Ohio Postal Workers Union President Terry Grant issued this letter to members shortly after PMG Potter's message to Postal Employees was posted on The USPS website. A link to Potter's message is provided below.
Dear Sister/Brother:
Today PMG Potter delivered a message to postal employees and the public envisioning America's future postal service. His message can be viewed on the USPS/news/link. Every postal employee should watch this message. Mr. Potter talks about how much he appreciates the work of postal employees and how much that work means to our customers. But then he outlines the "plan for the future" and it contains:
- Asking Congress to restructure payments required for retiree health care benefits and changing the law to keep from overpaying into Postal Service Civil Service Retirement
- Change the delivery frequency to five days
- Want more flexibility to managing our traditional retail network so that they can expand access and help customers to more business through existing and new channels & retail partners
- New pricing flexibility
- Increased employee flexibility
- Assure that legal and regulatory processes enable these changes
So, what does all this mean? Well, we certainly support changing the required amount of payment for retiree health care benefits and the lowering of payment for Civil Service Retirement . But, five day delivery means changes in work hours, jobs, and days off. Flexibility in managing the retail network means more contracting out and less window service work. Increased employee flexibility means more part-time less full-time and more lower wage workers (like casuals). We cannot agree with those things.We have never negotiated for a new contract under such postal service & economic frailty. This will be the most difficult bargaining situation ever faced.
Terry Grant, President OPWU
