News & information

Statement on the reported USPS losses for fiscal year 2011

President Rolando issued a statement on the reported Postal Service losses for fiscal year 2011:

For the first time since the recession began in 2007, this year's Postal Service loss was largely driven by the continued impact of the worst recession in 80 years and the effect of Internet technology—above and beyond the crushing and unique burden of the congressional mandate to pre-fund future retiree health benefits.

This mandate accounted for 100 percent of the losses over the previous four years. That does not change what has to be done. Congress must alleviate the pre-funding burden and the Postal Service and its stakeholders must work relentlessly to reinvent the Post Office for the 21st century.

Today we are working with the Postal Service at the bargaining table on doing just that.