Previous Story
Postal Service seeks congressional action
|
Posted on Dec 21 2011
By FRANK SANTOS
SPECIAL TO THE SAIPAN TRIBUNE
As Congress considers legislation to reform the business model of the Postal Service, it must confront a basic choice: to permit the Postal Service to function more as a business, or to constrain it from doing so.
Within the limits of our current legal framework, we have responded aggressively to a changing marketplace-reducing the size of our workforce by 128,000 career employees and reducing annual operating costs by $12.5 billion dollars in just the past four years. However, to return to profitability we must move at a faster pace. And, to do so requires changes in the law.
With greater flexibility, the Postal Service can speed product and pricing decisions, enable a five-day per week delivery schedule, and permit the realignment of processing, delivery and retail networks to meet lower mail volumes. It would also allow the Postal Service to more effectively manage its healthcare and retirement systems, and better leverage its workforce.
Most importantly, a financially stable Postal Service that can operate more like a business can more readily adapt to America’s changing mailing and shipping needs.
The underlying value of the Postal Service, and the value of mail as a communications medium, remains strong.
The Postal Service delivered 168 billion pieces of mail in 2011 and supported nearly $10 trillion in commerce. And, we will continue to play a vital role in the American economy and society for generations to come. The Postal Service is far too integral to the economic health of the nation to be handcuffed to the past and to an inflexible business model. To best serve taxpayers and postal customers, it’s time to remove the constraints.
Frank Santos is the acting district manager of the U.S. Postal Service Honolulu District.
