Stay in Touch and Informed
By Jimmy Warden
NAPS Secretary/Treasurer
One of the benefits of being a NAPS member is our communication network. One important channel of communication is branch websites. Some branches have established websites to communicate with their members. These websites are available for all members to view on the NAPS website at www.naps.org.
You can access these websites by clicking the dropdown box at the top under “Members,” then clicking on “External Resources.” The branch websites contain interesting and valuable information that could help you.
I also want to mention the 2024 National Convention “Best Website” award winner—Middle Tennessee Branch 32 President Robert Wakefield has established a weekly podcast, titled Saturday CuppaJoe Podcast, that you can find on their website, napsbranch32.org. Robert speaks weekly on issues that affect EAS employees and provides information by referencing provisions in the appropriate postal manual.
Join Robert every Saturday morning as he drinks his CuppaJoe. I encourage everyone to log in and listen; it could be helpful to you and your branch. Thanks, Robert, for all you do! If any branch has a website and would like it to be added to the NAPS website, please contact Sheena Williams at naps.sw@naps.org.
Some of you may receive emails through your respective regional and area vice presidents. As information is received at NAPS Headquarters, it is put into a board memo and sent to Executive Board officers, who, in turn, share the information with their branches. It is hoped branches have established an email listing of their members so this information can be easily sent.
As reports are updated by Postal Service Headquarters on a monthly basis (usually within the first week of the month), they are sent to the NAPS Executive Board for dissemination. These reports include the Station Manager Level Tool (WCS), Postmaster Level Tool (PS Form 150) and Supervisor Workload Credit (SWC). I’m currently trying to also have the SDO/MDO Staffing Tool. These reports are critical for each branch to review monthly.
Managers and postmasters should review the Postmaster and Station Manager Level Tool to ensure their level is correct or in need of being changed. For postmasters, if one’s level is in the zone of tolerance, it needs to be kept at that number for two years. Therefore, the sooner it is recognized, the sooner the level could be increased, resulting in a level (pay raise) for that respective postmaster. The NAPS Postmasters Committee, chaired by New York Area Vice President Dee Perez, currently is working on a proposal to present to the Postal Service seeking a change in the PS 150 program.
The SWC tool also is very useful. It helps offices/stations not only monitor their supervisor staffing, but also their craft staffing by assessing how many credits are needed to either gain or maintain a supervisor. I was informed by one branch of their best practice in using this report to see what offices/stations have supervisor vacancies. They then contact their district Human Resources office to see when a successful candidate has been selected. At that point, the branch contacts them to provide information about joining NAPS. The branch does not wait for the biweekly promotion report. This is being proactive in increasing membership.
Some branch presidents have called me because they cannot open the link for these reports. I do not have the capability to reformat the report. A possibility is it is such a large file it will not open on your personal computer. For those still employed by the Postal Service (I do not say active members as many of our retirees who we classify as associate are extremely active) can pull these reports among other reports by going on the Blue page, clicking on “staffing tools.” In the dropdown box, click on the report you wish to view. I strongly urge branches to view these reports monthly. It will help you be proactive with membership and get in front of any staffing changes.
As a reminder: Those signing new members between Dec. 1, 2024, and Feb. 28, 2025, will receive $50 for each new member they sponsor. This is an increase of $25 from the normal $25 sponsorship. Membership for October increased to 29,261. Great recruiting by all!
I want to wish everyone a very happy and healthy new year. A great New Year’s resolution could be everyone works to sign a new member—getting to 30,000 strong is within our reach! Enjoy and be safe.
And remember, increasing membership demonstrates leadership.
Categories: The Postal Supervisor
