November 28, 2009

According to the Financial Times, "the US Postal Service is bleeding red ink just two years after it was put on a more independent footing by Congress. The losses may revive calls to end the Post Office’s monopoly, but these miss the point and ignore its tough operating environment. The main privilege it enjoys is the sole right to deliver to mailboxes – hardly enviable given the accompanying universal service obligation requiring it to be ubiquitous. It is likely this unionised federal agency could be more efficient and fetch a high price to boot if privatised."

The Asahi Shimbun has reported that "The ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Wednesday started discussions on revising the postal privatization law, with integration of post office management and delivery service companies as an option."

The Baltic Course has reported that "In planning the 2009 revenue, the company bases its calculations on a conservative prognosis, it reported on Thursday. The total volume of next year’s budget of Estonian Post is 1.01 billion kroons."

Online Media has reported that "Publishers looking for a method to visualize their inventory and understand the constraints of selling to advertisers will soon have an application that theoretically forecasts availability and price. The application will officially become available in January through the start-up Yieldex, a San Mateo, Calif.-based Web-services company founded in 2007 that analyzes and predicts available online advertising inventory to help optimize campaigns."

FedBizOps.com has noted that "The United States Postal Service (USPS) is initiating a new acquisition program entitled “Next Generation Mail Processing Solution” to identify participants and sources of supply, capable of providing research and development, design, and in or out sourced manufacturing for a new state-of-the-art, automated, mail processing design solution. This solution will be deployed to sort and sequence the high volume of letter and flat mail currently processed within USPS facilities nationwide. This market notice and supply chain opportunity is ultimately seeking suppliers who can offer new or not previously fielded concepts or variations of existing equipment, having an achievable maturation path leading to deployable equipment commencing within the next six years."

The Postalnews Blog has reported that "At a time when postal supervisors and postmasters are being asked to forgo their performance based salary increases, the Postal Service paid its Chief Executive Officer, Jack Potter, a performance bonus of $135,041, and other compensation that more than tripled his $263,575 salary. The information on bonuses for the PMG and other officers is included in the USPS 10K Report, filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission on Wednesday. The information on the PMG’s compensation package was noted earlier today on postalmag.com. Because the Postmaster General’s pay is capped at the $263,575 figure, additional bonus payments are “deferred” until after the PMG leaves office, at which point the money will be paid to him over a ten year period. With this year’s bonuses, the PMG’s accumulated deferred compensation balance now stands at $593,648. The USPS also pays interest at the generous rate of 5% on the deferred payment balance. The $857,459 annual earnings figure is based on actual compensation received, plus the increase in the value of Potter’s deferred compensation balance and pension. In addition to the deferred compensation, when the PMG retires, he will also be the beneficiary of a supplemental retirement fund worth $1,350,318. This fund is above and beyond the CSRS pension the PMG will be entitled to." [EdNote: Sounds not unlike the kind of compensation given to many post CEOs around the world.]

The Decatur Tribune has reported that "Despite a broad coalition of support from the community, as well as local, state and federal government officials, United Parcel Service (UPS) Wednesday announced plans to discontinue daily flight operations at the Decatur Airport, effective Feb. 4, 2009."

The Wilmington News Journal has reported that "DHL Global Business Services this week notified the mayor of Wilmington and the chief of the rapid response section of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services in Columbus of another round of permanent layoffs, this one involving about 130 DHL Express air park employees."

November 27, 2008

A1+ wants to know "what’s going on at “Haypost”?

The Economic Times has reported that "To expand its global coverage and speed up delivery, India's state-owned postal services company, India Posts, launched 'WorldNet Express' Thursday in partnership with German postal services company Deutsche Post."

Virgin Islands Platinum News has reported that "The BVI Post is appealing for public understanding as it works to address the delays being experienced in receiving mail from the United States of America (USA). Postmaster General Mr. Kevin C. Smith told the Department of Information and Public Relations, the delays have been created by the recent decision of American Eagle to stop carrying Caribbean-bound mail from San Juan, Puerto Rico. The decision stems from a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) regulation that “places a weight limit on international flights into and out of the USA. While the BVI is not the only country affected, Mr. Smith said it is one of the most affected because American Eagle is the major carrier. He noted too that the airlift problem into the Territory is not just a tourism issue but one which affects the overall transportation capacity."

According to Ynetnews, "Thousands of kilograms of citrus fruits, wines, chocolate and Israeli products are sent to destinations across the world ahead of Christian holidays despite tough financial situation."

According to Tech-On English, "Japan Post Service Co Ltd (JP) will start a field test of electric vehicles (EVs) for its postal service and other business activities."

The Sarasota Herald Tribune has reported that "The Postal Service is considering closing the plant where mail enters and leaves Sarasota and Manatee counties."

Press Release: "FKI Logistex® - a leading global supplier of end-to-end library technologies - has been awarded a contract as the supplier and project integrator of a new energy-efficient sortation/distribution system for Posten Norge’s new Østlandsterminalen mail centre near Oslo, Norway. Due to be handed over in spring 2010, the complete Automatic Tray Handling System can sort more than 10,000 mail trays an hour and sets a new benchmark for short-flow, high-accuracy mail handling, as well as creating a safer working environment for employees."

November 26, 2008

Brand Republic has reported that "Royal Mail is set to launch the first commercial version of its 'Matter Box', a new direct marketing initiative that contains free brand representations from a range of household brands."

MediaWeek has reported that "The slumping economy and ongoing reader and advertiser shift to online sources continue to impact business-to-business media, which held their revenue flat from 2005 to 2007, according to American Business Media’s “ABM Financial Trend Report, Three-Year Analysis, 2005-2007.”

The Daily News has reported that "Services provided by BotswanaPost remain an essential tool in exchange of information in the society."

The Postal Service's Form-10k has been posted on the Postal Regulatory Commission web site.

Hongkong Post announced today (November 26) that as advised by the postal administration of Thailand, due to interruption in airport operation caused by political instability in Thailand, mail delivery services (including Speedpost) are subject to delay until further notice.

DM News has reported that "With postal and production costs rising and more consumers looking to online, some say that direct mail may be nearing its end as an effective marketing tool — but others disagree."

Research and Markets has announced the addition of Javelin Strategy & Research's new report "2008 Online Banking and Bill Payment Forecast: Financial Crisis Makes It More Vital Than Ever to Target Online Channel" to their offering.

Despite the global economic slowdown, the Chinese logistics industry is still set to experience strong growth over the next five years, according to 'China Logistics', the latest report by Transport Intelligence published today (November 25). However, says the report, there will be considerable variance in rates of growth across the various segments of that industry.

China Knowledge has reported that "The U.S.-based logistics services company FedEx Corporation is charged with unfair operation by some domestic delivery services companies in China, the Caijing magazine reported. The domestic companies has appealed to the relevant government bodies and requested them to intervene with the price war that FedEx had launched in the country."

Radio Prague has noted that "The Postal Museum in Prague is celebrating its 90th anniversary. The museum, which was founded very soon after the establishment of Czechoslovakia, has just launched a special exhibition focused on some of the highlights of its history."

Canada.com has reported that "The Christmas rush will put an insupportable strain on the mail-delivery system, says the union representing 2,100 office and technical workers on strike at Canada Post."

Press Release: "Neopost, the worldwide provider of mailing and shipping solutions, introduces the Neopost AS-990, the latest addition to its line of desktop address printing systems. Quickly and easily printing addresses, barcodes and graphics anywhere on envelopes, the Neopost AS-990 is designed to increase productivity while providing a high quality, professional image aimed at increasing direct mail response rates. As a complementary product to the company’s existing desktop address printers, the AS-990 is a rugged, reliable unit that can handle up to two million duty cycles per month. The AS-990 is an ideal choice for corporations, associations or quickprinters with mid to high volume direct mailing requirements."

B2B has an interview with Postal Regulatory Commissioner Nanci Langley. Check it out.

The Coventry Telegraph has reported that "hundreds of postal workers in Coventry could be on strike during their busiest time of the year. High-level negotiations will take place tomorrow between Royal Mail bosses and union representatives to decide whether industrial action is needed over the closure of the city's Bishop Street sorting office. The dramatic steps could leave thousands of residents in Coventry without mail during the festive season."

The Postal Regulatory Commission has issued Order No. 140 granting formal approval for the U.S. Postal Service to utilize both external and internal service measurement systems – including the Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMb) – to report on service performance for market dominant postal products. The USPS had sought the Commission’s approval to utilize the IMb to measure the performance of its commercial mail lines.

The comments submitted by the Association for Postal Commerce, the Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers, the Direct Marketing Association, the National Postal Policy Council, and the Parcel Shippers Association on licensing agreements (Docket No. MC2008-1) are available on the Postal Regulatory Commission web site.

November 25, 2008

Business First has reported that "The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration Monday approved the nationwide deployment of the NextGen satellite system, an air traffic control system that monitors aircraft by satellite rather than radar. The system, also known as Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, or ADS-B, had been beta tested by Louisville-based UPS Airlines since 1996."

Florida Shipper has reported that "The world’s largest national economy is not large enough, it appears, for three private parcel carriers.  DHL’s announcement two weeks ago that it will scrap its domestic air and ground delivery business in the U.S. ended a five-year, $10 billion effort to mount a new competitive challenge to FedEx and UPS. That sent shippers looking for alternatives at the busiest period of the year and toward a new competitive landscape. Although the end of DHL’s domestic operation isn’t scheduled until Jan. 30, there is already a fight for thousands of daily parcel shipments and, according to experts, a growing chance of a bigger battle for air express business outside of the U.S."

November 24, 2008

The Ministry of Haj has reported that "The Saudi Post in cooperation with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) has initiated a new project to facilitate comprehensive services in marketing and sale of 'Hadiy', 'Fidyah' and 'Sadaqah' Coupons for pilgrims and Udhiya (Animal for Sacrifice) Coupons for those who are not performing Hajj."

A copy of the report from the most recent meeting of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) Consultative Committee (CC) has been posted on this site.

The Royal Gazette has reported that "Bermuda will join a group of 62 countries who will reform and revitalise their postal system with the help of the Universal Postal Union. Minister of Energy, Telecommunications and E-Commerce, Terry Lister announced that the Universal Postal Union (UPU), which is a specialised agency of the United Nations, had completed the review. According to the Minister the UPU had completed the Integrated Postal Reform and Development Plan (IPDP) review for Bermuda as part of an international effort to modernise the postal system."

The New York Times has reported that "The average email inbox is stuffed with spam, disguised viruses and irrelevant junk. But Goodmail Systems, provider of the CertifiedEmail platform that delivers only trusted emails, just landed $20 million in a third round of funding to help its users rise above the fray."

Welcome to PostCom Radio Postal Podcast 11.17.08 Join PostCom President Gene Del Polito, PostCom Vice President Jessica Lowrance, and Grayhair Software vice presidents Angelo Anagnostopoulos and Everette Mills, Grayhair Software's manager, analytic services, in a discussion regarding the Intelligent Mail Barcode. This is the second in a series on IMB

According to Earth911, "The debate continues on whether or not online shopping is actually better for the environment. But regardless of how you ring in on that discussion, it is hard to argue that online shopping for the holidays is becoming increasingly popular. According to the National Retail Federation, surveys of 2007 holiday shoppers indicated that, on average, consumers planned to do 30.2 percent of their shopping online (up from 28.9 percent in 2006). Regardless of how you to choose to shop this year, here are some great tips to make shopping more convenient and environmentally friendly this holiday season: Have your products shipped using the United States Postal Service (if available through your retailer), since USPS is most likely coming to your neighborhood to deliver mail anyway."

There are times when it's hard to be green, but.... As the BBC has reported, "Councils in England should not increase the use of landfill despite a collapse in the market for recyclable waste, the Local Government Association has said. Because the value of plastic, metal and paper has fallen, commercial recycling firms are less willing to take it. The Association wants councils to make more use of incinerators and composting until the market recovers. The chairman of the LGA's environment board, Paul Bettison, told BBC Radio 5Live that "The Ministry of Defence, during the last postal strike, actually stored the country's mail and we'd like them now to assist us by storing some of our paper." 

As the Daily Courier has noted, "Mired in an uncertain economic climate, local postal service employees and residents realize how important food drives are to those having difficulty finding work, particularly during the holidays. For the 26th straight year on Saturday, postal workers in Prescott, Prescott Valley and Chino Valley put on the Letter Carriers' Food Drive, which generates thousands of pounds of nonperishable items for charitable organizations. John McCaw, the Prescott post office's food drive coordinator who has assisted with these efforts biannually for 13 years, said Saturday's event will likely generate upwards of 30,000 to 50,000 pounds of food."

According to Advertising Age, "Now that Rep. Henry Waxman has been named chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, many in the media and advertising industries are wringing their hands with worry. Media and advertising groups express concern about Mr. Waxman's past efforts to curb drug and tobacco advertising. The worry is that his new post heralds an era of new advertising restrictions, especially as the House considers health legislation. Mr. Waxman, media observers suggest, could be more likely to examine product placement and consider limits on junk food and alcohol advertising."

Yahoo! Tech News has reported that "With e-book sales exploding in an otherwise sleepy market, Random House Inc. announced Monday that it was making thousands of additional books available in digital form."

Hellmail has reported that "The Austrian authorities began a “roundtable meeting“ last week to discuss the strategic reorientation of Austrian Post ahead of full market liberalisation in 2011, in particular the financing of the Austrian universal postal service."

November 23, 2008

The Daily Yomiuri has reported that "The Liberal Democratic Party is once again being rocked by feuding over postal privatization. The LDP will shortly establish a project team to discuss the issue of full postal privatization ahead of a three-yearly reexamination of related services in March required under the postal privatization law. But many believe it will prove difficult to resolve intraparty differences over the matter."

According to the Lancaster Eagle-Gazette, "The U.S. Postal Service recently has taken precautions against money order fraud by revamping its payment slips' security features."

"The federal government has invested billions of dollars over the past 16 years, building a fleet of 112,000 alternative-fuel vehicles to serve as a model for a national movement away from fossil fuels. But the costly effort to put more workers into vehicles powered by ethanol and other fuel alternatives has been fraught with problems, many of them caused by buying vehicles before fuel stations were in place to support them, a Washington Post analysis of federal records shows. "

As National Public Radio has noted, "This year, the U.S. Postal Service will deliver eight billion fewer letters than it did seven years ago. This sharp decline is why blue mailboxes are disappearing from America's postal landscape."

United Press International has reported that "The head of the Swedish post office has agreed to go without pay for his entire time in the position, repaying anything he has already been paid. Lars Nordstrom had come under fire after the newspaper Dagens Nyheter reported that he was being paid twice as much as his predecessor as chief executive officer of Posten, The Local reported. Nordstrom, who receives more than $500,000 in an annual pension from his years as head of a state-owned bank, and other income from directorships, was being paid 900,000 kronor ($106,000) a month. That is equal to the salaries of 45 letter carriers." See also the Associated Press.

The latest copy of the National Association of Postmasters of the U.S. electronic governmental affairs newsletter is available on the NAPUS web site.

November 22, 2008

According to Hellmail, "Mail could be disrupted in the north-west of England in run up to Christmas if postal workers vote to strike over the closing of five sorting offices."

 The latest issue of the PostCom Bulletin is available online. In this issue:

• Mailing industry companies, publishers, mailers, labor unions and other industry groups told Congress this week that the Postal Service needs relief from its mandated retiree health-insurance payments if it is to weather the deepening worldwide financial crisis.
• The Postal Service this week published its new retail and commercial prices November 14 for all of its Shipping Services. The price change will take effect January 18. Price change for Mailing Services still is set for May. Prices for these products increased on average between 3.9 and 5.9 percent.
• The Postal Service hopes to reduce full-time city carrier routes by 9,200 routes in Fiscal Year 2009, and save 32.5 million workhours in city delivery. Jordan Small, USPS vice president of delivery, told this week’s MTAC meeting the Postal Service has begun the route adjustments effort that could impact more than 5,000 delivery zones, 85,000 to 90,000 carrier routes, and 50 million addresses.
• The Postal Service this week laid out to the Mailers Technical Advisory Committee its phased plan for Intelligent Mail barcode readiness. The USPS plans three major releases of its IMB Full Service support infrastructure – to take place in May, September and late fall 2009. The Postal Service said the late fall release will be in advance of the IMB price changes. The May 2009 release will support provision of start-the-clock and address information data as well as electronic documentation exchange through Mail.dat 09.1 and Postal Wizard, but not Mail.XML, which will be supported in a later release. The May 2009 release also does not support First-Class Mail manifesting.
• The USPS attempted to further clarify its policies for Move Update compliance verification and consequences at this week’s MTAC meeting. Pritha Mehra, USPS vice president of business mail acceptance and payment technologies, told the group the Postal Service has received a considerable amount of feedback and, as a result, has revised some processes. The Postal Service is in the process of reviewing its changes. It then plans to publish its acceptance and verification plans around Move Update compliance as well as a long list of Frequently Asked Questions.
• Postal Service Chief Financial Officer Glen Walker this week updated the Mailers Technical Advisory Committee on the USPS’ FY 2008 finances. “It’s a very gloomy picture,” Walker said, adding that the USPS does not anticipate an economic recovery in 2009. “Consolidate, consolidate, consolidate is the word for 2009, whether that means consolidating operations, tours, routes, facilities, etc., ” the CFO said.
• The USPS told this week’s MTAC meeting that its hybrid service performance measurement system will not take effect until Release 2, which the USPS said is scheduled for September 2009. The Postal Service proposed the hybrid system to measure presort First-Class Mail, Standard Mail and ultimately Periodicals. The system supplements IMB scans with externally collected data.
• The Postal service told MTAC meeting attendees that while the significant decline in flats volume in FY 2008 does not significantly impact the USPS’ Phase 1 deployment of 100 Flats Sequencing System machines, the USPS has its eye on the volume trends and is preparing for all possible scenarios in future phases of FSS. The flats decline does impact the Phase 1 deployment in that the Postal Service has added additional zones to FSS sites to bring in additional volume. However, the USPS said it does not need to look at redeployment of any scheduled Phase 1 FSS equipment.
• Business customers atending this week’s MTAC meeting heard two presentations that make clear why the Postal Service is moving to tighten its acceptance and verification policies and practices through initiatives like its Move Update compliance plans. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service told the MTAC group its investigations in the revenue protection arena in FY 2008 conservatively identified more than $52.5 million in losses. The USPS’ SOX management controls and integration group said the Postal Service’s Business Mail Acceptance function was identified as a significant area of deficiency last year and again this year.
• Alan Kessler, chairman of the USPS Board of Governors, told The Associated Press this week the Postal Service has hired an outside investigator to look into claims that Postmaster General Jack Potter improperly received a “sweetheart deal” on a mortgage loan from Countrywide Financial Corp.
• Postal commentator Gene Del Polito shares his views on whether Postmaster General Jack Potter knowingly accepted an improper VIP mortgage from Countrywide Financial Corp.
• This is the sixth and final installment in a series examining various aspects of the Intelligent Mail Barcode.
• Postal Service executive Robert Bernstock discussed his vision for the USPS with members of the media this week. Bernstock, who serves as president of USPS Mailing and Shipping Services, talked about the Postal Service’s biggest challenges and its goal to become a “customer facing” business system.
• Despite the economic downturn and the ever-increasing competition from new electronic products, Postal Rate Commissioner Ruth Goldway says there still is hope for the Postal Service.
• Federal Register: PRC adds Priority Mail Contract 3 to Competitive Products List. There’s more news from MTAC. Bizzotto, MTAC bid farewell.
• David Levy joins Venable.
• Postal previews.

The PostCom Bulletin is distributed via NetGram

FedEx Freight has announced that it has reduced transit times on more than 3,300 regional next-day, second-day and extended routes since Jan. 1, 2008. These service improvements enable faster delivery of freight, quicker go-to-market time and better inventory management for customers using fast-cycle logistics.

According to the Los Angeles Times, "Overwhelmed by piles of junk mail, 'Mailman Steve' quit bringing it to the people on his North Carolina route. Customers are grateful. The Direct Marketing Assn., however, is not amused."

Bloomberg has reported that "The U.S. Postal Service is vying to fill the void left by the exit of Deutsche Post AG's DHL Worldwide Express from the U.S. overnight-delivery market, Shipping and Mailing Division President Robert Bernstock said. The service will begin running ads in major newspapers, including the Wall Street Journal, beginning Nov. 21, Bernstock said. Officials want to capture about $300 million of the market." [EdNote: Boy! Talk about a sleeping giant. UPS did this weeks ago.]

November 21, 2008

PostCom welcomes its newest member: Times Printing Company, Inc. 100 Industrial Drive Random Lake, Wisconsin 53075-0325 represented by Leanne Herman, CMN, CMDSM, GAE

 
Logistics Management has reported that "UPS said this week it is opening up a $26 million, 150,000 square-foot distribution center at the Calgary International Airport in an effort to meet the rising needs of the economy in the Alberta province of Canada. The DC is expected to be up and running by October 2009."

The Liverpool Echo has reported that "Liverpool post workers are holding a strike ballot over closure plans. A strike would hit Christmas postal services from five North West sorting centres, including Copperas Hill. Communication Workers Union (CWU) Liverpool branch secretary Mark Walsh said the vote on two options – for a strike and action short of a strike – by members will close on December 3."

Finextra has reported that "UK Mail, part of the Business Post Group, has introduced imail, an alternative to the first class postal service whereby letters can initially be submitted electronically for printing and posting from the recpient's closest sorting centre. This new mail solution will enable users to send physical mail direct from their computer for next-day delivery to addresses across the UK, making it ideal for businesses within the banking and financial services sectors that need to reach customers in an effective and flexible manner. Not only will imail lower the cost of producing and posting first class items by up to 60 per cent, it will also reduce the carbon footprint of a letter by more than 80 per cent."

The Royal Gazette has reported that "A "major backlog" of mail to Bermuda from the United States is causing delayed delivery to the Island. The cause of the problem or how long it might last, was yesterday unknown, however a Government spokesperson said only United States Postal Service (USPS) mail is affected. "The Bermuda Post Office would like to inform the public that the USPS has advised that there is a major backlog of mail destined for Bermuda at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). "The USPS is trying to move the mail as quickly as possible but cannot confirm a date when mail will leave JFK and arrive in Bermuda. Further updates will be issued as we receive them."

According to CRMBuyer, "Major parcel delivery services have given customers access to sophisticated online-tracking systems, making it possible to know precisely where one's goods are at any given time. But knowledge isn't always power. What can a customer do if an important package is not at the front door when it's supposed to be, other than complain?"

From PR Newswire: "In the midst of a receding economy with increasing commodity prices and high fuel costs -- and the holiday shipping season right around the corner -- many businesses are seeing rising shipping costs. A recent Endicia(R) survey of more than 500 small businesses that sell goods online reports that 84 percent have seen their annual shipping costs increase this year."

Supply Chain Analysis has reported that "DHL, the world's leading express and logistics company, today announced the completion of its first ever carbon neutral warehouse, located in the UK. The 6,500 sq ft site near Wakefield West Yorkshire is the location for the main distribution centre of U.K. communication company O2." 

The Chattanoga Times Free Press has reported that "Cutbacks at two Chattanooga facilities will eliminate more than 400 local jobs. The U.S. Postal Service's remote encoding center in Chattanooga will close in April, eliminating 391 jobs, and Aerisyn LLC, a Chattanooga company that makes towers for wind turbines, announced that officials will lay off 54 employees there." 

The Star Phoenix has reported that "Rural residents get new addresses after Canada Post shuffles routes."

The Belleville Intelligencer has reported that "Parcel volume skyrockets at postal unit."

Federal Register:

Docket Nos. MC2009-8 and CP2009-9: The Postal Regulatory Commission is noticing a recently-filed Postal Service request to add the Canada Post--United States Postal Service Contractual Bilateral Agreement for Inbound Competitive Services to the Competitive Product List. The Postal Service has also filed a related contract. This notice addresses procedural steps associated with these filings. Comments are due December 3, 2008. Submit comments electronically via the Commission's Filing Online system at http://www.prc.gov.

Docket Nos. MC2009-7and R2009-1: The Postal Regulatory Commission is noticing a recently-filed Postal Service request to add the Canada Post--United States Postal Service Contractual Bilateral Agreement for Inbound Market Dominant Services to the Market Dominant Product List. The Postal Service has also filed a related contract. This notice addresses procedural steps associated with these filings. DATES: Comments are due December 3, 2008. ADDRESSES: Submit comments electronically via the Commission's Filing Online system at http://www.prc.gov.

KOB has reported that "The local post office union boss is lashing out at the postal service in Albuquerque, claiming employees are working odd hours and even being cheated out of restroom breaks. Arthur Prouse is the president of the American Postal Workers Union in Albuquerque. As a former postal worker, he said he has never seen conditions for workers as bad as they are now."

As one New York Times writer put it: "Need a postage stamp — not a whole book, but only one? Get in line."

2theAdvocate has reported that "The Shaw Group Inc. has announced its award of a U.S. Postal Services contract for architectural and engineering services at postal facilities in the Washington, D.C.; Virginia; and Maryland areas."

November 20, 2008

According to the Prairie Post, "Canada Post — as a crown corporation entity — is poorly-run. Take for example Canada Post’s corporate structure. There’s one chief executive officer/president, one chief operating officer, one chief sales and marketing officer, one chief financial officer, nine senior vice-presidents and 11 regular vice-presidents. Wow, that’s some finely-tuned detailed administration. Quick, how many businesses do you know that have 21 members of the managing executive board? Canada Post is no longer the only game in town. Once people catch up with technology, Canada Post is going to suffer and they will be forced to look at operations."

Bloomberg has reported that "American Express Co., Meredith Corp. and Time Warner Inc. are among almost 50 businesses, unions and industry associations asking Congress to grant the U.S. Postal Service relief from government-mandated retiree health-insurance payments to help the agency weather the global financial crisis. The request, made in a Nov. 17 letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, calls for an ``adjustment to the payment schedule which would preserve the law's requirement for full funding of the benefits, but lessen the financial demand on the Postal Service for several years.''

Jim Cochrane, the Postal Service's vice president for ground shipping, gave a truly excellent presentation on the Postal Service's package business at the most recent Mailers Technical Advisory Committee. A copy of that presentation has been posted on this site.

According to Information Week, "You may soon be able to use your cell phone like a debit card, as the GSM Association called for mainstream cell phones to sport near-field communication (NFC) technology by mid-2009. Shoppers in Japan have been utilizing the technology for years to buy items, and manage bank accounts on a cell phone, but the technology has been slow to catch on in other parts of the world. The GSMA thinks it can spur adoption by using the standard single wire protocol interface, which makes communication between NFC hardware and SIM cards possible. With an NFC-equipped handset, a customer could link their phone to a bank or credit card account and then make purchases by swiping the handset near a specially-designed terminal." [EdNote: Hmmmmm. Even fewer paper checks.]

USPS Press Release: "What costs pennies to operate, turns on a dime and will save the Postal Service thousands of dollars every year — all while reducing its carbon footprint? The T3 is the new battery-powered, three-wheeled delivery vehicle the Postal Service has been unveiling in eight cities over the past few weeks. It’s estimated that the T3 costs four cents a mile to operate. And at a time when each penny increase in gas prices translates into an $8 million annual increase in fuel costs for the Postal Service, it’s no wonder USPS is seeking ways to combat soaring costs and to minimize harmful effects to the environment. “The T3 is just one step in Delivery’s broader effort to reduce fuel costs,” said Delivery Vice President Jordan Small. The vehicle being tested has a top speed of 25 mph (for safety reasons, USPS production T3s will run at half that speed). And with field-swappable batteries, it’s got unlimited range."

From today's MTAC meeting: "The USPS today at the MTAC meeting announced an unprecedented route adjustment process as a result of a joint effort between the USPS and the NALC.  The USPS said it needs to eliminate 9200 city carrier routes in FY 2009 in order to meet its budget goals.  It said the route adjustments could impact 50 million addresses, 85,000-90,000 carrier routes and 5,000 delivery units.   The USPS already has eliminated 1100 routes a change that took effect November 15.  Adjustments will begin again on January 5 and continue until early April.  The USPS urged mailers to update their address lists on a monthly basis over the next 4-5 months because a significant number of routes may be changed or eliminated.  The USPS plans to post the information on its RIBBS web site as the adjustments are made."

If you haven't seen it yet, you gotta check it out. "The Chief." "Taub Is At Your Service." A really nice feature piece on Rep. John McHugh's long-time chief of staff, Robert Taub. If he's not the father of postal reform, he certainly had a hand in the structuring of its genetic code. Then when next you see him, ask him where he got the phrase "the bean's on your nose."

From PR Newswire: "41pounds.org offers the perfect holiday gift to help you share your Green lifestyle: the gift of a junk-free mailbox. The nonprofit 41pounds.org service stops your loved one's postal junk mail -- and keeps more trees in the forest providing oxygen for us to breathe and absorbing carbon to cool the planet. Gift certificates can be purchased and sent online at http://www.41pounds.org, or by phone." [EdNote: What a crock!]

TASR has reported that "Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico met Post Office general director Libor Chrast in Bratislava on Thursday to discuss a possible appeal against the European Commission's (EC) decision to force Slovakia to open its hybrid postal-service market to competition. The EC announced a legally-binding decision on October 7 that Slovakia must open up its hybrid postal services. The Slovak Post Office said at the time that it was very disappointed with the decision, which was welcomed by alternative postal-services operators. Hybrid post is a form of electronic postal service in which the sender sends mail electronically to an operator, who prints it out, puts it in envelopes and sends it to the addressees. The service is popular with firms such as banks, insurance and telecommunications companies that regularly send out large amounts of mail."

DI-VE has reported that "MaltaPost chairman Joseph Said confirmed on Thursday that the postal operator intends to expand into financial services."

Hellmail has reported that "Ukraine Minister of Transport and Communications, Joseph Vinsky has met with the general manager of the Universal Postal Union Edouard Dayan in Bern, Switzerland, to discuss ways to improve the world postal space and support universal postal services. During the meeting, Joseph Vinsky and Edward Dayan discussed the urgent need to improve the Ukrainian mail network. As Joseph Vinsky, the Ministry of Transport and Communications has completed the development of the State Program for the Development of Postal Service in Ukraine. He also stressed the importance of and the timeliness of focusing the international community to the development of postal financial services."

The Jamestown Sun has reported that "Allen Edward Prochnow 62, pleaded guilty before United States District Court Judge Rodney S. Webb to a charge of delay and destruction of mail, according to United States Attorney Drew Wrigley. In entering his guilty plea, Prochnow admitted that he failed to deliver approximately four tons of mail while he was employed as a rural mail carrier in Wahpeton between 1998 and April 3, 2008. The pieces of mail were seized by federal agents when they searched his home on April 3." 

The Financial Times has reported that "First-half pre-tax profit at Business Post rose 25 per cent as the parcels and postal delivery group increased its share of the mail handling market. The group's UK Mail subsidiary now collects and sorts 13 per cent of postal items before handing them on to Royal Mail for delivery."

Rural Carrier Postal News has reported that "Once heralded as a shining example of labor – management cooperation in the Postal Service, the USPS-NRLCA QWL-EI program has outlived its usefulness and the NRLCA National Board has notified the Postal Service that it will withdraw its support from QWL-EI effective January 1, 2009."

Wiener Zeitung has reported that "Anton Wais, head of the Austrian postal service Post AG, pledged the rumoured 9,000 posts job axe is "certainly not going to happen” but the workers union keeps its strike warning valid."

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has honored the Pacific Area of the U.S. Postal Service for its commitment to voluntarily replace all lead wheel weights for approximately 31,000 fleet delivery vehicles -- removing more than 8,000 pounds of lead from its workplace operations and potential deposition into the environment.

Hellmail has reported that "Slovenian Post (Posta Slovenije) has improved access to postal services by expanding the range of services available on petrol forecourt. Posta Slovenije already has a postal network accessible through some petrol stations in Slovenia, but is now expanding the service to allow quick, easy and convenient ways to package and send items of correspondence. The convenience of out-of-hours postal services has proved so successful, Posta Slovenije is now stepping up the range of services on offer in a joint partnership with stations."

The USPS at the MTAC meeting has laid out its phased implementation plan for Intelligent Mail barcode (IMb) Full Service.  The USPS plans 3 major releases of IMb:  May 11, 2009; Sept 2009 and "late fall" 2009.  The latter will occur prior to the IMb price change, the USPS noted.  The initial IMb release in May 2009 will not include full capabilities necessary to support some Full Service features.  For instance, Mail.XML will not be fully supported in May, but will be supported in the subsequent releases scheduled for Fall 2009.  The USPS will be publishing a detailed time line of which functions will be supported in which release.  The May 2009 release will support electronic documentation using Mail.dat 09.1 (except manifesting), provision of address correction and start-the-clock data, and other core functions.   Look for a more detailed report in this week's PostCom Bulletin.

Mediaweek has reported that "In the latest contraction of the computing magazine category, Ziff Davis Media said it would fold flagship PC Magazine with the January issue and convert the brand to an all-digital format at PCMag.com. All magazines are facing a tough road these days, but computing magazines had already been particularly impacted by readers’ growing preference for the Web. This year, 27-year-old PC Magazine was forced to cut its rate base to 600,000 from 700,000 and reduce frequency to 12 issues per year from about 25; its ad pages dropped 35.8 percent to 330 for the first six months of this year, per Publishers Information Bureau. Also this year, rival monthly PC World, published by International Data Group, cut its rate base to 600,000 from 710,000, citing growing paper, postal and ink costs."