I stated in earlier postings that the U.S. Congress is behind the USPS crisis! Now postal workers, risking job loss, are protesting the actions of Congress in destroying the Postal Service.
Recently, PBS Newshour’s interviewed U.S. postmaster general, Patrick Donahoe, and Fredric Rolando, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers. They both pointed out that the U.S. Congress is holding back on money earned by the USPS, and that was a primary reason the Postal Service is in trouble.
Also, U.S. Congressman, and the main stream media, continue the false notion that the USPS gets money from taxpayers, and therefore cutting the USPS would help the government’s budget cuts. Many citizens still believe that the USPS is paid by tax money!
The United States Postal Service does not make money off taxpayers, they are solely funded by the postage they charge (prices are controlled by U.S. Congress, not the USPS), and other products they sell. The cuts being made to the USPS will have no affect on U.S. government debt!
Now members of all five unions representing postal workers will go on strike, violating their contracts (to be safe the postal unions are not calling them strikes, they’re calling them “rallies”). Why violate their contracts? Why not? It’s become obvious that the U.S. Congress wants to shut them down anyway!
Congress is demanding that USPS make another $5.5 billion in payments to Congress (supposedly to meet required Federal benefits). But this is what’s causing the problems. Last year Congress overcharged the USPS, then refused to give a refund!
One union official says the U.S. Congress has actually overcharged the USPS to the equivalent of 75 years worth of Federal retirement plan contributions. This leads me to believe the Congress is using the non-taxpayer Postal Service funds to pay for running a broke government!