APWU Praises Obama Effort, But Long-Term Solution is Needed

President Obama submitted a deficit-reduction package to a special joint committee of Congress on Sept. 19, which includes several proposals intended to address the Postal Service’s financial crisis.

“The APWU appreciates President Obama’s effort to provide short-term relief to the USPS from financial difficulties,” the union said, “including the proposal to waive the requirement to pre-fund the healthcare benefits of future retirees for two years and the proposal to return over a two-year period a $6.9 billion Postal Service overpayment to the Federal Employees Retirement System. However, a long-term solution to the Postal Service’s unreasonable financial burdens is desperately needed. We will continue to urge Congress to pass H.R. 1351, which would provide such a solution. We also will continue to work with the White House and legislators in both houses of Congress to achieve financial stability for the Postal Service. Postal workers are eager to provide the American people with the service they expect and deserve.”

The special joint committee was established by the law that extended the nation’s debt ceiling, with a mandate to find ways to reduce the federal budget deficit. Obama’s proposals would have to be adopted by the committee and enacted into law before they could be implemented.