A Feb. 21 presentation by U.S. Postal Service officials brought together Democrats and Republicans, labor and management to voice concerns and skepticism about a 10-year, $40 billion plan that could drastically change USPS in the guise of upgrading the system.
The plan (“Delivering for America”) could include upgrades, but the presentation had a disconnect with the likely result of moving operations to suburban Chicago and how workers would be affected.
USPS officials shared a summary of the plan, stating that “the business case supports transferring some mail processing operations to the South Suburban Processing and Distribution Center” in Bedford Park, Ill.
Some tension stemmed from differences between business’ profit-oriented private sector and the historically public service, and also the enthusiasm of business vs. the impact on communities and workers.
The USPS says it’s still gathering public feedback, but the overwhelming consensus by the 100 or so in attendance was that the plan is a “done deal.”
U.S. Reps. Eric Sorensen (D-17th District) and Darin LaHood (R-16th District), in an open letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, objected to the proposal.
“While we are pleased to hear that USPS is planning to invest in new equipment and upgrades to the Peoria facility, any proposal that would jeopardize timely mail delivery, diminish customer service, or risk local jobs is unacceptable,” they wrote. “Our constituents rely on the services provided by USPS, and our local postal service centers are important cornerstones of our community.”
Days later, before a USPS meeting in Champaign, Reps. Nikki Budzinski (D-13th) and Mary Miller (R-15th District) also wrote a joint letter to DeJoy sharing similar concerns and questions, calling the proposal “incredibly troubling.”
“Delivering for America” also proposes moving Champaign operations to Beford Park and a Chicago regional plant, Springfield work to St. Louis, and Milan/Quad Cities operations to Des Moines.
Doug House, an aide to Sorensen, whose 17th District stretches from Peoria and Bloomington through the Quad Cities to Rockford, expressed disappointment that the meeting at the Peoria Public Library was scheduled midday on a workday. He also shared concerns about on-time delivery, especially for medications and Social Security checks; election mail ballots, causing [Postal Workers’] families to be uprooted, and said Sorensen was “seeking assurances” about disruptions, wholesale failure or unforeseen consequences of its implementation.
“USPS has lowered its delivery standards from 1 day to 3, 3 to 5,” said House, asking, “When will they get a handle on this?
“Peoria was recently recognized as one of the most efficient depots in the nation. Why change how it’s working now?” House added. “Peoria has been a recipient of mail from other depots that have become overwhelmed during peak mail seasons. Now you’re moving mail from Peoria and Milan to those very depots that have not been keeping up? This makes no sense.”
Some see an ulterior motive in the dramatic overhaul.
“This whole 10-year plan is to privatize the postal service,” said Bud Toft, President of Local 854 of the American Postal Workers Union. “Postmaster General DeJoy has attacked the postal service by ending delivery standards, ending or limiting the amount of mail transportation by air, thus delaying the delivery of mail, [and] closing distribution facilities – trying to consolidate many distribution centers into one.
“All this is an effort to sway public opinion of the service,” he continued, “allowing Congress to privatize under a new law. This would end the unions’ contracts, which would allow new owners to hire low minimum wage part-time workers so their profits would be higher.”
For its part, the USPS claims that the plan will be more effective, will keep Peoria’s State Street plant open – noting that “there will be no career employee layoffs as part of this initiative” – and have no effect on service.
USPS official Tim Norman said “Delivering for America” would modernize lighting and flooring, get new vehicles and sorting equipment, and improve overall working conditions, none of which relate to consolidation.
“It’s just a better way to do things, more efficient, and it also saves cost as far as transportation and logistics,” he said, offering no evidence to bolster that assertion.
Brian Wagner, immediate past President of the National Association of Postal Supervisors, said, “USPS officials will want postal customers to believe since respective postal retail services are not [immediately] impacted, customer delivery will not be impacted. This is a false narrative.
“If the implementation of the Peoria plant operational changes are implemented, mail deposited in Peoria to be delivered in Peoria could take at least 3-4 days to be delivered,” he continued. “Currently, local mail (Peoria to Peoria or to surrounding communities) takes on average two delivery days). Moving Peoria operations four hours away, one-way, most likely will double the current mail.”
The plan also would force postal workers in outlying communities to start their workdays much earlier by driving to Peoria, Wagner said, and it’s virtually silent on options for worker technically not laid off but reassigned to relocate 150 miles north to Bedford Park, and undergo training for new positions.
“This is one domino,” Wagner said. “There’s more coming.”
OTHER COMMENTS
“I believe they are not transparent, and they have already planned to do what they want way before they did this so called review and public appearance. It is clearly obvious by the time they set the meeting.”
- Bud Toft President of Heart of Illinois Local 854 of the American Postal Workers Union
“Under Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s leadership, things will likely only get worse. Why? Because of DeJoy's 10-year plan to further slow down mail delivery, eliminate thousands of jobs, and raise postage prices. DeJoy is a GOP mega-donor Louis DeJoy hand-picked by then-President Trump to run the USPS [who] spent most of 2020 trying to sabotage this vital public service – imposing outrageous restrictions on postal workers, removing mailboxes by the truckload, and more – in service of Trump’s plot to silence mail-in voters during the election.
- Aaron Scherb, Senior Director of Legislative Affairs at Common Cause
“The Peoria facility employs 120 people [and “Delivering for America” would be moving] “good-paying, high-quality jobs from downstate Illinois.”
- From the letter by Republican Darin LaHood and Democrat Eric Sorensen
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