March 28, 2002
Postage rates are going up again, as the Postal Service struggles to survive in the age of e-mail and the aftermath of the anthrax scare.
A recent report from the General Accounting Office labeled the Postal Service's financial situation as "dire" and said that the system is in need of immediate reform. But old habits die hard, and the Postal Service has to move uncharacteristically fast to ensure its own future.
Bear in mind, this is an agency that has been promising "change" for decades, and when change hasn't happened, replied that "change takes time." Well, the Postal Service is almost out of time and money.
My suggestions to save the system will no doubt upset many people, but if we want mail delivery to continue and not be subject to rate hikes every year, this may be the only chance to ensure the Postal Service's continued existence.
First, Saturday mail delivery should be eliminated, except for the holiday season. Forget all the talk about how it's a tradition and that it will be the end of the world if the mailman doesn't deliver on Saturday. It'll save plenty of money, and also gasoline, and wear and tear on postal vehicles.
Next, the Express Mail service should be closed down. Express Mail is simply duplicating the efforts of private-sector companies that do a better, more reliable job. Since FedEx has boxes in post offices now, and UPS boxes could be added, to be fair, there will be little or no disruption if Express Mail is eliminated.
Next, all postal installations and mail-processing facilities should shut down completely on Sundays and holidays. Granted, this will slow the mail down somewhat, but the cost savings can be huge when you consider that postal career employees get a 25 percent premium for working their shift if any of it is on a Sunday. Pay for holidays also is a huge expense; simply shutting down is less expensive.
Next, end all management bonuses. If any postal manager is not satisfied with his or her compensation, he or she should be encouraged to leave or take a lower-paying job as a regular postal worker, not bribed to stay.
Productivity bonuses have, in at least one facility that I'm aware of, allegedly led to managers exaggerating mail volume to get bigger bonuses.
Finally, the union leaders need to understand that flexibility is the key to the Postal Service's future survival. I know from experience that unions are adept at blocking change and reform, sometimes even if it's beneficial to the members.
It may seem degrading to have to compromise now, but things could get a lot worse for members and union leaders if the Postal Service goes under.
These are ways the Postal Service can cut costs now without laying off employees or managers, or closing facilities. The impact on delivery service and worker pay may be intolerable to some, especially the unions, but if the whole system goes down the tubes, the impact will be even greater.
If the managers of the Postal Service don't take the reins and implement changes to cut costs, the reality is that such changes will be forced upon them, or their replacements.
Vincent F. Safuto is a copy editor for the Press Journal. He worked for the Postal Service for 11 years. Reach him at Vincent.Safuto@scripps.com.
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