Another "Speedy" Prediction

Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) is at it again.  He is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security, which is in charge of postal reform.  Senate bill S. 316 has been on the rolls since early March.  At first, it was predicted that postal reform legislation would reach the president's desk by the end of March.  Then, both the House of Representatives and the Senate said it would take until late summer, and now Senator Carper has expressed confidence that postal reform legislation to the President by the July 4th congressional recess.  Yes - they are going on recess again!!

But, even this time Senator Carper hedged his bet saying - well if not by the recess, then certainly by the end of August.

You just have to wonder how serious Congress is about passing postal reform, or how serious they are about accomplishing anything.  We are talking about the fastest, most efficient postal service in the world with a simple bipartisan solution at hand; yet it takes months of negotiations and untold numbers of predictions - and we are still waiting.

OPWU Concludes Successful Convention

The OPWU held our 2013 convention in Canton, Ohio on April 12-14th.  Eighteen locals were represented with a total of 85 delegates present.  In addition, we were visited by National President Cliff Guffey, Organizing Director Martha Shunn-King, Central Region Coordinator Sharyn Stone and all of our business agents.

The delegates approved changes to our consitution, including reducing the number of state business agents from eight to five.  They also approved small increases in dues for members-at-large and PSEs.  Both of these changes will enable the organization to better serve the membership.

Dominic Corso of Youngstown became the first two-time winner of the OPWU Member of the Year.  Brother Corso demonstrates most highly the qualities needed to be a leader in the struggle to maintain our rights and benefits.  Congratulations Dom.

We also said goodbye to one of the most dedciated national business agents in the APWU.  Russ Bugary is retiring after serving for eighteen years.  He will be missed by all and leaves really big shoes to fill.  Best wishes to him and his family.

We awarded a total of nine King/Valliere Scholarships.  That brings our total to 197 scholarships awarded since the inception of the program.  Those scholarships are worth $98,500.00!!!

The election brought three new officers into our union.  We welcome Bob Springsteen as Clerk Craft Director, Walter Luthy as Business Agent for 450-456, and Arnie Cowell as Business Agent for 434-436 & 458.

Columbus, Ohio was chosen as the site for the next convention, which will be held in April of 2016.

Now, we move on with the business of protecting member rights and pushing for a resolution to the USPS's financial problems.

Terry Grant, President OPWU AFL-CIO

Two Peas in a Pod

It seems as though Senator Tom Carper and Postmaster General are much like two peas in a pod.  The PMG continues to try and drive the USPS right into the ground while Carper says he is moving postal reform through Congress - but it is going so slowly that when and if it happens, it might be to late to save the Postal Service.

Donahoe announced that he is accelerating the consolidation of 53 mail processing facilities which will further erode the USPS's capability to efficiently move the mail.  Carper, who is the chairman of the Senate's Homeland Security and Governmetal Affairs committee that oversees the Postal Service, said: "Given the Postal Service's dire financial situation, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the Postmaster General is moving forward to implement additional cost-cutting measures with the limited tools at his disposal".  He added: "...I intend to closely review this plan and work with the Postal Service to ensure that the consolidation process is fair and transparent to employees and customers".

Do you think Senator Carper realizes that when these consolidations are completed it will be virtually impossible to maintain the first class delivery standards he is asking for in S. 316, the bill he cosponsored to save the Postal Servive?  Does he believe that the consolidations would be reversed and mail processing equipment moved back into the old plants?  Remember, the only way the USPS could justify consolidating mail processing centers was to RELAX the delivery standards!

Senator Carper also maintains that postal reform legislation is moving quickly through Congress and will be enacted so that the Postal Service has the tools to survive.  He said: "Now that the 113th Congress is underway, I have been working with my colleagues in the Senate and House to identify and come to consensus on a set of reforms so we enact a meaningfull bill as soon as possible - and provide the Postal Service with the tools and resources it needs to reform itself so that it can survive and thrive in the 21st century".

With the kind of schedule the House and Senate work on (they are now on a two-week break), is there anyone who believes that postal reform will come quickly?

Our national union has condemmed the plan to accelerate consolidation.  President Guffey stated: "These closures will eliminate jobs, harm communities, and delay mail delivery every day - Monday, through Saturday".  The consolidations will drastically curtail local mail sortation and virtually eliminate overnight delivery.

Need examples of what happens when a plant is consolidated?  Look at Lima, Ohio.  Their plant was consolidated into Toledo in October of 2010.  Local mail delivery (Lima to Lima) now takes 2-4 days where it was overnight.  And guess what - the brains at postal headquarters are now planning on consolidating Toledo into Columbus and Romulus, Michigan!!! 

There is a provision in the postal reform legislation to return the overnight delivery standards, but even if it survives in the final bill and is adopted, how will the Postal Servie be able to maintian it if all of these processing centers are gone?

Congress broke the USPS back in 2006 with the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act which required the USPS to pre-fund $55 billion of future retiree health care premiums by 2016, something that no other company, public or private, has to do.  It is way past time that Congress fix the USPS, but will their solution come too late?

So Much for "Speedy" Legislation

When the Senate held hearings in February about 5-day delivery, Senator Tom Carper said that he expected postal reform would come quickly, as early as the end of March.

Late last week he said that he was going to put his full attention to getting the legislation enacted, well at least part of his full intention.

Now he is saying that postal reform should happen as early as this summer.  I guess that still qualifies as speedy when you are talking about Congress accomplishing anything.

The longer Congress waits to enact reform legislation, the more damaged the Postal Service will be.  If they wait long enough, it might just be beyond repair.

Does anyone think that once mail processing plants are closed and all machinery moved other places - they will be moved back when reform is passed???  I highly doubt it.

If our elected officials REALLY CARED about the United States Postal Service, reform would have ALREADY been enacted.  By the way, where is the President in all of this?

Terry Grant, President OPWU AFL-CIO

Donahoe Told:

Oh no, You didn't!!!

Twenty-four United States Senators are telling Postmaster General Donahoe that HE DOES NOT HAVE THE POWER to eliminate six-day delivery. In a leeter sent to Donahoe on February 15, they maintain he needs congressional approval before 5-day can be implemented.

The senators, led by New Mexico's Tom Udall (D) urged the PMG to work with them to address the financial problems through legislative reform. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) was one of the letter signees. 

It is feared going to 5-day delivery would further decrease mail volume and revenues.  It is also estimated that this change would impact 70,000 jobs.

So far, Mr. Donahoe has not responded publically to the letter.