The U.S. Postal Service Is About Us

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Sixty-three national organizations have formed "A Grand Alliance to Save Our Public Postal Service." A February 12 news conference will present advocates for improved, public postal services and the premiere of a 2-minute video featuring actor Danny Glover.

This unprecedented alliance is comprised of national religious coalitions, retiree organizations, educational and postal and other unions, lawmakers and progressive advocacy groups. These prestigious organizations have come together because the U.S. Postal Service, an institution older than the nation itself, is in danger. 

WHO:
Richard J. Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance of Retired Americans
Melanie L. Campbell, Convener of the Black Women's Roundtable and President and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation
Mark Dimondstein, President of the American Postal Workers Union

WHAT:         
News conference to launch "A Grand Alliance to Save Our Public Postal Service"

WHEN:         
Thursday, Feb. 12, 2 p.m.

WHERE:               
National Press Club, Bloomberg Room, 13^th Floor, National Press Building
(4th and F Streets NW)

USPS Recent History of Delays and Decline

• Last month, then-Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe lowered service standards nationally, slowing the delivery of mail to 150 million homes and businesses.
• USPS  plans to close 82 mail-sorting facilities that will lead to further delays, and a loss of jobs and economic activity across the nation.
• The Postal Service financial "crisis" stems from a congressional mandate that USPS set aside more than $5 billion a year to pre-fund retiree health benefits 75 years in advance – for employees not even born.
• Without this mandate, USPS would have made a profit of $1.4 billion in fiscal year 2014, $600 million in 2013, and $1.1 billion in the first quarter of fiscal year 2015.
• USPS has reduced hours at neighborhood post offices while moving services to the retailer Staples, where mail is handled in a less secure manner and retail workers are paid poverty-level wages -- and get minimal training -- to process mail. 

The Future of USPS

USPS can improve its bottom line and offer expanded services by taking full advantage in the growth of package delivery from ecommerce, by expanding into postal banking and offering customers – especially those with low incomes – check cashing and bill paying services.

SOURCE American Postal Workers Union