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USPS
Announces ‘Modified
Consolidation Plan’
Implementation to Begin This Summer,
No Specifics Provided
(05/16/12) The USPS notified the APWU today, May 16, that it has developed a modified network consolidation plan and, “Now that the moratorium has expired, consolidation activities will begin this summer.” However, postal managers did not provide the union with a list of which facilities would be affected and when. APWU President Cliff Guffey said, “The Postal Service’s actions are the best evidence there is that union members must contact their U.S. representatives and urge them to address postal reform immediately, using the recently-approved Senate bill as a starting point for discussion.” [read more]
Members
of Congress
Seek Extension of Moratorium
(05/11/12) More than 100
U.S. representatives have signed a letter to Postmaster General
Patrick R. Donahoe, urging him to extend the moratorium on the closure
of post offices and mail processing facilities, and asking him to refrain
from cutting hours at rural offices.
[read
more]
APWU Urges House:
Address Postal Reform Now,
Start With Senate
Bill
(05/10/12) As the May 15 expiration of a moratorium on the closure of post offices and mail processing facilities approaches, the APWU is urging the House of Representatives to address postal reform immediately, and to use the Senate bill as a starting point. The USPS’ May 9 announcement about keeping rural offices open isn’t binding and won’t solve the USPS financial crisis, so we must keep fighting, the union says. [read more]
APWU Statement
On USPS Announcement
About Rural Post Offices
(05/10/12) The APWU is continuing to analyze the Postal Service’s May 9 announcement that it will allow rural post offices to remain open, but with reduced hours. “We applaud the proposal to allow greater community input on rural postal services and to keep offices open," said APWU President Cliff Guffey, "but we are disappointed by the decision to reduce hours at these offices." [read more]
Fox News, Wrong Again!
(05/09/12) Fox News may have set a new record for inaccurate reporting this week in a story about the Postal Service. The story, which was broadcast on May 8 and posted on Fox’s Web site, frantically warns viewers and visitors that because of a bill approved by the Senate, “taxpayers may be on the hook for Postal Service losses.” The Web posting even has a handy “taxpayer calculator” that shows visitors “how much the bailout will cost you.” [read more]
PMG: We Never Used the Word ‘Closure’
(05/04/12) In an interview televised on C-SPAN on April 27, Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe down-played the threat of post office and mail processing plant closures and suggested no major changes would take place anytime soon. “‘Closure’ is a word we’ve never used,” he said. Really? [read more]
Senate
Approves Postal Bill,
Action Now Moves to House
(04/27/12) “With the moratorium on the closure of mail processing plants and post offices set to expire on May 15, we must now turn our attention to the House. We expect to face very tough challenges there,” said APWU President Cliff Guffey. “But we will do everything we can to get a good bill. We call on our members, small businesses, individual customers, and lawmakers to re-double our efforts to Save America’s Postal Service.” [read more]
Potential Consolidation List Not Reliable, Union Says
(04/26/12) A “potential consolidation list” developed by the Postal Service and provided to members of the Senate on April 24 has generated a lot of interest at postal facilities across the country, but it is not an official management proposal or reliable list, the union is warning. [read more]
Senate Approves Amended Postal Bill,
Next Up: The House of Representatives
(04/25/12) The Senate passed an amended version of the 21st
Century Postal Service Act (S. 1789) on April 25 by a vote of 62-37. “Although
the bill is flawed, the amended version is far better than the original,” said
APWU President Cliff Guffey. “That is a result of the tremendous
effort of APWU members, postal customers, and elected officials
who appreciate the importance of the Postal Service to American
life. Thank you for your hard work.”
[read more]
Senate
to Vote on Postal Reform Bill
APWU Members Must Let Senators Know
Where We Stand
(04/24/12) The Senate will vote on the 21st Century Postal Service
Act (S. 1789) on Tuesday, April 24, with action expected to begin
after 2:15 p.m. Senators will be asked to consider a revised version
of the legislation, which the bill’s sponsors introduced on
April 17, along with up to 38 other amendments. [read
more]
Senate
to Debate, Vote
On Postal Bill Starting April 23
APWU Members Must Let Senators Know
Where We Stand
(04/20/12) The Senate will debate the 21st Century Postal Service Act (S. 1789) beginning on Monday, April 23, with voting set to begin on Tuesday, April 24, as a result of an agreement by Senate leaders. Senators will be asked to consider a revised version of the legislation, which the bill’s sponsors introduced on April 17, along with up to 38 other amendments. “It is crucial that APWU members let their senators know where we stand on this important bill,” said APWU President Cliff Guffey. “With the moratorium on the closure of mail processing plants and post offices set to expire on May 15, we must do everything we can to improve the legislation,” he said. [read more]
Senate Leaders Announce Agreement
On Amendments to Postal Reform Bill
(04/20/12) Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced an agreement April 19 to consider 39 amendments to the postal reform bill (S. 1789), with debate on amendments beginning on Monday, April 23. A cloture vote to end debate is expected Monday evening. If the motion passes, voting on amendments will begin on Tuesday, April 24. The APWU is reviewing the amendments, said Legislative and Political Director Myke Reid. “We will call on union members to contact their senators about the most important amendments,” he said. [read more]
Senate May Consider
Amendments to Postal Bill
(04/19/12) The Senate could begin consideration of amendments to S. 1789, the 21st Century Postal Service Act, on April 19. Seventy-nine amendments were filed as of a 1 p.m. deadline on April 18, and they run the gamut from provisions that would eliminate workers’ protection against layoffs, to language that would extend the moratorium on consolidations, to provisions to protect the benefits of injured workers. “The revised version of S. 1789 is better than the original version, but we continue to have serious concerns about several issues,” said APWU President Cliff Guffey. [read more]
Postal Workers Picket As Senate Begins Debate
(Updated 4/19/12) Members of the APWU and Mail Handlers Union rallied in front of post offices around the country Tuesday to alert the public to looming service cuts if Congress doesn’t act to fix the Postal Service’s finances by May 15. [read more]
Senate to Resume Consideration of Postal Bill
(04/18/12) The Senate is expected to resume consideration a revised version of S. 1789, the 21st Century Postal Service Act, with proceedings broadcast and Webcast live on C-SPAN. The APWU denounced the original version of the bill, saying it would lead to degradation of service and the closure of hundreds of mail processing centers and thousands of post offices. [read more]
Senate to Consider Postal Bill Today, April 17
(04/17/12) The Senate is expected to consider a revised version of S. 1789, the 21st Century Postal Service Act, on Tuesday, April 17, with proceedings broadcast and Webcast live on C-SPAN. The revisions were announced late in the day on April 16. “We are analyzing the new provisions carefully and will comment once we have completed our review,” said APWU President Cliff Guffey. The APWU denounced the original version of the bill, saying it would lead to degradation of service and the closure of hundreds of mail processing centers and thousands of post offices. [read more]
As Deadline Nears, APWU Keeps Up the Fight
(05/01/12) Time is running out. We are quickly approaching the May 15 expiration of the moratorium on the closure and consolidation of mail processing plants and post offices. The moratorium is intended to give Congress the opportunity to pass a bill to address the Postal Service’s financial crisis — without drastic cuts in service and jobs. [read more]
USPS Misrepresentations
Lead to Barrage of Criticism
(05/01/12) The Postal Service’s top management, including Postmaster General Donahoe, has been drawing fire from all sides in recent months, after a series of disturbing and embarrassing revelations. Criticism of postal management started mounting after the USPS filed a request with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) for an advisory opinion on plans to degrade service standards — to eliminate overnight delivery of most first-class mail and periodicals, and generally slow delivery. Prior to the September request, postal managers had been telling legislators and affected communities that consolidating mail processing facilities would not affect service. [read more]
Postal Reform – At the 11th Hour
(05/01/12) With the expiration of a moratorium on the consolidation and closure of mail processing plants and post offices approaching, there has been a tremendous amount of activity about postal legislation on Capitol Hill — and a tremendous amount of activity in the APWU Legislative and Political Department. The impending end of the moratorium has forced politicians and interested parties to step up their efforts to solve the USPS financial crisis. [read more]
APWU Members Continue the Fight
 |
(05/01/12) The Postal Service’s announcement on Feb. 23 that it has approved 223 mail processing plants for consolidation hasn’t deterred APWU locals from fighting back. APWU members have been rallying, marching and actively reaching out to their senators and representatives and urging them to support legislation that will correct the underlying cause of the USPS financial crisis without slashing service, eliminating jobs, and destroying the network of plants and post offices that keeps the mail moving. [read more]
Network Downsizing Plan Doesn’t Add Up
Secret USPS Market Research Shows Losses
Would Wipe Out Savings
|
(05/01/12) Secret USPS market research on the Postal Service’s plan to close or consolidate 223 mail processing plants indicates that revenue losses caused by the program could wipe out any potential savings.
The data destroys the rationale for the Postal Service’s plan to close or consolidate hundreds of mail processing facilities, APWU President Cliff Guffey said. “Congress must act immediately to prevent the Postal Service from going forward with this destructive program,” he said. [read more]
APWU Public Outreach Campaign Continues
 |
(04/10/12) With tax filing deadline quickly approaching, the APWU will
re-air its Ever Wonder ad beginning April 11, with spots airing
on Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, and Headline News. The union’s 30-second
ad describes the enormity of the job postal workers do, and ends with
a simple question and response: Ever wonder what this costs you as
a taxpayer? Not a single cent. The ad informs the public about the
work APWU members perform, and dispels the persistent myth that our
work is funded by taxpayers. The airing of the ad is timed to coincide
with two nationwide union-sponsored activities this month.
[read
more]
One Week Left; Lobbying Efforts Take Off
(04/09/12) APWU locals and state organizations are responding enthusiastically
to the call to lobby their senators during the congressional recess,
which began April 2 and ends April 13. In addition to rallies and meetings
with senators during the break, locals will conduct informational leafleting
at post offices around the country on Tax Day, April 17. With
time getting short, APWU President Cliff Guffey is urging all APWU
members to get involved.
[read
more]
Union Calls for April Actions
To Save the Postal Service
(03/30/12) The APWU is asking state and local organizations to participate in two nationwide activities in April: Lobbying your senators at their home offices during the Easter recess, and informational leafleting on Tax Day, April 17. “Time is running out for Congress to enact postal legislation,” said APWU President Cliff Guffey. The moratorium on post office closings and plant consolidations expires on May 15. “Congress must address the Postal Service’s financial crisis to avoid drastic cuts in service and jobs,” Guffey said. [read more]
Senate Action on Postal Bill Expected in Mid-April
Use This Time to Advocate Union’s
Position, APWU Says
(03/27/12) The Senate is expected to vote on postal legislation in mid-April, following a congressional recess, APWU Legislative and Political Director Myke Reid has reported. The postal bill, S. 1789, is expected to be the Senate’s first order of business when lawmakers return to the Capitol on April 16. [read more]
USPS
Explanation of Secret Study
Is Misleading, Inaccurate, Union Charges
(03/26/12) The Postal Service’s recent attempt to justify the decision to keep market research secret is misleading and inaccurate, the APWU has charged. The research, which was conducted in August and September 2011, indicates that revenue losses from the USPS plan to degrade service standards could eliminate any potential savings from consolidating or closing 223 mail processing centers. [read more]
USPS Market Research on Consolidations:
Revenue
Losses Could Wipe Out Savings
(03/22/12) In testimony before the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) on March 21, a USPS witness made a startling admission: The Postal Service’s initial research on the network consolidation plan indicated that it could result in revenue losses of $5.3 billion, with net revenue losses as high as $1.9 billion. Revenue losses of that magnitude would virtually wipe out any cost savings derived from the plan, which the USPS initially estimated would be $2.1 billion. Recently completed Area Mail Processing (AMP) feasibility studies indicate far smaller savings. [read more]
A Stunning Admission:
USPS Hasn't Considered
Combined Effect of Proposed Changes
(03/13/12) In response to a motion filed by the APWU, the Postal Service admitted March 9 that it has not considered the combined effect of several of its major proposals, including plans to: Degrade service standards; end overnight delivery for first-class mail and periodicals, and slow mail delivery in general; Consolidate more than 220 mail processing facilities; Close 3,600 post offices; Eliminate Saturday mail delivery, and Raise postage rates. In a document filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC), the Postal Service declared that it “has conducted no ‘combined impact’ analysis” of the proposals. The USPS filed the document in response to an APWU motion that sought to compel the Postal Service to provide testimony about how it weighed the cumulative effect of the pending changes. [read more]
APWU
Launches Next Phase
Of Television Ad Campaign
 |
(03/13/12) The APWU is launching the next phase of its television ad campaign,
with spots to begin airing on CNN, MSNBC, and FOX News on Wednesday
March 14, President Cliff Guffey has announced. The ads also will
appear in a limited run on NBC Nightly News. In the new ads, postal
workers and customers talk about the importance of the Postal Service
to our nation — and
the devastating effect closing post offices and consolidating mail processing
plants would have on our communities and our economy. The ads are slated
to run through mid May. [read
more]
[where
and when to see the ads]
Latest
USPS Announcement
On Consolidation
Raises
More Questions than It Answers
(03/08/12) The Postal Service’s announcement on March 7 that
it would suspend consolidation of mail processing and distribution centers
during the “election mailing season” seems to have raised
more questions than it answered. Lost in much of the reporting on the
announcement is this pertinent quote from the USPS press release: “Therefore,
most closures or consolidations would have to take place starting after
May 15, 2012, and be completed by August 31, 2012.” It appears
that the Postal Service intends to implement as many consolidations
as possible between May 15 and Aug. 31; take a break, and resume consolidations
early in 2013.
[read
more]
How
Many Postal Workers
Will Consolidations Affect?
(03/01/12) The Postal Service’s recent announcement that it has approved 223 mail processing facilities for consolidation has prompted questions about how many employees in the various crafts and areas will be affected. [read more]
Public Outrage Grows
As USPS Pursues Network Consolidation
(03/01/12) Across the country, hundreds of concerned citizens have protested the Postal Service’s plans to dismantle the nation’s mail processing network. In spite of the timing of the Postal Service’s town hall meetings — in the middle of the winter holiday season–spirited crowds packed theatres, auditoriums, and city streets to send a very clear message: Don’t destroy America’s Postal Service. [read more]
APWU
Members Must Continue the Fight!
Of 264 facilities studied for closure,
223 were approved for consolidation. Six are still being studied. Only
35 consolidations were disapproved – at this time.
(02/23/12) The Postal Service’s announcement on Feb. 23 that it has approved 223 mail processing plants for consolidation leaves union members just one option, APWU President Cliff Guffey said: We must continue the fight! “That means getting Congress to act now to Save America’s Postal Service,” he said. In “stand-up talks” with employees on Feb. 22, managers emphasized that consolidations would not take place until after May 15, when a six-month moratorium on consolidations expires. The moratorium was intended to give Congress “the opportunity to enact an alternate plan,” postal officials pointed out. [read more]
USPS Notifies Employees of Consolidations
APWU
Continues to Oppose Plan
To Slash Service, Jobs, Network
(Updated 02/22/12) As the Postal Service notifies employees whether their
mail processing plants will be consolidated beginning in mid-May, the
APWU is fighting back. The union is continuing to oppose USPS
plans to slash service, eliminate 35,000 jobs, and destroy the mail distribution
network. In “stand-up talks” in offices all around
the country on Feb. 22, postal managers informed employees about the
future of their plants, but refused to tell the unions how many plants
would be consolidated and which plants they are. The USPS says it will
notify the unions and media on Feb. 23. [read
more]
UPDATE: The USPS has provided the APWU with copies of the “stand-up
talks” and the text of a video given to employees on Feb. 22.
The USPS released a list showing its consolidation plans on Feb. 23.
USPS Plans to Implement Consolidation
As Soon As Moratorium Expires
(02/15/12) In a meeting with the APWU on Feb. 13, postal officials notified the APWU that they plan to begin consolidating mail processing facilities as soon as the moratorium on consolidations ends. The moratorium is set to expire on May 15. APWU President Cliff Guffey condemned the USPS decision. “We are outraged that the Postal Service intends to forge ahead with the destruction of the mail processing network,” he said. [read more]
Senators Seek Changes to Postal Bill
(02/15/12) Twenty-seven senators have signed a letter to the sponsors of the 21st Century Postal Service Act (S. 1789) asking them to approve amendments to the legislation that the APWU supports. The bill – which the APWU says is “unacceptable in its current form” – is expected to be brought to the Senate floor for a vote in the next few weeks. APWU President Cliff Guffey is asking union members to contact their senators and urged them to support the amendments to S. 1789 that are outlined in the letter. [read more]
Postal Service Gets It Wrong Again
Slashing the Network Won’t Save the
USPS
(01/01/12) Among the Postal Service ’ s major plans for solving the USPS financial crisis is to slash the mail processing network — to close or consolidate as many as 252 of approximately 460 mail processing facilities. Wrong again! The Postal Service notified the APWU on Sept. 14 that it would study the feasibility of consolidating more than half of its mail processing centers as part of a nationwide plan to cut costs. The next day, with great fanfare, Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe announced the plan to the media, and presented it as an essential component of resolving the Postal Service’s financial difficulties. But the reality is quite different. In fact, the Postmaster General’s prescription would do more harm than good. [read more]
|
APWU Locals Take
Sophisticated
Approach to Fighting Consolidation
(01/01/12) As the battle against the consolidation of mail processing facilities intensifies, APWU locals are taking an increasingly sophisticated approach to the fight. Rallies and information pickets have raised awareness of the effect consolidation would have on service, but some locals are taking their outreach a step further — building community coalitions, launching media campaigns, and using economic data to expose the negative effects of consolidation. “By taking a strategic approach to fighting consolidation, APWU locals are better able to refute USPS management’s claims about the benefits of consolidation,” said APWU president Cliff Guffey. [read more]
USPS
Announces Moratorium
On Post Office, Plant Closures
(12/13/11) The Postal Service has announced a five-month moratorium on the closure of post offices and mail processing facilities, in response to a request from 22 senators. The delay until May 15, 2012, is intended to give Congress more time to adopt legislation that would address the USPS financial crisis without drastic cuts in service. [read more]
Senators Seek
to Stop USPS Cutbacks
Is Your Senator on Board?
(12/09/11) Twenty senators are asking Congress to impose a six-month moratorium on USPS plans to consolidate more than 250 mail processing plants, close thousands of post offices, and eliminate overnight mail delivery, in order to give lawmakers an opportunity to consider postal reform legislation. [read more]
USPS Plan Will Hasten Demise
Of a Still-Vital Institution
Degrading Mail Service Will Hurt, Not Help,
USPS
(12/05/11) “The Postal Service plan will hasten the demise of the USPS,” APWU President Cliff Guffey said in response to the agency’s announcement that it would seek an advisory opinion from the Postal Regulatory Commission on plans to eliminate next-day delivery of first-class mail and periodicals. “The USPS should be modernizing and striving to remain relevant in the digital age, not reducing service to the American people,” he said. “Degrading service is a direct consequence of Postal Service plans to eliminate half of its mail processing centers,” said Guffey. [read more]
Finally, An Admission:
Cuts will Degrade Service
(11/01/11) In late September, the Postal Service admitted something they’ve been denying for years: Cutbacks in the USPS mail processing network will lead to drastic reductions in service to the American people. The Postal Service announced plans to eliminate 252 mail processing facilities on Sept. 14, and one week later published a notice of proposed changes in service standards in the Federal Register. [read more]
Battle Over USPS Future Enters Critical Period
Union Launches Petition Drive to Protect
Post Offices, Mail Processing Centers, Service Standards
(10/31/11) The battle over the future of the Postal Service — and our jobs — has reached a critical stage: Key senators are meeting behind closed doors in an effort to produce a compromise bill to address the USPS financial crisis. It is likely that any proposals they develop will be submitted to the congressional “super-committee” to be incorporated into the committee’s plan to reduce the nation’s deficit. “It is absolutely essential that we make our voices heard now — before any deal is cut that could adversely affect the future of the USPS and our members,” said APWU President Cliff Guffey. [read more]
Union Launches Petition Drive
To Save America’s Postal Service
(10/28/11) President Guffey is asking APWU members to collect signatures on a petition to Congress urging senators and representatives to oppose plans to close post offices, shutter mail processing facilities, and drastically degrade service to the American people. In a letter to state and local presidents dated Oct. 26, 2011, President Guffey wrote, “It is urgent that we bring as much political pressure as possible to bear against the Postal Service’s plans to dismantle its network of processing, distribution and retail facilities.” [read more]
Union Challenges Proposed
Changes to USPS Service Standards
(10/06/11) The APWU is challenging proposed changes to USPS service standards that would result from a major reduction in the number of mail processing facilities. The Postal Service announced plans to eliminate 252 mail processing facilities on Sept. 14, and one week later published an “advance notice” of the proposed changes in service in the Federal Register. “The APWU vehemently opposes the USPS proposal to eliminate 60 percent of existing mail processing facilities and to make corresponding cuts in service standards,” President Cliff Guffey wrote in a letter dated Oct. 5. “If adopted, this proposal would deprive postal customers of needed service, damage the economy, and drive customers away from the Postal Service. [read more]
APWU Battles Consolidation Onslaught
(09/01/11) The USPS is accelerating consolidation plans in the face of a looming financial crisis and growing calls from Congress to cut costs and eliminate “excess” network capacity. Since June, the APWU has received notification of the Postal Service’s decision to consolidate operations at more than 25 mail processing centers, and plans to conduct more than 15 more Area Mail Processing studies. There’s no let up in sight, but APWU locals are continuing to lead the fight against misguided consolidations. [read more]
Union
Files ULP
Charge Over USPS Refusal
To Provide Information
on Consolidations
(08/04/11) The APWU has filed an unfair labor practice (ULP) charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NRLB) protesting the Postal Service’s refusal to provide the union with information regarding Area Mail Processing (AMP) feasibility studies. The union contends that management’s failure to provide the information constitutes a breach of its obligation to bargain in good faith. [read more]
Threats to Our Service:
The Proof is in the Numbers
 |
(07/01/11) After years of fighting tirelessly to debunk management’s claims that consolidations will result in improved efficiency and cost savings, APWU locals now have proof that network realignment has a negative impact on the mail service that communities rely on. An audit recently completed by the USPS Office of Inspector General (OIG) found that a consolidation in Lima, OH, resulted in delayed mail and a decline in on-time performance and customer service. [read more]
Updated Consolidation Toolkit
Available to Assist in Locals’ Efforts
(06/01/11) The APWU has produced an updated toolkit to assist locals in their efforts to bring attention to the negative effects consolidation would have on mail service. “We encourage union activists to get involved in the fight against the Postal Service’s plans to cut the postal network,” said APWU Vice President Greg Bell. “In many cases, the consolidation of postal operations would have an adverse impact on customer service, the community, and jobs. This material will help union activists inform their communities, elected officials, and the media.” [read more]
Public, Legislators
Join the Fight to Save Mail
Service
(04/13/11) The Postal Service’s assault on the nation’s mail processing network shows no signs of stopping — and APWU locals have responded by engaging elected officials, community leaders, and members of the public in the fight to save our service.
|
February was a record month for consolidation announcements, as the USPS launched studies that could lead to the closing or significant downsizing of 20 mail processing centers. The previous record month was September 2010, during which the Postal Service announced 13 planned studies. [read more]
APWU Locals Demand:
‘Keep the Mail Here!’
(02/28/11) In response to the Postal Service’s efforts to reduce the nation’s mail processing network, the APWU has ramped up its fight against the cuts at locations across the country.
Locals have held public protests, contacted members of Congress, engaged members of the community and elected officials in their efforts, and rallied to save postal facilities. Using material prepared by the national union, members are demanding that the USPS stop cutting service, jobs, and the postal network. [read more]
