2009 Leadership Notes
Monday March 23, 2009 General Session
Jack Potter stated that we are challenged by the economy.
We build on our network. The army of people who come
to work everyday.
You have delivered time and time again. Record levels of customer
satisfaction. VOE high. Top 10 of most trusted institutes in
the US. Cutting costs for the last several years. Mail volume
in a state of decline. Growth in packages, more in advertising
then anything else. Lower margins. Keep rates affordable. Future
of mail is tied to making it affordable-FSS, access –upgrade
website. IMB-intelligent mail barcode. We are responding. We
will be here years to come to serve the American public. 180
billion pieces of mail-that is great. But it is 32 billion less
them in 2007, 32 billion pieces of mail =12 billion dollars.
There is the gap. Every billion=13000 career employees. You wish
you were back in the anthrax days-dark humor. That is why there
is a hiring freeze. He had to call people and tell them they
lost their jobs. We do not want to create a burden that we can’t
dig ourselves out of. Give customer information about their mail.
We are asked to run like a business. Our funds come from the
people who use the mail. We don’t want to run them away.
He knows it is painful. We met with Dale and the unions. He appreciates
how the meetings go. We are trying to take 6 billion dollars
out of our system. Go out and grow the mail. Yes it is a difficult
time, but there are choices out there. UPS is going to start
using us for first mile. We are strong with ebay because we pick
up every day. He does not believe that we won’t get the
mail back. Competitors are down 14%. We are down 17%. When the
economy comes back the packages will come back to us. Our pieces
will come back. To target individuals they have to use the mail.
You can measure your results from mail, you can not measure it
from other media. We do have strengths. The online bill payers
are not coming back. We still have 180 billion pieces of mail.
We will have a 6 billion gap. We are borrowing 3 billion, we
carried over 1 billion. 1.6 billion gap. I will be on the Hill
on Wed talking about the retiree health fund. 7 billion dollars
that go to retiree benefits. We don’t want to touch them.
We are not required to have a 32 billion dollar trust fund. 5.4
billion dollars are what we input. Now is the time to review
this. Let the trust fund pay for the retiree health benefits.
We have great support on the hill. HR 22 bill does what we need.
The fund is healthy. Net to the fund is over 3 billion this year.
This gets us though this year. How do we go forward? We think
there will be growth.
Not at the level of 2007-2008. We have to be realistic on where
we are going. Can’t close offices for economic reasons.
In a sense as we go forward, we need flexibility. Moving from
6 days delivery to 5 days. How do we close a gap that the American
public created? More of the pieces are advertising so we don’t
get the money. What are we going to do? Our strength is the American
public loves their post office! They love their carriers! They
want our services! They want to reach anyone in the world with
a package. We need to build on these strengths. Our legacy will
be when the times got tuff we made the tough decisions. We are
going to all make sacrifices. Make sure your voices are heard.
I beg your indulgences as we make sacrifices.
Shipping business
Our strength is small to light weight packages. Grew 40% for
the total market. Online is positive. People are not going
to stores to buy as much. 2008 over 30% is business to consumer.
A jump of over 40%. We want to own those packages. We want
it all.
The press does not recognize that we are there. We have a great
product. We have the small businesses. We need the medium to
large businesses. We have to get the word out. We need to improve
the tracking technology. We are changing internally. They won’t
see it, but it will be easier for people to do business with
us. We have 46 new businesses that are coming to us. We now own
telecommunications. Medicines. Vitamins. The express small envelopes
will carry credit cards. Cable box remotes.
Robert Berntock-choice of products will be reduced
Deputy Postmaster General Pat Donahoe-
Monthly meetings are very helpful Finances focus on delivery
processing. Processing –lean take out unnecessary. Lot
of consolidation, better scheduling. Need less facilities. DPS
will come down to small offices. Machines are taking more and
more volume. Moved work from day to evening. Transportation savings
are being seen. BMC network is changing. Network to consolidate.
All classes will be picked on the trucks. One step will be taken
out. Savings, and cleaning up networks when the mail does come
back. FSS is still coming. Not going to spend a lot of money
on facilities. Richmond is being finished. Investments that have
a big payoff will be done. City routes have been consolidated.
Worked with NALC. 18,000 city routes need to go. Some routes
will be 100% on the street. Will change the office environment.
Rural delivery count has been completed. He says fair count.
Carriers are taking a hit. Adjustments go in during May.
USPS.com people buying stamps on line. Districts downsizing.
On going volume loss.
Phil Jones: Don’t pity ourselves lets get mad. We can’t
help economy, but we can talk to the “hill” who can
do something. Postal service asked people to take an early retirement.
Doesn’t it make you warm and fuzzy to know that you aren’t
needed? Rumor has it that La’ Enfant Plaza will be larger
then 2007 even after the reductions. Phil’s theory: Postal
service was designed over 200 years ago to deliver mail to every
house in the nation. Not suppose to be a profit center. Simple
math 42 cent to deliver across the state how can you deliver
to Alaska for the same price? PMs being fired because mail is
not being carried. Carriers will not answer the phone! Carriers
back by 5 is not a rule, it is a goal? Then why are they down
your throat everyday. They expect you to do the work and not
report it. They will fire you if you violate FLSA. The defense
plan is costing a lot of money. 1992 less then two cases a month.
Today 8 pending, two more coming. 10 now, and there are more
and more every day. He will not let you lose your jobs. He will
fight for us. The nation does not seem to care about each other
anymore. NAPUS most help each other. Motto: don’t tread
on me. I’m mad as hell and not going to take it anymore.
Case: refused to settle, judge reversed and PM went back to
job. Testimony on OIG was the base of case. OIG only said that
the
PM had admitted to throwing out the mail, when it looked like
they would lose. Next case: agency can resend. No attorney
fees are paid. Instead of firing, the PM was busted to PTF
clerk 2
hours/day. Settled case, all back pay, attorney fees paid,
salary instated. Phil was accused of lying about fees. Now
locked in
litigation over that. Agency now, with the OIG is a nest of
vipers. OIG are liken to rattlesnakes. At least they can warn
you, but
don’t count on it. If OIG comes in CALL A REP! They plan
on biting you. MPOOS are a different type of snake. Fat, old
cottonmouth moccasin, nasty mean tempered and bite w/out warning.
Take the warning of Teddy Roosevelt, carry a big stick. HQ are
copperheads, bite when you get careless. Pay attention. When
they come to visit you they are not there to help you. Protect
yourself, help your fellow Postmaster. Join NAPUS. All your Congressman
wants is your vote. Tell him he was put there to help you, to
help the District he is from. Do something beside trying to get
re-elected. PM Reps are giving up personal leave, going off and
leaving their families. Love them.
Lynn Malcolm visit the SOX website for updates
and training. The Controller office needs us to be successful.
Sign the 1412s! PostalONE be accurate.
Dan Blair, Chairman, Postal Regulatory Commission
took questions from Bob Levis NAPUS Director of Government Relations. Universal
Ken Engstrom, NAPUS Executive Director Fair treatment
of employees.
