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Ask President Burrus

Question:

I am a USPS customer and a union member (not an APWU member). I love to use the post office and respect and value your members work.

Except with packages. Two times in the past 6 months I have mailed non-priority packages and both times they have taken 6 to 12 weeks to be delivered. (These are they only packages I mailed in the last 6 months thru USPS, so though limited, it’s a dismal record.)

I haven’t complained to USPS (yet) because mgmt would just blame the workers. (These packages went from Seattle to New York City (took 3 months to deliver) and then Seattle to San Francisco (took 6 weeks to deliver). As one lone customer in a sea of millions, I realize this could just have been a coincidence. But it was distressing to myself and the folks I was sending things to; I mailed the items in good time to be received without the added expensive of priority shipping. Then they disappeared, seemingly into a black hole for a while, only to finally pop out when we thought all hope was lost. (At least they finally got delivered I guess.)

I’m distressed that the Post Office that I appreciate as one of the most vital public services we have could do so poorly in this area.

So here’re my questions: Is management trying to drive the Postal Service into the ground? What are they doing that can be causing this? How can I submit a complaint that pins the responsibility where it belongs, presumably on mismanagement and bungling? Any specifics you can provide to help my phrase my complaint would be appreciated. I don’t want to lose our public postal workers to private and mostly nonunion providers.

Thanks,

Doreen McGrath

President Burrus:

Dear Ms. McGrath:

This is to respond to your inquiry to “Ask the President” on the APWU Web site. Thank you for visiting our Web page; I trust that it provided the information that you were seeking.

The officers of the APWU and the 300,000 postal workers we represent are appalled that your mail was delayed up to three months before delivery. This is simply unacceptable.

The American employer/employee relationship is structured so that the employer is empowered to make all decisions regarding work, including how work is organized and when various activities are scheduled. The Postal Service is no exception, and the processing and delivery of mail is at management’s discretion.

With the aid of modern technology, postal employees are among the most productive workers in our society. When there is sufficient staffing, mail is sorted and delivered consistent with the expectations of American citizens. However, over the last several years postal management has engaged in cost-cutting activities; since our only product is service, the reductions have left fewer employees to serve the public.

Unfortunately, postal management is currently proposing additional changes that will have an additional negative effect on service to customers like you. In the name of “efficiency,” USPS management is proposing to “consolidate” (or reduce) postal operations at many locations across the country. This will result in substantial delays in mail delivery. There will be fewer processing plants; and mail will have to be transported many miles before it can be sorted. In many instances, mail will be returned days later for delivery to the community where it originated. Our union is opposing these changes because we believe that the American people are entitled to the high level of service they expect.

Ninety-six percent of the mail in this country is business related (mail from one business to another; from a business to customers, or from customers to business). Personal packages similar to your delayed parcel make up a very small segment of the total volume.

Regrettably, the businesses that provide the majority of volume, primarily commercial advertising, have been permitted to influence the decisions of postal management. Services that are not directly related to those necessary to deliver the advertising of “major mailers” are considered unnecessary costs and are under review for elimination. Service to the public will be significantly eroded.

Our union is waging a nationwide campaign to alert the public about these changes. We hope to enlist their support for a simple premise: The Postal Service is a service to the public; it is not intended to solely serve the interest of large commercial mailers.

We ask that you contact your congressional representatives and inform them that you insist on reliable postal services for the citizens of this country and that the Postal Service should not serve the business interests at the expense of ordinary Americans. For further information, please visit our Web site again. In the near future, it will provide a forum for citizens to express their concerns about this matter.

Thank you for communicating with my office and we hope to continue serving you at a level consistent with your expectations.

May 11, 2006

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