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Here Comes "Going Postal" The Sequel: US Postal Service To Cut 120,000 Jobs To Avoid Bankruptcy
That the US postal service is on the verge of bankruptcy is well-known by now and was discussed by Zero Hedge long before it became mainstream news. Furthermore, as we previously noted, the key sticking point in cost reduction negotiations is the labor force compensation (80% of all costs), which is paid an average of $41.15 an hour, and which is over 60% unionized. As of today, we finally welcome the USPS to reality which has announced that, in an attempt to avoid bankruptcy, it is now seeking to reduce its total overhead by 20%, or a whopping 120,000 workers (a number which would amount to roughly an increase of 0.1% in the national unemployment rate). Ah yes, but this is prohibited by existing union contracts. Furthermore, WaPo writes that "SPS also wants to withdraw its employees from the health and retirement plans that cover federal staffers and create its own benefit programs for postal employees." Good luck trying to convince a labor union that cutting an ungodly amount of jobs is for the greater good. Alas, what happened in Greece (and what is about to happen in Italy) will be nothing compared to what will happen when the entire post office goes, well, postal.
This major restructuring of the Postal Service’s relationship with its workforce would need congressional approval and would face fierce opposition from postal unions. But if approved, eliminating contract provisions that prevent layoffs and quitting the federal employee health and retirement programs could have ramifications for workers across the government and throughout the national’s labor movement.
In a notice to employees informing them of its proposals, with the headline “Financial crisis calls for significant actions,” the Postal Service said “we will be insolvent next month due to significant declines in mail volume and retiree health benefit prefunding costs imposed by Congress.”
The Postal Service plan is described in two draft documents obtained by The Washington Post. A “Workforce Optimization” paper acknowledges “that asking Congress to eliminate the layoff protections in our collective bargaining agreements is an extraordinary request by the Postal Service, and we do not make this request lightly. However, exceptional circumstances require exceptional remedies.
“The Postal Service is facing dire economic challenges that threaten its very existence. . . . If the Postal Service was a private sector business, it would have filed for bankruptcy and utilized the reorganization process to restructure its labor agreements to reflect the new financial reality.”
And here are the number that will shortly be repeated ad nauseam on every talk show over the next week:
The USPS says it needs to reduce its workforce by 120,000 career positions by 2015, in addition to the 100,000 it expects through regular attrition. Some of the 120,000 could come through buyouts and other programs, but a significant number likely would be the result of layoffs, if Congress allows the agency to circumvent union contracts.
But what is a labor loving president to do (recall how in the Detroit-3 restructurings, labor unions just incidentally took precedence over secured debt holders):
“Unfortunately, the collective bargaining agreements between the Postal Service and our unionized employees contain layoff restrictions that make it impossible to reduce the size of our workforce by the amount required by 2015,” according to the postal document. “Therefore, a legislative change is needed to eliminate the layoff protections in our collective bargaining agreements.”
Those most likely to suffer yet another political whiplash as a result of this huge dilemma (massive layoffs or no more snail mail) is the democratic party:
How Congress will respond to the postal proposals remains to be seen. Many Republicans, including those who have sponsored legislation that labor considers anti-union, may support the plan. Some Democrats probably would back union opposition. But the Postal Service’s critical financial situation could make Democrats have second thoughts.
Sure enough, the unions wasted no time to craft a response:
American Postal Workers Union President Cliff Guffey said, “The APWU will vehemently oppose any attempt to destroy the collective bargaining rights of postal employees or tamper with our recently-negotiated contract — whether by postal management or members of Congress.”
National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association President Don Cantriel: “We are absolutely opposed” to the layoff proposal. “We are opposed to pulling out of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. Our advisers are not advising us at all to even consider it.”
National Association of Letter Carriers President Fredric V. Rolando: “The issues of lay-off protection and health benefits are specifically covered by our contract. . . . The Congress of the United States does not engage in contract negotiations with unions and we do not believe they are about to do so.”
Unfortunately, about 30 years after its inception, the USPS is about to remind America what the source of the "going postal" phrase really is.
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what about gold and silver coins? oh no....................
locally, we now have a "paper person" who delivers a short, local, chamber 0'commerce "newspaper" and the ads for 4 groceries, a pharmacy chain, and a sporting goods chain.
just tosses it on the porch in a plastic bag
junked, BiCheZ!
Yours makes it on the porch Slewie? Mine is in the driveway every Thursday. I make it a point to try and run it over in just the right way to pop the bag it is in.
You gotta love the little things in life.
pods
Oh yeah, those SOBs...
Every three or four years, whenever they get a new kid to do it, I get up real early on the day they deliver, and slip the boy five bucks or so to convince him *not* to litter my property with their tripe. Worked so far, and not too expensive.
I am guessing there won't be too many substantive changes beyond shedding some weight that needed to be lost years ago. Old crusy senators and congressmen like getting their weekly newsmagazines (probably the supporting market) and spastic greeting cards from the grandkids too much. Old constituants who write letters to congressmen will probably complain that the cycle from home->-post office->-congressmans mail box (chute to trash) would stifle their voice.
Cutting saturday delivery is out of the question, because netflix can be delivered on an off work day. Likely will be Wednesday (good 'compromise' day).
Meanwhile, I will buy a load of forever stamps, hold, and cash out (that is, if there is a market for stamps when I cash out)
Paul Krugman will write that this is coming of the apocalypse and that he told you so. Even if he didn't.
Yet another proof of principal of the failure of government to do just about anything, and do it right..
See my note above - The Canadian Post Office, also government owned, has made a profit for 16 years in a row! Yes Virginia, governments can do things well too!
Yeah, sometimes the government chimps actually put a square block through the square hole..
look no further than the .gov's hiring and promotion policies. Seriously.
I know these hate facts are scary to you and everyone here, but the truth will set you free.
You absolutely speak the truth! I just did a search to see what type of employment screening they do. One interesting tidbit was the entrance exam for a carrier. It's called a 473-E exam. I found a sample test section (of the primary exam, carries the most hiring weight supposedly) which was 4 minutes. It literally consisted of an address example that was correct followed by the same address that had either an incorrect zip code, an incorrect address, both or no errors. The test part is to look at the correct example and then look at the possible error laden example and select the radio button that reflects the difference (or lack of) between the two. Each time you select an answer a new address comparison appears. I scored 100%. How could anyone fuck that up? The right answer is given to you from the start. No wonder they have the rudest, meanest dimwits in the country working for them. How did it last this long without bankruptcy?
Also, if any postal carriers get offended by this post.... tough shit, get a real job.
That should bring a few hornets out of the nest.
The lady at the local post office is an old timer and is not let's say caucasian. She has been there forever, on the front desk and she knows nothing. It is pretty obvious that she cannot even read. I am not joking. I remember going on the back dock years ago to drop off some things to mail. The employee back there spoke no English. A white employee was on the phone playing his bets. They ignored you.
The mail volume collapsed, they laid off some and the attitude changed a bit.
Are you saying all people regardless of race suck or just all postal employees regardless of race suck?
Most government employees, regardless of race, suck. Letter carriers tend to be the cream of a rotten crop, in my experience.
Hope that clears it up for you.
Nah it doesn't. But I hope this helps you get through the night.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45-6duFvfuI
Let's see...pulse check, ok...not drooling...check...correct race...check. Guess what your hired!
hehe - let's hope the teleprompter in chief left his cellphone at home and does not have any other access to the media on his holiday - otherwise he's gonna have a couple of more white hairs on his return
Who was head of the USPS?
No, that's why they went to an island. They knew about USPS, euro short ban, etc. Probably figured it was better to not be on the mainland.
The Postal Service is obsolete, but then so is most of government and "modern" medicine. Let the firings begin.
So is modern law, modern banking and "Modern Monetary Theory".
I guess !. Gotta agree with you there.
I been a letter carrier for 17 years,I and other letter carriers do not make $41.15 per hour,that is total fuckin bull shit!!!
My father was a mailman for thirty years. It was, and is, overpaid. The 41.15 includes the cost of all benefits, including health care and retirement. My mother has now collected two-thirds of my father's pension, for more years than he worked.
If anything, that total cost number is too low.
Funny how the forget benefits cost money.
All the very things small business and self employed worry about most.
Flip burgers. Times are hard, douche boy.
Double 007 - Reread story with some comprehension skills next time before knee jerking your response.
Story clearly stated "ON AVERAGE" . That means some make more . Some make less.
I have no idea what letter carriers make themselves.
Whatever that is you can safely double that to arrive at the total compensation per employee.
This includes your "Cadillac" health care,ss,UE,workmans comp,paid vacation,etc.
All from TAXPAYERS!
You are about to learn that congress giveth and congress taketh.
As a taxpayer I am not paying thru taxation anymore for govt. workers to rape me thru their unions and congress.
My new name is John. John Galt.
P.S. - I own a Parrot. A healthy Parrot shits 40 times a day. Thanks for the daily delivery of junk to line his cage.
actually they all pretty much make the same...sans overtime of course. ah, the Salad Days. "Parting is such sweet sorrow."
I had a parrot died, too. T'was sad.
Zorba had parrot that died too, very sad.
He had chirpies, That is canarial disease, It was untweetable.
You're John Galt? That must mean your a clod who once read the first three chapters of a piece of shit book written by a sociopath.
No, what that means is I will take my once highly productive overtaxed ass and stop letting fuckers like you steal it from me by voting in politicians to do for you what you could'nt do on your own
Now get your ass to work and pull your own weight.
BTW, never read rands book.
The leeching bastards are scared of people like you
when you brain washed republican trained monkeys get a fucking clue.. and realize the corporate welfare.. tax breaks / subsidies and the like.. are 100's of times more expensive that paying for the poor people..
you will be dangerous.
but until then, you are tuff to suffer.
UNfortunately we can be sure that the groupthink is well and truly replicated in the rest of the Borg Hive.
UNfortunately we can be sure that the groupthink is well and truly replicated in the rest of the Borg Hive.
UNfortunately we can be sure that the groupthink is well and truly replicated in the rest of the Borg Hive.
UNfortunately we can be sure that the groupthink is well and truly replicated in the rest of the Borg Hive.
UNfortunately we can be sure that the groupthink is well and truly replicated in the rest of the Borg Hive.
UNfortunately we can be sure that the groupthink is well and truly replicated in the rest of the Borg Hive.
I have to admit, I'd wouldn't mind being the Borg Queen. She was waaaay cool in a scary sort of way.
True enough. Sexy dragon ladies are always nice, provided you can prevent them from killing you.
Edit: Misread the first time through- thought you were talking about *ahem* spending quality time with the Borg Queen, not actually becoming her. Reminded me of some of my ex-girlfriends.
wouldn't mind you being the Borg Queen either.
All from TAXPAYERS!
...or from stamp buyers.
..."
Summary
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is experiencing significant financial challenges. It lost $5.3
billion in FY2007, $2.8 billion in FY2008, and $4.9 billion in the first three quarters of FY2009.
The USPS has said that it will have a cash shortage at the end of September 2009.
This report provides answers to some frequently asked questions about the USPS’s finances and
its financial condition. It also describes congressional action and current legislation—H.R. 22, S.
1507, and S.Rept. 111-43 (S. 1432)—and other proposals to address the USPS’s financial
condition.
This report will be updated to reflect significant developments."
...directly from the USPS revenue report. Guess they better sell a few more stamps.
Please tell me this is just an old report. Is this one the latest that they have up?
I think there is a slight problem if you dont know how you did until two years later.
That is a sign of a "company" that has never worried about whether the paychecks will bounce.
pods
Don't you get it bobbyrib?
No. one. is. buying. stamps.
Didn't think I needed to sarc tag it.
Another tidbit I looked at (see earlier post for other tidbit). Carrier starting salary in FL, GA, AL, MS and LA (random zip searches for openings) was $18.50/hr PLUS benefits. Their entire job consists of looking at addresses, putting them in groups and dumping them in a box. Oh, driving around too! That's worth $18.50 Plus. NOT.
The last time I filed a complaint (actually the only time I did) a box of PM's (silver from APMEX, 10 Buffalo's 1Toz ea) was shown as having been delivered with sig conf. I went to the local post master (what an oxymoron that title is) and explained that I hadn't received said package. She (African American Idiot with an Attitude!) showed me the signature confirmation and even agreed it didn't match my DL sig. She then promptly referred me to the website to file a complaint with the PG. Which I did. The "resolution" to "my problem" came back as being unfounded. Bottom line, I got fucked out of the delivery and APMEX could not collect insurance because PO stated package was delivered. F&cking thievs. From that point on I always requested FedEx or UPS signature delivery and never had a problem with either of them. F&ck the P.O. I hope they go belly up.
My old man used to drive a truck for FedEx. He made better than $80k a year in the early 90's- so what was your point, exactly?
I would ask you that question. I was commenting on the USPS rate of pay and the quality of employee they get given their standards. What is your point commenting on FedEx?
Yup. That's why I stopped buying from Gainesville Coins. They only ship USPS. My lovely mail lady shoved a box of PM's in my mailbox, left the door of it open, and forged my signature on the confirmation slip. I'll use "forged" loosely since she just scribbled my first initial and part of my last name.
The supervisor couldn't understand why I was so upset. After all, I didn't pay for the signature confirmation service; Gainesville Coins did.
Not really a big endorsement to go out and buy a parrot. Do they shit more than they sqwak?
Yes, mine does.
keep us posted on the outcome, do.
For the record, I work for myself as a subchapter"S" corp.
I have an accountant.
Open your mind.
You can't make me work.
These days I work enough to cover the bills.
I used to be very productive.
No more.
my mind is wide open, unlike most posting in this thread tonight.
if you feel the need to contract your productivity, and have made that choice, fine - you'd do yourself a favour by not doing it through bitterness or anger, but in recognition that the whole system you produced in is winding down, and if there's any finger pointing, point to the thieves at the top, not people just trying to get by, as you would.
Yeah, I don't know where they come up with this shit. My sister, who is as white as rice, just retired after 20yrs. carrying. She never made any significant money; but she stuck to it and paid off her house. She also worked for asshole supervisors who couldn't read at a normal adult level. Way it goes.
According to http://www.post-office-jobs.com/Postal-Jobs/compensation.html
In May 2006, the median annual salary of Postal Service mail carriers was $44,350. Earnings ranged from $40,290 to $48,400 for the middle 50 percent.
However that is without counting benefits.
But I'd also like to know where Tyler got that $41.15 number from - it's pretty freaky
You asshole public union workers are so full of shit - you talk union and act the opposite when spending your own money. I can't wait for you fuckheads to be forced to the table and work harder for less. I'm the guy that drives by you fucks giving you the finger when you sit back in your lawn chairs holding your "honk to show your support" signs. Hey, tenured professors, your times comin too - brace yourself.
It's time they went postal.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Going_postal
When are the people going to get angry?
When they quit delivering the mail?
I agree. The only chance we may have to get this revolution off the ground might only come from disenfranchised postal workers. WE WILL SUPPORT YOU ANGRY POSTAL PEOPLE! VIVA LA REVOLUCION! You will be remembered...FOR ALL TIME!
We are angry now.
Don't get the wrong idea. Americans will not be chanting and banging pots against the walls of banks while police gas them and beat them with batons. We will be going for head shots when the time comes, and everyone is putting that off as long as possible- only a stupid or insane person *wants* to rip the lid off this pot of lava.
But, when the day comes, I assure you that you will have tactical rooftop support...
Well I hope they didn't mail those notices out to their employess becasue most of them obviously can't read judging by the amount of mail I get for my neighbors.
Almost everyday we get mail for the wrong address. Every. Fucking. Day. How hard is it to read numbers and put them in the right box?
$41/hr to deliver junk mail. Whenever you change your address, they sell your info to marketing companies. Fuck them!
Well, you see - you've gotta understand that first, there are not only 26 letters in the alphabet.....but, heres the key - they must be learned in order. It ain't easy, but its that kind of commitment that you benfit from nearly everyday - when we feel like "getting it right" for our customers. Sorry, couldn't resist! I have the same problem with these inbred creatures of nepotism.
Yeah, I guess it really is complex when you think about it. Granted, we live on the same street, so really, they just have to get the numbers right, but you know, shit like that is complicated. Is the 2 before the 7 or is it after? Really, all they have to do is match numbers from the mail to the mailbox, so they really don't have to understand the difference between numbers at all.
Sometimes, I actually pity them.
Isn't the USPS kind of a legacy thing anyway? I mean, who besides junk mail and advertisers actually use it?
I say, kill the subsidies - make marketers pay the same first class postage rates everyone else pays, and one of two things will happen; junk mail will stop entirely, or the postal service will become solvent.
With the ever-increasing push for everything electronic (my small company just went to electronic invoice submittal/payment), we're just watching a slow-motion train reck anyway.
Here's how good the service is in my part of town: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xsDhqlGRU8&
I use the post office regularly. I collaberate with other scientists worldwide, and we use it to move things like little samples or exotic materials around all the time. It is in general the easiest way to move something halfway across the planet, especially something that might look a little dodgy in the box when Fedex or UPS X rays it. You take care of that issue before sealing the box at the PO, and it just flies straight through to the destination, no problems. Not cheap, but very effective.
Just be careful. Do you know what brought down the ValuJet plane in Florida? An improperly shipped good.
(Scientist and former haz material shipper for my company.)
pods
Post offices are still used and needed in rural areas. Our mail lady has been known to deliver groceries to someone who cannot get into town, she always has a few free stamps for those who are out, she stops when we flag her down on the road waving an envelope, knows where the dogs, horses and kids run out onto the road and will stop to help anyone she see needs help. A few weeks ago I went past on a hot afternoon and her car was pulled over to the side of the road. She had stopped to give a ranch neighbor's trusted sheep a drink of water so he could make the last few miles home. I didn't even question how she happended to have a dog dish and water in her car...she always has everything! I understand city dwellers not needing their postal service but when your closest town is 28 miles down-river you rely on the mail carriers. Sounds like the unions are biting off their noses to spite their faces...or choose your own cliche.
Pods, I'm real careful. I like not living in gitmo. But there are some things hard to find in some places, so we move them to where they're needed. Nothing actually dangerous. Some things might look scary on an X ray without actually being something bad, which is why I make sure the PO sees all and signs off before sealing the box.
Imagine having to ship a box of graphite rods, with some titanium wire -- looks just like a movie bomb on X ray...but real inert in actuality.
They seem to have less trouble getting things through customs than other services.
And SheHunter - I live in such a rural area. The postal service here is outstanding; so is Fedex, but UPS seems to consider it a point of honor never to bring me an unfolded box or one without tire tracks on it -- union.
Our mail lady (before she retired) was super, even gave me bullets once (and the right caliber and all). They come to your door, bring scales, stamps, boxes, you name it -- it's like having the PO come to you with full services all the way. And when I wrecked my kart and was laying in the road with a buncha broken ribs, she was the one to go get the neighborhood retired paramedic (faster than calling an ambulance) and then got me back to the hospital.
We have a new guy now, a retired physicist, who likes to come over and chat in my lab when he can (not on the clock). It's just so different a world most city dwellers have trouble understanding how "it is out here". Our guys don't make that much, never mention the union etc. Maybe they aren't all the same. I do know that our UPS guy was a union steward, and boy did that service ever stink -- the depot in Roanoke is where their labor trouble started (and never ended) a few years back. The seem to think nothing of handing you a big box with broken glass falling out of it and expect you to sign for an undamaged $600 solar panel. Yeah, right.
On the other hand, the Fedex guy is kin to the postal lady -- and they even switch off if one is busy. It's a real nice system (but I'd bet their bosses don't approve). Either are hip enough to hide anything that looks valuable if I'm away, say locking it into one of the vehicles. Nothing ever gets rained on.
It would be awful hard to live way out here without that sort of service. Yeah, they should charge more for letters. They already charge plenty for packages.
The diseases they have in the cities might just be indicative of how screwed up everything seems to be in cities compared to here (which is why I moved from DC). And since most are doomed to cities, I'd guess that's most of their business - and most of the problems. And yes, having worked for the government as a contractor but also being privy to the numbers, it's nothing for a janitor to cost the government >>$75k/yr with bennies. It's why they use so many contractors! We were cheaper even when we got paid more.
DCFusor & SheHunter, thanks for adding both your posts to the thread, they help to balance the vitriol. . .
I have similar stories about our rural post lady - so rather than share them, I'll just say, perhaps people are more friendly because they have the time to form cordial, friendly relationships over time, to see each other as human, irrespective of appearances. . . and that city folk, both the workers and the customers, have to deal with so many "others" that polite on BOTH sides gets stretched to nothing over time. If you've ever stood in a slow moving P.O. line and listened to most of the interactions, you'd perhaps have more empathy for the workers. . . the "public" can be a bunch of demanding, impatient tools on occasion. . .
CA, it's not just the top that bilks, it's all the way down the line. agreed, however, that morality in society flows from top-down. question is : do we continue to point blame in both directions or do we change the direction of the flow?
sorry this was meant as a response to #1553343
too impatient to search for the #'d comment - but I can give my answer the question you pose -
blame is useless beyond the initial identification of the problem-causer - once the problem is identified, "blamed" - the next move is up to the individual, at least initially. . . if enough "individuals" form a consensus that works towards changing the direction, fine, but for the individual, it's better to acknowledge the imperfections, or dishonesty, of the problem and act accordingly.
"morality in society" doesn't really exist, IMO. it resides in the individual, and their interpretation of the word/idea, thus varies with time/folk.
IMHO, 'course.
It's all well and good, but you have to realize the entire point of "institution" and collectivization.
You blame some faceless nameless group for everything that pisses you off, but when someone names a group which contains your friends/family, you've got to point out the flip-side.
I grew up in the rural Northeast, surrounded by farmers. I've lived in the big city for the past decade, and if I thought anyone cared at all, I too could spin a few hundred pages of anecdotes about how great people in this or that group are.
But why bother?
Everyone believes what they choose, or whatever belief chooses them. No posters came here to have their minds CHANGED about something.
Maybe you'll get your wish and see the rot of the cities destroy them. And maybe I'll get mine and see everyone everywhere stop beating their chests about how superior they are.
(More likely we carry on seeing the same old shit 'til we die. Just playing the odds....)
Good deal Fusor. When I was trained I was surprised at just what is hazardous, and what the hazards are. The Valujet crash was actually caused (per my trainer) by shipping those oxygen generators for COPD. They had a small tank onboard which stored the purified oxygen. When the jet went up, pressure decrease, expansion...you know the rest.
My biggest problems were shipping into the EU. Terrible. Maybe we should have tried USPS. Even though almost all the compounds were investigational and of no commercial value the EU wanted their cut.
pods
Every single Ebayer in the country.
Why do taxpayers have to subsidize Ebayers?
I don't know, maybe because they are not allowed to set market rates for their product. They have to get permission to raise their rates from the PRC which is a bunch of Senate appointees. I wonder what lobbies might be interested in who sets USPS rates?
#41
im here and i'm ALL this place needs! Hey just print the tatal amount of money/fiat/paper, and pay the 120,000 their $41.00+/hour for their 30 year careers, plus 100% medical benifits, plus Thrift/401k savings, plus whatever else they fucking get, and lets move along....print, print, print...........
I have news for you - that is all bull. Postal employee wages are paid 100% from revenues collected. Employee retirement and health benefits are OVERFUNDED by the the Postal Service. The Post Office ends up being a major cash cow for the administration, which takes that retirement money and treats it just like Social Security - meaning they suck all the cash out of the account, and replace it with special "non-marketable" treasuries.
It's the Postal Workers Union - currently nothing more than a campaign contribution machine for the Obama administration - that's killing the Postal Service. It would be profitable if it wasn't being forced to build and maintain post offices as political favors, could actually get rid of crappy employees, and wasn't generally just being used as a payoff for political cronies and the union.
As a consultant for the USPS, I get to do all the freaking work while the un-fireable employees come in at 9:30, take 2 hour lunches, and leave at 4:00. When they are at work, they sit down in the cafeteria and play cards and cribbage all day long, or sit at their terminals playing solitaire. They don't care - they can't be fired and they're there because they know someone - they're good little union-dues-paying, liberal friends of the union steward - who got them their jobs and who makes sure that there are at least 10 union employees doing the work of a single employee. Oh, and who makes certain that they contribute the max each year to the proper party and vote for the right party. The only way you can lose a job there is if you were to be outed as a non-liberal who might not vote for King Barry Hussain, or refuse to cough up your campaign contributions when the union boys come around to collect your "voluntary donation to the political party of their choice."
Then... it stands to reason there will be/has been a major political fight to downsize the beast but the numbers could no longer be ignored. It won't be pretty and it will be a big hit to the Democrats and unions. More class warfare on the menu, as if we weren't already expecting that.
i agree with "downsizing the beast" not being pretty. we have our work cut for us. let's see how it might be done however:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZFH4wCLVXY&feature=player_detailpage
Postal employee wages are paid 100% from revenues collected. Employee retirement and health benefits are OVERFUNDED by the the Postal Service.
I know that they recieved a line of credit from the treasury in the 90s. They have lost most of that in the last 3 yrs. so what your saying makes sense.
The Postal Service, a semi-independent government agency, has a debt ceiling of $15 billion. It is limited to annual net increases in debt of $3 billion until it reaches its debt ceiling, according to the terms of a line of credit the agency took out from the U.S. Department of the Treasury in the early 1990s.
The Postal Service has two lines of credit that run through May of 2012. One is a short-term credit line that enables it to draw up to $3.4 billion with two days prior notice.
The second line of credit, which only allows for borrowings on an overnight basis, allows the Postal Service to borrow up to $600 million on the same business day that funds are requested, according to the agency.
Maybe the self-described savior / economic genius of the auto industry can save the post office by transferring the USPS to the union & offering everyone a tax credit for stamps purchased by 12/31/11. Better yet, why doesn't he just pass a law declaring the USPS, Amtrak & a thousand other boondoggles profitable.
Scamtrak lol...the TGV system in France and Europe actually turns a profit as does the Shinkansen.
But when you turn GSEs into blacktopias, wtf do you expect, competence? It's run like Atlanta or Philly schools
Don't forget Detroit!
Couldn't we please, please, forget about Detroit? I really, really, want to forget about Detroit.
Don't fret, the Socialist in the White House will bail them out..That is 120,000 votes he is going to need.
mr. Obummer, meet Pissed Postal..............
Post office should be rolling in money if managed right. More people than ever purchase online and shipping small packages especially out of the country is still best to go USPS.
How are they supposed to boost prices when they're competing with Fed Ex who can tell Bumfuck, KY to beat pavement while the USPS is beholden to provide mailservice nationwide?
I'm not defending their management, it's probably as bloated and inefficient as any corporate ladder, but compare apples to apples and not to oranges or bananas.
Opposing field goal attempt at the buzzer good to win game for the other side. Wait, your coach called timeout just before ball was snapped. Rekick! Tuco
Yes, the PO used to be the only outfit that went absolutely everywhere. And when I first moved out here, only UPS would come (not fedex) and they obviously didn't like to -- add a few days to anything till they had a truck's worth to come to the area. Now they are all ubiquitous here. I wonder if that's true other places?
lots of room for cuts across the board...
http://universityandstate.wordpress.com/2010/03/05/the-annual-cost-of-us-federal-government-civilian-employees/
That is actually pretty scary if the total compensation for all Fed.gov employees is only 260 billion. Fire em all and would not dent the deficit.
Shit, didnt the FED loan out like 16 Trillion since 08?
This train has wrecked, we just haven't stopped to see it yet.
pods
Depends on what your definition of "a loan" is? Tuco
Oh Tuco, I know what their definition of a loan is. Accessing my credit and paying their ass interest for it. For fun I ask people what happens when you get a loan, and then correct them when they get to "the banks give you money."
No credit to this man's name anymore. Tossed off the chains. Only interest bearing thing to my name is my house. Got kids and hell if I am raising them in an apartment, well, around here anyways.
pods
Many those federal employees are hindering private industry with stupid regulations and lawsuits. Basically, we're paying them to torture us.
The Post Office must now be part of the restructuring of this nation. It is beyond comprehension that an agency of this nation has to file for bankruptcy because it cannot lay off employees. How stupid were we to allow this, ever. We need structural change and until it occurs, it will just get worse and what we saw in Manchester, will happen here.
Do we really need Saturday mail delivery? More and more the Post Office is becoming obsolete. Just think about it. Our family probably did 20 to 25 stamps a month in paying bills, writing and communicating 20 years ago.
Now, we use at most 1 stamp per month. It needs to be competitive with UPS and Fed Ex. or else it will dissolve. How can unions be so idiotic as to fight what is needed. Drives me batty. These union bosses have an IQ of about 15. Sickening. It is over guys, freaking over.
look: no GSE has had any kind of MERIT-based hiring or promotion policy for several decades. Their ultimate collapse was as foregone a conclusion as Zimbabwe's
+1
trav7777,
The one time I'm looking to you for a quality rant - and thats it? Wheres the rage?, wheres the acrimony?, wheres the trav7777 I've learned to dread on even the most boring and inane discussion.......I thought I knew you, what happened man?
<sarc on>
I had a chinese dude refuse to deliver my kilo silver coin from Apmex because he didn't want to walk up 4 flights of stairs to get the signature; then claimed it was lost. Apmex and me figured it out; they found the kilo of silver, and now Apmex only ships UPS or FedEx to me. which I don't mind.
in my town, the fedex guys are the ones that refuse to walk the stairs (the women do though). they try every trick in the book to skip the climb instead of simply asking nicely to please come down.
the USPS have a continuous frown on their face, you know the ones, the ones that try to guilt trip you into feeling sorry for them...in order to justify their refusal to make any extra effort whatsoever.
the ups guy is mad cool though...i would actually consider him a friend at this point.
makes me think that more people spend more time & energy trying to make elaborate excuses for their lousy work ethic than they actually would improving their work ethic.
dup.
Well said. Unions served a purpose decades ago, but now they're a drain on industry.
Actually unions served their purpose quite well. They defended the standard of living of their members while the rest of you slowly lost ground to inflation.
As for the postal service, how much to send a birthday card to grandma by Fed Ex, or UPS.
Or, how about privacy, everything you send by email is looked at by the Gov now, or don't you think so?
#41
You mean like all those union members who lost their jobs in the auto, steel and other industries due to unions?
Don't be such a bitch. Give her a phone call.
I'm sure Gov wants to look at your birthday card.
The rest of us never worked for unions and didn't have to because we developed a work ethic and valuable skills of our own. We needed no protection from employers dying to have quality talent to work for them, and who treated us super well to keep us. While the unions managed to force prices rises on things they made we bought and CAUSED some of that inflation. I think it's utterly ignorant to work for two bosses, one of which you have to friggin pay for crying out loud, and who institute work rules so you can't even lend a buddy a hand at work without breaking them. I never have, and never will work at any place that needs a union. Who the crap needs an adversarial work atmosphere? I avoid sick people. Of course, i had initiative and quickly became "the boss" wherever I worked, up to whatever level suited my taste -- not so high as not to be in the thick of the work, because I liked doing the work (systems design etc). I dare say I got better treatment, bennies, and work rules and pay than any union person ever for my entire career.
If a place needs a union -- don't work there. It'll get fixed on its own. Refuse to support any such vile karma at all. Move if necessary. Don't accept crap handed you, you don't need to IF YOU'RE WORTH IT. If not, join the union and suck it up. Makes it easier to ID the losers who don't bother to improve themselves to the point of being desireable to good employers.
You're a fucking moron who should spend some quality time in a coalmine with major safety violations.
Fuck you - you California liberal Pelosi loving San Fran dickhead - unions never fight fair, and justify their bullshit behavior the same way gangs do.
At the early stage, as in first week, of a strike you fucking asshole union pricks were allowed by your pals in the police dept. to cut every fuel line, slash every tire, and break every window in my warehouse and every truck on the lot.....and nobody saw a thing. Insurance said no way due to exclusion clauses. Finally, broke you fucks and never looked back. Unions served their purpose - 40 hour weeks, OSHA, time and-a-half over 40, 8 hour days, etc...but you never stop. Get what you want and like a child, you just ask for more. But more's never enough, ever. Then the restrictive work rules! Thats the part that kills it. Ironically, its the silly bullshit rules that kill the deal. And you never stop until the host is dead. Fuck you, I hate you, I despise you. I'm the guy now, that you think is on your side - using your tricks against you, and laughing at you.
Oh the big bad unions...that represent what single-digit percentage of the private sector?
Give us some real numbers...what were the union's unbearable demands? What did you put on the table that they turned away? They "never stop"...they want health care and to retire some day...the beasts!
"Jsut ask for more"...yeah, because companies would never strip away benefits, insure people can't get enough hours to qualify for them, or sign them up for unhealthcare to make some kickbacks.
Fight fair? So you're the one company in America that didn't just fire the union leaders in your shop because you knew Dubya would look the other way? Right, pull the other one.
You're the one company that didn't hire union-busting consultants, threaten people and their families (my uncle in WV has first-hand experience with this one), or just hire scabs? Right, sure you didn't.
Meanwhile, in Fontana, people are working for "temp agencies", to make sure they can't even join a union, in warehouses in the SoCal heat with no AC or bathroom breaks filling trucks full of Chinese crap for your fat ass to load into a cart at Wal-Mart.
I don't hate you. I just have zero respect for you.
Wait a minute you fucking left-wing hack. I thought OSHA was created to take care of worker safety. Does that mean we can get rid of OSHA now that unions will protect us?
Please do get rid of OSHA.
Pretty please, with sugar on top?
I'm a working stiff, and I hate the SOBs. Nothing but stupid rules to protect those who should have been eliminated by natural selection, and make every day of my life infinitely more difficult.
OSHA slaps wrists with fines that amount to 0.00x% of the money big coal takes to the bank while people are still dying in mine explosions...or can't you read?
+100
+120,000 or should I say -120,000
$41 an hour is nuts. Imagine starting a delivery service today. Would such an unskilled profession pay much more than minimum wage? Look at pizza delivery. Minimum wage plus tips.
I say contract it out to the lowest bidder. And get rid of 6 days a week service. 3 should be enough. Nothing time sensitive ever goes by USPS any more. Messenger services took that business long ago.
Excellent idea except some corporation will rip off the government with the governments complicity instead of saving it money which means the taxpayer will foot the bill as usual.
accidentally duplicated...
Heh. Now, "Going Postal" will mean going to the UE office.
I would be more interested in the "managements" top pay and benefits.
I know the top guys make a quarter of a million dollars and up plus benis..as everyone here knows I'm anti-public union.
But I know good and damn well "management" always protects their sorry ass first when the budget axe gets swung.
"Management" is what drove them into the ground.
Robos would've done a better job.
You're on the right track, but here are the numbers (blast from the past): http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/23/congress-will-investigate-postmasters-pay/
The same is true in universities, small town administration, and every other place I know about. Those who get first crack at the money, get first crack at the money.
"Those who get first crack at the money, get first crack at the money."
Exactly my point.
I'm sick and fucking tired of those who spend their days inside a Romanesque building in a capitol, sitting behind a mahogany desk, down the marbled hallway from the power elite, telling the fireman, the beat cop, the mailman, the librarian or whoever their services are no longer needed.
The larger issue is the bureacratic maze of mahogany desks & regs that sucks up untold amounts of "revenue". I did a quick search and apparently we have to do a FOIA request to find out what the top brass "employee" makes at the post office?...lol.
And thanks for the link up there Taku.
+100
Absolutely. The managers and supervisors are hugely overpaid. But I am anti-public union; because there can be no sincere bargaining between a union representative and a "company" representative, Who is spending other peoples money.
That is the best anti-public union argument I've heard.
#41
+!
+2 You hit it in the sweet spot. Upper management at all levels of government, business, and unions are the real problem. All are making far too much in salary/+benefits, compared to the people they over-see.
Over paid and they still shit in your yard.
Welcome to the bread lines, 120,000 former postal workers!
The new ratio of unemployed for each job opening will soar from last week's 4.5. Maybe hitting 10:1 by Xmas
http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/08/10/vital-signs-4-5-unemployed-for...
I guess James Carney was right. Uneemployment is good for the econ. Next the States need to layoff with Muni Defaults.
Let the games fucking begin.
Yes, the "jobless recovery" continues unabated! Tuco
Someone PLEASE just stick a fork in us..... we're DONE.
!! Pogo, t he cartoon character; "We have met the enemy, and he is us".
Dude said everybodeez got a price tag bitchez. Even the kiddies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWY-nwVx5tk
How about a SPORK from taco bell...a more fitting SIGN OF THE TIMES.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHcIEHrq_ps
Narcissistic group-think. Scary.
The downsizing of America continues uninterrupted!
Add in huge layoffs being announced by big US pharma, Wall Street and FIRE sector, and yes, tech.
(Been sayin')
USPS is a piker when compared to the gold plated lazy fukin cops and fire criminal unions and they will shoot you or let you be beaten to a bloody pulp and.or burn your fukin house down if they don't get there gold plated b.s. contracts.
they break every fukin town they are in eventually.
millions of them. cut them off at the fukin knees.
Are you religious or something? Let's see,"lazy fukin cops", are you trying your best to swear? Are you a pussy, or what? Swear, get it out. You will feel free, or is your mom reading your posts? Yes, there are some bad Police officers, and some bad Firefighers, but, by-and-large, they are good people, who put their life on the line, on a daily basis. Kind-of-like our Military professionals. You got a problem with that? Someone's got a gun to your head, or your house is on fire (with your kids inside), you'd rather not have those people show up to help you? You are a fucking weird-o. There, I said it. I swore. Hope it didn't offend your religious ears.
I have a problem with a "professional Military" that invades nationstates at the behest of corporations & drug-running bureaucrats, while "losing" trillions of $.
And while we're here, the "pussy" reference is over-used - if you want to fuck him, just say so, I'm sure you can find "alternative" places to shove yer cock.
Hey, wait a minute.
Aren't these the same worms that are gonna be running the ENTIRE healthcare system of the UfuckingS by 2014?
yes, and i tell you I won't put up with it. I"m not going to be forced to buy any fucking private health insurance or get more taxes taken out of my check. NO SIR. the day of reckoning is coming. I'm fast in process of making a move to whichever state decides to repudiate this OBAMASCAM healthcare..... If you look at this..... it appears that
http://www-935.ibm.com/services/us/imc/pdf/g510-6268-healthcare-china.pdf
IBM already rollllllllled out this whole plan........... look at page 13 at the little table synopsis ...... way back in 2005 -2006. So, it appears this whole plan is indeed global and is a globalist system!
Now, that is some truth there.
I am waiting for the change I can believe in. I look myself in the mirror every day and it is time for tyrants and patriots to take it out back.
Lots of Friends of Bo have been given waivers.
We are living under a feudal system already.
I figure if it isn't good enough for congress, it isn't good enough for my kids.
Just waiting for the first state to secede. I really hope it is Texas.
If it isn't good enough for the mother fucking AFL-CIO it most definately isn't good enough for my kids.
Bring it Federal Govt. I'm not even all that big an asshole, but I am willing to stand in you way over this.
IBM!? Next your going to tell me IBM supplied the nazi's with the enumeration system whereby they tattooed and identified all the Jews in Germany and other countries for the labor camps. Great company that IBM. Right up their with those great corporate citizens at Monsanto! Tuco
bbbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzT! crackle
*phew* that went straight to my tinfoil - thanks for keeping the timeline updated Tuco!
Yes Tuco>
it appears that IBM is certainly in charge of all of the eugenics depopulation programs for the elites going back to Nazi germany and, A posteriori continues the parade.... (trumpets, cymbals, bass drums )
Anyone have a link to that criss-crossed schematic of the board members of multiple globalist corporations? I tell you it is time. These people need to experience some inside jobs of their own. I am sick of this shit!
"Aren't these the same worms that are gonna be running the ENTIRE healthcare system of the UfuckingS by 2014?"
What could possibly go wrong with those budget projections? ;-)
What could go wrong with the budget projections?
What fucking budget?
If there is no budget, there can be no budget projections off a budget which does not exist, from which projections can be made.
Wake the fuck up America!
It's all DoubleSpeak.
I lost track of the last "official budget" when we surpassed 800 some odd days without a national budget...over two years of buying time by printing Benny Bucks.
I could turn this political instead of fiscal but the record speaks for itself ;-)