The National Association of Postal Supervisors has had its tax-exempt status revoked for “failing to file an annual information return or notice with the IRS for three consecutive years”.

NAPS isn’t the only postal organization on the list- a number of its branches also appear, along with local units of the League of Postmasters and NAPUS, and hundreds of local and auxiliary units of the American Postal Workers Union and the National Association of Letter Carriers.

The IRS has started publishing a list of organizations that have had their federal tax-exempt status automatically revoked for failing to file an annual information return or notice with the IRS for three consecutive years. The Automatic Revocation of Exemption List (Auto-Revocation List) is available in Adobe and Excel formats, and divided into separate lists by jurisdiction. The Auto-Revocation List provides the name, employer identification number (EIN), organization (subsection) code, last known address, effective date of revocation, and date on which the name was posted on IRS.gov.

via Automatic Revocation of Exemption List.

June 3rd, 2011

This past week, many PMR’s in EAS-15 & 16 offices received a notice that their current positions would be terminated on August 23, 2011, but they would be given a special opportunity to apply for the newly created Postal Support Employee (PSE) position. PSEs are a new category of non-career employee, who will be appointed for a term not to exceed 360 calendar days. Based on operational needs, a PSE may be re-appointed for another not to exceed 360 day term after a 5 day break in service. PSE employees will be entitled to benefits including raises, health benefits and leave, with a $12 to $15.85 hourly wage range.

NAPUS leaders will meet with USPS officials on Tuesday, June 7, 2011 to discuss the PSE position and how it will impact PMR’s and the coverage of Postmasters on their non-scheduled days and leave replacement periods. Postal Headquarters officials will also brief NAPUS leaders on details of the recently ratified APWU contract agreement. The recently issued letter to PMR’s appears to have been prematurely released by USPS Headquarters prior to any discussion with the leaders of the two Postmaster organizations, but PMR’s who received the letter are encouraged to apply for PSE vacancies as instructed in the letter.

PMR’s are encouraged to visit the NAPUS website after the Tuesday meeting to receive additional details on the PSE opportunities.

Charlie Moser

June 3, 2011

via NAPUS.

Today, the National Association of Postmasters of the United States NAPUS, the National League of Postmasters NLP, and two retired Postmasters filed a formal complaint before the Postal Regulatory Commission PRC asking the Commission to order the U.S. Postal Service to withdraw its proposed regulations relating to Post Office Discontinuance. NAPUS and NLP believe that the regulations, which were printed in the March 31 issue of the Federal Register, violate current law.

The new rules undermine postal services in small towns and rural communities, permit the Postal Service to unilaterally consolidate Post Offices without community input, deny many communities appellate review of Postal Service decisions to their close Post Offices, and undercut the statutory position of Postmaster. In sum, the proposed regulations violate numerous sections of Title 39 of the United States Code, and are contrary to the congressional intent underlying the statue. During the 30-day Public Comment period, approximately 500 pages of opposition to the regulations were filed by the American public, as well as Members of Congress. We understand that additional comments were received by the USPS after the May 2, the completion of the public comment period.

Current law, affords postal stakeholders the right to file a complaint with the PRC should the USPS not be operating in conformance with certain sections of the Title 39. NAPUS and NLP are exercising their rights under the law.

via NAPUS.

National Association of Postmasters of the United States (NAPUS) President told a Senate subcommittee that the US Postal Service should look at trimming its “bloated bureaucracy before it starts closing more post offices :

It is important to note that the Postal Service has shed over 100,000 jobs over the past two years, including Postmaster positions, and there has been virtually no investment in capital. The postal infrastructure and vehicle fleet is deteriorating. Before the Postal Service begins to cut deeper into the bone of its services, the agency needs to prune further its bureaucracy and eliminate its still-bloated administrative overhead, which includes an oversized Area and District Office structure.

Full testimony (pdf file).

From the League of Postmasters:

The LEAGUE has received official notification that the significant recommendations that LEAGUE and NAPUS submitted in reference to the revisions of Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM) Section 415, Rate Retention and Change to Lower EAS Grade will not be adopted. There was one recommendation that was adopted regarding applying for lateral reassignment to vacant duty assignments at their saved grade levels within their commuting areas to protect the salary. This was minor language to include in the overall change. The organizations submitted recommendations on two occasions to try and save some of the salary protection that EAS had received in the past during RIF Avoidance period, Specific RIF Notice Period or a RIF.

This means that those Nonbargainig Unit employees impacted by RIF Avoidance period, Specific RIF Notice Period, RIF-Related 30-Day Nonduty, Nonpay Status period, or a Rif will not receive saved salary indefinitely. Employees retain their current grade and pay for a period not to exceed 2 years from the effective date of the change to the lower grade position. On expiration of the saved grade period, if the employee’s salary is within the salary range for the lower grade, the salary is continued. However, if the salary exceeds the maximum of the new grade, the salary is immediately reduced to the grade maximum.

The League is disappointed that the significant portion of our proposals was not adopted. Postal Headquarters continued to sight the financial conditions they were presently facing could not justify any saved salary past the two years.
Rate retention currently in affect for DUO impacted Postmasters and Managers is still in effect.

NAPUS President Bob Rapoza briefed the National Executive Board on Thursday, April 7, on strategies to derail an illegal Postal Service attempt to implement regulations that would make it easier to close post offices, deny communities their statutory due process rights, and would violate the existing statutory definition of “Postmaster.” The meeting, which followed an earlier telecom between Government Relations Director Bob Levi and 50 legislative chairs throughout the nation, alerted all NAPUS leaders to take immediate action to ensure that all Postmasters are proactively involved to overturn the regulatory changes.

NAPUS leaders emphasized the value of the small post offices to rural America and there was miniscule savings to be realized by closing these small rural post offices. The Postal Service’s proposed regulations would illegally run afoul of the current statutory requirements in Title 39 of the U.S. Code by “re-designating” thousands of post offices as stations and branches of another post office.

President Rapoza has called on all Postmasters to communicate with their national and chapter leaders and legislative chairs to learn what they can do to fight the Postal Service’s misguided proposed regulations. He said that the proposed changes should be a “concern to every Postmaster in America.”

Charlie Moser

via NAPUS.

From the National Association of Postmasters of the United States:

NAPUS and League Leaders Meet to Coordinate Strategies to Protect Post Offices

Today, NAPUS and League leaders and their legislative staffs met to coordinate strategies to challenge the Postal Service’s proposed regulatory changes, which if implemented, would result in countless communities being denied their rights to protect post offices in rural areas. The Postal Service’s plan would streamline the review process for closing post offices, which would include determining whether a post office has sufficient workload to remain open and whether alternatives to provide postal services can be located.

Next week the NAPUS Government Relations Department will conduct a teleconference with all 51 Legislative Chairs and members of the Post Office Preservation Committee to brief them on strategies that both Postmaster organizations have jointly agreed to pursue to prevent these proposed regulatory changes from taking place.

Further information on this very important matter will be posted on the NAPUS website next week. Please check here for updates!!

Charlie Moser

April 1, 2011

via NAPUS.

From the National Association of Postmasters of the United States:

NAPUS President Bob Rapoza and Director of Government Relations Bob Levi are talking with key Members of Congress and postal regulators concerning the Postal Service’s plans to amend postal regulations to streamline the Post Office closing and consolidation process. NAPUS is concerned about the impact the proposed changes would have on service to small and rural communities.

via NAPUS.

The Washington Post claimed again this morning that the USPS was planning to lay off “thousands” of postmasters and supervisors. This afternoon, in a telephone conversation with NAPUS National President Bob Rapoza, the PMG categorically denied the Post story:

NAPUS National President Bob Rapoza called Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe this morning in response to a March 25, 2011 article in the Washington Post, which stated the Postal Service planned to “eliminate the jobs of thousands of postmasters and supervisors, many through layoffs.” Postmaster General Donahoe told President Rapoza that he could tell Postmasters that “there will be no layoffs for Postmasters.”

The Washington Post article, which quoted postal officials about the Postal Service’s reorganization, generated many calls and emails to the NAPUS national office concerning the possibility of layoffs for Postmasters. Early this morning, the NAPUS President placed a call to the PMG, who later returned the call to Rapoza telling him that Postmasters will not be laid off.

The NAPUS national office has also been inundated with calls and emails, asking why Postmasters weren’t included in the Voluntary Early Retirement (VER) and incentive offers that were announced for USPS Headquarters, Area and District EAS Non-Bargaining employees. The reason Postmasters were not included in the VER and incentive offers is because post offices weren’t eliminated in the recent downsizing effort, thus Postmasters were not impacted employees.

Area positions (originally 1,123) are being reduced by 27.3% which equates to a job loss of 306 positions leaving a total of 817 area positions.

District positions (originally 5,791) are being reduced by 24.92% which equates to a reduction of 1,443 jobs, leaving a total of 4,348 district positions.

That is a total of 1,749 jobs down from the previous 6,914

While post offices have not been specifically targeted for closing during this initial downsizing effort, plans to close post offices are part of the overall reorganization process. NAPUS will continue to keep you informed on any information that Postal Headquarters provides concerning planned closings of post offices. The PMG reiterated his commitment to continue open communications with NAPUS, with “no hidden agenda.” He told President Bob Rapoza that he could quote him that “there will be no layoffs for Postmasters.”

via NAPUS.

eNAPUS Legislative & Political Bulletin Feb 18 2011