BDx13 - 3-2-2010 at 11:37 AM
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/USPS-to-propose-5day-mail-cnnm...
the whole business model and its restrictions are antiquated.
i'm all for the five-day delivery schedule.
Mark Lind - 3-2-2010 at 11:51 AM
My old man is the president of the letter carrier's union here in Boston. He filled me in on some of the goings on with the PO. They are profitable.
Congress passed some regulation that said the Post Office had to fund the retirements of current and future retirees in full and set a deadline. It's
worth billions. No other federal agency is being expected to do the same thing. And no business could ever come up with the money that is being
demanded. It's designed to crush the post office so people like you will agree to have it privatized. Someone wants the appearance that the post
office is losing money and in desperate need of restructure. It really isn't.
lifeisabitch - 3-2-2010 at 11:57 AM
I don't mind the post office as far as a shipping option for small packages through priority mail... and they are my go to choice for international
shipments...but they are over priced for large shipments
But the nola post office system is horribly corrupt, and I don't trust anyone working for them here...
packages disapear, armed gurads at the locations... real wild west shit going on, and it was like that before the storm
But my hatered for ups and fedex run much deeper...
there has to be a viable option to these companies who basically have a monopoly on shipping, but is the post office it?
Discipline - 3-2-2010 at 12:13 PM
Never had Saturday delivery here. I always thought it odd that you guys have them working Saturdays.
BDx13 - 3-2-2010 at 12:13 PM
i'm not really of the opinion that they should privatize. i'm not really familiar with those arguments. i know it's been done in other countries
recently.
but i do think they should be able consolidate under-used branches and expand retail options. basically, operate more business-like as opposed to
agency-like.
that article even mentions the overpaid pension funds. third to last paragraph:
USPS employs about 600,000 workers, about half of whom will be eligible to retire in the next 10 years. Potter said the agency has historically
overpaid into its pension fund, and would reap significant savings if it stopped prefunding its retiree health benefits.
Mark Lind - 3-2-2010 at 12:34 PM
One thing that could go wrong if they privatize..... the postal workers could strike. Under the current arrangement they can never strike. The
President can just order them back to work.
BDx13 - 7-7-2010 at 11:32 AM
well, this hasn't gotten any better:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Post-office-announces-2cent-ap...
"The post office lost $3.8 billion last year, despite cutting 40,000 full-time positions and making other reductions, and Kearney said it is facing a
$7 billion loss for this year and the same for fiscal 2011, which begins in October."
Murk - 7-10-2010 at 07:25 PM
the post office should be open and delivering 7 days a week as should any in-demand, everyday usage service. the practice of being closed on Sunday,
in particular, is nothing more than antiquated cult ritualism.
if they are indeed losing money, it has nothing to do with their schedule. business model, infrastructure and management all weigh much heavier than
how many days a week they operate. cutting the schedule is simply the lazy, easy way out that will only hurt them in the long run as UPS, FedEX and
DHL pick up the slack.
the post office going to a 5 day schedule is almost as silly as a free market capitalist that supports select drug prohibition.