Quote from: Solar on September 13, 2011, 01:52:25 PM
I doubt it, in fact most would agree with my assessment of the majority not being hired by the private sector.Theres a reason that many work for the Gov, no one else would hire them.
Not all, but most.

Well, if they do, they're certainly remaining silent on it.  So far it's one to one.  You say yea, I say nay.  Tie game. 

Not everyone looks at this forum.

Then again, maybe it has more to do with you, that they are ignoring this thread. :))

Quote from: Solar on September 14, 2011, 07:54:02 AM
Not everyone looks at this forum.

Then again, maybe it has more to do with you, that they are ignoring this thread. :))

I was talking about the people that DO look at this forum.  And I could understand them ignoring me, but you????????  It has had 50+ views, you know.  And you've garnered no more support than I have!

Quote from: elmerfudd on September 14, 2011, 08:08:43 AM
 

I was talking about the people that DO look at this forum.  And I could understand them ignoring me, but you? ??? ??? ?  It has had 50+ views, you know.  And you've garnered no more support than I have!

So lets see, a thread about the post office has only had three posters, and the last 5 posts have been about lousy Gov employees, yet you use that as eviDENCE  that this is somehow proof that it's a draw?

You crack me up, just like a lib to spin worthless crap in their favor.
:)) :)) :))

Quote from: Solar on September 14, 2011, 10:33:02 AM
So lets see, a thread about the post office has only had three posters, and the last 5 posts have been about lousy Gov employees, yet you use that as eviDENCE  that this is somehow proof that it's a draw?

You crack me up, just like a lib to spin worthless crap in their favor.
:)) :)) :))

So let's start a poll.  I'll start it.  But not right now.  Gotta run.  Ciao!

Quote from: elmerfudd on September 14, 2011, 04:01:57 PM
So let's start a poll.  I'll start it.  But not right now.  Gotta run.  Ciao!

Start it in the Poli forum, it will get more views...

Quote from: Solar on September 14, 2011, 04:35:35 PM
Start it in the Poli forum, it will get more views...

Okay.  But I didn't think it was appropriate for that forum.  You're the boss when it comes to that, though. 

Quote from: elmerfudd on September 15, 2011, 05:26:38 AM
Okay.  But I didn't think it was appropriate for that forum.  You're the boss when it comes to that, though. 

In reality, it is political, sadly, everything is becoming political.

I'll try to behave.

Just wanted to let y'all know that I have had three very pleasant experiences with the USPS of late. 

My home insurance payment of $1206 was mailed on 9/12, was deposited by the recipient in LA on 9/14, and cleared my bank on 9/15.  LA is a couple thousand miles away.

My life insurance payment of $552 was mailed the same day, was deposited by the recipient in NYC on 9/16 (but this recipient is kind of slow to make deposits) and cleared the bank on 9/19.

Amazon.com (sales last year somewhere around $34 billion) shipped an order by USPS on 9/15, estimated delivery 5 to 7 days, I received it on 9/19.  Box looked great, no damage at all.  Their experience with USPS must be better than that which some of youse guys have experienced because they still use USPS a lot.

Not trying to start an argument.  Just taking up for our much maligned (and unfairly, IMO) post office.

Its not about maligning USPS, its more to do with what we get for our money.
They are hemorrhaging at the seams, and instead of doing what a free market enterprise would do, they are cutting services, when the real problem is benefits, thats where the cuts need to start.

Quote from: Solar on September 21, 2011, 09:35:15 AM
Its not about maligning USPS, its more to do with what we get for our money.
They are hemorrhaging at the seams, and instead of doing what a free market enterprise would do, they are cutting services, when the real problem is benefits, thats where the cuts need to start.

I respect your opinion, but at least two posters did just that: malign the USPS.  One said that for an employee of his to use USPS was almost a firing offense and another said when he tried USPS, they lost or damaged most everything he shipped with them.

If Congress would leave them alone, I believe they would be fine.  Saturday delivery should have ended years ago.

Quote from: elmerfudd on September 21, 2011, 11:17:05 AM
I respect your opinion, but at least two posters did just that: malign the USPS.  One said that for an employee of his to use USPS was almost a firing offense and another said when he tried USPS, they lost or damaged most everything he shipped with them.

If Congress would leave them alone, I believe they would be fine.  Saturday delivery should have ended years ago.

Pretty much agree, but I too would fire an employee for using USPS for anything other than sending out bulk mail, something only they do.
When you use Fedex or UPS you can expect immediate recourse if there is any damage or loss, something USPS is horrible at.

I have on several occasions had issues with USPS and immediate assistance never took place, they made you do all the paperwork, but when Fedex or UPS screwed up, all I had to do was make one phone call and it was taken care of immediately.

I even got a call from the main headquarters in the Bay area for UPS over damaged boxes, thats all, just damaged packaging, but my customers need to save these boxes in the event they need to return the product.
Anyway, I got not only a call from the main boss, but he told me if I ever had any issues again, to call his # direct, though we got a new driver that very next day and I never had cause to call him again, though, I still have his #.

It's called adverse selection.  ;)

Much has been said about Postal Service fringes.  I really didn't know what they were, so I did a little research.  These are the links to my sources:

http://about.usps.com/careers/compensation-benefits.htm

http://www.myfederalretirement.com/public/734.cfm

http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdfimage/RI90-1.pdf

This is what I learned from those sources, assuming I did not misunderstand something.  All I will guarantee is I did not deliberately misstate anything. 

Health care – there are numerous options available to federal employees, including Postal Service Employees.  There are different rates for postal and non-postal.  Postal workers do have a higher share of their premium paid by their employer than do other federal employees.  Employees pay a portion of the premium for ALL options, though.  There is no option, even for a single person, where the employer pays the entire premium.  (Which I kind of like, frankly.)  The most popular option is Blue Cross Standard.  The BI-WEEKLY premium for self only is $267.05.  For family it's $603.18.  That works out to a monthly premium of $578.61 for single and $1306.89 for family.  For non-postal, the employer pays $391.43 (67.7%) of the single premium and $875.29 (67%) of the family.  The employee pays the difference ($187.18 single and $431.60 family).  For postal workers, the employer share is more than that.  For postal, the employer pays 76.1% of the single premium and 75.3% of the family.  On average, across all plans, the employer pays 70% and the employee pays 30%.

That must be pretty darned good insurance.  My employer has what I consider to be good insurance, and a family premium is right at $1,000 a month, of which the employer pays $375 the employee pays $625.  My employer pays 100% of the employee's premium, the employee pays 100% or any additional family coverage.  Federal insurance is definitely sweeter than mine, and probably every other private sector employer.  Maybe even most state governments.  But that's not just postal workers.  That's all feds. Although postal workers do have a sweeter deal than all other feds, whose deal is already pretty darned sweet.  Might need to take a look at those fringes, too.  Not just the USPS. 

Retirement – in addition to social security, which pretty much every employer offers, feds and postal workers are identical.  I think.  They contribute .8% (eight tenths of 1 percent) to their basic program.  The basic program pays a benefit equal to 1% if the high three average pay TIMES creditable years of service.  If you retire at age 62 or later with at least 20 years of service, the factor is 1.1%.  There is also a thrift savings plan to which the employer contributes 1%.  The employer will match, in addition to that, employee contributions dollar for dollar up to 3% of pay and 50¢ on the dollar for the next 2%.  No matching after 5% of pay. 

There is a COLA in the basic retirement plan.  It's equal to CPI up to 2%. If the CPI is more than 2% but less than 3%, the COLA is 2%.  If the CPI is 3% or more, it's equal to the CPI less 1%.  Probably sweeter than most defined benefit plans in the private sector (if you can still find one), but I've seen sweeter state plans.  I've seen sweeter state plans with respect to basic benefits, too.

So here are my questions:

1.  Do you think the regular federal benefits are out of line as well? 
2.  If you were in charge of restructuring just what I have presented here, what would you recommend? 
3.  Do you think postal workers should have a sweeter health benefit than all other federal workers?

The federal retirement benefit is sweet, but not as sweet as I had imagined it was.  The health insurance is sweeter than I had imagined, and I already thought it was pretty sweet. 

As an employer, I offered them insurance, but all of my employees chose the second option, a higher hourly wage.
Health insurance is fine for the older worker, but is a waste of money if you are young and healthy.
Too much has been made out of insurance, its a scam like all other insurance services.

There used to be a time when they bent over backwards to get you to join, now they bend you over when you sign up.