Here We Go Again!

The article below talks about Congress asking the Postmaster General to extend the moratorium on postal facility closures until legislation dealing with postal financial problems can be enacted.  Well, according to the announcement from Headquarters yesterday, the answer is a big-fat NO!!!!  They announced that consolidation of 140 mail processing centers will be accomplished by February, 2013. 

Here in Ohio, the first two to go are Mansfield (into Cleveland) and Steubenville (into Pittsburgh).  They are scheduled for sometime next month.  Also being affected by February 2013 will be Portsmouth, Dayton, Athens, Ironton, Canton, Wooster, Youngstown, Cambridge, Chillicothe, Coshocton, and Massillon.  Then, in February of 2014 another round of closings would occur targeting 89 more mail processing facilities across the U.S.

This new plan modifies overnight delivery areas, but according to USPS Chief Operating Officer Megan Brennan - "customers who mail in a local service area will continue to retain that overnight service".

As been reported here the United States Senate has passed legislation to help alievate some of the financial burdens faced by the USPS, but the House of Representatives HAS NOT ACTED ON ANYTHING. And, according to their agenda they have not even scheduled any discussion and/or debate on the Postal Service.  Soon, they will be in summer recess and will continue to do what they have been all year - NOTHING!!!

Unless the House wakes up and gets going - who knows what might happen to the most efficient and reliable postal service in the world. 

From all over this country the cry from citizens, newspapers, media outlets, and just about everyone else is for Congress to fix the problem and keep our Postal Service the best in the world.  This is a non-partisan issue, so why isn't something being done?  That is what you must ask your congressperson.  Ask now and ask often.  There is not much time left.

Remember what your congressperson does on this issue.  And, if they do nothing, then - REMEMBER THAT ON ELECTION DAY - NOVEMBER 6, 2012.

House of Representatives Ask PMG to

Extend Moratorium

In a letter written to Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe dated May 9, over 100 members of the U.S. House of Representatives requested the Postal Service extend the moratorium on post office and mail processing center closures past the original deadline of May 15.  They asked the moratorium be extended until Congress finishes legislation to find relief for the USPS's financial condition.

It is notable that of the members who signed the letter only three are from Ohio - Betty Sutton, Marcy Kaptur and Dennis Kucinich.  Other Ohio representatives who cosponsored HR 1351 (228 total from U.S.) such as Tim Ryan, Jim Renacci, Bill Johnson, Marcia Fudge and Steve LaTourette are NOT among the signatures on the May 9 letter.

HR 1351, despite a majority number of cosponsors, has never been brought up for full House debate.  Meanwhile, HR 2309 with just 2 cosponsors, is in mark-up and ready for discussion.

So, Now We Are Not Doing so Bad?

Just the other day Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe said that postal revenues are running slightly ahead of projections and continued cost-cutting is also helping the bottom line.  Now, the Postal Service's cash-flow situation "is ok through the fall and into probably late NEXT year".

I guess he has now cost us a chance to get Congress to act quickly.  According to Gene Del Polito, president of the Association for Postal Commerce - "Congress is never going to really do something final until it knows the clock has run out, the money has run out, and it has no choice".

Members of the U.S. Senate, which passed S. 1789 (see below) last week, seem to be intent on keeping the Service from proceeding with any post office or mail processing center closures after the May 15 mortorium expires.  They sent the PMG a letter requesting he hold off on any closures until Congress can act.  PMG Donahoe said that May 15 was not supposed to be a "shutdown day" and that "any changes we make will be incremental over the course of the summer".  After August, the USPS plans on another moratorium for the general election in November.  That breather should last through the end of the year.

The House of Representatives, who must address postal reform next, does have any postal issues on their schedule before May 15, in fact they were not even in session last week. 

Senate Passes S. 1789

4/25/12

Late this afternoon the United States Senate voted 62-37 to pass S. 1789, the 21st Century Postal Service Act.  Sixty votes were needed to pass and now legislation moves on to the House of Representatives.  It is not known when the House will address Postal Service issues.

Amendments approved today were:

#2076 - To put a district liasion person in a state without a district office.

#2027 - To lower the number of post offices within the Capital from seven to two.

#2029 - Notify Senate if legislation helps or hurts USPS.

#2066 - Changes compensation for executive level employees.

#2072 - USPS must analyize impact of change on small businesses.

#2030 - More time to file claims for injured employees who are deployed.

#2036 - (Sense of Senate resolution) - do not make closures until postal reform is completed.

#2073 - Easier accessability to medicare for postal employees

#2071 - Addresses problems associated with inaccurate pensions estimates and slow payments.

#2032 - Limit the salaries of the six most-senior USPS executives.

#2050 - Protect door to door service for those who already have it.

As I said it is not known when the House will take up postal reform.  They are only scheduled in session 4 days next week and none the following week.

The official opinion of the APWU on this bill will be announced by national headquarters, most likely on 4/26/12.

My opinion is that it is better to have something done than nothing at all.  Without reform the USPS would move to consolidate, close, and change delivery standards.  Thousands of postal employees would be in danger.

Terry Grant, President OPWU AFL-CIO

Senate Votes on 1789

Amendments

(Note: what you will read here is my opinion of what happened yesterday in the United States Senate.  It is not construed as the opinion of the APWU)

Yesterday afternoon the Senate began debate on amendments for S. 1789, The 21st Century Postal Service Act.  It almost didn't get to the floor because several republican senators tried to kill it by calling for a Point of Order saying the bill would exceed the limits of the budget agreement.  This point of order was made by Senator Sessions (R-AL) and supported in floor speeches by Sen. Corker (R-TN), Sen. Coats (R-IN) and Sen. Coburn (R-OK).  They tried to confuse the situation by saying that 1789 would cost the federal budget some $34B.  They seemed not to realize that the USPS does not exist on tax dollars.  Their points were refuted by Sen. Collins (R-ME), Sen. Carper (D-DE), Sen. Lieberman (I-CT) and Sen. Brown (R-MA).  The vote to waive the point of order needed 60 votes to pass.  Final tally 62 - Yea, 37 - No.  Senator Brown of Ohio voted to waive but Senator Portman voted for the point of order, or no.

I will discuss the amendments that passed.  I can say here that Senator Portman, despite all of our letters, emails and phone calls voted against every amendment that would help the Post Office and it's employees.  Senator Brown on the other hand, voted for us every time.

Amendment # 2056 - includes language that would make it more difficult to close post offices.  Also provides an appeal to the PRC if an office is closed.

#2020 - helps to perserve vote by mail, especially for servicemen & women.

#2058 - provides for co-location of post offices in other businessess or government offices.

#2080 - any Area Mail Processing study is subject to individual verification by the Postal Rate Commission.

#2047 - Provides for non-paid advocate for office(s) facing closure and provides for new revenue streams for post office.

#2031 - Provides a moratorium on closings of rural post offices with no closings for one year and only when there is not community opposition.

As I said, Senator Portman voted against all of these amendments.  He did, along with Senator Brown vote on two amendments that failed.  Those were:

#2083 - Go to 5 day delivery immediately.

#2025 - Mailbox freedom.  Introduced by Rand Paul (R-KY) this would have allowed mailbox access to anyone.  Currently it is against federal law for anyone but the Post Office to place items in mailboxes.

There will be more voting on amendments today (4/25) with the vote on final passage hopefully taking place tonight.  Then it is on to the House of Representatives and we will really have to be viligant when they begin discussing postal options. It is most important to note that while 1789 is not the perfect answer to fix the problems faced by the USPS, we have to realize that we must fight for language that helps keep the Post Office alive and service & jobs protected. 

Terry Grant, President OPWU