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March 17th, 2009Uncategorized
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March 16th, 2009Uncategorized
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March 16th, 2009Uncategorized
Officer in charge Chris Langsett of the Uniontown, WA, Post Office had a fun, creative idea on how to promote Valentine's Day mailings with Priority Mail.He designed a neat window display (pictured) using the new Priority Mail Small Flat Rate Boxes and formed them in the shape of a large heart."We've received lots of compliments about it. Customers outside of our area and commuting from nearby communities are even stopping by to see it," says Langsett. "And of course it's helping with sales of Priority Mail."March 16th, 2009UncategorizedRural Carrier Nick Romney built what he claims is the world’s largest mailbox. He is shown here with his son, Mike. The box is constructed out of steel and measures 27 feet long and 11 feet high.
March 12th, 2009UncategorizedThe Governors of the U.S. Postal Service have approved new prices for mailing services, including a 2-cent increase in the price of a First-Class Mail stamp to 44 cents. Prices for mailing services are reviewed annually and adjusted each May. The new prices will go into effect Monday, May 11.
For the average household, the First-Class Mail stamp price change will represent an additional $3 over the course of the year
A comprehensive list of the new prices is available at usps.com/prices.
Price change summary:
* First-Class letter: 44 cents (up two cents)
* Postcard: 28 cents (up one cent)
* Additional ounce:17 cents (no change)
Note: Priority Mail, Express Mail, and Parcel Services are not affected.
March 11th, 2009Uncategorized
On any given day, more than 6,000 men, women and children desperately search the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Registry for a matching bone marrow donor or cord blood unit. These patients have leukemia, lymphoma and other life-threatening diseases that can be treated by a bone marrow or cord blood transplant.Jeff Wilson, a Boise, Cole Village Station letter carrier with 22-years of service, has been on the bone marrow registry since 1983. He was recently identified as a possible match. After further testing, he was determined to be the best possible match for a woman in need of a bone marrow transplant. Wilson didn’t hesitate to continue with his commitment to be a donor.
"I know the importance of being a donor. Twenty-five years ago my father was diagnosed as having leukemia and was in need of a bone marrow transplant," said Wilson. "I tested then to see if I was a match. My sister was a matched and she became the donor."Sadly Wilson’s father did not survive, but he has remained on the registry hoping to help someone else in need."I had been identified as a possible match three times before, but this was the first time I wasdetermined to be the best possible match for a recipient. I was surprised to learn that 70-80% of donors are not related to the recipient."Jeff was flown to a center where the procedure for removing the bone marrow was performed. He received the best care from the hospital staff that were as excited about his donation as he was.After a few weeks, Jeff was able to return to his normal work duties. Confidentiality laws keep the name and location anonymous between the donor and the recipient. They can exchange letters through the program and after a year, if both parties agree, they can learn the identity of the other.Chris Stoeberl is also a letter carrier at the same station and donated bone marrow six years ago. Four years ago he had the opportunity to briefly meet the woman who was the recipient of his bone marrow.
"She lives on the other side of the U. S. and was taking a vacation that she had to postpone when she was diagnosed with leukemia," said Stoeberl. "I met her at an airport in between her flights. She has been cancer free for six years!"According to the NMDP, more than 65 patients have found their match among the USPS employees who joined the registry. Almost 60% of USPS employees on the Registry are from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. This is important because racial and ethnic heritage play a vital role in matching patients and donors. Tissue types used for matching are inherited and a patient is more likely to match someone from their own race or ethnicity. The commitment of the USPS to help diversify the Registry has increased the likelihood that all patients will find a life-saving match.March 10th, 2009Uncategorized
Last week, the Board of Governors announced that our first quarter losses amounted to more than $384 million dollars.That equates to a daily loss of $4.3 million, which cascades to $177,777 an hour, $2,962 a minute, and $49 a second.
That sounds staggering.
But, when you take that daily figure and divide it equally among all postal employees, it comes out to just $6.14 per employee per day.
At the average salary, this means if each of us could find just ten minutes a day of efficiencies, we could help turn things around.March 9th, 2009UncategorizedQ: Has the U.S. Postal Service ever offered savings accounts to the public like in other countries?
A: Yes — but it ended those operations in 1966.
Many countries have indeed operated savings-oriented banks through their postal services, and many such operations still are in business. Up until a few years ago, the bank operated by Japan’s postal service held $2.9 trillion — about a third of that country’s personal savings. That bank was privatized last year.
The U.S. Postal Service operated its Postal Savings System between 1911 and 1966. At its peak, in 1947, it had more than 4 million accounts. Many belonged to immigrants, who had used similar savings systems in their native countries.
But the U.S. system eventually lost business to commercial banks, which offered more services and better interest rates. By the time the system was discontinued, it had fewer than 1 million accounts.March 9th, 2009Uncategorized
We all like being missed when we aren't at work, but Telluride, CO, Retail Associate takes the prize. He might even be America's most popular postal employee.
During a recent hospital stay after he crashed his bike after being struck by a flock of birds on a mountain pass, Looney received more than 500 cards from the customers from this Southwest Colorado town of 5,000.
Broken bones and other serious injuries kept Looney off the window for months. The forward thinking clerk had never take a sick leave duing his 10-year career, so he never missed a paycheck.
"I appreciate having a good job working for the Postal Service, with great pay and benefits, said Looney. "The Postal Service, my customers and co-workers depend on me to be here."
"We work for a great organization," says Looney, who used to be a dairy farmer in Iowa. "I look forward to each day. I’m very proud to work for the United States Postal Service."March 8th, 2009UncategorizedDuring my run as the nation's first Postmaster General, it didn't take much to find a way to talk to all the postal employees . All I had to do was offer free wings down at the pub at night and call a meeting. They always showed. Something about "free" that does the trick.
But...times change and it's gettin' tougher and tougher for today's Postmaster General to give straight talk to all your employees. And right now, you all need to hear what the plan is. There's a letter to employees sent out by Postmaster General Jack Potter. If you haven't seen it, it's here.
He tells us the truth about what's coming around the bend. And it's not pretty. He also recognizes that most of our troubles are economy related. And despite this, our service has never been better. That's something worth talking about.
"....I appreciate that. You’ve kept our customers first. That will make a difference for us when the economy does get better," he said in the letter.
The way I see it, some things are out of our control -- like the economy and business and personal mailing trends. But what is in our control -- doing our very best every day is the best contribution we can make.
