From Postcom.org:
PRC Chair Ruth Goldway today told attendees of the IDEAlliance Print Distribution conference that the Postal Service’s proclamation that it will lose $238 billion over the next 10 years if nothing changes is an “unsubstantiated figure with no connection to reality.” Goldway said the USPS is presenting dire forecasts to scare Congress into allowing the USPS to do the things it has wanted to do for years, such as moving to 5-day delivery, closing retail services and consolidating its network. She urged the IDEAlliance crowd to focus on more positive things like new product development ideas and going back to basics on initiatives such as IMb and FSS. “Panic is not the way to go,” she said of the USPS’ 10-year plan.
Goldway said that she thinks there is widespread traction in Congress for some fix on the USPS retiree health benefits fund issue. She said if Congress and the mailing community can continue to focus on working that out, it would take the immediate pressure off the Postal Service “and give us time to consider what is needed going forward.”
The PRC Chair also discussed the likelihood of the USPS filing an exigent rate case to take effect January 2, 2011. She said the PRC expects the USPS to file something as soon as July 2, which would meet the 90-day advance notice the USPS had committed to giving its customers before a price change, or later if the USPS decides to either shorten that time frame or push the implementation date beyond Jan 2. Goldway confirmed that in an exigent case, the PRC can make changes to the USPS’ proposal without the limitations that exist in a price cap case, and noted that in an exigent case the PRC has the final decision — not the USPS Governors.
Goldway acknowledged, however, that she thinks some kind of exigent case will go forward, but said that dependent on the outcome, someone could sue and “let the courts decide” whether the case meets the intent of an exigent case under the PAEA. She said it is essential that mailers and their associations get involved and determine now the necessary resources to participate in the exigent rate case because “there will be serious, immediate issues on the table” to which industry will need to respond quickly.
Mr. Potter paints a bleak picture, as much as he can. Cries out for reducing delivery days as a ‘must have’ measure, and they come up with a nonsensical 238 billion figure. It’s posturing for the upcoming contract. I doubt he expects to get the 5-day delivery week, but rather counts on that measure being stopped as a rationale for denying labor as much as possible during the contract negotiations.
One figure we’re not seeing, especially now that so very many craft hours have been cut, is the ratio of management pay to craft pay. They were at 48% a few years back….are they over 50% now? They always decry payroll at 85% of the USPS operating costs, but don’t mention that that includes management pay as well. Potter likes to point out that his lavish compensation – 39% in pay raises over four years, plus all the other monies he is collecting, or will collect, putting his yearly compensation at $800.000 according to the GAO – is in line with “industry standards”. So, why does that matter for a hill of beans? He’s a public servant. Also, does management taking more than half of the payroll meet that arbitrarily applied standard?
I’ll be happy to help the USPS out by settling for one-fourth of Potter’s raises – give us 10% over the next four years.
We all know that mail volumes are down, and adjustments must be made. It would work a lot better if management would share the sacrifices. So far, they are not, and it goes a lot farther down than the PMG’s office, although his example is truly representative.
You can hit spell check for free, but one thing SPELL CHECK CAN’T FIX IS: You! you are an IDIOT! for one thing OBAMA is nothing like the other IDIOT! PMG POTTER!! I only wish he would step in and FIRE HIM!! It’s to bad that your union the APWU, that I’m sure your not a paying member of (SCAB) still protects your job and I’ll bet you’re one of the biggest cry babies @ work who always worries about what everybody else is doing but you don’t do shit… Just what kind of lifestyle do you think PMG POTTER has? I’ll bet it’s pretty good not only his base pay but his big ass bonus he definitely don’t deserve! he’s destroying the USPS and the longer he stays, the more jobs will be lost (CRAFT) not MANAGEMENT! I ONLY WISH PRC CHAIRMAN RUTH Y GOLDWAY COULD BE THE NEW POSTMASTER GENERAL! SHE HAS IDEAS AND SHE DON’T BELIEVE IN CUTTING SERVICE! WHY WOULD YOU CUT WHAT YOUR BUSINESS IS ALL ABOUT? DUH!! I GUESS PMG POTTER DIDN’T GET THAT MEMO!!!! AND SHE KNOWS HE’S LYING ABOUT THE SO CALLED $238 MILLION DEBT AND THAT THE USPS HAS WAY TO MUCH MANAGEMENT AND NOT ENOUGH REAL WORKERS (CRAFT) TO GET THE MAIL OUT!!!
Monroe, you are an idiot. the APWU does not defend people (especially drug DEAKERS??) they defend the contract. If management would do its job correctly, & abide by the contract & follow the correct procedures, those who deserve to lose their jobs would. You should spend some of your money (that was negotiated for by the UNION, by ther way) on typing/spelling lessons.
Oh yeah, chairman Goldway is one of the few that “get it”
Why ask Obama for help. He is more inept than Potter. A good portion of the balme lies with the APWU (Awfull Pathetic Workers Union) who just want your money to keep BURRASS is his lifestyle. All the APWU is protect thos who deserve to lose their jobs, drug deakers and chronic absentees
I have already written to my Madam Goldway via the PRC site but I must acknowledge you once again and say Thanks! You have a far more level head and ideas than the PMG and his army od V.P’S. As a commenter said earlier, there is an AGENDA for them but it is anti-union,anti-worker,anti-PostalSERVICE….this is not what it should be about and in this economy NOT what this country needs!! Thanks again….don’t give up or IN to these monsters…
Chairman Goldway, what a breath of fresh air! We need to expand service. How about a premium price for Express Mail delivered on Sunday? How about larger “one price” boxes? How about a reduction in management personnel at national headquarters? If you’re not selling the mail, moving the mail, or delivering the mail, you’re overhead! Oh yeah, one more thing, make managers responsible for the grievance settlements they pay out; take it out of their station budget. Management wastes millions of dollars paying grievance settlements for their violation of basic contract issues. And of course, fire PMG Potter, he’s trying to bring the Post Office into ruin with his defeatist, un-creative falsifications.
Just how long does PMG POTTER GET TO KEEP HIS JOB??????? A Job that he is WORTHLESS at!!! Who REVIEWS HIM? It’s time for a NEW POSTMASTER GENERAL!!!! “HELLO” SOMEBODY IN WASHINGTON WAKE UP!!! DO YOUR JOB AND FIRE HIM! HE’S DESTROYING THE USPS OR IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT? The USPS is a SERVICE so SERVE the PEOPLE! We need REAL LEADERSHIP @ THE USPS and POTTER ISN’T IT………. START HOLDING HIM ACCOUNTABLE!!!
This is the most bizarre FACT that has come out of the maturing USPS bogus
argument on their bogus “gigantic deficits”…the Postmaster General KEEPS
TELLING THE SAME LIES to anyone that will listen.
Those with “AGENDAS”, Senator Tom Coburn for example, who is anti UNION
and ANTI WORKER, uses the PMG’s lies to buttress the argument that Union
Employees MUST give back pay and benefits and collective bargaining should
be ended and USPS service standards need to be revised(five day delivery) along
with mass closing of Postal Facilities.
I believe that the PMG and his Executive Cadre have been advised by their
LARGE CORPORATE FRIENDS to keep up the lies and pressure in order to
“WIN” this game of Postal Reformation…..gutting the Postal Service for the
purpose of shaping it into a more USEFUL TOOL FOR THE LARGE DIRECT MAILING CORPORATIONS…..this will screw the average American Consumer,
but WHAT DO THEY CARE???
CORPORATIONS
PMG POTTER IS FUDGING THE NUMBERS TO MAKE IT LOOK WORSE THAN IT IS. THE USPS IS SPENDING MONEY LIKE A DRUNKIN SAILOR. THEY ARE REPLACING LIGHTS THROUGH OUT THE COUNTRY PUTTING UP FSS MACHINES EVEN WHEN THEY CLAIM THE MAIL IS DISAPPEARING. WE HAVE THE WORKERS UTILIZE THEM DONT WAIST MONEY ON THE MACHINES UNTIL YOU LOSE YOUR WORKERS VIA ATTRITION. SPEND ,SPEND CRY POOR MOUTH , AND CUT ALL THE WORKERS. PAY BONUSES TO MANAGEMENT THAT DONT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE MOVEMENT OF THE MAIL SAVE US FROM THE INCOMPANANCE OF PMG POTTER.
How can you allow an IDIOT, A LIER, A PMG who isn’t in touch with REALITY.. CONTINUE TO STAY AS THE NATIONS POSTMASTER GENERAL (POTTER)? He lies under oath about the FINANCIAL NUMBERS to TRY TO MINIPULATE CONGRESS AND SCARE THE PUBLIC! NOT EVERYONE WANTS OR CAN AFFORD a computer, the US MAIL is their only means of communication, some people don’t want to pay bills on line due to no bank accounts or flat out don’t trust the Internet. But the BOTTOM is PMG POTTER SHOULD BE FIRED! HE’S DESTROYING the USPS!!! AND HE’S AN EMBARESMENT TO THE USPS!!!! WHAT CAN YOU DO AS OUR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES? THIS IS A SERVICE THAT WAS PROMISED TO ALL AMERICANS (EVERY ADDRESS IN AMERICA)
PRC CHAIRMAN RUTH Y GOLDWAY, You are the ONLY one who See’s through the LIES and SCARE TACTIS that PMG POTTER AND THE USPS is trying to use on THE PUBLIC and CONGRESS!! How is it that they can get away with this!!! WHY IS IT THAT YOU MADAM CHAIRMAN GOLDWAY THAT YOU CAN’T FIRE PMG POTTER or RECOMMEND IT? HE IS SABOTAGING THE POST OFFICE, TO FAIL BY CUTTING SERVICE! HOW DO WE PROVIDE A SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC? IF HE CONTINUES TO CUT SERVICES AND CLOSING DOWN POST OFFICES, AND REMOVING THE BLUE MAIL BOXES FROM THE STREETS????? Not to mention all of the CRAFT EMPLOYEES HE KEEPS GETTING RID OF WHO WORK THE MAIL, while He continue to ADD MANAGEMENT Jobs, take a look at how many Managers there are just @ HEADQUARTERS.. It’s a 6-1 ratio of Management -vs- Craft.. Just who does he think is going to work the mail? and who are all of these IDIOT Managers going to Manage if there is no Employees LEFT???? I really feel like the PRC and the Board of Governors NEED TO FIRE PMG POTTER!! We need A LEADER WITH IDEAS like YOU SAID: Go back to basics, we need to GROW THE SERVICE!!!!! NOT CUT THE SERVICE! LIKE POTTER IS DOING! HE IS AN EMBARESMENT TO THE POSTAL SERVICE!!! FIRE HIM NOW, Can’t YOU SEE He’s TRYING TO FORCE US TO GO PRIVATE!!!! FIRE HIM AND PUT HIM IN JAIL FOR LYING UNDER OATH!