USPS Story Archives - Page 2 of 2 - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

USPS Processing Center Public Hearing Set For Valentine’s Day

After delays and postponements, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has scheduled a public meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 6:30 p.m. at the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center.

At the meeting, USPS will share the initial findings of a study on changing the South Charleston-based Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) to a Local Processing Center (LPC). The USPS says their business case supports transferring some West Virginia mail processing operations to the Pittsburgh P&DC in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Pennwood Place P&DC in Warrendale, Pennsylvania.

USPS highlights more cost effectiveness and efficiency with their plan. Local postal workers union leaders remained concerned about the fate of the 800 local employees and the processing travel time of locally posted mail.

On Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., released the following statement after reviewing the USPS initial findings for the Charleston Processing and Distribution Center Mail Processing Facility Review:

“I have reviewed USPS’s initial findings of the Processing and Distribution Center in Charleston, and while I am glad to see that they have decided to invest in new equipment and upgrades to the facility, I am disappointed to see that they believe that some jobs being transferred to other locations — even if it is less than what was rumored — would be a positive step,” Capito said in a press release. “I also would have hoped the USPS would have held their public meeting as scheduled on Jan. 30. I still believe that the community deserves to be heard, and I hope that USPS will take that feedback into consideration before any final decisions are made. In the meantime, I urge USPS to listen at the required upcoming public meeting and take into account the importance of this facility to the community as they work to produce their final decisions.”

The initial findings have been posted on the USPS webpage.

The public hearing will allow members of the community to provide oral feedback and perspectives on the Initial Findings of the Mail Processing Facility Review (MPFR). A summary of the MPFR will be posted on about.usps.com at least one week prior to the public input meeting.

Members of the local community may submit written comments through Feb. 29, 2024. The public’s input will be considered prior to a final decision.

USPS Releases Initial Findings For Charleston Processing Center Without Public Hearing

Without holding the public meeting to receive comment on potential changes to the United States Postal Service Processing and Distribution Center in South Charleston, the organization has released its initial findings that recommend restructuring, updating equipment and some layoffs.

Without holding the public meeting to receive comment on potential changes to the United States Postal Service (USPS) Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) in South Charleston, the organization has released its initial findings that recommend restructuring, updating equipment and some layoffs.

The Mail Processing Facility Review’s (MPFR) initial findings for West Virginia can be viewed here.

“The initial results of the facility review support the business case for keeping the Charleston P&DC open and modernizing the facility as a Local Processing Center (LPC) with simplified processes and standardized layouts,” the initial findings read. “The LPC will also be fitted with state-of-the-art sorting equipment that will improve delivery services. We plan to operate the following sorting equipment in this facility.”

Many have raised concerns that package processing would be moving out of state, and if these recommendations are approved, that will be true.

“Additionally, the business case supports transferring mail processing outgoing operations to the Pittsburgh P&DC and Pennwood Place P&DC. Currently, a majority of mail and packages are destined outside of the Charleston area to the rest of the world.”

The center currently employees about 800 people, but the findings only suggest about 25 will be laid off.

“Due to the transfer of outgoing operations, an estimated net decrease of 24 craft and one management positions are projected once the initiative is completed. All bargaining employee reassignments will be made in accordance with the respective collective bargaining agreements.”

On Jan. 12, 2024, the USPS announced a public meeting for Jan. 30, 2024, but that was postponed by the USPS last Friday, saying the organization needed more time to finalize their recommendations.

A date for the rescheduled meeting has not been released, but the organization said it would be in the next several weeks.

At the time, the Charleston Postal Workers Union Local 133 released a statement that read in part:

“Local union officials have persistently reached out to the postal service in efforts to obtain information they were to release on Jan. 23, 2024, to no avail. Numerous grievances have been filed throughout this MPFR process due to the postal service’s inability to abide by their handbooks and manuals that govern such movement. We will continue to work with our elected officials, the AFL-CIO and affiliate unions in the state to fight the Postal Service plans on moving your mail to Pittsburgh to be processed. The public survey is still available to take, and we encourage everyone to do so.”

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., released the following statement:

“I have reviewed USPS’s initial findings of the Processing and Distribution Center in Charleston, and while I am glad to see that they have decided to invest in new equipment and upgrades to the facility, I am disappointed to see that they believe that some jobs being transferred to other locations — even if it is less than what was rumored — would be a positive step. I also would have hoped the USPS would have held their public meeting as scheduled on Jan. 30. I still believe that the community deserves to be heard, and I hope that USPS will take that feedback into consideration before any final decisions are made. In the meantime, I urge USPS to listen at the required upcoming public meeting and take into account the importance of this facility to the community as they work to produce their final decisions.”

The press release noted that Capito has remained active on this issue and has spoken personally with Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and other local officials on the matter. DeJoy is serving a 10-year term as Postmaster General and was appointed by former President Donald Trump.

She wrote a letter in December 2023 pressing DeJoy for clarity regarding the future of the facility, as well as stressed the importance of the center to West Virginia and its employees. Click here to read the letter.

Capito later expressed her disappointment in the response from USPS, which can be found here.

To comment on the USPS facility, click here to submit written comments. All written comments must be received by Feb. 29, 2024.

Senate Voices Support For South Charleston Mail Center Facing Downsizing

Amid controversy surrounding the potential closure of West Virginia’s only mail processing center in South Charleston, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution expressing their support of the center’s preservation.

A controversial plan to move West Virginia’s only mail processing center to neighboring Pennsylvania brought a storm of backlash for the United States Postal Service (USPS).

The fallout in late 2023 led USPS officials to suggest instead downsizing the South Charleston center, and moving select operations out of state. But lawmakers are critical of the idea because of the economic opportunities the center currently provides.

On Friday, the West Virginia Senate unanimously passed Senate Resolution 16, which expressed support for the center’s preservation in Kanawha County.

Sen. Eric Nelson Jr., R-Kanawha, said that the center’s location in West Virginia reduces shipping times for West Virginia, and provides important employment opportunities for West Virginia families.

“We’ve talked about so many economic benefits of new jobs here in the last three or four years,” Nelson said during the Senate’s legislative session on Friday. “Well let’s talk about job retention: 800 jobs and their families and those that they touch.”

The USPS will host a meeting at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center on Jan. 30, where it will accept public comments on current plans.

Nelson encouraged fellow lawmakers to attend the meeting and show their support for local postal workers.

Fight Intensifies Over Fate Of Charleston Mail Processing Center

Postal Workers Union Local 133 information strongly hints that the probable plan is to close or downsize the Charleston facility and process and distribute West Virginia mail out of Pittsburgh.

If the current Postmaster General has his way, West Virginia may lose its only mail processing center. U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy was appointed to the post in 2020 by former President Donald Trump.

DeJoy’s ten year “Delivering for America” postal transformation plan includes overhauling regional mail processing and distribution centers and “leveraging” existing sites in the process.

Tim Holstein is vice president of the American Postal Workers Union Local 133 in Charleston. Holstein said union information from the national level coupled with gauging similar situations elsewhere strongly hints that the probable plan is to close or downsize the Charleston facility and process and distribute West Virginia mail out of Pittsburgh.

“What we believe will happen is we shall receive notification of something right around December 24, or 22nd, somewhere the week right before Christmas,” Holstein said.

Holstein said when it comes to physical downsizing, many of Charleston’s mail sorting machines have already been removed over the past year.

“What we’re being told is that those machines are being moved to mega facilities on loan, that we would receive a machine back in its place,” Holstein said. “Now, personally, I don’t know if that’s going to happen. If they’re already taking machines out of the building, and they’re slated to downsize the amount of mail that we run now, one could only expect and forecast what the future would hold.”

The downtown Charleston facility employs 800 people, about 500 are union workers. Holstein said closure would have a ripple job loss effect.

“There’s also other local postal unions that could be affected as well,” Holstein said. “Including the Mail Handlers Union and the National Association of Letter Carriers. The Postal Service has a lot of employees that start off at part time and temporary work. So, how many part time jobs are going to be lost?”

The state’s congressional delegation and Gov. Jim Justice are all working to keep the center open, to save jobs and keep mail service on time.

In his Wednesday media briefing, Justice blamed some of the postal facilities challenges on the current Biden Administration, although the 10-year transformation plan comes from a Trump appointee. Justice hinted at a possible resolution.

“It’s going to cause disruptions. It’s going to cause lateness,” Justice said. “However, I think there’s a potential relocation evaluation going on.”

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-WV, said in a press release that there is no reason to move West Virginia’s mail processing facility to another state.

”I will do everything within my power to prevent the loss of this facility,” Manchin said in the release. “The U.S. Postal Service should reverse its deeply flawed and misguided plan to conduct a Mail Processing Facility Review of its Charleston Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) facility, which would disproportionately harm a vital lifeline for the people of West Virginia.”

Holstein said if the closure happens, West Virginia would be one of only four states in the nation without a regional processing and distribution facility. He said the union’s plan going forward is to intensify public awareness, and perhaps more.

“As federal workers, we’re not allowed to strike,” Holstein said. “But we can do things called informational pickets. When we do decide to do that, I want as much media here as I can.”

The U.S. Postal Service has struggled with operational costs over budget in the recent past. Holstein thinks this possible fiscal correction will backfire.

“The union believes that this plan was flawed from the beginning,” Holstein said. “In another five, six years, it’s going to be changed back and all this will have been wasted and it has to be reverted.”

Visit the link to the USPS portal for public comment on the possible facilities shake-up.

W.Va. Mail Carrier Admits Attempted Election Fraud

ELKINS, W.Va. (AP) — A West Virginia postal carrier pleaded guilty Thursday to altering mail-in requests for absentee voter ballots.

Thomas Cooper entered the plea in federal court in Elkins to attempted election fraud and injury to the mail, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell said in a statement.

Cooper was charged in May after eight mail-in requests for absentee voter ballots had their party affiliations altered.

Cooper, 47, of Dry Fork, held a postal contract to pick up mail in the three towns in which the voters live and delivered the forms in April to the Pendleton County clerk, according to a federal affidavit.

An investigation by the secretary of state’s office found five of the ballot requests were changed from Democrat to Republican with a black ink pen, the affidavit said.

Bennie Cogar, an attorney general’s office investigator who conducted the probe on behalf of the secretary of state’s office, said in the affidavit that the Pendleton County clerk called some of the voters after receiving the requests because she knew they were not Republicans. The clerk then contacted the secretary of state’s office to report the alterations.

On the other three requests, the voters’ party was not changed. However, in addition to the “Republican” box originally checked in blue ink, the word “Republican” was later circled in black ink, the affidavit said.

Cooper admitted in an interview with Cogar and a postal inspector that he changed some of the requests he picked up from the Onega post office from Democrat to Republican.

According to the affidavit, when he was then asked about the other requests, Cooper said, “I’m not saying no,” but if the requests were picked up along his postal route, “I would take the blame.” Cooper was then asked if he was “just being silly” and he replied he did it “as a joke” and that he didn’t know those voters.

Absentee ballots became a political flashpoint nationally in recent months, often along partisan lines. Some state governors have moved to make absentee ballots more available in this year’s elections because of concerns about the spread of the coronavirus. Other elected officials, including President Donald Trump, have raised concerns that expanding the practice would increase the likelihood of election fraud. Examples of mail-in ballot fraud have been minimal, and Trump himself has voted absentee in recent elections.

Absentee ballot applications were mailed to all registered voters in West Virginia in April in a bid to encourage mail-in voting during the coronavirus pandemic. West Virginia held its primary election on June 9.

How to Prepare Your Holiday Packages With USPS

The United States Postal Service is preparing for the busiest shipping season. The delivery service says online shopping is continuing to increase deliveries.

This year, USPS expects volume to increase by 12 percent.USPS is projecting 14.7 billion cards will be delivered from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve.

The Postal Service is suggesting these mail-by dates and tips to help customers mail and ship conveniently for the holidays:

For Dec. 25 Arrival

Dec. 2: International First-Class Mail®
Dec. 2: Priority Mail International®
Dec. 10: Priority Mail Express International™
Dec. 14: Standard Post
Dec. 16: Global Express Guaranteed®
Dec. 20: First-Class Mail®
Dec. 21: Priority Mail®
Dec. 23: Priority Mail Express™

The United States Postal Service is offering a military care kit for families preparing care packages for service members overseas.
The kit is free and contains items like boxes, mail tape, address labels, appropriate forms and directions. To order, call 1-800-610-8734.

Military Mailing Deadlines for Dec. 25

Dec. 10: APO/FPO First-Class Mail® Letters and Cards
Dec. 10: APO/FPO Priority Mail®
Dec. 17: APO/FPO Priority Mail Express™ Military Service

Hanukkah begins next week on Nov. 27 and ends Dec. 5 this year. Postal officials are recommending those celebrating and hoping to use the USPS to send items as soon as possible.

The destination, date mailed and service purchased (International First-Class; Priority Mail International; Priority Mail Express International, etc.), will determine when it arrives. Customers should ask at their Post Office for this information.

Complete shipping details can be found on the USPS website.