USPS Spokesman: We Encourage People NOT To Go To The Post Office?
Among the many mysterious curiosities within the Presidio is the cause of the long lines at its tiny outpost of the United States Postal Service. The Presidio post office shares an historic building at the Presidio Main Post with a small branch of First Republic Bank. The Presidio post office is very popular on the North end of town because it offers the rarest of urban amenities: free and plentiful parking.
But it lacks an Automated Postal Center, the machine the USPS installed at 17 of the city’s 41 post offices a few years back to allow customers to mail packages and conduct most other business without having to wait for a clerk. Post offices without the APCs require most business to be handled by a clerk.
Matters at the Presidio post office grew worse last month, when its stamp-vending machine was hauled away. Dust bunnies still sit on the historic wood-plank floor where the stamp machine once sat.
James Wigdel, the USPS spokesman for San Francisco, said that stamp-vending machines are being removed from every post office in the nation because they are old and hard to maintain. And if a post office is not already one of the few that has an APC, Wigdel said, it will never get one, since the machines are not being manufactured any more.
As a general matter, said Widgel, “What we encourage is for customers not to go to the post office. We are trying to embrace the future and encourage people to use USPS.com,” where customers can print out postage and schedule package pickups. “The green thing,” Wigdel concluded, “is not to go to the post office at all.
Post Office To Be Named In Honor of Slain Ohio Letter Carrier
Press Release issued by the office of Congressman Dennis Kucinich’s (D-Oh)
Washington, Jul 14 –
Today the House of Representatives unanimously approved Congressman Dennis Kucinich’s (D-OH) legislation to rename the Post Office at 13301 Smith Road in Cleveland, Ohio as the David John Donafee Post Office Building in honor of Mr. Donafee, a public servant who was struck by a car and killed on February 14, 2008.
“David served Northeast Ohio as a postal carrier for 14 years. Coworkers knew David for his geniality and positive spirit, sense of humor, and willingness to go out of his way for anyone. I am proud to lead the effort to honor his service to our community.”
David John Donafee was a lifelong Northeast Ohioan who committed his life to family and community. David was born and raised in Brook Park, Ohio and graduated from Polaris High School in Berea. He was well-known in the local hockey community for his support of and involvement in his sons’ youth hockey league. He announced and scored the games, and was the “heart of all the teams,” according his wife, Sandi.
“On February 14, 2008–Valentine’s Day–David was walking his route in Parma Heights, Ohio, like any other day, when he was struck by a car and killed. His tragic death resounded in the community and with his coworkers. I mourn the loss of this honorable man, and my sympathy goes out to his family and friends,” said Kucinich.
“Mr. Donafee is deserving of our honor and praise,” added Kucinich.
Post Office Box Lobby Recycling Program Is Expanding
WASHINGTON — More than 200,000 tons, and counting. That’s how much paper, plastics and other waste the U.S. Postal Service recycled in 2009, representing a decrease in its greenhouse gas emissions of approximately 1.67 million barrels of oil.
An integral part of that undertaking is the Post Office Box Lobby Recycling program which is expanding to include an additional 2,435 Post Offices, including those in a number of U.S. national parks. That brings the total number of participating sites to more than 8,064, an increase of 150 percent from 2005, when the Post Office Lobby recycling effort started. This program is based on the success of similar mail recycling programs in the northeastern part of the United States, which began more than 10 years ago.
Postal customers are being encouraged to “read, respond, recycle” their P.O. Box mail in Post Office lobbies as a convenient and environmentally responsible alternative to taking it home to discard.
“Lobby recycling helps divert paper waste from landfills, eliminating greenhouse gas emissions from solid waste disposal,” said Deborah Giannoni-Jackson, vice president, Employee Resource Management. “In 2009, the Postal Service sold raw materials from recyclables, diverting them from landfills, making us greener and producing a positive impact on our bottom line.”
Secure recycling bins in Post Office lobbies are locked and the opening is slim –– about the width of a magazine, so the mail, and customer privacy, are ensured. P.O. Box customers are encouraged to open their mail (read), take whatever action is necessary (respond) and place the rest of it in the bin (recycle). A complete list of participating “Read, Respond, Recycle” Post Offices can be found at usps.com/green on the recycle page by clicking on Earth911.com. Type the word “mail” in the search engine for a list by ZIP Code.
“This Post Office Box recycling program is part of a comprehensive approach to mail production, delivery and recycling that helps create a sustainable future for generations to come,” said Sam Pulcrano, vice president, Sustainability. “It makes it even easier for Post Office Box customers to go green by recycling their discarded P.O. Box mail right at the Post Office.”
Pulcrano added, another way customers can go green is with 100 percent recyclable Postal Service packaging supplies. The Postal Service is the only mailing and shipping company to earn Cradle to Cradle™ certification for the environmentally friendly design and health standards of Priority Mail and Express Mail supplies, and Ready Post envelopes, tape and labels. Priority Mail and Express Mail supplies are free to the customer and can be delivered at no charge. They can be ordered from the Post Office that’s always open, 24 hours a day, at usps.com/green. Visit usps.com/green for the latest information about all the Postal Service’s green initiatives, tools and products.
P.O. Box Lobby Recycling is one more way the Postal Service is demonstrating its commitment to environmental stewardship, Pulcrano said. The Postal Service has won more than 75 environmental awards, including 40 White House Closing the Circle, 10 Environmental Protection Agency WasteWise Partner of the Year, Climate Action Champion, Direct Marketing Association Green Echo, and the Postal Technology International Environmental Achievement of the Year, 2009.
The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
PRC Extends Initial Public Comment Period In Its Investigation of Suspended Post Offices
Filed under: PRC, post offices, postal, press releases, usps
Washington, DC – The Postal Regulatory Commission today extended by 30 days the initial comment and reply periods in its Investigation of Suspended Post Offices, Docket PI2010-1.
Initial comments are now due by February 16, 2010; and reply comments are due by March 18, 2010.
Order no. 389 is available on the Commission’s website, www.prc.gov, and has been submitted to the Federal Register. The Commission welcomes comments from the public.
“The Commission is extending its deadlines in response to a request by the Public Representative and to ensure full opportunity for postal customers to register their concerns whether small post offices are being closed without due process,” said Chairman Ruth Y. Goldway.
Docket PI2010-1 was initiated following the receipt of information from the Postal Service indicating that 97 post offices had been suspended under emergency suspension procedures during the past five years solely because of lease expirations. Of these 97 offices, 25 subsequently were closed; five are pending closure; two were reopened; and 65 remain in suspension.
The Docket provides for a public inquiry to develop information on the status of the suspended offices and the Postal Service’s practice of suspending offices for extended periods without affording the public the rights guaranteed by law.
A list of the 97 suspended offices is attached. Further information on these offices is contained in the Postal Service filing, which is available here.
http://www.prc.gov/Docs/64/64204/CIRHackerValleyR.pdf
http://www.prc.gov/Docs/66/66422/Order389.pdf
APWU: Workers In Small Post Offices, We Want To Hear From You
APWU News
Postal employees in small offices whose hours have been reduced while managerial hours have been increased are being asked to complete and return a union-sponsored questionnaire [PDF] on the subject. Work-hours for part-time flexible clerks at many small offices have been slashed, APWU President William Burrus noted in a column in the January/February issue of The American Postal Worker magazine.
The National Agreement limits management’s right to shift work from clerks to other employees, Burrus wrote, but management continues to violate arbitrators’ rulings on the issue. “While the APWU-USPS contact recognizes the right of supervisors and postmasters to perform bargaining-unit work in small offices, arbitrators have repeatedly concluded that supervisory work cannot increase at the expense of work for clerks,” he said.
“Some employees have had hours reduced to two hours per week; others have been forced to travel to distant offices; many have surrendered — and terminated their employment. In most instances, these reductions should not have taken place,” the Burrus wrote.
The Postal Service persists in violating prohibitions on increasing the workload of postmasters, postmaster-reliefs, and other supervisors at the same time that clerk hours are being reduced, the union president said. The union and management have agreed that Rural Letter Carriers cannot perform clerk work (including when they are on light duty), but management often violates this ban as well.
The union has initiated a series of national-level grievances seeking to have the work returned and to make affected employees ‘whole,’ Burrus wrote.
Employees who worked at small offices between 1993 and the present are asked to complete the survey, which appears in the January/February issue of the magazine, along with a Business Reply Envelope. Completed forms should be mailed to:
APWU Survey
1300 L Street NW
Washington DC 20077-1668
USPS: Fewer Than 170 Post Offices Remain On Closure List
WASHINGTON — Fewer than 170 offices remain under review for possible consolidation under the U.S. Postal Service station and branch consolidation initiative.
Today’s announcement updates a review process begun earlier this summer that initially examined about 3,300 stations and branches in urban and suburban areas across the country, focusing on facilities in relatively close proximity to one another. The initiative looks to determine where consolidations might be feasible without compromising customer access to postal services.
The Postal Service receives no tax subsidy to operate the nation’s mail service. Revenues from the sale of postage, products and services fund its operations. At the conclusion of its 2009 fiscal year in October, the Postal Service reported a loss of $3.8 billion.
“To shore up its finances, the Postal Service is looking at every aspect of its business to economize. Reducing over-capacity in retail and delivery operations is a smart business move. Every effort is being made to maintain and improve customer access to postal services,” said Steven J. Forte, senior vice president, Operations.
With over 36,000 Post Offices, stations, branches, contract and community post offices, the Postal Service has the largest retail network in the United States. An additional 56,000 locations such as supermarkets, drug stores, and other retailers sell postage and selected postal services. Nearly 18,000 ATMs dispense sheets of stamps. In addition postage can be purchased online at usps.com and printed on personal computers.
As part of the consolidation process, the Postal Service has filed periodic updates with the Postal Regulatory Commission identifying the retail stations and branches that remain under consideration. The filing does not represent a final decision on consolidation. At this point no facility-specific final decisions have been made as a result of this initiative.
New initiatives also are being undertaken to build revenue, including Flat Rate Priority Mail pricing and the introduction of greeting cards to 500 select Post Offices.
# # #
Click here for the list http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/stationbranchop.pdf
Please note that today’s list is dated December 14, 2009.
Senator Gillibrand And Congressman Maffei Fight To Keep Central New York Post Offices Open
Press Release from the office of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y
U.S. Postal Service Is Considering Closing Two Postal Facilities In Syracuse, North Syracuse
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Dan Maffei today called on the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to consider local impacts, including pedestrian access and neighborhood benefits, when evaluating a consolidation plan that affects post offices in Central New York. The USPS is considering closing two post offices in the Syracuse area – the Elmwood Post Office on South Avenue in Syracuse, and the North Main Street Post Office in North Syracuse.
Senator Gillibrand and Congressman Maffei raised concerns that the plan to close these branches could have potentially harmful economic and environmental consequences. Both facilities are in heavily traversed areas where many patrons walk to and from their post office, providing access to citizens in surrounding low-income and elderly communities. The office in North Syracuse has been a part of the community for more than 100 years. Both postal facilities also make a profit, with the North Syracuse facility making more than $300,000 and the Elmwood office making more than $130,000 this year.
Senator Gillibrand said, “It is unacceptable for the USPS to close two critical post offices in Central New York, which are vital to the local neighborhoods. If the point of consolidation is to save money, then why is the USPS considering closing two postal facilities which actually make a profit. Closing these post offices could have harmful economic and environmental consequences on our communities.”
Congressman Maffei said, “I’m please to join forces with Senator Gillibrand to fight to keep our local post offices open. This is an extremely important issue for our community- that is why I’ve been working on this for months and will continue to pursue all possible opportunities to keep our Elmwood and North Syracuse post offices open for business.”
Syracuse Mayor Matthew J. Driscoll said, “The Elmwood post office is a strategically located lifeline for many residents on the Southside. Losing mailing, delivery and financial services such as stamps, post office boxes and money orders would create a hardship for residents in this area.”
Village of North Syracuse Mayor John Heindorf said, “The Post Office in the Village of North Syracuse has been in operation since 1887 and serves not only the 7,000 residents in the village, but an additional 14,000 residents outside the confines of the village that reside in the same 13212 zip code. All of these people and businesses have depended heavily on the North Syracuse Post Office throughout the years. Closing this post office would be a severe blow for everyone.
In their letter to John E. Potter, Postmaster General and Chief Executive Office of the USPS, Senator Gillibrand and Congressman Maffei wrote, “Closing these branches will not only lead to less patrons using the services of the United States Postal Service (USPS), but would have potentially harmful consequences from both an economic and environmental standpoint on our communities. As the USPS explores ways to trim costs by consolidating branches, it would be impractical to consider these offices as they both make a profit. … We appreciate the need for the postal service to re-evaluate programs in light of the current economy. However, we believe there are ways to cut costs without reducing or denying service to our constituents.”
The USPS held public hearings on Nov. 6 concerning the possible closures. Maureen Marion, a local representative for the Postal Service, told the Syracuse Post-Standard that the decision likely will not be made until 2010. According to the Post-Standard, residents in North Syracuse and Syracuse have collected more than 2,400 signatures on petitions to keep the post offices open.
USPS: Only 241 Post Offices Remain On Closure List
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service today updated the list of retail stations and branches that remain under review for possible consolidation, with only 241 offices still under review.
Unlike most federal agencies, America’s national mail system receives no tax subsidy for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. The Postal Service reported a loss of $3.8 billion at the end of its 2009 fiscal year in October.
“To shore up its finances, the Postal Service is looking at every aspect of its business to economize. Reducing over-capacity in retail and delivery operations is a smart business move. Every effort is being made to maintain and improve customer access to postal services,” said Steven J. Forte, senior vice president, Operations.
Today’s announcement updates a review process begun earlier this summer that initially examined about 3,300 stations and branches in urban and suburban areas across the country, focusing on facilities in relatively close proximity to one another. The process is to determine where consolidations might be feasible without compromising customer access to postal services.
With over 36,000 Post Offices, stations, branches, contract and community post offices, the Postal Service has the largest retail network in the United States. An additional 56,000 locations such as supermarkets, drug stores, and other retailers sell postage and selected postal services. Nearly 18,000 ATMs dispense sheets of stamps. But customers do not have to visit a physical building to purchase products and services; postage can be bought at usps.com and printed on personal computers.
As part of this process, the Postal Service has filed periodic updates with the Postal Regulatory Commission, identifying the retail stations and branches that remain under consideration. The filing does not represent a final decision on consolidation. To date, no facility-specific final decisions have been made as a result of this initiative.
New initiatives also are being undertaken to build revenue, including Flat Rate Priority Mail pricing. If it fits in the box, it ships for one low price regardless of U.S. destination or weight. Another recent revenue building initiative introduced greeting cards to 500 select Post Offices.
Click here for the list http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/stationbranchop.pdf
USPS Partners With Hallmark to Provide Greeting Cards At Post Offices
Jack Ehlert was the first customer to purchase a greeting card at an Illinois
The Postal Service has partnered with Hallmark to provide greeting cards. Reportedly the “Greeting Card test pilot” will be performed in 1,500 Post Offices. The test phase is expected to run at least one (1) year which started October 1, 2009. USPS intends full implementation to approximately 15,000 Post Offices.
USPS has implemented the Greeting Card test pilot in parts of Illinois. According to Deana Carr, retail specialist, United States Postal Service: “Greeting cards are a true fit to the Postal Service’s core business. If customers are purchasing shipping supplies to mail their holiday, birthday, graduation or other gifts and they forgot to bring a card to mail with it, there will be a selection of greeting cards for their convenience.” source: Naperville (Ill) Sun
picture source: Naperville (Ill) Sun
USPS Issues Management Order For Additional Cleaning In Postal Facilities During Flu Season
The Postal Service issued the attached MMO, MMO-109-09, titled “Influenza Cleaning Contingency” for facilities to impose ADDITIONAL cleaning methods to reduce the spread of infection during the current 2009 to 2010 Influenza (Flu) season which includes H1N1 influenza. The contingency reflects the latest guidance issued from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The additional cleaning methods are not intended to decrease the cleaning frequencies currently used in your facility (the current cleaning frequency for your facility can be found in the current authorized and approved custodial staffing package).
The additional cleaning requirements must be performed until the flu season (Fall of 2009 to April 2010) has ended, unless otherwise notified
There is much that is still unknown on how the H1N1 influenza pandemic will develop. At this point the CDC does not expect the H1N1 ‘s severity to increase this flu season and therefore the cleaning tasks and infection control strategies contained in this MMO should suffice. However, this can change. Should CDC’s guidance change, additional information will be issued.
Gary Kloepfer
Assistant Director
Maintenance Division
American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO