U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley are putting a firm stamp of disapproval on U.S. Postal Service consolidation efforts in Southern Oregon, demanding a halt to any further downgrades in local mail operations.
The senators, both Democrats, released a joint statement Tuesday expressing ongoing concerns that U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s “Delivering for America Plan” is full of “negative consequences” for the region.
en un letter sent to DeJoy on Friday, the senators said they “share the grave concerns of the residents of Southern Oregon that this consolidation poses significant negative consequences for both our community and the efficiency of postal services in the region.”
“The Medford processing center plays a critical role in ensuring timely mail delivery for local residents, businesses, and government agencies,” the letter stated. “The consolidation of this facility has led to delays in mail delivery, affecting vital services like prescription deliveries, bill payments, and other essential communications.”
Wyden and Merkley wrote that these changes land hardest on seniors, rural Oregonians and small businesses in the area who rely on prompt and reliable postal delivery services. As part of DeJoy’s national plan, discussion of consolidating operations in Medford and Eugene began last summer with heavily attended community meetings.
Merkley first spoke out against the consolidation at the same time, voicing concern with changes taking place at the expense of postal customers.
“The only ‘consistent and transparent’ aspect of Postmaster Louis DeJoy’s poorly packaged ‘Delivering for America Plan’ is its stunning lack of consistency and transparency,” Merkley said at the time.
Postal workers cried foul in March when truck routes were reduced, resulting in mail and parcels being left at post office locations around the region overnight.
In May, Wyden denounced ongoing consolidation, which he said, “Just seems to be asinine, even by government standards.”
DeJoy announced a partial pause to his plan in mid-May. Days later, he issued a nine-page letter, detailing what had been paused and what had not, all in an effort to “rescue the United States Postal Service.”
DeJoy has noted previously that the Postal Service endured more than $100 billion in financial losses over the past decade and had been “well on its way” to losing another $160 billion in the next decade.
Postal workers voiced a new concern after the May 21 primary election, saying they were forced to deliver vote-by-mail election ballots in their personal vehicles.
Postal workers held an Aug. 3 rally in downtown Medford to raise awareness about concerns for election mail.
Jeremy Schilling, president of the American Postal Workers Union Local 342, said the ongoing changes had been debilitating for local postal workers and customers.
“The changes to Southern Oregon’s mail service and the changes in the United States, as whole, are detrimental to all of our communities,” Schilling told the Rogue Valley Times on Tuesday.
“USPS needs to be the model for both efficient and timely mail service as well as good paying careers for all communities in America. These changes continue to reduce gainful employment and slow the mail,” he said.
“The Postal Workers of Southern Oregon demand the return of local mail processing so that our community can continue to thrive.”
The senators reported in their statement on Tuesday that a informe reciente by the USPS Office of Inspector General that outlined areas of needed improvement “further illustrates Oregonians’ concerns as expressed by the senators’ letter about delays in first class mail deliveries.”
Schilling said a rally is set for 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1 at Vogel Plaza in downtown Medford.
The rally is in conjunction with the union’s National Day of Action, and is being co-hosted by the Northwest Seasonal Workers Association, the NALC and the Phoenix Talent Education Association, Schilling said, “to promote expanded Postal Service, the return of local mail processing, as well as to highlight our fight for a new contract.”
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