2008 SPRING STATE MEETING 

MAY 4, 2008 

Holiday Inn ~ Springfield, MA 

• SATURDAY EVENING, MAY 3 –Pizza party Complimentary beverages

 • SUNDAY MAY 4, 8:00 continental breakfast. 9:00 meeting begins.

 • Guest Speaker- National Officer Jeanette Dwyer

Holiday Inn ~ 711 Dwight St.  Springfield, Massachusetts

MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS NOW! 413.781.0900

Rooms are $109 per night

For Reservations call: (413) 781-0900 

(Mention you are with the Massachusetts Rural Letter Carriers)

2008 Mail Count Calculator (Excel file)

High Option Benefits (Excel file)

New Rural Carrier Salary Schedule - Effective March 15, 2008 (pdf file)

2006 - 2010 USPS/NRLCA National Agreement

NATIONAL LEVEL GRIEVANCE FILED 2008 MAIL COUNT

The National Board has been receiving numerous reports from the field concerning problems with the 2008 National Mail Count. In addition, information has been and continues to be provided by rural carriers to the respective state steward, the respective NRLCA Executive Committeeman, or other National Officers regarding the mail count. All reports and information are being reviewed and investigated.

Because of the volume of information being collected and the time required to review and evaluate such material, the National Board determined that it was necessary to initiate a grievance at the Step 4 level in order to protect the interests of all rural carriers. Therefore, a Step 4 level grievance has been filed by President Pitts. The National Board will keep the membership apprised of any significant development related to this grievance.

Equipment Maintenance Allowance

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the February 2008 CPI-W Private Transportation Index on March 14, 2008. Based on this release, the Equipment Maintenance Allowance (EMA) for NRLCA employees will remain unchanged from the current EMA rate of 57.0 cents per mile.

Cost of Living Adjustment Effective

March 15, 2008

The Consumer Price Index (CPI-W) for January rose to 615.8. This is an increase of 9.2 points above the May 2007 base of 606.6. This represents a COLA increase of $458 per annum, $17.62 per pay period or 22 cents per hour for a 40-hour route, and is increased proportionally for routes over 40 hours. This increase will become effective on March 15, 2008, (Pay Period 07) in accordance with Article 9.1.F.2 of the 2006-2010 National Agreement.

The next opportunity for additional COLA will be with the release of the July 2008 Consumer Price Index.

New Salary Schedule for Rural Carriers

The salary schedule which reflects the first two general wage increases provided for in the 2006-2010 USPS/NRLCA National Agreement has been released. The total percentage of the two increases is 2.7% of the salary in effect on September 2, 2006. Once the payment date for the retroactive application of the increases is known, the membership will be informed via this website and The National Rural Letter Carrier. The next general wage increase of 1.5% will be effective November 22, 2008.

Special Edition of

The National Rural Letter Carrier

A special contract edition of The National Rural Letter Carrier was entered into the mail stream on December 26, 2007. It is expected that the membership should begin to receive this special contract edition in the next few days.

In addition to a summary and explanation of the provisions of the 2006-2010 USPS/NRLCA National Agreement, this special contract edition of The National Rural Letter Carrier contains the 2008 Mail Count Guide.

FLAT SEQUENCING SYSTEM (FSS)

After years of research and development and the continuing testing of machines capable of putting flats in Delivery Point Sequence (DPS) order, the Postal Service is currently scheduled to begin providing flats in DPS order to some rural routes in late 2008. It is expected that this development may impact the work methods and route evaluations of rural carriers whose routes receive flats in DPS order. Therefore, the parties have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly study and address all issues related to the introduction of DPS flats on rural routes.

REVISIONS TO THE USPS/NRLCA NATIONAL AGREEMENT

The National Office is in the process of compiling material for a special edition of The National Rural Letter Carrier which will contain a more detailed presentation of the terms of the 2006-2010 National Agreement. The special edition will be sent to the printer and mailed as soon as possible. In the interim a listing of the more significant revisions to the parties’ National Agreement is in the provided attachment.

Revisions to the 2006 - 2010 National Contract

From the “What’s New” At NRLCA.org – April 2008

Web Page designed & maintained by the Office of the Assistant Secretary/Treasurer

Jerry Bligh ~ gbligh@aol.com

The Massachusetts Rural Letter Carriers' Association membership is divided into four District Associations, as follows: District 1...Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire Counties. District 2...Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Nantucket, Norfolk, and Plymouth Counties. District 3...Essex, Middlesex, and Suffolk Counties. District 4...Worcester County.

The Massachusetts Rural Letter Carriers' Association will uphold the appropriate agreement between the United States Postal Service and the National Rural Letter Carriers' Association pertaining to non-discrimination of its membership and also, any words used in the Massachusetts Rural Letter Carriers' Association Constitution and By-Laws in the masculine gender shall be interpreted to include the feminine gender. The object of the Massachusetts Rural Letter Carriers' Association shall be:

To organize all carriers performing in the Rural Free Delivery Service of the United States Postal Service;

To study and promote the adoption of the best methods of performing the duties of the Rural Free Delivery Service;

To settle disputes between management and the membership if possible, by arbitration;

To secure adequate remuneration and compensation for services rendered;

To promote the adoption and maintenance of rural routes for the continuance of complete communication in rural areas; To seek security for the individual rural carrier;

To cultivate fraternalism among those in and associated with the Rural Free Delivery Service;

And by all legal and proper means to endeavor to improve the moral, intellectual, and social standing of the United States Postal Service members, their families and dependents in the interest of a higher standard of citizenship.