Something to keep in mind in all this: There are 3 major unions w/in the USPS. This is YET another problem with public employees Unions that even FDR said should not exist. Obamaumao would want to expand, truly.
First, there are some real dedicated public servants who are not trammeled by the constant public crabbing. But here are the unions— who have made a career in not working and lining their pockets/pensions.
The Postal Carriers Union—the person that delivers to the door mail, as well as Rural Carriers (which may now be only part time and only contracted out non union).
The Letter Sorters/Mail Handlers- the people in back who “sort” the mail (it is done by sorting pre-coding machines which have taken over much of non-bulk personal mail,zip codes and all)
The Counter workers— yes, a separate union for the “face” of the USPS to the public. Everyone has personally experienced their work rules. With lines outside the door, and say, 5 stations-— they would have 2 open. Truly. In some POs these are the most “irritated” irascible types, and have noticed act bothered to have customers. With exceptions of course.
Civil Service laws... protect the positions.
Dock Workers who are on clock with no work.
Energy costs, maintenance of trucks buildings. Overhead.
But mostly— vast numbers of pensioned after very short work times (and pensioned for life) and work comp lifers.
Ben Franklin would not recognize the service. In Europe the postal services are all privatized. Reports from anyone?
The entire system is available for public review at the Office of Personnel Management's webpages.
Now regarding what FDR said and may have believed in the 1930s, by the 1940s he had a problem with Communist Union organizers infiltrating the federal work force. He made a deal with the postal unions (then the largest federal unions) that if they put an end to the organizer's efforts he'd RECOGNIZE THEIR UNIONS and allow all federal government employees to write letters to their Congressmen
He made that deal with my grandfather, among others. Looked it up in the USPS archival library in fact ~
Just setting you straight on FDR. He changed his mind and he recognized the unions.
NOTE: People who think they can represent FDR as some sort of ubber Conservative got the wrong guy ~ he wasn't a Commie, but he wasn't Conservative in the modern sense either.