photo credit: APWU
Many APWU members have asked, “What makes the Staples program so important? How is it different from the other programs that outsource postal retail functions – the grocery stores that sell stamps and the Village Post Offices in hardware stores and gas stations in small towns?”
“The difference is the scale,” said Clerk Craft Director Clint Burleson. “We’re not happy about Village Post Offices or grocery stores selling stamps, either,” he said. “But Staples is a national chain with 1,600 stores. And the Staples postal units are performing many of the functions our retail clerks perform.
The USPS Five-Year Business Plan dated April 2013 reports that 40 percent of retail operations are provided through “alternative access,” including personal computers, stamps-only sales at grocery stores and other outlets, Burelson pointed out.
“Contract Postal Units account for less than 2 percent of retail revenue,” he noted. “But if the Staples plan takes hold, it would be another major step toward full-scale privatization of retail operations.”
And the Five-Year Business Plan states management’s goals for retail operations. Among them: “Increase alternate access retail revenue from 40 percent to 60 percent.”
Why am I being censored? Postings must be ringing too true for some folks eh?
Another photo op for Diamondstein. What’s in this for him? Will he get additional window jobs for his lemmings…no. Will he intimidate the private sector big shots…no. Does Staples need this business from USPS…no. Will he ever get those trucker jobs back for his MVS craft that he allowed to go to private firms…no. Will he appear to be doing something for the minions…yes. Does anyone care…no. Will Telly answer for the missing funds in his local’s treasury…no. Move on folks…nothing to see here but usual union politics, so just fork over your dues and move on!
Hours of operation for p.o.’s are not convenient for people that work until 5pm. Staples would help to provide this convenience for weeknights and weekend hours. Right now the people that come in during regular business hours are people on their lunch time or customers that don’t work during the day. This could be a win win situation for the post office financially and provide more convenience for the customer.
What makes Staples different ~~~ how about customer service? How about clerk attitude? How about 1 stop for office supplies and PO transactions? How about hours of operations? Mostly, how customers are treated as PO employees are more often nasty than not.
Chuck, could you point out to me in the constitution the mandate for the postal service to sell postage. Its my understanding that Staples will not be delivering mail, or have I missed something. I also think you have missed the mark on retirement pensions. Pension are approved by OPM, the personnel department for the federal government, my pension is not a “postal service pension” but an OPM pension a “federal government pension”. The postal service must still provide universal mail delivery for “First Class Mail”, which it has a monopoly to do by law. But it does not enjoy a monopoly on all things “shipping and mailing”. Have a great day Chuck.
I wonder if retired would feel the same way if the adjusting was to their retirement check. Staples is only looking out for their financial interest like all greedy corporations. The Postal Service is constitutionally required to provide mail delivery to all Americans no matter where they live or if it is profitable! Instead of adjusting to the wants of corporations, why don’t we standup and fight to keep a good thing for the American public before it is to late!
Much ado about nothing.
More Dimondstein rhetoric. Whip everyone into a frenzy! The sky is falling!
Post office isnt going anywhere. Wont be privatized.
Who do you think generates all that cash the idiots in DC blow every day? The post office is the golden cow and they know it. Dont get fooled people. Take all of our revenue out of the equation in the federal budget and you will really see the sinking ship and who’s at the helm
Well said JP, I believe you are a fine representative of most postal employees. But times are changing and we have to adjust.
agree with JP. It is a shame because you always here ” upper management doesn’t have a clue” but the fact is they do but have their own agendas. Some with the politicians, some with big business,ie Fed Ex, UPS AND STAPLES and even the Commander in chief who wanted the postal unions for backing during his campaign when he ran has turned a blind eye on the bs payment we have had to make and put us in the red and labor cuts. The plan is to run it into the ground so the only alternative is to privatize and another way to screw the American people!
Yes, I am a retail window clerk with the USPS. I am a professional at my job. I help my customers and I protect postal revenue. What I see as a major problem will be staples employees, caring about the security of the mail, the safety of the mail and protecting postal revenue. Postal employees are bound by federal laws to protect the mail and revenue. So I can see a customer coming to the retail staples counter with a large flat rate box and telling the staples employee that they want to send their package standard mail/media mail/book rate. Why is the staples employee going care whether the USPS collects the correct revenue for a package or not. Postal inspectors preach, at least in my area about revenue fraud. Revenue fraud will run rampant at a staples, because why should they care. I wouldn’t have any problem with postal services being offered at every staples as long as a USPS clerk is working the counter. Yes, us low level USPS retail window clerks would not have a problem working the staples shipping counter 7 days a week and all hours that staples has the shipping counter open. I don’t know a usps retail window clerk who would have a problem with post office’s being open more hours and days. Especially at Christmas. It’s upper management that keeps cutting office hours reducing customer convenience.
The difference is, someone(s) in postal mgmt. has Staples stock.