January 2023
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF POSTAL SUPERVISORS
JAMES E. PARKS JR. DISTRICT BRANCH #526, NORTHERN VIRGINIA—JANUARY 2023 NEWSLETTER ____________________________________________
Greetings Branch 526 members and Happy New Year!
Rather than make a New Year’s resolution that will be quickly forgotten, I try to do something small every day that will make me a better person.
Here are some things I encourage NAPS members to do in 2023 that will help them and our organization.
1) Communicate: I am frequently contacted regarding disciplinary action that could have been avoided with better communication. Make sure you understand your manager’s expectations and ask questions if you are uncertain of what is required.
2) Treat others with dignity and respect: No one likes to be yelled at, threatened, or bullied. If you find your temper rising during an encounter, walk away. Keep cool and behave professionally. Watch your words—in today’s world, a heated exchange with an employee or member of the public could quickly go viral, making USPS look bad and possibly costing you your job.
3) Behave with integrity: EAS employees are rarely disciplined for performance issues. Far too often, supervisors, managers, and postmasters are suspended, demoted, or removed for falsifying data or signing off on something they have not personally checked. Do not inflate volumes or change clock rings. Be vigilant in checking that arrow keys are accounted for, and vehicles are secured before signing a checklist. Report to work when scheduled and inform your manager as soon as possible if you need to leave or will be absent.
4) Contact Congress: It is essential that Senators and House members are aware of the issues important to USPS employees. Become aware of any postal related bills and encourage your representatives to co-sponsor legislation.
5) Sign up a new member: There is strength in numbers and increased membership gives NAPS more clout with USPS and Congress. It will also benefit you through a $25 cash payment for sponsoring an EAS employee who joins NAPS.
I hope 2023 is a great year for you personally and professionally,
Lloyd B Cox
President
NAPS BRANCH 526 MEMBERSHIP MEETING VIA ZOOM
THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2023--7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Meeting ID: 847 2723 9639
Passcode: 466658
If you do not have Zoom capability on your computer or mobile device, you can dial 301-715-8592 and join using the meeting ID and password.
If you are having difficulties connecting to the meeting, please text Deborah Holley at 757-377-5679.
If dialing in use the same meeting ID and password
Meeting ID: 847 2723 9639
Passcode: 466658
Branch 526 Member Advocates
Customer Service--Alice Jackson (703) 763-9317, Mail Processing--Deborah Farmer (301) 356-6955, Headquarters--June Brandt (412) 600-6206
Contact a NAPS advocate ASAP if you are asked to participate in an investigative interview or are issued corrective action.
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Legislative update—New Year, New Congress
By Junemarie Brandt
The 118th Congress has begun, and if the voting for the Speaker position is any indication, it will be fraught with disagreement and political posturing.
During the 117th Congress the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, under the leadership of New York’s Representative Carolyn Maloney, played a big role in passage of the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022. Maloney helped gather bi-partisan support for the legislation, which was signed into law on April 6, 2022. At the signing ceremony, attended by all three of NAPS’ resident officers, President Biden noted that, “the Postal Service is central to our economy and is central to rural America, delivering mail and packages between small businesses and customers every single, solitary day.”
The importance of USPS to all Americans means that Democrats and Republicans share concerns about its service, financial viability, and employees. The Linn’s Stamp News January 6, 2023, edition quoted Representative Gerald Connolly of Virginia, a longtime postal advocate, as saying, “The passage of the Postal Service Reform Act demonstrates that we can find bipartisanship on protecting the USPS.”
Of concern to NAPS is that new Oversight and Reform Committee chairman, Representative James Comer of Kentucky may be less receptive to discussion of postal issues. In a December 7, 2022, statement Comer said he would, “return the Oversight Committee to its primary duty to root out waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in the federal government.” Several Republican committee members have previously shown support for Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and his Delivering For America plan. It is unlikely that there will be committee objections as planned operational changes are implemented.
Senator Gary Peters of Michigan will head the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. That committee can determine if legislation concerning USPS is introduced for Senate consideration.
NAPS uses its Supervisors Political Action Committee (SPAC) fund to benefit lawmakers who support its legislative goals, regardless of political affiliation. All of the bills NAPS endorsed during the 117th Congress, concerning Social Security, COLA, Supervisor’s Appeal Rights, and restoration of Postal Police authority must be reintroduced and start a new legislative journey. It took over a decade and a half for postal reform to be enacted, persistence is important when dealing with Congress
It is important that members support SPAC financially. You can contribute through payroll deduction or online. You can also help SPAC and have a chance to win great prizes through online raffles connected with the NAPS Legislative Training Session in March. You do not have to attend LTS to participate.
In addition, communicate to your Senators and House Representative that you are concerned with the preservation and viability of USPS. Check the Legislative area on the NAPS website naps.org to track when new legislation is introduced. Convey the message President Biden gave as he signed postal reform into law. He noted that it is, “no exaggeration to say that the Postal Service delivers democracy.”
Branch 526 members that are eligible to attend the 2023 Eastern Region Cabinet Meeting and Capital Atlantic Area States Convention
Rose Allen, Earl Baylor, Darryl Beasley, Junemarie Brandt, Lloyd Cox, Darcy Driscoll, Joanne Farmer, Deborah Farmer, Deborah Holley, Alice Jackson, Kenneth Marshall, Andrew Martin, Yvette Merkison, James Parks, James Reedy, Lia Tyler, Harold Wade, William White
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF POSTAL SUPERVISORS--BRANCH 526
NAPS BRANCH 526 JANUARY 2023 MEMBERSHIP MEETING
The January meeting of NAPS Branch 526 will be held on Thursday, January 19, 2023, at 7:00 PM.
THE MEETING WILL BE HELD VIA ZOOM, PLEASE SEE DETAILS INSIDE THIS NEWSLETTER
