We have decided not to challenge the pilot program with Office Depot, which allows USPS services to be offered side-by-side with UPS products at Office Depot stores. President Burrus made the decision after an extensive review and discussion with Clerk Craft officers.

Although we are always concerned about the possible loss of jobs, we concluded that our members’ jobs were not at stake in this instance. We decided that the Office Depot venture, which is an extension of the Preferred Mailer program, has the potential to direct more business to the Postal Service.

UPS sells $100 million of goods and services per year through Office Depot stores and the USPS wants a share of that business. The USPS believes that when customers see how much they can save by using USPS services, they won’t go back to UPS. Currently, the average sale of Priority Mail packages in Office Depot is fewer than 10 pieces per day.

Office Depot will not offer a full array of retail services, but will sell priority mail, parcel post, and a limited amount of Express Mail (since the cut-off time makes it impossible to offer a “guaranteed” service).

In addition, the USPS has agreed to more communicate more openly with local unions in the future regarding such proposals.

source: APWU

note: Hmmm, it appears that another postal website likes Postalreporter’s title of this article..ah,well