POSTAL SERVICE TO HOST `PARTNERSHIP' WORKSHOP

A postal rate proposal and how it will affect business, presorting mail to take advantage of bulk and sorting rates, and other postal automation technology are among subjects to be discussed during a special Postal Training Conference here next week.

The Southeast Missouri Postal Customer Council is hosting Partnership for Progress, a daylong workshop, at the Show Me Center June 16.

"We're anticipating more than 100 business representatives from zip codes 636, 637, 638 and 639 at the conference," said Jack Dragoni, who is in charge of handling bulk mail at the Cape Girardeau Post Office. He is a coordinator of the conference.

"We'll have various postal officials here to discuss opportunities for savings and work-sharing for business mailers in the new rate package," he said.

If approved, the Postal Service's rate package would provide new incentives, options and opportunities for Automation Compatible Mail, bar coding, Zip+4 coding, presorting, drop shipment and more.

The rate increase plan calls for an increase of about 10.3 percent for first- and second-class regular-rate mail, 10.2 percent for third-class and 13.2 percent for fourth-class.

It translates into a 32-cent charge for the first ounce of a first-class letter and 25 cents for each additional ounce. That's up from the current price of 29 cents for the first ounce and 23 cents for each added ounce.

First class is cards and letters, second is magazines and other periodicals, third class is advertising and fourth class is parcels.

That 3-cent increase for cards and letters will cost the average household between 60 cents and 75 cents a month, said the Postal Service. But it means nearly $3 billion in added revenue for the postal operation, which lost $1.7 billion last year and is struggling to hold the red ink to $1.3 billion in 1994.

The current 29-cent rate for cards and letters was imposed Feb. 3, 1991, and by the time the new prices take effect that rate will have been in force longer than any rate since the post office became an independent government corporation in 1970.

The post office is changing, said Dragoni.

"We have more automation and technology," he said. "We want to pass on opportunities for our mailers to take advantage of special bulk and presorting postage rates."

The conference, said Dragoni, will provide an opportunity to meet with peers in the mailing industry, as well as trained Postal Service personnel.

"Business representatives can visit the exhibit area in the Show Me Center and talk with our personnel," said Dragoni. "If they have a special mailing need that may not be covered in one of the workshops, they can talk with postal representatives."

Registration will be at 8 a.m.

"We'll conduct each of the workshops twice during the day," said Dragoni. "That way people can attend at least two of them."

The first workshop sessions will be held from 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. Following a half-hour break, the workshops will be repeated at 10:45 a.m.

Lunch will be from 12:15 to 1;15 p.m., followed by consultation sessions until 2 p.m. A tour of the postal processing center will be conducted at 2:30 p.m. Ike Reliford of Kansas City will discuss changes expected in the post office over the next few years and how customers can prepare for the changes.

Additional information is available by calling the post office.