US Postal Service suspending pension contributions

[Leo99]

My

They need to allow an opt out.

I was a victim of Fraud years ago. Several times I would get an email with a PDF of a letter from my bank. A few days later the same letter arrived in the mail. I assume the law required them to mail one due to the fraud.

My kids are in their early 20's and I am certain they have no clue how to mail a letter.

My son is a homeowner for 3 years and has never written a check.

 

[6.7 CTD]

So your saying changes made 20 years ago are just now causing the USPS to be able to not afford their pension contributions?

The government has been in charge of running the post office since 1776. Maybe its time for new owner.

The effects didn't "just now" appear out of nowhere 20 years later. The pre-funding schedule created massive annual hits right after passage, coinciding with a sharp drop in first-class mail revenue. The USPS has been warning about this for over a decade, defaulting on payments, and limping along with temporary fixes. The 2022 reform helped but didn't fully resolve rate caps, borrowing limits ($15 billion cap unchanged for decades), or the core challenge of a declining mail base while maintaining universal service.

It's like loading a truck with extra weight in 2006, driving it for years until the suspension is destroyed, then acting surprised when it struggles in 2026.

As for "the government has been in charge since 1776—maybe it's time for a new owner": The modern USPS isn't the old cabinet-level Post Office Department. The Postal Reorganization Act of 1970 made it a self-supporting independent agency precisely to remove direct political control and run it more like a business (no taxpayer subsidies for operations). Privatization sounds simple, but it ignores the constitutional and statutory universal service obligation—reliable delivery everywhere, not just profitable routes. Private companies (UPS, FedEx) already compete aggressively on packages and have cherry-picked high-volume areas; they'd have no incentive to serve remote rural addresses at uniform low rates without massive government subsidies or higher prices for everyone else. The monopoly on letter mail exists to help fund that universal access, not as a "government inefficiency" perk.

 

[Arc]

I am ambivalent to Unions. I think its people's right to organize if they so choose irrelevant of where they work. I also believe in right to work - which most Unions don't actually which is also a hypocrisy. Different thread. Free will.

Still I agree with @Arc on this one. The NLRB by definition doesn't exist without unions, and hence are anything but unbias. Why Unions get some special biased group and the rest of us slugs get the normal courts is wrong. Equal protections under the law - in this case not. The NLRB needs to go. The Unions can stay - assuming there members want them to.

No, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) does not govern federal sector unions. Instead, federal employee labor relations are primarily governed by the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute and overseen by the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA), which handles organizing, bargaining, and unfair labor practices for federal employees.

• NLRB Scope: The NLRB covers most private-sector employees and the U.S. Postal Service.
• Exclusions: The National Labor Relations Act specifically excludes employees of federal, state, and local governments from its coverage.
• Federal Authority: The FLRA functions as the federal sector equivalent to the NLRB for government employees.

So while the NLRB does cover postal service employees, they do not cover all other federal unions. Just trying to stop the spread of ill informed federal union opinions presented as fact (such as above). Public and private sector unions are much different than most people realize. But you’re entitled to your opinion, even if it’s wrong. And hey, I’m just a federal employee, in a federal union (who voluntarily pays dues)…what would I know

Until you have experienced the management of a supervisor who implements disproportionate and arbitrary changes, or engages in blatant favoritism (and a plethora of similar egregious acts), you would not comprehend the necessity of a federal union.

I comprehend it pretty good. I never had a single employee complaint yet over a personal matter with the business administrator of a local Hall I was charged with unfair labor practice. What that means is they believe without a shred of proof that you have broken the law. When the NLRB can't find anything they have a federal judge sign off on a cease and desist because if you were cooperating they would have found something. The members of the NLRB are union protecting unions. The federal judges will sign off on anything put in front of them. When a corrupt union tells you to your face they are going to terminate your life and actually tries to do so it's just a little bit worse than "disproportionate and arbitrary changes, or engages in blatant favoritism". Nothing I say is ever opinion when it comes to the worthlessness of all unions.

 

[SC Maintenance]

The effects didn't "just now" appear out of nowhere 20 years later. The pre-funding schedule created massive annual hits right after passage, coinciding with a sharp drop in first-class mail revenue. The USPS has been warning about this for over a decade, defaulting on payments, and limping along with temporary fixes. The 2022 reform helped but didn't fully resolve rate caps, borrowing limits ($15 billion cap unchanged for decades), or the core challenge of a declining mail base while maintaining universal service.

It's like loading a truck with extra weight in 2006, driving it for years until the suspension is destroyed, then acting surprised when it struggles in 2026.

As for "the government has been in charge since 1776—maybe it's time for a new owner": The modern USPS isn't the old cabinet-level Post Office Department. The Postal Reorganization Act of 1970 made it a self-supporting independent agency precisely to remove direct political control and run it more like a business (no taxpayer subsidies for operations). Privatization sounds simple, but it ignores the constitutional and statutory universal service obligation—reliable delivery everywhere, not just profitable routes. Private companies (UPS, FedEx) already compete aggressively on packages and have cherry-picked high-volume areas; they'd have no incentive to serve remote rural addresses at uniform low rates without massive government subsidies or higher prices for everyone else. The monopoly on letter mail exists to help fund that universal access, not as a "government inefficiency" perk.

Money is not part of my argument for ending the USPS. Need, or lack of - is.

Nonetheless if you want to discuss money, the post office is suffering financially because 1) people don't mail letters anymore, and 2) people don't mail gifts, they get Amazon to gift wrap and deliver. All that is left is junk mail and Amazon packages to rural locations. There business model is no longer needed, even if it were the purvue of the federal government which it is not.

Time has passed them on. As soon as the generally older generation that still mails things is no longer a large enough block for anyone elected to care it will be closed without much of a whimper, or at least significantly downsized. This is already ordained.

 

[6.7 CTD]

I comprehend it pretty good. I never had a single employee complaint yet over a personal matter with the business administrator of a local Hall I was charged with unfair labor practice. What that means is they believe without a shred of proof that you have broken the law. When the NLRB can't find anything they have a federal judge sign off on a cease and desist because if you were cooperating they would have found something. The members of the NLRB are union protecting unions. The federal judges will sign off on anything put in front of them. When a corrupt union tells you to your face they are going to terminate your life and actually tries to do so it's just a little bit worse than "disproportionate and arbitrary changes, or engages in blatant favoritism". Nothing I say is ever opinion when it comes to the worthlessness of all unions.

Ahhh, I see now. This is a personal vendetta against unions. Just because I don’t like vanilla ice cream doesn’t mean vanilla ice cream should be eliminated.

Again, the NLRB only oversees private unions such as steam fitters, iron workers, plumbers, boiler makers, electricians, operators, etc. NOT federal unions (other than the postal service).

 

[SC Maintenance]

other than the postal service

This thread is about the post office

 

[6.7 CTD]

Money is not part of my argument for ending the USPS. Need, or lack of - is.

Nonetheless if you want to discuss money, the post office is suffering financially because 1) people don't mail letters anymore, and 2) people don't mail gifts, they get Amazon to gift wrap and deliver. All that is left is junk mail and Amazon packages to rural locations. There business model is no longer needed, even if it were the purvue of the federal government which it is not.

Time has passed them on. As soon as the generally older generation that still mails things is no longer a large enough block for anyone elected to care it will be closed without much of a whimper, or at least significantly downsized. This is already ordained.

In your recent comment, you mentioned the postal service pensions. I explicitly stated why I believe this is very much relevant to the topic I discussed regarding the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act.

Also, as someone who frequently sends bills through the mail and is in my early 40s, I find your assertion that no one is mailing anything to be somewhat inaccurate. Yes, I buy stamps often.

Seeing that you already have a preconceived notion about unions, the postal service, government, etc. I’m going to end this here.

 

[Arc]

This thread is about the post office

Sometimes I forget. I'm old and easily distracted Life is still good though

 

[Arc]

Ahhh, I see now. This is a personal vendetta against unions. Just because I don’t like vanilla ice cream doesn’t mean vanilla ice cream should be eliminated.

Again, the NLRB only oversees private unions such as steam fitters, iron workers, plumbers, boiler makers, electricians, operators, etc. NOT federal unions (other than the postal service).

No more vanilla ice cream for me.

 

[MrkofXcellence]

How many of those businesses are mandated to provide uniform service throughout the nation, including the boondocks and hinterlands where the Postal Service must deliver mail by snowmobile, motorboat, dog sled or seaplane? This is the biggest argument against privatization of the Postal Service. No one else will perform the service.

100%. And have their prices set by third-parties. And have their number of “franchises” set by third parties. I see the Post Office as more of a publicly regulated utility, with even less ability to raise rates. And all that pension pre-funding and then the expectation to break even. It is a setup for failure. One of the largest roles of government is to allow access to services deemed important for prosperity and health to citizens who otherwise wouldn’t have it. The only reason a lot of people in rural parts of this country right now have access to broadband fiber is due to government. Same with electricity 100 years ago. It would never make economic sense for any corporation to run powerlines to so many of the houses in so many places.

 

[Reloader59]

The police unions need to be the first to go.

And definitely Teachers Unions

 

[SC Maintenance]

Sometimes I forget. I'm old and easily distracted Life is still good though

Wasn't for you. The other poster kept saying NLRB doesn't apply to federal unions except the post office - but this thread is about post Office?

Your NLRB were spot on and I agree with them completely.

 

[SC Maintenance]

In your recent comment, you mentioned the postal service pensions. I explicitly stated why I believe this is very much relevant to the topic I discussed regarding the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act.

Also, as someone who frequently sends bills through the mail and is in my early 40s, I find your assertion that no one is mailing anything to be somewhat inaccurate. Yes, I buy stamps often.

Seeing that you already have a preconceived notion about unions, the postal service, government, etc. I’m going to end this here.

Thats rich, claim I am bias when everything you posted here is your bias. or a copy paste from the www. At least my thoughts and statements are my own and based in fact.

I made no negative statement on Unions - only the NLRB. So your misquoting me on that.

I find your assertion that no one is mailing anything to be somewhat inaccurate. Yes, I buy stamps often.

Here are some actual facts - from the USPS themselves: https://facts.usps.com/table-facts/

2016 mail volume 154 Billion pieces, total revenue $71.4B (inflation adjusted to 2024 for proper comparison via CPI = $94.1B)

2024 Volume (latest stats) mail volume 112 Billion pieces, total revenue $79.5B

So, using the USPS own numbers volume dropped by 37%, and inflation adjusted revenue dropped by 18%, in only 8 years. That is a pretty definitive crash for a entity that has existed 250 years. My "assertion" is completely spot on and backed by data.

Tough to blame that on some 20 year old pension accrual change. People don't mail letters anymore. Thats the problem in a nutshell.

 

[6.7 CTD]

The US postal service does not deliver on the end of a motorboat or seaplane - pure gibberish. US postal service only delivers on year round regularly maintained public roads.

Just like these “facts”…..yeah. At least they’re definitely your own “thoughts” (which were proven patently false rather quickly).

But hey, what’s great about the U.S. is that I can still keep buying stamps, and you can keep hoping the postal service goes away. Despite the agency not being funded by taxpayer dollars

I find your perspectives align with those of the Post-War generation and Generation Jones (not intending to be disrespectful). While this is acceptable, it is often straightforward to identify my interlocutor during debates.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Just like these “facts”…..yeah. At least they’re definitely your own “thoughts” (which were proven patently false rather quickly).

But hey, what’s great about the U.S. is that I can still keep buying stamps, and you can keep hoping the postal service goes away.

What precisely have I said which you proved false? The USPS state themselves that they only deliver to legitimate addresses on annually maintained roads. That is there policy. The argument made was they have to go everywhere, which is 100% false statement.

I apologize if you don't like the statistics the USPS publishes themselves. Yes my own thoughts are backed up by data, commonly known as reality.

Claiming I have something against Unions, and that the USPS is doing swimmingly but its all George Bush's fault is pure trash talk.

 

[6.7 CTD]

What precisely have I said which you proved false? The USPS state themselves that they only deliver to legitimate addresses on annually maintained roads. That is there policy. The argument made was they have to go everywhere, which is 100% false statement.

I apologize if you don't like the statistics the USPS publishes themselves. Yes my own thoughts are backed up by data, commonly known as reality.

Claiming I have something against Unions, and that the USPS is doing swimmingly but its all George Bush's fault is pure trash talk.

I’m not inferring that I proved anything. I believe @doitmyself posted a plethora of abstract delivery means disproving your statement. That’s what I was referring to.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I’m not inferring that I proved anything. I believe @doitmyself posted a plethora of abstract delivery means disproving your statement. That’s what I was referring to.

The floating post office on the Detroit River is the ONLY ONE of its kind. Read about it. https://bridgemi.com/outdoors-life/...-office-how-mail-gets-great-lakes-freighters/

The only place they use Mules is the Grand Canyon.

Stating the USPS has to go everywhere by using a couple extremely obscure examples that remain for historic reasons does not validate the argument. But its typical - blame everyone and everything but themselves and use obscure arguments to attempt to make the flawed argument work.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

Yes.

UPS doing everything to get rid of older employees at the top of the pay scale.

The company I work for also offering ‘early retirement’ package.

Another one: Things that sure are not the same anymore and no, I have no idea who to blame or why.

Around here we are certainly not happy with the new ones they are replaced with.

Things got so bad wife had to go in to the local and complain we were not getting our mail.
A week later we saw a new worker walking the route being followed (evaluated) we guessed. Things got a bit better after. Of course only for about 2-3 weeks and then back to several days of nothing and then a box stuffed full.

When we first moved here, the mail was in the box before 0900am every single day. Two women were the regulars route walkers. They parked the van two-three streets away and walked the routes. They even stopped and did small chit chat with folks along the way and still got it done asap.

Once they retired. BOOM! No mail until 0500pm if you were lucky and not every day. Before , we had always had some mail daily even if junk.

One day we noticed the van would slowly drive (now way way later in the day) up into each and every driveway where a new person who was so obese and near crippled looking would struggle to get out , walk to each mail box and then struggle to get back in and do the very same (drive up into the next home driveway and repeat the same routine over and over. Some days mail would not be in the box until near 0500pm. Ok, that person did not last long.

So , yea! we thought. They actually replaced the near disabled looking truly slow poke with a new younger girl. We had hopes it would get more like in the past. NOT! Even this new, younger, fit looking girl started out doing the same exact ..... drive the van into each house's driveway. The crazy part is this new fit looking one took even longer than the one she replaced... Ugh. Soon , she too was replaced by another who performed just as bad and as slow. Now we have no clue what or how things happened and changed , but now we seem to have a different route person each couple weeks and they are now back to parking the van block/streets away and walking to each house. Funny/strange thing is at least now the mail hits the box much earlier again. There must be some strange stuff going or people who are running the place!? Results of union? I have no clue results of what?

 

[6.7 CTD]

The floating post office on the Detroit River is the ONLY ONE of its kind. Read about it. https://bridgemi.com/outdoors-life/...-office-how-mail-gets-great-lakes-freighters/

The only place they use Mules is the Grand Canyon.

Stating the USPS has to go everywhere by using a couple extremely obscure examples that remain for historic reasons does not validate the argument. But its typical - blame everyone and everything but themselves and use obscure arguments to attempt to make the flawed argument work.

Of course, it doesn’t validate it, because it doesn’t fit your agenda. Im not blaming anyone. I provided facts regarding their financial woes which you chose not to accept

Also, if there’s one yellow car in the world, does that mean it’s not real or doesn’t exist? They’re still using those modes of delivery, period. Regardless of whether it’s only in one area.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Of course, it doesn’t validate it, because it doesn’t fit your agenda. Im not blaming anyone. I provided facts regarding their financial woes which you chose not to accept

Also, if there’s one yellow car in the world, does that mean it’s not real or doesn’t exist? They’re still using those modes of delivery, period. Regardless of whether it’s only in one area.

I don't have an agenda. Just providing facts.

We no longer communicate as a nation in print mail format for anything that matters. Therefore anything the USPS is moving doesn't matter and therefor should not be a federal government function. Federal government functions need to be for the specific purpose of maintaining the republic, and the USPS is no longer needed for that purpose. Sorry if that makes you unhappy but its true. Nothing you have said refutes that.

To add to the attrition is in the last 8 years the USPS business has cratered precipitously. This would be very difficult for any business to overcome. But even that is not my argument.

Your trying to blame the failure on an obscure benefit funding policy change implemented 20 years ago. Even if that were accurate, its well published fact that USPS pension is underfunded and health benefits significantly underfunded, and we the people no doubt will end up paying for that as well. So your argument is we need to continue underfunding them to help keep a failing enterprise we don't need afloat? That makes even less sense.

None of this makes any derogatory statements to the organization or its employees. Time has simply passed it by.