Postal workers unions protest Staples program

[alp227]

Last edited Thu Apr 24, 2014, 06:25 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: AP

NEW YORK (AP) — Postal workers around the country protested in front of Staples stores on Thursday, objecting to the U.S. Postal Service's pilot program to open counters in stores, staffed with retail employees.

Rallies were planned at 50 locations in 27 states. In New York, about 100 workers marched from the main office on 8th Avenue to a Staples store about five blocks away, carrying signs and chanting, "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Staples deal has got to go."

In Washington, D.C., more than 200 people gathered at a Staples, drumming on buckets and holding signs that read: "Stop Staples. The US Mail is Not for Sale."

One of them, postal service maintenance mechanic Robert Black, called the pilot program "a back-door way of privatizing the post office" and taking away jobs from postal workers.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/postal-workers-union-protest-staples-program

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Sadly, too many people are deluded into thinking the private sector does everything better. Take the most upvoted comments on the LATimes story about this:

"Highly trained, experienced postal employees, who swear an oath to protect your letters and packages and who are accountable to the American people, should handle mail."

What does that mean? Postal employees sell stamps, accept packages and create labels for delivery. What else are they doing that requires a "highly trained" workforce?

This article is actually pretty funny if it wasn't so sad. I was in the postal office the other day...20 people in line and only 1 person behind the counter. The other worker on duty was "busy" arranging in the envelopes and boxes. These people are a joke. "Highly Trained" my a$$. You want to see what 1980's Soviet Union was like..walk into a DMV or Postal office.

[richard3]

1. USPS is trying to save money on the backs of postal workers

The average US postal worker makes around $50k a year.

Source: http://work.chron.com/average-pay-postal-worker-2050.html

The average Staples worker makes about $20k a year.

Source: http://www.glassdoor.com/Hourly-Pay/Staples-Hourly-Pay-E1909.htm

There are other ways for USPS to save money, e.g., by abandoning the generous subsidy for direct mail advertising.

Source: http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052970204612504576606743516301586

[alp227]

2. thanks for the links, and welcome to DU! nt

[7962]

3. I dont have a problem with it especially if they're open later than 5.

My local PO is a contracted office. They close for lunch for 2 hrs and arent open on Saturday. And the regular PO in the town next door is always crowded. But I dont believe the PO should be closed down either.
As for the "highly trained" comment, the recent videos of USPS people tossing packages out of vehicles doesnt help their cause.

[Kingofalldems]

7. As a Democrat I support the workers.

Last edited Thu Apr 24, 2014, 05:43 PM - Edit history (1)

Most especially union workers. Sorry you don't.

[BrotherIvan]

10. I guess it's hard for some to understand that when all the good union jobs are gone

We will all be making minimum wage. And if you don't like USPS, then just imagine how much you'll be paying when UPS sends your letter! I do agree that some post offices and the employees are more efficient and customer service oriented. But that does not mean we need to dump hundreds of thousands of employees onto the private market. People don't understand that when the wages go down, your community dies with it as well. The workers are your neighbors, family, and friends and we should make sure they are supported.

[Live and Learn]

19. +1 nt

[whathehell]

26. +10 n/t

[7962]

12. I never said I didnt support them, just that i didnt have a problem mailing a letter at Staples

I cant go to my post office. They're closed when I'm on lunch and they're closed by the time I get off. I would use the USPS more if I could do business in the evening. It would give the USPS more business, IMO. As it is now, I have to use UPS more and spend more because I can do THAT at Staples as well; after the UPS office is closed. They've been doing it for years and the union UPS workers havent bitched about it. Office Depot does too. So whats the difference? Staples isnt going to be delivering mail just like they dont deliver UPS packages.

[Kingofalldems]

13. The USPS could put their own clerks there. Simple.

[7962]

14. That would kinda be a waste. The stores wouldnt be that busy. Again, why is it ok with UPS?

They're union too. They get a lot more business using those stores. I would use the USPS more than I do now. If we want the USPS to survive, we're going to have to deal with the fact that its going to do things differently. You really think they're going to pay a postal worker to stand around a Staples store waiting for people to come in and mail stuff?

[FrodosPet]

18. As a member of the WORKING Class

I support workers who do their jobs. Employers need to wake up and treat them right.

I don't support lazy and or incompetent assholes who shift their responsibilities onto the backs of others. Regardless of whether they have a union card or not.

Throwing packages out of the vehicle onto a driveway is something that should get someone fired - and even prosecuted.

[Kingofalldems]

20. What are you talking about?

[FrodosPet]

21. No pride - whether USPS or private carrier.

Should I go on?

[Kingofalldems]

22. So what does that have to do with Staples?

Answer: Nothing

I guess you really wanted to post those videos.

[7962]

24. I believe he's referring to the comment in the OP about "highly trained" employees

ANd the fact that its unlikely that any of the people in the videos were fired. And those arent the only examples out there.
But I could be wrong, I'll let him answer

[Kingofalldems]

30. How do you know they weren't fired?

Looks to me like you just made it up. I saw many get fired in my years there.

[7962]

34. I DONT know. But in the interest of PR, it seems the PO would make that known.

And I'm NOT saying the PO employees are all bad. You can find stories of UPS and FedEx drivers doing the same thing with packages. Everyone in my neighborhood knows our mailman and he's always on the ball. But in my parents neighborhood, mail is constantly put in the wrong box. I'm merely stating that letting Staples do some Postal services doesnt mean the end of the world for the USPS. It didnt hurt UPS and their union didnt try to stop it. My local PO isnt run by the USPS, its a contracted office. The ladies that run it arent USPS employees and set their own hours. Its been open for years. Whats the difference?

[FrodosPet]

25. It does address the fact that not a lot of people are going to get worked up over this

Is your fragile package getting destroyed by a $20K a year Staples employee or a $50K a year USPS employee?

[Kingofalldems]

29. Oh so a tiny minority, and I mean tiny mishandled something

and you are going to hold the entire workforce responsible.

Oh yeah, I was a letter carrier for 30+ years and can vouch for my fellow workers.

[FrodosPet]

36. No, I am not trashing working people, or the entire USPS

I am just pointing out why it is going to be difficult to develop a significant opposition to the Staples plan by eliciting sympathy for the workers.

Not saying it is impossible, it is just a challenge for some really good professional PR people.

[treestar]

31. Still only five incidents

over how many million per day.

[Sunlei]

32. I have an 8 foot fence & my mailman ties a large plastic bag to boxes and lowers over the fence :P

The light boxes, I've told all delivery to throw over the fence. I don't want a notice to pick-up at the post office. (except for my baby chickens, the post office calls me when chicks arrive)

[CreekDog]

23. after a recent order with Staples, I have a problem with it

every aspect of the order was mishandled, it took three trips to the store and they screwed up the assembly order.

now to handle my mail? no way. sure they have better hours --i'm sure they'll need them. i'll take the existing hours at the post office if it means better and more reliable service, which it does.

[7962]

33. And thats perfectly fine. I hate Wells Fargo but I'm sure some have no problems with them.

We all "shop" based on our past experiences. I've never had a problem with Staples, but you have. Up thread someone mentions that only a small number of usps people have been accused of terrible service. But I bet the recipients of that service would go elsewhere in the future.

[CreekDog]

35. No, I had more bad experiences in that one Staples order than in all my USPS experiences

[KurtNYC]

4. Can union employees refuse to handle mail that came in from scab operations? n/t

[2pooped2pop]

5. I doubt it. THey have a pretty weak union

and I don't think they are allowed to strike.

[geretogo]

6. Are we ready for a $5.00 postage stamp with Milton Friedman's face on it to mail one letter ?

[athelbert]

15. I can imagine it. Easily.

When he dies, there will be a big whoop-de-doo about it, too. I'm sure plenty of glowing obits have been written already.

He is the only man to win the Nobel Prize for ending a bombing campaign that he himself started.

[MisterP]

17. that Friedman died '06--and by then he already admitted that higher average numbers

don't necessarily mean that all members' numbers rise

turns out people who say that every country needs a Pinochet aren't that balanced!

[Rafale]

8. Action Message

And just like that I'm done with Staples. I will no longer shop there just like Walmart. Done deal.

[jtuck004]

9. Staples, the land of Mi$$ RobMe and the jobs, only a memory now, of the people who

used to make the things that stock his stores.

http://mentalfloss.com/article/29654/how-involved-was-mitt-romney-founding-staples

Haven't shopped there since I learned how private equity funds like his have and continue to savage the lives of working people in this country, and I try to limit my shopping at any of those places. They control a very large part of our job market now, and are run by continually floating debt and sucking off money in fees, yet the public has never seen fit to cooperate in removing that threat to their lives. Hell, they still give the son-of-a-bitches a tax break, 15% if they didn't earn the money, but got it from someone else who did by "investment".

If the day comes that they can't refinance their stuff on the backs of the people, their enterprises will fail. We have spent trillions of dollars to hold it off, but it is still more likely than not that it will come. And then all the bad things we thought would happen if we didn't keep banksters well-fed and healthy will come to pass, and the criminals won't be in charge any longer, but a lot of people will have suffered and died under the bus being drive to take them their money.

Where we go from there is anyone's guess.

Anyway, this is a bad, bad idea, and a knife in the side of OUR postal service and employees.

[athelbert]

16. +1

[Red1]

11. The Rightwing Hillbillys

are goin all out to dilute...destroy...demonize unions in this country...brownbutt..ks guv..took away kansas teachers right for due process....

so fuck staples...

[Enthusiast]

27. +1!

Fuck Staples!

[Sunlei]

28. will the people who have access to my mailed items have criminal background checks?

what about the stores night cleaning crew?

[Hangingon]

37. Is this horse already out of the barn?

What about all the package and mail centers that sell postage. We have 2 in this little village. They do a great business because they can tell you the price and delivery time for a package carried by USPS, UPS and FedEx. The staff also works a lot faster than the UPS guys and their hours of operation are better.

[madville]

38. It will be interesting to see where the USPS is at in 10-20 years

Good on the workers and union for aggressively protecting their interests and opposing changes that could negatively affect them, it would be irresponsible of them not to do that.

From the USPS vantage point it could increase business and revenue if the USPS services were available alongside their competitors at retail locations. Instead of opting for that $20 UPS shipment they might could do a $10 Priority mail box, putting the USPS brand in front of more people in more places.

I'm curious to see how the USPS will adapt in the next decade or two. I could see daily letter mail delivery cut down to 2-3 days a week. I rarely get anything worthwhile in the mail these days, all my bills and documents are set to paperless/electronic and I pay everything online or from my Iphone. They would be wise to focus more on package delivery because 1st class letter mail will eventually be no more. Right now I average about two Amazon packages a week shipped to my office, they always come Fedex and UPS though, never by USPS, they should get in more on that action.

There are exceptions but it's mostly generational as well. I'm about 40 and pretty much paperless. I get sales flyers, an occasional Discover or American Express offer, and car dealership ads in my mail mostly, I check it about once a week. My parents are in their 60's and do most of their stuff online as well now. My 91 year old grandmother still does everything by mail and wants a paper copy of everything, she still mails birthday cards and corresponds with people by mail as well, probably at least 10 pieces a week, I buy her 100 stamps every two months. My point is the people that have used the mail their entire life and continue to use it today for everything won't be around in a decade or two and that will cause the first class letter business to contract.