"...a budget accounting trick that would finance road projects by preventing a future bailout of the U.S. Postal Service. But the top postal official says he couldn’t be more pleased. “We not only need five-day delivery,” Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe said..."
"...provisions in the 2013 Postal Reform Act that would restructure its health care plan, shift to a six-day package / five-day mail delivery model..."
"...The postal service’s board of governors made the decision Tuesday, according to a statement from the agency. “The board believes that Congress has left it with no choice..."
This Article is From: www.washingtonpost.com
"...“Given the importance of the post office to communities in Nevada and across our nation, such a drastic policy change cannot be enacted without approval from Congress,” Reid said. “Instead, the postmaster general relied on flawed legal guidance to claim that he can circumvent Congress’ s authority on the matter.”..."
This Article is From: www.washingtonpost.com
"...“Logic dictates that when USPS and the Administration repeatedly request that Congress explicitly provide USPS the authority to reduce mail service from 6-days to 5-days, it is clear acknowledgement that, absent Congressional action, USPS lacks the statutory authority to do so,” Reps. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) and Sam Graves (R-Mo.) wrote in a letter to the nation’s postmaster general...."
This Article is From: www.irontontribune.com
"...Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat, offered an amendment that would have extended for two years the moratorium on closings. His amendment failed to obtain the needed 60 votes on Wednesday, and he voted against the final bill. "Without the inclusion of a two-year moratorium, I will not support the final passage of the Postal Reform bill," Manchin tweeted...."
"...allowing USPS to transition to five-day per week delivery starting in 2013..."
"...While it might seem logical that the unions’ opposition to five-day-delivery is motivated by job preservation, Smith said most contracts include language preventing employee layoffs. Union members were given that assurance in exchange for their not being allowed to strike, he said...."
"..."instead of reducing service from six to five days a week, the Postal Service ought to be looking at a 24-hour model like the competition," Connolly said.
He said looking at creative ways of expanding customer service is how USPS will be able to stay competitive. ..."
"...In response to questions by Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Postmaster General John E. Potter admitted that predictions that the Postal Service would amass losses of $238 billion by the year 2020 were “theoretical.” The exchange confirms allegations made by the APWU that the USPS forecast is wildly exaggerated, outlandish and unsupported. [See Phony Deficit Projections Mask Management’s Real Goal]..."
"...eliminating Saturday delivery, the Postal Service has also said that it wants to raise postage fees. If these changes are implemented, Netflix's finely tuned business model could suffer a serious blow. ..."
"...street delivery and blue box collections will be eliminated on Saturdays, Express Mail service will continue seven days a week, Post Offices currently open on Saturday will remain open, PO Box accessibility will continue and bulk mail and drop shipments will continue to be accepted at facilities that are currently open. If implemented, Pulcrano told the Board the estimated annual savings would be $3.1bn...."
"...This website is designed to provide postal customers with information regarding our proposal to implement a five-day delivery schedule for street addresses. ..."
"...“One thing that’s likely going to happen is when USPS pulls their Saturday service, business owners that have a need for Saturday delivery are likely going to hop on the Internet and do a typical Google search,” he said...."
"...“Postal management has intensified its financial problems by offering excessive worksharing discounts to major mailers and by subcontracting work at exorbitant costs,” Burrus said. Worksharing discounts are given to mailers that pre-sort and pre-barcode their mail, he said, but the discounts exceed the costs the Postal Service avoids when the work is performed by mailers. “Subcontracting is another important source of waste and inefficiency,” he noted.
“We call for a thorough investigation by the Office of the Inspector General into the expanding role of subcontracting and the inflated costs associated with them,” he said.
“Furthermore, we reject any effort to pollute the collective bargaining process with threats of draconian work-rule changes.” Contract negotiations will begin in August. ..."
"...On Monday the USPS will share its survival plan. Word is officials plan to ask Congress for permission to shorten its work week and to change its retiree health benefits...."
"...President Obama has unveiled a budget for the U.S. Postal Service that would keep six-day mail service and not require increases in worker contributions to health-care coverage, pleasing postal unions that have fought cutbacks at the agency...."
"...Earlier this year the United States Postal Service's postmaster general caused a stir when he told Congress the USPS may temporarily drop one day of mail delivery. But the likelihood of going from six-day delivery to five days is slim..."
"...The House Appropriations Committee approving an amendment from Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA) that would require the USPS to study the cost effectiveness and fuel consumption of a five-day delivery system and consumer demand for Saturday postal mail. Kingston said in a June 26 press release he’s been trying to get the postal service to end Saturday delivery for years. “It’s a perfect example of government waste that is driving up the price at the pump,” he said...."
