Postal Service to cut Saturday mail to trim costs

[TxRoadDawg]

From: Davidson, Joe. The Washington Post, Sep. 26 2012. Postal Service to default on retiree health payment, again - Washington Post



From: Sanburn, Josh. TIME Magazine, Aug. 01 2012. Post Office to Default on Preretiree Health Payments | TIME.com

Sorry I meant the exact clause in that 67 page bill regarding funding it out 75 years ahead of time, not a newspaper article. Also your sources seem to contradict. 6 years at 5 bil is 30 billion yet the union rep claims 45 billion set aside.

 

[Dracula]

Exactly. The Postal Service is running in the red because of burdens Congress placed on it back in 2006; the so-called the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act requires the USPS to pre-fund retirement health benefits 75 years in advance. Meaning the USPS is paying health care premiums for letter carriers/postal workers that haven't been born yet. No private employer is under such a stringent financial burden; take away those obligations and the USPS is running in the black again.

I hate SurePost as much as the next UPS'er, but don't be so quick to throw your post office union brothers under the bus before you know the whole story.

Yeah, I love that. If this were required of private businesses, most businesses would go bankrupt. They are required to pay 5.5 billion every year to fund retirement benefits. How is any company to survive this? I don't ever want to hear some dumb friend%ck politician bitch and moan about how the USPS is losing money. What a bunch of morons.

 

[The Other Side]

From: Davidson, Joe. The Washington Post, Sep. 26 2012. Postal Service to default on retiree health payment, again - Washington Post



From: Sanburn, Josh. TIME Magazine, Aug. 01 2012. Post Office to Default on Preretiree Health Payments | TIME.com

These are the kinds of Ridiculous explanations people out of the loop talk about.

The reality of the postal service is simple.. REVENUE. Each year since the internets arrival, the postal service revenue base began shrinking. Today, its lost most of its revenue base and is running a solid deficit each year.

Internet bill paying and billing is the largest factor in the demise of the postal service.

Without revenue, the postal service cannot continue to fund any of its obligations. Even with the massive layoffs that will ensue when saturday is officially ended, the postal service will continue to rack up 9 billion dollars a year in deficit spending.

There is no solution for the postal service survival without the inclusion of cutting all carriers pay and benefits by more than half.

The life span of the postal service is approx. less than 10 years.

Then it will be privitized and all carriers released and their pensions sent to the PBGC.

Peace

TOS

 

[Dracula]

Just got off the phone with my dad, a letter carrier. They are very excited about this, for they have been waiting for this for years! We are hoping congress does not get in the way like they did last time. And this proposal does not involve the massive layoffs that were proposed last time they were this close to getting weekends off (laying off everyone with less than 5 yrs seniority, like 600,000 at that time).

Their OT may be reduced, but those guys are working crazy hours, and the conditions are brutal (for all the complaining we do, I haven't heard any upser going off the deep end; they've been going "postal" for years, and my father's station has even had an incident or two).

I feel for Postal workers, but give me a break about how much tougher their jobs are than ours. Our workload is heavier, our workday is longer and our management is far more unreasonable. I know a few carriers, and they've said that only in the last 5 to 7 years has the harassment risen to our levels.

 

[sortaisle]

The Post Office issues make my head hurt. They have to pre-fund retirement for 75 years into the future, but the payments go from 2006 and stop in 2016. They've missed a payment or two but the plan is 6 billion over funded. Mail has decreased as other options have become more viable. It's a cruel world I suppose.

 

['Lord Brown's bidding']

I feel for Postal workers, but give me a break about how much tougher their jobs are than ours. Our workload is heavier, our workday is longer and our management is far more unreasonable. I know a few carriers, and they've said that only in the last 5 to 7 years has the harassment risen to our levels.

You've spoken to letter carriers; i lived with one up until 4 years ago. Our workday is NOT longer. My dad is currently at 8:30 start, but this Sat they are pushing him up to 8:00; his start a couple years ago was 7:30, and his day should be over at 5, but lately he has been out until 8, even 9, sometimes six days a week (and we spend most of our time in a truck, not on foot like them [or the WHOLE time of you got a foot route; they don't get trucks!]). In addition, we cannot be called in to work on a scheduled day; UPS has to ASK us (and some of us are offended they'd even ask); the PO has always had the ability to force my dad in, and have exercised on occasion; he does have high seniority, but that doesn't prevent them. Lately it has been happening a lot more.


In regards to harrasment, unless you suck as a driver, got caught sleeping with center manager's (or mgmt above) spouse, and for some reason haven't already quit, no ups driver knows what harrasment is. We complain because they come to us asking about times; we don't get written up when they ride with us and have a bad day; my father has, and some good friends of mine have been fired for similar offenses. The postal police have escorted my dad out of the building because a supervisor came up and cussed HIM him , ,out hviewed, and my father basically shouted 'Don't curse at me'! (my dad does not curse, and has raised me not to as well, no matter my level of amger). They go postal; what do we do? (And they are a union outfit being treated like this; it adds insult to injury because it should not be this way.

You and others often tell others who don't go by the contract for fear of mgmt reprisals (and really what can be done if we did go by the contract) to grow a spine, but then whine because a runner blows out your route and now your center manager/sup is asking what takes you so long (to that I say who cares what the runner does, stay out his business, mind yours and request a ride-along and let them see you aren't stealing time; for me that has always been the end of the discussion). My father and others finished their routes, are given HALF someone else's route at the end of theirs, kept out until 8, and then written up or suspended for not finishing in 8 hrs.

I'll say it again: I don't care how long you or anyone else has worked at UPS (which supposedly wasn't that bad before '97; my father has had me shaking my head at his experiences since I was in elementary school), you do not know (and will never know now that you are in feeders) what 'harrasment' is.

 

[oldupsman]

My brother has 28 years in with the postal service and is still working. I had 32 in with UPS. We agreed for years it's basically "Same smile*, different
company." He tells about the same stories I do. He's 54 and decided to just ride out the storm. Doesn't have a clue how he's gonna end up.
Union is pretty much dead. He's got the same atitude I did at UPS. Just go out do your job right and let them do what they want to do. He says it a total clusterf***
with all the managers living in fear. He's near the top of the seniority list so he just sits back and watches the chaos. At this stage of his career he's looking
forward to a normal Mon. thru Fri. routine. Kids are all grown and out of college. As far as he's concerned, whatever happens, happens. He could care less if the
place goes down the tubes.

 

['Lord Brown's bidding']

At least in this city the mgmt does not live in fear; they are trying to strike fear into the hearts of the hourlies. There are outposts where things are laid back, but at many stations they can be abusive, evil, and downright cruel. I don't understand it.
What concerns me now is the supe at my dad's station seems to be doing all she can to prevent my father from retiring (on June 14th, 2014 at 4:00 pm; makes me chuckle he includes the time whenever he tells someone). It's like she is trying to get him to crack and do somerhing to get him to quit, give them cause to fire him, or worse.....I often fear he may die of stress or a heart attack. Again, in UPS for the level of treatment my father is receiving-and he isn't a troublemaker; gets back quickly if not given another 3rd or half a route on top of his; and is generally peacefully with his workmates and mgmt staff-we'd really have to piss off someone. Filing grievances, getting in a couple accidents isn't it.....I have been fired for making 43 NDA late to the Eastern Regional Office, along with having two accidents, all in a three week period. I was an article 7 for the next two months-during which I had a late saver-and besides being scared as a newbie who didn't know "the process" or "the game", I wasn't really intimidated or harrassed (and my manager was not a softer or particularly warm). I have been fired two times in the same year for violence in the workplace-once on mgmt and once on an hourly-and while I most certainly had to walk on eggshells (and my bldg mgr was rather stern), I was not haressed. I know, more than most, UPS can be cold, seemingly heartless, but they aren't evil

 

[beentheredonethat]

I'll admit, I do not know what the USPS is like today. My father retired from the USPS in 1982 at the age of 60. When he did work there looking back his job was very easy compared to what UPS drivers do. He was a Sr driver and was a floater. (He worked Mon-Fri and covered 5 routes). He indicated that a route was an 8 hr day regardless of the amount of work to be delivered. If at the end of they day they weren't done, they came back to the building. Well, as a floater he always came in with the new mail for the day and the prior day's leftover mail. He delivered 100% of the mail with nothing left over and he ended up having about 2+ hours of break since the routes were so easy for him. (I'm talking paid breaks not lunch, he had that too). Prior to being a floater he had his own route but as he came back early with all the work done he ended up just getting more and more streets added to his route. When he finally decided to become a floater so he could work Mon-Fri they took his route and made 3 routes out of it. He was a hard worker, but no harder then a UPS driver. Granted, my knowledge and information is very very old. There should have been a lot of tightening up on standards. Maybe they went too far, maybe where your dad works it's extremely bad.

 

[UpsYours]

I tell you what if the p.o. cuts back we at UPS are going to get a lot more packages and letters to deliver.Already delivering things that the p.o. was delivering .Res. customers say to me the post office used to bring me that .delivering ore priority type stuff like payroll and meds. to older people who usually dont get UPS deliveries on a daily basis.

 

[Ms.PacMan]

USPS does OT just the opposite of UPS. They sign a list FOR overtime. Carriers who do not sign only receive 8 hrs of work and carriers who signed up for OT must complete all the work they are given regardless of how much overtime. They can greive any employee not on the list working overtime and will be paid the OT for their hours also.

I'm not sure if they have different language about OT in different areas but that's how it works here.

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

You can give away your job! But I would like to keep mine..Im more worried about Brown...Piss on Blue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!If they cant make money thats not our problem! They have every tax and rule advantage and still cant make payroll..Sorry time to pack up the Pony express and try something new!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Just Numbers]

Mind citing the clause that says that 75 years. Also since when is overtime a god given right to supplement income. Facts are simple, costs are going up while product demand goes down more every year. Between UPS and fedex on the parcel side and email on the first class side they will continue to shrink and HAVE to adapt more than just jacking rates every 18 months.

Package delivery volume for the post office is up 14% since 2010!

 

[bbsam]

How much of that 14% comes at a discounted profit because it comes most of the way through smartpost or surepost?

 

[Just Numbers]

Exactly. The Postal Service is running in the red because of burdens Congress placed on it back in 2006; the so-called the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act requires the USPS to pre-fund retirement health benefits 75 years in advance. Meaning the USPS is paying health care premiums for letter carriers/postal workers that haven't been born yet. No private employer is under such a stringent financial burden; take away those obligations and the USPS is running in the black again.

I hate SurePost as much as the next UPS'er, but don't be so quick to throw your post office union brothers under the bus before you know the whole story.

What no one seems to mention is what party was in charge of both houses of congress in 2006? Do the names Pelosi and Reid ring a bell! Be careful what you wish for.

 

[Indecisi0n]

 

[bumped]

What no one seems to mention is what party was in charge of both houses of congress in 2006? Do the names Pelosi and Reid ring a bell! Be careful what you wish for.

Well, At least give all the details.

"Accountability and Enhancement Act — a 2006 reform bill that was signed by President George W. Bush"

 

[gman042]

I am surprised that no one in the government has thought of this yet. The fix for the USPS is easy. You can no longer use the internet for email and paying bills. If caught the government will send armed troops to disarm you of your electronic devices and you will have to register as an offender.

 

[Jones]

Well, At least give all the details.

"Accountability and Enhancement Act — a 2006 reform bill that was signed by President George W. Bush"

I always knew that guy was secretly a liberal.

 

[HomeDelivery]

Package delivery volume for the post office is up 14% since 2010!

Saw the news this AM... they're going to continue with Saturday deliveries of packages; guessing due to the influx of UPS SurePost, FedEx SmartPost, and other businesses using the small flat rate boxes. So you'll see less postal workers on Saturdays only starting this summer

gman ~ that's not gonna happen