May 2024 Newsletter
President’s Message
Welcome members of Branch 526,
Greetings members, thank goodness it’s spring and summer is coming.
Branch 526 is refunding the conference fee for all members that registered and attended the Virginia District Career Conference. You only need to submit your registration receipt to get your refund. Email to me at Lloyd.b.cox@gmail.com or mail it to our PO Box, 4156, Merrifield VA 22116. At the Career Conference I had an opportunity to meet with some of our members, local and state. It was a great opportunity to explain the mission of NAPS and sign-up new members. Many of the top USPS leadership in Virginia are still NAPS members. Conferences of this type allow you to network with other EAS from around the state. It is an opportunity to talk with USPS leadership.
As a NAPS member, you should be receiving the Postal Supervisor magazine. If you are not, update your mailing address with NAPS Headquarters. Also, include your private email address. In the Postal Supervisor, you will read about the issues our leadership discusses with the post office representatives. Just like the union magazines, there is a section on EAS issues with contributions from managers and supervisors around the country.
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Take time to visit our new 526 branch website https://www.NAPSbranch526.org. It has been up and running for several months. New information is continually being added and there is a link to the NAPS national website. We are always looking for ideas and suggestions to improve our communication with you, our members.
A reminder that we are no longer mailing our Branch newsletter. The newsletter will be posted on the website and e-mailed to those members who have provided NAPS with their email address. Update your personal email address with me at Lloyd.b.cox@gmail.com.
Our Branch Meetings are the 3rd Thursday of every other month (the odd months). We have returned to in-person meetings. Meetings are held at the Merrifield Post office, located at 8409 Lee Highway, room 108, at 7 pm. This month’s meeting is on Thursday, May 16, 2024. NAPS will continue to work for you! Come to the Branch meeting and get involved.
If you sign up as a member, NAPS Headquarters will give you $25. New members help keep our organization strong and enable us to fight for your future!
Lloyd B. Cox, President, James E. Parks Jr. Branch 526
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Branch 526 Member Advocates
Customer Service--Alice Jackson (703) 763-9317, Mail Processing--Deborah Farmer (301) 356-6955, Headquarters--June Brandt (412) 600-6206
If unable to reach an advocate contact President Lloyd Cox at (571) 422-8749
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
It seems like every election we are told that it is “the most important election of our lifetime.” That might be a bit dramatic, but for USPS and its employees the upcoming 2024 election could have a huge impact. The implementation of the Delivering For America plan has drawn the ire of House and Senate members concerned with service slowdowns and possible facility closures. The huge increase in crime against postal employees and rampant mail theft has raised concerns about the USPS commitment to safety and security. Voting by mail is sure to be much discussed before and after the election and USPS must be ready to defend its promise get every ballot delivered. As part of the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 USPS has promised transparency regarding its operations and financial accountability and some Congressional members feel the Postal Service has not complied.
NAPS supports candidates not based on their party affiliation but by where they stand on postal issues. Please contact your state’s Senators and your House Representative to urge them to consider co-sponsorship of the bills listed. Time is running short in this Congressional session and these proposals will die without a vote.
If you don’t have time to highlight legislation, send a quick email asking that they support USPS employees in this time of rapid change. Donate to SPAC to help NAPS get our message to Congress.
And above all, VOTE!
Harold Wade, Branch 526 Legislative Chairman
Contact Your House Representative and Senators to ask if they will co-sponsor and support bills that concern NAPS and USPS
(House Bills are designated with H.R. and Senate Bills with S.)
H.R. 3005, Postal Police Reform Act & S. 3356, Postal Police Reform Act
The bill would reverse a 2020 directive from the Chief Postal Inspector that limited the jurisdiction of the U.S. postal police to postal facilities.
H.R. 594, Postal Supervisors and Managers Fairness Act
The bill would provide for the timely start of pay talks between Executive Administrative Schedule (EAS) postal employees and USPS. It would establish a fair and credible process for the conduct of pay consultations by requiring adherence to the findings and conclusions of an independent act-finding panel.
H.R. 595, Postal Employee Appeal Rights Amendment Act
The bill would confer to approximately 5,000 non-supervisory managerial postal employees the right to appeal significant personnel actions to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB).
H.R. 82, Social Security Fairness Act & S. 597, Social Security Fairness Act
The bill would repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset, sections of the Social Security law that unfairly reduce the rightful benefits of Civil Service Retirement System annuitants and surviving spouses.
For details of NAPS Legislative goals, see https://NAPS.org/Legislative-Center-Legislative-Action-Center
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF POSTAL SUPERVISORS
JAMES E. PARKS JR. VIRGINIA DISTRICT BRANCH 526
BRANCH 526 MARCH MEETING THURSDAY, MAY 16, 2024
The May meeting of NAPS Branch 526 will be held on Thursday, May 16, 2024, at 7:00 PM in Room 108 of the Merrifield Post Office, 8409 Lee Hwy, Merrifield, VA 22116
NAPS Eastern Region Vice President Richard Green and
Branch 526 President Lloyd Cox at the Virginia Career Conference
Branch 526 delegates at the March 2024 Legislative Training Seminar
NAPS National President Ivan Butts thanked Branch 526 Secretary/Treasurer for her contributions to SPAC.
