U.S. Senator Thomas Carper, a Delaware Democrat, talks about legislation he is sponsoring to stabilize the finances of the U.S. Postal Service. Washington Post
36 thoughts on “Video: Carper Says USPS Should Encourage Workers to Retire”
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Puzzled clerk you are wrong some office have closed and employee’s are drtiving longer distances to get to work and I think an incentive would be taken even more now from employee’s that are close to retiring and even with 5 years of retirement
All levels of USPS need to pull together and change the work environment to reflect a more positive place to work and focus on CUSTOMER SERVICE as opposed to individual issues. Cutting service, days of delivery, limiting staffing has led to our demise. Whether young or senior, casual or PCES, every position has a purpose. SW Airlines almost went bankrupt 5 years ago and the employees gave up portions of their pensions and salaries to stay in operation and keep a job. Great people work for the postal service. How much are you willing to give ‘back’ to keep a job? When was the last time you said thank you to a customer or coworker? I’m sure there will be plenty of sarcastic remarks after this is posted. It’s time to leave the bad attitudes at the door. Whether or not we’re granted funding or early outs, if we don’t start treating our customers like they are always right, the deficit will keep getting larger. Think about it.
Big pension! Try fifteen years and $610.00 a month…..yeah I can live like a king.
Civil Service Pension people are fortunate but FERS are not going to live in luxury in their old age. Half of that, for sure, will be for healthcare.
Wrong Maynard How did you come up with that? How does one relate to the other, No one wants a piece of your pie or any body elses pie. We just want those to move along when their time is up. I for one do not feel anybody should be penalized for their success. I for one did not vote for Obama who is trying to make that happen. Maynard you sound like you have made some good choices for yourself and good for you. Sounds like you planned for your golden years, unlike maybe most of the others who failed to plan and now have to work till their dead. To me, it is those people who are trying to take a piece of my pie.
Those who say the old should move over, are the same ones who say the rich should pony up and pay for more stuff. Why does another person’s earnings belong at all to you? The fact is they don’t. This is not Communist Russia, at least not yet and that’s the philosophy that some people slip into and it’s understandable but wrong. Some people choose to take a risk with their lives and their money. The payoff can be exorbitant or total failure. Many of us work in a one size fits all government system where you all at certain levels get the same money; nothing more, nothing less. You generally get nothing else because you chose to risk nothing. And if you like that, that’s okay. But some of that, if you follow the news is ending due to cost of those kinds of government systems.
Me, I went 29 yrs postal clerk. Now ten more years Fed. The result, I doubled my pay, get locality pay, and am sticking around to 40 yrs. The risk, my first job was term limited and I was 52. Best of luck to all postal employees.
There are many good ideas on how to save the Postal Service money, but they don’t want to listen to anyone with good ideas. They keep going on about the 2 or 3 things and that’s it. I’m sure everyone has encountered some days where you could get done early, but don’t because you know you don’t stand a chance of going home early? We have LWOP, but nobody lets us use it, if there were no downfall about it affecting our retirement it would be ideal. If you can get done, go home without pay and no penalty against you. You get two for one, you get to leave early and the Post Office saves money, win-win. Similar to what the carriers in my city USED to get to do, sign the No Lunch list if you know you can get your route done in 8 hours with no assistance. Now I’ve heard the city I live in cancelled that, so what kind of incentive do you have for getting done early? NONE. Now, for the retirement thing, we have a minimum age of 18 that you have to be in order to work for the USPS, why not a MAXIMUM age? Works both ways if you ask me. I say allow 2 years from your legal retirement age and then you are out the door. So my retirement age according to SS is 67, so by the time I’m 69 I need to be gone. ( Hoping for much sooner if I can manage to do it ) There are lots of solutions out there, we need to start writing up ideas and mailing them to this committee working on the USPS solution to keep us in business. I’ve already started and I don’t plan on just sitting around and just waiting to see what happens. At least I can say I tried!
Here are a few suggestions to help relieve our debt. Do away with the VOE program, Advertise on the stamp, have a national lottery and have the Post Office as a pick up place for tickets, do away with saturday delivery, do away with postal positions that waste time, do away with details which are very costly, do away with upper management jobs that have nothing to do with moving the mail, delay the mail one day and have zero night time work that will save millions, and offer incentives (decent ones) to dump the old retirees like myself.
Someone needs to fire the ignorant host who was inarticulate at best. And doesn’t the fact that contract negotiations always seem to poisin the waters. If contracts were’nt up for negotiations would the Post Office be ready to implode. I’m not sure who to believe.
I am a clerk at the P&DC in Little Rock Arkansas, have worked for the Postal service 28 years…and I am 48 years old.
I love my job and my work family……it is my desire to work till I am 62.
Write your congress and OBAMA….we will always need the postal service…..remember if we go under…..so does Fed Ex and UPS…you see we are 3 companies that work togethere to get your mail and packages to you the quickest and most cost effective way possible.
We are a bussiness that does not use your tax dollars…the enconomy has hurt us as well as any other bussiness.
No company can do for you what we do for the price…any company that has tried has failed. Imagine if we were no longer and you relied on the internet only…..thar’s right your internet or cable will go up even more…you know that will happen and I PROMISE you all a sudden you will be charged a nice fee more than 44 cents to pay ALL your bills online.
So do what you need to keeps us PROUDLY getting your mail to you rain..hail..sleet or snow.
We do it RIGHT the FIRST time on TIME, EVERYTIME, EVERYDAY for you….and we enjoying providing you this service.
Write congress and OBAMA…..tell them them to keep the POSTAL SERVICE.
Thanks,
Connie Baxley
Well Joe……good post. I simply say that if you want people to retire..let them collect their Retirement!? Many of us have paid the extra money required to add our Military years towards Retirement.. Currently I have 27 years postal and 8 years Military (had to pay 3k) for a total of 35 years. However, the post office will not let me collect the third teir (social security) until my MRA (retirement age) which will be in two years @ 56. Want us to Retire? Let us collect it with no strings attached. How hard can that be? I do agree..let the younger people have a chance.
First of all, I agree with the idea when an employee is eligible to retire with full benefits, they should be made to do so. Why should someone with a family and half their life left to work before they are eligible to retire lose their job. I say go, do something you enjoy. Most people with 20 plus years under their belt have chips on their shoulders and do nothing but complain, but yet they wont leave. I dont understand what the person meant when they said the PO is not a business, What??? Are you saying that if you provide a service you are not a business? We all rely on the Post Office for a paycheck, I have read many suggestions on how the Post Office could save money, usually by someone losing their job. What I dont see is any suggestions on how the PO could bring in more money. Starting with ourselves. How many of you pay your bills online? If you do, then shame on you. You all want big fat checks to retire when you already are going to get a pension, something that is rare in the private sector. Many people would kill for that. Would it kill you to buy a book of stamps once in a while. I will agree with you that their are managers and supervisors that tick me off on a daily basis and often wonder how they managed to get out of bed in morning. I just don’t think they are the cause of the downfall of the PO. I just think they need a kick in the head, not a firing. The fact of the matter is, that the PO is indeed a business, and I hate to admit it, but I do agree with Pat Donahoe however he spells his name you cant give what you dont have. We all know this argument when we are trying to explain to a customer we are not holding back their check, we simply do not have it, I hate what it could mean for me. Totally disrupting my life. It doesnt change the fact that you cannot run a machine, if you have nothing to run on it. Do us all a favor, retire with or without a buy out. For heaven sakes stop paying your bills on line because your to lazy to cut a check. I also like to mention that I am not in management in any way shape or form. Im a PTF who in my opionion got screwed by my union, Did you all know that a PTF can no longer pick up extra hours in other offices. That is correct. Level 20 or 21 offices have to hire a PSE. So those of us in a little office can know longer pick up extra hours to try to get a 40 hour week. Thanks APWU.
The End Is Near!
Has anyone ever heard of “SPELL CHECK” ?!
To sucka I say I have 33 years and a veteran and I will never leave just to see scum like you booted out the door and being 58 I should be here for years to come.Walmart is hiring though you may be to stupid!
There should be no incentives for those who are eligible for “immediate retirement”. They should institute a high ‘5″ and you would see them out by the droves. Anybody with up to 1-10 years who are eligible for VER should be given $5,000 each year up to 25k for 5 years. Repeat “no incentives” for those eligible for immediate retirement. Sucka
The senator missed one point. The Postal Service is not a business but a service to the American people. What is this guy on? Did anyone notice how fast he talks.
How many people out there know that the higher ups DO NOT AND I REPEATE DO NOT PAY THEIR INSURANCE PREMIUM PER MONTH LIKE WE DO The Postal Service has covered this for years. I talked with a co worker today and we concurred clear out the fat at the top , get rid of those high paid non working people that get $100,00.00 per year as a carrier we do the work , not someone that sits in an airconditioned office all day durring the summer or in a heated office during the winter. These are the ones that need to go and by the way good for this guy. Have some supper auditor go into the district offices and do some digging Donehue or what ever the guy’s name is does not deserve $800.00.00 a year in pay and for what
Bring back lump sum retirement.
We all need to remember that the USPS is basically the last form of private communication left in our world. Our postal service provides an invaluable service to the people of our country and around the globe, and should remain the public service it was always meant to be. It just about guarantees the safety and privacy of your messages and possessions, and above all, your identity! No…nobody can just change your address to theirs…..a follow-up form is done to confirm such a change to the address that is changing. This was erroneously expressed on BZ the other day. You and your possesions are protected….like nothing else. Let’s stop throwing away the baby with the bath water around here….literally and figuratively! And long live the USPS!
Dear Observer,
No I am Not Management or EAS, I am a Bargaining Employee.
I was being very Conservative and Considerate for those who have not been able to retire by the age of 65 allowing a margin for them to get their financial situations in order.
Although the current law states we can not discriminate age, we have to draw a line, and think of our future generation.
The point I am making is that No one should be allowed to stay on forever. what ever that age is 65 , 70 , 72 or 75. I am just voicing my opinion at some point enough is enough and it has to end.
I apoligize if I have offended anyone, but you must understand the future is in the hands of your children and your childrens children.
Please be condiderate and step aside and enjoy your remaining years in retirement.
Do the Right Thing for All Man Kind.
i think this Senator Thomas Carper knows what he’s talking about, there’s a lot of us employees, especially civil service like myself, that if offered a decent incentive might take a early out, he also forgot to mention that we don’t pay into social security ,they replace us they will collect social security from new employees and u know how much they need that. i’m not the only one waiting to leave there are many in my office and all over the postal service. he knows he helped GM and the auto workers get their early out, we need to be behind him 100%
JLCNY, you are speaking out of both sides of your mouth with that statement. You want the older generation of postal workers to move over, but you want the retirement age moved to 72? How does that make sense? You must be a supervisor or manager to come up with that logic!
WE NEED TO CHANGE THE RETIREMENT AGE TO 72 YEARS OLD.
WE NEED TO GIVE FAMILIES STARTING OUT THEIR OPPORTUNITY, TO PUT, AND KEEP FOOD ON THE TABLE AND SAVE THEIR HOMES FROM FORECLOSURE AND PROVIDE AN EDUCATION FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
RETIREE’S AT 72 WILL STILL HAVE A GUARANTEED PENSION, TSP SAVINGS AND SOME WILL ALSO COLLECT SOCIAL SECURITY.
IF THEY NEED ADDITIONAL INCOME AFTER THAT THEY CAN FIND A PART TIME JOB ON THE OUTSIDE A FEW DAYS A WEEK.
THEY NEED TO BE CONSIDERATE AND MOVE OVER FOR THE NEXT GENERATION TO SURVIVE.
just my luck ….i just retired friday!!!!
Senator’s Collins and Carper with Congressman Stephen Lynch are the only elected officials that are honorable and sincere when dealing with the USPS. The USPS has been snubbing their noses at the Senate and Congress while fleecing the USPS of its monetary resources.
Congress should take the Post Office back, go through the books and start prosecuting the upper management that have stealing from the USPS. Once you start at the top, then work your way down to the front line supervisors who have doing managements dirty work. Think of the BILLION of $$$$$$$ DOLLARS that you would be saving by taking their retirement money away. Give them enough jail time to really think about their wrong doing(s).
Congress can still honor the Craft’s CBA’s and give the employee’s Retirement Security while hiring 2 in place of the 1 retiree. The new hires would have pro-rated benefits with a starting salary of $15.00 per hour and work 4 – 6 hours a day. They will work their way up to our level but it will take them longer giving them job security.
The postal lifer’s will die on the job since they dedicated their whole life to the Post Office and are committed to the end. For us others, I’ll take the pension and go work part-time (fighting fire’s or Card Dealing at a Casino).
Every move Management makes is mean spirited and will eventually backfire on them. I hope the Senate and Congress do the right thing.
USPS needs to rid itself of all the top heavy management.They get bonuses for the work the craft employees perform.They expect “miracales” to be done daily when they couldn`t havedone it before they were “promoted”. Daily they come in yelling or cussing if you can`t perform their miracle. Show me the money and I`ll gladly leave!
That video just puts a warm fuzzy feeling in my big fat belly. Many many of us old farts would be glad to leave as long as we are treated fairly and handed a large envelope full of cash.
First of all, the USPS needs to drastically reduce management. There are way too many supervisors and higher up positions. Secondly, offer us a REAL incentive!
Give us $50,000 and 5 years off age and 5 years off service and you will see a HUGE number of us retire! SHOW ME THE MONEY AND I AM OUTTA HERE!
one thing you left out….the 70-80 years old are not going to retire, a lot of them came in later in life and have worked other places and have their 40 quaters in.
they get full social security and 53K plus nite/weekend diff….these old birds are the wise ones….not going anywhere until they chain and padlock the door…..ain’t america grand.
no different then the greedy politicians & wall street crowd, po mismanagers with their fraudulent PFP bounus scam…..or George Soros for that matter still wrecking countries trying to make money off their currencies even though he has billions. remember GREED IS GOOD!
stinky, we must work in the same place.
The clerks are so old in the manual isle where I work that they all wear sweaters and flannel shirts during the summer,they all limp when they walk,they all fall asleep during lunch and while they are throwing mail,most park in handicap spots,the average age is between 60-70. and It takes them 20 minutes to go the bathroom. Is this starting to sound like I am describing an old age home?
Yes….but he was suggesting $10,000 to $20,000. The Postal Service already has “been there…done that”. They will never get hoards of employees to retire for that. Just sayin’……………..
Iam 53 and would take a VERA with or without any incentive, just to get out of here!
I say give them a block of cheese and tell them where to stuff it!
Now there is a man who people in a position to do something should listen to,incentives to retire and downsize to a realistic size for the new century like the auto companys did.It saved them and could save the USPS too!
This is the FIRST time I’ve heard anybody suggest that the money withheld from the pension payment be applied to incentives for VER… NOW, I’m listening!!!