LTE In Response to Sen. Carper’s New (end the) USPS Bill

[Omaha Steve]

Today's LBN story about this here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=557221

By NH Labor News | August 5, 2013

NHLN NOTE: This is a letter to the editor in response to this editorial by Bill Brickley about the newly proposed USPS reform bill.

Senator Carper’s Postal Reform Act S 1486 should not be surprising, since he received contributions from UPS ($59,000) and FedEx ($72,500) (opensecrets.org).

His bill, like Issa’s bill, would encourage the use of cluster boxes. which would not just inconvenience mail recipients. Delivering mail into individual mail boxes, under doors and through door slots on porches and in side doors block after block, day after day, takes stamina and a good memory. The use of cluster boxes would dumb down the job, allowing the USPS to follow the anti-labor example of the Netherlands in hiring part time, low paid workers.

The privatized Dutch post office PostNL fired hundreds of older letter carriers and replaced them with workers paid per item or on a part time basis, many earning less than the minimum wage. (http://ernstseconomyforyou.blogspot.com, March 28) A Dutch poll found 80% of the public dis-satisfied with their postal services.

The recurrent high marks the USPS is given in poll after poll will soon be history if bad policies like cluster boxes, no delivery on Saturdays and delayed mail are allowed to grow and fester.

Joe Piette

Upper Darby, PA

About NH Labor News

The New Hampshire Labor News is a group of NH Workers who believe that we need to protect ourselves against the attacks on workers. We are proud union members who are working to preserve the middle class. The NHLN talks mostly about news and politics from NH. We also talk about national issues that effect working men and women here in the Granite State.

[Bay Boy]

1. I like the post office, I think they do a good job...

...but Saturday delivery of mail is not needed. Cluster delivery is already a reality in some circumstances. My rural delivery has a half dozen boxes grouped together rather than one in front of each home. Most apartment buildings are already a cluster delivery. But I think wide implementation in a city setting would be expensive.