Letter carriers rally against proposed postal service cuts

The postal service is going broke, but it's not for the reasons people think, according to postal workers who lined Independence Street in front of the federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau Tuesday afternoon.

The U.S. Postal Service's financial problems are the result of it being the only federal government agency required to prefund its retiree health care benefits, said Audrey Humes, president of the Missouri Rural Letter Carriers' Association who works out of the Jackson post office.

She organized the "Save America's Postal Service" rally in Cape Girardeau as one of 492 being held across the country Tuesday.

About 40 postal workers shouted "Support HR 1351," and "Save the Postal Service" as cars honked Tuesday as they drove by on Independence Street.

House Resolution 1351, co-sponsored by Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Cape Girardeau, would recalculate the way future employee benefits are paid by the postal service and mandates that surpluses be returned to the postal service.

Cape Girardeau letter carrier Tom Bolen called the passage of HR1351 critical for the post office's future.

Most people don't understand that the post office is supported by the fees it charges for postage and services, not by tax dollars, Bolen said.

If Congress does its part by passing this legislation, then the postal service can regain financial stability, he said.

"Just like with any business, you have to adapt to the ever-changing climate, but I feel confident we'll be going in the right direction," Bolen said.

Postal workers who took part in the rally said they are concerned about the effect recent efforts to close rural post offices, mail processing centers and end Saturday mail delivery will have on postal customers.

"I just feel like my job is vital," said Denise Johnson, a rural letter carrier in Jackson. "For some people, we may be the only person they see all week. It's humanitarian. Saving our jobs is saving more than just the mail."

Johnson said she conducted an informal survey of 72 elderly postal customers and only two had computers.

"For many people, we're still their lifeline," Johnson said.

Earlier this month, Cape Girardeau's mail processing facility was identified as one of 250 across the nation being studied for closure by the U.S. Postal Service, potentially eliminating about 100 local jobs.

The postal service is also conducting a feasibility study to reduce the number of rural post offices, including locations in Blodgett, Brownwood, Daisy, Dutchtown, Gipsy, Old Appleton, Perkins, Sturdivant, Vanduser and Whitewater.

Last week, Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe said during a speech marking the 50th anniversary of the Postal Customer Council that the Post Office must reduce its annual costs by $20 billion by 2015 to be profitable.

HR 1351 has more than 200 bipartisan co-sponsors and Congress could take action on it by the end of the year.

Tuesday's "Save America's Postal Service" rally was designed to give support to Congress members, like Emerson, who are already supportive of the legislation and encourage others who have not yet signed on to do so, Humes said.

As president of the Missouri Rural Letter Carriers' Association, she represents about 3,700 carriers with about 700 of those in Southeast Missouri, she said.

mmiller@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address:

555 Independence St., Cape Girardeau, MO