Downsizing the post offices

Two years ago the Postal Service did an “exhaustive” study regarding moving some processing operations from Bloomington to Indianapolis and determined there was no need to move anything. On May 12, the Postal Service announced yet another study. However, this time the American Postal Workers Union feels all operations are ripe for consolidation.

But what has changed since the last study? Mail volume is indeed down, because of the economy and other factors.

Since the last study, the Postal Service rewrote the book on how to consolidate (which is like letting the fox guard the henhouse). We have seen window clerk staff reductions, a loss of many blue collection boxes for the customer, earlier cutoff times for mail pickup and later box-mail commitments from the service. All of these are service reductions, and expect more.

In fact, just this week both the McCloskey post office and the downtown office were put on a new list of potential closures. The great local service enjoyed by this area will be gone soon, and help is needed again to save the Postal Service from itself. We union folks understand the need to tighten the USPS belt; we just think there are better ways than cutting great local service. Visit either office for details on whom to contact within USPS and question their motives.

Kevin McCaffery
APWU Local 2122 Spokesman