LETTER TO EDITOR IN SUPPORT OF POSTAL WORKERS

From the Topeka Capital-Journal

Letter: Support postal workers

Posted: September 14, 2011 - 8:30pm
http://cjonline.com/opinion/2011-09-14/letter-support-postal-workers

The U.S. Postal Service is not broke. The USPS made a $226 million profit in the first quarter of 2011.

The organization’s financial woes result from a 2006 law, the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act, requiring USPS funding 75 years of pension benefits in 10 years and prepayment of health benefits to postal workers’ retirement dates.

Postal workers and the USPS have overpaid the pension by at least $50 billion and up to $80 billion. The USPS must spend $5.5 billion each year as it aggressively prepays years ahead for the health benefits of thousands of workers.

Not one red cent of these billions of dollars is taxpayer money. Postal workers make contributions through paycheck deductions which are matched by the USPS with money from the sales of stamps.

The USPS isn’t getting credit for complying with this law. House Republicans are planning post office closures, Saturday postal delivery curtailment, and the firing of thousands of postal workers. Their bill is H.R. 2309. Kansas has 135 post offices slated for closure.

Contact Rep. Lynn Jenkins, R-Kan. Ask her to oppose H.R. 2309, demand a fair and accurate accounting of the health and pension funds belonging to postal workers, and to support our postal workers.

MICHAEL BOX,

OSAWATOMIE

THE POST OFFICE ISN'T BROKE -THAT'S JUST ANOTHER BIG LIE!

In 2006 a law was passed requiring the United States Postal Service to prepay their pension funding for 75 years over a 10 year period.  This means the postal workers and the USPS have overpaid this fund by $50 Billion to $80 Billion.  That's money taken from postal workers paychecks and matched by money from the sales of postage.  No taxpayer money is involved.

USPS showed a first quarter profit of $226 million.  On top of the zealous pension prepayment Congress also requires the USPS to prefund health care payments for postal workers, through to retirement.  That's an additional $5.5 Billion out of postal workers pockets.

The answer is not firing postal workers, elimination of Saturday service, or closing post offices.  The answer is Congress making an honest accounting of the assets of the USPS.

Republicans plan to make those radical changes by passing H.R. 2309.  Contact your Representative and Senators and oppose this bill.
 

OPPOSE  H.R. 2309