national association of postal supervisors - oig recommends … · 2018-08-22 · treasurer chuck...

October 2017October 2017

OIG Recommends Changes to PFP ProgramOIG Recommends Changes to PFP Program page 14page 14

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Help the Victims of Hurricane Harvey

With a Donation to PERF

Help the Victims of Hurricane Harvey

With a Donation to PERF

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The Postal Supervisor (ISSN 0032-5384) is printedmonthly, with a combined September/Octoberissue, by the National Association of Postal Su-pervisors (NAPS), 1727 King St., Suite 400,Alexandria, VA 22314-2753; 703-836-9660; fax,703-836-9665; website, www.naps.org; generale-mail, [email protected]. ©2017

Periodicals postage paid at Alexandria, VA,and additional mailing offices.

NAPS members receive The Postal Supervisoras part of their membership dues. Members notreceiving the publica-tion on a regular basisshould notify theirbranch secretaries. Non-member subscriptionprice: $25 per year.

Submissions—Articles submitted forpublication should promote the welfare ofNAPS and its membersin accordance with Article II of the NAPSConstitution & Bylaws.The NAPS resident offi-cers reserve the right toedit all articles, as wellas decline to publishsubmitted material.Branch officer articlesmust be not more than350 words. Send all arti-cles to NAPS Secretary/Treasurer Chuck Muli-dore at [email protected].

Reprint requestsand other correspon-dence may be ad-dressed to Karen Young; phone/fax, 540-636-2569; [email protected].

High-resolution photos may be e-mailed to [email protected]. Please includeyour non-USPS e-mail. NAPS neither assumesresponsibility for the contents of the articlespublished herein, nor does it necessarily agreewith the opinions expressed. Moreover, opin-ions expressed by an author do not necessarilyreflect the opinions of the author’s branch.

Advertising—Advertising inquiries shouldbe directed to Karen Young; phone/fax, 540-636-2569; [email protected].

The publication of any advertising hereindoes not necessarily constitute NAPS endorse-ment of the products or services offered.

Postmaster—Please send address labels,clipped from undeliverable copies, along withUSPS Form 3579, to The Postal Supervisor, 1727King St., Suite 400, Alexandria, VA 22314-2753.

October 2017, Volume 108, No. 10

www.naps.org

Objective

The objective of the Asso-

ciation shall be to pro-

mote, through appropriate

and effective action, the

welfare of its members,

and to cooperate with the

USPS and other agencies

of the federal government

in a continuing effort to

improve the service, to

raise the standard of

efficiency, and to widen

the field of opportunity

for its members who make

the Postal Service or the

federal government their

life work.

FEATURES

9 Aug. 2 Consultative Priority Mail Composite Corporate Performance Indicator discussed.

21 2017 NAPS Scholarship Winners Recipients of the VincePalladino Memorial Student Scholarships announced.

22 You, Your Family and Change It is important to bring your family along in understanding any possible job changes so they can adapt and help you.

RESIDENT OFFICERS

3 Pay Yourself First Brian J. Wagner

5 Being the Best Leader Possible Ivan D. Butts

6 NAPS Membership Continues to Grow Chuck Mulidore

COLUMNS

14 Legislative Update Bruce Moyer

25 The NAPS Postmaster Joe Bodary

DEPARTMENTS

10 NAPS of Note

13 Views from the Vice Presidents Marilyn Walton

15 Quarterly Financial Statement For the period ended May 31, 2017

18 SPAC Contributors

19 SPAC Scoreboard

26 NAPS Training Calendar

27 Notes from the National Auxiliary Patricia Jackson-Kelley

October 2017In This Issue

The Postal Supervisor / October 2017 3

Commentaryfrom the Resident Officers

hen I was studying to earn my certificate infinancial planning, the term “pay yourselffirst” was a popular phrase in the personalfinance and retirement planning literature

I read. What does it mean to “pay yourself first?”Before you begin paying your monthly living ex-

penses and making discretionary purchases, many au-tomatically set aside funds from their paycheck for a

savings or investment account.The concept is straightforward. Itis probably some-thing you haveheard before, butmaybe neverthought muchabout it. However,the Postal Servicehas.

This past June,NAPS Headquartersattended a Postal

Service briefing about a USPS initiativeto get more postal employees to partici-pate in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).NAPS Headquarters also received a July6, 2017, letter from Postal Service Head-quarters about its intention to create anew “TSP-EZ” worksheet for use by em-ployees currently not participating inthe plan. Why all the attention by theUSPS about the TSP?

According to the Compensations& Benefits Office at Postal Headquar-ters, the USPS wants to help postalemployees prepare for their future sothat they can retire when they areready. In addition, encouraging postalemployees to get the most benefit outof their TSP accounts can make all thedifference between a comfortable re-tirement and a difficult one. Further-more, research has shown that well-ness efforts that care for and supportemployees will result in them being

better able to care for and support their customers.At our June briefing, NAPS was shown a TSP EAS

Dashboard (see below) indicating that approximately12 percent of FERS EAS employees are not participat-ing in the TSP. Of the approximate 88 percent of FERSEAS employees making TSP contributions, 18 percentare contributing less than 5 percent. It is unfortunatethat a percentage of FERS EAS employees are not pay-ing themselves first; basically, they are leaving moneyon the table by missing out on TSP matching contri-

Pay Yourself First

W

Brian J. WagnerPresident

4 October 2017 / The Postal Supervisor

butions from the USPS. Unfortunate-ly, over 35 percent of CSRS EAS em-ployees are not even participating inthe TSP.

The USPS automatically con-tributes 1 percent to the TSP ac-counts of all FERS employees, evenfor the approximate 12 percent whoare not contributing to the TSP. I askthose EAS employees to not thinktwice about fully contributing to theTSP. As a FERS employee, you’ll havetwice as much going into your TSPaccount as you originally con-tributed when you receive the USPSmatch. Although CSRS employees donot receive a USPS matching contri-bution to their TSP accounts, all EASemployees can benefit from lowertaxes on their current income when

they contribute to the TSP. I understand some EAS employ-

ees may have financial challengesthat prohibit them from investingeven a small percentage of fundsinto the TSP. Fortunately, the USPSEmployee Assistance Program (EAP)is available to help guide employeeswho are struggling with moneymanagement issues. In such cases,the EAP may provide the assistancean employee needs to get their fi-nances back on track, resulting ingreater participation in the TSP.

Now that you are thinking about“paying yourself first” regarding theTSP, I hope you won’t think twiceabout “paying yourself first” by in-vesting a percentage of your timethroughout the year to be more ac-

tive in NAPS. While your TSP invest-ment dollars are working to get youcloser to a more financially comfort-able retirement, NAPS also is work-ing to make your workplace journeytoward retirement comfortable. Ourgoals are to improve your workplaceenvironment and EAS pay and bene-fits and also lobby Congress to pro-tect the benefits you have so right-fully earned.

However, whether you aremonths or years from retirement,the greater percentage of time youset aside to be active in NAPS andthe greater percentage of funds youcan invest in the TSP will be two ofthe best investments you will evermake in your postal career.

[email protected]

The idea of retiring can be exciting; however, retirement planning can be a bit intimidating. Even thebest-laid plans can fall by the wayside. Even the most committed retirement savers can make a few mistakes if they don’t have the right information.

The following mistake can cost you, but easily can be avoided with a bit of forethought:

1. You don’t have a plan. One of the biggest mistakes you can make when planning for retirementis not having a plan. Do you know how much you need to save? Do you know how much in-come you’ll need in retirement? Whatever your vision of retirement is, you should carefullyplan and budget for it. After all, you could spend 30 years or more in retirement, so you’ll wantto plan and save enough to fund that part of your life.

Solution: Start now! Estimate how much money you’ll need after you stop working, set a goal and then stick to it. To help you plan for a comfortable retirement, check out the calculators at tsp.gov/PlanningTools.

Planning and saving for retirement can seem complicated for some people. Whether retirement is a fewdecades away or just around the corner, the goal is to make steady progress in the right direction as youprepare for life after work. Avoiding this costly mistake could help you better navigate your way to theretirement you desire.

The First Mistake YouMay Be Making WithYour TSP Account—andWhat to Do About It


hat’s it like working for an authoritarian?What does it mean to be authoritarian?These questions have been asked over theyears by some of the world’s most brilliant

thinkers. I recently read an article by Adrian Furnham,Ph.D., who reviewed the findings of German philoso-pher Theodor Adorno.

After World War II, a group of American-based social scientists, led by Adorno,posed these questions, as well aswhat kind of people accepted Naziideology and took part in theHolocaust? It resulted in “The Au-thoritarian Personality,” publishedin 1950.

According to Furnham, theirtheory focused on the individualas a cause of social evils. Parents,they argued, bring about authori-tarianism by frequently and seri-ously punishing and shaming their

children for even minor offenses—making them hos-tile to adults and all authority figures in power. Thechild does not consciously acknowledge this aggres-sion because it simply leads to more punishment.Also, they are de-pendent on their par-ents whom they aresupposed to love,which can cause sig-nificant tension.

Thus, so the theo-ry goes, those ex-posed to authoritari-an, rather thanauthoritative, parent-ing have their re-pressed antagonismdisplaced and project-ed onto weaker mem-bers of society. Au-thoritarians have anabsolute, straightfor-ward and unshakablebelief in their superi-ority. This easily canlead to brutality, ag-gression and naked,

open prejudice against anyone viewed as subordinateto the authoritarian.

While this idea took hold, it has been criticized be-cause many other factors lead to the development ofauthoritarian thinking and behavior. Others alsoshape this behavior for powerful situational factors.How are authoritarian habits cultivated in the work-place? Social psychologists reject the fundamental at-tribution error concept of authoritarianism explainingeveryday prejudice. They believe group and situationalfactors are much more important in developing andmaintaining authoritarian behaviors.

These group and situational factors confront andshape authoritarians in the workplace. They also canimpact one’s transition up “Maslow’s Hierarchy ofNeeds” pyramid, which is a theory in psychology pro-posed by Abraham Maslow in his 1943 paper, “A The-ory of Human Motivation,” published in the Psycho-logical Review.

Maslow used the terms physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, self-actualization and self-transcen-dence to describe the pattern through which humanmotivations generally move. The challenge for an au-thoritarian to reach the levels of esteem and higher, as

defined by Maslow’s hierarchy, alsodoesn’t appear to be in concert with

W

Ivan D. ButtsExecutive Vice President

Being the Best Leader Possible

Continued on page 12


hope the transition to autumn finds you all well.Summer has come and gone, school is back in ses-sion and the leaves are turning colors—all signs ofthe change in seasons. Fall is a wonderful time of

the year, but the cool evenings remind us of what laysahead: holidays, winter and, if you are a postal super-visor, peak season is fast approaching.

One of the constants throughout the seasons is thevalue of being a member of NAPS.On Sept. 8, NAPS turned 109 yearsold; we have never looked better!The need for this organization toexist is as imperative now as it wasmore than a century ago. And thevalue of your membership contin-ues to grow, as does the number ofNAPS members.

Thanks to your efforts, I canreport that, as of July 2017, mem-bership increased to 27,031. Mostimpressively, more than 95 per-

cent of those members are actively working EAS em-ployees. This includes supervisors, managers, postmas-ters, SDOs, MDOs, MMOs, plant managers, HRpersonnel, OPS support and district, area, and USPSHeadquarters personnel—so many to mention! Werepresent them all, which continues to make us thebest, largest and most effective management organiza-tion representing EAS employees in the Postal Service.

NAPS is strong, growing and financially stable. Weare well prepared to meet the challenges of the next109 years—and meet them we will. Your resident offi-cers at NAPS Headquarters, your Executive Boardmembers and your branch leaders are committed tomaintaining the standard of effective representationthat has been a hallmark of NAPS.

Perhaps the greatest value NAPS offers is our Disci-plinary Defense Fund (DDF), which will represent anyNAPS member in any type of adverse action. This is of-fered as a part of your membership in NAPS. In otherwords, DDF representation does not cost you any addi-tional money out of your pocket. Of course, our pri-mary focus always has been to educate and train ourmembers on how to stay out of trouble. But, if bysome chance something adverse should happen to you

as an EAS employee, we will be there with world-classrepresentation.

We continue to have three separate membershipdrives; one is directed specifically at postmasters,which has increased our postmaster membership toover 3,300 members. Another membership drive issponsored by NAPS Headquarters and directed to non-member EAS employees.

And our most popular membership drive giveseach NAPS sponsor $25 for signing a new member. Weappreciate all your efforts to grow our membership;each week, we continue to send $25 checks to NAPSmembers across the country who are actively engagedin promoting mem-bership in NAPS.

Because of thegrowth in member-ship, NAPS Head-quarters is able to re-turn over $365,000to our local brancheseach month in theform of electronicfunds transfers. Thisallows our branchesto provide excellent service to our members in termsof education, training and local representation. Youwill see NAPS members at USPS career awareness con-ferences, NSP graduation ceremonies and PostmasterEssentials training classes.

You see, we represent all EAS employees and wehave been doing so for a long time. We are, and willcontinue to be, working hard to grow membership.This legacy and responsibility have been passed downto each of us over the past 109 years, allowing NAPS tomeet the challenges of today and, most importantly,the future.

As the seasons change, remember there is at leastone constant in the Postal Service: NAPS has beenaround for a long time and will be around for manymore seasons of change.

[email protected]

I

Chuck MulidoreSecretary/Treasurer

NAPS Membership Continues to Grow

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Help Postal Employees Hurt by Hurricane Harvey

Help Postal Employees Hurt by Hurricane Harvey

Make an immediate donation:Make an immediate donation:

CFC#10268CFC#10268

Go to postalrelief.com with your credit card or send a check to Postal Employees Relief Fund,

P.O. Box 7630, Woodbridge, VA 22195

Go to postalrelief.com with your credit card or send a check to Postal Employees Relief Fund,

P.O. Box 7630, Woodbridge, VA 22195

15—Rocky Mountain Area (AZ/CO/NV/NM/UT/WY)Myrna Pashinski21593 E. Layton Dr., Aurora, CO 80015-6781(303) 931-1748 (cell)[email protected]

16—Pacific Area (CA, HI, Guam, American Samoa)Hayes CherryPO Box 7455, Moreno Valley, CA 92552-7455(951) 533-0241 (cell)[email protected]

12—Cotton Belt Area (AR/OK/TN)Shri L. Green4072 Royalcrest Dr.,Memphis, TN 38115-6438 (901) 362-5436 (H) [email protected]

13—Texas Area (TX)Jaime Elizondo Jr.PO Box 1357, Houston, TX 77251-1357(832) 722-3737 (cell)[email protected]

14—Northwest Area (AK/ID/MT/OR/WA)Cindy McCracken3247 109th Ave. S.E. #A, Bellevue, WA98004-7532(206) 465-8689 (cell)[email protected]

9—MINK Area (IA/KS/MO/NE)Richard “Bart” Green7919 N Flintlock Rd., #K, Kansas City,MO 64158(913) 205-8912 (cell)(816) 763-2579 (O)[email protected]

10—Southeast Area (FL/GA)Bob QuinlanPO Box 490363, Leesburg, FL 34749-0363; (352) 217-7473 (cell)(352) 728-5992 (fax)[email protected]

11—Central Gulf Area (AL/LA/MS)Cornel Rowel Sr.808 N Sabine Dr., Baton Rouge, LA70810-2471(504) 450-1993 (cell)[email protected]

6—Michiana Area (IN/MI)Kevin Trayer8943 E. DE Ave., Richland, MI 49083-9639(269) 366-9810 (cell)[email protected]

7—Illini Area (IL)Luz Moreno625 Alhambra Ln., Hoffman Estates,IL 60169-1907; (847) 884-7875 (H)(773) 726-4357 (cell)[email protected]

8—North Central Area (MN/ND/SD/WI)Dan Mooney10105 47th Ave. N, Plymouth, MN55442-2536(612) 242-3133 (cell)[email protected]

Brian J. [email protected]

Ivan ButtsExecutive Vice [email protected]

Chuck MulidoreSecretary/[email protected]

The resident officers may be contacted at 1727King St., Suite 400, Alexandria, VA 22314-2753;(703) 836-9660; (703) 836-9665 (fax)

Resident Officers

Central Region (Areas 6, 7, 8 and 9)Craig O. Johnson6703 N. Saint Clair Ave., Kansas City,MO 64151-2399; (816) 741-6064 (H) (816) 914-6061 (cell)[email protected]

Southern Region (Areas 10, 11, 12 and 13)Tim Ford6214 Klondike Dr., Port Orange, FL 32127-6783; (386) 767-FORD (H)(386) 679-3774 (cell) [email protected]

Western Region (Areas 14, 15 and 16)Marilyn WaltonPO Box 103, Vacaville, CA 95696-0103(707) 449-8223 (H)[email protected]

3—Mideast Area (DE/NJ/PA)Hans P. Aglidian5 W. Chester Pike, Apt. D, Ridley Park,PA 19078-2005(610) 659-0905 (cell)[email protected]

4—Capitol-Atlantic Area (DC/MD/NC/SC/VA)Troy Griffin1122 Rosanda Ct., Middle River, MD21220-3025(443) 506-6999 (H)(410) 892-6491 (cell)[email protected]

5—Pioneer Area (KY/OH/WV/Evansville, IN, Branch 55)Timothy NeedhamPO Box 21, Niles, OH 44446-0021(330) 550-9960 (cell)[email protected]

NAPS Executive Board Directory

Northeast Region (Areas 1 and 2, including all NJ,except Branch 74)Thomas Roma385 Colon Ave., Staten Island, NY10308-1417; (718) 605-0357 (H)(917) 685-8282 (cell)[email protected]

Eastern Region (Areas 3—DE, PA and NJ Branch 74—4and 5)Richard L. Green Jr.7734 Leyland Cypress Lane,Quinton, VA 23141-1377(804) 928-8261 (cell)[email protected]

1—New England Area (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT)Gregory Murphy31 Hudson Lane, Windsor, CT 06095(860) 687-9757 (H)(413) 244-6810 (cell)[email protected]

2—New York Area (NY/PR/VI)James “Jimmy”Warden137 Evergreen Court, Freehold, NJ07728-4122(917) 968-5222 (cell) [email protected]

Area Vice Presidents

Regional Vice Presidents

Immediate Past PresidentLouis M. AtkinsPO Box 80181, Baton Rouge, LA70898-0181(703) 380-9458 (cell)[email protected]


Aug. 2 Consultative

resident Brian Wagner andSecretary/Treasurer ChuckMulidore were present forthe Aug. 2 consultative

meeting with the Postal Service. Ex-ecutive Board Chair Tim Ford at-tended via telecon. Representing thePostal Service were Bruce Nicholsonand Phong Quang, USPS Labor Rela-tions Policy Administration.

Agenda Item #1NAPS requested a briefing re-

garding low service scores being re-flected in the priority composite.This affects NPA; NAPS memberswill suffer the consequences at the

end of the fiscal year. NAPS contends this matter large-

ly is based on transportation, arrivaland plant dispatch discrepancies andviews this as an uncorrected corpo-rate problem that will financially im-pact NAPS members.

The Postal Service established thePriority Mail Composite Corporate Per-formance Indicator in FY14. The goalhas been unchanged since it was estab-lished. The Postal Service has improvedeach year in this indicator, yet has notreached the goal.

In FY16, the Postal Service achieveda 92.65 percent score. Currently, theYTD estimate is 92.84 percent—the

highest year-end score achieved since es-tablishment of this indicator and inBlock 4. It is expected this score willcontinue to increase through the end ofthe fiscal year.

Please provide specific discrepancieswith transportation, arrival and plantdispatches. Once that information is re-ceived and reviewed, a briefing will begiven to NAPS.

The following concern resolutionsadopted at the 2016 NAPS NationalConvention:

Resolution 76: The hiring of bar-gaining-unit employees (PSEs and

P

Priority Mail Composite Corporate Performance Indicator Discussed



NAPS of Note

Officers of Pacific to Sierras Branch 244 attended a tri-district career aware-ness conference for the Los Angeles, Santa Ana and Sierra Coastal districts.From left: Branch 244 Secretary Sarah Pena, Treasurer Sue Diamond andPresident Mary Burkhard.

On Aug. 4, members of Detroit Branch 23 attended Rep.Brenda Lawrence’s (D-MI) dinner-boat cruise. They were ableto have some one-on-one time with her and her DC Chief ofStaff Duran Marshall. Standing, from left: Linda McCarthy,Bernie McCarthy, Lawrence and Ken Bunch. Seated, DeloresHunter and June “Junebug” Wardell.

Illini Area Vice President Luz Moreno received her Lean Six Sigma yel-low belt designation. USPS Chief Operating Officer David Williams wasthe guest speaker at the Lakeland District’s ELD Yellow Belt graduationceremony in Milwaukee. From left: Lakeland District Manager Debo-rah Woodrum, Moreno and Williams.

Bobby Bock, Central Florida Branch 406, is a memberof Rep. Stephanie Murphy’s (D-FL) Labor AdvisoryCommittee, which held its first meeting; 17 personsfrom government agencies and labor attended.

Attending the South Jersey Branch 74 Executive Board’s Au-gust meeting were, from left: Michael McKierman, Branch 74 president; Ron Ward, 2018 LTS honoree for the wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; PeteClements, Branch 74 sergeant-at-arms; Gary Rutter, Branch 74treasurer; Ivan D. Butts, NAPS executive vice president;George Barrett, Branch 74 vice president; and Russell Car-mondy, advocacy coordinator.


NAPS President Brian Wagner, Secretary/Treasurer Chuck Muli-dore, Stanley Johnson and Executive Vice President Ivan D. Butts

NAPS Secretary/Treasurer Chuck Mulidore, President Brian Wag-ner, Shawn Bruffett and Executive Vice President Ivan D. Butts

NAPS Secretary/Treasurer Chuck Mulidore, Chuck Lum and Execu-tive Vice President Ivan D. Butts

Members of Los Angeles Branch 39 attended the Western Region Training Seminar. Fromleft: California State Branch President Damon Leopold, Western Region Vice President Mari-lyn Walton, Branch 39 Vice President Sam Booth, Branch 39 President Marilyn Jasper-Jones,Executive Vice President Ivan D. Butts and Branch 39 Financial Secretary Vilma McClinton.

NAPS President Brian Wagner, Secretary/Treasurer Chuck Mulidore,James Reddy and Executive Vice President Ivan D. Butts

NAPS President Brian Wagner, Secretary/Treasurer Chuck Muli-dore, James Salmon and Executive Vice President Ivan D. Butts

NAPS President Brian Wagner, Secretary/Treasurer Chuck Mulidore,Western Region Vice President Marilyn Walton and Executive VicePresident Ivan D. Butts

At the Western Region Training Seminar in August, NAPS resident officers recognized attendees who reached SPAC milestones in July:

Executive Vice President Ivan D. Butts gavea SPAC update at the Western Region Train-ing Seminar.

reaching beyond the foundation ofcorporate levels of success.

Corporate focuses that look pri-marily or exclusively at profitabilityas the foundation of success canstruggle to move beyond that basiclevel of Dr. Archie B. Carroll’s “Pyra-mid of Corporate Social Responsibil-ity.” Carroll organized different cor-porate social responsibilities indeveloping his four-layered pyramidmodel. The four different responsi-bilities—economic, legal, ethicaland philanthropic—make up the

layers of this pyramid.So, how does an agency such as

the USPS move its leadership to thehighest level of the documented andproven results based on the studiesof individuals such as Albert Ein-stein, Jane Addams, Eleanor Roo-sevelt and Frederick Douglass?Maybe it lies within the dedicationand commitment of the leader to as-cend beyond all levels to reach aplateau of “self-transcendence” or“philanthropy.”

In solidarity …[email protected]


NAPS resident officers spoke atthe National Alliance of Postaland Federal Employees (NAPFE)Management Division’s 52nd bi-ennial national convention.From left: Verona Proctor,Casandra Davis-Loudon, NAPSSecretary/Treasurer Chuck Muli-dore, NAPFE Management Divi-sion President Derek Kelley,NAPS Executive Vice PresidentIvan D. Butts, Estelle Randolph,Lorraine Cook-Cross and DarrylWilliams. The meeting was or-ganized by Williams and Cook-Cross.

Donald Singleton, son ofMozell Singleton-Belger.

Kameron Cobb, son ofSkyllar Cobb.

Xiomara Livingston,daughter of Aileen Livingston.

Charlotte, NC, Branch 183 awarded its 2017

scholarships:

Being the Best Leader PossibleContinued from page 5

The Four-Step Pyramid of Corporate Social Responsibility

PhilanthropicBe a good

corporate citizen• Contribute resources to the

community; improve quality of life

EthicalBe ethical

• Obligation to do what is right, just and fair• Avoid harm

LegalObey the law

• Law is society’s codification of right and wrong• Play by the rules of the game

EconomicBe profitable

• The foundation on which all others rest


Viewsfrom the Vice Presidents

By Marilyn WaltonWestern Region Vice President

exter Baldwin, president ofNAPS Tacoma Branch 31, wel-comed officers,

members and special gueststo the annual summerbrunch at C.I. Shenanigansin Tacoma overlooking thebeautiful waterfront. Thebuffet lunch was outstand-ing, with many choices onwhich to feast.

Branch 31 has two annual mem-ber-recognition events: a winterpost-Christmas event and this annu-al summer brunch. It was a beautifulafternoon with a great turnout ofBranch 31 members. Special guestswere NAPS President Brian Wagner,Northwest Area Vice President CindyMcCracken and me.

The members were very interest-

ed in Wagner’s comments regardingupcoming pay talks. He was unableto go into specific details, but said hewill use the guidelines of Title 39 ingoing forward on pay talks. The

NAPS pay team has sev-eral focused goals. Oncethe NALC ratifies its con-tract, the USPS has 45days to make NAPS anoffer and the process willbegin. The union’s con-tract is for 40 months.Wagner said he is opti-

mistic we will consult on a fair paypackage for our members.

He also talked about current leg-islation being debated in the appro-priations bill that could negativelyimpact postal/government workersnow. Postal reform legislation, H.R.756, currently is in a holding patterndue to the August recess and break-ing news that seems to occur daily.

I shared with the members theimportance of giving to the Supervi-sors’ Political Action Committee(SPAC). With the current legislationbeing debated in Congress, we needto stay alert and ensure our nationalNAPS legislative reps gain access sothey can present NAPS’ views on thenegative and positive impacts forpostal employees.

I commended the branch for con-ducting a very successful SPACfundraiser. The winner of the 50-50won half of the money; the other halfwas donated to SPAC in their name.

McCracken addressed the PostalService’s request that all EAS employ-ees complete IDPs (individual devel-opment plans). There was some push-back from many EAS employees whowere not interested in promotions.NAPS’ understanding is this is a vol-untary submission; some thought itwas mandatory. It is suggested thatEAS employees complete the task inthe spirit of employee engagement.

A special thanks to Dexter andBrunch Committee members GeorgiaTaylor and Dawn Bovin for the cre-ative gifts, fine food and fellowship!

[email protected]

D

Tacoma Branch 31 Annual Summer Brunch

Tacoma Branch 31’s annual summer brunch was well attended. From left: NAPS Western Re-gion Vice President Marilyn Walton, NAPS President Brian Wagner, Branch 31 TreasurerDawn Bovin, Vice President Michael Gillette, Secretary Georgia Taylor, NAPS NorthwestArea Vice President Cindy McCracken and Branch 31 President Dexter Baldwin.

On the Move?Have you moved or are planning amove? Let NAPS know, too!

Keeping your mailing address cur-rent at NAPS Headquarters helps uskeep The Postal Supervisor comingto you without interruption andavoid unnecessary “Address ServiceRequested” charges.

Please let us know your new addressand its effective date as soon as youknow it. Address changes may bemailed to NAPS at 1727 King St.,Suite 400, Alexandria, VA 22314-2753, or faxed to (703) 836-9665.


Bruce MoyerNAPS Legislative Counsel

he Postal Service’s pay-for-performance (PFP) pro-

gram for EAS employees recently re-ceived criticism from the PostalService’s Office of Inspector General(OIG) for problems in the program’s

consistency and transparency. TheOIG raised questions whether em-ployee individual performance wassufficiently rewarded; supervisors in-terviewed for the report said theyperceived the PFP process as not fair-ly recognizing individual accom-plishments. The OIG’s findings andrecommendations for USPS improve-ment are contained in a July 31,2017, report on the USPS FY15 PFPprogram, posted on the NAPS websiteunder “Breaking News.”

The OIG report is timely becauseit comes on the eve of the startup ofpay talks between NAPS and thePostal Service over pay and benefitsarrangements for the Postal Service’s46,000 EAS employees. The talks areexpected to include discussion of thecurrent PFP program and its fairness,its highly complicated metrics score-card, the modest or non-existent payraises the program has generated inrecent years and the program’s im-pact on employee engagement andcorporate performance.

“Perceived unfairness in the PFPprocess may increase the risk of em-ployees becoming disengaged if theyfeel management does not recognizethe accomplishments of individualunits or that the poor performances

of others mask their contri-butions,” the OIG reportnoted.

Evaluation Criteria MakeAll the Difference

The OIG’s study on the FY15 PFPwas conducted through investigationof PFP outcomes in the Capital MetroArea, which includes districts for At-

lanta, Baltimore, Capital, GreaterSouth Carolina, Greensboro, Mid-Car-olinas, Northern Virginia and Rich-mond. In addition, the OIG looked atPFP outcomes at the Sacramento Pro-cessing and Distribution Center(P&DC). The OIG study looked partic-ularly at the difference in performancecriteria for employees in stations,branches, post offices and plants andwhether pay increases were affectedby the differences in criteria.

Evaluation criteria make all thedifference in PFP outcomes, particu-larly in the depth at which the per-formance goals are assessed, the OIGfound. Stations and branches havetheir own goals, the OIG noted, buttheir performance scores are com-bined with those of other stationsand branches in their units. Individ-ual departments at postal plants alsohave their own goals, but are evaluat-ed collectively as one plant. This hasled to EAS employees at post officesand USPS Headquarters receiving adisproportionate allocation of payraises, the OIG found.

The OIG also found that, in FY15,30 percent of the EAS employees atCapital Metro Area stations andbranches did not receive performancescores qualifying them for pay increas-

es. However, by recalculating thosecriteria to equally treat stations andbranches with post offices in theirevaluation of employee contributions,the OIG found that all employeeswould have qualified for pay increas-es. Based on its recalculation of PFPscores of Baltimore District EAS em-ployees in stations and branches, theOIG found that the PFP scores of 38percent more employees would haveincreased to qualify them for a pay in-crease, with no scores decreasing andthe PFP scores for the other 62 percentremaining the same.

At the Sacramento P&DC, noneof the maintenance department em-ployees received PFP scores in FY15that equated to a pay increase. But ifmanagement had measured thembased on their individual departmentworkhours, the OIG said, they wouldhave received a 2.5 percent pay in-crease. Applying the same methodol-ogy to P&DC maintenance depart-ment employees in the Capital Metroarea, the OIG found that 8 percentmore employees would have receivedPFP scores that equated to a pay in-crease had they been measured thesame way post office employees weremeasured.

According to the report, “Themetric that impacted scoring forlarge stations and branches the mostwas expenses. Management assessedpost office employees based on theexpenses of the individual post of-fice, while employees of large sta-tions and branches were assessedbased on the expenses of the com-bined NPA unit.”

“Because the [pay-for-perform-ance] process is not consistent forfield employees, there is an increasedrisk that employee performance andorganizational effectiveness could de-crease,” the OIG added. “Additional-ly, employees could become disen-

FY15 PFP Program Produced Inconsistent Payouts, OIG Finds

LegislativeUpdate

T

gaged if they feel management doesnot recognize the accomplishments ofindividual units or that the poor per-formances of others mask their contri-butions.”

The OIG recommended USPS man-agement improve its communication ofthe criteria for pay raises to “reduce therisk of negative perception” and disen-gagement. They also said the Postal Ser-vice should reward individual stations,branches and plant departments.

OIG on Management’s Response:‘Disingenuous’

In its response to the OIG study,Postal Service management said it be-lieves the study was “fundamentallyflawed” because additional data sourcesregarding individual contributions maynot be available or may be unreliable atthe individual unit level. In addition,measuring small stations and branchesas stand-alone units will discourage col-laboration, result in a less efficient op-eration and potentially compromise theintegrity of the PFP system, JeffreyWilliamson, the Postal Service’s chiefhuman resources officer, said.

The OIG rejected Williamson’sreservations in its final report, findinghis comments “nonresponsive” anddisingenuous. “Based on our audit re-sults, there are opportunities for man-agement to better align employee eval-uation criteria to improve consistencyand transparency in the evaluationprocess and provide employees withequal opportunity for having individ-ual contributions incorporated intotheir evaluation,” the OIG report said.“We contend that when employeesfeel individual contributions are notvalued, there could be less employeeengagement, less efficient operationsand more potential to drive the wrongemployee behavior.”

[email protected]

Financial Report Chuck Mulidore

Article XIV of the NAPS Constitution requires the secretary/treasurer to “furnish financial reports quarterly and publish same in The Postal Supervisor.”

Balance Sheet—May 31, 2017

Assets:Cash and Investments $14,382,865.58Dues Withholding Receivable 357,368.38Prepaid Expenses and Other Assets 462,262.53

Total Current Assets 15,202,496.49Building and Equipment, Net of Accumulated Depreciation 3,161,832.34

Total Assets $18,364,328.83

Liabilities and Fund Balances:Accounts Payable $ 108,546.51Accrued Expenses 241,556.47Deferred Revenues 41,390.00Dues to be Remitted to Branches 597,737.80

Total Liabilities 989,230.78General and Designated Fund Balances 17,375,098.05

Total Liabilities and Fund Balances $18,364,328.83

Statement of Revenues and Expenses(For the period March 1, 2017, through May 31, 2017)

Revenues:Dues and Assessments $ 1,803,656.84Less: Dues Remitted to Branches 1,199,407.00

Net Dues and Assessment Revenue 604,249.84Investment Income 339,696.62Legislative Conference Income 128,685.00

NAPS Property, Inc. Net Income Before Depreciation $159,578.56

Less Depreciation (68,645.53)NAPS Property, Inc. Net Income 90,933.03

Royalties 750.00Training Fees 10,550.00Other 10,000.38

Total Revenues 1,184,864.87

Expenses:National Headquarters 345,794.21Executive Board 342,813.04The Postal Supervisor 72,620.43Legal/Fact Finding/Pay Consultation 140,537.49Legislative Counsel 40,927.00Legislative Expenses 17,453.01Legislative Training Seminar 219,507.61Education and Training 32,097.38Training Registration Expense 37,795.00Disciplinary Defense 97,487.31

Total Expenses 1,347,032.48

Revenues Less Expenses $ (162,167.61)

NAPS Secretary/Treasurer’s

Substantially all disclosures required by GAAP are omitted.The financial statements do not include a statement of cash flows.The financial statements do not include the financial position and operations of the SPAC.No assurance is provided on these financial statements.


Supporter$100 level

This year offers new SPAC designations with corresponding pins:

President’s Ultimate SPAC$1,000 level includes LTS SPAC reception for donor plus one guest

VP Elite$750 level includes LTS SPAC reception for donor plus one guest

Secretary’s Roundtable$500 level includes LTS SPAC reception for donor plus one guest

Chairman’s Club$250 level

Support SPAC to support the lawmakers whofight for what matters most

to NAPS members.


Make Contributing to SPAC a Habit:Make Contributing to SPAC a Habit:

Go to https://liteblue.usps.gov to accessPostalEASE.

Under Employee App-Quick Links, choosePostalEASE.

Click on “I agree.”

Enter your employee ID number and password.

Click on “Allotments/Payroll NTB.”

Click on “Continue.”

When prompted, select one for PostalEASE.

When prompted, enter your employee ID number.

When prompted, please enter your USPS PIN.

When prompted, press “2” for payroll op-tions.

When prompted, press “1” for allotments.

When prompted, press “2” to continue.

Follow prompts to add a new allotment.

Use the worksheet to give the appropriateinformation to set up an allotment forSPAC.

PostalEASE Allotments/Net to Bank Worksheet

On your next available allotment (you have three):

• Routing Number (nine digits): 121000248

• Financial Institution Name: Wells Fargo (this will ap-pear after you enter the routing number).

• Account Number (this is a 17-digit number that starts with “772255555” and ends with your eight-digit employee ID number):

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

(Example: 77225555512345678).

• Type of Account (drop-down menu): Checking

• Amount per Pay Period (please use the 0.00 format;the “$” is already included): __________.

2

3

4

5

6

To authorize your allotment online,you will need your USPS employee IDnumber and PIN; if you do not knowyour PIN, you will be able to obtain itat Step 3 below.

7 7 2 2 5 5 5 5 5

To authorize your allotment by phone, callPostalEASE, toll-free, at 1-877-477-3273(1-877-4PS-EASE). You will need your USPSemployee ID number and PIN.

1

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Contributions via USPS Payroll DeductionContributions via USPS Payroll Deduction

Click on “Allotments.”

Enter Bank Routing Number (from work-sheet below), enter account number (seeworksheet), enter account from drop-downmenu as “checking” and enter the amountof your contribution.

Click “Validate,” then “Submit.” Print acopy for your records.

7

8

9


2017 SPAC Contributors

President’s Ultimate SPAC ($1,000+)

Salmon, James AZ Branch 246Boisvert, Michael CA Branch 159Meana, Frances CA Branch 159Phillips, Daniel CA Branch 373Franz, Kenneth FL Branch 146Gilbert, Belinda FL Branch 425Johnson, Conrad FL Branch 81Mullins, Kym FL Branch 81Quinlan, Robert FL Branch 577Rodriguez, William FL Branch 146Sebastian, Gerald FL Branch 386Strickland, Ann FL Branch 146Van Horn, Gail FL Branch 154Wagner, Brian IL Branch 255Winters, Michael IL Branch 255Foley, Paul MA Branch 120Randall, C. Michele MD Branch 531

Geter, John NC Branch 183Amash, Joseph NY Branch 83Gawron, Dennis NY Branch 27Konish, Ann NY Branch 11Roma, Thomas NY Branch 68Warden, James NY Branch 100Butts, Ivan PA Branch 355Bradford, Robert TX Branch 203Elizondo Jr., Jaime TX Branch 122Green Jr., Richard VA Branch 98McCracken, Cindy WA Branch 61

August Contributors

President’s Ultimate SPAC ($1,000+)

Salmon, James AZ Branch 246Meana, Frances CA Branch 159Rodriguez, William FL Branch 146

SPACContribution

FormAggregate contributions made in acalendar year correspond with thesedonor levels:

$1,000—President’s Ultimate SPAC

$750—VP Elite

$500—Secretary’s Roundtable

$250—Chairman’s Club

$100—Supporter

Current as of February 2017

Federal regulations prohibit SPACcontributions by branch check orbranch credit card.

Mail to:SPAC1727 KING ST STE 400ALEXANDRIA VA 22314-2753

Contribution Amount $___________ Branch #___________

Name________________________________________________________

Home Address/PO Box ___________________________________________

City__________________________________________ State__________

ZIP+4__________________________________ Date _________________

Employee ID Number (EIN) or Civil Service Annuitant (CSA) Number ________________________________

Enclosed is my voluntary contribution to SPAC by one of the following methods:

❏ Check or money order made payable to SPAC; do not send cash

❏ Credit card (circle one): Visa American Express MasterCard Discover

Card number ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Security code (three- or four- digit number on back of card) _______________

Card expiration date: ______ /______

Signature (required for credit card charges) ____________________________________________

❏ In-Kind Donation (e.g., gift card, baseball tickets):

Describe gift _________________________________________ Value ______________

All contributions to the Supervisors’ Political Action Committee (SPAC) are voluntary, have no bear-ing on NAPS membership status and are unrelated to NAPS membership dues. There is no obliga-tion to contribute to SPAC and no penalty for choosing not to contribute. Only NAPS members andfamily members living in their households may contribute to SPAC. Contributions to SPAC are limit-ed to $5,000 per individual in a calendar year. Contributions to SPAC are not tax-deductible.


Wagner, Brian IL Branch 255Winters, Michael IL Branch 255Green Jr., Richard VA Branch 98McCracken, Cindy WA Branch 61

VP Elite ($750)

Goodman, James CA Branch 39Moore, Kevin GA Branch 281Fearrington, Melvin OK Branch 80Aaron, Donna TN Branch 97Cooper, Karen TX Branch 124Foster, Debra TX Branch 9

Secretary/Treasurer’s Roundtable ($500)

Swygert, Vontina CA Branch 127Lum, Chuck HI Branch 214Perteet, Cynthia IL Branch 541Walter, Richard MA Branch 120Miegl, Cynthia OH Branch 2Holt, Brian RI Branch 105Butler, Phillip VA Branch 98Mott III, George VA Branch 132

Chairman’s Club ($250)

Brown, Carl CA Branch 94Danzy, Marsha CA Branch 197Florentin, Diana CA Branch 244Wong, John CA Branch 497Roll, Gary CO Branch 65Parker, Laroma HI Branch 214Randle, Kay IL Branch 369Carter, Tonious LA Branch 421Gramblin, Reginald MD Branch 531Garrett, Donald MS Branch 199Yut, Rachelle OR Branch 66Jones, Charleen TX Branch 122Trevino, Manuel TX Branch 124Taylor, Georgia WA Branch 31Simmons, Brandi WI Branch 213

Region Aggregate:1. Central .................$30,555.002. Eastern.................$31,340.493. Northeast .............$27,075.774. Southern ..............$59,278.145. Western ................$38,802.18

Area Aggregate:1. Capitol-Atlantic.....$16,546.352. Central Gulf ............$5,378.603. Cotton Belt .............$4,358.804. Illini ........................$8,885.005. Michiana ................$9,434.006. Mideast ................$12,277.997. MINK ......................$6,427.508. New England ..........$9,544.509. New York ..............$13,636.2710. North Central ........$5,808.5011. Northwest.............$8,660.1912. Pacific ................$21,157.0013. Pioneer.................$6,411.1514. Rocky Mountain....$8,984.9915. Southeast ...........$37,744.0016. Texas..................$11,796.74

State Aggregate:1. Florida ..................$34,307.002. California..............$19,597.003. New York ..............$13,241.274. Texas....................$11,796.745. Illinois.....................$8,885.00

Members by Region:1. Central................................802. Southern.............................713. Western ..............................684. Eastern ...............................565. Northeast............................48

Region Per Capita:1. Central...........................$6.942. Eastern..........................$5.853. Northeast.......................$5.414. Southern......................$10.325. Western .........................$7.17

Area Per Capita:1. Capitol-Atlantic..............$6.362. Central Gulf ...................$6.993. Cotton Belt.....................$4.864. Illini ...............................$6.965. Michiana .......................$8.906. Mideast .........................$5.477. MINK .............................$5.468. New England .................$5.629. New York .......................$5.5910. North Central ...............$6.5611. Northwest....................$8.3912. Pacific .........................$7.3713. Pioneer........................$4.6414. Rocky Mountain...........$5.9515. Southeast ..................$16.3016. Texas...........................$6.69

State Per Capita:1. Florida .........................$20.132. North Dakota ...............$18.603. Maine ..........................$14.154. Washington..................$13.395. Utah ............................$11.92

Aggregate by Region:1. Western ................$20,871.002. Southern ..............$18,572.003. Central .................$18,405.504. Eastern.................$14,180.005. Northeast .............$10,249.50

National Aggregate: National Per Capita:$187,076.58 $7.22

Statistics reflect monies collected from Jan. 1 to Aug. 31, 2017

SPAC Scoreboard

• • • • •

• • • • •

Drive for Five


Did you know the easiest way to be po-litically active is to vote? You easily can findyour election polling location, check or updateyour voter registration and see what will be onyour upcoming election ballot at your state gov-ernment’s website. If you have questions aboutfederal congressional candidates and the 2018congressional elections, please feel free to con-tact SPAC Manager Katie Maddocks at (703)836-9660 or [email protected].

B elow are step-by-step instructions for making an allotment to SPAC through your OPMretirement allotment, using either OPM’s telephone-based account management system

or the online “Services Online” portal.

Please note: The amount you key in will be your monthly allotment to SPAC. The start ofyour allotment will depend on the time of the month it was requested. If you make your re-quest during the first two weeks of the month, expect the withholding to take place the first ofthe following month. If the allotment is requested after the first two weeks of the month, thechange will take place the second month after the request.

OPM Contributions to SPAC(for Retired Postal Supervisors)OPM Contributions to SPAC

(for Retired Postal Supervisors)

By Internet:

To sign up online, go to the OPM website at www.servicesonline.opm.gov, then:

• Enter your CSA number and PIN, and log in.

• Click on “Allotments to Organizations,” andthen select “Start” to begin a new allotment.

• Click on “Choose an Organization.”

• Select “National Association of Postal Supervisors(SPAC).”

• Enter the amount of your monthly contribution and then click “Save.”

By telephone:

• Dial 1-888-767-6738, the toll-freenumber for the Office of Person-nel Management (OPM)’s Interac-tive Voice Response (IVR) tele-phone system.

• Have your CSA number and Per-sonal Identification Number (PIN)on hand when you call. You mayspeak to an OPM customer servicerepresentative or you may use theautomated system.

• Simply follow the prompts provid-ed in the telephone system.


2017

APS awards

Vince Palladino

Memorial Student

Scholarships annually

in memory of the late NAPS president to

honor his dedication to NAPS and its mem-

bers. The children and grandchildren of current

NAPS members are eligible to participate.

Ten scholarships were randomly drawn and

awarded, representing two winners from each NAPS

region. Without a doubt, these deserving young peo-

ple will find great value in these scholarships as

they pursue their education and their dreams.

NAPS is proud to honor the legacy of its former

president by awarding these scholarships. We wish

these students and their families all the best in their

future endeavors. God bless them, as we look forward

to them taking their places as our future leaders

Northeast RegionAndrew Guthrie, son of Steven Guthrie, Branch

43. He is attending the University of Massachusetts,Amherst. His major is biology and science.

Caitlin Verber, daughter of Catherine Verber,Branch 336. She is attending St. Thomas AquinasCollege, New York. Her major is graphic design.

Eastern RegionMichael Long, son of Ednora Long, Branch

183. He is attending Winthrop University, SouthCarolina. He is taking independent studies.

Jagmeet Warraich, son of Harinder Warraich,Branch 526. He is attending George Mason Univer-sity, Virginia. His major is internet technology.

Central RegionJacqueline Rangel, daughter of James Rangel,

Branch 255. She is attending the University of Illi-nois. Her major is animal science.

Phoebe Barnum, daughter of Brian Barnum,Branch 36. She is attending the University of Cen-tral Missouri. Her major is art education.

Southern RegionPrince ShaMar DeArion, son of Tiffany Jen-

nings, Branch 80. He is attending Rose State Col-lege, Oklahoma. He major is digital graphic design.

Jessica Woods, daughter of Joyce Paul, Branch82. She is attending Valdosta State University, Geor-gia. Her major is biology/pre-med.

Western RegionVictoria Tovar, daughter of Erica Tovar, Branch

244. She is attending Bakersfield, College, Califor-nia. Her major is nursing.

Baani Dhanoa, son of Gurpreet Dhanoa,Branch 244. He is attending the University of Cali-fornia, Davis. He has not declared a major.

N

Scholarship WinnersScholarship Winners


uring this time of organi-zational redesign in theUSPS, it is normal for youto experience anxiety

about how your job and the jobs ofyour team members may change andhow that change may affect familymembers. A job change may requirechange in work hours, financial ad-justments, relocation, new roles orsome other change that not only af-fects you, but your family, as well.

It is important to bring the fami-ly along in understanding any possi-ble changes so they can adapt andhelp you or the person goingthrough the job change. Followingare some suggestions for you to con-sider when talking about changewith your spouse or partner andchildren.

First, Focus on Your Spouse or Partner

• Talk about the job change; dis-cuss what is happening and howboth of you think and feel about it.Plan and prepare for the conversa-tions by picking a time and placewhen you can be free of distractionor interruption and allow enoughtime to discuss the news and reac-tions. Explore fears and hopes withone another.

It can be awfully lonely and diffi-cult to have concerns that are notexpressed. Sometimes, feelings thatare held and not shared can surfacein other ways that are hurtful anddifficult: anger, impatience, depres-sion and nightmares, for example.Talking openly with someone whocares can be a great relief.

• It is normal to have a full rangeof reactions (thinking, feeling anddoing) during times of stress. Thereis no one right or normal way toreact. It can be very helpful to worktogether and try to help one anothermanage any additional stress, makegood decisions and find safe andhealthy ways to cope.

• Difficult times can strengthen arelationship by making you feel clos-er and bring you together; it can cre-ate a strain, possibly generating con-flict; or it can have little effect onyour relationship. You can influencehow a change affects your relation-ship by the way you choose to han-dle it within your relationship. Opencommunication about feelings andconcerns helps maintain your part-nership in difficult times.

Submitted by the USPS Employee Assistance ProgramSubmitted by the USPS Employee Assistance Program


• Answer questions and talk withyour spouse or partner in a timelymanner, honestly and directly. Ifyou don’t know an answer to a ques-tion, say so. If the question is an-swerable and getting the answerwould help you and your spouse orpartner, try to find time to searchout the answer.

• Acknowledge directly what yourspouse or partner has to say. It’s alsogood to have your own thoughts,feelings and needs acknowledged.Take turns listening to one another. Itmay seem silly, but it is helpful to sayback to them, perhaps with a slightre-phrasing, what you heard. Thisshows your spouse or partner thatyou have listened and understood.

• Share your feelings honestlywith one another; validate eachother’s response to a job change. Ex-pression of feelings is important sothat fears and concerns do not be-come entrenched and turn into de-pression.

• Offer all the realistic reassur-ance you can. Maintain an aware-ness of the latest facts and informa-tion regarding the job situation andmake sure your spouse or partnerhas the information. Knowing thefacts helps keep perspective and re-duces overreaction.

• Offer physical reassurance;spend time together working andplaying. Words and actions are im-portant to keeping normalcy in yourlife and working through the jobtransition together.

• Keep the challenges in perspec-tive. Look for ways the job transi-tion may bring something positiveto your life. Working together tocreate a vision helps keep the chal-lenge in perspective and creates fu-ture possibilities.

• Affirm your concern for oneanother and offer one another sup-port and comfort. Use the strengthsin your relationship.

Now, How About the Kids?When dealing with children,

keep in mind they write their ownscripts and fill in the middle chap-ters if they do not have the facts re-garding a situation. They also willdo this if a potential or actual jobchange looms on the horizon. If itis left for your children to imaginethe reason for a job change for oneof their parents, they may assumethe worst. With more complete in-formation about what is happeningand how it will affect the family,they will understand the situationbetter. Here are some tips to consid-er when interacting with children:

• Children often hear parts ofdiscussions between you and yourspouse or partner you may thinkthey don’t hear. They also can besensitive to your unspoken cuesabout anxieties or anger you maybe experiencing. It usually is bestfor children to get information di-rectly from their parents, ratherthan indirectly.

Children tend to create theirown stories or versions of what ishappening, which often are worsethan the reality. Lack of appropriateinformation and not giving thempermission to talk about things canheighten fear and misunderstanding.

• When you are ready, open adialogue with your children. Talkwith each child at their level of un-derstanding. You may wish to con-sider having a family meeting toshare with the entire family the ex-tent of the situation. If you are un-certain about some aspect of yourjob situation, share that with them,but with the understanding youwill answer their questions as youfind out.

Keep them up to date on youractivity, especially reports on thesuccess you are experiencing. Try toanswer questions your children askin a timely manner, honestly and

directly. If you don’t have an an-swer at the moment, say so and tellthem you will try to get the answerfor them.

• Try not to burden them withtoo many emotional and financialdetails when you share your feelingsand plans. Some children may havemore or less difficulty accepting apotential job change. Use the knowl-edge of your child and reactions toother crises or family situations as aguide to how much detail to share.

• It is very helpful to acknowl-edge directly what your child has tosay. It may seem silly, but it is help-ful to say back to them, perhapswith a slight re-phrasing, what youheard. This is especially importantfor younger children. This showsyour child that you listened and un-derstood. Doing this often encour-ages someone to talk more.

• Make sure your children knowyour job change is no one’s fault.Children tend to see things in blackand white terms so it is important toclarify how the change came aboutor what may happen. They maythink you did something wrong orthey may feel somehow responsibleor financially burdensome. Regard-less of their age, children need realis-tic reassurance in these matters.

• Help your child keep their con-cerns in their proper proportions.Help them know you and the familywill get through the transition.

• Encourage your children tocontinue talking with you and to letyou know how they are feelingwhenever they like.

• Children need to feel they arehelping. If finances are a concern,taking a small cut in allowance, de-ferring expensive purchases or get-ting an after-school job can makethem feel they are part of your fi-nancial management strategy.

• Children depend on daily rou-tines. Keeping family routines in


place helps children be less anxiousand recognize that you will guidethe family through this change.

• Offer physical reassurance,such as hugs and time together.Words and actions are important tokeeping normalcy in your life andworking through the job transitiontogether.

• Continue to use your parentingskills, knowledge of your child andfamily traditions to reaffirm yourlove and support for one another.

Managing Change TogetherIt is important to recognize that

any job change or potential disrup-tion of your work life is not yoursto bear alone. If we look at this lifestressor as a family affair, it helpsshare the burden and move all ofyou through the change successful-ly. Your closest allies and supportersare your family. Share information,discuss your feelings and gain theirsupport!

Another important resource

available to USPS employees andfamily members is the Employee As-sistance Program. The EAP has infor-mation and resources that can helpyou and your family understand andcope with the normal reactions andrelationship concerns that happenin a situation such as a job transi-tion. You can reach your EAP by call-ing 1-800-327-4968 (TTY: 1-877-492-7341) or locate resources online atwww.EAP4YOU.com.

Supporter ($100)

Bradley, Roxanne CA Branch 127Johnson, Deborah CA Branch 88Murillo, Mariel CA Branch 466Sande, Kokoye CA Branch 127Cox, Jacqueline FL Branch 93Lastrapes, Ebony LA Branch 209Minor, Saundra LA Branch 209Gilbert, Jevonda NC Branch 183Kofsky, Jonathan NJ Branch 568

Wadsworth, Joel NM Branch 295Rodriguez, Jose PR Branch 216Richardson, Elizabeth TX Branch 86Crosby, Patrick UT Branch 139Fratto, Jeff UT Branch 139Gerber, Melissa UT Branch 139Holley, Deborah VA Branch 526Mitchell, Mary WA Branch 61

Drive for Five Earned in August

McCabe, Ronnie MI Branch 508

2017 SPAC ContributorsContinued from page 19


The NAPS Postmaster

By Joe Bodary

hings have been pretty stress-ful lately as we try to cut

overtime, hours, personnel andmore due to the decline in themail volume. I’m sure everyonegets that; we are reducing. Butthere are so many new programsto show us how we really aren’tdoing good enough and we arebeing blasted with too muchinfo—to the verge of informationoverload.

We are not robots. We havelimits on how much we can takein and process effectively. Whenthings come too fast, we can’t al-ways retain the info. The fact weare human does not play into theequation. That’s when troublestarts.

As postmasters, we constantly

are reminded that we are responsi-ble for everything in our unit; weall are aware of that. But the pow-ers that be love to remind us. Weare constantly being told to “fixit!” But there are no suggestionsregarding how to fix it and notime to analyze the data and comeup with a plan. So, just “fix it!”

If it isn’t fixed, the postmasteris mandated to go to the plantafter their office closes every nightuntil it’s fixed! It’s as if we havemagic powers that, when we lookat things, they get corrected. Oryou’re told to meet at the districtat 6 a.m. before the office opens toexplain why you can’t fix it!

We have a letter from Post-master General Megan Brennanstating meetings should take placeduring normal business hours forexempt employees. There are sev-eral sections in the ELM for ex-empt postmasters that prettymuch state the same thing. Yet we

are ordered to meet outside ournormal tour, away from our fami-lies, so we can “fix it!”

I’m as dedicated as the nextperson to my job. I will give 110percent while I’m at work; how-ever, order me away from myfamily and we have problems.

Most problems are fixable.They need extra time and atten-tion to fix. Also, you have to findout what the problem is beforeyou can create a plan to fix it. Alot comes down to accountabili-ty—holding your employees ac-countable. That does not meanjust telling them to “fix it!” Wehave to make sure they knowwhat to do, train them, make surethey understand and then holdthem accountable.

The district has that responsi-bility, as well, but they are scram-bling and spending all their timetrying to find out who to blamerather than supporting the peo-

T

Fix It!


ple in the field. We all know that sup-port offices are not there to “support”you, but rather to “get you.”

It takes time to fix a lot of the is-sues, but we need to take the time todo it and let your boss know whatyou are doing to fix the problems. Weneed to do a better job of communi-cating to the powers that be the ac-tions we plan on taking to correct anissue. I’ve had postmasters call meabout meetings outside their tours.Suddenly, the issues get corrected orimproved. The powers that be saythat’s because they brought you outof your comfort zone to late-eveningwork, when, in actuality, you mayhave been working on a plan allalong.

My point is once something isbrought to your attention, beginmaking a plan to correct or improveit. Share with your boss the actionsyou are going to take, when you havetaken them and when you expect theresults to show. Then go home andspend time with the ones you love!

[email protected]

Joe Bodary is a NAPS Michiana memberand postmaster of Lincoln Park, MI.

CCAs) currently is being facilitated atthe district level without postmasterparticipation. NAPS contends thispractice does not allow postmastersthe opportunity to interview appli-cants before they are assigned to theiroffices. Also, when this happens,postmasters are unable to review theinformation contained on the em-ployee’s interview worksheet beforebeing assigned to their offices.

NAPS requests that EAS-18 post-masters be allowed to conduct an ap-plicant’s final hiring interview beforethey are assigned to their offices.

NAPS further requests that EAS-20-and-above postmasters or theirdesignees be allowed to conduct thefinal hiring interview of applicantsbefore placement in their offices.

The Postal Service does not recognizeNAPS as the representative of postmasterpositions in accordance with Title 39 §1004. Therefore, it would be inappropri-ate to discuss this agenda item as a mat-ter of consultation with NAPS.

Resolution 109: Currently, theUSPS requires a Zone of Tolerance(ZOT) of two years prior to a post of-fice being upgraded to an earnedhigher level.

NAPS notes there currently is nozone of tolerance required for a sta-tion or branch to be upgraded. NAPSrequests that when a post officedemonstrates for 90 days it qualifiesfor an office increase through thefactors used in the postmaster work-load service credit system the officeis immediately upgraded.

The Postal Service does not recog-nize NAPS as the representative of post-master positions in accordance withTitle 39 § 1004. Therefore, it would beinappropriate to discuss this agendaitem as a matter of consultation withNAPS.

Aug. 2 ConsultativeContinued from page 9

Southeast Area TrainingSept. 30, 2017

Conducted by: Southeast Area VP Bob Quinlan

Location: Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando North,225 Shorecrest Dr., Altamonte Springs, FL 32701

Hotel Rate: $115; call (407) 834-2400 for reser-vations

Training topics: How to prepare an I&I and writethe MSPB appeal, presented by Wheeler Upham,P.C. Other topics TBD.

Northeast Region Training SeminarSept. 29-Oct. 1, 2017

Conducted by: Northeast Region VP TommyRoma, New York Area VP Jimmy Warden, NewEngland Area VP Greg Murphy and Mideast AreaVP Hans Aglidian

Location: Villa Vosilla Resort Hotel, 6302 Main St.,Tannersville, NY 12485; (518) 589-5060

Hotel Rate: One king/two queens, multiple occu-pancy: $310.80 per person; one king, single,$462.00; one queen, multiple occupancy, $294.60per person; $435, single. Price includes tax, gratu-ities, all meals, a gift, coffee breaks, discounteddrinks at the bar, a meet-and-greet party Fridayand Saturday, 5:30 to 7 p.m., with complimentaryfinger foods, beer and wine; nightly entertainment.Call the hotel directly and mention NAPS to getthese special rates.

Registration Fee: In lieu of a registration fee, at-tendees will be asked to make a donation to SPAC.

Training Topics: NPA, discipline, DDF representa-tion, sales and an open forum

Instructors: Doug Tulino, Cliff Rucker, Michael

Rakes, Ivan D. Butts, Charlie Scialla and other sub-ject-matter experts

Central Region TrainingNov. 10-11, 2017

Conducted by: Central Region VP Craig Johnson

Location: Chicago Marriott Southwest at BurrRidge, 1200 Burr Ridge Parkway, Burr Ridge, IL60527

Hotel Rate: Special NAPS group rate of$139/night; call (630) 986-4100; reservationsmust be made by Oct. 18

Registration Fee: TBD

Training Topics: Advocacy, legislation and othersTBD

NAPS Speakers: President Brian J. Wagner, Exec-utive Vice President Ivan D. Butts and Secretary/Treasurer Chuck Mulidore

Eastern Region Cabinet MeetingJan. 11-14, 2018

Conducted by: Eastern Region VP Richard L.Green Jr., Mideast Area VP Hans Aglidian, Capitol-Atlantic Area VP Troy Griffin and Pioneer Area VPTim Needham.

Location: Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, 24 PublicSquare, Cleveland, OH 44113; (216) 696-5600

Hotel Rate: $109 plus tax

Registration Fee: $225

Training Topics: Advocacy, DDF representation,Medicare integration, legislative update and man-aging the finances of your local branch

Presenters: Glen Smith, Doug Tulino, Ivan Buttsand Chuck Mulidore

NAPS Training Calendar


By Patricia Jackson-KelleyPresident

s the airplane leveled off and weno longer could see the shoreline

of the gleaming blue Pacific Ocean, Ireclined my seat. A feeling of peace-fulness began to spread overme; the takeoff was success-ful and we now were headedto New Jersey. I felt mybreathing and tightenedshoulders relax and returnto normal. As I put myboarding pass away, a bit ofnostalgia briefly interruptedthat feeling of relaxation into which Iwas about to sink further.

I stared out the sunlit windowand recalled the many degrees ofemotional stages and struggles thatonce erupted in my spirit when I re-linquished my New York residency.The year was 1979 and I had enlistedin the United States military. Thefirst sadness that overcame me was Ihad to leave my immediate family;they now would be thousands ofmiles away. Yet, being able to leavethe cold, freezing snow drifts and icewas an equalizer that prompted meto make the decision to leave.

Over the years, trips to my homestate have been infrequent, especial-ly since my mother died severalyears ago. But then, I received an in-vitation to attend the celebratory100th anniversary of the New JerseyState Branch. The initial invitationextended by Convention Co-ChairJohn Szpyhulsky and ongoing fol-low-up phone calls from Chris Szpy-hulsky regarding my safe travel

arrangements were sincerely appreci-ated. State President Tony Dalloja-cono and his officers prepared, or-ganized and presented a verypleasant and informative conven-tion.

Auxiliary Mideast Area Vice Presi-dent and New Jersey StatePresident Cathy Towns ledthe Auxiliary business ses-sions in an efficient andtimely manner. Please keepCathy in your thoughtsand prayers as she is sched-uled for surgery.

Furthermore, I wish tothank everyone for their gifts, kind-ness, hospitality and all considera-tions imparted on my behalf. It alsowas great and inspiring being able toshare time with NAPS President BrianWagner, Executive Vice PresidentIvan D. Butts, Secretary/TreasurerChuck Mulidore and Eastern RegionVice President Richard Green Jr.

Most recently, I attended the2017 Western Region Training Semi-nar in Denver. Western Region VicePresident Marilyn Walton spearhead-ed this informational seminar. TheAuxiliary also was very active. West-ern Region Vice President Lee Leo-pold and other Auxiliary members so-licited SPAC donations and provideda chance for participants to take partin the 50/50 drawings. Lee also facili-tated the Auxiliary meetings and con-ducted an excellent workshop on therising impact of HIV infection amongthe aging population. It also was ourgreat pleasure to welcome AuxiliarySecretary Bonita Atkins.

In closing, please remember to

submit your membership dues andactively recruit new members. Aseach branch grows, all of NAPS isstrengthened. This continues to beone of my visions for our organiza-tion. The core purpose of a vision, asnoted in the article “Follow the Di-vine Fire” by Dr. Ken Gordon, “is toput before us an idea that is biggerthan what we already know.”

So, as I visualize an ever-increas-ing number of Auxiliary membersjoining our purpose and journey toexcellence, it is not difficult tomodel a renewed reality—a realitybigger than what we once believed.Now, all members can have the sameview of the road to excellence.

Peace and continued [email protected]

from the National Auxiliary

A

Notes

New Jersey: A CentennialCelebration If you did not pay your Nation-

al Auxiliary dues by July 31,

2017, the dues are delinquent.

Please submit your National

Auxiliary dues—as soon as pos-

sible—to Auxiliary Secretary

Bonita Atkins, PO Box 80181,

Baton Rouge, LA 70898. Make

checks payable to the “National

Auxiliary to NAPS.”

Auxiliary Branches

national association of postal supervisors - oig recommends … · 2018-08-22 · treasurer chuck...

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