MEMBER CENTER:
USPS Offers Buyouts to 30,000 Workers
Plan for mail handlers would cut $500 million from postal payroll
The U.S. Postal Service, looking for new ways to stem steep financial losses, said Tuesday it will offer incentive buyout programs to postal employees in an effort to cut up to 30,000 workers and $500 million from its payroll.
“This decision reflects our desire to provide a fair and equitable opportunity for some of our longest-serving employees,” said Anthony Vegliante, chief human resources officer and executive vice president. “It is important to the Postal Service that we take appropriate measures to address our current financial situation.”
The buyout plan comes after the USPS reported a $2.4 billion loss in its fiscal third quarter and projected a $7 billion loss in its fiscal year ending Sept. 30 amid a large slowdown in consumer mailing.
The Postal Service has been cutting costs and is seeking congressional approval to drop Saturday mail delivery, a plan opposed by postal unions.
The USPS made the buyout offer this week in a negotiated agreement with the American Postal Workers Union and the National Postal Mail Handlers Union.
Most of those union members work in mail processing facilities, where the USPS has been increasing use of sorting technology and looking to “more aggressively match work hours with work load,” the USPS said.
The incentive would give employees who retire or resign a $10,000 payment in the first quarter of the next fiscal year and a $5,000 payment in the 2011 fiscal year. The USPS said up to 30,000 workers could take the offer and that the savings would add up to $500 million.
The USPS says it has already cut costs by some $6 billion this year, including a reduction of 100 million work hours amounting to 57,000 positions.
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Like the other two comments, I took took the early out on May 31, 2009. The issuing comments from Potter was the last go round was the last offer and no money was available. The paperwork we signed stated, "I understand that the Postal Service is relying on my decision to retire in developing its complement management plans." Now an incentive is being offered for another early out for 30,000 employees who elect to leave. So, those who assisted the Postal Service develop their plans are left on the roadside and those who stayed get rewarded???? Those clerk and mailhandler employees who left during the last two VERA's, should be included in the $15,000 buyout and placed at the top of the 30,000 number. We were the ones who unselfishly left in the first place.
I took the early out on July 31st. What kind of gimmic was this. We were definitely told that the U.S.P.S. had no cash to give to us. I am wondering if I have any rights here. If I were a sales person eligible for an early-out I would be getting the $15,000. This is totally unheard of. What's next
I took the early out on July 31. We were told that there wouldn't be any other early outs from HR and Postmaster Potter indicated that incentives wouldn't surface. I'm wondering if I have any other recourse. Thanks