data about staffing levels, plant closures and delivery schedules.

The veteran legislator said that he wants to delve more deeply into delivery problems to prepare for a hearing about the U.S. Postal Service, to be held Feb. 16 by the House Committee on Government Reform, Congress' primary oversight panel.

Los Angeles Times

Postal Smack Down

How deep a grave did [the USPS] dig for itself, regarding its relationship with Congress?
eNAPUS Legislative Newsletter

NAPS President Keating's Statement on Postal Reform

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that the Postal Service misfired, and misfired badly, in sending a 59-cent stamp aboard a heat-seeking missile aimed at the Senate."
NAPS Discussion Forum

Advo 4Q earnings of $12 million top estimates

Associated Press

UPS posts profit of over $1 billion

MarketWatch.com

Mail Consolidator Accused Of Fraud

Hartford Courant

Carriers restate support for S. 662

Press release

Mailers Council, Senators respond to Strasser, Day

Postcom has Mailers Council Bob McLean's response to today's USPS media briefing- some quotes:
"For those who missed it, today's Postal Service media event with Dick Strasser and Tom Day was a collection of confusing, circular comments and more than a few misstatements."
"Day, responding to a question about whether postal officials were violating the laws prohibiting them from lobbying, stressed that he wasn't even close to such a violation, but instead was fulfilling an obligation to educate the Senate and correct misimpressions on the Hill."
McLean also quotes a press release from Senators Susan Collins and Thomas Carper, sponsors of S.662:
"Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Thomas Carper (D-DE), are disputing false, misleading, and inaccurate claims made today by the USPostal Service regarding S. 662... With their latest release, the Postal Service appears to have sunk to a
new low."

In media briefing, USPS defends position on reform

USPS News Link

Reasons for New Mexico postal service changes disputed

Santa Fe New Mexican

Postal Service lobbies against reform bill

Government Executive

Postal Service Goes on Offensive in Fight With Senators Over System to Set Mail Rates

'The bill's sponsors, Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Thomas R. Carper (D-Del.), said they were "outraged that the Postal Service would mislead senators." In a statement, they said, "Nothing in the bill would lead to rate increases."'
Washington Post

Harkin Sessions put hold on S. 662 over plant consolidations?

From Postcom.org: "Actually, the hold placed on S. 662 was by Sen. Sessions (R-AL) born, ostensibly, from the concerns expressed by the Board of Governors of the Postal Service, not Sen. Harkin as was previously reported."

PRC broadens authority to approve services

Costly initiatives need more oversight, commission says
Federal Times

Mailer Groups Pleased at Reported Senate Postal Bill Action

DIRECT

Missouri Introduces Do-Not-Mail Bill

DMNews.com

League: Postmasters are "upset... frustrated"

From Postcom: "Here at LEAGUE Headquarters frustrated Postmasters are flooding me with calls from all around the country... Postmasters... are upset for several reasons. The number one reason is not being able to fill authorized positions due to lack of hiring. We are working our employees six days a week, 10-12 hours a day. That can only go on for so long... Postmasters are being micromanaged to death..."

Postal Reform: Positions Change as Legislation Evolves

APWU Burrus Update

More on the BOG and S. 662

The USPS internal employee newsletter provides additional information on the basis of the BOG's opposition to the current postal reform bill.
USPS News Link

FTC Targets Nashville Post Office Job Scammer

FTC Press release

BOG opposes S. 662

Postcom has a copy of a letter from the USPS Board of Governors to Senator Susan Collins advising her that they oppose the Senate version of the postal reform bill, citing "numerous burdensome provisions" and "discrepancies between the bill's provisions and recomensdations of the President's Commission". They also point out that the bill's handling of military retirement expense "invites a Presidential veto." See also the story at DMNews.com

USPS: New Mexico complaint hot lines up and running

Note: the story says that, according to the local APWU President, New Mexico's service performance has deteriorated to "the mid-80s in the past few years". The most recent overnight EXFC score for Albuquerque was actually 95% for the fourth quarter, which ended September 30. The score was also 95% in the third quarter, up from 94% in the second quarter.
Santa Fe New Mexican

OPM Ousts Postmasters Benefit Plan From Health Insurance Program

Washington Post

Postal Inspector's car stolen, used in crimes

Charlotte Observer

Letter carriers are given a 6 p.m. delivery deadline

"After a barrage of complaints about late mail delivery, Southern California postal officials issued a directive Friday telling carriers and post office managers that mail must be delivered no later than 6 p.m."
San Diego Union Tribune

Arrest made in BB gun shooting of letter carrier

Capital News 9 Albany NY

Mail troubles prompt new promotions

"In response to statewide complaints about poor service, the U.S. Postal Service has promoted two managers from the Albuquerque office."
Santa Fe New Mexican

Smoke signals

From Gene Del Polito's Postcom.org, this cryptic message:
"Regarding postal reform: If the Senate had a chimney, we'd be telling you to look at it tomorrow to see if the smoke is white or black."

Senate May Act on Postal Reform This Week

"Senators may have worked out a compromise on postal reform legislation stuck in limbo for the past six months, DM News has learned. Sources said the bill may reach the Senate floor for a vote as early as this week."
DMNews.com

APWU, Serco Open Talks in Detroit Over New MTESC Agreement

APWU News

U.S. will issue 39 cent Purple Heart stamp

Middletown (NY) Times Herald-Record

NAPUS Champion to face primary challenge

Hawaii's junior Senator, 81 year old Daniel Akaka, who introduced the Postmasters Equity Act, faces a primary challenge from Representative Ed Case.
eNAPUS Legislative Newsletter

New team tackles New Mexico mail woes

"The U.S. Postal Service has replaced New Mexico's management team in an effort to improve the state's mail-delivery service."
Santa Fe New Mexican

USPS Wants Label Moved on Flats Mail

DMNews.com

Tales of Homeland Security

In Arizona, a rural letter carrier is pulled over by the Border Patrol for suspicious behavior: "stopping at houses along Fort Grant Road"....
Arizona Range News

USPS Seeks to Extend Repositionable Note Test

also: White Paper: Difficult to Attach Value Pricing to RPNs
DMNews.com

NAPUS discusses staffing

The association's Executive Committee heard complaints that delays in hiring "have contributed to the delivery of mail late into the evening, as well as long lines in retail lobbies and high overtime rates."
NAPUS Hotline

Ask President Burrus

An APWU member asks "Why was the national APWU caught off guard by the USPS consolidation plans?"
APWU web site

Movement in the Senate?

... and the would be House Majority Leader's connections to UPS and FedEx.
Postcom.org and the Village Voice

Former PMG Bill Henderson Will Run Netflix

"Netflix, Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLX - News) today announced the appointment of former U.S. Postmaster General William J. Henderson as chief operations officer of the world's largest online DVD rental service."
Press release

Study could result in Waco mail centers moving

Waco Tribune-Herald

UK: Postage stamps price up by 2p

The Daily Mail

Postal workers' pay did not cause stamp rate increase

APWU President Burrus responded to another Sam Ryan essay, this one in the Christian Science Monitor. (Curiously, Postcom has posted what seems to be a completely different version of the letter.)
Christian Science Monitor

Management Assures NALC Of Supervisors' Restrictions In Making Changes to DOIS

"Postal management, in a recent meeting with NALC officials at USPS Headquarters, asserted that they had restricted the ability of local supervisors to access the Delivery Operations Information System (DOIS) and alter the base times that had been entered."
NALC Bulletin

Postal workers prepare for important visit

"Santa Fe postal workers said they had to work overtime Sunday and Monday in preparation for a top postal official's visit, which they expected this week."
Santa Fe New Mexican

Updated: Law Lets Businesses Add Images to Stamps

DMNews.com

Fired Iowa postal worker gets job back

"A Denison postal worker who was fired for allegedly sleeping on the job and leaving the scene of an accident is back on the government payroll."
Des Moines Register

Lobby Reform and Postal Advocacy

eNAPUS Legislative Newsletter

Dead letter office

"Get used to rising stamp prices, writes Bill McAllister: The U.S. Postal Service is facing a crisis unlike anything it has known since its founding in 1775"
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Saving the Post Office

"There are, in many ways, two U.S. Postal Services. There is the one that people love to hate, especially after a hike in rates such as last week's two-penny jump... Then there is the Postal Service that has made huge strides in on-time delivery, runs one of the most impressively automated operations in the world and, for now, is bringing in a huge profit."
Washington Post

Postal Officials Say They'll Sort Out Delivery Problems

"As customer complaints about late mail service continued Friday, local postal officials pledged a new campaign to improve delivery times across Los Angeles County."
Los Angeles Times

Editorial: Postal jobs

Regarding the USPS decision to build a new plant in Pontiac, MI: "... It also was helpful for Pontiac that its congressman, U.S. Rep. Joe Knollenberg, R-Bloomfield Hills, is a member of the majority party and chairs an important panel on the House Appropriations Committee. Power does have its privileges." Despite the sour grapes, the paper also carries this story: Postal Service delivers good news to Flint
Flint Journal

Beaumont REC to fill up to 400 jobs

Beaumont (TX) Enterprise

One man's battle with junk mail

Lompoc Record

Court Comes Down Hard on Postmaster

"If there is any reader who believes the U.S. Postal Service is 'soft' on its managers who break the rules, a recent appeals court decision should convince you otherwise."
Fedsmith.com
click here to download the court decision

USPS responds to Merritt criticisms

Postcom published a letter from USPS spokesman Gerald McKiernan responding to criticism of the Postal Service's financial performance from Rick Merritt, a lobbyist for private mailbox service providers.

More federal technology work expected to go private

"[Input, a market research firm] forecasts the largest growth in outsourcing for the Postal Service. It is expected to expand from $872 million in fiscal 2005 to more than $1.2 billion in fiscal 2010."
Government Executive

APWU: Clerk Craft Upgrades Will Have Ripple Effect

APWU News

Inquiry Seeks to Stamp Out Mailbox Mishaps

Rep. Henry Waxman has asked the USPS to explain a spate of late and incorrect deliveries
Los Angeles Times

Mail is bent, rifled for gift cards, cash

Detroit Free Press

Two Little Words

Gene Del Polito commentary for DIRECT

Direct Mail Rebounds in 2005

"Direct mail spending was expected to hit $56.6 billion, an 8.5% increase over 2004"
DIRECT

DMM Revision: Sack Preparation Changes for Periodicals Mail

"This final rule adopts new mailing standards for Periodicals mail prepared in sacks. The standards include two new types of sacks- a 3-digit carrier routes sack and a merged 3-digit sack- and a new
minimum of 24 pieces for most other sacks."
Federal Register

DPS flats on the way

In remarks yesterday at the BOG meeting, PMG Jack Potter announced that "... the Postal Service will install and test a prototype flats sorting sequencer machine at the Indianapolis Mail Processing Annex which is designed to sort non-letter or flat-size mail efficiently into delivery route sequence." Installation is set for April. Also announced were more APPS installations, and upgrades to DBCS machines to replace existing MLOCRs and "eliminate manual mail sorting at delivery units".
USPS News Release

USPS On Rolls and Paid Employees Report for December

The Postal Rate Commission site has the latest ORPES report summarizing the USPS work force. Career complement was just over 700 thousand, down 3,561 from the same time last year. By function, the only significant increase was in rural delivery, up by 1,910 employees. Mail processing lost 1,895 career employees, city delivery 1,202, and customer services 1,179. (The Mailhandler craft actually increased by 1,155, probably indicating an internal shift from the clerk craft).By location, the only major increases were at Headquarters, up 138 employees or about 5%, and the Inspector General's office, up 87 employees.

Magazines Bribe, Too!

But they aren't very good at denying it.
Slate

New Law Allows Businesses to Use Images on Stamps

DMNews.com

Consolidation worries workers

Springfield Republican

Burrus: Even the USPS Doesn't Blame This One on Us!

"This rate increase is the direct result of the actions- or inaction- of Congress and President Bush."
APWU Burrus Update

Missouri senator feels heat, wilts on postal reform

"The precise application of political pressure paid off for carriers when a special 'week of action' by NALC members in Missouri apparently persuaded Sen. Christopher Bond to relent in his one-man effort to block a Senate vote on postal reform legislation"
NALC Postal Record

Pontiac lands postal processing center Pontiac lands postal processing center

"It was years in the discussion stage but this morning it became official: The U.S. Postal Service will construct a major mail-processing center in Pontiac."
Detroit Free Press

Rate Hikes and the Future of Snail Mail

Postal Service historian Nancy Pope talks about economic viability of today's postal service. (Audio)
NPR's Talk of the Nation

Mailers rail at rate hike

New Yotk Newsday

Dissatisfied postal customers put in their 2 cents

Santa Fe New Mexican

Editorial: Ease the postal squeeze

"Congress made this mess and it can fix it."
Newark Star Ledger

Post office customers caught off guard by 2-cent rate boost

Atlanta Journal Constitution

NAPS: Postal Reform Vote in Senate Could Happen in February

also: Corruption Scandal Touches Postal Rates; Postal Service Denied Medicare
NAPS Legislative Update (Word document)

Burrus celebrates end of TE's

APWU Burrus Update

2001 Postal rate case: Tom Delay's smoking gun?

Washington Post

2-Cent Stamp Increase Is Only Temporary Fix for Postal Woes

Washington Post

Political Scandal Touches DM World

DMNews.com

Lobbyist's Work for Publishers of Magazines Under Scrutiny

New York Times

Bill-Me Marketers Seek Cost Cuts in Collection

DMNews.com

Editorial: Jack Abramoff and Postal Rate Increases

DMNews.com

Going postal over mail service

Santa Fe New Mexican

Higher Postage Rate Spurs Creativity

Lexington (NE) Clipper-Herald

Some Operations Consolidated as 'Network Realignment' Begins

American Postal Worker

Batesville, AR added to consolidation list

APWU News

PMR's Get Pay Increase

League of Postmasters News Brief

Congress Returns Amid Chaos

also: Postal Turf Battle - PRC vs. USPS
eNapus Legislative Newsletter

Mail slow, insurers grudging- if you're lucky

New Orleans Times Picayune

Man gets life for shooting mailman

Gwinnett (GA) Daily Post

Two postal workers suspected of stealing Netflix DVDs

KUSA TV Denver

Amazon Decision Raises Shipping Costs for Third-Party Sellers

AuctionBytes.com

PRC Ruling Defines 'Postal Service'

DMNews.com
click here to download the 34 page order in Adobe .pdf format

BOG gets a temp

Postcom reports that President Bush has 'recess appointed' John S. Gardner, General Counsel of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to the USPS Board of Governors. Gardner's qualifications for the post are not readily apparent from the somewhat thin resume listed on the USAID web site.

Palm Springs PO move figures in Abramoff plea

Palm Springs Desert News

New Orleans residents respond to 'Setting The Record Straight' letter

The New Orleans Times Picayune has been publishing letters to the editor responding to the letter from USPS VP Azeez Jaffer defending the USPS performance after Katrina:
- Mail a matter of life or death
- Postal disservice
- Sorting mail a lost art
- Good thing we have e-mail
- Change of address a mistake
- Full service? Not even close
- Stamp out incompetence
- Horse sense
- Heck of a job
New Orleans Times Picayune

What can business mailers expect in the year ahead?

Gene Del Polito Commentary for DIRECT

Customers protest closing of postal annex

Bluffton (SC) Island Packet

South Dakota plant study doesn't involve public

Aberdeen American News

Post offices expect to stamp out shortage

Florida Today
Post Offices short on stamps
Beaufort (SC) Gazette

Abramoff: Postal Connection?

Mentioned in passing in the Washington Post story on Jack Abramoff's guilty plea:
'On behalf of clients eager to stop internet gambling and postal rate legislation, Abramoff paid $50,000 in 10 equal monthly payments beginning in June 2000 to the wife of a congressional aide identified as Staffer A. Based on other information made public, Staffer A was Tony Rudy, at the time a top aide to [House GOP Leader Tom] DeLay.'
Washington Post
more: "Let the games begin!"

APWU: Consumers, Postal Workers Express Concerns About 'Consolidation'

APWU News

Honest junk mailers won't aggravate me... much...

Grand Junction (CO) Daily Sentinel

No stamping of feet over increase

Florida Today

Postal Workers Rally In Sioux City

Members of a western Iowa postal workers union are rallying for support to keep a mail processing and distribution center in Sioux City, Iowa.
Associated Press

2005 - Progress, Patience and Persistence

also: 'New FEHBP Plans May Hurt Retirees'
eNAPUS Legislative Newsletter