“Today’s announcement is another grim reminder that we must act quickly if we want to save the Postal Service and the eight million jobs that rely on it. Although we’ve made some progress in moving postal reform bills forward in the House and Senate, we still have a lot of work that needs to be done in order to find a comprehensive solution to the Postal Service’s serious financial problems. In the absence of assistance from Congress and the Administration, the Postal Service has been forced to take matters into their own hands and try to modernize their business model with the limited tools and resources available to them. This situation is less than ideal. The few measures that the Postal Service can adopt on its own – such as closing distribution centers and slowing down first-class mail delivery times – to extend its survival and avoid insolvency will also potentially further erode its declining business. Make no mistake, this situation is dire, but it is not hopeless. My colleagues Sens. Lieberman (ID-CT), Collins (R-ME), and Brown (R-MA) and I have joined together to introduce the only comprehensive postal reform bill that is bipartisan – the 21st Century Postal Service Act (S.1789). We need to a comprehensive reform bill as soon as possible. It is my hope that Congress and the Administration can come together on this plan in order to save the Postal Service before it’s too late.”
Source: PostCom
The problem with the Postal Service is that people are trying to call it a Business!
And run it like a Business. The Postal Service is a Service! Which serves every person in every corner and every mountain top in the United States Of America!
We do this for $.44. No Business would ever be able to make money knowing that their costs are greater than their revenue. And over the years when we did turn a profit the “Powers in Washington” took the money for their own causes.
The Mailing industry is over a Trillion Dollars, with Printers, truck Drivers, Marketers,etc,etc being employed Nation wide,well over 3 Million people.
The IRS,Transportation Dept.,or State Department don’t turn a profit either but no-body is calling for their Dismantle! Its time to stop calling” The United States Postal Service” a business and trying to make it run like a business, or just take the word ” SERVICE” away!
Don’t you think that mail carrier is knapping because he is combining his lunch break and his 15 minute break together
Senator Carper is more than aware what the problem is….he was on the Senate Committee that approved the 2006 Postal Destruction and Golden Cash Goose Act… and NOW all he does is moan along with his TEAPUBLICAN FRIENDS.
The Congress is intent on DOING NOTHING while the Postal Service self destructs and dies.
@captbob: why not go over to that Postal Vehicle that you see parked and ask him how long his lunch break is and how much you would appreciate it if he wouldn’t NAP ON HIS TIME….bobby, YOU are part of the problem…and that is a VERY COMPLACENT ELECTORATE who have no idea what is going on.
I am not in favor of a dismantling of the USPS…having said that, I believe that a house cleaning is in order. I primarily use three Post Office in our area and what I see are disinterested workers doing a poor job of serving the public. Many of them look for ways to be away from there station to avoid waiting on the patrons. Some have long tenure but still appear to be poorly trained and unable to answer simple questions. I suspect the union applies pressure to so down to protect the slowest and dumbest employee. These particular offices seem to be quite inefficient and could use a good manager to organize and direct the workers. Another issue is the delivery postman, I observe nearly every day one particular truck parked in the shade while the postman naps for 45 minutes to an hour and a half. I suppose if he finishes the route to soon they might give him more work. The solution to the problem is not to dismantle the postal service but to kick out the poor managers and get managers that are serious about running the business and not covering their A**. If the unions don’t want to be part of the solution, break them and start over. It is time to run the system like a business not a paid retirement home.
I am a carrier with 32 yrs of service. Things have tightened up a lot the last 10 years. In 1999 usps had 800,000 employees, today we are under 600,000.. That is about a 27% workforce reduction. Every employee is contributing to our productivity increase. We have given the US. Government 25 billion$ the last 5 years. without this prefunding payment, 2012 would be the first year we lost money. There are true and difficult problems ahead. I suggest a 6 cent Ist class increase. The added income would give sensible people, Enough time to propose and implement a sensible new policy. I don’t know why management and Congress are screaming ‘THE SKY IS FALLING’. The US. Postal Service has been a valued and Integral part of this Country. Do not kick us to the curb, ‘YET’. The sky is NOT falling, your hair is ‘NOT’ on fire. SLOW DOWN / ask people, ask business, ask for suggestions. Now ASK YOURSELVES….. WHAT IS THE RUSH !! Congress and Postmaster Please answer that Question