The National Presidents' Conference of the American Postal Workers Union passed a resolution this weekend --

"RESOLVED: That this meeting of the National Presidents Conference go on record as encouraging APWU state and local organizations to work in coalitions with other unions and with community groups, to continue our struggle to generate grassroots support for preserving postal services and jobs, and be it further:

RESOLVED: That this body encourage APWU state and local organizations to participate, wherever practicable, in support of actions designed to rally public support for the preservation of postal services and jobs, such as the March 24 NALC Day of Action.

Communities and Postal Workers United calls on all postal unions and the public to rally in the cities designated by the NALC (go to www.nalc.org for location near you )   The immediate focus on Saving Six-Day Delivery must be joined with the struggle to stop plant consolidations, stop the service reductions, sale and closures of post offices, stop and reverse privatization of postal trucking and custodian jobs, stop the delay of mail and return delivery standards.  The USPS is being attacked on all sides and must be defended with a unified front.  Bring the whole message to March 24th actions -- No Closures, No Cuts, No Delay of Mail.
Congress, the President and the Postmaster General must be shown the massive support of the American people for their constitutionally mandated postal service.

BREAKING NEWS! Senate Vote on Postal Bill

(Note: Received in a recent e-mail.)

The United States Senate has Passed the United States Postal Service Bill "21st Century Postal Service Act of 2012" (S1789) by a vote of 62-37.

The Amendment voting results (as I have it) are recorded as either withdrawn, passed, or failed, are posted below.

(R) McCain #2001 Management substitute amendment WITHDRAWN

(D) Tester #2056 Amendment to modify the process of closing or consolidating Post Offices and Postal Facilities. PASSED

**(R) Coburn #2060 Amendment to provide transparency, accountability, and limitations of government sponsored conferences. (not germane to bill) PASSED

(R) McCain #2033 Amendment to establish the Commission on Postal Reorganization (in HR 2309) FAILED

**(D) Wyden-(D) Feinstein #2020 Amendment to require the Postal Service to consider the effect of closing or consolidating a postal facility on the ability of the affected community to vote by mail and to provide Post Offices and Postal Facilities to protect the ability to vote by mail. PASSED

**(R) Coburn #2058 Amendment to alternatives to Post Offices. PASSED

(R) MaCaskill-(D) Merkley #2031 Amendment to prohibit the closing of a rural Post Office unless certain conditions are met and to establish a 2 year moratorium on the closing of rural Post Offices. PASSED

(R) Coburn #2061 Amendment to require retirement eligible employees of the Postal Service to retire. FAILED

(R) Snowe #2080 Amendment to improve, sustain, and transform the United States Postal Service (closures) PASSED

(D) Udall #2043 Amendment to strike the limitations on changes to mail delivery schedule, with an offset. FAILED

**(D) Durbin #2082 Amendment to improve, sustain, and transform the United States Postal Service (closures) PASSED

(D) Akaka #2034 Amendment to replace provisions that would be financially devastating to thousands of Postal workers and Federal employees who were injured on the job and who receive compensation from the OWCP. FAILED

**(D) Bennet-(R) Blunt #2047 Amendment to establish citizen's service protection advocates in each state with respect to facility closures. PASSED

(R) Corker #2083 Amendment negatively impacts six day delivery and Collective Bargaining FAILED

**(D) Mikulski #2003 Amendment to prohibit the USPS from closing any postal facility without certification from the Governor of the state in which the Postal facility is located. WITHDRAWN

(D) Akaka #2049 Amendment to clarify consultative rights of Postmasters and Supervisors FAILED

(R) Paul #2025 Amendment to end the mailbox use monopoly FAILED

(D) Manchin #2079 Amendment to improve, sustain, and transform the USPS (closures) FAILED

**(R) Paul #2026 Amendment to provide merit pay for the PMG and limit the authority of the USPS to award bonuses WITHDRAWN

**(D) Bingamin #2076 Amendment to require that state liaisons for states without a district office are located within their respective states. PASSED

(R) Paul #2027 Amendment to close Post Offices in the Capitol complex PASSED

**(D) Cardin #2040 Amendment to prohibit the closing of a Postal Processing Plant if the nearest Postal facility is more than 50 miles away. WITHDRAWN

(R) Paul #2028 Amendment to establish a pilot program to test alternative methods for the delivery of Postal Services. FAILED

(D) Carper #2065 Amendment to provide for temporary authority to adjust the first class mail stamp rate. WITHDRAWN

**(R) Paul #2029 Amendment to require the USPS to take in consideration the impact of regulations when developing a profitability plan. PASSED

(D) Carper #2066 Amendment to limit the compensation of executives of the Postal Service PASSED

(R) Paul #2039 Amendment to eliminate Collective Bargaining FAILED

(D) Casey #2042 Amendment to maintain current delivery time for market dominated products for 4 years. FAILED

(R) Paul #2038 Amendment to end the Postal Service monopoly on First Class Mail and mailbox use WITHDRAWN

**(D) Landrieu #2072 Amendment to determine the impact of certain Postal Facility closures or consolidations on small businesses PASSED

(R) DeMint #2046 Amendment to cut union income FAILED

**(R) McCaskill #2030 Amendment to improve FECA PASSED

(R) Coburn #2059 Amendment to allow the USPS to close unprofitable Post Office Facilities. WITHDRAWN

**(D) Pryor #2036 Amendment to express the sense of the senate to place a moratorium on Postal Facility closures and consolidations until enactment. PASSED

**(D) Rockefeller #2073 Amendment to clarify retirees cannot be required to enroll in Medicare. PASSED

**(D) Rockefeller #2074 Amendment to ensure the Postal Service Health Benefits Program be comparable to the FEHBP PASSED

(D) Schumer #2050 Amendment to maintain door to door delivery point services PASSED

**(D) Tester #2032 Amendment to limit the pay of Postal Service Executives. PASSED

(D) Warner #2071 Amendment to require reporting regarding retirement processing and modernization. PASSED

I hope the above information has been helpful.

Sam Wood www.swfloridaapwu.org

President - Southwest Florida Area Local / APWU

Three Wisconsin Congressional Representatives Cosponsor H.R. 173

The most recent information found indicates that only three of Wisconsin's Congressional Representatives have signed on so far in support of H. Res. 173.

In short, H. Res. 173 would urge the U.S. Postal Service to take all appropriate measures to ensure the continuation of its six-day mail delivery service.

Current Wisconsin Congressional Cosponsors are:

Representative Tammy Baldwin (D - 02)

Representative Gwen Moore (D - 04)
Representative Steve Kagen (D - 08)

Please contact them and thank them for their support of 6-day delivery by the postal service.

The following Congressmen from Wisconsin are not yet cosponsors at this time. Please contact them and urge them to sign-on as cosponsors.

Representative Paul Ryan (R - 01)
Representative Ron Kind (D - 03)
Representative F. James (Jim) Sensenbrenner, Jr. (R - 05)
Representative Tom Petri (R - 06)
Representative Dave Obey (D - 07)

There are currently a total of 203 cosponsors. A total of 218 votes are needed.

2010 APWU of Wisconsin State Convention - Day 1 Pt.1

Wisconsin AFL-CIO President David Newby addressed the Delegates and guests gathered at the APWU of Wisconsin State Convention on Friday morning.

Newby presented a slide program outlining items such as how worker salaries have been dormant since the mid seventies, how the US worker compares with the rest of the World worker, US worker is the most productive worker, general labor information, jobs in America is priority number one, etc.

It should also be noted that Newby had pledged Labor’s support of the APWU in our quest to preserve the best postal service in the world for the American Citizens and businesses in our fight against the 5-day delivery threat and more.

The Convention was sponsored by the Appleton, WI. Local American Postal Workers Union.

Click Here - to see short video of Dave Newby presentation.

End to Saturday mail faces resistance

Two key lawmakers overseeing the U.S. Postal Service said they do not support the cash-strapped agency's plan to cut Saturday mail deliveries in hopes of saving more than $3 billion. [Full Story]

Source: Government Executive

Fundamentally flawed

The Postal Service's proposal to drop a day of delivery is not the solution to its financial problems

The Postal Service laid out a wide-ranging—some would say radical—plan in March for coping with its current economic problems and future business challenges. It featured headline-grabbing initiatives, such as eliminating Saturday mail delivery, and more mundane, nuts-and-bolts proposals, like streamlining the regulatory process.

The NALC supports many of the plan’s recommendations and goals, especially relief from the burden of accelerated pre-funding of retiree health care and recovery of CSRS pension fund overcharges. [Full Story]

APWU Urges Members To Support Six-Day Mail Delivery

APWU Web News Article 019-2010, March 8, 2010

The APWU is asking union members to contact their U.S. Representatives and encourage them to co-sponsor House Resolution 173, which urges the Postal Service to continue to provide mail delivery six days per week.

The resolution, which was introduced by Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO), expresses the “sense of the House of Representatives that the United States Postal Service should take all appropriate m

easures to ensure the continuation of its six-day mail delivery service.” The Postal Service is asking Congress to reduce the number of mail delivery days required by law from six days per week to five.

In a message to legislative activists, Legislative and Political Director Myke Reid warns that, if accepted by Congress, five-day delivery would begin a “death spiral” for the USPS. “In addition to the thousands of jobs lost, there will undoubtedly be an erosion of confidence in the Postal Service’s ability to provide the services the public relies on.”

“Mail delivery is not only a vital part of the national economy, but also provides the timely delivery of needed goods and services to all segments of society,” the message notes.

“People currently depend on the Postal Service to provide those services, and if we don’t, they will find someone else who will,” Reid cautions.

5-day delivery: Depends on your perspective

Bottom line: it seems that technology will increasingly take the place of postal service in the years to come. This time around, Saturday service may be eliminated. But give it a few more years, and we might see Monday-Wednesday-Friday service. One day, USPS may be eliminated entirely. (Full Story]

Source: FEDERALTIMES.COM