Hello Fellow Leaguers,

My name is Richard Sprague and I’m extremely mad at both the Postal Service and my family, the League. Friday I was handing out paychecks to my Clerks and noticed, as I’m sure you did, they received a contractual pay raise. The Clerks received a 1.2% raise and the Carriers received a 1.9% raise. That along with a COLA raise last fall of 6%. Friday the Postal Service informed us they would not make adjustments to the revenue side of NPA, which could have resulted in many, many more Postmasters getting a pay raise. As it stands right now, somewhere between 60% and 80% of our family members will not get a pay raise this year. I don’t understand how the USPS can say you are in charge of our employees but we are not going to pay you for it. We as a Postmaster’s take all the risk and are the leadership of this organization that holds everything together. You say, well Rick, the Postal Service is in financial trouble. I say, this is true but then why isn’t everyone giving up their pay raises or COLA? You say, Headquarters is not getting anything. I say, if I got the pay raise the PMG and the other senior staff got two years ago, I wouldn’t be asking either. For the small percentage of members getting a pay raise, the maximum you can get added to your pay base is 2.25%. The remaining will come in a one time lump payment. I bring this up because the craft raises are not limited to ceilings and their raises will be part of their high three, resulting in earnings well into their retirement. This lack of raises for our members will have an effect for the rest of their life. This entire pay system we are under is nothing less than criminal in my opinion. First, we have no say in any of your bench marks. We do not get to give input on our revenue goal or our TOE budget; in fact we have no say in really anything anymore. When we have a legitimate mitigating factor (the economy) they do not honor the program and give the forgiveness.

This brings me to our League family and why I’m so mad at this family. First, we are in this position because of ourselves, due to the fact we have trusted the Postal Leadership to do the right thing over the years. We have kept from going after Congressional help for fear of making things worse or having Headquarters mad at us. We have over the years given away all our bargaining power to the USPS. A prime example is the loss of our convention leave and now our lack of a pay raise. We have no recourse because they have the legal right to do this. Do you think they would do this to APWU or NALC? You say, well we are not a union, this is correct but do you have to be union to have bargaining power at the table. We are continually asked to give more because they have no fear of us or desire to follow the agreement we think we have with them.

We need to draw the line in the sand. This is where all of us as members need to demand that our national officers draw up a new plan to get back to where we are in control. Control over getting fair and honest pay raises for all we do and to protect our benefits. First we need to demand that we get out of NPA once and for all. We need to enlist Congressional help in getting a seat at the table where we are at minimal getting what the craft gets for raises and COLA. We need a greater say in how our budgets and expense budgets are handed out.

For years I have been member of both organizations, I dropped NAPUS a number of years ago, mainly because I felt League was much more like a family. As a family, I thought League would be a stronger organization, they would fight harder for me because isn’t that what family does for each other. I have believed in this fact so much that I’m in my ninth year as the Colorado President. I even ran for a national VP seat. I met the love of my live thru this family. So please understand when I criticize or hold the national board accountable, I do it as a family member who cares. And when I ask you for you help in demanding change, it is out of respect for the family. Please contact the following national board members and tell them to draw the line in the sand NOW!!!! This is the strongest thing we can do for our family members who are getting no pay raise this year. We cannot be silent as elected state officials.

Charles W. Mapa – cmapa@postmasters.org

John F. Jameson, III – jj3nc@intrstar.net

Shelly M. Souders – rsstigall@wk.net

Robert J. Bittner – bobcath@optonline.net

John E. Olson – olson233@runestone.net

Kelly A. McCartney – athiker40@att.net

William P. Brennan – wishigan@aol.com

Please send this out to every member of the League family so their voices can be heard.