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VPP was also launched in cooperation with OSHA. VPP emphasizes cooperative efforts by managers, craft employees, and union representatives to identify and eliminate unsafe working conditions and practices to reduce the number and severity of job-related injuries and illnesses. The Postal Service was the first federal entity accepted into OSHA's corporate pilot and has 26 VPP worksites participating. Union leadership, expanded safety committees, and management commitment have been key to the current program success. The Postal Service's commitment to safety will remain firm. While ERRP and VPP are still relatively new, they are proven concepts that work. The Postal Service will expand ERRP and VPP throughout its operations. Overall, the Postal Service will build upon its partnership with OSHA and the unions to continue reducing injuries and illnesses.

To further enhance the environment, the Postal Service has made it easier for employees to manage their benefits by using Web-based technology. Employees can now process a number of personnel transactions using the telephone and kiosks as part of self-service offerings and year-to-date successfully completed two million transactions by using these services. PostalPeople will feature redesigned processes that streamline, standardize, and automate HR processes by replacing existing, outdated technology with one, fully integrated HR system that will include a Shared Service Center and enhanced self-service. The result will be "one-stop shopping" for all employees and managers to conduct their personnel activities.

Reduce Disputes

Engaging employees at the workplace has produced some very positive results. Through the use of dispute resolution and intervention process, the Postal Service has dramatically reduced the number of workplace disputes.

A reorganization of the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) function is underway, in an effort to place emphasis on and renewed accountability in the EEO system and drive the functional performance toward beneficial goals. Goals include reducing the number of workplace disputes, early resolution of disputes, improving workplace environment issues, and reducing costs associated with formal complaint processing. EEO professionals will continue to use the highly successful REDRESS (Resolve Employment Disputes Reach Equitable Solutions Swiftly) mediation program to help employees and management reach resolution of their disputes. Since 2001 formal complaints in the Postal Service have been reduced by 24 percent while at the same time a 19 percent reduction occurred for informal complaints.