Here & There Column 10-18-11

The Post Office Crisis

Proposals are being made to close Post Office facilities, changes in lobby hours are posted and an organization $9 billion in the red is making many wonder how much longer the United States Post Office can deliver the services we all presently enjoy.
Yes, its even has some folks thinking that the next step could result in a multi-billion dollar federal bailout, but faced with the present economic and debt crisis in Washington this likely would not get approval.
The department itself has already taken steps to cut its workforce by some 120,000 by the year 2015 (four years from now).
Scheduled to be closed are some 3,653 post office facilities. The Post Office presently has 32,500 facilities.
There are also proposals that will result in not having mail service one day a week with that day possibly being Saturday.
Another step under proposal is having the Post Office Department going with their own retirement and health benefit programs.
Critics of the present form of postal service say they see little hope of the postal service staying afloat the way it is presently being run.
Reasons are many as to why this is all taking place and they include the fact that the Internet and emails are being used instead of U.S. Mail, many folks are paying their bills online, the poor economy has not helped and there is a great decline in mail volume, the department is said to have an aging fleet of vehicles and union demands and growing benefits to its retirees have added to the red ink.
We all love the many services offered by our local post office facilities but belt-tightening has become the cry of the day and consolidation and merging may be the only way for this service to continue.
Remember when you are getting your mail or picking up or delivering a package at your local post office just tell the postal clerks how much you appreciate what they do and thank them for their services.