The Labor Day Parade was a monumental event. Local 300 marched along with their sister and brother unions up 5th AVE in NYC. The labor movement is growing and this year’s parade was a testament to the growth.
Senator Chuck Schumer was in attendance. The senator stopped by our staging area and proclaimed loud and proud, ” I LOVE THE MAIL HANDLERS!”
Huntington Station SDC Open House
Local 300 made a visit to the open house held for the unveiling of the new Huntington Station SDC on September 7th 2023. Local 300 Vice President Raymond Bermudez, Recording Secretary Lucy Lombardo, and NY State Executive Board Member Malik J Sheppard were in attendance.
Cola announced at $978 affective August 26th 2023.
The cost of living increase was set for $978 for a full time regular mail handler at top step. This increase will take affect in pay period 19 and be reflected in the first paycheck in September.
Local 300 Officers are sworn in on July 17th 2023
Breast Cancer Awareness T-Shirts
The shirts are scheduled for delivery in late September to their respective branches.
Annual Leave Expanded Benefits
MOUs signed to (again) increase carryover limit from 440 hours to 520 of accumulated annual leave from 2023 to 2024 leave year. Additionally, Annual Leave Exchange up to 80 hours.
Religious Accommodation –Groff vs DeJoy Supreme Court Case
NPMHU Contraction Administration statement on the recent USPS Supreme Court Case on Religious Accommodation.
Groff vs DeJoy Supreme Court Case
MHA Career Opportunities On Lite Blue
There is a new procedure for MHA Career Canvassing. No service talks will be given. MHAs should check on LiteBlue 2x a month. Career Opportunities for MHAs will be posted on the 1st and 15th of the month and be open for 10 days. These opportunities will be open for all MHAs within 50 miles of the career position. MHAs are advised to look on LiteBlue 2x a month (between 1st to 10th & 15th to 25th).
We will update the Local 300 webpage & smartphone app when we receive notification that career vacancies are available for MHAs within the Local 300 area.
MHA Career Opportunites – eReassign information
Current career positions below will close on April 15th…
- FULL-Time Regular (FTR) position is available in Newark, NJ
- Position Schedule:
- 0400-1230
- SUN/THU Days off
- Weekly hours: 40 hours
- Position Schedule:
Implementation Dates for the 2022 National Agreement
The following are the implementation dates for various sections of the 2022 National Agreement.
- Non-Economic Issues/Work Rules – April 8, 2023
- One Time Conversions for MHAs in 200 work year offices with a relative standing date prior to 2.5 years from the ratification date (March 13, 2023) of the 2022 National Agreement – May 6, 2023
- New wage rate which will reflect the November 2022 general wage increase and the March 2023 COLA – PP09-2023 (04/08/2023).
- Date of new Step B for MHAs – PP14-2023 (06/17/2023)
- Date of Elimination of Step BB – PP14-2023 (06/17/2023).
- Date that step waiting period will be changed to 48 weeks – PP14-2023 (06/17/2023).
- MHA Automatic Conversions/Step Changes/Employee Classification of MHAs in 200 work year offices who have reached 24 months of relative standing – PP14-2023 (06/17/2023).
- Date of Advanced Annual leave for eligible MHAs and PTFs – PP 14- 2023 (06/17/2023)
- Retro Pay – Pay Period 19, check dated 9/15/2023
- Clothing Allotment Carryover – Is still to be determined
Implementation Dates for the 2022 National Agreement (pdf)
Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) set at $208
Effective November 19, 2022, Pay Period 25-2022 (and retroactively applicable)— For career mail handlers, the basic annual salary for each grade and step of Table One and Table Two shall be increased by an amount equal to 1.3% of the basic annual salary for the grade and step in effect on September 20, 2022. This is the first of three-scheduled general wage increases as outlined in the 2022 National Agreement. In addition to the general increases provided in Section 9.1, wage schedule RSC M reflects an additional 1% increase for steps AA-A and 1.3% increase effective November 19, 2022 (PP25-2022) for all other steps. Lastly, MHAs will receive a 2.3% general increase and a $0.50 wage adjustment effective November 19, 2022 (PP25-2022)
Cost of Living Increase and Wage Chart Effective March 11. 2023 (Pay Period 07-2023) pdf
Local 300 Women’s Caucus Newsletter
Celebrating Women’s History Month
Click here for the latest issue
WE NEED YOU to HELP PROTECT YOUR JOB
We need your help. The Union representatives of Local 300 cannot do it alone. The members are the eyes and ears of this labor organization. We want your help in protecting your job.
What we need is more MEMBER INVOLVEMENT. When you see someone other than a Mail Handler doing Mail Handler craft work, you must report it to the Union. However, more information is needed besides telling a steward, “Hey, Joe Schmoe the supervisor is doing Mail Handler work on the platform!” More information is needed proper to file a grievance.
Getting involved could result in you or other members receiving $$$ as a result of a grievance settlement. Even if you do not directly receive money, you are helping the Mail Handler craft and protecting your job. If non-Mail Handler personnel are allowed to do Mail Handler work without a grievance, we risk losing the jobs that we have been fighting to retain for decades.
Only Mail Handlers should be performing Mail Handler craft work.
Local 300 Newsletter
NPMHU Local 300 News – Winter 2023
Local 300’s newsletter is being mail to all members. Look for your copy in your mailbox.
Multifactor Authentication Now Required for LiteBlue Access
On Sunday, January 15, the USPS is deploying the MFA (Multifactor Authentication) solution for LiteBlue as an additional security measure to protect employees’ IDs, passwords, and other personal data from unauthorized access and misuse. At this time, employees are required to sign up for MFA to obtain access to LiteBlue. As a part of the MFA implementation, there are a few steps employees must complete. These steps include:
1. Reset their Self-Service Profile (SSP) password.
2. Verify answers to security questions.
3. Verify the last four digits of their Social Security Number (new security enhancement).
4. Establish MFA preferences.
Protecting LiteBlue
Multifactor authentication now required
To protect employees and the organization from cybercriminals, the Postal Service will require multifactor authentication (MFA) for access to LiteBlue after Jan. 15. Multifactor authentication is an identity verification method in which users provide two or more confirmation factors to gain access to an online account. It is frequently used by banks and other institutions dealing with sensitive personal information.
When employees log into LiteBlue, they will be required to set up their MFA preferences. Once an employee’s MFA setup is enabled, these ID confirmation factors will be required each time he or she logs in.
Employees can click on “Multifactor Authentication” on the LiteBlue login page at www.LiteBlue.usps.gov for more information and to view support materials. The Postal Service provided the following resources pertaining to Multifactor Authentication for LiteBlue:
- Multifactor Authentication Posters (pdf)
- Multifactor Authentication for LiteBlue – Mandatory Stand-up Talk (pdf)
- Multifactor Authentication for LiteBlue- Home Mailer (pdf)
- Multifactor Authentication for LiteBlue- Updated User Guide (pdf)
NPMHU National Convention – Local 300 Delegates – Denver, Colorado 2022
37 elected Delegates from Local 300 attended the NPMHU 2020 National Convention held in Denver, CO in August 2022. This convention was postponed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Local 300 and 35 other NPMHU Local Unions from all over the country, gathered together for important administrative business regarding the governance of the NPMHU. Changes were made to the NPMHU National and Uniform Local Union Constitutions.
Reports were provided by the National Officers, Constitution Committee, Resolutions Committee, Rules Committee, Credentials Committee, NPMHU Women’s Committee, Legislative and Political Committee
Local 300 was represented by the following 37 delegates at the NPMHU Convention…
Local President: Kevin Tabarus, Vice President: Yvette Johnson, Treasurer: Wilfredo Delgado, Recording Secretary & DVD Branch Pres.: Ray Bermudez, NY State Exec. Bd. & ISC-JFK Branch Pres.: Lucy Lombardo, NJ State Exec. Bd.: Michelle Kimber, CT State Exec. Bd. & Stamford Branch Pres.: James Smith, NJI/NDC: Joseph Costigan, Tommy Russo, Ann Goodlow, Jason Espinal NYC: Irene Delgado, Joe Palau, Erika Williams, Annesia Williams-Arnold, Brooklyn: Howie Spindler, Atika Muhammad, Kim Pinkney, DVD: Linda Gibbs, Lawrence Cimirro, Bethpage: Alan Sacks, Frank Schultz, Mid Island: David Lang, Flushing: Trevor Stuart, Jessie Lewis, Saieda Brown, Westchester: Alberta Prieto, Tracey Guzman, Phil Hester, ISC/JFK: Dan Danzo, Teresa Start, Greater Newark: Latina Crenshaw, Sediqua Perry, Teterboro: Mark Chandler, Western Nassau: Pete Bilotta, Stamford: Don Utz, Bronx: Shirley Ramos
See more NPMHU Convention – Local 300 Delegates on NPMHU Local 300’s Flickr page
USPS Lists Post Offices and Facilities to Consolidate Operations
Articles have been published online indicating consolidations of various postal installations, without naming the affected installations.
Information has been shared with Postal Headquarters and the Union. This initiative is part of Postmaster General DeJoy’s “10 Year Plan.”
Currently, no plans to consolidate installations within the Local 300 area would adversely impact the membership.
We have been informed of plans to consolidate some delivery operations into Mid Hudson and a location in Brooklyn. Creating new Sorting and Delivery Centers (S&DCs).
Mid Hudson P&DC is projected to have delivery (Letter Carrier) operations from 17 nearby post offices. We expect to gain work in Mid Hudson.
At a new location in Brooklyn (Alabama Ave.), it is projected to have “Foot/Parcel Delivery” operations from up to 7 nearby post offices.
There are several other S&DCs proposed around the country, involving hundreds of post offices.
In addition, there are proposals to create super processing centers, called new Regional Processing and Distribution Centers (RPDCs). Initial plans are for Atlanta and Indianapolis. There are no immediate or future plans named for RPDCs in the Local 300 area.
As soon as we know of any changes to your installation, you will be immediately informed.
U.S. Department of Labor COVOID-19 Claims Processing Guidelines Relating to Reinfections and Home Test
US Department of Labor amending previous FECA bulletins. COP for COVID-19
COVID-19 Positive? FECA OWCP Claims for Pay Compensation
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/owcp/FECA/InfoFECACoverageCoronavirus
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/owcp/FECA/regs/compliance/DFECfolio/FECABulletins/FY2020-2024#FECAB2109
Diagnosis of COVID-19. In order to establish a diagnosis of COVID-19, an employee (or survivor) should submit:
a. A positive Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) COVID-19 test result; or
b. A positive Antibody or Antigen COVID-19 test result, together with contemporaneous medical evidence that the claimant had documented symptoms of and/or was treated for COVID-19 by a physician (a notice to quarantine is not sufficient if there was no evidence of illness); or
c. If no positive laboratory test is available, a COVID-19 diagnosis from a physician together with rationalized medical opinion supporting the diagnosis and an explanation as to why a positive test result is not available.
In certain rare instances, a physician may provide a rationalized opinion with supporting factual and medical background as to why the employee has a diagnosis of COVID-19 notwithstanding a negative or series of negative COVID-19 test results.
Medical reports from nurses or physician assistants are acceptable if a licensed physician cosigns the report.
There is the possibility that Postal Employees can be compensated through OWCP. The hyperlink below has information on this. While the DOL states federal positions that interact with the public, we believe that Mail Handlers can claim similar exposure to other federal employees due to the confined nature of our works areas, since we work in a a high-risk environment.
All federal employees who develop COVID-19 while in the performance of their federal duties are entitled to workers’ compensation coverage pursuant to the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA). See https://www.dol.gov/owcp/dfec/.
DOL acknowledges, however, that it is difficult to determine the precise moment and method of virus transmission. Therefore, when an employee claims FECA benefits due to COVID-19, federal workers who are required to have in-person and close proximity interactions with the public on a frequent basis – such as members of law enforcement, first responders, and front-line medical and public health personnel – will be considered to be in high-risk employment, thereby triggering the application of Chapter 2-0805-6 of the FECA Procedure Manual. In such cases, there is an implicit recognition that a higher likelihood exists of infection due to high-risk employment. Federal workers in such positions routinely encounter situations that may lead to infection by contact with sneezes, droplet infection, bodily secretions, and surfaces on which the COVID-19 virus may reside. Therefore, the employment-related incidence of COVID-19 is more likely to occur among members of law enforcement, first responders and front-line medical and public health personnel, and among those whose employment causes them to come into direct and frequent in-person and close proximity contact with the public.
Accordingly, DOL has created new procedures to specifically address COVID-19 claims. Employees filing a claim for workers’ compensation coverage as a result of COVID-19 should file Form CA-1, Notice of Traumatic Injury through your employer using the Employees’ Compensation Operations & Management Portal. The new procedures will also call the adjudicator’s attention to the type of employment held by the employee, rather than burdening the employee with identifying the exact day or time they contracted the novel coronavirus.
- If a COVID-19 claim is filed by a person in high-risk employment, the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) DFEC will accept that the exposure to COVID-19 was proximately caused by the nature of the employment. If the employer supports the claim and that the exposure occurred, and the CA-1 is filed within 30 days, the employee is eligible to receive Continuation of Pay for up to 45 days.
- If a COVID-19 claim is filed by a person whose position is not considered high-risk, OWCP DFEC will require the claimant to provide a factual statement and any available evidence concerning exposure. The employing agency will also be expected to provide OWCP DFEC with any information they have regarding the alleged exposure, and to indicate whether they are supporting or controverting the claim. If the employer supports the claim and that the exposure occurred, and the CA-1 is filed within 30 days, the employee is eligible to receive Continuation of Pay for up to 45 days.
For full information, click below…
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/owcp/dfec/coronavirusfaqs
Join the Union Form
Standard Form 1187 is used to Join the Union. The form must be complete, the mail handler and union official must sign and date, and the completed document must be submitted Local 300 Headquarters for processing.
