Legislation to restore financial health to the U.S. Postal Service has gained more support in Congress, thanks in large part to the efforts of APWU members who have contacted lawmakers.
|
As of April 24, 20 senators and 120 representatives have signed on as co-sponsors of the Postal Service Protection Act (S. 316 in the Senate, H.R. 630 in the House).
The legislation would “go a long way toward solving the Postal Service’s financial crisis,” said APWU President Cliff Guffey. “It would make many of the planned cutbacks in service unnecessary; give postal employees a greater sense of security, and give the American people a Postal Service they can count on for the future,” he added.
Guffey called on union members to continue reaching out to lawmakers who have not yet signaled their support for the legislation.
“Our members must make sure that lawmakers — and the public — realize that widespread plant closings will delay mail by two to three days all week long, in cities and towns across the country,” he said.
“Plant closures have already forced the USPS to eliminate 25 percent of overnight mail delivery,” Guffey noted in an April mailing to APWU members. “Another round of closures will cripple service, further weaken this great American institution, make it less relevant, and make it less competitive.
As key lawmakers in both chambers are said to be close to reaching a bipartisan agreement on postal reform, APWU Legislative and Political Director Myke Reid said, “Additional support for the Postal Service Protection Act can help convince lawmakers that Congress must act soon to pass a responsible bill that will improve service, protect postal workers, and strengthen the Postal Service in the digital age.”
The Postal Service Protection Act would:
- Fix the Postal Service’s immediate financial crisis by ending the mandate that requires the USPS to pre-fund healthcare benefits for future retirees — a burden no other government agency or private company bears;
- Allow the Postal Service to recover overpayments the USPS made to federal pension plans;
- Re-establish overnight delivery standards for first-class mail, which would ensure the timely delivery of mail, help keep mail processing facilities open, and protect jobs;
- Protect six-day delivery;
- Allow the USPS to develop new products and services that would generate new sources of revenue, and
- Protect post offices by giving the Postal Regulatory Commission binding authority to prevent post offices from being closed based on the effect on the community and the effect on the employees.
Requiring the USPS to pre-fund retirement liabilities is the one sensible and fiscally responsible thing the USPS does. That no other private or public entity is so required to do so is the sort of oversight that leads to bankrupt governments such as that of Illinois.
The only bullet point in this bill that is both positive and beneficial is recouping overpayments to these plans. It would also be beneficial if the USPS were allowed to invest these savings in some interest-bearing fashion if they are not already so invested.
Endeavours to improve quality and speed of service are good business and a smart long-term plan, but hardly a short-term cost saving measure, which is what the USPS needs at present. I also see no explanation as to how the USPS intends to achieve this goal, which is likely to involve costs for updated equipment and/or development of and training for new proceedures – this will cost money the USPS does not have.
Introduction of new products and services is also a mistake. The USPS is already convoluted with its numerous flat-rate box plans. There are too many sizes of free priority mail boxes. This makes no sense. FedEx and UPS are perceived as being a premium service, but have four free box sizes, three small document-sized boxes and a tube, available only if you use express services, where the USPS offers a dozen sizes for a service perceived as being the bargain alternative.
Also problematic is permitting a government corporation that is effectively not allowed to turn a profit to compete in a low-margin retail marketplace of document and packaging services.
Regarding Saturday deliveries – again, this is a premium service for which USPS fails to charge premium rates. If the USPS wishes to maintain Saturday deliveries, it should charge accordingly. If doing so would require costly changes in logistical operations, then scrap the Saturday deliveries.
You Suckas in the post office don’t think. I’ve been in the post office less than 20 years and have nothing but an 8th grade education and yet, I have twice as much money in my TSP than anyone in my office with 25-30 years. Was I smarter than these college educated ninkapoops? No, I can barely read but I listened to business radio everyday (instead of sports or political radio) and followed their advice. If their is an early out coming soon, I’ll be ready(20 years postal+5 years military). Suckas if you didn’t understand what the internet would do to your job than you’re not smarter than this 8th grader.
Right On ET. Under Obama the rich got richer and everyone else got nothing. It’s been 4.5 years and no one blames the almighty one(Obama)for the economy. Things need to change, can’t keep going on this course. 5-Day delivery is the only answer and can’t wait for it to happen. When you have a something that is loosing money you have to make cuts. The pre-fund payment is a start but if we staop making that payment still 3-4 Billion in the red. So for all the people that say just stop the pre funding, you need to do something else and 5 day is the way. What has the union come up with. People say the union wants to save the P.O., all they want is to save people’s jobs who don’t deserve them so they can get there 23 dollars a pay check. The union is the real crooks and they are breaking the USPS. 5-Day all the way
The USPS started using “phantom” money back in 2007. A great example would be 2006 when the USPS processed record pieces of mail. Something like $216 Billion. Remember this! Like any other business you start projecting growth for the next year. Let’s say they projected 10% growth. The economy tanks in 2007 and actual volume goes down 10%. Instead of reporting only a 10% loss you combine the “phantom” money with it and you start telling people mail is down 20%. Which situation sounds more dire especially with contract bargaining around the corner. You tell a lie often enough and loud enough it somehow starts to become believable and just becomes accepted as truth.
Way to go comrade frankcomoroski, you just love wallowing in that class warfare nonsense don’t you?
And the democrats just love to steal money from the working class and give it to people who don’t want to work for a living…along with the illegal aliens, the Syrian rebels, the Egyptians, the Muslim Brotherhood, the Israelis, the Jordanians, the Saudis and any other third world dictator that is cramming socialism down the throats of their population.
Oh, and it’s Obama’s GE and other democrat supported industry names who pay no taxes, so bag your righteous indignation toward the “republican wing of the democrat party”.
Bottom line what ever action is taken cost must be reduced as demand for postal services will continue to decline. Efforts should be directed to increase market share in parcel, shipping, as well as to get increase in market share in express and priority. USPS founded expedited delivery in creating express mail but lost market to Fed X and UPS. USPS has less than 10% of Express market as the hanchos who lacked vision failed to see a need to increase advertising and selling Express mail. Priority Express has a chance to increase market for this product as a means to create revenue.
Six day street delivery is a wasted cost in todays paper communication market which depends on paper delivery if process cannot be processed electronically. Online marketing has created a second chance for the USPS to make a comeback.
Some whiz bang lawmakers need to have a brain check to realize times have changed in the 21st century and the need for 6 day delivery is as cost effective as an iceberg in the rain forest. PRC needs to be educated as to the needed for small post offices in 7-8 mile radius of each other. Americans no longer live in the Agri-Industrial age. A Starbuck or McDonalds, Wendys is more accommodating and in demand in todays world more than a cost laden small office that pays a postmaster $63000 to sell stamps and box mail.. Length of service and level of office determine salary not the need to meet customer demand. Another wasted cost without benefits for USPS or public.
accommodates people needs
Postal management keeps telling us that volume is down 25%, in reality it is down 10%. 1st class mail is the 25% they keep talking about. Standard mail keeps going up in volume 2-3% per year and is now over half the volume. USPS used to deliver 550 million pieces a day that number is now 500 million a day. The work force is down 25% and they still can’t make ends meet, even without the PAEA requirement.
Why continue paying dues to a union that has to continuously rely on others to provide you “security” in your job. President Goofus…why do you allow junior non-veteran union stewards to bump senior military veterans? Why am I not allowed to question the APWU’s hush-hush Officer only Retirement Plan which I paid for with my union dues so only you fat-cats at 1300 L Street could double dip? President Goofus…why am I continually called out of order at union meetings when I ask these questions? Is this your democracy in action?
bkizzle, what part of protecting six day delivery don’t you understand to mean Saturday delivery? The new products and services we can use to support six day as well. First class mail has dropped off. We can’t support six day without parcels and any other services we can provide to protect it and our jobs. Some of you guys need to get a grip. We have guys in our Local with degrees that couldn’t get jobs. They came to the Postal Service. This is a good paying job even with all the nonsense we have to put up with. We need to look for ways to protect it and stop worrying about how much more work it will be for us. The more work the shorter my Route will be and my legs and knees will last longer. The runners are the biggest complainers because they think they should be able to run a Route in six hours and have play time. If you do your job the way it is supposed to be done and be where you are supposed to be when they look for you then you won’t have any problems. Stop running and then expect to be able to goof of. Demonstration is what they look for. If you can demonstrate that you can do a Route faster they will expect you to do it all the time. And then add to what you do until you can’t do anything else in time allotted. STOP RUNNING. Do your job professionally and realize what they will do if you don’t
right on arlo the gop is fond of stealing money from the working class and giving tax breaks to the so called job creators
We have several carriers and clerks with degrees. Fact is, a college education in most fields except medicine, law and engineering perhaps just don’t pay much better than a good blue collar job. College doesn’t have the advantages it used to. Far too many universities pack in useless courses that have nothing to do with a person’s field of interest, where many degrees could be earned in half the time. I majored in radio/television, thank God I didn’t pursue that career, and they made me take trig, which I’d never taken, advanced biology where we had to memorize the breakdown of a stomach enzyme chain or something to that effect. Now that’s information I can certainly apply in everyday life. Then, we have football and basketball factories where sports are the only thing that matters.
Most college courses are rote learning, cram to memorize unrelated shit only to never use it again once you’ve passed your finals. Not to mention how expensive college is.
Many companies are not paying much attention to college experience. My nephew attended a few semesters but became a whiz at big computers like servers and has a nice job running several servers. He had the goods, and the company knew it.
If I had pursued my major, I’d still be earning much less than what I get right now, with miserable hours and little chance of advancing to major networks where a person could make a living. Plus the stress, job insecurity and inability to settle in anywhere, who needs it?
I take offense at the person who thinks postal employees are stupid. I am a musician, a good writer, and have run my local branch for probably 15 years. I am well read, love history and good books, and I can hold my own intellectually next to anybody on a general basis. Of course I can’t compete with a doctor but I know some of them who, outside their work, are dumber than roaches. You simply can’t rate intelligence on formal education. Learning is an everyday process for those smart enough to realize it. Being a carrier gives me a nice home, two cars and luxuries like musical equipment, computers, hi-def TV and nice vacations.
Plus, I don’t have the pressure of management. I deliver my route and I’m done for the day.
Now what is stupid about that?
Hey Jackie, I guess you have no college and no degree. I have several friends who do, and guess what, they were unemployed for more than a year, until they became a PSE. I do not believe just because you have a degree prevents you from being laid off. In fact you are more likely to be laid off because of the high salary you may be making. duh duh
Which employees will retire when the service is steadfast on a part-time work force and very little benefits. Part-timers will not retire as we know retirement.So much for the pre-fund, but who is the pre-fund intended for?
Hey Smarty, we are paying for 75 years in advance, people who are not even born yet. Don’t you think that is a little excessive. Especially since the money goes into the general treasury fund for the government to spend in any way they want. Which means the money is already spent.
Sounds great, except what happens when those future retirees,retire?
Go to college and get some skills and degree, don’t work for PO.
Nothing about saturdays ?? This bill blows!!! Keep the mandate so my pension is there, screw new products…. We have enough parcels!!! Just give me weekends and allow me to salvage what life I have left. It would be nice to hook up a 3 day weekend with a sick call here and there…. Even though you don’t get paid sick in my office!!! Lol!!! Joke!!!