APWU Web News Article 57-2012, May 11, 2012
More than 100 U.S. representatives have signed a letter to Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe [PDF], urging him to extend the moratorium on the closure of post offices and mail processing facilities, and asking him to refrain from cutting hours at rural offices.
“We write to urge you to extend the May 15 moratorium on post office and mail processing facility closures until the Congress has completed action on postal reform legislation, including any action that would result in cuts to rural postal services such as cutting back hours at rural facilities,” the May 9 letter said.
The passage of a postal reform bill in the Senate “is evidence that Congress is moving toward putting the United States Postal Service on a path to sustainability,” 107 House members said. “We understand that the USPS cannot sustain itself under its current system, and we agree it is up to Congress to act,” they wrote.
Recently the Postmaster General has said there won’t be a large number of closures as soon as the moratorium expires, but he has not agreed to extend the moratorium.
But postal workers, along with many lawmakers and postal customers, are unwilling to rely on his public reassurances that closures will be handled methodically and will not be disruptive.
“The Postmaster General’s positions and plans have changed many times in the last year, but his strategy has been consistent,” said APWU Executive Vice President Greg Bell. “His goal is to cut jobs, close post offices and mail processing facilities, and dismantle the postal network. We must do everything we can to stop him.
“The Postal Service should drop its plans to cut service, and develop a strategy to expand service and strengthen the USPS,” Bell added.
Forty-seven senators have also asked the Postmaster General to extend the moratorium. The four co-sponsors of a Senate bill asked Donahoe to extend the moratorium until after legislation is enacted. In a letter dated April 30, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) and Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA), wrote, “There is considerable concern in the Senate that this approach will unnecessarily degrade the infrastructure which is one of the Postal Service’s most important assets.
“We believe an attempt to proceed with the planned closures — to ‘get in under the wire’ while legislation to the contrary is being considered — would be counterproductive and would violate the clear intent of the Senate.”
On May 2, 43 senators, including 37 Democrats, five Republicans, and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT) also asked Donahoe to extend the moratorium on the closing of post offices and mail processing facilities. They wrote [PDF], “We are deeply concerned that the closing of these postal facilities prior to postal reform legislation being enacted would be devastating to communities around the country.”
However, three Republicans — Sen. John McCain (AZ), Sen. Tom Coburn (OK), and Sen. Bob Corker (TN) — have urged Donahoe to proceed with planned closures and other cutbacks. “Despite the Senate’s passage last week of S. 1789, the 21st Century Postal Service Act of 2012, we believe it is very unlikely that both the House and Senate will come to agreement on legislation that reforms the postal system anytime soon and strongly encourage you to move forward with the cost-saving changes you have previously outlined,” they wrote.
Dumbo is that you saying VERA would help to push USPS further into the Abyss?, saving all those benefits and paying no more of the salaries of those who leave, that is called Voluntary Early Retirement, if PMG wants to hasten this demise, he will keep offering management the VERA throw the bones though small, to his right and left balls (Management), like being on a sinking Cruise ship , and there are never enough life boats, APWU Cliff Guffey knows this is the end, now wants you to beg the GOP House to save us , really Cliff? , all part of the plan for a total collapse, we may be heading towards a Postal Armageddon, and very soon, make sure you do not miss those scans, watch those coffee and smoke breaks, work hard to the end, let your abusive inept Supervisor and /or Postmaster know you are there for them, treat the Customer with as much disrespect as you can do your job well !
Unions like APWU gave it all away in the CBA, should have done the proper investigation, found out the lies, stop the overpayment into managements bonus pocket, think how many PM’s and Supervisors there are Nationwide, throw in graft, corruption, Incentive pay raises and bonuses, failed human resource policies and mechanization experiments, then tell me we are broke because of overpayment’ s into FERS alone.
Moo Moo Clerk Cow says; Milk the Cow until they give better, More “Moo-la”and time, save AL, Use SL ,a day in the Life ;coffee break, smoke break,throne brake, Drain the Dragon break, smoke break, regular break, coffee break, smoke break, throne break, wash-up, lunch, coffee break, smoke break, Drain the Dragon break, smoke stress break, regular break, sugar Coke break, wash-up, home, and you want me to leave ?, (the above is not intended to show all breaks?)
PMG loves hearing how the masses will go for 15k or 0k, he’s using us as Chess pieces, in his case, Checkers.
Early-outs been going on “quitely” for at least the past six months. They send you an offer about a week after they tell you you are being excessed to unknown distant locations. If you have your 20/50 and your excess notice, you will get your early out. (Sorry, no cash incentives. Only threats of relocation, especially if you are a veteran). I took the early-out six months ago and never looked back. Got my retirement, health insurance, and a better job than I had. But, this might not be the answer for the faint at heart. I stepped out in faith, and the Lord blessed!
We’re pawns in a game of chess.
Postal Service to Congress: ACT NOW to remove these shackles or we’ll kill your constituants and expose your wicked, immoral scheme. Our workers will suffer a horrible death, but we don’t care.
Congress: Give us the money or we’ll do all we can to destroy you.
YOU HAD A SIX MONTH MORATORIUM AND YOU WAITED FIVE MONTHS TO ACT, AND THE HOUSE DIDN’T EVEN ACT. STOP THE BULLSHIT PREFUNDING AND GIVE BACK THE OVERPAYMENTS INTO THE RETIREMENT FUNDS! USE THE MONEY FOR A REALISTIC EARLY OUT, GET MORE PEOPLE THAN YOU NEED TO RETIRE AND ACTUALLY HIRE SOME PEOPLE AT THE LOWER WAGE TIER. WOW CONGRESS ACTUALLLY PUTTING SOMEONE TO WORK OMG.
ON A RELATED MATTER THE PREFUNDING WAS SET UP IN 2006 AND IT WAS BASED ON THE WORKFORCE WE HAD THEN OVER 600,000, WE NOW HAVE UNDER 450,000 SO OBVIOUSLY LESS FUNDING IS NEEDED!! THERE ARE A LOT OF LIES AND BULLSHIT GOING AROUND AND THE AVERAGE POSTAL WORKER AND THE AMERICAN PUBLIC ARE BEING DUPED AND ABUSED! AGAIN!!!!!!
CON-gress full of old farts deciding what should happen to the postal service, when they know nothing about the business. The hole in the wall post offices don’t need to stay open for 8 hours a day. People voting should really stop voting for the same old farts back into office over and over again. Paul-who says he will not be voting for the GOP this election… you have got to be kidding, that you would be sooooo dumb to vote for O-Bummer, when he is proven that he can only makes things worse, and has run this country into a ghetto nation. Affirmative action president does nothing good for the citizens. Free-loading president and free loading wife with that old granny. When was the last time you had a vacation, and paid for by tax payers’ money????? Granny legs get to go on vacation on your money, when she is pretending to babysit… since when is she needed to babysit while they go on vacation with your hard earned money!!Talk about taking advantage every chance they get!!! O-Bummer is not loyal to this country. He has never served to protect this country. He knows nothing about being an American.
The Forgotten war vietnam . So for us vietnam vets we were doing the same job is anyone else . glad our country has figured this 1 out and treated are vets like heroes. s.senator mccain was vietnam POW…..
I have always had great respect for Sen McCain. The man is truly a war hero and went through hell during the Korean war. However I feel he has lost touch with the middle class worker and I am shocked to hear that he wants the PMG to go ahead with his plan and put thousands of hard working Middle Class Americans out of work!!
As someone who has always voted Republican I am so disillusioned with the GOP over the USPS issue. The GOP has always been the party for the middle class and now they just seem to want to protect the super rich and let the Middle class die! For the first time in my life I will not be voting for the GOP this election.
I read in the Federal Times last night that the PMG is going to announce early outs for processing centers on May 17. About time. I am so ready. Lets get this show on the road and get the early out incentives going. People who can retire will run to the exits. May 17 can’t come soon enough.
the one hundred would not have had to sign the letter, if they would have done there job in the first place!
meant no redos, sorry
postmasters are becoming obselete, they are now nothing but glorified supervisers taking orders from above. they can’t make decisions on their own. they don’t deserve these huge pay checks. we don’t need these people in the smaller post offices or any pos. management glut must be removed. if you ain’t touching the mail– see you later! twelve suits with clip-boards drinking coffee and observing– what a joke! all this waste so people can watch people watch people watch you.do i really need hundreds of eyes watching little ol’ me? i’m pretty important i guess. why can’t anybody see we are expensively over managed? i guess when only management is left standing people will see what a joke the usps really is. but it will be to late and there will be redos. getting close to writing the postal obituary.
IMPEACH
IT WILL BE THE FIRST PMG TO GO ON RECORD AS BEING KINDLY TOSSED OUT OF OFFICE. FIRE THE BITCH
HOW CAN ONE SIMPLE BASTURD HAVE ALL THAT POWER
The bottom line is closures should occur. Walking routes should be eliminated except for business routes, management should be reduced 30%.Overtime rules for city carriers should be less restrictive,with more TE allowed to reduce hardship for non overtime carriers. Congress must stop subsidizing CSRS,FERS, and FEHB programs with over payments from the postal service that have subsidized these programs. The one percent that pay less than 40% of taxes , but owns 72% of assets , needs to pay the true cost of taxes. Stop subsidizing religious contributions,and charities run by the super wealthy for their own benefit.
no soup for you, as in incentives!
I can’t believe John McCain would back stab his fellow veterans like this and put his fellow vets in the unemployment line, I guess being a pow did not teach him loyalty.
After a while this sounds like a Peanuts Cartoon when they are in a Classroom and the Teacher Speaks. Remember the Sound?
Does this mean we can start planning to retire and plan on receiving an incentive to leave.
He must be a republican with as much as he lies!
IS the Postmaster’s plan to dismantle the postal network or force Congress to act? With elections coming up these dirt bags will do nothing!!!!!!!!!!!!