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Letter carriers balk at budget proposal to cut back service

A union that represents mail carriers said a proposal in the president’s fiscal 2013 budget that would allow the U.S. Postal Service to cut back delivery to five days as early as January 2013 would endanger the organization’s viability.

“Eliminating Saturday delivery is a counter-productive proposal that would degrade services to the public and to businesses, threaten the viability of the Postal Service itself, and begin to dismantle the universal network that has served the country well for 200 years,” said Fredric Rolando, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers.

“Among those who would be most affected are residents of rural communities, the elderly, those who need medicines or other goods on weekends, not to mention small businesses, which are open weekends and need to send and receive financial documents—and which create two-thirds of all new jobs,” Rolando said in a statement.

He also maintained that the proposed cutback was “nonsensical” from a business standpoint. “Sacrificing 17 percent of service to save 3 percent of the budget is not a rational business formula,” Rolando said. “This would only drive customers away and further reduce revenues.”

Rolando also said the cutback would threaten the Postal Service’s participation in the business of delivering goods that are ordered online. The growth of those deliveries is responsible for one of the few bright spots in the most recent USPS financial report. Rolando said USPS is providing an increasing share of “last-mile delivery” of such packages for carriers such as UPS and FedEx.

“The best day to deliver those packages?” Rolando asked. “Saturday, when people are home.”


 

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Reader comments

Sat, Mar 3, 2012 Rand utah

Reduced use of postal mail results in serious budgetary deficits. The Obama administration has proposed ceasing Saturday deliveries to reduce wages and vehicle costs Ceasing Saturday service for residences may have small impact. But some businesses object, citing need for prompt delivery of orders and goods. An alternative might be considered to reduce costs while minimizing negative impacts on busines. A system of alternating delivery could be use ~ half the addresses would receive mail on Monday, Wednesday, & Friday. The other half addresses in the area would have mail deliveries on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. For most residential receivers, this delivery every other day would be acceptable. However some businesses fear the delay could be a significant detriment to their service & profitability. Such businesses could use a PO box. Deliveries to PO boxes would be made daily, 6 days/week. Such businesses could be given a special address symbol,such as DEL A to indicate that on Mon, Wed, and Fri their mail is delivered to their address. PO sorters will know that for Tues, Thurs, & Sat, mail for DEL A addresses goes to their PO Box. These businesses will go to the PO each Tues, Thurs, and Sat to pick up mail. Likewise DEL B addresses may indicate onsite deliveries on Tues, Thurs, & Sat, and PO Box deposit on Mon, Wed, and Sat. Fiscal benefits of this system could be large. Delivery vehicle fuel and maintenance costs would be cut in half. Significant reductions in delivery personnel costs might result. Each delivery day, mail carriers would be carrying twice as much mail per address, but delivered to half the addresses as is done today. Personnel #s in mail room, sorting, and customer service would at current levels. Businesses desiring delivery 6 days/wk would pay fees for a PO box. These businesses would also have costs to go to the PO 3 days/week to pick up mail. Or a fee of perhaps $10/day might be used to have mail delivered each day when mail is not scheduled. This may cost businesses ~ $120/month. Businesses which want it could schedule it as a regular billed service. This system would eliminate Postal Service deficits, would continue adequate mail deliveries, with additional fees for those who desire continued daily delivery.

Thu, Feb 16, 2012

So keep Saturday service and stop Monday Postal deliveries. That solves this illogical problem. Like others have said, there are other firms that deliver on Saturdays and packages are delivered during the week when most people aren't home. But more people are teleworking too.The govt. needs to stop the requirement for the post office to pay 10 years in advance (hope that's right) for retirement benefits. That's part of the problem. And the post office should open it's own online service like AOL; Yahoo; etc. Should have done it years ago.

Wed, Feb 15, 2012

I bet "tired taxpayer" wants to privatize prisons as well as social security. You might as well privatize the military while you are at it.

Wed, Feb 15, 2012

@ Tired Taxpayer. Your taxes don't support the postal service. You buy a stamp, that's your total contribution. USPS is self-supporting and has been for quite a years, ever since it ceased being the Post Office and started being the U.S. Postal Service. And Fedex and UPS both DO offer Saturday delivery. You can verify that with a five-second google search.

Wed, Feb 15, 2012 Tired Taxpayer

The bill would not endanger the viability of the USPS. UPS, FEDEX and others don't offer saturday delivery. Most mail is done electronically, checks are rarely mailed to recipients of government programs, normally direct deposit is required. The USPS has served well over the last 200 years, and to make it viable for the next 200 years, tough decisions have to be made, including eliminating Saturday delivery. Obviously unions would be upset as that would reduce positions and/or elminate overtime or contractor pay. It also has numerous benefits, namely saving $3Billion a year in taxpayers money. You can't complain about the deficit if you want to see the USPS continue to operate under the current loss, as a failing business/service of the government, which frankly is long overdue to be privatized, as it is not an essential governmental function any longer. Your logic to think that small businesses cannot create jobs without Saturday mail is ridiculous and is the same scare tatics used by democrats to with regards to the eldery and Social Security. You admit this would drive customers away, then that means you recognize there are alternatives to taxpayers footing the bill - privatize. Do you think the post office only delivers packages when people are home on Saturdays. You must have a third grade education to get to the conclusion that 17% of services will be sacrifices for one day of non-delivery - heck if that's the case, we should open up on Sundays. Stop fighting for personal agendas and start looking at what is best for our Nation.

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