Rural carrier union demands USPS pay ‘harsh penalties’ if payroll problems persist
Two separate payroll errors at the Postal Service over the past few months kept thousands of rural letter carriers from getting their full paychecks on time. Now the union is demanding USPS modernize its payroll system, and that the agency pay “harsh penalties” to compensate rural carriers if these problems ...
Departing Bemidji postal worker documents overwhelming package volume
BEMIDJI, Minn. (FOX 9) - Long, unpaid hours and a toxic work environment are crushing employees at the Bemidji post office, according to a longtime carrier who quit last week. With his help, FOX 9 got a rare peek inside the Bemidji office to see the conditions for workers this holiday season ...
Rural mail carrier union prez says USPS needs to up wages
The head of the union representing rural mail carriers nationwide says the number of unfilled positions at the U.S. Postal Service is at an all-time high and low wages are the main culprit. "It's the worst I've ever seen in my career," said Don Maston, the president of the National ...
From NRLCA: EMA to Decrease 3 Cents Per Mile Effective December 30, 2023
On December 12, 2023, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released the November Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) which established the Private Transportation Index at 270.407, a decrease from the August 2023 Index of 279.590. Therefore, based on the November 2023 CPI-W release, the Equipment ...
‘Worked to death’: Postal employees in Missoula say workplace is in crisis
Employees of the U.S. Postal Service in Missoula have been dealing with serious issues this year, including not getting paychecks on time, inadequate staffing levels that essentially force many to work six or more days a week, poor workplace morale, absence requests being denied and high staff turnover at both ...
Audio: Amazon promises convenience for customers, but it’s crushing some rural mail carriers
Last month — as Fox 13 reported — residents in San Juan County began complaining that Amazon packages were causing a major backup at post offices and delaying regular mail delivery. People reported going days without receiving some bills, letters, and packages. And they weren’t alone — around the same time in ...
Postal Service refutes claims of Bemidji mail delays, Amazon prioritization
BEMIDJI — A U.S. Postal Service official says mail is being delivered daily in Bemidji and elsewhere and blamed media misinformation for misconceptions about package delivery and working conditions for postal carriers. The Tuesday, Dec. 5, response comes after a November letter from U.S. Sen. Tina Smith to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, ...
Working conditions at Bemidji Post Office cause another rural carrier to hit their breaking point
BEMIDJI — Dennis Nelson had wanted to see the fight for better working conditions at the Bemidji Post Office to the end, but after weeks of arduous 12-hour shifts and an increasingly toxic and hostile work environment, even he’s hit a breaking point. Nelson, who helped organize the initial picket by ...
Rural mail carriers warned not to blame mail delays on Amazon
Directive comes after Minn. postal workers protested the heavy workloads caused by the sudden arrival of thousands of Amazon packages Mail carriers in a rural Minnesota post office overwhelmed by Amazon packages say they’ve been warned not to use the word “Amazon,” including when customers ask why the mail is ...
Important things to know about the 2023 Christmas period for rural carriers
Just wanted to put out a few important points for the Christmas OT period which will begin on Saturday, December 2nd, 2023 and ends on Friday, December 22nd, 2023. Below are a few things you need to know. REGULAR RURAL CARRIERS 1. You will receive OT if you work in ...
Rural carrier aids injured customer
Rural Carrier Brandon White was driving along his Russell Springs, KY, route on a sweltering day in August when he noticed a customer lying on the ground in her backyard. White parked his postal vehicle and found that the woman had injured her ankle after falling. He called 911 and ...
A rural post office was told to prioritize Amazon packages. Chaos ensued.
BEMIDJI, Minn. — When Delbert Mikelson’s mail started showing up late — and sometimes not showing up at all — he blamed it on the opening of deer season. “I thought my carrier was out hunting,” Mikelson said over a breakfast of eggs and pancakes at Raphael’s Bakery Cafe in downtown ...
USPS: 2,200 rural carriers won’t get regular paychecks on time because of timekeeping errors
A Postal Service timekeeping error will prevent a couple thousand rural carriers from receiving their regular paycheck on time this week. USPS says the issue is local in nature, and will affect a small fraction of rural carriers, compared to the tens of thousands of employees who were impacted by a major ...
Rural carrier alerts family to fire
Rural Carrier Juan Ocasio was delivering mail recently in New Port Richey, FL, when he spotted smoke rising from behind a customer’s residence. Ocasio checked the rear of the home and saw a tree, shed and the back of the residence enveloped in flames. As a neighbor called 911, Ocasio ...
Payroll issue affecting approximately 2,200 rural craft employees
The NRLCA has learned of a payroll issue affecting approximately 2,200 rural craft employees. This is unacceptable. Rural carriers expect and deserve timely compensation for work performed. Additional information will be posted on the NRLCA website (www.nrlca.org) once verified ...
Updated Rural Carrier Salary Schedules – Effective Novemeber 18th, 2023
General Wage Increase Effective November 18, 2023 In accordance with Article 9.1.A.3, effective November 18, 2023 (PP 25-2023), the basic annual salary schedule (Tables One and Two) shall be increased by an amount equal to 1.3% of the appropriate February 27, 2021, salary schedule. Further, in accordance with Article 9.1.H.3, ...