Holiday information

Holiday Information

Upcoming Holidays – Veterans Day Thursday, November 11, 2010, Thanksgiving Thursday November 25, 2010, Christmas Saturday, December 25, 2010, and New Years Saturday, January 1, 2011.

The holidays schedule is in effect for three days as follows:

1. Veteran’s Day – Tuesday November 9, Wednesday November 10, and Thursday November 11, 2010.

Holiday Schedule must be posted on Tuesday, November 2, 2010.

2. Thanksgiving - Tuesday November 23, Wednesday November 24, and Thursday November 25, 2010.

Holiday Schedule must be posted on Tuesday, November 16, 2010.

3. Christmas – Thursday December 23, 2010, Friday December 24, 2010, and Saturday, December 25, 2010.

Holiday Schedule for December 23 and 24, 2010 must be posted on Tuesday December 14, 2010.

Holiday Schedule for December 25, 2010 must be posted on Tuesday December 21, 2010.

Employees working their Christmas holiday will be paid 1 ½ times their regular pay;

4. New Years Day - Thursday December 30, 2010, Friday December 31, 2010, and Saturday, January 1, 2011.

Holiday Schedule for December 30 and 31, 2010 must be posted on Tuesday December 21, 2010.

Holiday Schedule for January 1, 2011 must be posted on Tuesday December 28, 2010.

New Post....

I have been busy in Oklahoma going to school for the Postal Service learning how to fix the CIOSS.

I just had to put my 2 cents in about Larry Fuqua. I do not know who put the comment about Larry being such a good worker. Then they had to put in other names of ET's that have actually retired. When I saw that I thought of the Three Stooges and who was the ringleader of that.... Larry of course.

I am going to enjoy getting back in San Diego and seeing how far the new addition to MLS is going. When I had left it only had the concrete floor. Now I understand it has the walls up and supports for the roof in place.

Retirement.....

This has been a long time in coming... Retirement for Larry Fuqua at the Midway Facility in San Diego. This was announced at our stand-up on Tour 1 last night prior to beginning work. The date of his actual retirement was stated to be September 19th.

Larry good luck to you in your endeavors away from the Postal Service.

EEOC Class Action Information for National Reassessment Program

This link is the first place I learned that EEOC accepted the case as a class action. It has a list of the top ten complaints.

http://www.postalreporternews.net/2010/02/03/update-eeo-class-action-for-postal-employees-under/

This is a direct link to doing the survey. It is the web page for attorneys
http://www.nrpclassaction.com/

Here is the article from National.
http://apwu.org/news/webart/2010/10-068-nrp-100715.htm

And finally here is the newsgroup that has tons and tons of information. This link is for the discussion group about NRP, but there are alot of other subjects. There are now 65 pages in the one post about NRP, there is a lot of whining on both sides and stupid stuff. But a lot of informed people have put up good info on helping people do the right steps. It is sad to see so many being affected by this.
http://federalsoup.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=16171&PN=1&title=natiOnal-reassessment-process

Long time....

Been sometime since I have been posting on this blog. Got busy with family and work. Did not have enough time in the day to do everything I would like to do. I will try now to keep this going and updated at least weekly.

Marion Williams

Happy Holidays.... (To all who are still working)

Happy Holidays to everyone.... I have been busy at work and at home this time of the year so I have not been posting anything. Right now I could post somethings about maintenance where I am working but I am not... why be so negative about what is going on at least during the holidays?

Right now the tree is up and house is decorated. I do have to admit only thing I did was get everything down out of storage. My wife and sons were the ones doing the actual decorating while I was at work that night. Such a nice thing to see when you get home from work twinkling in the dark.

Now a question to anyone still reading this... What should Santa bring all Postal Employees? Lump of coal... Pay Raise... Better management...More Mail... What?

Good Bye and Good Luck

I am taking this moment to wish everyone who took the early out a sincere "Good bye and Good Luck". I knew many of the individuals who took this early out... They were in the clerk, mailhandler and maintenance crafts. All of you took a lot of experience with you along with many best wishes for your futures. All of you have closed a chapter in your life and now begin a new chapter. Hopefully this chapter will be the best part of your book of life.

Marion Williams

Ownership

I would first like to start of with a basic definition of ownership from Random House College Dictionary:

Ownership (noun)

1. the state or fact of being an owner.
2. legal right of possession; proprietorship

Next here is the another definition of ownership as from www.businessdictionary.com:

1. Ultimate and exclusive right (conferred by a lawful claim or title, and subject to certain restrictions) to enjoy, occupy, possess, rent, sell (fully or partially), use, give away, or even destroy an item of property. Ownership may be 'corporeal' (title to a tangible object such as a house) or 'incorporeal' (title to an intangible something, such as a copyright, or a right to recover debt). Possession (as in tenancy) does not necessarily mean ownership because it does not automatically transfer title.

The reason I am bringing this up is that my supervisor Jamie Tan and Maintenance Manager Gary Hill have been telling me that I a MPE have "ownership" of the DBCS's that I have been maintaining on Tour 3 at MLS P&DC. I completely disagree with both of them. I have told them that the Postal Service is the owner of the machines. That I only maintain and repair them.

Here is a good analogy for everyone. Most everyone owns or has owned a vehicle at sometime in their life. Now part of being an owner of that vehicle is taking care of the maintenance of that vehicle. As the owner, you do the scheduling on when you would like the maintenance to be done on your vehicle and who you want to do the maintenance of that vehicle. Now myself as a MPE, I feel that I am "NOT" the owner since I do not actually own any of this postal equipment nor do I schedule when the work is to be done or who is to do the work on this postal equipment.

So, since my supervisor Jamie Tan is the individual that schedules when the work is to be done and who is to do the maintenance work on the postal equipment. Would this not make him the default owner of this equipment?

America, Why I love her

I found this video on the net that I would like to share with you. It is something I think that will make us all step back and think about this country we live in.

http://sagebrushpatriot.com/america.htm

Open Letter to MLS P&DC Acting Plant Manager Larry Belair

Below is a letter that I sent to our Plant Manager Larry Belair. As of this time I have not received any written response to this letter. But, I did try to ask Mr. Belair via his new electronic discussion board which was the best way to contact him for a response either by his electronic discussion board or via a certified letter. When I read his response to my question on the discussion board I felt that he had not answered the question that I had asked him.


9 Sept 2009

Mr. Belair,

Thank you for the town hall style meeting that took place at MLS P&DC just a short time ago. I think that it helped some individuals make up their minds whether they were going to take this early out incentive that USPS is currently offering to the APWU and NPMHU. You also pointed out that the Postal Service is in a crisis and that all of us should be doing our part in maintaining costs.

I would like to bring to you attention that your Maintenance Department was in the process of excessing five Tour 2 ET's to Tour 1. However, due to the agreement between the USPS, APWU, and NPMHU all excessing was supposedly put on hold until at least October 9, 2009 for this early out incentive. Therefore, your Maintenance Department at MLS P&DC is now going to detail these same five employees to Tour 1 at MLS P&DC to be able to go around the agreement between the USPS and APWU. In addition, you spoke of how the Postal Service should be trying to save money. Then I am curious why we would be detailing these five individuals and going to pay them out-of-schedule pay to work on Tour 1. These five ET's are being told that it is due to needs of the service for them to move to Tour 1. Nevertheless, if that was so why has not your Maintenance Department filled the empty ET Level 10 positions on Tour 1. Instead, they have withheld these positions. I admit that I am not privy to what is going on in our Maintenance Department at the higher levels. I am seeing this from my perspective as a MPE Level 9.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,



Marion Williams

New Information concerning Early Outs

I am passing on some information that I received via my email concerning the early outs. Please read and pass it along.

Thanks....

With Sept. 25 Deadline Approaching, Union Advises Employees Interested in Incentive APWU Web News Article #114-09, Sept. 22, 2009


With an important deadline approaching, APWU officials have been in frequent contact with postal management to resolve questions arising from the $15,000 incentive negotiated by the union for employees who retire or separate, President William Burrus has announced.


“Because of delays in receiving the packages that are needed to complete the application process, many employees are concerned that they may miss the opportunity to receive the incentive,” he said. Therefore, the union advises:

* Employees who have expressed interest in the incentive but have not yet received a package should get confirmation that they contacted Human Resources Shared Services (HRSS) by Sept. 25. Confirmation/reference numbers will serve as verification that employees expressed interest before the Sept. 25 deadline.

If you received a confirmation/reference number, keep a record of it. It is
not necessary to contact Shared Services again. If you did not receive or record a confirmation/reference number, contact HRSS before Sept. 25 and obtain a confirmation/reference number.

* Employees who are eligible for Optional Retirement and have received the packages should comply with the instructions. Retirement counseling will be scheduled; the retirement application will be due after counseling (unless counseling is declined).

* Employees who are eligible for Voluntary Early Retirement should have received a package containing an Early Out Incentive Option Offer Letter, an Acknowledgment of Irrevocability of Early Retirement Decision, an Application for Immediate Retirement, and other information. VER applicants must indicate their intent to participate in the incentive program by Sept. 25, 2009.


There are three methods to contact HRSS to indicate interest in the incentive:

* Call Human Resources Shared Services at 877-477-3273, and select Option 5
* Visit LiteBlue via the Internet at https://liteblue.usps.gov/wps/myportal/retirement
* Send a fax to Human Resources Shared Services at 651-994-3547.

YouTube posting about Postal Excessing

I came across this link and would like everyone to go and look at it. Then pass it onto their friends. I enjoyed it and I think you will also.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVxBYY8GyWo

Your Rights: Weingarten, Garrity, Kalkines

What Are Weingarten Rights?

All Bargaining Unit Employees of the United States Postal Service have the right to be accompanied by a Union Representative to all interviews with management officials, in which the employee reasonably believes the interview might result in disciplinary action. (e.g. Investigative, Safety, Accident, Mystery Shopper)

The above right is guaranteed by the National Labor Relations Act, reinforced by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1975 in NLRB v. J. Weingarten, and violation of that right has been found to be an Unfair Labor Practice.

Simply stated, your Weingarten Rights provide that you may request and management must provide a Union Representative to accompany you to all interviews that you believe might result in disciplinary action.

However, that right is not automatic. You must exercise your right by notifying management of your desire to have a Union Representative present during an interview. If the management official advises you that no disciplinary action will be initiated against you as a result of the interview, it is not necessary to provide a Union Representative.

Any questions concerning your Weingarten Rights or your rights during a management initiated interview process should be directed to your Chief Grievance Officer or by calling the Local's office for further details.

Your Rights During an OIG Investigation: Garrity and Kalkines

The Postal Service has been transitioning from Postal Inspector investigations to Special Agents in Charge of the Office of Inspector General investigations for over a year now. While Weingarten and Miranda Rights will still be afforded, Special Agents use Kalkine or Garrity warnings in interrogations that everyone should become familiar with.

Garrity Rights:

Protects the employee from having to choose between self incrimination and job forfeiture for failing to cooperate. The individual has the right to not be threatened with discharge in order for the OIG to secure incriminating evidence that would be used against them for arrest and prosecution. Miranda Rights would be applicable here.

Kalkines Rights:

If the individual is given immunity from criminal prosecution, the employee is required to cooperate in the investigation even if the information solicited could be used for discharging the employee.

Special Agents do not have the authority to grant immunity from criminal prosecution. However, if Special Agents provide the form "Administrative Warning: Duty to Cooperate" that means that the OIG has obtained such a waiver of prosecution.

** Your Key Right Is You Always Have The Right for a Union Representative To Be Present During An Interrogation. Even if the OIG / Postal Inspection Service says, "If you Cooperate, You Won't Go to Jail". This is to Scare You, Into Waiving Your Rights. The Union Does Have, The Capability of Helping Employees, While Being Interogated, Before You Get Yourself Into More Serious Trouble.

Off Topic and Off color....

Friend of mine sent this to me... I have also seen it on the Web so I thought I would share it with you. Give me some feedback on this.

"Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater.
If you give her sperm, she'll give you a baby.
If you give her a house, she'll give you a home.
If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal.
If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart.
She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her.
So, if you give her any crap, be ready to receive a ton of shit."

San Diego Local 197 Picnic

Good morning, I went to the Local's picnic yesterday and had a very nice time. I saw some individuals that I have not seen in many years. I will say that the food was good and the weather was excellent. I only wish that more Union members and their families could have been there. Enjoyed just being there with my family and friends.

General Excessing Information

I came across some pretty good information that was posted on another locals website that was provided by Mike Gallagher, APWU Eastern Region Coordinator.

This concerns excessing of craft employees. The powerpoint presentation is quite good. I would recommend to all who are or might be getting excessed to watch it. The link to the page is listed below:

http://redbanklocal.com/excessing.html

Many thanks to the Red Bank Local in New Jersey for this information.

MLS Maintenance Tour Re-alignment

This week began the new Maintenance work hours for the majority of maintenance craft employees at MLS P&DC which I list below using standard 24 hour time not postal times:

Tour 1 2200 till 0630
Tour 2 0600 till 1430
Tour 3 1400 till 2230

These times are for the majority of maintenance craft employees that work at MLS P&DC.

So now let us look at the exceptions that are not working these standard hours that the Management in Maintenance have kept:

There are employees that are working a 4/10 work week. This is a work week that has the employee working 10 hours each day for 4 days a week. This gives that employee 3 days off each week. I will list below the hours I believe to be correct for the tours I am aware of:

Tour 1 2200 till 0830
Tour 2 (hours worked are unknown to me can anyone give them to me?)
Tour 3 Noon till 2230 and 1300 till 2330

So looking at the above 4/10 workers I would have to ask why does Tour 3 have two different start times for their workers?

Now then we have some other maintenance craft employees that their hours were not changed. These employees are the MOS clerks in maintenance that are used in Tool and Parts. Why were not these employee's hours not realigned to match their maintenance workers that they support? Management thought that maintenance employees on the floor only needed a 30 minute overlap for any interaction between the tours. So why is it that Management did not do the same with the MOS clerks? Instead, of 30 minute overlap in some instances you are looking at 1 1/2 hours of overlap.Why is this? I could only guess at one of the reasons like not wanting to change any of the level 7 MOS clerks to correspond to the Tour 2 that they are currently on. It might just be inconvenient for some of them. Well this whole realignment for MLS maintenance tour hours has not been convenient for many individuals. So why should they be singled out for not being affected? Any ideas on this?




Now then let us look at what is called

Numbers Speak up

USPS EMPLOYEE STATISTICS FROM 2000 - 2008

2000 2008 -/+ Percentage

USPS Headquarters 2279 2892 +21%

USPS Field Support 5566 4429 -20%

Inspection Service (Field) 4190 2890 -31%

Inspector General 664 1159 +42%

USPS HEADQUARTERS TOTALS 12699 11370 -10.50%

Postmasters (Installation Heads) 26121 25250 -3%

Supervisors / Managers 38797 31787 -18%

USPS SUPERVISORY TOTALS 64918 57037 -12.14%

Tech Personal 9959 8010 -20%

Clerks 281956 194773 -31%

Nurses 191 134 -30%

Mail Handlers 60851 55812 -8%

City Carriers 241079 211661 -12%

Motor Vehicle 9347 8558 -5%

Rural Carriers 57111 68900 +17%

Maintenance 42284 40248 -5%

Vehicle Maintenance 5546 5419 -2%

USPS CAREER CRAFT 708324 593515 -16.21%
EMPLOYEES TOTALS

I am letting the numbers speak for themselves. If the Career Craft employees numbers are down a total of -16.21% then why is not the Headquarters and Supervisory numbers not down at a similar percentage? Is not their numbers based on the number of craft employees?

Information for anyone

I would like to be able to give individuals ways of looking up new and interesting items that can be found on the web. So I will provide some links and information for all individuals to use as they see fit.

One of the first ones that I like to use is http://php.app.com/usps/search.php look up basic salary information concerning any USPS employee from Postmaster General Potter down to the lowest custodian.

Another sight I like to use is Zabasearch to help you locate individuals and addresses. If that one does not give you enough information you can also use Zillow to look up about individual homes. On Zillow you can find out when the house was built, square footage of the home, and even the parcel number of the home for the county it is in.

For all of you San Diego people there is another website that is fun for you to look up information on yourself, friends and neighbors. That website is run by the San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector. All you need is either an address and zipcode or the parcel number to look up information about who owns what property, pays the taxes, and how much the county thinks the property is worth.

I do hope that these tools I have shown you can provide you with many hours of entertainment or information that you may need.

Pictures I have found to be funny

I have found over time a few pictures I would like to share with you that I have found to be funny. I freely admit to taking a little bit of artistic license to them before sharing them with you. I look forward to hearing comments concerning these pictures. They are here for humor and to bring smiles to people.

I tried seeing your point of view.

But, I couldn't get my head that far up my ass.

I believe this one picture speaks for it's self.

So do either of these two pictures remind any of you of people you have worked for or currently working with now?