NALC Bulletin - October 22, 2004

Updated October 25, 2004



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No. 04-23 October 22, 2004

Topics in this issue:

VOTE !
NALC Assails Bush-Cheney Campaign For Impugning Letter Carriers' Integrity
Health & Safety Director Ferranto Announces NALC Retirement
Fifth COLA

V O T E ! !

With forecasts for one of the closest presidential elections in history, it is essential that every letter carrier go to the polls on Tuesday, November 2, and cast your ballot for the individual of your choice. This is democracy in action!

It also could be the most important day for many years to come as the outcome of the presidential and congressional elections will shape our government for the next four years, with ramifications that will extend well into the century.

This is especially important because the future of postal reform in the halls of Congress and the future of the U.S. Postal Service as an institution could depend on the outcome.

NALC President William H. Young encourages all letter carriers – active and retired – to go to the polls on Election Day and cast a ballot. Make sure your families also vote.

"The rhetoric is over. Now is the time for action," Young said. "Letter carriers are aware that our future is at stake. It is critical that every single letter carrier gets out to vote."

(Additional information can be found in the October Postal Record.)

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NALC Assails Bush-Cheney Campaign
For Impugning Letter Carriers' Integrity

Campaign Publicizes Unsubstantiated Allegations
Regarding Delivery of Absentee Ballots in Election

Young: ‘All Letter Carriers are Owed an Apology'

NALC Press Release & Text of Josefiak Letter

NALC President William H. Young expressed outrage Friday to the publicizing by the Bush-Cheney Campaign of unsubstantiated allegations that letter carriers in Florida and other states may be failing to deliver absentee election ballots "from homes that appear Republican."

Young reacted to a news release issued by the Bush-Cheney campaign regarding a letter from campaign general counsel Thomas Josefiak to PMG John Potter citing anecdotal reports of what he described as "morally reprehensible and illegal" conduct by some letter carriers.

The letter included no further information about the alleged incidents, but asked Potter to remind USPS employees that all election and balloting materials should be delivered expeditiously, without regard to partisan affiliation.

"I am outraged at the allegation – without any substantiation – by the Bush-Cheney campaign that letter carriers may be attempting to influence the presidential election by failing to deliver election material in Florida and other states," Young said. "Letter carriers for over a century have played a vital role in maintaining the integrity of our nation's election process and have no interest in altering that tradition by attempting to sabotage the results of this election."

Young said is was "a shame the Bush-Cheney campaign chose to denigrate the reputation of hard-working letter carriers across the nation by publicizing these unsubstantiated rumors without any evidence of their validity."

"The Bush-Cheney campaign owes every letter carrier in America an apology," he said.

NALC Press Release & Text of Josefiak Letter

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Health & Safety Director Ferranto
Announces NALC Retirement

Hellman, Warren To Assume New Positions;
Korolowicz Appointed Assistant. Sec.-Treas.


Brian Hellman	Myra Warren	Jim Korolowicz

NALC Director of Safety and Health Alan Ferranto has announced his retirement, effective December 3, resulting in a number of changes in the ranks of National Resident Officer at NALC Headquarters.

"I have had some recent health issues and am now recovering," Ferranto said. "I have reached a decision to retire from my duties at NALC."


	Alan C. Ferranto

NALC President William Young praised Ferranto for his years of service to the union in New Jersey and the New York City metro area, and later in Washington.

"Al performed with outstanding dedication and diligence throughout the entire period of anthrax attacks on postal facilities and grew to be one of the most respected officials in the postal community regarding this complex and dangerous matter that still concerns us," Youngsaid. "We hope to call on his expertise asneeded even while he deservedly starts to enjoy his retirement."

With the retirement, President Young announced the following realignment and appointment of National Resident Officer positions:

	Brian E. Helllman, Director of Life Insurance, will assume Ferranto's position as Director of Safety and Health.
	Myra Warren, Assistant Secretary-Treasurer, will assume Hellman's position as Director of Life Insurance.
	James Korolowicz, National Business Agent for Region 6 (Kentucky-Indiana-Michigan) will become the new Assistant Secretary-Treasurer.

Young said the position of NBA for Region 6 will be filled at a later date.

Hellman, a member of Branch 36 in New York City, was named to his current position in February 2002 to fill a vacancy and was elected by acclamation at the Philadelphia convention later that year. Prior to that he was NBA for Region 15 (New York Metro).

Warren, a member of Branch 132 in Dallas, Texas, was appointed to her current position in March 2002 to fill a vacancy, and elected to a full term by acclamation at the Philadelphia convention. She served since 1996 as full-time Regional Administrative Assistant for Region 10 (Dallas) and had been active for many years in Branch 132.

Korolowicz was appointed as National Business Agent for the KIM Region in September 2000 to fill a vacancy after serving since 1991 as an RAA defending the rights of letter carriers. In 2002, he was elected by acclamation to a full-term.

Ferranto was in the middle of his second term as Director of Safety and Health after serving as National Business Agent for Region 15. That position came after decades of service to the union as a part-time RAA and branch president of Branches 2032, Westwood, NJ; 991, Woodcliff Lakes, NJ, and 38, New Jersey Merged.

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Fifth COLA Stands at $98.80

CSRS 2005 Adjustment Will be 2.7 Percent;
FERS Retirees Will Get 2 Percent Increase

The projected accumulation for the fifth of eight regular cost-of-living adjustments under the 2001-2006 National Agreement stood at $98.80 following release October 19 of the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) for September.

The fifth COLA will be based on inflation between July and January 2005 and will be payable in the second full pay period following release of the January, 2005 index.

The $98.80 annual accumulation equals 4 3/4 cents per hour or $3.80 per pay period.

Retirees under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) will receive a cost-of-living adjustment of 2.7 percent in 2005 following release of the September CPI-W, the final month of the year-long period reflecting the increase in the CPI-W between the third quarter of 2003 and the third quarter of 2004 – the criteria for setting the COLA.

Retirees under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) will receive a COLA of 2 percent. Under current law, FERS COLA increases are set at 2 percent if the CPI increase is between 2 percent and 3 percent.

The accumulation toward the 2005 COLA for Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA) participants increased to 3.1 percent based on the latest figures. The 2005 FECA COLA is based on the increase in the CPI-W between December 2003 and December 2004.

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