From the National Association of Postmasters of the US (NAPUS)
Tuesday’s business session at the NAPUS Leadership Conference lived up to President Bob Rapoza’s predication from the day before that some of the speakers will tell us what we want to hear; others will tell us what we don’t want to hear. It’s imperative, though, to be informed and have as much information as possible in order to be effective advocates for NAPUS and the Postal Service. Postmasters need to hear both sides.
Gene Del Polito, president of the Association for Postal Commerce, warned NAPUS members they may get a polite reception during their visits to Capitol Hill, but House Republicans have no intention of refunding or correcting USPS overpayments to its retirement and benefits funds. He said he has met with Hill staff who are unsympathetic and feel, “That’s not my problem, it’s the Postal Service’s problem.”And some on Capitol Hill think the Postal Service is a dying business. Polito disputed this: “No one is more of a geek than I am, but the belief that everybody is going to do business digitally doesn’t comport with reality or facts.”Not everyone allows technology to dictate his or her life. The Postal Service, he claimed, is evolving—not dying. “It’s a very powerful business tool. Mail still is an important part of how we do business.” He challenged Postmasters to choose one of two paths: Either figure out how to evolve the Postal Service, while explaining to Congress you need to be trusted with that responsibility and still meeting the nation’s needs, or continue with “business as usual.” He predicted a dire future unless Postmasters control their fate and take a responsible course of act
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) to conference attendees. Cefalo said Sanders is a friend of Postmasters and knows what rural post offices mean to America. Sanders thanked the Vermont Postmasters at the conference for the excellent work they do for the state. He said, “I don’t have to tell anyone you’re visiting Washington at a very difficult moment in our history.” He talked about the anti-federal-employee mood in the nation’s capital and said it’s disturbing because there are many people who work day and night for the federal government who are trying to do their best.
He referenced the attempt by the Postal Service and some in Congress to do away with the provision in current law that prohibits closing a post office for operating at a deficit. He read the pertinent section of Title 39 that says it is the intent of Congress that effective postal services be insured to urban and rural communities. “I like that statement,” he said. “Let’s fight to maintain it!”
Megan Brennan, USPS chief operating office and executive vice president, told NAPUS members her presence at the meeting was out of respect for NAPUS, President Bob Rapoza and Postmasters. “I know what a valuable partner NAPUS is,” she said. “Given what the challenges are, it’s critical that relationship develops and we develop the Postal Service for the 21st century marketplace.” She thanked Postmasters for doing the “heavy lifting” and for their leadership—not only in the Postal Service, but their communities, as well. She said the demands on Postmasters won’t lessen, but averred the work they do is critical for the Postal Service.
The USPS Must Evolve Its Business Plan
NAPUS Hears from Postal and Congressional Leaders
David Williams, USPS Inspector General, praised Postmasters for the jobs they are doing. He pointed out that, despite the Postal Service’s monetary losses the past four years, revenue was $67 billion last year. “That’s still enormous,” he said. “You are the largest and most robust post in the world.” He discussed the crippling and wrongful payments being made to OPM for benefit funds, claiming the Postal Service is being used as a cash cow. He mentioned various legislation addressing this issue introduced by Sens. Collins and Carper and Reps. Lynch and Connolly, in addition to the president’s budget acknowledging the overpayments. Besides these challenges, Williams talked about the need to modernize and innovate the Postal Service. He said the agency is in the middle of a communications revolution and there are tremendous opportunities out there.
Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) as a strong and loyal ally of Postmasters. Connolly said reports of the Postal Service’s demise are premature. He acknowledged the USPS is in an area of intense competition and it no longer has a monopoly on the market. “But,” he added, “it’s not true that it can’t respond.” In addressing the Postal Service’s overpayments to its benefits funds, he predicted those overpayments, amortized over the next 10 years, could entirely wipe out the agency’s operating loss. He also stressed it needs to look at developing a new business model for the future. Connolly added, “The Postal Service has a lot of competitive advantages. It was the recession, not the Internet, that hurt volume. We need to look at post offices as focal points for a lot more commercial and civic activities.
Ruth Goldway, chairman of the Postal Regulatory Commission, is an advocate of universal service. She said, basically, in the past six years, since the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act has been in place, the Postal Service has paid $21 billion into the health care retirement benefit fund established by that law and it’s lost $20 billion. If not for that $21 billion, it would have more than broken even and have less debt to carry forward.
Postmaster General Pat Donahoe thanked Postmasters for the excellent job they continue to do under trying conditions. He said there have been a lot of changes in the organization and in its legislative efforts. And any legislative efforts NAPUS makes with Congress are appreciated. Donahoe said he wants to look at all aspects of the Postal Service and make it simpler and easier for customers. “There’s a lot going on,” he said, “Be ready!” And some of the changes have to start at the top. “We’re reducing the officer head count, we’ve eliminated one area and will eliminate seven—if not 10—districts and shrink the others. Leaders need to lead,” he said. If those changes aren’t made, the Postal Service never will be financially healthy. He wants Postmasters to know what’s going on so they can let their employees know.
http://www.napus.org/napus-hears-from-postal-and-congressional-leaders/
Speaking of Flat Earth Morons eating the magic cheese….
To Ruby: Working Americans are the people that either go to work or have gone to work to earn their money, no matter what job they do, including ownership. Non-workers are the slugs selling drugs and waiting for a monthly check to be handed to them. THEY VOTE DEMOCRAT.
To the rest of you socialist:
Wealth is not zero sum, everybody can earn as much as they want. So if you think you have enough, fine. If you don’t, find more work or a better idea. Quit damning people for having more than you. If you want more…GET IT!
This country has too many whiners, and politicians getting rich from them.
Let’s see how many members of Congress have stock interest in UPS and FedEx…………..Come on OIG!
wagw slave what this country needs are people like you in congress ,not this overfed ,overaged,over paid pork sucking pieces of shit
that continue to benefit from all of us working our butts off for less and less everyday.
As an ex-republican I believe that they are now just representatives of the business and wealthy class and do whatever they can to destroy the government. From the business point of view, the less government regulation the higher the profits; even if the products are dangerous, illegal, or faulty. Now that the Supreme Court has decided to allow big corporations to donate as much money to Congress as they want, Congress will be controlled by the donations because they all want to be elected or re-elected no matter what.
In addition, the way the tax laws are written, big corporations can give all the money they want and a goodly portion of it is tax deductible. So, in essence, they use our money to beat us.
How does a company like Exxon-Mobil NOT pay any taxes, and at the same time they are cutting our government services ? ? ?
We invaded Iraq for nothing but to protect big oil interests. We didn’t learn from the Russians and invaded Afghanistan. Bush, very possibly the worst president in modern history, was photographed walking arm in arm with the king of Saudi Arabiia after it was found out that many of the hijackers in 9/11 were Saudis.
This is NOT about freedom and waving the flag; this is about making money and having power. Our Congress doesn’t give a hoot about us or their responsibility towards the people. They want to be elected for life and. as they already are , paid for life.
All that is ahppening now is a giant chess game for the benefit of the rich and giant corporations that OWN our politicians.
Vote them all out every year and we may regain control of our governmant.
Right on Wage Slave! Just say no to the magic cheese.
So USPS has been overpaying since the 1970’s?!? Whose fault is that? Some fool in charge gave it away like the fools in charge are destroying USPS now. That money is long gone.
Unload the overpaid bigshots who do nothing! For every upper management clown making 100K/year, float one small post office for that year instead. Make an entire community happy or make one buffoon happy? Hmmmm.
Upper management has had a lot of years to fix USPS and they haven’t done anything but line their own pockets and promote their equally useless cronies. Time to start trimimming the fat from the TOP!
Dear “Rite Way”- No one has been able to explain a couple of things to me
and my fellow workers.
First- How is it that REPAYING THE NATIONAL DEBT…something that will
take SIXTY OR SEVENTY YEARS OR MORE, AND ONLY IF YOU CUT ALL
EXPENDITURES IN A DRACONIAN WAY…will “CREATE JOBS” OR AN
“ECONOMIC RECOVERY” HERE IN AMERICA???
Second- Why is it that the COMMON WORKING MAN….NOT THE ONE’S
THAT “CREATED” THE BANKING CRISIS AND THE RESULTANT
WORLD ECONOMIC CRISIS…HAS TO “BEAR THE BRUNT” OF THE
SACRIFICE in wages, benefits and current/future INCOME SECURITY
in order TO REPAY THIS LARGE DEBT CREATED BY POLITICIANS
FIGHTING TWO UNPAID FOR WARS and who GAVE AWAY THE STORE
TO THE WEALTHY AND LARGE CORPORATIONS…AND STILL ARE
DOING THE SAME THING ???
Once you’ve done that….tell me WHAT THE HELL THAT HAS TO DO
WITH ME, MY FELLOW WORKERS AND THE USPS….
AND WHY DOES THE REPUBLIBAGGER PAID FOR PIG STY
still want to continue sucking the Postal Service DRY by continuing
the “PRE-FUNDING” FARCE and trying to force the USPS work force
(that would be ME AND MY FRIENDS) to give up wages and benefits
FOR THE BENEFIT OF LARGE BANKS, FINANCIAL MEGA INSTITUTIONS,
AND LARGE CORPORATIONS AND THEIR MEGA BUCK OWNERS
who STILL are reaping the benefits of LARGE TAX CREDITS AND CUTS???
Maybe YOU have eaten the BILLIONAIRE CONSERVATIVE KOCH
BROTHERS “magic cheese” bait that rots your mind to the point
THAT YOU NOD YES TO ANYTHING THEY TELL YOU AND REPEAT
WORD FOR WORD “we must have shared sacrifice”, “we must have
shared sacrifice”, “we must have shared sacrifice” WHILE THEY
SACRIFICE NOTHING BUT “MY WAGES AND BENEFITS”….
but I haven’t eaten that MAGIC CHEESE and I
CAN SEE PERFECTLY WHAT HAPPENED
AND “WE” HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.
Who can’t coast? Do you know what the f**k you are talking about? This country is as wealthy as ever. Difference from now and 40 years ago is: NOW – Top 1% controls 60% of the wealth. THEN – Top 1% controlled 27%.
Really folks??
Have you lookeda around lately? This country is in a huge hole.. The baby boomers are close to extinction, and are not driving the engine.. They are being pushed in their wheelchairs. Programs were enacted to take advantage of their muscle, but now they pull from the coffers and dont contribute..
We have to change the rules of the game.. We cant sustain what we are trying to keep going.
The baby boomers have disappeared with the middle class. The world is getting smaller, and competition is keener. Time for America to get back to work.
Post World War II, we did not have a country that was physicaly ravaged by war. We were able to work and profit from the rebuilding of Europe.
Guess what?? Europe is rebuilt, and the 3rd world is not so 3rd world anymore. We cant coast as we need to dig in for some tough times..
Its more than the Republicans want to give back,THANKS JACK!
The Republibaggers continue to rape the common working man, the poor, the
elderly, all public employees and people who are retired from their life’s work.
They continue to MILK THE USPS CASH COW FOR BILLIONS EVERY YEAR…and become offended when we ask them to stop…or for a refund of the OVER PAYMENTS.
There’s no end to the damage that these freaks want to do to our way of life.
If you are a common worker and you can’t see what these people are about,
then you are blind and in danger of being stepped on by these baggers.
“The Post Office will never change as long as there are no qualifications for management”.
I have decided to give back 5 dollars of my retirement check to help out the postal service. That’s not five dollars a month either. It’s a one time stimulus check
Don’t worry Obama will be placing a Democrat on the committee soon and send them Rep back in there holes they climbed out of.UNIONS RULE!
Since it looks as if we have Republicans and a few Democrats that do not care about all working Americans, we should do something about this in the next upcoming election. We need to put congressmen in that care about the people thry are representing! The Postal Service is a part of rhe Federal government, so why should our problem just be the Postal Service problem as one Republican stated. This is a clear signal to the Americans that are tax paying citizens that help keep this country alive economically, that we definitely have congressmen in office that do not give a —- about our jobs, or the middle class America. They only care about their high class of living. They do not care about the poor, elderly or children trying to get a decent education!! Shame on them!! They will have to answer to a higher power one day!!