BURLINGTON, Vt., Aug. 7 – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders said today he agrees with Postal Service unions that oppose legislation likely to end Saturday mail service, significantly slow down delivery, close processing plants and eliminate door-to-door deliveries.
A bill by Sens. Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) was called “a serious threat” to the Postal Service in a joint letter signed by leaders of the American Postal Workers Union, National Association of Letter Carriers, National Postal Mail Handlers Union and the National Rural Letter Carriers Association.
The labor leaders said the Carper-Coburn legislation would dismantle mail processing and delivery networks, slash 80,000 jobs and retain elements of an onerous congressional mandate to pre-fund health benefits for future retirees. That mandate makes the Postal Service set aside $5.5 billion a year in a fund that already has more than enough to cover future benefits. Financing that mandate, which is unlike any in private business or other public-sector employers, accounts for about $4 out of every $5 in Postal Service debts.
Sanders applauded the unions, and said he will continue to work with them. And he questioned why the Carper-Coburn proposal retreats from a measure that passed the Senate one year ago with an overwhelming, bipartisan majority.
The Senate on April 25, 2012, voted 62-37 for a bill that had the support of 13 Republican senators. “It is hard for me to understand why the Senate should go backward and settle for a significantly weaker bill that, while not as strong as I would have liked, got an impressive 62 votes,” Sanders said. “That makes no sense.”
Unlike last year’s Senate-passed bill, the Carper-Coburn proposal would allow the Postal Service, over a short period of time, to shut mail processing plants, end Saturday delivery and open the door to additional weekday mail service cutbacks.
“While we all understand that the Postal Service is experiencing financial problems and that changes need to be made, I am convinced that substantially slowing down mail delivery and providing less service wouldn’t save the Postal Service, it would send it into a death spiral,” Sanders said. “That is why I am strongly opposed to this legislation that in the midst of a severe recession would lead to the elimination of tens of thousands of decent-paying jobs – many of them held by military veterans.”
Sanders on Feb. 13 introduced his own legislation, which now has 28 cosponsors, to modernize the Postal Service, save Saturday mail, and repeal the crippling law responsible for about 80 percent of the mail system’s funding woes. Similar legislation introduced in the House by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) now has 166 cosponsors.
Their legislation also would let the Postal Service look for innovative new ways to attract more customers by taking advantage of email and Internet services, for example. A commission made up of successful business innovators, small business and labor leaders would make additional recommendations on ways the Postal Service could generate new revenue. The bill also would reinstate overnight delivery standards to speed mail delivery and prevent shutdowns of mail sorting centers. Safeguards also would be put in place to protect rural post offices.
腕時計 ブランド ランキング
Unions concern is to cover retirement and salaries for the head honchos. Craft employees support union chiefs as it is their only means of protection against some management
hit people who will use any means to eliminate employees who standup for their contractual rights.
Any means to get votes: No service or economic cents considered. Whatever it takes to get votes, the good bad or ugly no sound common sense as to operating cost effective to provide a future for postal employees. Times have changed the needs of the USPS in being the means of communications for businesses and individual. Advances in communication technology has reduced the demand for postal services resulting in decreasing revenue resulting in massive debt. Market demand is increasing in parcel and shipping as is reflected in latest quarterly earnings.
6 day street delivery is a total wasted cost as it is portrayed as a decline in service. The need and demand for 6 day street delivery was a need in past history. The 21st century finds a continuing decrease in individual and business purchasing postage for delivery to a physical street address. Online shopping through Amazon and other
companies has created increased market demand for parcel deliver. These companies offer customers expedited delivery for a an extra fee. UPS. FED X and other parcel delivery firms offer 5 day delivery with Sat. delivery charged an extra fee. Sat. delivery of bulk junk mail is high distribution cost with low revenue generation.
5 day delivery, consolidation of congested areas of small office clusters should be consolidated or closed.
Fedup is correct, the unions are worried about their own revenue, less employees mean less dues. On the other hand, too many employees means something has to give, ie: either the number of employees has to shrink or our dollars per hour shrinks or benefits ect. Right now we are delivering 5 days worth of mail in 6 days, whats wrong with that picture?!! We need to go to 5 day delivery or WE the employees will pay through our paychecks!! The PMG has said that he does NOT want layoffs but wants attrition to lower the number of employees, this is a good thing. Remember about a decade ago when the union offered to go to 5 day? Carriers would work 5 days a week and retired carriers could come in on saturdays, carry the excess for $$ only, no benefits. What USPS is offering now isn’t much differant. Tell your union, tell your congressman-woman, “LET USPS GO TO 5 DAY AND GET POSTAL REFORM DONE!!!
keep saturday and take a big pay cut the volume is not there….
There are so many people that have all the solutions to the problems of the USPS & dont have an understanding of whats really going on!! They probably cant even balance their on family budget!!
Just end Saturday delivery!!!
FedUP,
You state: “We must change with the time, and the time dictates that people do no need the PO anymore.”
Really?!! Are you serious?
Who do YOU think mailed the 68.7 BILLION pieces of first class mail year? Who do YOU think shipped the 3.5 BILLION packages last year?
The people need us, that’s why the still use us.
Get the incentive package ready for carriers. Lets get out!!!
Yes, however, try looking “under” the table!
The NALC’s COLCPE has a donation limit of $5,000.00 per election cycle. You can’t buy a city councilman for that kind of money; much less a senator. Compare our donations to those of our corporate rivals, like FedEx and UPS (both of which contribute millions) and you’ll see who’s trying to buy senators and congressmen.
I wonder: How much money are the unions giving this guy to support their views? We do NOT need Saturday delivery! We don’t have enough mail for 5 day, let alone six. We are an advertising agency delivery company now…nothing more. For the unions to carry on like the mid 1980’s is going to be the demise of the whole company. We must change with the time, and the time dictates that people do not NEED the PO anymore. We are merely a convenience, and a convenience to the bulk mailer, at that. We charge pennies to mail this bulk, and pay our employees dollars to deliver it. That will equal a deficit, and any 9 year old can see that, so why can’t the unions? Ohhhh, that’s right, all they care about is more employees because more employees means more union dues. And to those of you who are going to argue what the unions “fought for” I say they are no different than money hounding management who care nothing about the over all picture and care only about their own pocket!
Trying to insure his political payoff come next election…Being in the Unions pocket does pay well….While the taxpayers will eventually pay for the inefficiencies that exist in the Postal Service.
Thank you mr Sanders. From
Postal employee for 29 years