Richard S. Hartunian, United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York, announced today that DANIEL MARKEL, age 51, of Syracuse, New York entered a guilty plea Monday, April 16, 2012, in U.S. District Court in Syracuse, New York before the Hon. David E. Peebles, U.S. Magistrate Judge. MARKEL, a letter carrier with the U.S. Post Office in Auburn, N.Y., admitted to defrauding the U.S. Postal Service and U.S. Department of Labor of $5,647.36 by making false statements and representations to obtain federal workers compensation benefits. The offense carries a maximum sentence of 1 year incarceration and a $100,000 fine.

In entering his guilty plea, MARKEL admitted in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1920 and 2(b), that he falsely represented that he was not incarcerated during a period that he was collecting workers compensation benefits. If MARKEL had truthfully disclosed the fact of his incarceration, his workers compensation benefits would have been suspended during the period of his incarceration.

Sentencing has been set for August 14, 2012, in Syracuse, New York.

APWU Web News Article 40-2012, April 19, 2012

The Senate could begin consideration of amendments to S. 1789, the 21st Century Postal Service Act, on April 19. Seventy-nine amendments were filed as of a 1 p.m. deadline on April 18, and they run the gamut from provisions that would eliminate workers’ protection against layoffs, to language that would extend the moratorium on consolidations, to provisions to protect the benefits of injured workers.

“The revised version of S. 1789 is better than the original version, but we continue to have serious concerns about several issues,” said APWU President Cliff Guffey. Read the rest of this entry »

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A Lawndale widow Wednesday night demanded justice for her husband, who was killed while delivering U.S. mail by a man driving a “bandit” taxi without a driver’s license.

“I miss him so much. I can’t be in my room no more. I say when I go home I start crying, can’t sleep in my bed,” said a distraught Janell Dunn, who lost her husband, Anthony nearly two months ago.

She said her and Anthony had planned on starting a family.

“This year was the year we were going to start a family, buy a house. You know we worked so hard for this and now all of a sudden our dreams got taken away from us,” Dunn said.

More: Widow Of Postal Worker Killed On Duty Wants Justice, Policy Changes « CBS Los Angeles.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

 
(U.S. SENATE) – As the Senate works to reform the U.S. Postal Service, Senator Jon Tester is introducing multiple measures to protect rural post offices in Montana and clamp down on the salaries of the organization’s top employees.

Tester, Montana’s only member of the committee that oversees the Postal Service, is pushing an amendment (online HERE) that blocks the Postal Service from closing any rural post offices for at least two years. After the two-year moratorium, the Postal Service could only close rural post offices if it meets certain requirements, such as verifying that another post office is within 10 miles and that seniors and people with disabilities will be able to receive service similar to what they currently receive.

“The folks in charge of the Postal Service just don’t understand how shutting down rural post offices hurts rural communities and the people and businesses who live and work there, ” Tester said. “Putting a hold on rural post office closures and holding the Postal Service’s top leaders accountable will protect rural America, and make sure the Postal Service isn’t making irresponsible decisions.” Read the rest of this entry »