Harkin Introduces Senate Bill To Outlaw ‘Contracting Out’ Mail Delivery
Young Praises Move to Protect Letter Carriers
(NALC Bulletin) Sen.Tom Harkin (D-IA) on May 23 introduced in the U. S. Senate legislation to protect city and rural letter carriers from having their work contracted out by the U.S. Postal Service to private firms and individuals. 
The bill, S. 1457, is titled the “Mail Delivery Protection Act of 2007” and would forbid the Postal Service from entering into any contract “with any motor carrier or other person for the delivery of mail on any route with 1 or more families per mile.”
The only exceptions allowed are contracts in effect atthe date of enactment of the bill which could continue untilterminated under the terms of such contract, or could be renewed, and also service on a rural route may be converted to contract delivery service when such route no longer serves a minimum of 1 family per mile.
NALC President William H. Young said the Harkin bill would bring a halt to the Postal Service’s drive to privatize mail delivery.
“Every active and retired letter carrier in the nation, and their families, should thank Senator Harkin for taking this courageous stand against those forces that would destroy the U.S. Postal Service,” Young said.
“At the same time, it is now critical that the other members of the Senate hear one loud voice from our members—by letter, phone, email, personal offi ce visit —to bring about a groundswell of support for S. 1457 that will ensure its swift consideration in the Senate and eventual enactment by the 110th Congress,” Young said.
Joining Harkin as early co-sponsors of the bill were: Sens. Max Baucus (D-MT), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Robert Casey (D-PA), John Kerry (D-MA), Jon Tester (D-MT), Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Patty Murray (D-WA).
In introducing the legislation, Harkin said outsourcing mail carriers jeopardizes the reliable and secure delivery of mail because independent contracting fi rms do not use the same extensive recruiting and screening processes the USPS does in hiring and training mail carriers.
“Outsourcing mail delivery to people who have not undergone the Postal Service’s extensive screening and training process leaves open the possibility that convicted felons, identity thieves, or other undesirable workers could have access to the sensitive materials that pass through the mail on a daily basis,” Harkin said.
The Iowa senator said that last year, when the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act became law, the House of Representatives explicitly and overwhelmingly rejected contracting out mail delivery. He said despite that clear Congressional guidance, the USPS has nonetheless begun an aggressive program of placing the responsibility for residential mail delivery in the hands of the lowest bidder in states across the country.
“We cannot allow the Postal Service’s management to jeopardize the safe and reliable delivery of mail to our homes.” said Harkin. “This bill will ensure that the quality mail service Americans depend on continues.”
163 Back H.Res. 282
In the House of Representatives, 163 Members of Congress have already joined Rep. Albio Sires (D-NJ) as co-sponsors of H. Res. 282, which would express the sense of the House of Representatives that the Postal Service “should discontinue the practice of contracting out mail delivery.
source: NALC Bulletin- May 24, 2007(pdf)
Related link: Harkin Works to Protect Postal Service, Stop Outsourcing of Mail Delivery
May 25th, 2007 at 1:53 pm
What’s next ? Eliminate ALL rural type mail boxes ?
May 25th, 2007 at 7:31 pm
If the Senate bill is adopted, it would restore contract delivery to the way it was prior to the Postal Reorganization Act of 1970.
HCRs (called Star Routes then) were prohibited by federal law from performing box delivery and collection service, except in sparsely populated areas (39 USC 6402).
After Postal Reorganization in 1971, some of the old language was carried forward to the handbooks and manuals in use today. For example:
POM 663.2: “Contract route box delivery and collection service is provided without charge to customers who are not eligible for city carrier service.”
May 26th, 2007 at 3:24 am
Yes and now the PO is forgetting the last part of that sentence “who are not eligible for city carrier service”. Some of the new contract routes border city routes and some city routes in Nevada have been contracted out.
May 26th, 2007 at 6:58 am
bravo senators!!
May 27th, 2007 at 11:41 pm
This is sooo important. I can just imagine the backlash that will be caused when the public realizes what the Postal Board of Governors is up to.
This affects everyone who sends and receives mail.
What are they thinking? How can they micromanage us with MSP points and Scans, adding deliveries and different mail configurations, question overtime on days with heavy mail and occupants and then act as tho anyone could do our job? (and for less money and no benefits?
How can they turn around and give these jobs to people and think that they would treat their job the same way that we career employees do?
It is just ludicrous.
Will they be checking their vehicles for safety every morning? Will there be someone to go through their UBBM? Will there be someone disciplining them for missing the 12 noon time on express mail? Who will do the route when they are sick? Who will do the job when they quit as so many casuals do in their first few days?
Who will make sure they are safe drivers and check for expired drivers licenses?
Be ready for a fight folks…not just for your jobs but for the sanctity of the mail that you send and receive!
We already know that Bush wanted to be able to open mail without warrants…imagine what they could get away with if routes are run by folks who aren’t paying attention to what is going on, or who really don’t care anyway.
May 30th, 2007 at 11:14 pm
i myself was a star route mail carrier and now after 30 years as a city carrier i dont see how my brother now can make it (he also is a contract carrier/star route carrier) my father before me started out on horse back delivering the mail, in the 70s my contract was for $586.00 a month.not much even during those days, i saw my dad retire after working so long with out any benefits/vacations/sick days only social security to depend on ,and six days a week, the postal service (should be called once again the post office dept, because service is lacking)is only trying to save money for managers incentive awards.delaying mail to save 8 makes all the mail late…. GOD help us all
June 3rd, 2007 at 6:35 pm
SPEAK OUT PEOPLE…TAKE BACK YOUR VOICE AND ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO SPEAK OUT!! IT’S NOW OR NEVER. IT’S OUR TURN TO BE WE THE PEOPLE.
June 29th, 2007 at 10:04 am
I have been a contractor since 2004 and my husband has had contracts since 1994. We are not low paid for our job and we earn enough to provide our own health care insurance and retirement. I have a BA in management and worked as the Business Manager for Clear Channel Broadcasting before I became a CDS with the postal service. I earn more money now and work less hours. I give my USPS route the service anyone would expect from a USPS person and more. Most of the contractors I work with have the same level of professionalism and most have been in the postal service for many years.
Contractors are screened by the USPS, MVR’s are required and must be clean, we are drug tested, and we receive the same training as other carriers.
We (CDS) are held accoutable for scanning, express mail delivered before the deadline, making sure we do not throw the wrong mail in UBBM, and misthrows. Our routes are covered everyday and we do not call in sick or stay out weeks for a work injury.
We are required to wear uniforms and can not drive a car older than 5 years (This is in our contract). I have seen RC’s driving cars that will barely make it out of the parking area and RC’s are not required to wear uniforms. One Rural Carrier (employed by USPS not a contractor) at our post office can not drive because he has no license (DUI too many times) so his daughter or girlfriend shows up everyday to drive him on his route. Neither daughter or girlfriend have been cleared but they still have contact with the mail. A contractor had one speeding ticket too many for the USPS and was not allowed to transport the mail.
Another Rural Carrier had at least three years of mail in white tubs in his mailroom. Why it took the PM so long to find it is unknown. He was given a few months vacation and came back to work and a month later they found tubs of undelivered mail in his mailroom again.
Contractor are held accountable for a job well done and the majority of the contractors do a great service and save the USPS loads of money every year. What could be better than that?
July 7th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
The USPS needs MORE contractors. I had two HCRs delivering at the office where I was PM. Never had to worry about a sick call and never had one complaint about then. City and RCs brought at least one complaint a day. The women worked circles around EVERY carrier in the office city (11 rts) or rural (9 rts). Every route vacated by a carrier, city or rural, should change to contract only because of the no layoff clause that keeps them from being dumped now.
August 6th, 2007 at 11:42 am
I am a HCR and have been for years. Prior to that I was a TRC and then a RCA. Prior to that I was in a business for 25 years and had several top secret, secret and Nato clearances. I restnt the implication that contractors are untrustworthy and all of the name calling here. Most of the articles I have read so far are written by people who have no idea what a contractor does, gets paid or is responsible and accountable for. All I have seen so far is the slandering of the American public. Postal workers make good money…more money than our soldiers, teachers, police, firefighters, etc. etc. The fact that people make less money than a postal worker is no indication of their integrity. HCRs make good money too. They do not have the benefits and alot of them do not need the benefits. Alot of them are like myself, retired or need a job that pays well. People do different jobs for different reasons. Some people just basicallyl enjoy the job and money is not as important as their happiness. There are HCRs that make more money than some postmasters. Regardless of what the real reason is for this fight, slandering the vast majority of the American public is a pretty crummy way of trying to get what you want. Where is the integrity in that? And remember, the vast majority of the american public includes your spouses, siblings, parents, children and friends. Are you questioning their integrity as well?
September 21st, 2007 at 3:42 pm
I have been a CDS mail contractor for 7 years, my father for 19 years before me. I work in the same office with RC’s. I can tell you this, the quality of service that I give my customers is as good, if not better, than that of the RC’s. As a gentleman before me said, we wear uniforms, (contract requires that we do.) Our vehicles cannot be over 5 years old, we are drug tested, we have to be sreened. I have a sub that works when I need off, he too has been sceened and drug tested. I feel this bill has been introduced because the RC’s and Letter carriers and concerned for their jobs because the contractors do the same job as they do cheaper with better service.