The Mailbag

Dear Jeff Fox,

Hi, I read your Viewpoint in the most recent issue of the Garden State Letter Carrier on the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset, and your mention of treating CSRS employees as second class citizens. I however notice no mention to how these two laws also treat FERS employees with the same lack of respect.

Drift off with me for just a short journey, and bear with my ramblings as well. I am a Letter Carrier with NALC Branch 5420 (Bricktown) and I work out of Point Pleasant Beach (Boro Branch).

As FERS employees it is without a doubt that somewhere in our Postal System there are individuals that for some reason can’t contribute to either FERS or THRIFT savings. Sad but very true these same persons will count on their Social Security and the 1% the Postal Service contributes to our retirement. 1% what kind of retirement is that? (That’s not second class) This means if you don’t pay your own way you are going to have a tough time in retirement. Social Security is all you’ll have. OK, back to real life.

I am a FERS employee and able to contribute the maximum allowed. So when I retire at some point I will be expecting a check from both my FERS and Thrift savings. When I reach the age to collect Social Security I will be expecting that check as well, since that is my retirement as a FERS employee. That’s what I so dearly contributed to for more than forty years.

Oh but wait, that’s not what the article was about. It was about the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset. When I retire my Social Security will be cut by as much as 75% because of these two laws. What you say? How could that be? You pay Social Security, you’re not a CSRS employee, you’re a FERS employee and Social Security is your retirement.

Oh I forgot to mention, I served my country for 22 years in the NJ Air National Guard and I will receive a Military Pension at age 60. These two laws greatly affect me as well. While this was not the intention of these two laws, they do affect Military Veterans that just happen to be Government employees in their civilian life. This is my case.

When talking to Social Security they make it very clear, the law states that I can’t ever be denied my Military pension. But my Social Security will be reduced dollar for dollar from my Military retirement. (My guard retirement computation is currently $675 per month if I were age 60) That’s a really nice feeling for me that I paid into the Social Security System without getting a benefit. I just can’t seem to get anyone to see my point, if I had never joined the Air National Guard I would have received the same retirement pension. I just wonder if a class action lawsuit on behalf of all reservists in this same position would help.

I was told by the Air National Guard I would receive a pension after 20 years of service. And I will, but no one ever mentioned I was going to lose my Social Security by doing so. As a side note here, this also affects Railroad Retirement eligible employees who are FERS employees exactly the same! We have one of them at my office as well. His name just happens to be Thomas A. DeSanto, my brother.

Stephen D. DeSanto

NALC Branch 5420

Bricktown, NJ

Editor’s Note: Thank you for your letter Stephen. This is one of the many injustices perpetrated by this unfair law and I was re-miss in not mentioning its effect on many other employees. For this reason, we should all be politically active and work towards a change in legislation. We should all be registered with e-activist and contribute to C.O.L.C.P.E.

Dear Brother Fox,

First of all I congratulate you on your appointment to editor. I am a retired letter carrier from branch 768 Somerville of 35 years. I retired in 1988 and up until 1996 I attended branch meetings, as I moved to Pennsylvania. I am pleased you mentioned about the strike and the gratitude to we letter carriers who took that stand. I was vice-president of our branch at that time, and was pleased how the majority of our branch voted to strike, even though we knew the consequences of our actions. We were sure looking at the “Help wanted Ads”. But our national Officers and our powerful letter carrier union came through. I wish the non-members could understand the value of belonging to the union. Keep up the good editorials.

Sincerely,

William Tonna

Oxford, PA 19363

Hi Jeff,

In your last issue of Viewpoint you said you received two letters from retirees, well this makes three. We have known each other I guess 20 years, plus. You helped me a number of times carrying part of route 10. You have come a long way, being a professional letter carrier and editor of the Viewpoint. You’re the first person I can think of to say thanks for what we “all” did in 1970. Among those guys were my friends Billy, Pat, Red and Al.

One thing I want to say to all my fellow Brothers, join the NALC Health Plan. I have found it to be the best. It saved me 10’s of thousands of dollars.

Well Jeff, times up. Bob Bienes, route 10, retired in 1985. You guys gave me a great send off.

Keep up the good work, take care, and give my best to all my brothers at the P.O.

Sincerely,

Bob Bienes

Branch 3540 Teaneck

Tampa, Fl

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Dear Jeff,

It’s been 34 years and what I remember most about our strike was the anxiety of not knowing whether we’d be fired for striking. Remember what happened to the air traffic controllers years later? We at the Florham Park post office met with our brother carriers from the Madison office at the American Legion hall and through all the bickering we convinced most carriers to stay out. It’s true, if you don’t know what it was like before we could bargain and negotiate you can’t appreciate what has followed. I don’t know if my office was any worse than others but I do know what I suffered through. If Dennis Quinn and Bob Borgognoni would have been paid by the hour they’d be rich men today with all the hours they spent in Florham Park. I only remember one case where they didn’t win for the carrier. I’ve been retired for 12 years and am finally happy. I just hope the postmasters and supervisors are now as miserable as they made me and my fellow carriers. I would need volumes to tell it all. Even after 12 years the bitterness lingers on. Thanks to the NALC, Dennis and Bob for all they did for us. And thank you Jeff for listening.

Sincerely,

Mike Piero

NALC Branch #38

Florham Park, Retired

Dear Jeff Fox,

I read your article in the last issue of the Garden State Letter Carrier. I was moved by the respect you have for us who went on strike in 1970 for the good of the Postal Service. In Maplewood, our office was the second to go out after South Orange.

Jeff I thought I was long forgotten until I read your article. It’s people like you who rejuvenate me and make it all worthwhile.

“God Bless” I’ll treasure that article as long as I’m around.

Sincerely,

Casimir Dombrowski

Union, NJ

Retired Letter Carrier after 37 long fought years of my life in the Postal Service

NJSALC / editor
P.O. Box 333
Teaneck, NJ 07666
e-mail:njsalc@verizon.net