Postal Service Looks To Cut 40,000 Jobs In First Layoff In History

[Renegade]

Posted: Oct 27, 2008 05:56 PM

Updated: Oct 27, 2008 05:56 PM
KSLA News 12 Headlines More >>


By Jonathan McCall - bio | email

SHREVEPORT, LA (KSLA) - "We lost 2 billion dollars and like any other business we have to stay afloat." And to keep from sinking, the United States Postal Service is considering cutting thousands of jobs nationwide. Lavelle Pepper with the post office in Shreveport says they too are feeling the affects of the same disease hitting the country... a struggling economy. "We employ about 685,000 people. If we do layoffs it would include clerks, carriers, mail handlers across all crafts."

Pepper says the postal service is looking to eliminate 40,000 jobs nationwide. There's not an exact number on how many of those could be from the Ark-La-Tex. Pepper says workers who are not part of union with six or less years of service would likely be the first on the chopping block. "We've identified 16 thousand people that are not covered under contract. We'll see what those numbers add up to."

The postal service is also offering early retirement packages to workers over the age of 50 who have more than 20 years on the job. But according to pepper it may not be enough. "The preliminary numbers look like it's not going to be enough and we may have to do something else." But despite what may happen, Pepper says customers will not feel the pain they're going through. "The general public when it takes place won't se any decrease in service.. They largely won't know about it."


http://www.ksla.com/Global/story.asp?S=9247633

[Mountain Man]

How do you reduce workers but not reduce services? Sounds like too many people on the payroll if workers are reduced but services stay at the same level.Or there is a lie in there somewhere.

[flourbug]

I think there has been a reduction in the number of packages sent as consumers buy less, and buy less online. The recession is reverberating down the food chain.

[VT9]

How do you reduce workers but not reduce services?

That's what I wondered. The two local PO's that I use have 3-4 service windows. There's rarely more than two workers at a time and the line snakes back to or through the door.

There were days this winter/spring that myself and my neighbors noticed no mail was delivered. The carrier didn't show up in our development.

Of course when this was brought up to the PO they completely denied it could happen.

[Potemkin]

"We lost 2 billion dollars and like any other business we have to stay afloat."

Give me a break. "Like any other business".

Not every other business has a government monopoly. Allow the private carriers to compete carrying letter and bulk mail and break the monopoly on mail box use then we will see.

[leistb]

Originally Posted by Mountain Man

Or there is a lie in there somewhere.

Maybe they see a significant reduction in the overall population!

[BirdGuano]

Originally Posted by VT9

That's what I wondered. The two local PO's that I use have 3-4 service windows. There's rarely more than two workers at a time and the line snakes back to or through the door.

And they both usually take lunch at the same time.

This is the primary reason I have a stamps.com account, so I don't have to waste time dealing with them.

They are shooting themselves in the foot by reducing service levels. More business people will flock to FedEx ground which is cost competitive for small packages.

[ltow]

Not as many home loan offers in the mail. . .
Credit Card companies are cutting back on CC offers.

And there goes the postal service. . . .

[Johnny]

I was doing our shipping today @ the PO and said "I heard ya'll are laying off 40k!" The lady I said this to had not heard it yet and the others working there had not told her on purpose because she only has 4 years in and will be cut.

See I told you I have a way with women!

[Fiddlerdave]

Originally Posted by Johnny

I was doing our shipping today @ the PO and said "I heard ya'll are laying off 40k!" The lady I said this to had not heard it yet and the others working there had not told her on purpose because she only has 4 years in and will be cut.

See I told you I have a way with women!

When she walks in to work tomorrow with an Uzi, its all your fault.

[dyrt]

Originally Posted by Potemkin

Give me a break. "Like any other business".

Not every other business has a government monopoly. Allow the private carriers to compete carrying letter and bulk mail and break the monopoly on mail box use then we will see.

Not only that but level the playing field for shipping to Canada, Mexico and other countries. The post office monopoly has special deals to avoid certain duties and taxes. Customers can save money as long as the package makes it to its destination but oh my goodness, if it is damaged or lost you won't be able to find anyone with a lick of sense to talk to.

[LizB]

Originally Posted by Potemkin

Not every other business has a government monopoly. Allow the private carriers to compete carrying letter and bulk mail and break the monopoly on mail box use then we will see.

The flip side of that government monopoly is the P.O. has to deliver to all those remote rural places, and not charge an extra fee for that. Do you think any commercial carrier would deliver magazines for as little as the P.O. does? Some commercial carriers I've dealt with focus on business centers because that's where the easier money is, and don't deliver everywhere or charge extra to deliver to a residence.

But P.O. has been losing volume for years, due to email and on-line banking etc. Layoffs are probably overdue.

[Johnny]

Originally Posted by Fiddlerdave

When she walks in to work tomorrow with an Uzi, its all your fault.

[MomCares]

Originally Posted by LizB

The flip side of that government monopoly is the P.O. has to deliver to all those remote rural places, and not charge an extra fee for that.

You've hit on a pet peeve of mine.

Folks in rural areas who spout anti-government rhetoric (Sarah Palin of Alaska-the-biggest-per-capita-recipient-of-national-tax-wealth-redistribution springs to mind) always conveniently fail to acknowledge the HUGE subsidies their communities receive from our nation's urban tax centers.


MomCares

[BirdGuano]

Originally Posted by MomCares

You've hit on a pet peeve of mine.

Folks in rural areas who spout anti-government rhetoric (Sarah Palin of Alaska-the-biggest-per-capita-recipient-of-national-tax-wealth-redistribution springs to mind) always conveniently fail to acknowledge the HUGE subsidies their communities receive from our nation's urban tax centers.


MomCares

Oh Jesus, here we go with the political shit again...

[ltow]

only 5 more days of it
(I wish!)