COS Mail Processing Future

Picketers are getting set to be out in force next week to press their point about the future of the Colorado Springs mail processing facility at 3655 East Fountain Boulevard. It’s one of 252 facilities on the chopping block to save money in U.S. Post Office operations. There is speculation that the Colorado Springs facility would be shut down and its operations which also include Pueblo’s mail processing would be absorbed by the Denver facility.

Postal Office spokesperson Ron Perry says with the mail volume declining, the Post Office is looking to streamline its operations to match the work hour with the work load.

American Postal Workers Union Treasurer Chuck Bader says not so fast. Bader believes the money problems at the Post Office aren’t caused by operations. He tells me it’s a law that was passed in 2006 that is bleeding money from the U.S. Post Office. He says the government entity is forced to pay five billion a year to pre-fund health benefits for future retirees. Bader says it’s a government mandate that needs to be overturned.

Just this week, Colorado U.S. Senators, Udall and Bennet signed a letter to urge the post office to put a 6 month moratorium on all postal closures nationwide.

The Post Office’s timetable had been April 2012..