NALC Branch 181 Austin TX
National Association of Letter Carriers
Why YOU should contribute to COLCPE
The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation (H.R. 1804) on April 1 that addressed two long-standing disparities in treatment between workers in the Federal Employees’ Retirement System (FERS) and those in the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). The bill provides service credit to employees covered by FERS for unused sick leave when determining their retirement benefits – as under CSRS. It also gives FERS employees who leave federal service and withdraw their retirement contributions the same right CSRS employees have to “buy-back” their service credit by re-depositing their contributions when they return to federal service. Both changes are strongly supported by NALC.
H.R. 1804 also includes a number of measures affecting the Thrift Savings Plan that are backed by NALC. Among these is a provision that makes enrollment of new employees in the TSP automatic with immediate matching contributions. Under this provision, agencies will automatically deduct 2 – 5 percent of pay from new workers paychecks and direct the funds into the TSP’s G Fund unless otherwise directed by the employees. This provision will ensure that no new employee misses out on the benefits of tax savings and matching contributions offered by the TSP – while retaining the worker’s right to opt out of the program and/or to invest their savings in any of the TSP investment funds. The current op-in enrollment would be replaced by an opt-out system, and the specific amount of the initial automatic contribution would be set by the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board.
The new legislation also gives the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, the agency that runs the TSP, guidance on two new TSP options:
- One mandates the creation of a Roth option for TSP contributions – allowing federal workers to make post-tax contributions to the TSP instead of pre-tax contributions, which may make sense in some circumstances (though probably not for most letter carriers).
- The other provides the Board the authority to create a “mutual fund window,” if it determines that it’s in the best interests of the TSP’s participants to do so. If created, the option would give TSP participants the chance to invest in a wide range of mutual funds while bearing all the costs of doing so. Specific rules and regulations governing this “window” would be set by the Thrift Board -- after consultations with the Employee Thrift Advisory Council, on which the NALC sits.
H.R. 1804 may be rolled into other legislation before it advances. The Senate is expected to take up consideration of legislation similar to H.R. 1804 in the near future. NALC will monitor its progress.
2009 NATIONAL COLCPE WINNERS!!!!!!!!!
1,000 to 1,999 members
Austin, TX Br. 181 15.41%
Nashville, TN Br. 4 7.36%
Louisville, KY Br. 14 7.17%
Portland, OR Br. 82 6.16%
MA Northeast Merged Br. 25 5.94%
Branch 181 has won the National COLCPE contest for 2009 in the 1000-2000 member branches. The details will be announced at a later date concerning the winner of the $1,000 (to be determined by National).
Branch 181 was the only branch in our division to be in double digits (over 15%). The next branch (Nashville TN) was at a little over 7%. So speaking honestly, we smoked them.
COLCPE Individual Contribution Summary
01/01/2009 And 02/16/2010
Branch: 181
Active Carrier - Act. Retired Carrier - Ret.
CLARENCE L. ABSHIRE Ret.
JOSE V. AMAYA Ret.
SHAWN M. AMSZI Act.
ALBERTO APONTE Act.
FRANKLIN J. ARLDT Ret.
LOUIS T. BABYAK Ret.
BERN W. BALLARD Ret.
ERNEST BANNER JR Ret.
CAROL P. BANNER Ret.
FRANCES M. BATCH Ret.
NORMAN C. BECKNER Act.
RICHARD L. BEMIS Act.
ROBERT R. BISHOP Act.
KARRIE L. BLOUGH Act.
ROBERT Q. BRIONES Ret.
TOMMY R. BRYSON Ret.
JAMES C. BUCHANAN Ret.
MICHAEL J. BUCHANAN Act.
WILLIAM L. BUNTEN Ret.
J MARTIN BURKS Ret.
JOHN A. BUTLER Ret.
EULISH C. BYRD JR Act.
ELOY CASAS Ret.
RICHARD H. CASTILLO Act.
SALVADOR CASTRO JR Act.
JACINTO N. CASTRO Ret.
JIMMY L. CHANDLER Ret.
CLAYTON E. CHEEVER Ret.
KENNETH W. CLAXTON Act.
ROBERT D. CONKEL Act.
JOHN J. CONNELL JR Ret.
RICHARD B. CORDOVA IV Act.
PETE CORTEZ JR Ret.
JOELLE M. CRUZ Ret.
ANASTACIO A. CRUZ Ret.
EDDIE S. CURIEL Act.
THOMAS DAYWOOD Ret.
ESEQUIEL DELEON JR Ret.
ANGELA E. DIXON Act.
LESLIE F. DOSS Ret.
EMRE L. EDWARDS Act.
CHESTER D. EKLUND Ret.
JAMES C. ERNST Ret.
DANNY FABIAN Act.
JOHN M. FELLERS Act.
JOHN D. FIFER Act.
OSCAR F. FINDEISEN SR Ret.
RALPH R. FISHER II Ret.
MARSHA L. FOGLE Ret.
MAURICE FOLSE Ret.
MICHAEL D. FOLSE Ret.
BRADLEY W. FROST Act.
WILLIAM J. GANEM JR Ret.
JIMMY O. GILMORE Ret.
ERIC B. GINTHER Ret.
JAMES D. GRAHS Act.
CLARENCE K. GRAVES Ret.
KEITH W. GREGORY Act.
DON E. GRIFFIN Act.
JOHN A. GRONBACH Ret.
JOHN R. GUTIERREZ Act.
JOSE GUTIERREZ Act.
BRIAN F. HALL Ret.
BURNIS A. HALL Ret.
JAMES F. HAMILTON Ret.
WILLIAM B. HASSELMEIER Ret.
NANCY M. HAWKINS Act.
WM E. HEBEL Ret.
JACKIE B. HEFFINGTON Ret.
JOHN K. HESS Act.
WILLIAM T. HOAGLAND Act.
GEORGE C. HOGUE JR Ret.
DOUGLAS W. HOPKINS Ret.
DEBRA J. HOPKINS Ret.
RANDOLPH JACKSON JR Act.
MELVIN A. JENTSCH Ret.
JAMES D. KIMBRELL Act.
CHARLES F. KIME Act.
BOB F. KRONNAGEL Act.
DELWARD A. KUNKEL Ret.
SAMUEL V. LAITINEN JR Act.
JOHN W. LAMBERT Ret.
ERNIE J. LEE JR Act.
MARTIN L. LINGO Act.
BENNIE R. LLOYD Ret.
EMILIE R. LOFTIN Ret.
ISIDORO LOPEZ Ret.
JOE G. LOREDO Ret.
ROBERT F. MAIN Act.
MARK L. MALONE Act.
JOHN G. MANGES Act.
WILLIAM MARTIN Ret.
RITA A. MCCARTHY Act.
JAMES M. MCDANIEL III Ret.
FRANCIS D. MCDANIEL Ret.
ERIN M. MCGEEHAN Act.
GUILLERMO MCPHERSON Act.
LLOYD W. MEINKE Ret.
ALVINO B. MENDOZA Ret.
GEORGE A. MENESES Ret.
VICTOR G. MERCADO Ret.
LEON B. MILLER Ret.
JOHN E. MIRELES Ret.
ALFONSE J. MOKRY Ret.
WILLIAM C. MOODY Act.
MICHAEL T. MOORE Act.
CHRISTINA I. MORAN Act.
JOHNEY M. MORAN Ret.
BRENDA J. MUESSEL Act.
CRUZ MUNOZ Act.
GARY J. NAPPER Ret.
ALFRED V. NAVA Act.
GENE P. NORRIS Ret.
PATRICIA E. OSBORN Act.
ROBERTO T. PARKER Act.
RICKY L. PARKS Act.
ALICE M. PAUL Act.
ANITA N. PICKETT Act.
BOBBY M. PICKETT Act.
MICHAEL L. PIEPER Act.
CALVIN C. POKES Act.
SANDRA J. PRUNEDA Act.
WILLIAM V. RANDAZZO JR Act.
WILLIAM R. RASCO Act.
MICHAEL C. REEH Ret.
ALFRED A. REYNA JR Act.
WILLIAM J. REYNOLDS Act.
KENNETH F. RICHTER Ret.
STEVEN J. RICHTER Act.
FRANKLIN A. RICHTER Ret.
LONNIE A. RIDGEWAY Ret.
SAM J. RISICA Ret.
MARVIN B. ROBERTS Ret.
KENNETH L. ROBERTS Act.
EDWARD ROBERTSON Act.
BENITO RODRIGUEZ III Act.
JULIO P. RODRIGUEZ Act.
AYDEE A. RODRIGUEZ Act.
DONALD J. SAEGERT Act.
WILLIAM F. SAEGERT Act.
ROBERT C. SAGE Ret.
ARMANDO SALAZAR Act.
ARTHUR SANTANA Ret.
STEVE G. SAUCEDO Act.
ALEC SAWCHAK Act.
WILBERT E. SCHNEIDER Ret.
TAMARA L. SCOTT Ret.
LEE W. SEALE KUBENA Act.
HOWARD M. SEYMOUR Ret.
ARTHUR E. SHAW Ret.
MAXWELL T. SMITH Ret.
JAMES B. SMITH Ret.
RICHARD F. SMITH Ret.
SYLVIA M. SOTO Ret.
CHESTER L. SPAW Ret.
LEONARD E. SPIVEY Ret.
BERNARD C. STAFFORD Act.
WARREN T. STEVENS Act. Winner of $1000 Gift Card
CLARENCE M. STOCKTON Ret.
REGIS J. STUBLAR Ret.
JOSEPH M. SULLIVAN Ret.
REBECCA S. TARRANT Ret.
EDWIN Y. TEALER Ret.
ELISEO G. TERRAZAS Ret.
SAMUEL A. THIELEPAPE JR Ret.
TOM TORRES Act.
MICHAEL A. TORRES Act.
CINDA L. USENER Act.
JESUS M. VASQUEZ Act.
SALVADOR VILLASENOR JR Act.
RALPH E. WASSINGER Ret.
EMILE W. WEEKS Ret.
BRUCE L. WELLS Act.
RICHARD C. WELLS Act.
DARRIN L. WICKEN Act.
LESLIE L. WILEY Ret.
JACK D. WILLIAMS Ret.
JAMES F. WOODS Act.
STEVEN G. WOTTRICH Act.
BRUCE M. ZIVLEY Act.
TELFORD A. ZOCH Ret.
Total Givers: 183 % : 17.71
Why YOU should contribute to COLCPE
The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation (H.R. 1804) on April 1 that addressed two long-standing disparities in treatment between workers in the Federal Employees’ Retirement System (FERS) and those in the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). The bill provides service credit to employees covered by FERS for unused sick leave when determining their retirement benefits – as under CSRS. It also gives FERS employees who leave federal service and withdraw their retirement contributions the same right CSRS employees have to “buy-back” their service credit by re-depositing their contributions when they return to federal service. Both changes are strongly supported by NALC.
H.R. 1804 also includes a number of measures affecting the Thrift Savings Plan that are backed by NALC. Among these is a provision that makes enrollment of new employees in the TSP automatic with immediate matching contributions. Under this provision, agencies will automatically deduct 2 – 5 percent of pay from new workers paychecks and direct the funds into the TSP’s G Fund unless otherwise directed by the employees. This provision will ensure that no new employee misses out on the benefits of tax savings and matching contributions offered by the TSP – while retaining the worker’s right to opt out of the program and/or to invest their savings in any of the TSP investment funds. The current op-in enrollment would be replaced by an opt-out system, and the specific amount of the initial automatic contribution would be set by the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board.
The new legislation also gives the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, the agency that runs the TSP, guidance on two new TSP options:
- One mandates the creation of a Roth option for TSP contributions – allowing federal workers to make post-tax contributions to the TSP instead of pre-tax contributions, which may make sense in some circumstances (though probably not for most letter carriers).
- The other provides the Board the authority to create a “mutual fund window,” if it determines that it’s in the best interests of the TSP’s participants to do so. If created, the option would give TSP participants the chance to invest in a wide range of mutual funds while bearing all the costs of doing so. Specific rules and regulations governing this “window” would be set by the Thrift Board -- after consultations with the Employee Thrift Advisory Council, on which the NALC sits.
H.R. 1804 may be rolled into other legislation before it advances. The Senate is expected to take up consideration of legislation similar to H.R. 1804 in the near future. NALC will monitor its progress.
From the COLCPE COORDINATOR
COLCPE Report/Article So You Don’t Think It can happen To You
Think again. Please read through this article and see where your job and retirement can be affected. Just the past few days, Jan. 22-30, 2009, news articles in the Austin Statesman started with headlines as, “Amid dips in orders, earnings, Boeing plans to cut 10,000 jobs, ‘GM ends job bank program, will lay off 1,6000 participants, ‘Starbucks to cut 7,000 jobs, shut 300 shops worldwide, ‘Warner Bros. movies studio plans to cut nearly 800 jobs, ‘Clear Channel cuts 1,850 job, ‘ADM to cut 1,100 jobs, trim worker pay, ‘Circuit City to close remaining stores, 34,000 will lose jobs, ‘Hertz cutting 4,000 positions” and the headlines keeps coming each day. On top of plant closing and layoff, other companies are offering other alternative such as, “Freescale trims labor expenses, unpaid time off, wage freezes, ‘Spansion [chipmakers] extends unpaid furloughs through month, ‘Austin curbs hiring, raises, and under Economy-Employment, U.S. jobs vanish, ‘Major round of job losses, Caterpillar-20,000, Sprint Nextel-8,000, Pfizer-8,000, Hope Depot-7,000, Texas Instruments-3,400, General Motors-2,000,” for a total of approximately 48,400 jobs in just the few mentioned above companies. (Reference the Austin American Statesman)
Not even the National Football League [NFL] is unscathed, nor is the U.S. Postal Service. Just today, Jan. 30th. headlines declared that NFL to cut its staff by 10%, brace for an even a tougher year and that super bowl advertisements are down and ticket sales are slow. Also, “U.S. MAIL-FIVE DAY DELIVERY PROPOSED, Debt may do what sleet couldn’t.” (Underline added) That’s right; our own Postmaster General Jack Potter asked Congress to lift the requirement to deliver mail six days a week to save money. The declining in mail volume and the rising cost in doing business put the USPS $2.8 billion in the red last year. The article goes on to state that going to a five [5] day delivery workweek wouldn’t necessarily mean mail would not be delivered on Saturday but such as Tuesday when mail volume is low. Let’s look just a moment what this would mean to the employees of the Postal Service, basically the letter carriers. First, we wouldn’t need and PT/Fs or Temporary Employees. TEs would be laid off and PT/Fs would get very few hours, if any at all, so they would resign. NALC Level 2 [the old Level 6] would not be needed except to carry relief and to cover S/L and A/L. In essence, approximately one sixth [1/6] of the carrier work force would be misplace.
Think COLCPE could help us, you bet, and better bet the farm on it [COLCPE.]
Yes, COLCPE can, and must, help us to save our jobs and our future retirement. One thing that the Postmaster General knows is that two things must happen. First, and most important, is that it must have congressional approval to start such a movement and secondly, any decision on final changing delivery must be made by the Postal Service board of governors. Our job is to make sure it does not get to the board of governors. By doing this, we must stop the movement of 5 day delivery service in congress. We must make sure that each of our congressmen knows how passionately we feel about this movement. You can rest assure that my congressman will know how I feel.
I know our National officers will probably be sending out bulletins on the subject before you read this article as I’m writing this on1/30/’09. I know they will be fighting the movement by the Postmaster General a very level and as powerfully as possible.
On the local front we must do all we can to support our National officers. One way we can show support is to give to COLCPE. The active carriers can give just $5. per pay period to join the “Gimme $5. for COLCPE program. Your shop stewards have forms to join, if not, they will get you the forms. Retired carries can also participate in the “Gimme 5 for COLCPE by filling our form for retirees. I have these forms and will be glad to mail you a form if you call me at 459-5156. I also have them to give out at our retiree’s meetings. After all, It’s our retirement we are looking out for.
Branch 181 has 129 contributors to COLCPE, 60 for the active carriers and 69 for the retirees. Come on active carriers, it could be your job we are talking about. What’s $5? a pay period? Look for the February Postal Record and see if your name appears under Austin, TX. Br. 181. For COLCPE. If not, why not ????????????
Our 2008 COLCPE contest ended on Dec. 31, 2008. Names were drawn at the January Union meeting and the following individuals won the following article; 4th prize was a bar-B-Q grill won by carrier John Hess from Round Rock; 3r prize was a leather jacket won by Bill Hoagland from South Congress Station; 2nd prize was a 12 gauge pump shot gun won by retiree Ralph Fisher and the 1st place prize a 32” flat screen TV was won by Bill Reynolds from Bluebonnet Station. Congratulations to these winners but we are all winners when we donated to COLCPE.
Les Doss COLCPE Coordinator Br. 181, Austin.
