Federal Daily - July 15, 2008
APWU Urges Caution on VER Options
American Postal Workers Union (APWU) President William Burrus is urging members to move cautiously
when considering a U.S Postal Service (USPS) plan to offer Voluntary Early Retirement (VER) opportunities
to about 40,000 workers. APWU met with postal officials last week regarding USPS plans to offer the
VER to employees in the Clerk Craft and the Mail Handler Craft, as well as to some supervisory employees.
However, details of the VER still have to be worked out and are subject to negotiations with the union,
Burrus said in a July 9 statement. “We do not oppose Voluntary Early Retirements,” he said, “but
we do object to any plan to offer them selectively and exclude some employees from eligibility.”
Burrus said that because this VER is not the result of a union contract, employees also would be eligible
for severance pay. In the meantime, Burrus is asking that postal workers take a wait-and-see attitude
before opting for the VER. “I ask that eligible employees delay making a final decision
on early retirement until the union concludes discussions at the national level,” Burrus said.
To see more, go to: http://apwu.org/news/burrus/2008/update10-2008-070811.htm.
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Senators Critical of FAA Sanctions for Whistleblowers
Sens. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., and Robert Menendez, D-N.J., criticized the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) for sanctions it imposed on New Jersey-area controllers for expressing safety concerns related
to new flight paths implemented for Newark Liberty International Airport. One Newark Tower air traffic
controller, Ray Adams, filed for whistleblower status after he was suspended by FAA supervisors for
what he said was a necessary conversation with a pilot who seemed confused over the new airport safety
rules, according to a July 10 statement from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA).
Adams objected when the supervisor ordered Adams to “just clear them for takeoff,” NATCA
said. The union also said FAA has “taped evidence” of pilots—as they wait to take
off—telling controllers they do not understand the new procedures. The senators, in their letter
to Acting FAA Administrator Robert Sturgell, said that the poor relationship between FAA and its controllers
is having an impact on safety. “The deteriorating relationship between FAA management and air
traffic controllers is of grave concern,” the senators wrote. To see more, go to: http://lautenberg.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=300563.
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Multi-State
Agreement on Military K-12 Education Now in Effect
Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner (D) last
week signed into law legislation that will help ease educational transitions for military children
forced to move from state to state with their servicemember parents. Her signature made Delaware the
tenth state to sign onto a multi-state agreement called the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity
for Military Children. Her signature triggers the launch of the agreement, because a requisite 10 states
had to sign onto the compact for it to take effect. Minner officially signed the bill July 9; a ceremonial
signing is slated for July 17, according to her office. Participating states agree to work collectively
with other compact states to create uniform standards of practice regarding the transfer of records,
course placement, graduation requirements, redundant or missed testing, entrance-age variations and
other transition issues. The compact was developed by the Council of State Governments,
education and military family experts and DoD. In addition to Delaware, the compact members so far
include: Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
A dozen other states are considering legislation to participate in the compact. To see more, go to: www.csg.org/programs/ncic/EducatingMilitaryChildrenCompact.aspx.
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