06/23/2015 – The Postal Service has signaled it will try to derail a measure approved by the House Appropriations Committee on June 17 to restore postal service standards to the levels that were in place on July 1, 2012. The committee’s vote would rescind the lower service standards the USPS implemented on Jan. 5 – which have wreaked havoc on mail delivery.
APWU President Mark Dimondstein praised the committee’s vote, calling the amendment “a vivid example of how the demands of postal workers reflect the people’s demand for good postal service.” If enacted, the measure would require postal management to restore overnight mail delivery within cities and towns and the 2- and 3-day delivery standards that were wiped out in January. It also would make additional plant consolidations less feasible.
But in a statement on its website, the Postal Service called the amendment “financially and operationally indefensible,” and said it “encourages Congress to remove the requirement.”
In addition to “immediate implementation costs,” the USPS claimed “foregoing the benefits” of its “current operating model” would cost the agency $1.5 billion annually.
Dimondstein said the claim was preposterous. “The Postal Service should, at the very least, be honest with the American people and with Congress,” he said.
The APWU has vigorously opposed the degradation of service standards, calling it a step toward dismantling and privatizing the nation’s mail system.
“We have a lot of work to do to win support for the amendment in the Senate,” Dimondstein. “We will soon be calling on our members to help.”
The vote on the amendment, which was offered by Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-PA), was 26-23. Six Republicans joined all of the committee’s Democrats to vote in favor of the measure.
via APWU
Don’t care any more if the postal services dies.
The mailman comes to our houses everyday why not take advantage of that I need my mail on Saturdays specially when I am home to receive whatever had ordered, instead waiting for the others carriers to come at time that make me waste my whole day. Anyway my mailman knows me and trust him
Well put John. The unions will do anything to keep from 5 day delivery. We dont have the volume anymore, even tho the unions will tell u It’s rising. If that’s true then why are the carriers in our office pivoting 30 or more min a day? Times are changing in this business, and until the unions acknowledge that,.then they are actually hurting their members rather then working for them……. especially Rolando
Service standards for bulk business junk mail which composes 97%+ mail volume is a wasteful non needed expense. Parcel delivery is in demand and the primary means to create revenue. Communications both personal and business is electronic via computer and smart phones with new telecommunication apps being created daily. Communication by purchasing postage a delivery time of 1-2 days to a physical street address is comparable to a jet airplane to a covered wagon. Parcel revenue to SPLY is green other services RED as they create cost and zero revenue. 6 day mail street delivery is a waste. Deliver parcel 7 days a week as this cost effective revenue generator is in demand. Delivering Amazon
parcels on Sunday is cost effective as revenue is being created.
no more delivery for Amazon .people do not want to work any more. we are becoming a welfare country. The days married to your job are over, little or no benefits,no pensions, low wages the list goes on
Get a JOB
APWU is a disgrace….Unions are a disgrace….Stop worrying about how many members you have to get their dues and start worrying about he real problem….Mail volume….This is what u get when u get a bunch of uneducated workers getting paid good money, all they want is more without putting in the time…..5 day here we come
you will never get enough republicans on board: ITS ALL OVER!
I sure can’t argue about the uselessness of Congress, especially when it involves any legislation that affects the average American. They are corporate and defense industry whores. Period. Regardless of party affiliation. It doesn’t really matter if there are a few “good” legislators out there. They are severely punished by being removed from influential committee chairmanships, or even being on committees, can face election disasters behind the scenes and other nasty shit if they don’t play ball with their party line.
Still, the USPS management in their deranged way are still trying to deal with Congress and fight retaining industry standards. What if private companies did this? Can you imagine Wal-Mart announcing that to increase profits they will slash 20% of check out clerks, lower inventory so you can’t find anything you need, and only be open from 8 to 5 on weekdays? Of course you can’t. In the real business world that would be stupid, not to mention suicidal.
But as any long term postal employee can tell you, USPS management does not function in the real world. After the way they’ve perjured themselves over and over to Congress, and promised after certain lawmakers met with them that they would seriously reconsider plant closings and then shut them down anyway in defiance of the customers who literally begged them to keep the plants open, do they think Congress is really going to give a shit what they think? I don’t.
The better question is are you seeing UPS and FedEx closing down their facilities,degrading service and cutting their number of employees?
It”s already 2 late. Besides the U.S. Congress will never actually pass anything. They the most useless D.C. trash of all.