This is from 11/7/2005, statement OLAPW President, Clint Burelson.

Postal Service Should Stop Plans to Transfer Mail Cancellation Operations From Olympia to Tacoma

The Olympia Local of the American Postal Workers Union is calling for the Postal Service to stop plans to transfer mail cancellation operations from Olympia to Tacoma. The main reasons to stop the proposal are: the loss of the Olympia Postmark, the reduction in service to the public, the lack of significant savings (if any), and the negative impact on employees.

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The movement of the mail to Tacoma should also be stopped based on the Postal Services handling of the proposal, which is in conflict with existing regulations and policies. The failure of the Postal Service to be forthcoming in their intentions, the failure to gather local input, the failure to respond to requests for information and the failure to follow other existing rules has undermined the publics confidence in the Postal Services Olympia proposal.

The lack of proper procedure by the Postal Service has contributed to a flawed study. The study by the Postal Service states that there will be no reduction in service to the community. However, immediately after announcing the completion of the study and their intentions to move the Olympia mail to Tacoma, Postal Service representatives are admitting that service to the Olympia community will be reduced. There are also indications that the cost savings claimed by the Postal Service are inaccurate.

A General Accounting Office (GAO) report in April of this year strongly criticized the Postal Service as whole for its lack of clarity, criteria and accountability in handling consolidations. These criticisms are valid for the Olympia case as well.

The Postal Service should be required to cease all proposed consolidations until such time they have demonstrated that they have a process in place to insure that Postal Service proposals that affect the community are fair, open, and beneficial to the community.

Contact: Clint Burelson - clintburelson@comcast.net or 360-970-2965

(Sarah note: Attachment contains detailed, updated background info.)