Local postal workers rally in support of H.R. 1351

Local postal workers and supporters made their way to Harrisonville yesterday afternoon for a peaceful rally at the office of Vicky Hartzler, Congresswoman of the 4th District in hopes to gain her support for a bill that would most certainly help the bleak situation facing the USPS.

The USPS lost over $8 billion last year and more red ink is already in the ledgers this year as consumers do more bill paying and other transactions online, adding higher transportation costs and a weak economy to boot.

As cost slashing measures have already been discussed such as cutting out Saturday delivery and closing some 3,700 post offices nationwide, it was discovered that the USPS has overpaid some $50-70 billion in retirement monies. But it appears that getting the money back may be not only difficult, but it alone would not be enough to save the USPS from complete disaster.



The USPS is the only entity required to prepay retirement benefits 75 years in advance to the tune of $5.5 billion per year, thanks to a reform act in 2006; and this prepayment is the crux of the current crisis according to many postal employees we have spoken with. In contrast, it appears the USPS could be comfortably in the black had the prepayment requirement not been implemented. Regardless, drastic measures are being taken to right the situation, including the push to pass HR1351- a bill that would correct the overfunding of the Postal Service’s pension accounts and would allow the cash-strapped agency to use any surplus to meet its retiree health benefits pre-funding obligation.

Nationwide 492 rallies were held including the one a Hartzler's office in Harrisonville yesterday. A local petition shows support from over 1,600 signatures that are not only postal employees, but other union members as well, such as the Machinists. In speaking to local media, postal employees emphasized that the postal service does not want a bailout of any kind. Simply, "give us the overpayment money back and right the situation" was echoed throughout the country yesterday.

Emanuel Cleaver (5th Dist.), Russ Carnahan (3rd Dist.) , Jo Ann Emerson (8th Dist.) and Lacy Clay (1st Dist.) have all showed support for the bill, however Hartzler was not present yesterday and her position on HR 1351 is not clear at this time. 

Rallies were held at many other locations around Kansas City as well.  KMBC ran a story during the 10 p.m. news last night which can be viewed here.