Struggling Postal Service announces 'new reality'

[nadinbrzezinski]

Snail mail is about to get even slower.

The U.S. Postal Service, burdened with huge financial losses, said Thursday that it was facing a "new reality" that would include shutting a slew of processing facilities, changing service standards for first-class mail and cutting up to 35,000 positions.

The moves will mean first-class mail will no longer reach most customers the day after it was dropped in the mailbox.

http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/09/15/7776795-struggling-postal-service-announces-new-reality

Comment

http://posterous.com/#spaces/nadinbrzezinski/posts/70459740

[Vincardog]

1. The GOP once again working to ensure that Government does not work. Fuck them

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Only thing I will say is I called my critter

...

Oh and the white house

[RebelOne]

3. I live in North Georgia just northwest of Atlanta.

And I have not received any mail the day after it was dropped in the mailbox. It sometimes takes a week to reach me. If it gets any slower, we can go back to calling it the Pony Express.

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. Closing processing centers...

That's it.

[Papagoose]

11. Hi neighbor - kind of

I'm a bit further NW than you (Cedartown)

It takes 3-4 days for mail to reach me from Atlanta. We've gone a whole week without seeing our letter carrier once.

[RandomKoolzip]

26. Well, obvioulsy defunding the USPS until it dies will help your situation.

[meegbear]

4. My BIL's sister's husband is a postal worker and a teabagger ...

whatever his outcome is, no sympathy for me for him.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Well ...

[meegbear]

8. Hey, if you constantly quote fox news talking points and say unions are evil ...

guess what?

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. Oddest thing at the parking lot

DOD stickers... and Bush 43 in same car...

Propaganda and all that...

:hide:

[madinmaryland]

28. Department of Defense and Bush 43 stickers on the same car??

Doesn't seem odd to me. Bush 43 has made war profitable.

[RaleighNCDUer]

7. Since when was the day after the expectation?

Maybe intra-city delivery, maybe, but if it's going out of town I don't expect it to get there in less than 3 days, and never did. I always try to allow for at least 5 days, just in case.

Of course, by nature and by habit, everything I do I do slowly. Hell, i usually wait two days before answering emails.

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. Few years, large shippers

and I will leave it at that.

[Goblinmonger]

24. In Wisconsin, if we mail something within the state

it will get there the next day. Letters, not necessarily packages.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

12. Time for the postal unions to stop talking and start striking.

A few wildcat strikes at the major distribution centers (NY, Chicago, L.A.) should do the trick. It did the trick for us in 1970.

I doubt that Obama would be dumb enough to send in the Army to sort the mail like Nixon did.

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. For official line

http://www.apwu.org/index2.htm

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

14. It's still illegal for the postal unions to strike. That's why I said "wildcat".

One of the wins of the '70 strike was recognition of the unions. Alas, they had to agree not to strike. Which doesn't prevent the workers from walking out without union (official) backing.

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. Read the PM

Serious

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

16. Yeah. I hope that's true. It wouldn't take much if in the right places.

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. I know

:hi:

Let's just say a GS is building, and not just there.

Now let me go :hide: again

[KamaAina]

18. The "huge financial losses" are BOGUS.

The USPS is required to maintain a reserve pension fund equal to 75 years' worth of benefits. No other entity on the face of the Earth is required to maintain a 75-year pension reserve. Clearly the USPS is being set up to fail -- then be privatized. :scared:

[nadinbrzezinski]

19. Yup went into that in my blog

Press is lazy, but it ain't my place here to point that any longer.

[Gold Metal Flake]

25. Why aren't every postal emplyee shouting this?

Why isn't this info on huge posters at every postal facility?

Why aren't Dems shouting this at every media opportunity as an example of Republican dirty tricks and hate for American institutions?

If the USPS goes down it will be a bi-partisan effort.

[nadinbrzezinski]

27. APWU

http://www.apwu.org/index2.htm

And they are... the adds on stamps are 'bout this.

:hide:

Oh wait, why is the media, outside of Olberman, and Colbert not covering this?

[kctim]

20. Good, less junk mail

[nadinbrzezinski]

21. History has echoes

[kctim]

22. It also had the support of the general populace.

The present now has technology and most of that support.

[nadinbrzezinski]

23. It rhymes

...