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NAPUS HOTLINE Thank you for contacting the NAPUS Hotline. This is Executive Director Ken Engstrom at the NAPUS national office in Alexandria, Virginia on Thursday July 2, 2009. Need to Know: On Thursday, July 2, 2009, PMG John E. Potter announced that effective July 6, 2009, Steve Forte assumes his new duties as Senior Vice President, Operations. Steve, who is currently Vice President, Area Operations, New York Metro Area, will have overall responsibility for Engineering, Facilities, Network Operations, and Delivery and Post Office Operations. He will report to the Deputy Postmaster General and Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Potter has asked Tim Haney, Vice President, Area Operations, Northeast Area, to serve as Acting Vice President for New York Metro Area Operations. In addition to day-to-day management of operational and administrative functions throughout the area, Tim's assignment will include the development and implementation of plans to transition responsibility for the administrative function performed by the New York Metro Area office into an expanded Northeast Area operations office. We expect to complete this transition by October 1, when Tim will resume his permanent duties as Vice President, Area Operations, Northeast Area. With responsibilities for a significantly increased geographic area, the Northeast Area office will maintain a presence both in Connecticut and New York. National Convention Information: Anchorage, Alaska-September 12-17, 2009: Wednesday night is the grand banquet. Tickets for the banquet are not sold separately; your guest must be registered to attend to insure them to be seated with you at the banquet as the seating is arranged in advance. Congress revives FERS sick leave twice including a provision permitting FERS employees to credit unused sick leave towards retirement in the bills H.R. 2990 and H.R. 2647. Also on Wednesday of last week, the House Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce, the Postal Service and the District of Columbia approved by unanimous voice vote, a version of H. R. 22 that would permit the USPS, for 3 years, to borrow funds from its Retiree Health Benefits Fund to pay current retiree health premiums. The next stop for H.R. 22 is the full House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. This information is posted in detail on the NAPUS web page (www.NAPUS.org) under the “breaking news” icon and in the eNAPUS Legislative and Political Bulletin. On Friday, June 26, 2009 NAPUS President Dale Goff and League President Charley Mapa met with appropriate USPS coordinators at Postal Headquarters for six separate meetings. The first meeting subject was on the proposed Administration Rules for PES/NPA. The talks on these issues are continuing with another meeting on July 15, 2009. When final information is available it will be posted on the NAPUS web page. The second meeting involved a process in eCareer. The job application process for non-postal individuals applying for RCA’s, casual’s, and TE’s in some areas are having access problems to the system. Information on changes when received will be posted on the web page. The third meeting was an exchange of information on the training for the field re-structuring. The USPS notified us that updates have been made to the level A-16 training courses and the level 18-20 course to help train “field” impacted employees. On July 7, 2009 a session is planned with each time zone to go over the new material. The roll out is expected around July 13, with a PMR training course with our input rolling out in August 2009. Information was exchanged in the fourth meeting on changes to the ELM in section 415 and 422. Language was cleared up to treat Veterans and ALL others the correct way, which is to remain in line with the law on Veterans preference. The fifth meeting was on Post Office Closings. NAPUS brought our Post Office Closing Chair Betty Eickler and with the League representative presented information to the USPS on actual cases that is occurring in the “field”. In the process of closing a Post Office, the Handbook 101 must be followed. The USPS was notified in this meeting that this process is being manipulated in some Districts. The USPS has asked for specific examples which will be provided by both management organizations. We also have asked and the USPS has stated it will provide a listing of suspensions on a quarterly basis. The final meeting consisted of a briefing over the consolidation of stations and branches in level EAS 24-26 Post Offices. The optimization of these facilities is first to be done as a study by the District Manager with a team that includes but not limited to; MOPS, consumer affairs, the local Postmaster and community input. There are a total of 3243 offices that will be reviewed. President Dale Goff, Secretary/Treasurer Wayne Orshak, and the NAPUS Staff wish ALL a very happy and safe Independence Day this July 4, 2009. As always, I am here to help you. Ken Engstrom |
