Not Only Are They Selling Off Our Post Offices, They're Union Busting To Boot!

[Coyotl]

Dec 10, 2013 http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/12/10/1261566/-Not-Only-Are-They-Selling-Off-Our-Post-Offices-They-re-Union-Busting-To-Boot
Not Only Are They Selling Off Our Post Offices, They're Union Busting To Boot!
by jpmassar

The Postal Service has been attempting to sell off some of the most architecturally stunning and valuable real estate it owns on the cheap for a while now, ostensibly to raise capital. Now those who run the Postal Service and their masters are taking the next step in the dismantling of the US Post Office: union busting.

On Nov. 10, in a deal that has been in the works at least since March, the USPS announced it was launching a pilot program to put postal retail units in Staples stores across the country. Some sites opened quietly in October and others have opened in the last two weeks...

Eighty four trial sites have been selected, and many of them are already in operation - one in Berkeley, California just a few blocks from my house. The Post Office counters are being served by low-wage Staples employees, not living-wage Postal Service workers.

.............

[elleng]

1. CRAP!

[VanillaRhapsody]

2. Shouldn't the Union be screaming bloody murder over this?

I cannot believe the Postal Union just stands by for this...

[elleng]

3. Sure should!

As I recall, they've been pretty vocal about all the crap that's been happening, and contemplated. Hope we'll see something about this.

[mstinamotorcity2]

4. They won't be satisfied

until we as human beings are once again on the auction block naked.

[Brigid]

5. And this time . . .

It won't matter what race we are either.

[mstinamotorcity2]

6. Got that right.

They just a hot mess.

[Coyotl]

12. Will we get food and shelter then?

Or just have to work for less than food and shelter like now?

[hollysmom]

7. I heard they wanted to turn the post office into a train station in NYC.

Not sure what would happen to the train station across the street though. If they sold the building in my little town, it would be no biggie, although I can't remember when I did not have to wait in line to be served. It is a big heavy building, but not very large.

[Samantha]

8. Isn't Staples co-owned by ... Mitt Romney?

He talked about it during the election.

Sam

[El_Johns]

9. Bain Capital provided the initial capital for Staples' start-up & was invested in it for a long time

Romney was on its board for a decade.

Looks like they got out but are thinking of getting back in from this report last year:

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/sep/14/business/la-fi-mo-romney-staples-stock-buyout-20120914

[Egalitarian Thug]

10. Mitt Rmoney and Paul Pelosi are sure to make out great on these deals.

What's the problem?

[SwankyXomb]

16. Let's not forget Richard Blum

aka Mr. Dianne Feinstein.

[Egalitarian Thug]

20. I'm not sure how I could have neglected to mention him. Hell, just the Senator alone

is richer than the Pelosis, and to leave out the only actual billionaire in the group... I guess I'm just distracted with my War on Christmas mission this year.

[Vashta Nerada]

11. How long before they do this to water and electric companies?

[Lars39]

17. That's already been happening, at least with water companies.

[ReRe]

13. This is what Privatization looks like...

... downsizing (including closing rural post offices which are desperately needed),
............booting the Union, higher postage rates, retail sales.

[solarhydrocan]

14. Who is doing the selling? Di-Fi's husband Richard C Blum

Claim: The husband of Senator Dianne Feinstein chairs a company that brokers sales of USPS facilities.

True

It was recently learned that the United States has entered into a contract with one firm to sell 56 buildings that currently house U.S. Post Offices. The government has decided that it no longer needs these buildings (many of which are located on prime land in towns and cities across the country).

The sale of these properties will bring in billions of dollars and, with that, millions of dollars in commissions for the one Company that is in charge of handling the sale and negotiation of the new leases.

What makes this such a matter of concern is that the company that the Government has contracted with to conduct the sales (and the corresponding leases for the new locations of the displaced post offices) is owned by Richard Blum.

Does that name mean anything to you? Maybe it should re-phrased and say that the person who owns the company that is solely in charge of this multi-million-dollar transaction is Richard Blum the husband of Senator Dianne Feinstein....
http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/blum.asp

Selling off the Post Office: Berkeley calls out Richard Blum

Led by Citizens to Save the Berkeley Post Office, community members will assemble at 11:30 a.m. for a rally at 909 Montgomery in front of the offices of Blum Capital Partners. Blum Capital is a private equity firm founded in 1976 by Richard Blum, a current regent of the University of California. Commercial real estate giant Coldwell Banker Richard Ellis (CBRE) is among the many investments of Blum Capital. In fact the Chairman of CBRE is Richard Blum.

"The hand of Richard Blum" Graphic by Sances & Hazelwood
The Postal Service is eager to sell properties in their control to raise quick cash. CBRE advises the USPS on what properties to sell. The properties are advertised on a joint CBRE/ USPS website and as a general rule CBRE profits again as the listing agent...
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/12/01/1165912/-Selling-off-the-Post-Office-Berkeley-calls-out-Richard-Blum

Di FI Facepalms herself

[Coyotl]

15. Thanks for posting this.

You would think the USPS would want to wait for the market to recover before selling valuable property, at the very least.

[KurtNYC]

18. The sabotage of ACA shines a different light on the 2006 sabotage of USPS

It is like a reverse 'Pottery Barn' -- break it then sell it, cheap.

[Wilms]

19. ^