Norton Wants Postal Service to Reverse Changes that Lengthen First-Class Delivery and Return Night Time Delivery Risks to Letter Carriers
(October 15, 2014) WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today released a letter Norton sent to United States Postal Service (USPS) Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe that asks him to reconsider the consolidation of more than 80 mail-processing centers in January 2015 that will delay First-Class and other mail delivery, without public input. A recent USPS Inspector General report said the decision to consolidate several mail-processing centers across the United States should have included comment from the public, as required by law, but USPS moved forward without notice to the public. Norton said, “Cutting services that customers have become accustomed to will not only lead to customer dissatisfaction, but it has the potential of affecting USPS revenue.”
In July, a USPS Inspector General report ranked the District of Columbia as the worst in the nation for late mail delivery, with more than two-thirds of residents and businesses receiving mail after 5 p.m. Norton has written previously regarding the need to eliminate late deliveries in the District and nationally, following the killing of Tyson Barnette, a USPS letter carrier killed while delivering mail at night in Prince George’s County, Maryland. USPS itself has set a goal of having 95 percent of its city carriers complete mail deliveries before 5 p.m.
USPS also failed to conduct any feasibility studies to determine the impact of the consolidations on the 95 mail facilities that will be taking over the operations of the consolidated mail-processing centers or on consumers. Besides increases in mail delivery times for First-Class mail, Norton cited new risks to letter carriers who will be delivering mail after dark and delays of medications and vote-by-mail ballots.
Norton’s letter follows:
October 15, 2014
Patrick R. Donahoe
Postmaster General
United States Postal Service
475 L’Enfant Plaza SW
Washington, DC 20260
Dear Postmaster General Donahoe,
I am concerned about the impact of the United States Postal Service (USPS) decision to consolidate over 80 mail-processing centers in January 2015. According to last week’s USPS inspector general report, the decision to consolidate several mail-processing centers across the United States should have included input from the public. However, the report indicated that not only did USPS decide to consolidate these centers without notice to the public, as required by law, but the agency failed to conduct any feasibility studies to determine the impact of consolidation on the 95 mail facilities that will be taking over the operations of the consolidated mail-processing centers or on consumers. Despite these issues, USPS has decided not to postpone the consolidation to do an impact study or inform the public of potential changes even though it has the ability to do so.
The consolidations will cause harm to the quality of USPS services and USPS workers. As a result of the consolidations, there will be an increase in mail delivery times for First-Class Mail, with some areas of the country experiencing even higher increases than other parts of the country. In addition, overnight delivery of some First-Class Mail will no longer be an option, but will be shifted to two-day delivery, and two-day delivery will be pushed to three-day delivery. Customers will also be faced with delays in all types of mail, including medications and vote-by-mail ballots. Cutting services that customers have become accustomed to will not only lead to dissatisfaction but has the potential of affecting USPS revenue.
USPS letter carriers will also suffer from the consequences of the consolidations. Letter carriers will, once again, be faced with the inherent risks of delivering mail after dark, and customers may receive their mail at night. In July, a USPS inspector general report ranked the District of Columbia as the worst in the nation for late mail delivery, with more than two-thirds of residents and businesses receiving mail after 5 p.m. I have written previously regarding the need to eliminate late deliveries not only in the District but in the nation following the killing of Tyson Barnette, a USPS letter carrier killed while delivering mail at night in Prince George’s County,
Maryland. USPS itself has set a goal that 95 percent of its city carriers complete mail deliveries before 5 p.m. It is estimated that eliminating late mail delivery can save USPS approximately $4.5 million per year.
However, as a senior member of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, I am aware that the Congress is deeply implicated in changes the USPS believes must be made. Many of my colleagues on the committee and subcommittee of jurisdiction continue to work to reduce the requirement that the postal service pre-pay retiree health benefits.
While the consolidations are expected to save USPS approximately $750 million per year, the costs to USPS customers and workers must be considered. I urge USPS to reconsider the decision to move forward with the consolidations of mail-processing centers in January 2015, maintain the current standard for First-Class mail, seek public input before potential changes to USPS services, and conduct feasibility studies before making another decision to consolidate.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter. I ask that you give full and fair consideration to this request, consistent with applicable law, rules, and regulations. I request a response within 30 days.
Sincerely,
Eleanor Holmes Norton
USPS OIG: Lack of Service Standard Change Information in Area Mail Processing Feasibility Studies
Next on CNN:
Diamonstein demands that George Bush be impeached! Oh…wait a minute…scratch that!
News at 11:00!
The title said ~ Read this,, a dem looking for votes close to election day!
October 20, 2014
Dear Congresswoman Holmes-Norton,
Thank you SO MUCH for your understanding & support of the US Postal Service workers’ fight to keep the standards and service the nation expects. Your distinguished career and personal record of integrity is yet another Proof that our cause to maintain reliable, affordable, and equal communication for ALL AMERICANS is RIGHT, RESPONSIBLE & DEMOCRATIC.
We Postal Workers are counting on the common-sense and Patriotic Obligation of all Members of Congress to side with You & US against SPECIAL INTERESTS and unbridled profiteering. These craven & cynical Carpet-Baggers have lied to their constituents to access Political Power and followed their own self-interests hoping to profit from the historic labor and dedication of all Postal employees up to the present. We the People have built America, including the best Free & Equal National Communication System in the World, and they would tear it apart, like hyenas on a solitary and exhausted wildebeast.
It may be far from the daily experience of Members of Congress and other power brokers, but ordinary folk are embattled with the loss of one after another of the simple benefits of living in the Land of the Free. Just ask your colleagues, as I ask my neighbors and customers, “How do you like your Phone Service today and your access to free televised NEWS, SINCE DEREGULATION of these industries have created Monopolies bigger and worse than those of the early 1900’s??” Imagine the same treatment and fate of our LAST FUNCTIONING NATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK, The United States Postal SERVICE? Millions will be left outside the loop, with vital information and delivery of goods inaccessible to them, because of location or cost.
It really IS a simple choice between right and wrong. Do our ELECTED Representatives vote for what’s RIGHT & OBVIOUS for the PEOPLE, the 99% Majority, or will they continue to DENY their complicity in another punishing WRONG, landing on the backs of the People who trusted them.
Keep up the FIGHT and NEVER LET YOUR VOICE (and that of the People) BE IGNORED.
WE THANK YOU & BLESS YOU for your continued Service to the Causes of the People.
Sincerely,
Heather Howell
US Postal Worker,
San Luis Obispo, California 93401
please oh please, then do something congress. its been 5 years or more you have been sitting on your lame arses.
and its not just the postal situation, its the country.
Dear Congressman Norton,
If congress just refigures the pre-pay using current postal staffing you will find that the postal service has already paid it in full, being that they have already reduced staffing and half of the plants since 2006. If Congress were to take this into account the postal service would be able to be a stable and profitable company once again. Then there would be no reason for the PMG to go through with the consolidations and the Postal Service could start to grow and expand their services to bring in more profit and replace their vehicles as they have stated is a must do.
PUBLIC INPUT….What’s that?
Every change the USPS has made, has been under the table. The public is totally in the dark to the changes too…… Custom Made by the US CONGRESS!
He threw the letter to the trash and laugh out loudly….Hahahaha!!!!!!
good luck with that Ms Norton! hell he won’t listen to nobody, he is bent on hell to shrink the USPS and to let his vulture buddies come in and eat it alive. Your only choice is to get the POTUS to fire his ass!
The jobs that will be affected because of these senseless reductions are also cause for much concern! Keep destroying the middle class & watch where this country ends up!!
Oh ISIS please don’t cut my head off.
Oh PMG please don’t close more plants.
Congress you are a bunch of losers….
Ms. Congresswoman:
Nice letter, but the USPS will do what it, or should I say, Darryl Issa and other union haters want it to. That means ignoring the law, because the USPS knows Congress has no teeth or guts, and will bitch about it for the cameras and then forget about it. Delivery will continue to erode, carriers will be attacked and tragically, killed, and Donahoe will not care. He is out to kill the USPS and the four unions, plain and simple.
I think Congress has the authority to stop this horrible PMG. I don’t think it has the will. Your constituents will be the final judges and will take out their frustrations on you. I suggest you get on the stick.
Downahole will only laugh if a Congressman threatens to fire him as only the BOG can do that and the four sitting members on the BOG are nothing but Downahole stooges.
I bet most don’t know that commercial mailers, who pay a fraction of the cost of a first class stamp, will be the only ones that get an overnight delivery guarantee.
Who the heck owns the US Postal Service?
Why ask? just tell him he will be fired if he does not follow the law.
It’s sad to see a congress person pleade with the USPS. Trying to ask them to stop the consolidations. Don’t pleade with them tell them to stop. You can tell him to stop or he will be removed from the Office of PMG. What a sad sad day when the voice of the poeple is not listen to and the voice of the elite takes over.
Downahole only listens to Darrell Issa,Paul Ryan and the Rethuglican privatizers in Congress,you,Rep.Holmes Norton,a non voting member are wasting your time.
Talking is cheap, just give pmg billions dollars for budget to stop the consolidations. LOL……