USPS
cconsolidations
Impact on JFK USPS?
The U.S. Postal Service will
consolidate 18 of its mail processing
plants, coupling that announcement
on Tuesday with
plans to procure 45 new “annex”
facilities that will boost
the agency’s package delivery
capacity.
Calls were placed to the regional
USPS for comment on
whether the Post Office at JFK
would be impacted but no specific
response was provided
on JFK. Between 800-1,000,000
pieces of mail moved through
the JFK facility daily with the
use of the annex building during
peak periods.
The move highlights USPS’
shift from traditional mail
delivery to packages, a trend
ongoing for years and accelerated
42 AIRPORT VOICE, MAY 2021
during the COVID-19
pandemic. It will also reignite
a fight postal management has
avoided since 2015, when it
paused its efforts to close and
consolidate large numbers of
processing plants.
The Postal Service vowed to
not lay off any employees as a
result of the consolidations announced,
which will be completed
by November. USPS said
it will follow its labor contracts
for impacted employees. The
agency is currently in the midst
of offering voluntary early retirement
to much of its eligible
supervisory and administrative
staff and has indicated that layoffs
could be on the table if an
insufficient number of employees
accept.
Regional diversity
online Expo series
Connect MWBEs
with NYS
agencies
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced
that New York State will host
five events as part of the 2021 Regional
Minority- and Women-owned Business
Enterprises Online Opportunities
Expo Series. The Expos, which
will connect MWBEs with New York
State agencies, expert resources, information
on state projects, and tools
to access state contracting opportunities,
will run from June to August.
The 2021 Regional Minority- and
Women-Owned Business -Enterprises
Online Opportunities Expo Series,
New York City - Long Island, Thursday,
July 29, 2021
The 2021 NYS Regional MWBE Online
Opportunities Expo Series will
feature an online experience with
panel discussions, information on regional
projects, workshops on special
topics and other business development
resources. The Expos will also
include information about State-sponsored
financial and technical assistance
programs,
Chief Diversity Officer Julissa
Gutierrez said, “After a year of hardship
brought on by COVID-19, it is crucial
to build the state’s economy back
better and stronger than it’s ever been
before. In providing Minority- and
Women-Owned Business Enterprises
with tools and resources that will take
their businesses to new heights, New
York is leading the way by investing
in its greatest strength - its diversity.
In 2014, Governor Cuomo set a
30 percent state utilization goal for
MWBEs - the highest such goal in
the nation. In Fiscal Year 2019-2020,
MWBE utilization increased to 29.51
percent with MWBEs securing $3.14
billion in State contracts - up from
less than 10 percent and under $100
million in 2010.
Airlines asked
for indefnite
flight credits
Senators say consumers be
accomodated
Senators Edward J. Markey
(D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal
(D-Conn.), members of the
Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Committee, sent a letter
to each of the major domestic
airlines, urging every company
to make all pandemic-related
flight credits valid indefinitely
by default. The coronavirus
pandemic has created unprecedented
challenges for air travelers
whose plans have been
disrupted by health concerns,
government-mandated bans on
travel, and closed borders. Although
many consumers have
had to cancel flights due to no
fault of their own, many airlines
have denied them the cash refunds
they deserve, and are instead
issuing temporary flight
credits that are now beginning
to expire despite the ongoing
health emergency. They site
looming expiration dates and
complex airline policies may be
encouraging travelers to fly before
they feel safe boarding a
plane
Both Senators had previously
led their colleagues in
demanding airlines offer cash
refunds instead of temporary
flight credits, as well as filing
legislation that would require
the return of travelers’
money. Today’s letter follows
these prior efforts after new reports
have revealed that travelers
are struggling to navigate
each airline’s complex policies,
which may cause countless
consumers to be unable to redeem
their flight credits or redeem
them at a loss.
Tuskegee Airmen on air
New YouTube created
The Claude B. Govan Trio-State
Chapter, Tuskegee Airmen, has recently
launched a YouTube Channel
aimed at increasing awareness
understanding of the history of the
Tuskegee Airmen and their importance.
Many of the strides and opportunities
of today are a direct result of
their efforts, determination, and accomplishments.
Remembering their
particular challenge to the belief
that people of color did not possess
the intelligence, aptitude, or coordination
to fly or service airplanes,
black pilots today owe a dept of gratitude
to these trailblazers.
The chapter plans to add additional
videos regularly that will include
interviews with actual Airmen,
their children, and other persons of
interest.
Viewers can subscribe to the You-
Tube Channel in the hopes that the
Govan Chapter can acquire enough
funds for its education program. The
goal is to reach one thousand subscribers.
The link for the YouTube channel
is:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/
UC-9tmxk9Pp8ePX8PvQsRLLQ
/UC-9tmxk9Pp8ePX8PvQsRLLQ
/UC-9tmxk9Pp8ePX8PvQsRLLQ
/UC-9tmxk9Pp8ePX8PvQsRLLQ