The revision bill will face challenges from unions and other lawmakers intent on maintain delivery standards or protecting USPS jobs and facilities in their districts. Already Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., had placed a temporary hold on consideration of the bill because of what she characterized as a hasty study of closing a large mail processing facility on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
The American Postal Workers Union said the Senate’s revised version is better than the original but falls short of ensuring service standards are upheld.
"With the moratorium on the closure of mail processing plants and post offices set to expire on May 15, we must do everything we can to improve the legislation," said APWU president Cliff Guffey.
APWU stated support for an amendment offered by Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., that he says would increase the chances processing facilities in his state and in others remain open, underscoring the difficulties in getting lawmakers to sign on to legislation that would in all likelihood jeopardize jobs and assets in their districts.
Casey’s amendment ensures delivery standards, something he believes will make it harder to close facilities.
APWU said it is also drumming up support for an amendment offered by Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., that would change how post offices and facilities are considered for closure or consolidation, as well as an amendment offered by Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, that would preserve current FECA policy and improve certain benefits.
However, the union noted contrasting proposals that promise to make the path toward compromise postal reform legislation turbulent. For example, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has proposed eliminating collective bargaining at USPS, and Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., has proposed to require employees to retire if eligible.
