Comments on: USPS Is Going Broke

By: bill

bill — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 21:59:39 +0000

after 45 cents a letter, i will now start paying my bills online.

By: Max

Max — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 19:53:17 +0000

CDN ADMIN: You new format blows. The ad video isn’t appreciated. It’s impossible to track my comments without flipping through archives. I won’t be coming back.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 13:36:21 +0000

Wow all I can say is some of these comments are really harsh. I have been working for the Post Office for 17 years. And proud to be there. It’s unfortunate what is happening around the world with jobs, but we should be supporting an agency that has been around for a very looong time. I personnally no they have to do something to keep themselves more competitive. This is one person who is backing the Postal Services all the way!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 19:23:47 +0000

The post office starts people around 20 dollars an hour. That alone is enough to kill any buisiness.
They give them a dollar per year rais. I think that deffinitly outpaces inflation.
They give them 50% or better retirement pay. What is Half of $50 again?
They give them full benefits and more time off per year than any privately owned business.

Anyone who says the employee costs are not part of the problem, Obviously knows what they are talking about.

Around 80% of their expenses are employee based. Which is funny because I think about 25% must be tied up in gas.

Most of the USPS’ work could be consolidated into one facility and could do away with 20% of their employees. Truth be told postal jobs are so easy, they could be ran by a single contract unit with an attached federally run annex. The best location is obviously Wal-mart. No more waiting in long lines for stamps, recieving could be open 24-7. And the actual postal employees could concentrate on the mailstream

By: Ebony

Ebony — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 15:39:22 +0000

I see from the comments on this website that the post office is getting the public to believe what they want them to believe. They are blaming the union and workers for their troubles.

By: Lord Vader III

Lord Vader III — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 12:02:23 +0000

Typical unions. They would rather see the USPS go under than accept layoffs and pay cuts. Just another great example of unions running this country into the ground.

By: Max

Max — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 05:15:45 +0000

“Well, MAX, the postal service is in dire straits because the Internet has deemed the USPS no longer needed by the masses of former postal patrons…”

Wrong, WILLIE R. Former postal patrons are dying off faster than flies. It is the new generation of teenagers that don’t even know where the post office is in their local communities. And while USPS loves blaming the internet for all of their problems, which in truth accounts for some of it, most of the revenue decline is from a failure to adapt with technology.

By: Max

Max — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 04:56:00 +0000

“The primary reason for the ever continually increases in postal revenue is MODERN TECHNOLOGY, not its employees or the unions that represent them.”

Not exactly. The failure of people (both unions and employees) to adapt in-step with modern technology is responsible for revenue DECLINE at USPS. This is true for every company that allows technology to antiquate their services. Of greater concern are the managers taking in bonuses when USPS is operating in the red, while allowing technology to sink them even deeper. And what have they done to keep up with the internet? They have a website for tracking shipments or printing stamps (fizzle). Could they use technology to boost business? Yes, but they are too dumb to be creative. Bonuses for “red ink” usually has that effect.

“I predict the postal service will become a competitor of FedEx and UPS in the delivery of parcels…”

Not unless they stop subsidizing packages (about 8 billion worth). Even with USPS below market pricing, FEDEX makes a profit because they couldn’t stay in business otherwise, and they fall under the RLA making local unionization harder to do, which is why FEDEX layoffs are common. UPS profits too, but their union has greater influence over UPS employee’s.

You can’t pin the blame solely on technology, when it’s USPS management that has failed to adapt.

By: Max

Max — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 04:23:44 +0000

Willie R, How crude and rude of you. I never stated I was an expert, I put forward my opinions according to my personal observations.

Since you seem to equate opinions with experience… you should sit down and shut up you silly fool. Nobody wants to hear a union blowhard.

By: kathy

kathy — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 22:01:53 +0000

I totally agree with you Willie. Can anyone tell me when a business has run efficiently when the government is involved? I say let the government get out of the way and let the USPS run the company like any other company would by making the cuts as needed and restructure itself from within.
There is alot of waste in any company but they get to choose while the post office has to ask permission to do anything that might help keep it afloat.
Yes, the mail volume is declining due to the internet but there are still people that don’t want their information broadcasted over the internet and pay bills the old fashioned way. I’m one of them because I like recieving mail and magazines plus it’s still cheaper to send a letter than paying for internet. Also, what happens to all of those people that don’t own a computer let alone have internet access?

By: John

John — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 20:40:47 +0000

I agree with TY, I worked for a poatal contractor out of the Bulk Mail center in Jersey City N.J. all of the people that work there are lazy,they close down the in bound gate to have a smoke when there not on break,they walk to another gate to talk with someone,they are nasty to the contract drivers and most of all they think the postal service owes them====== I say fire them ALL and make the U.S.P.S. PRIVATE======

By: JC

JC — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 17:53:22 +0000

The post office needs to reinvent itself to keep up with the trends. Individuals use less post office services, but businesses still rely on the post office in a big way. Yet, the post office is not very “business friendly”. For instance, the last pick-up is usually at 5:00 p.m. at most boxes. Most businesses in our area close at 5:00 p.m. The post office needs to look at where their revenue is coming from and do a better job servicing them. They need to start “thinking outside the box”. Private industries need to do this all the time to stay afloat.

By: Brian Cook

Brian Cook — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 15:59:04 +0000

Excellent article Warren! Yet another example of the parasite killing the host.

By: Postal retiree

Postal retiree — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 11:30:14 +0000

I’m curious…
Will the postal service eliminate the year-end bonuses to its supervisors, managers and postmasters as it attempts to reduce health benefit coverage to its retired personnel?
BTW, supervisor’s bonuses (CUT) each December comes to several thousand dollars for each of them while the workforce is mandated to do more for less pay…
But, those bonuses are just a drop in the bucket to the 8 billion dollar deficit.
The primary reason for the ever continually increases in postal revenue is MODERN TECHNOLOGY, not its employees or the unions that represent them.
Remember, postal employees may not (by law) strike and their salaries and benefits are negotiated in good faith by both the unions and the postal service powers that be…
So, don’t accuse postal unions of raping the system…the system has simply outlived its usefullness with the creation of the Internet, much as the blacksmith virtually became a trade of the past through modern technology known as the horseless carriage.
I predict the postal service will become a competitor of FedEx and UPS in the delivery of parcels as the need for door to door delivery of mail lessens.

By: RAY TURTLETAUB

RAY TURTLETAUB — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 11:12:05 +0000

RICK:
You ask (who really cares)!
Well, the 400,000 postal employees care and their salaries are helping to keep the economy from dropping to even lower levels than the U.S. is experiencing today.
You should be thankful for every employed American because, with the lose of each work sector your job is getting closer to being the next job to be eliminated.
When that day comes, another RICK will undoubtedly say. “WHO CARES?