This post is courtesy of The Postal Newsgroup
The highly anticipated March 25 USPS announcement is referenced below as found on the USPS' website. The largest majority of the information was put out yesterday (March 24, 2011) detailing the district closings, the Voluntary Early Retirement (VER), The financial incentive programs being offered to eligible career non-bargaining employees in targeted groups at Headquarters, Headquarters-related Field Units, Area Offices and Customer Service District Offices (Administrative). However, the additional information provided in the following announcement that stands out boldly is 'additional staff reductions will occur as the Postal Service makes necessary changes to its network and retail operations. The full scope and financial impact of these personnel actions should be realized in one calendar year — by March 2012.' Read below to see the official release. Stay tuned and we will provide further internal information as it trickles out.
The Announcement
PMG ANNOUNCES CLOSING OF SEVEN DISTRICTS
I am confident we have developed a strong plan that takes a key step toward a leaner and less bureaucratic structure.
As part of the ongoing redesign of the Postal Service, PMG Pat Donahoe yesterday announced USPS will close 7 of its 74 district offices. This reflects continuing alignments within the organization to achieve core business strategies and, when fully implemented, will help realize approximately $750 million of annual cost savings (Link Extra, 3/23).
The district offices scheduled for closure — Columbus, OH, (Eastern Area); Southeast Michigan in Troy, MI, and Northern Illinois in Carol Stream, IL (Great Lakes Area); Southeast New England in Providence, RI (Northeast Area); South Georgia in Macon, GA, and Albuquerque in Albuquerque, NM (Southwest Area); and Big Sky in Billings, MT (Western Area) — house only administrative functions that will be assumed by surrounding district offices. The closures will not affect customer service, mail delivery, Post Office operations or ZIP codes.
“I am confident we have developed a strong plan that takes a key step toward a leaner and less bureaucratic structure. One that is fair to our employees and one that will meet the future needs of our customers and the mailing industry,” said Donahoe.
This organizational redesign builds on previous PMG announcements that include a 16 percent reduction in officer ranks, realigning revenue-generating business units, closing the Southeast Area Office, and further reducing the employee complement by about 7,500 positions.
While yesterday’s announcement focused on the administrative and executive corps, additional staff reductions will occur as the Postal Service makes necessary changes to its network and retail operations. The full scope and financial impact of these personnel actions should be realized in one calendar year — by March 2012.
Postal Service to cut 7,500 positions this month, 30,000 by end of year
"...The U.S. Postal Service will announce March 25 a downsizing of approximately 7,500 supervisory, managerial and postmaster positions. Most of those positions are filled, but many are not..."
As a loyal customer of the United States Postal Service, I found myself searching the internet in an effort to check the pricing of Post Office Boxes for one of my business ventures. I have always been proud of the fact that I could use the USPS for my mail related needs without fear that my neighbors or my competition could get a better price than myself. I actually thought that there was a universal service law that mandated I could get the same mail service for the same price. Now I find that depending on where someone lives, they may get preferential treatment in pricing and benefits. Now the Postal Service has changed the classification of 32,000 Post Office Boxes at 49 locations from market dominant to the competitive products category. This new change now provides the following, that I do not qualify for, simply because I do not live in an area the Postal Service does not approve this service for:
The following new services now are available at the approved Post Offices:
