You've Got Mail

They are risking security of citizens' mail so they can save a whole $33,878 a year? Why? Lee needs a new BMW?

You'd better believe it. This is a big sticking issue in our contract negotiations. The letter carriers union wanted assurances that this contracting out would cease. The PO has been speeding up the usage of this type of contracting out in recent history. It was originall used as the article stated in remote delivery areas. In Northern Ohio these contract routes have popped up in city delivery stations. 2 that were originally only a few hundred stops each have bloomed to over 700, taking on all the new construction in the area. Another juicy fact the PO spokesperson left out. If the contract carrier is sick, they are responsible to find a replacement. The same when they go on vacation. There is also nothing that stops the successful bidder on one of these contracts to then turn around and hire someone for less to do the job for them. There are instances across the country of people winning bids on half dozen of these routes and then hiring some one to carry them. Who does a background check on these non uniformed folks?

PRIVATE MAIL DELIVERY? Just another way to add another Temp job to the economy. We have enough people in the Portland area, trying to survive on several temp jobs each week, that may add up to 40 hours. It has gotten so bad that I'm almost tempted to believe that a law should be passed that all employers should guarantee jobs of 40 hours per week. Then again, do we need a nother law as bad as the Bike brake law that keeps our police busy?

dan maher

If the postal service released my mail to a contracted employee & that person stole my identity, would the postal service be an accomplis to identity theft?

Every postal customer pays for and deserves service from career postal employees. When they are hired, they take an oath to guard the sanctity of the mail. These contractors do not, they are just the lowest bidder.

Those figures are inflated, a new carrier makes $17.51/hour, how does that translate to saving $33k/year? They gonna pay them $5/hour?

You get what you don't pay for!

I have a copy of a contract route's contract. They will make over $54,000 a yr PLUS $28,000 a year for their vehicle. How is this cheaper? Mgmt says they don't have to pay benefits. This is for a 500 stop route. And they don't have to listen to mgmt.!

Wow,where do I sign up for the petition!!!! Let us talk about that.

All US Citizens should be very concerned about this!

It has come to my attention that this has been in the workings for some time and is established in some states. Ask yourself how can this be? Why? Many Questions? No, I don't believe, or this would have never come to be. Are you serious? A government entity will actually sub-contract jobs to the average Joe?

Please, what are we so lax for(?), let's take care and nip this in the bud " Where's the coalition?"

got 7 years to go. Think I'll become a contract carrier considering the contract route contract!!!!

Why is it that postal letter carriers are always saying they are the only people who are trustworty enough to deliver mail? Pay attention to the news theie are plentyu of stories about letter cariers throwing mail away, stealing the mail, and not delivering the mail. Give the contract carriers a chance to show how trustworthy they are with a thought towards the fact a percentage, just like the Postal carriers, are going to be problematic. The carriers are complaining because there won't be any overtime or new jobs for them or their relatives if contractors do the work.

dear citizen, you are misinformed. there are very few stories in the new about letter carriers throwing away, stealing or not delivering the mail. only 1% of carriers leave quit the post office once they have been hired on and make it through their 90 day probation. they have a vested interest in doing the best job possible for the public. outsourcing this work to low paid contractors who then sub contract the work out at even lower wages will certainly provide a lower quality of service to the public. The temptation to steal from the mail and, worse yet, steal identities will be stronger for someone without a career position, benefits or retirement. i am not impugning all contract carriers but merely commenting on human behavior.

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Wow its not rocket science, but delivery of maol is not as easy as some think. You just don't show up for work and your route is ready to go. Like UPS. They have the trucks loaded for them. They just empty it. We letter carriers sort out the mail into our cases and pull it down in route order and deliver all letters, flats(magazines), parcels and whatever else is mailed. We deliver more mail and parcels in one day than UPS delivers in a week. They also get paid a heck of lot more than we do. Don't get me wrong we make good money but not all of us are working for the overtime. Some of us want to do 8 hours a day but can't because we are so short handed. I'm so sick of hearing how it takes a week for a letter to go some where. Maybe its how you forgot the apt number or have the whole darn address wrong in the first place??? I deliver mis-addressed mail everyday, do we here thank you? Heck no we only here the bad. I think everyone should work for us for a month and maybe then you would have a little more respect for the USPS.

You sir are an idiot to generlize people that way maybe it is you who is the dead wieght. Or maybe you couldnt get hired on with the post office for being to stupid. What ever the case you are a prejudiced, narrow minded SOB. Sub Skilled i dont think so Most of us have colloege degrees or are optaining college degrees, Veterans,or just plain ole people trying to take care of our families dispite people like you.

The average hourly pay with benefits is $36.00 for regular PO employees.

To A Citizen: The instances of Letter Carriers abusing the mail are extremely rare. With about a quarter million mail routes in this country the stories of abuse amount to a handful a year. That is an amazingly successful statistic supporting the FACT that City Letter Carriers are the most trustworthy individuals to deliver your prescriptions, ballots, social security checks, credit cards, etc.

It is hard for me to imagine how anyone can concieve of mail delivery being as secure and excellent when these contracts go to THE LOW BIDDER. The routes are put up for bid, the low bidder gets it. They receive no sick leave, no health insurance, no vacation and yet it's all supposed to be just fabulous for everybody.

Letter Carriers are CAREER positioned. We have a strong vested interest in the security of the mail. Pilfering an item from the mail stream would be ridiculous when compared to the loss of income of an entire career. We don't even take coupons from extra junk flyers that are going to be tossed anyway. If I see a dime on your sidewalk I don't pick it up.

The Letter Carrier has a special bond with the people of America. 87% of the public has strongly favorable views of their carrier. We have existed since the time of Ben Franklin. We do, in fact, deliver thru sleet, snow, ice, rain, heat and disaster. The USPS is operating in the black, the large mailers are happy with our service, the public likes us and the employees are paid a family wage. Nothing is broken here. To fix a system as successful as this is unnecessary and bad business.

Contract carriers simply will not and cannot do what career Letter Carriers do everyday. We keep an eye on the "precious elders" on our routes. We keep an eye out for criminals casing the neighborhood. We collect food every year that forms a large percentage of what's collected in the whole state. We deliver six days a week no matter how awful the weather. Your mail is safe and secure with us and we see that as a sacred trust. We can't possibly hire our own subs who might turn out to be ex-cons (see the W. Week article, it's happened!). We are subjected to intense scrutiny before we are hired, during our first 90 days probation and it continues for our entire career. We are drilled on safety every week. We receive ongoing training. We are part of an important organization and concerned with more than just our own little part time contract route.

The City Letter carrier is part of the warp and woof of America. The country has always counted on us and we deliver. Contracting out is the tug on the thread that will unravel the whole garment of safe, secure, accurate, universal postal delivery.

We invite the public and all concerned workers to help us protect your mail and our jobs by writing your congressmen, writing letters to the editor supporting your Letter Carrier, and helping out any way you can. We thank you and our country will be the better for it.

i think a citizen's job should be contracted out. Then talk

This is sickening. It's come down to the USPS spending millions to save a paltry $33 grand a year. Stupid. But the US Postal management has always been stocked with lazy brained pin heads who have no managment skills, no management education from an accredited university...not even a two year college and usually they are hired as low level managers because they don'tlike difficult labor of being a letter carrier. they have the problem solving skills of elephants and the nastiest attitudes toward their labor force and the publin in general. they are riddled with corruption , graft, and liars. Not bad for government work! North West Ohio

sub-contracting of the mail is a big mistake. With this being the time of high identify theft, it just doesnt make sense. Our mail contains highly personal and time sensitive information. We arent even promised that via the internet. We do not have to pay much for stamps to get our correspondence mailed. Put it in the mail box and its "out of mind" with assurance it will be where it was intended on going. A secure means of communication. The postal service was designed and runs for the people. It is independent of any government subsidy but totally funded by the citizens. not through taxes but through its products, which WE buy. In historical times yes, this subcontracting existed. But those rural carriers now have their own union and are full fledged postal employees whether on a full time or part time basis. In these times we cant go back and revisit historical ways of doing things. It isnt practical. Postal employees must first pass a civil service test for measure of accuracy and competence, highest scores considered first. Then they must pass a physical, then they have an interview, and are given a criminal background check. NO FELONIES allowed. This is for ALL postal employees. whether mail processing or letter carriers. They then have a 90 day probationary period. This is based on getting along with others, work ethics and performance, time and attendance. They are constantly given weekly stand up talks on issues affecting thier job, security, safety. They look out for one another in times of crisis, they are a family in itself. Carriers are attentive to the needs of the community because they are always within the community, especially our elder population, their customers. This is not a job description, it is thier essence. So for all you hear about a few corrupt postal employees, there are thousands who are dedicated, honest and hard working. No it isnt rocket science, but these carriers come into work and file your mail, load thier vechiles and stop hundreds of times a day. It does become tedious, but to the many who work with the postal service, they are given a job of honesty and trust. That is something to be valued. and no where can you get such personalized service on a regular basis for the price than the USPS. I am not a carrier, but I do appreciate mine! I cant phanthom anyone who isnt screened for this type of responsibility to be mail carriers, with minor expectations such as good driving record and at least 21. Dont jeopardize the sanctity of the mail for a small profit.

I like how everyone thinks postal carriers are "semi-skilled"!! If we're only "semi-skilled", how is that 2 of three applicants don't even make through the first month of employment because the "job is too hard"? How is it that half of those who do make it through 30 days are not employed 60 days after that? 90% of those who say we are "semi-skilled" couldn't do our job if their lives depended on it. I'll bet you though, with my undergraduate degree and my MBA, I COULD DO THEIRS!!

The ranks of the USPS are full of affirmative action hires and useless drones who are in no danger of being removed.

Actually our ranks are filled with military veterans, people are hired based on their test scores and NOT any type of affirmative action program. Disabled vets are given hiring preference, followed by non-disabled vets, and then non-vets. I love it when some outsider whose expertise concerning the Post Office doesn't extend beyond knowing which corner of the envelope to stick the stamp on!

There are two sides to this and many good points have been made. We should keep history in mind, where in times of financial difficulties, the US Marines were actually tasked with protecting the US Mail. There is something to be said for having the accountability that a career position brings.

On the other hand is the outrageous cost that these career positions bring. Each year, less mail is delivered (sans bulk, marketing mail) and yet the cost to the public goes up. Salaries for these positions are bloated far beyond a comparable position in the private sector. The point was made above that people who pass their 90 day probation rarely leave... That is because a person whose skill set includes little more than literacy, a good driving record and the ability to sort by number are not often able to command a starting wage of $17.50 per hour, and rightly so.

This debate seems to be less about the contracting of the postal route and more about the decomposition of Unions in America. Companies, including the US Postal service are seeing that they could easily do business and be more profitable by refusing to deal with the Unions who are twice as costly (higher salaries, more extensive benefits and more paid time off than similar jobs in private sector). Were the Federal laws not written so that the Unions have more power in the negotiation process than the companies, things might be different, and there would be less financial reason to outsource such work.

Orphans were hired in the 1800's to deliver the mail, and much of it wound up in the roadside ditches. Check history.

Rural carier from Angleton, Texas

News flash, people...we already DO entrust valuable items to private companies. Ever heard of UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc.?

If I send an item and want to make sure it arrives, I'm going to pay for the carrier with the best reputation. And that company, relying on customers for its profit, is going to make sure they get my item where it's supposed to go, at the right time, or else they will pay the price in lost business.

What does the USPS stand to lose if they screw up my mail? Nothing. I can complain all I want, but it's just another outsized government beauracracy that doesn't need to be accountable to it's "customers."

Of course the USPS outsourcing isn't going to work - mixing public with private is like trying to mix oil and water.

I say we scrap the USPS altogether, deregulate and open the doors to private industry. When you have profits on the line, you'll always work harder than a government entity who gets fed it's IV of tax dollars regardless of whether or not it does the job right.

I trust the UPS guy 100 times more than my local letter carrier - UPS man's job security is much more closely tied to his performance than USPS guy's is. I worked for the USPS awhile back and have worked in the public university system, I know how hard it is to fire a government employee for incompetence.

I'm amazed at arguments on how "the USPS is a sacred institution, part of our heritage" - honestly, that doesn't matter for squat to me when it takes 14 days to get a letter or when tax time rolls around. I'd rather save my tax dollars and pay for my own mail, thank you very much.

Stupidity like this is why I'm a libertarian.

Stupidity like this is why I'm a libertarian

Yeah and they (the Libertarians) have zero members of their party in Congress. Stupid pretty much says it all!

okay. I'll keep it simple. I work for the USPS here in Florida as a mail processor. I am in the plant on Tour 1. which is wee hours of the morning. Yes, the post office pays us well. and you know what? I like that! They take VERY good care of me, and I WILL take care of them! I think all business should be ran this way. A business is only as successful as the employees who work it for them! contract carriers dont have this concept of loyalty. And yes, there are private mail companies. But who delivers for .39 cents? ABSOLUTELY no one other than USPS. Hurricanes that struck our area quite often, we were there until the absolute last days possible to get this mail OUT! There are checks and medicines and correspondence that must be out of the building! Make shift post offices in hard hit areas were set up by employees and management. We take it seriously. Our plant kept us informed of having to shut our doors when impending danger approached, but as soon as the last wind blew, we were there working twice as hard with twice as much. And I am in total admiration of the dedication of these people. As the world knew, when the anthrax scare had us all on alert, not one person from our plant quit, relocated or even called in because of it. We had safety meetings on "what are we going to do about it" then implemented those plans. It is frustrating to hear of these subcontractors delivering our mail however. To think of the work we do each evening can be "given to the wind" with a hope and a prayer it will be handled correctly, accurately, timely...end up in the right hands..it shouldnt have to be questioned..it shouldnt happen. I know there are subcontractors transporting the mail with truck routes and airlines. But they do not deliver individual pieces, they do not handle our customers on a personal level. This is our business. What ever the postal service does that I cannot control, for the name of profit..I will still remain always grateful that I am being paid well and work well until the day they close their doors on me. For I know this can happen to anyone, anywhere. Until now, THEY OWN ME!

The "sanctity" of the mail...are you kidding? When did government employees EVER perform their job with precision, devotion, efficiency and loyalty????? Their loyalty is to their big fat federal benefits, retirement packages, salaries, not to mention, no lay off clauses and automatic pay increases and COLA raises, paid holidays for every dead president etc etc...Huh????maybe if we give the mail delivery jobs to "average Joes" they will prove to be alot better than "federal workers", ya think????

Hey bigjo

an undergraduate degree AND a masters....my bullshit meter is screeming.....

klaatu, you sound a little jealous. Go work a week with a letter carrier and then come see us dude! Make sure it's on a stormy week and the area ghetto. If you make it out without getting dog bit, robbed or shot you'll be doing good. At least the letter carriers work for their money and benefits. The union fought for everyone elses. You think the private sector would have the pay and benefits they have were it not for the unions in this country? Don't think so.

First off, JG, the USPS hasnt received tax dollars in over 20 years. Second, its funny you mention UPS and such when the pay and benefits they receive are better than ours. They dont work Saturdays or Holidays, and your delivery is anywhere between noonish to nine pm. I have been a letter carrier for 11 years and yes i do feel I am blessed with a decent paying job. I do have a bachelors degree, i am a Veteran, and personally I feel we are paid about what we deserve. Now sitting back in your air conditioned and heated office or cubicle you dont really comprehend our job very well. Next time you go Golfing with your office buddies, walk about five rounds, (walking meaning not in a cart....)in 95 degree heat with humidity levels around 80% and see how much you really enjoy the summer. Then do it 5-6 days in a row. Bet you have a change of heart.

I am a substitute carrier in Florida and have been for the past two years. Our area has been affected by contracting so bad that I have been cut back to working one day a week. Can you imagin going from a 40 hour week to 8 hours just because someone said I can do her job cheaper. And what about the two years that I gave to the post office waiting for a route to open? How do I ensure me and my childrens lives? I thought that I was doing that by getting the job with the post office. Which mind you was not easy to get. It took me 10 months to get thru all the paperwook and background checking that had to be done to even be employed. Where is my security that my job won't be given away?

to all of you who think that poastal carriers are over paid or whatever, i invite you to take the RCA test and try it for yourself...thats the only way to get "hired" at the usps nowadays...an rca is "a non career position" and you can look forward to no benefits and no set schedual working either 1 day every 2 weeks or 7 days a week, ya never know...oh yeah did i mention that it will take atleast 5 years to get your own route,when you get bennies and start working towards retirement

$17.50 an hour, is that supposed to be a huge salary. Do you have any clue what a postal carrier does and how long it takes to become a career employee with out any benefits while you substitute at a smaller wage at the post office's beck and call (try 10 years or more). I love these people who sit back in their air conditioned offices saying why do these people make such high wages. How about you walk a mile in our shoes before you open your mouth to something you know nothing about. We are always short of subs. I wonder why? Alot of the contractor workers will break the contract within a year because once they start they find out what it really means to do a postal job. Hey how about compare our salaries to UPS then you would see how far we are behind in salaries.

The article quoted an Arbor Parc resident:

"Arbor Parc resident Mike Montague doesn't like the idea of "any old person" delivering mail to his $300,000 townhouse.

"You can trust the [Postal Service] guys to not rustle through your stuff,"' says Montague, who before Monday had to make a 10-minute drive to the post office at least twice a week to pick up his mail. "It's kind of a sacred service."

This kind of comment shows just how uninformed many homeowners are regarding their mail delivery. I am 64 yrs old and have been working as a rural mail carrier for over 3 yrs. The truth of the matter is that most mail delivery to residences is a transparent service and the majority of consumers have no idea whether their mail is delivered by USPS or a private contract carrier. But they do have an abundant supply of folklore, unsubstantiated rumors, and a general failure to check facts before commenting to the media. And gee, Mr. Montague, where did you get the idea that you can "trust postal service guys not to rustle through your stuff?" Don't you read the news?