Wisconsin State AFL-CIO President Phil Neuenfeldt on the Departure of Talgo Jobs from Milwaukee

While it is extremely disappointing to learn that high speed train manufacturer Talgo plans to leave Milwaukee at the end of their lease in 2012, it’s not really surprising, nor can you blame the company. Governor-elect Scott Walker sent a clear message that high speed rail and the family supporting jobs that come with it aren’t welcome in our state.

DEADLINE TO SEND PACKAGES TO TROOPS NEARS

This Saturday, Dec. 4, is the deadline to ship First-Class Mail or Priority Mail packages to Iraq, Afghanistan and surrounding areas — or to Army Post Office (APO), and Fleet Post Office (FPO) addresses with the ZIP Code 093. The deadline for packages to all other APO/FPO ZIP codes is Friday, Dec.10.

To help the friends and families of service members, the Postal Service offers a $2 discount on its Priority Mail Large Flat Rate Box shipped to APO/FPO addresses.

Mail addressed to military post offices overseas is subject to certain conditions or restrictions regarding content, preparation and handling. Items mailed to APO/FPO addresses generally require customs forms.

Statement by Wisconsin State AFL-CIO President Phil Neuenfeldt on the Need to Pass the Unemployment Extension

“Don’t Leave the Jobless Out in the Cold”

At midnight last night, 800,000 unemployed workers lost their unemployment insurance benefits.  By the end of December, 2 million are projected to lose their unemployment insurance.  Shame on those in Congress who aren't supporting this emergency lifeline.

The domino effect of the unemployment insurance expiration will affect more than just the families of the unemployed.  When jobless families are unable to pay their mortgage, buy groceries or generate tax revenue, local communities, businesses and governments all suffer.  The expiration of unemployment insurance benefits slows our economy down when we need to speed it up.

The Wisconsin State AFL-CIO and working families are calling on Congress to approve a one year emergency extension of unemployment insurance.  Never before has Congress allowed unemployment insurance to expire when so many people are looking for work but unable to find jobs.  But instead of focusing on working families, the newly-elected GOP Congress is pushing to pass tax cuts for millionaires by extending the Bush tax cuts for those making over $250,000.

Thank you to Wisconsin Representatives Baldwin, Obey, Kagen, Kind and Moore for supporting the extension of benefits.  Representatives Petri, Ryan and Sensenbrenner voted against even a short-term extension.

Don’t leave Wisconsin’s economy in the cold this December.  Keep our communities and jobless families afloat; support a one year emergency extension of unemployment insurance.

Guffey: USPS Will Have to Do Better

APWU Web News Article 132-2010, Nov. 18, 2010

Postal Service negotiators continue to express interest in APWU contract proposals, “but so far have failed to put anything in writing,” APWU President Cliff Guffey reported to the Rank and File Bargaining Advisory Committee on Nov. 18.

At a morning bargaining session, management representatives re-

APWU President Cliff Guffey briefs the union’s Rank and File Bargaining Advisory Committee on Thusday.

Postal Service negotiators continue to express

hashed their previous oral statements, he said. “If they expect to get an agreement, they will have to do better.”

“We want to see everything in writing,” the union president said.

“Work and stability remain our paramount concerns.”

[more 2010 contract negotiations news]

Above Photo: APWU President Cliff Guffey briefs the union’s Rank and File Bargaining Advisory Committee on Thursday.

Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement — Changing Your Current Mailing Address

To facilitate processing of 2010 tax information and to ensure correct and timely receipt of a 2010 Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, all employees must have a current mailing address on file by December 29, 2010, in order to update the W-2 mailing file.

The following options are available for current employees to change their mailing address on record:

1. By Computer

Change your information using LiteBlue:

• Go to the LiteBlue home page (www.liteblue.usps.gov).
• Enter your Employee Identification Number and USPS PIN.
• Click the My HR tab at the top of the page.
• Click Change My Address.
• Click Edit.
• Change any necessary mailing address information.
• Click Review.
• Click Save.

2. By Kiosk

All postal employees can change their mailing and residential addresses using the personnel computer kiosks located in large Processing and Distribution Centers and some Post Office™ facilities. Click the tab titled Present Job Info/Change of Address on the main Kiosk webpage.

3. By Mail

Send PS Form 1216, Employee’s Current Mailing Address, to: HRSSC COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS PO BOX 970400 GREENSBORO NC 27497-0400

4. By Telephone

Call HRSSC at 877-477-3273, option 5; and follow the prompts to speak to a service representative who will assist you. — Payroll, Controller, 11-18-10 Source: Postal Bulletin 22298 (11-18-10)

Huck/Konopacki Labor Cartoons

Follow Contract Negotiations on Facebook, Twitter

APWU Web News Article 126-2010, Nov. 12, 2010

With the Collective Bargaining Agreement scheduled to expire Nov. 20, the APWU will post frequent updates about the status of negotiations. To stay informed about late-breaking developments, union members can visit www.apwu.org, or they can follow the union on Twitter and Facebook.

To receive text-message notifications when updates are posted, union members can establish a free Twitter account at www.twitter.com. Once the registration process is complete, account holders should search for “apwunational,” and click the “follow” button. Members can then choose to receive text message alerts when the union has posted an update. In addition, members can visit www.twitter.com/apwunational for the latest news.

The APWU will also be posting updates on its Facebook page frequently. To join the many APWU members, officers, and supporters who are already “fans” of the union, members with Facebook accounts can search for “APWU,” or may access the union’s page directly by typing in www.facebook.com/APWUnational. Members may then click “Like” to join the group and view the union’s recent posts.

Post-Election Statement from the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO

Congratulations to Governor-elect Scott Walker and to the new and returning members of the Wisconsin State Legislature. The challenge ahead in governing the state is a substantial one. Labor in Wisconsin is committed to economic policies that preserve the gains of working class families, and our voices must be heard, especially during deliberations on the next biennial budget. American workers have borne the worst of the economic crisis, and the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO is committed to ensuring that middle-class families share in the recovery.