NALC Bulletin - April 29, 2005

Updated May 2, 2005



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No. 05-09 April 29, 2005

Topics in this issue:

Congress Mulls Postal Reform
Puerto Rican Boxing Champion Delivers Punch for Food Drive
Sixth COLA Projected at $364

Congress Mulls Postal Reform

Young Emphasizes NALC’s Bipartisan Approach;
Ohio Activists Continue Union’s Lobbying Effort

NALC President William H. Young stresses union’s bipartisan approach to Congress in address to Ohio Congressional Breakfast.

NALC’s cadre of 125,000 activists are primed for action as postal reform legislation (S. 662 and H.R. 22) moves toward the forefront in the halls of Congress, with a likelihood that critical votes are not far off.

NALC President William H. Young, speaking to scores of Ohio activists at their congressional breakfast April 28, emphasized how important the legislation is to letter carriers and the country as a whole and explained the union’s bipartisan political approach.

“We’re on the doorstep of an important event,” Young said. “We have an opportunity this year to get meaningful postal reform.”

“I’m very hopeful that soon, very soon, we can get this House bill to the floor, debated, discussed and passed. I look forward to the markup in the Senate of this legislation,” Young said. “There are some differences between the two. There are still significant issues that need to be ironed out.”

Young noted that the Bush administration is still opposed to a provision in both bills that would return $27 billion in military funds to the Postal Service. He added that the Postal Service is the only federal agency being asked by the administration to pay this cost.

“Fair is fair,” Young said. “Ultimately, I hope that President Bush and the administration will be convinced to do the right thing. I hope we don’t try to pass a stamp tax on the American public for the cost of people that served in the military.”

“There is no way to get any legislation passed in the current Congress unless you have bipartisan support,” he said, noting that this union decided over 20 years ago that it would not be the arm of any single political party. “What I care about is when our legislation comes up, are they with us or are they against us.”


Left photo shows Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH) speaking to Ohio NALC breakfast as (l-r) NALC Vice President Gary Mullins, Executive Vice President Jim Williams and President William Young look on. At right, part of the large Ohio delegation listen attentively during Rap Session with President Young at NALC Headquarters.

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Puerto Rican Boxing Champion Delivers Punch for Food Drive
Three Cotto Appearances Promote May 14 Effort As Over 1,400 Branches Gear Up for Collection

In left photo, WBO Boxing Champion Miguel Cotto, 3rd from left standing, meets with Tampa Br. 599 members before promoting food drive in April 24 Puerto Rican Parade. Pictured (l-r standing) are Papo Mendez, Pedro Jimenez, Cotto, Branch President Jim Good, and food drive coordinator Cheryl Clothier. Front row are Manny Hernandez and Carlos Torres. In right photo, Cotto (behind poster) joins members of New York City Br. 36 at the James Farley Post Office in Manhattan to support the drive. Holding the poster are Br. 36 food drive coordinator Cleveland Morgan and National Business Agent George Mignosi.

World Boxing Organization (WBO) Junior Welterweight Champion Miguel Cotto has added some punch to the NALC National Food Drive this year, helping letter carriers promote the effort in both his home of Puerto Rico and on the Mainland with Spanish-language public service announcements and personal appearances. The undefeated boxer is encouraging participation in the food drive while preparing for a June 11 fight at Madison Square Garden against Olympic gold medalist Muhammad Abdullaev, the last man to defeat him while both were amateurs during the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. First Cotto taped a television Public Service Announcement in Puerto Rico and posed for a Spanish-language poster. Then he appeared in New York City with members of Branch 36 and postal officials to promote that city’s drive. And a few days later, Cotto welcomed letter carriers from Br. 599 in Tampa, Florida to join him in the Puerto Rico Cultural Parade of Florida in Ybor City so they could encourage participation in the food drive. Cotto’s involvement, along with a special satellite PSA featuring teen soccer sensation Freddy Adu, Internet-delivered messages by Campbell Soup Co. and a number of full-page ads in several magazines have spread the word nationwide about the drive as the days tick off leading up to Saturday, May 14. Just before that date, additional network television appearances are anticipated. Newspapers, radio and television stations can observe a special Internet Press Kit containing video and audio PSAs and B-roll and press releases by logging onto: http://www.publicaster.com/info/campbells/stampout/. To kick off the drive this year, Campbell Soup announced it is earmarking in the name of the NALC drive 10 million pounds of food of its annual charitable donation this year. The food will be delivered to numerous food banks across the country throughout the year. These promotions will occur as Americans begin receiving over 110 million postcards, sponsored by Campbell Soup and the Postal Service, to remind them to leave donations by their mailboxes on May 14 for their carriers to pick up. Branch food drive coordinators will receive an official reporting form for final results of their branch food drive, with instructions to return it to NALC Headquarters as quickly as possible. A list of branch totals and complete story on the 2005 drive will appear in a future issue of the Postal Record. The form must be returned to NALC Headquarters no later than June 1. The final tally for the drive will be announced in connection with National Hunger Awareness Day on June 7.

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Sixth COLA Projected at $364

The projected accumulation for the sixth of eight regular cost-of-living adjustments under the 2001-2006 National Agreement stood at $364 following release April 20 of the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) for March.

The sixth COLA will be based on inflation between January 2005 and July 2005 and will be payable in the second full pay period following release of the July 2005 index. The $364 annual accumulation equals 17 ½ cents per hour or $14 per pay period.

The projected accumulation toward the 2006 retiree COLA stood at 1.9 percent following release of the March CPI-W. The 2006 retiree COLA will be based on the increase in the CPI-W between the third quarter of 2004 and the third quarter of 2005.

The 2006 COLA for Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA) participants stood at 1.4 percent based on the latest figures. The 2006 FECA COLA will be based on the increase in the CPI-W between December 2004 and December 2005.