April 19, 2009
It seems as if the United States Postal Service isn’t the only postal service in the world having vast problems.
Australia Post executives and their 35,000 member workforce are butting heads amid union accusations that the Post, in an effort to tighten their budget during the economic slowdown, is about to force staff to take unpaid leave.
Scott Rochfort, reporter for The Age, says that Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union (CEPU) NSW secretary, Jim Metcher, said the union had received calls from workers in Sydney who had been asked to take unpaid leave. “People were strong-armed to take leave without pay in two-week blocks,” Mr Metcher said.
Similar to protests over the salary and benefits for USPS Postmaster General John Potter, Metcher said the $1 million cash bonus paid to Australia Post’s managing director Graeme John last year was particularly galling for his members.
The Age reports that the top seven executives at Australia Post received $2.6 million in cash bonuses last financial year and Mr John’s overall package for the year was $2.9 million, up 9 per cent on the previous 12 months.
Postage to mail a normal letter in Australia is $0.55. One service that Australia Post charges for that USPS does not is forwarding of mail when customers move – Australia Post calls this service redirection.
Mail redirection, or forwarding, cost private citizens $13 for one month of forwarding – $25 three months – $36 six months – or $66.50 for one year. Governent and business forwarding fees are much higher.
View full cost here: http://www.movingservices.com.au/manage_your_mail/redirect_mail/costs.asp
It seems that USPS could certainly inflate their profits by asking the PRC permission to charge for forwarding of customers mail instead of continuing to forward first class mail free. But, you say, USPS is already reducing services so much they are almost pushing customers to find alternatives to mailing letters – that may be, but to continue providing free services such as forwarding of First Class mail is an outdated and costly mistake.
Rick Owens
Postal Employee Network