The Postal Service’s announcement on March 7 [PDF] that it would suspend consolidation of mail processing and distribution centers during the “election mailing season” seems to have raised more questions than it answered. Lost in much of the reporting on the announcement is this pertinent quote from the USPS press release:
“Therefore, most closures or consolidations would have to take place starting after May 15, 2012, and be completed by August 31, 2012.”
It appears that the Postal Service intends to implement as many consolidations as possible between May 15 and Aug. 31; take a break, and resume consolidations early in 2013.
But the USPS refuses to provide any information about when it plans to close which facilities. The Postal Service announced plans to study approximately half of the nation’s mail processing facilities for consolidation in September. In December, in response to pressure from members of Congress, the USPS agreed to a moratorium until May 15, 2012.
In February, the postal officials approved the consolidation of 223 facilities, and notified the APWU that they plan to begin implementing the consolidations as soon as the moratorium ends.
States Complain
The March 7 announcement follows complaints from officials in several states that drastic cuts to the mail processing network could compromise elections that rely heavily on mail-in ballots. Some members of Congress asked for a delay in postal closings until after the November elections.
Last week, the Associated Press reported that officials in California and Arizona said that closing processing centers could delay the return of mail ballots beyond the deadline. Election officials in Ohio complained to the Postmaster General about the security of ballots sent to mail processing facilities across state lines. And in Oregon, whose residents vote by mail exclusively, the state registrar said voters in rural areas where post offices are scheduled to close would have nowhere to drop off ballots.
One in five voters cast ballots by mail in 2010, according the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.
“The Postal Service should be encouraging and supporting mail balloting,” APWU President Cliff Guffey said. “It represents an opportunity for growth.
“Instead, USPS consolidation plans could compromise elections in some states – in addition to jeopardizing the stability of the Postal Service itself,” he said.
Will It Help?
Will the suspension of consolidations during the “election mailing season” solve the problems reported by state election officials? That’s unclear.
Eleven primaries are scheduled between May 15 and the end of June, when consolidations would take place under the Postal Service’s current plan.
via Latest USPS Announcement on Consolidation Raises More Questions than It Answers.
It’s outrageous that the postal higher ups make so much money!!!! Their salaries need to be modified and lowered.
This is the end
Beautiful friend
This is the end
My only friend, the end
Of our elaborate plans, the end
Of everything that stands, the end
No safety or surprise, the end
I’ll never look into your eyes…again
so the thought is to suspend business because of the election coming up. What about the next election and the one after that. How do you draw the line? The obvious answer is, you shouldn’t. Keep the service, Stop the games, restructure with retention of jobs as number 2 only to service to the people of the US and abroad. That is as simple as i can put it. They should be working to find a way to make that work.
Credit people with 5 years of service ($5,000) up to the maximum. USPS is going to pay them 5K in annual leave anyways. If the USPS really wants to get rid of people they need to make an offer soon (6 are waiting for something at my plant) and second, give the people topped out NOTHING! In the future people won’t wait around for an offer if they’re maxed out if they know they won’t get anything.
Need to push consolidation as soon as possible. Demographics has changed many rural communities that existed 30 years ago into surburbs of cities and town. There is no need for so many small officies within radius of miles that now exist. Politicans play the game to preserve small offices to protect rural delivery. Many offices created nothing but rural routes in the past 15 years when areas where growing 12-15% and boundry lines had not been established with city carriers. Example a level 22 offices that in 1995 had 14 rural and 6 city routes now has 46 rural and 5 city routes. Delivery growth resulted in increased rural delivery due to route pay based on evaluated route time.
So some of you don’t like the union and you don’t like management. Who forced you at gun point to apply to work at the PO and who is forcing you to stay? No one owes you anything. Anything that is offered as far as incentives to retire should be for the good of the service and if you luck out and get something then good for you. This goes for ANY PO employee, management OR craft. Life isn’t alawys fair. Get over it!
Fasten your seat belts boys…its gonna be a real bumpy ride. I’m sure the APWU will put your union dues to good use. And maybe they’ll help Issa get in like they did back in 09. What!?…that can’t be?
if you and me would pull this schizophrenic bullshit, we would be fired and committed. over and over again, same result- failure. who will step up to the plate and save us from destruction. no longer proud to serve the usps as it disintegrates under this regime. 1973- ? letter carrier.
Give us a VERA and let us get to f…k out… I’m so sick of this s..t….
This is all such BS !!!!!!
Vera for PM’s…I will go and make a landing spot for someone.
Do I admit it. So what? I am getting mine!!!
If the USPS wants to stop consolidations during the election cycle isn’t that the same as admitting that consolidations will degrade mail service?
Guffey speaks, and no one listens, he tells the USPS like it is, and we continue to go under, yet this “Union” man Guffey, wants APWU members to remain to pay dues, VERA ?, Guffey does not want one, we are dead with this man, he is the captain of the Titanic.
APWU needs to do what all the other Unions and associations are doing, helping the members to get a decent incentive to get out of Rome, but the APWU , “As Rome Burns, Guffey searches for his Balls”, what a waste, corrupt management and Unions.
I was thinking that MANAGEMENT was more from the ASSAD school of leadership. SHELL EM then SHOOT ANY SURVIVORS!
USPS communicates information like the Iranian government. Just subpoena all the PMG s email communications,and expose the upper level managers for the liars they truely are. The president should just use an executive order and fire Donohoe.
Stop questioning me and do as I say. Trust me
JUST WHEN YOU DON’T THINK IT COULD GET ANY WORST.