Posted by LynnNC on 11/10/08 11:14am
Msg #269370

Postal Service Looks To Cut 40,000 Jobs

Postal Service Looks To Cut 40,000 Jobs In First Layoff In History

http://www.ksla.com/global/story.asp?s=9247633

Reply by MistarellaFL on 11/10/08 11:18am
Msg #269371

Wow.
Right now in my rural, little area I can count on spending 30-60 minutes waiting in line for any postal services. They got rid of all the convenience machines for stamps, package mailings, etc. just a couple of months ago, so we have no other recourse, than standing in a long line.
(2 clerks at the counter, but only 2 some of the time)

Reply by jba/fl on 11/10/08 11:24am
Msg #269373

Misty: order my mail, online. n/m

Reply by LynnNC on 11/10/08 11:26am
Msg #269374

Now that I think about it, the convenience machine is no longer at my post office branch, as well. Their income has to be way down from fewer sales of postage stamps due to so many people using online billpay.

Reply by PAW on 11/10/08 11:31am
Msg #269376

As jba/fl says, you can do much of your USPS services either online, by mail or with your carrier.

It used to be that my international priority mail had to be taken to the Post Office. Now, I do everything through the internet, including ordering postal supplies (many of which are free), printing postage, airbills and custom declarations. Then I just leave it for my carrier to pick up whenever he (or she) stops by. I don't think I've been to a real post office in over 4 years.

Check out Goin' Postal, and similar shipping places too. Often they can act like a Postal Annex for many services.

PS - I also 'print' my own stamps for regular, everyday mail.

Reply by NCLisa on 11/10/08 11:53am
Msg #269380

We have 2 people working in the New Hill post office, and 3 mail carriers covering the 3 counties that New Hill is in. Only 1 window, and they won't deliver mail to my property in New Hill because the road has to many pot holes. The post mistress lives across the street, so if I'm in dire need and can't get to the post office during business hours, she brings it home for me! Gotta love the small town post offices!

Reply by Becca_FL on 11/10/08 12:20pm
Msg #269382

A friend of mine is a carrier and was just two years from retirement when the USPS approached him a few weeks ago with a early retirement package. He had been counting the days for the past five years....he took the offer and will be retired in the next few weeks.

Reply by Bubba/CA on 11/10/08 1:46pm
Msg #269384

Re: Only Hiring freeze for post office

My husband works for USPS, they had big stand up mtg, they let them know they would be laying off over 55,000 people. My husband said it seemed like everyone was now thankful for the job they have. So many lazy USPS workers out there.. On saturday, they had another big mtg were they were told USPS would only have a hiring freeze, & maybe get rid of those that are injured and those that are not on a contract. And of course those that are retiring early will help. They will be making routes bigger. I have to say that I always thought the post office would be around no matter what. Scary to see that what u once thought was stable could possibly change.. USPS wastes alot of money on alot of lazy employees out there. (The stories I could tell) I hope they weed out the bad and keep the ones who are thankful to have a job:~}

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 11/10/08 4:21pm
Msg #269393

My husband retired from USPS..

and I too could tell some stories...just prior to his retirement in 1/06 there was talk of cutting back and their goal was to get rid of all the Civil Service employees in addition to all employees injured on the job and on "light duty" status....you'd be amazed at the people on "light duty" who've been milking the system for YEARS...can't say I blame them for wanting those employees out -

It was a cutthroat job back then and we've heard his office of employment was just getting worse - Glad my husband got out when he did.

Reply by CaliNotary on 11/10/08 9:55pm
Msg #269414

Re: Only Hiring freeze for post office

"USPS wastes alot of money on alot of lazy employees out there. (The stories I could tell)"

Same here. I was a letter carrier throughout most of the 90's. The attitude that a LARGE number of postal workers have is really repulsive. The union pushes them to do ONLY the bare minimum amount of work necessary to keep their jobs. And firing somebody is next to impossible, you have to really screw up for months or years before it even becomes a possibility.

Reply by Shelly_FL on 11/11/08 8:34am
Msg #269427

Re: Only Hiring freeze for post office

If they had management with a brain bigger than a pea, the "lazy" employees would be more motivated to perform. Unfortunately, management surrounds themselves with idiots so as to protect their own interest in keeping the job they got or just plain keep them looking good.

It only took me one week as a Rural Delivery "servant" to realize I was in the wrong place if I wanted to be treated with respect by management or fellow tradesmen. Said See Ya! and didn't let the door hit me in the derriere.

Ecommerce and ecommunication has hit them hard and because they lacked vision years ago, all they can do now is try to stay afloat.