Postal Regulatory Commission
Submitted 8/2/2010 2:31:52 PM
Filing ID: 69463
Accepted 8/2/2010
BEFORE THE
POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20268-0001
Six-Day to Five-Day Street Delivery
and Related Service Changes
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N2010-1
STATEMENT OF POSITION AMERICAN BUSINESS MEDIA
(August 2, 2010)
American Business Media, an intervenor in this proceeding, has
been following the hearings held thus far and has determined that it
would not be appropriate to submit testimony at this time. Nevertheless,
so that ABM’s position on the issues raised will be a matter of public
record, it sets forth below the position adopted by its Board of
Governors earlier this year:
“American Business Media fully recognizes the dire financial situation of
the Postal Service but contends that cutting service is not the solution to the
Postal Service’s problems. American Business Media fears that the proposal
to eliminate Saturday delivery could be the first of several such service
reductions, if sweeping changes to the Postal Service’s basic operations are
not made. It is apparent to anyone examining the Postal Service’s present and
future that its inability to control both the size and the cost of its workforce—an
inability that results from present law, Congressional involvement in Postal
Service right sizing efforts, and tradition—must be addressed as a major
component of any plan to save the Postal Service, as should the need to close
redundant facilities. Therefore, while reduced service levels would pose a real
challenge to ABM members, ABM can accept the elimination of Saturday
street mail delivery and pickup, as long as weekend mail processing is
maintained, as one of several steps that should be considered. But
termination of Saturday delivery should be considered only as a part of a
package of solutions that can close the revenue gap in a way that is fair to all
stakeholders, including postal employees, mailers, and the American people.
In addition, correction of the actuarial errors underlying Postal Service
overpayments into the retiree health care trust fund and the Civil Service
Retirement Fund must be part of the solution to the Postal Service’s financial
situation.”
Respectfully submitted,
/s/ David R. Straus
David R. Straus
Attorney for American Business Media
Thompson Coburn LLP
1909 K Street, NW
Suite 600
Washington, D.C. 20006
202-585-6900
[email protected]
5182516
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