The United States Postal Service announced in August that they were discontinuing 1st class mail deliveries on Saturdays. That sorta slipped by the general public, because we were still receiving junk mail and catalogs. Anyway, it didn’t matter much to younger people, who tend to correspond mainly by email, texting or social media. But all of a sudden, we notice the postman may skip a day or two during the week. Mail delivery is slip sliding away , because The United States Postal Service is a financial failure.
Unpredictable mail delivery is the new norm. Some days, our mailbox is empty. Maybe a package from Amazon. Then, the mail begins to tricle in, day by day. All of a sudden, you need a shopping bag to clear out your mailbox Apparently, they save up magazines and catalogs for once a week deliver. I’m not sure how they make these decisions. Most people look forward to receiving their mail in the morning or early afternoon. This week, the postman stopped by here around dinner time. I suspect he’s doing a double route. Like everyone else, I guess the USPS is experiencing a labor shortage, but I’m not sure why. It’s actually a pretty good gig.
Postal worker job requirements aren’t too tough. To get hired, you need to have a high school diploma and be able to speak and understand English well. Employees must pass a written exam that covers address cross-comparison tasks, forms completion, memory and coding.
Once hired, you must pass a criminal background check and take a physical exam and drug test. You may be asked to show that you can lift and handle heavy sacks, depending on your position. If you’re a mail carrier, you’ll need to have a safe driving record and pass a road test. The median annual wage for postal service workers in 2016 was $56,790, and they have excellent benefits (worth about 33% of wages) and a great retirement plan. .
Unfortunately, , unlike other government agencies, the USPS doesn’t receive taxpayer funding, and instead must rely on revenue from stamps and package deliveries to support itself. However, they don’t get to set their own postage rates—that’s up to Congress.
It’s no wonder that the USPS is a failing business, losing millions of dollars each year. Seems to me Somebody up there in Washington DC ought to take a look at things and streamline the entire operation—even if we only get mail every other day. At least we could know what to expect, and when.
The Postmaster General of the United States, General Louis DeJoy, is appointed by a board of governors, not elected. He’s had the job a couple of years, and he’s stil trying to straigten things out. I guess efficient mail delivery is a low priority for the current administration.