USPS is heading down a troubling path that could mirror chaos experienced by the Royal Mail, a mail carrier chief has warned.
It comes after sweeping changes at the agency went into effect on April 1 – and more are expected in the coming months.
The April 1 changes saw the agency restructure delivery operations in an effort to save $36 billion over 10 years.
Changes were made to the service standards for first-class mail, periodicals, marketing mail, and package services, causing concern for some customers as deliveries were expected to take longer.
In addition, President Donald Trump has suggested USPS could either merge with the US Department of Commerce or be privatized entirely.
During these difficulties, the USPS collaborated with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to enhance efficiency and cut costs through the elimination of potentially 10,000 jobs.
The ongoing issues at USPS are piling on and fears are mounting over whether the changes could cripple the service.
Industry insiders are raising the alarms and warning privatization could be a disaster for American mail delivery.
Discussing the situation, Melissa Rakestraw, who serves as the executive vice president of the National Association of Letter Carriers, referenced the Royal Mail model in England during an interview with PBS local affiliate WTTW.
“They privatized in 2013 and it increased cost for mailers and consumers, it slowed down services and increased the mismanagement of pension funds.
“We can expect the same thing here.”
USPS has already been under fire for a decline in service quality and an alarming $6.4 billion loss in 2023.
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy resigned, intensifying concerns about the future of the USPS.
With nearly 640,000 employees nationwide, USPS has a universal mandate to deliver mail anywhere, even to the most remote corners of the country.
This mandate is in danger if privatization or merging with the US Department of Commerce takes place, Rakestraw noted.
She also pointed out private companies like FedEx and UPS avoid hard-to-reach neighborhoods in Chicago, but USPS delivers there every day.
USPS mess-ups
The United States Postal Service is facing customer complaints as the mail agency struggles to stay afloat admit workforce cuts and financial loss.
Despite these growing concerns, the USPS remains an independent agency under Congressional control.
The executive branch can’t dismantle it without Congress’s approval.
This independence is a double-edged sword.
While it means USPS doesn’t rely on taxpayer funds, it also means it’s struggling to stay afloat.
USPS’s 2023 deficit was steep, but it has posted a slight profit recently with DeJoy’s 10-year restructuring plan showing signs of success.
The service has faced decades of financial strain, losing $87 billion from 2007 to 2020.
But Michael Caref, a business agent with the National Association of Letter Carriers, believes USPS is more than just a service.
The postal service is part of America’s fabric, Caref insisted.
“It’s not like the postal service is a burden to anyone right now,” he said.
“You have a live person who’s out in every community at least six days a week, and while we’re out there we’re also looking out for the people in the community.”
Since its reorganization in 1970, USPS has funded itself through customer fees, with just a small annual subsidy from Congress.
However, rising retiree benefits and a decline in profitable first-class mail have exacerbated the financial strain.
Even so, the service posted a $144 million profit last quarter, a turnaround from last year’s $2.1 billion loss.
“The postal service has to reinvent itself as the delivery mechanism for America in the modern era and that’s not going to happen overnight,” Caref said.
“I think it’s well worth it to make that investment.”
USPS didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment by The U.S. Sun.
