Federal Daily - November 3, 2009

Union Says Postal Closings Higher in Underserved Communities

The process that the U.S. Postal Service uses to decide which branches to close or consolidate unfairly targets facilities in underserved communities, according to the American Postal Workers Union. In testimony submitted last month to the Postal Regulatory Commission, economist Anita B. Morrison and APWU steward Michael T. Barrett said an analysis of the closings shows facilities in areas with high percentages of low-income, minority and transit-dependent residents were disproportionately cited for closure. According to a news article posted Oct. 29 on the APWU Web site, more than three out of four stations under consideration for closure—287 of 371, or 78 percent—are in communities with median household incomes below the national average, Morrison testified—and 41 percent are in communities with incomes below $20,000. Households in these communities are most likely to be affected by the inconvenience and cost of accessing more distant post offices, she said. Facilities in less underprivileged areas were not as likely to be considered for closure, Morrison said, suggesting “that the process favors postal stations in more affluent neighborhoods.” To see more, go to: www.apwu.org/news/webart/2009/09-135-stations-prc-091029.htm.

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DoD, Guard to Receive H1N1 Vaccine Shipments

DoD is preparing to receive about 3.7 million doses of H1N1 vaccine over the next several weeks, with priority for the shots going to deployed and deploying forces, according to an Oct. 30 statement posted on the DoD Web site. Exact dates of when the vaccine will arrive will vary from state to state, DoD said. Priority also will also be given to new accession sites—including the service academies—and health care personnel. More than enough will be available for all military personnel and their beneficiaries, military medical experts say. Navy Cmdr. Danny Shiau, division chief for the Bureau of Navy Medicine and Surgery’s force health protection, said priorities for beneficiaries in the United States will follow federal and state guidelines whether beneficiaries opt to get the H1N1 vaccine at military treatment facilities or at non-military clinics. Overseas, civilian defense workers and beneficiaries will be able to get the vaccine at military treatment facilities. DoD also announced that it has acquired enough doses of the vaccine to immunize all 460,000 members of the National Guard. That supply will go out through the Army Medical Materiel Agency. To see more, go to: www.health.mil/Press/Release.aspx?ID=1005 or www.army.mil/-news/2009/10/30/29550-national-guard-to-be-included-in-dod-vaccination-effort/?ref=news-home-title2.

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