All Sections ------------------------------- News & Events Pay & Benefits Departments & Divisions Members Only

Advanced Search

Printer-Friendly Page

APWU Local Collects 8,000 Signatures
In Support of Consolidation Fight in Florida

APWU Web News Article #008-09, Jan. 23, 2009

As part of its drive to keep mail processing operations at the Manasota (FL) P&DC, an APWU local has collected more than 8,000 signatures from the community opposing the proposed shift of some operations to Tampa, about 60 miles away.

Manasota Local members Dave Morris and Debbie Marler  gathered signatures at the Manatee County Fair.

“We’ve been gathering signatures for just over six weeks,” said Manasota APWU President Jim DeMauro. “Some we’ve collected near the facility itself, but we’ve been getting the message out every way we can, including at public events and online.”

The Postal Service announced it would conduct an Area Mail Processing study of the feasibility of consolidating some operations at the Manasota and Lakeland (in nearby Polk County, 40 miles from Tampa) facilities in late November. The Manasota Local quickly went into action with its effort to alert and keep the public informed about the USPS plan. This included meetings with public officials and appearances at special sessions of local government bodies.

Meanwhile, citizens have been signing the petition live and have been visiting www.keepthemailhere.com, where they can also take part in the drive to encourage the Postal Service to keep the 375-worker facility in full operation.

A Flurry of AMPs

The announcement of the Florida studies followed a 10-month lull in such reviews; since then the USPS has notified the APWU of numerous AMP feasibility studies:

• Jan. 21 - A study [PDF] was announced for the Winchester, VA, Sectional Center Facility; the USPS is considering consolidating some of its mail-processing operations into the Dulles P&DC, 50 miles away;
  
  
• Jan. 13 - A study [PDF] was announced to consider consolidating some operations from the Zanesville, OH, P&DF into the Columbus P&DC, 55 miles away;
  
  
• Jan. 7 - The USPS said that is conducting an AMP feasibility study [PDF] of the Wilkes-Barre, PA, P&DF for consolidation of some operations into the Scranton P&DC, about 25 miles away.
  
  
• Jan. 6 - The USPS said it is conducting an AMP feasibility study [PDF] of the Mansfield, OH, P&DF for consolidation of some operations into the Akron P&DC, approximately 60 miles away;
  
  
• Dec. 12 - The USPS said that is conducting an AMP feasibility study [PDF] of the South Florida P&DC for possible consolidation into the Fort Lauderdale and Miami P&DCs. Each is 20-25 miles from the losing facility.
  
  
• Dec. 11 - The USPS said that is conducting an AMP feasibility study [PDF] in Athens, GA, to consider possible consolidation of some operations 50 miles away to the North Metro P&DC near Atlanta.
  
  
• Dec. 10 - The USPS said that is conducting an AMP feasibility study [PDF] in Hattiesburg, MS, to determine whether “efficiency could be increased” be consolidating the mail processing operations currently performed at the Customer Service Mail Processing Center (CSMPC) there with operations at the Gulfport, MS, P&DF, about 70 miles away.
  
  
• Dec. 9 - The Postal Service announced that it intends to conduct an AMP study [PDF] of mail processing at the Portsmouth, NH, P&DF, “for possible consolidation of some operations into the Manchester, NH, Processing and Distribution Center.” The two facilities are about 45 miles apart.

In another recent AMP-related action, the Postal Service on Jan. 14 [PDF] notified the APWU that it has made the decision “to transfer all originating operations” from the Canton P&DF to the Akron P&DC, some 20 miles away. The decision is based on a study [PDF – Nov. 2005 letter] begun more than three years ago.

“The APWU will continue its aggressive efforts to involve local communities in the fight against consolidations,” said APWU President William Burrus.

[more consolidation news]

[back to top]