The postal unit at the Staples store in Westborough MA. (Photo courtesy of Evan Kalish, Going Postal)
On Nov. 10, in a deal that has been in the works at least since March, the USPS announced it was launching a pilot program to put postal retail units in Staples stores across the country. Some sites opened quietly in October and others have opened in the last two weeks, including some where ribbon-cutting ceremonies were held.
Staples is the largest retailer of office supplies in the country, with almost 1,600 stores. The pilot will begin at 84 sites, and, if it is successful, may be extended to other Staples stores. Agreements between the USPS and other big retailers may follow.
“This is a direct assault on our jobs and on public postal services,” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein.
“The APWU supports the expansion of postal services. But we are adamantly opposed to USPS plans to replace good-paying union jobs with non-union low-wage jobs held by workers who have no accountability for the safety and security of the mail,” he said. “Postal workers deserve better, and our customers deserve better.”
In a meeting with Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe on Nov. 20, the union president insisted that if the plan proceeds, the postal units at Staples must be staffed by career postal employees. The APWU has requested information about the specifics of the deal, and has instructed the union’s attorneys to explore legal avenues to challenge the program.
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The APWU also has requested a meeting with Ron Sargent, the Chairman and CEO of Staples, to discuss our concerns, Dimondstein said. He also expects to have additional discussions with postal management.
“While these efforts proceed, we will begin preparations for protests at Staple stores across the country,” he said. The APWU Executive Board discussed the issue via telephone on Nov. 22 and endorsed the plan to fight back.
“Postal management will undoubtedly try to convince our members that this arrangement is beneficial because it creates revenue for the USPS,” Dimondstein said. “But revenue without good union jobs is not in the interest of our members. Postal services that are performed by anyone other than well-trained postal workers will not serve the American people well,” he said.
“This is a huge step toward privatizing retail services,” Dimondstein said. “If we don’t draw a line in the sand, mail processing and other operations will soon follow.”
The Staples units will offer most postal products and services: They will sell stamps; accept first-class letters, Priority, Priority Express, standard mail, and first-class packages, and accept certified mail. The units will be operational during Staples’ business hours — as late as 9 p.m. on weekdays, on Sundays and many holidays. And, in a unique arrangement, the office supply giant will offer 5% Staples Rewards for the postage on packages paid for and shipped at its locations.
“We can only stop these privatization plans if we work and fight together,” Dimondstein said. “We will keep APWU members informed of any progress at the national level. In the meantime, prepare for action!”
It cost us 40 cents to sell a dollar’s worth of postage at a traditional post office. We must find more and cheaper ways to sell postal products. Unfortunately, window clerks are overpaid compared to other retail workers and it is hurting the service as a whole.
The jury is still out on Dimondstein. Anyone endored by burris I have my doubts about. Boycott staples> “it’s that easy”.
Dimondstein can say what he likes – he probably had a movement over this, but that is what they promised you. They are going to have a movement all over the membership of the APWU.
It will be interesting to see how long it will take the APWU membership get wise to these impotent clowns and we organize a picket at APWU HQ complete with angry peasants and burning torches.
USPS should have teamed with UPS store who has the best in customer service. Staples primary concern is retail in electronics and office supplies. UPS is a post office WITH THE BEST IN CUSTOMER SERVICE.
@ barryb
At least you participate, I give you credit for that. That’s more than the 75% of your fellow members. But the “I got the no layoff protection, I’m not worried” attitude is the same mindset that threw future generations under the bus, by voting in the last contract.Your last sentence is ironically correct – you and the Union are going nowhere. Sowed the seeds of your own demise. Ignorance is bliss. Keep the blinders on, enjoy the ride down.
i call my reps when asked by my union. i have done the phonebank at the main unionhall located downtown. i have gone to union meetings and was a steward for a while. i still keep fellow carriers at my office informed. all im saying is stay informed and act when asked. retail has been selling postal supplies for decades. have fun in your doom and gloom world afraid to spend your hard earned money. i will enjoy life knowing i have a great career and always will. i was worried about getting my six years in to be protected. i am so far past that now. like i say stay informed but be happy we are going nowhere.
Wow! I’m amazed at some of the statements made by the NY carriers.
Since the recession we have been hearing how much money the post office has been losing. A huge chunk of it is the 5.5 billion for ret health care every year which is fully funded for many years to come. This year the Po would actually show a profit of 500,000 if it were not for that redundant payment. The post office was never designed to make a profit, its a service and it should not lose money either. The truth is their is a lot of profit to be made if the post office goes private. That starts with cutting jobs, 5 day delivery, hiring cheaper employee’s (almost half the wage, no benefits(health or retirement).Also something going on in my office in boston which is a neat trick by management, is supervisor’s scanning parcels notice left that never leave the building and the customer comes to the po to pick up as if the carrier left them a notice. Guess who they don’t need if that continues? I’m sure that goes on in NY too.
@CPT WACK, but is that meeting wit wAL MART going to be servd with sanwdiches …??? ahhh, write a memmo wit you ?
Dan Matthews there are more with a “shady background” in the PO than Staples. The PO should have made the deal with Walmart! Mark wants a meeting with the CEO,,, a joke. Why would he take even 20 seconds with a pissant?
@BERRYB, you re right. I jest noticed the comments here, and yes i agrea, 2 many troll comments. And why, this is nt what this postal reprter is suppose 2-B about…..nnow, back to my puzzy sandwdsiche now…
Wht ever happenedd 2 BARRY B…..YES, he is a TROLL, pretending with his shortsighted posts here that he cares, he doesn’t. How many emalls have he sent to his electid Washngton DC official ? How many, but he complains bout how bad thingz R…YEAH BARRYB (B standz for “BOOB”), write a letter to yo senaturs and your representetives. Instead of mouthing off to the sandwidsich man……You do not care for yo job, DO YOU little gringo that you like.. U R a gringa..
@ JC VELMO/VELCO/VELO/VELDO/VELE:
Immitatting is the greetest compilment. Peroid. So thank you’se.
Now @ barryb, you lick the bloddy sores that grow on yo’s moommey’s puzzy, and that cannot bee good for bizzness.
NOW, back to the bizzness, are my SANDWIDSICHES going ot banned from all postal employyes diet ?
Very worries about this, abd barryB is a one big boob. He is not a posrtal empoyee/r, barryb is part time casuul and he fantazizes bout peamnut butter abd grape sandwdishce every day he goes without a casaul job.
This is not about union jobs it is about the security of the mail. Postal employees go through a backround check and a drug test. I am sure that staple employees do not. Also staples cannot offer all products or services that a USPS office can because they are not staffed with postal employees. If I am sending out a parcel I want to be sure that I am not handing it to a person with a shady backround.
Ny Carrier you are so right. Well Said…All the union cares about is your money and trying to get as many people as possible to pay 23.44 a pay check…The pathetic union does not care about revenue’s all they care about is our money going to them to sit on their fat asses and do nothing…
@ barryb
You are living in bubble, thinking that your job is secure and the mighty union will take care of everything. They are the ones that just gave away the store, agreeing to a two tier pay system and a boatload of non-career hires. Management’s whole goal is to get rid of as many F/T careers as possible, like you. As facilities and plants get closed, enjoy being excessed and re-assigned, maybe a couple of hundred miles, or RIFed altogether. You can stick your head in the sand and believe the union will protect you from all these realities. Your wages and benefits will continue to shrink.
More and more, retail will be contracted out because it doesn’t take a genius to sell stamps or rate a package. Money orders can be bought anywhere. Permit mailers will eventually be compelled to go to a few entry units. Other postal services like Canada and New Zealand already figured this out and have contracted out retail. Pitney Bowes already operates about 20 mail processing plants under contract. Not that hard to add some more. From an economic standpoint, managers in DC are saying, why should we pay someone with a H.S. diploma $50K a year, plus benefits to sell stamps? Especially when some of them only bid the job for the hours and have rotten attitudes / customer service skills? Call in sick at the drop of a hat? Think Staple employees can get away with that nonsense? Have fun in the bubble, before it bursts.
Didn’t we already go down this road a few years ago with Sears? That didn’t work out so well. You can already buy stamps from banks, grocery stores, online…selling stamps isn’t a big deal. Who wouldn’t love trudging all the way to the back of a big Staples store with a jammed parking lot to mail a package.
Watch cspan, see what congress is saying about you. Sitting around and doing nothing helped pass the PAEA of 2006. We can’t afford to loose more ground that previous generations fought and died for.
this web site draws more trolls than any other. This will have now effect on our postal jobs. settle down people the postoffice and our jobs are going nowhere. there are only two ways to live life with a postal career. either worried about doom and gloom or enjoy a great paying secure career. the doom and gloom has been going on for 50 years. i myself am enjoying a great career knowing the future is secure. i support my union and give to colcep as everyone should. and i thank my union for doing the great job we do. keep informed dont believe everything you here.
Mail Box Etc? Didn’t UPS buy them out? Opening Postal Facilities in Staples will assure the closure of Post Offices in metropolitian areas. Diamondstein is doing the right thing making the public aware, that this move to privatize will cut revenue for the USPS and kill good paying jobs.
“They will sell stamps; accept first-class letters, Priority, Priority Express, standard mail, and first-class packages, and accept certified mail.”
So these Staples “clerks” will be trained to operate as a bulk mail acceptance unit? What will these people know about mailing requirements and standard mail regulations?
Yeah, let’s protest at Staples! Good idea, Dimondstein! Nothing will get the public on our side like a bunch of loud, disruptive postal workers interfering with their shopping! Maybe we should get the Grand Alliance involved? Yutz!
This country was built on democracy or was it the unity of the early settlers pulling together for the betterment of all. All unions have accomplished is to provide livable wages and a safe and better work environment for all. If we don’t strive to maintain unity, we will surely fall. Get back to the basics and work for what is better for all the people. We must stop the establishment from expanding the gap between the poor and the rich. It will only lead to turmoil.
don’t forget COPA
WHATS NEXT:
your guess is as good as mine
join your union today, unite.
we love are post office, support union jobs.
SUCK THIS:
go union so NY carrier can enjoy 1rst class SANDSWSICHES.
dearest santa,
need a brain….mine is SANDSWSICHES….please help
READ THIS:
how much will they charge for 1rst class SANDSWSICHES ?
that are? I’ll let that go because I always have typo’s also. But you go and ask those people and have them tell you who they work for, or who signs their checks. the ones I’ve been in are wearing target uniforms under their starbucks aprons. But if you say so. Then use the mailbox etc senerio, what’s that reason gonna be. Those are private owners who buy into a franchise who sell fed ex, ups, and po boxes, actually taking business away from the local PO selling a PO box to those customers,so why doesnt the unions complain about that lost business, oh yeah because its not costing them union dues, just USPS revenue so then it’s ok…….getting back to my intial point
that are not target employees. period, nice try.
What’s next, shut down all the mailbox etc stores because they are not USPS employees either? Step up to the times union. Their are starbucks in every Target you go into now,but they are run by target employees! The “real” starbucks workes dont care because those “target” employees are selling their product and making the starbucks brand that much more visual and profitable..oh but that’s right the unions only want the Post office to be profitable if and only if it benefits their particular union. That my friends is the problem in a nut shell. To many hands in the cookie jar and too many chiefs..