So, who cares? I barely use the mail anymore, and I don't receive more than one piece of first class mail a week -- and no bills. All of that and bill payment online . . .
WASHINGTON --- Battered by the economy, the post office is offering early retirement to 150,000 workers, cutting management and closing offices, the agency said Friday.
The Postal Service lost $2.8 billion last year and is facing even larger losses this year, despite a rate increase -- to 44 cents for first-class mail -- scheduled to take effect May 11.
The agency said it will reduce management staff nationwide by 15 percent, with more than 1,400 processing, supervisor and management posts at 400 facilities being eliminated.
An additional 150,000 postal workers will be offered early retirement.
The agency also made early retirement offers last year, but unions discouraged their members from accepting the offers and they were not widely used. The union said it continues to challenge the Postal Service's authority to offer early retirement without including severance pay.
Six district offices will be closed, but none in Georgia or South Carolina. The offices handle administrative functions, and officials said the closings should not affect local mail delivery.
At a glance
WHAT'S THE ISSUE?
Postal Service officials said the recession contributed to a 5.2 billion piece mail volume decline from October to December compared from same period last year. If there is no economic recovery, the Postal Service projects volume for the year will be down by 12 billion to 15 billion pieces of mail.
WHAT'S BEING DONE?
- The Postal Service said that over the past year it has cut 50 million work hours, stopped construction of new postal facilities, froze salaries for postal executives, began selling unused facilities and cut post office hours.
- It is negotiating an agreement with the National Association of Letter Carriers to adjust carrier routes to reflect diminished volume.
- Postmaster General John Potter has asked Congress to consider allowing the agency to cut mail delivery to five days a week to save money.
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