postalnews blog

The following is a letter to the editor of the Olympian from Clint Burelson, President of the Olympia Local of the American Postal Workers Union:

The Olympian’s editorial, “Let the Postmark Go,” and its articles concerning mail consolidation failed to report important information relevant to the issue of mail consolidation in general and the Olympia consolidation in particular. 

First, The Olympian failed to disclose their owners’ corporate involvement regarding mail consolidation.  The recent owners of The Olympian, Gannett, followed briefly by Knight Ridder and currently The McClatchy Company, are all members of the Newspaper Association of America (NAA), which represents nearly 90% of the daily newspaper circulation in the US.  The NAA submitted comments to a Postal Reform committee of Congress on 2/11/04, which stated, “NAA supports providing the United States Postal Service (USPS) with the operational flexibility to close, consolidate or relocate postal distribution and processing facilities.” 

Not all corporate mailers are completely happy with the plans.  Netflix, bankers, and other businesses that rely upon First-Class mail will be adversely affected with the delay in the mail. 

Apparently, the NAA and the large advertising mailers believe the benefits of consolidation for them outweigh any costs to others.  Corporate mailer consolidation plans have already been made clear to congress.  Gary Pruitt, the CEO of McClatchy, while testifying for the NAA, on 4/4/03, stated, “It would be extremely disappointing and counterproductive if the Postal Service were unable to implement changes in its distribution network because of congressional intervention.”  Other corporate mailers have warned members of Congress with similar messages.  What member of Congress wants to disappoint the large corporate-owned newspaper chains and other powerful media that have significant influence in elections? 

Second, contrary to The Olympian’s claim that nothing that can be done to stop consolidation, the issue is far from over.  The laws regulating the USPS mandate prompt service to all communities.  The Olympian failed to report that the consolidation issue is now before the Postal Rate Commission (PRC), which will hold hearings on whether the nationwide service reductions associated with the consolidations - planned throughout the country - violate that law.  The public can submit comments protesting the reduction in mail service and therefore influence the decision of the PRC.  In fact, the NAA is a formal participant in the case, which again The Olympian failed to disclose. 

Third, The Olympian acknowledges that a one-day delay in the mail will cause significant problems for the community, but suggests hope that mail will not be delayed.  However, The Olympian failed to report evidence that showed mail would be delayed, including a USPS newsbreak, which stated that after the transfer of mail from Olympia to Tacoma takes place, “current cost pressures make the protection of all overnight and/or two day service commitments for the consolidated office (Olympia) impractical.”  This will also reduce service to all the 985 areas that Olympia now serves.

Furthermore, the USPS case is before the PRC precisely because the USPS acknowledges a nationwide delay in the mail for many parts of the country because of the consolidations.  The case would not be before the PRC if nationwide service reductions were not involved. 

Fourth, The Olympian failed to report evidence that the USPS claims of savings associated with the consolidation were misleading at best and fraudulent at worst.  For example, USPS documents reveal that USPS claims of savings were based mainly on cutting employees off the rolls in Olympia.  However, the USPS will still be paying their salaries elsewhere.  Moreover, the USPS did not count the costs for 15 new employees scheduled to be hired in Tacoma or the 2 new employees inexplicably scheduled to be hired in Olympia. 

The evidence from the USPS shows the transfer of the mail to Tacoma will cause mail to be delayed and will not save an alleged 1.2 million dollars.  Indeed, counting all costs, it will be most likely more expensive to process the mail in Tacoma.  The Olympian had the USPS documents necessary to report important facts regarding mail service to the public, but failed to do so. 

Fifth, in the union’s last press release, we pointed out that Postal Service plans are benefiting big advertising mailers at the expense of everyone else.  The Olympian could have reported this part of the issue as well.  After all, Gary Pruitt, the CEO of McClatchy, providing further testimony on 4/4/03, stated, “The Postal Service has used revenues obtained through the excessive First-Class rates and captive monopoly customers to finance disproportionately low bulk advertising mail rates…”

The large corporate advertising mailers have successfully lobbied in the past so that the public pays disproportionately more for First-Class mail, while corporations pay disproportionately less for their advertising.  Now, the corporate mailers are pushing the Postal Service to consolidate mail facilities, which will reduce service to the First-Class users as well as having them pay an even greater share of the cost. 

Ultimately, corporate mailers want to see the USPS increase service and decrease rates to the corporate mailers and decrease service and increase rates for the individual and small mailers.  This will make it harder for individuals and non-profit organizations to express their views at affordable rates.  Not everyone can afford to own a daily newspaper or a television station.  Affordable rates for small mailers have historically supported a wide expression of views, some of which are decidedly anti-corporate. 

Finally, it would have been useful if The Olympian also disclosed that the NAA supports “worksharing,” in the Post Office.  “Worksharing” is a deceptive, Orwellian, corporate word for contracting out postal work to the private sector.  The discounts to the corporate mailers for presorting, barcoding and transporting the mail have turned union jobs with living wages, job security, medical care, and retirement benefits into non-union jobs, with low wages, no job security, and little or no medical care and retirement.  The owners of the corporate mailing companies have pocketed the difference in the wages and benefits as part of the “income transfer.”  Governments have to then cover medical care, school lunches and other costs for the underpaid private sectors workers.  The large mailers are seeking more postal work and income through mail consolidations.

Most consolidations across the country are now on hold pending the outcome of the Postal Rate Commission decision.  The decision in the PRC case may determine mail service to many communities throughout the country.  A public conversation should take place on the issue.  Corporate newspaper chains like McClatchy and other large corporate media like Time Warner (another participant in the case), apparently believe that the conversation should take place behind closed doors, among themselves and a few government officials, without general public input.  

The public has a right to relevant information concerning mail consolidation so they can participate as informed citizens.  This will be difficult as long as we have corporate-owned media, with vested interests like The Olympian, and Time Warner, determining what stories get told and how.

I don’t mind a corporate newspaper presenting their views on an issue, but it should not hide its corporate interests, fail to report important information, or pretend it is a community paper representing the public interest.

Sincerely,

Clint Burelson, President
Olympia Local
American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO

For more information contact: Clint Burelson - clintburelson@comcast.net or 360-970-2965

The Postal Rate Commission is handling the case (Docket N2006-1) to determine if the USPS consolidation plans to reduce service violate the law, which requires prompt service to the public.  The PRC web site has all the documents submitted and is updated daily.  Individuals and organization can request the PRC decide against the Postal Service by contacting the PRC at:

Postal Rate Commission
901 New York Avenue, NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20268
Phone 202-789-6800, Fax 202-789-6886, “Contact Us” form at www.prc.gov

More information on the consolidations happening across the country can be found at www.apwu.org, and at www.postalmag.com

Specific information from the Olympia Local can be found at www.postalmag.com/olympia. 

Big mailer comments on consolidation and other postal issues can be viewed at http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/domestic-finance/usps/comments or by Googling president’s commission postal service.