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USPS News: Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 6, 2001
Release No. 01-094
IMPERILED POSTAL SERVICE BATTLES ON MANY FRONTS
FACING A WORSENING FINANCIAL POSITION,
AGENCY RESOLUTE TO MEET THE CHALLENGE
FACING A WORSENING FINANCIAL POSITION,
AGENCY RESOLUTE TO MEET THE CHALLENGE
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Meeting today in Washington, the Board of Governors of the U.S. Postal Service depicted an agency battered by uncertain economic times, under attack by terrorists and experiencing the grief of losing some of its own employees.
Before a solemn moment of silence in honor of fallen postal family members, Postmaster General John E. Potter characterized the recent experience as "the most difficult and sad times in postal history."
"Our resolve is unwavering..." said the Postmaster General. "I again ask the help of the American public to provide any relevant information that could lead to solving this case." In conjunction with the FBI, the Postal Service is offering a $1 million reward. Persons offering tips to the crime should call 1-800-CRIME-TV (1-800-274-6388).
Reporting on the financial condition of the Postal Service, CFO Richard J. Strasser, Jr., noted deteriorating revenue and volume statistics. Financial projections for the current year, which had already forecast a loss $1.4 billion, now show current losses mounting ever higher from the on-going battle with terrorism. Revenue for the period September 5 through October 8 is $300 million under pre-September 11 projections. Initial estimates of mail volumes for the period saw a decline of 1.1 billion pieces or 6.6 percent compared to the same period a year earlier. First-Class Mail volume declined 2 percent; Priority Mail declined 15 percent; and Standard Mail fell 11 percent from their levels a year ago. In spite of the distressed environment, expenses are below plan by $100 million.
On Thursday, the Postal Service will likely request emergency funding from Congress to recover business impact of the on-going terrorist activity as well as the costs of sanitzation and security for the national mail infrastructure.
In other Board action, the Governors voted to withdraw a request for a decision from the Postal Rate Commission on an experimental suspension of the fee for the manual Delivery Confirmation service category during a proposed December trial period.
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Responding To Terrorism
Some of the actions taken by the Postal Service including the following:
- Testing of more than 260 facilities nationwide;
- Remediating facilities where even trace spores of Anthrax were discovered. Five facilities remain closed-Brentwood (Washington, D.C. main post office), Pentagon Station, Trenton, N.J., and Kansas City Stamp Fulfillment Center;
- Testing of more than 8,800 employees; precautionary provision of antibiotic to an estimated 16,000 employees; 2 employees remain hospitalized;
- Educating customers with a post card sent to 145 million household and business addresses and daily interviews with all national media to share our understanding of the issues; information updated at least once daily on the Postal Service web site www.usps.com;
- Educating business customers with a video instructional materials for commercial mail rooms;
- Working closely every day with the unions and associations representing our employees, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to share information and address and resolve issues;
- Purchasing of 4.8 million masks and 90 million gloves;
- Offering flu shots to the postal workforce free of charge;
- Changing maintenance procedures to reduce the chance of bioagents being blown around the workplace and using new products that kill anthrax and other bacteria.
- Purchasing machines to sanitize the mail, and;
- Using existing private sector sanitization equipment on an interim basis for currently impacted mail.
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