Upcoming postal service changes criticized at meeting
Oct. 20—Former postal workers and union leaders recently gave a presentation at Memorial Library, attended by a couple dozen residents, about proposed changes by the United State Postal Service.
The changes come as part of the postal services 10-year plan to consolidate delivery centers. According to David Staiger, a current postal worker and speaker at the event, this means Andover carriers will travel to and from a facility in Woburn instead of the Andover Post Office.
According to a letter sent to postal unions, the change is slated for February.
Staiger said this will make it more difficult for postal workers to do their jobs, which would also compound the problem of under staffing.
Staiger and other speakers were also critical of communication by USPS, citing a lack of information about the upcoming changes.
Retired Andover postal worker Peter Blunt said there are also other problems to consider, including the current fleet of USPS vehicles not being safe to drive on highways.
Blunt added that USPS is planning on introducing a new fleet of vehicles better suited for the highway next spring, but that he is skeptical that the rollout will happen.
"The lives of the carriers are not to be toyed with," Blunt said.
President of the Boston Metro Area union Scott Hoffman also spoke at the meeting. Hoffman was critical of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's cost saving measures, like the upcoming change in Andover, which he argued was actually costing USPS more money in some cases and causing additional problems.
Hoffman recommended that residents talk to their representatives in the Senate and Congress.
Janice Sifferlen said the meeting had shown her that there was still time to stop the changes. She also added that she was concerned about the safety of the postal carriers.
Over email, a spokesperson for the USPS said the changes would make delivery network more efficient and effective, and better serve the American public.
"This model will greatly improve our transportation utilization by reducing time and the cost of transportation to facilities, and in cases of co-location, eliminating the need for transportation entirely," said USPS communications specialist Amy Gibbs. "Furthermore, this initiative will enable us to utilize more battery electric vehicles, since more routes would beat the optimal length to make such vehicles operationally feasible, and since the vehicles would be originating from facilities with enhanced electricity infrastructure to support the necessary charging stations."
The full presentation is available on the town website.
