Tag: North America

Mail handlers demand an end to privatisation and contracting out plans

Posted by | Aug 15, 2008 | |

UNI Post & Logistics affiliate, the National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU) at its four yearly convention being held in Florida unanimously condemned contracting out of postal work and the privatisation of mail handlers jobs that is impacting so negatively on mail handlers jobs.

The convention was told that the US postal service continues to try and outsource work and that the union was bitterly opposed to subcontracting and attempts to take work away from collective bargaining protection. Neil Anderson, Head of UNI Post & Logistics Global Union speaking to the convention told the delegates that subcontracting and privatisation of postal workers work was a creeping scourge that was happening throughout the world and that globally workers should be demanding decent permanent jobs for postal workers. He also told the convention that they should congratulate themselves on their campaign to convince the US Government that a free market for letter mail was not the answer and that a quality universal service was dependent on a strong and well trained workforce. This would not continue if sub contracting was allowed to take place. The convention also passed resolutions to increase their political lobbying and to keep carrying the message for a universal postal service with a quality work force to the US Government.

The convention also re-elected unopposed John Hegarty as President and Mark Gardner as Secretary Treasurer as a vote of confidence in the direction the union was tackling in opposing subcontracting, lobbying the government to maintain a strong universal postal service and for their efforts to negotiate a better collective contract for postal workers.

Read More

USPS cuts employee hours in response to mail volume loss

Posted by | Aug 14, 2008 | |

Due to initiatives to reduce work hours and overtime, compensation expenses for the US Postal Service dropped by USD 247 million (or about 2.5 pct) in the third quarter compared to the same period last year, according to a financial report that the USPS has filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission.

The cuts in employee hours were in response to mail volume decreases, the agency said. The filing also said that new labor agreements implemented in 2007 allowed for a reduction in overtime hours and overall labor rates.

Earlier this month, the USPS reported a net loss of USD 1.1 billion for its third quarter ending on June 30. According to the USPS, total mail volume was down 5.5 pct in Q3 of 2008 compared to Q3 of 2007. The impact of lower mail volume coupled with the organization’s efforts to reduce overtime hours decreased total work hour usage by 16 million hours in Q3, the USPS said.

The USPS said that the decrease in volume is the result of a slow down in the economy, “particularly the financial and real estate sectors, which are heavy users of the mail,” in the filing.

Read More

SkyPostal Networks, Inc. Announces second quarter results

Posted by | Aug 14, 2008 | |

SkyPostal announced financial results for the second quarter of 2008. Net income was USD 378,487 principally due to nonrecurring credits resulting from the reversal of excess of value of put options over estimated fair value of the company’s shares.

The results include sales of USD 2,091,313 versus the previous year’s second quarter revenues of USD 2,143,959. For the 6 months ended June 30, 2008, sales totaled USD 4,532,113 or a 16.5pct increase over the same 6 month period ended June 30, 2007. After producing a 39.7pct increase in sales in the first quarter over the same period 2007, the second quarter results indicate a softening in the growth of international mail resulting from the overall US economic slowdown.

Total tonnage handled increased by 20pct for the 6 months ended June 30, 2008 versus the same period ended June 30, 2007.

Although financial results reflected increased tonnage and revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2008, net loss for the first half 2008 totaled USD 641,234 or USD .02 per share. The net loss increase was in part due to nonrecurring and noncash expenses.

The opening up of a sort facility at Newark Airport coupled with the Company’s recently signed agreement with DHL Global Mail will permit SkyPostal to expand its mail delivery service to Europe. In addition, the company is introducing a service targeted at US internet marketers that will permit them to market their products to upscale LAC consumers by eliminating the costly risks of shipping by parcel post via the public UPU Public Postal Network.

SkyPostal anticipates continued growth in the balance of the year, expecting to increase its market share of the nontime critical mail delivery segment through several acquisition opportunities.

Read More

UPS Board declares dividend (U.S)

Posted by | Aug 14, 2008 | |

The UPS Board of Directors today declared a regular quarterly dividend of USD 0.45 per share on all outstanding Class A and Class B shares.

The dividend is payable Sept. 9, 2008, to shareholders of record on Aug. 25, 2008. UPS has either increased or maintained its dividend every year for more than three decades.

Read More

USPS slashes overtime (U.S)

Posted by | Aug 13, 2008 | |

The US Postal Service has cut overtime expenses by close to a billion dollars in the first three quarters of its fiscal year. Reports filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission show that the USPS reduced overtime by over 28 million hours through pay period 14, which ended on July 4. The reduction translates to USD 923 million in overtime savings compared with the prior year. The year to date overtime rate for bargaining unit employees stood at 8.7 pct, down from 11.7 pct in 2007. In pay period 14 alone, overtime was 6.5 pct, compared with 10.2 pct in the same period last year.

The overtime savings were partially offset by an increase in straight time hours, which were up by 1.4 million hours. That number is somewhat misleading, since it includes almost 15 million straight time hours worked by new “transitional employees”, or TEs, in the letter carrier craft. Straight time hours for career bargaining unit employees were actually down by over 13 million hours.

The average hourly cost of a transitional employee, including benefits, is USD 23.24, compared with USD 39.47 for the average full time regular carrier. The increased use of lower cost straight time hours means that while the average bargaining unit employee has seen a 3.3 pct increase in hourly wages over 2007, the USPS’s average cost per hour increased by just 1.1 pct.

Read More

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

P&P Poll

Loading

What's the future of the postal USO?

Thank you for voting
You have already voted on this poll!
Please select an option!



View ResultsHide Results

Post & Parcel Magazine


Post & Parcel Magazine is our print publication, released 3 times a year. Packed with original content and thought-provoking features, Post & Parcel Magazine is a must-read for those who want the inside track on the industry.

Subscribe to the Magazine

 

Pin It on Pinterest