Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Postal Service to end Saturday mail delivery in bid to cut costs
FOXNEWS ^ | AP via FOX

Posted on 02/06/2013 5:10:29 AM PST by Doogle

The U.S. Postal Service will stop delivering mail on Saturdays but continue to deliver packages six days a week under a plan aimed at saving about $2 billion, the financially struggling agency says.

In an announcement scheduled for later Wednesday, the service is expected to say the Saturday mail cutback would begin in August.

The move accentuates one of the agency's strong points -- package delivery has increased by 14 percent since 2010, officials say, while the delivery of letters and other mail has declined with the increasing use of email and other Internet use.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: postal; usps
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-85 next last
To: edcoil

Lol!

Well, we live in a rural area and our carrier is really a good guy...but I know it’s not necessarily the same everywhere. What has really killed the Post Office is poor management, affirmative action, and negative interference from a bloated government. They also need to take a more critical look at the pension system for their workers.


61 posted on 02/06/2013 6:58:20 AM PST by SumProVita (Cogito, ergo....Sum Pro Vita - Modified Descartes)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]

To: Doogle

I think this has already started in my neck of the woods. I haven’t received any Saturday mail in months.


62 posted on 02/06/2013 6:58:36 AM PST by fatnotlazy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Doogle

With 2 billion saved, the part time hiring begins, negating the Obamacare hours/week req’t saving even more!
goto -1


63 posted on 02/06/2013 7:08:41 AM PST by sasquatch
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: muawiyah

ok, sure: the NIH employee is probably a doctor or scientist, right? Guess what I’m really complaining about is the postal service employee’s benefits that seem extravagant in comparison to other federal employees, not including military programs in any of this. Even if I wasn’t retired military, I’d still want the folks who have given up so much to serve this country at such a possibly high cost (death, permanent injury, separation from family, 24/7 accountability, etc.) to have excellent benefits.

thanks for correcting my general statement tho’—appreciate you keeping me honest! :)

Have a nice day!


64 posted on 02/06/2013 7:15:51 AM PST by sassy steel magnolia
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: Doogle
..I'm glad my dad isn't around to see what happened to the USPS

But as far back as the 1960s it became so politicized that the writing was on the wall what would eventually happen...

65 posted on 02/06/2013 7:25:10 AM PST by WalterSkinner ( In Memory of My Father--WWII Vet and Patriot 1926-2007)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Chickensoup
Agree on the quality of the postal service. It is reliable and cheap compared to other countries' postal services. The Post Office has been hit by the Internet, which decreases the volume of first class mail--their real profit maker. You can pay bills, write letters, send electronic cards, conduct face to face meetings, etc. via the Internet.

The Post Office must also compete with FedEx, UPS, DHL who can cherry pick the most lucrative mail and package delivery. The reality is that the Post Office must deliver to every address in the US. It doesn't have a choice.

And the Post Office has been saddled by Congressional interference that hampers their ability to compete, e.g., the amount of money that must be set aside to cover pension and medical benefits--something the rest of the government doesn't have to do.

The delivery of mail is a constitutional responisiblity of government. We just need to unshackle the Post Office and let them run it.

66 posted on 02/06/2013 7:29:01 AM PST by kabar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: Doogle

I’m okay with that.

I only check my box once a week anyway.


67 posted on 02/06/2013 7:36:03 AM PST by Not A Snowbird (2 Corinthians 4:8)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sassy steel magnolia
The Pay Scale for Postal Employees
68 posted on 02/06/2013 7:37:01 AM PST by kabar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies]

To: muawiyah

“Your typical NIH guy makes possibly 5 Times as much as the average postal worker. “

You’re clueless. How about doing some research before spewing your baloney?


69 posted on 02/06/2013 7:37:05 AM PST by Kirkwood (Zombie Hunter)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: Kirkwood
Beginning rate for the most numerous class of postal workers is about $35,000. The beginning rate for an NIH researcher or other employee with a doctorate is just over 5 times that amount.

I don't think you have the slightest idea what you are talking about.

70 posted on 02/06/2013 8:11:17 AM PST by muawiyah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]

To: Doogle

Years ago, my Father-in-law worked as a janitor at the Post office in a major city. He told of things that happened there, like packages marked “FRAGILE” being thrown around like footballs to break what was inside. “DO NOT BEND” packages being purposely bent double, ect.

Later it was also found that mail sorters were stealing mail that looked like Birthday cards because they often had cash in them.


71 posted on 02/06/2013 8:11:32 AM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar (Click my name! See new paintings!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DuncanWaring

Not a bad suggestion!


72 posted on 02/06/2013 8:12:50 AM PST by 9YearLurker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: kabar

That’s not a very good way to see the current pay schedule ~ it’s a classic grade-step system where you start at the bottom and over time rise to the top of that grade. Eliminating Saturday delivery will impact the T-6 carriers but almost no one else.


73 posted on 02/06/2013 8:15:32 AM PST by muawiyah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 68 | View Replies]

To: WalterSkinner
In 1960 the Post Office Department and the Railway Postal Service were highly politicized. By 1972 they'd both been abolished and replaced with the non-politicized USPS.

Currently politics aren't really a problem ~ in fact, it has more to do with the Great Obama Recession which never really ended. Secondarily it's a question of technological transformation where increased mechanization, automation, computerization, robotics and improved work methods have served to incease productivity to phenomenal levels.

Ordinarily growth in mail volume would have kept up with productivity improvement and minimized the need to cut personnel. When mail volume growth stopped productivity improvements didn't. Now they need to cut personnel.

74 posted on 02/06/2013 8:21:12 AM PST by muawiyah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 65 | View Replies]

To: SumProVita

The Post Office is the classic union labor promoted over time to union management. Like communism, it has failed everywhere it as been tried.


75 posted on 02/06/2013 8:21:32 AM PST by edcoil (Manage your own lawsuit: www.jurisdictionary.com?refercode=KK0012)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: Fletcher J

If we get a package too big to fit in the mailbox, our carrier brings it to the door, with two dog biscuits for our dogs.
He gets a nice tip at Christmas for his efforts.


76 posted on 02/06/2013 8:21:36 AM PST by jch10 (Hey GOP! Only Conservatives get my vote.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]

To: muawiyah
..yes politics remained a problem even after it became the USPS

My father saw his post master replaced by a political hack of the local congressman and a tidal wave of affirmative action hires rendered the whole operation substandard...

77 posted on 02/06/2013 8:37:41 AM PST by WalterSkinner ( In Memory of My Father--WWII Vet and Patriot 1926-2007)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 74 | View Replies]

To: Doogle

Agreed.


78 posted on 02/06/2013 8:51:18 AM PST by Olog-hai
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: WalterSkinner

Since they never did do affirmative action hires I’m not quite following where you are going.


79 posted on 02/06/2013 9:08:48 AM PST by muawiyah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 77 | View Replies]

To: sassy steel magnolia
ALL govt employees get way too many benefits and way too much in pensions....even the military....

we have to face the facts that no govt can continue when its paying people at 20 yrs for the rest of their lives....40 more yrs?...50?...

I like getting mail even if most of it is junk.....we still look forward to "checking the mail"..every afternoon....

80 posted on 02/06/2013 9:53:11 AM PST by cherry
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-85 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson