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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Public Has a Right to Know Every Detail of Louis DeJoy's Destructive Agenda
https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/louis-dejoy-postal-service-agendaNov. 18, 2023 Common Dreams
SNIP
But when the Postal Board of Governors met this week for their final open session of the year, there was one major difference from its previous quarterly meetings: virtual and remote public comments were, without explanation, banned. This abrupt new barrier to public accessibility led the number of public commenters which in recent meetings has been a double-digit tally to drop to 4. The decline in attendance was also likely compounded by an unexplained shift in the meeting time: whereas past meetings have been held at 4:00pm ET, Tuesdays session was held at noon the middle of the workday.
The Boards decision to not allow virtual comments at the November 14th meeting follows another alarming recent attempt to suppress public input. At the August 2023 meeting, each public commenter was allotted only 25 seconds to speak, in sharp contrast to the typical 3 minute time limit. And past meetings were not beacons of accountability, either. The Postal Governors never responded to any comments raised by the public, and the comment period itself was always excluded from the official publicly available USPS recording of the formal session.
But next year, the Postal Boards accountability problem will get even worse. During Tuesdays meeting, Postal Board Deputy Secretary Lucy Trout explained, starting next year, the Postal Board will only hear public comments once per year in November. In other words, though the next three Postal Board meetings (February, May, and August 2024) are ostensibly public sessions, members of the public will have no opportunity to inform the Postal Board about their concerns until a year from now.
And its not as if postal workers, customers, and public advocates dont have anything pressing to alert the Board about. On the contrary, DeJoy has continued to advance a destructive agenda that includes:
--Five successive postage rate increases, which have risked driving away business and failed to improve USPS financial standing, despite DeJoys promises.
--A 10-year stealth privatization plan that is being advanced with zero opportunities for public input and would increase delivery times, slash 50,000 jobs through attrition, and cut operations at more than 200 post offices and sorting facilities, which could devastate rural and Indigenous communities.
--A next-gen postal fleet contract with Oshkosh Defense that is nearly 40% gas-guzzler and 100% built with non-union scab labor. UAW workers from Oshkosh have regularly attended postal board meetings (including Tuesdays) to call for an investigation into the companys union avoidance scheme and for the Board to rebid a new, union-built contract.
-- Failure to protect USPS staff from a dangerous summer heatwave that killed one postal worker, even after members of Congress urged improvements to the USPS heat safety protection plan and letter carriers alleged their managers were routinely falsifying safety documents.
--Refusal to support alternative revenue sources that could strengthen USPS, such as postal banking, grocery delivery, or electric vehicle charging stations.
SNIP
But when the Postal Board of Governors met this week for their final open session of the year, there was one major difference from its previous quarterly meetings: virtual and remote public comments were, without explanation, banned. This abrupt new barrier to public accessibility led the number of public commenters which in recent meetings has been a double-digit tally to drop to 4. The decline in attendance was also likely compounded by an unexplained shift in the meeting time: whereas past meetings have been held at 4:00pm ET, Tuesdays session was held at noon the middle of the workday.
The Boards decision to not allow virtual comments at the November 14th meeting follows another alarming recent attempt to suppress public input. At the August 2023 meeting, each public commenter was allotted only 25 seconds to speak, in sharp contrast to the typical 3 minute time limit. And past meetings were not beacons of accountability, either. The Postal Governors never responded to any comments raised by the public, and the comment period itself was always excluded from the official publicly available USPS recording of the formal session.
But next year, the Postal Boards accountability problem will get even worse. During Tuesdays meeting, Postal Board Deputy Secretary Lucy Trout explained, starting next year, the Postal Board will only hear public comments once per year in November. In other words, though the next three Postal Board meetings (February, May, and August 2024) are ostensibly public sessions, members of the public will have no opportunity to inform the Postal Board about their concerns until a year from now.
And its not as if postal workers, customers, and public advocates dont have anything pressing to alert the Board about. On the contrary, DeJoy has continued to advance a destructive agenda that includes:
--Five successive postage rate increases, which have risked driving away business and failed to improve USPS financial standing, despite DeJoys promises.
--A 10-year stealth privatization plan that is being advanced with zero opportunities for public input and would increase delivery times, slash 50,000 jobs through attrition, and cut operations at more than 200 post offices and sorting facilities, which could devastate rural and Indigenous communities.
--A next-gen postal fleet contract with Oshkosh Defense that is nearly 40% gas-guzzler and 100% built with non-union scab labor. UAW workers from Oshkosh have regularly attended postal board meetings (including Tuesdays) to call for an investigation into the companys union avoidance scheme and for the Board to rebid a new, union-built contract.
-- Failure to protect USPS staff from a dangerous summer heatwave that killed one postal worker, even after members of Congress urged improvements to the USPS heat safety protection plan and letter carriers alleged their managers were routinely falsifying safety documents.
--Refusal to support alternative revenue sources that could strengthen USPS, such as postal banking, grocery delivery, or electric vehicle charging stations.
SNIP
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DeJoy MUST GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHY IS HE STILL THERE??????

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The Public Has a Right to Know Every Detail of Louis DeJoy's Destructive Agenda (Original Post)
diva77
Nov 2023
OP
"WHY IS HE STILL THERE??????" Because Biden has not named anyone to the board of governors who are willing to remove
WhiskeyGrinder
Nov 2023
#2
Surely there must be a cost-benefit analysis to make such a business decision. Let's see it.
keithbvadu2
Nov 2023
#5
points
(34 posts)1. DeJoy is a wrecking ball
It's ridiculously frustrating to have to use so many exclamation marks all the time when discussing him. I agree with you 100%. He's uniquely UNqualified for the job, and he's already shown us his disregard for the service he is now in charge of.
WhiskeyGrinder
(24,282 posts)2. "WHY IS HE STILL THERE??????" Because Biden has not named anyone to the board of governors who are willing to remove
DeJoy. He's named only supporters.
no_hypocrisy
(49,918 posts)3. I have to mail my payment to the credit card company nearly the day after
I receive it in the mail, to ensure that it arrives before the Due Date. It used to take five business days at the most before the Due Date.
niyad
(121,912 posts)4. May he and his enablers receive everything they deserve.
keithbvadu2
(40,915 posts)5. Surely there must be a cost-benefit analysis to make such a business decision. Let's see it.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142694437
DeJoy's new plan for USPS: Slower mail and higher prices, sources say
Self-serving sycophant of Trump with a goal of sabotaging the PO for two reasons: his own gain and loyalty to Trump.
Destroying mail sorting machines worth million$ and going back to manual labor.
Surely there must be a cost-benefit analysis to make such a business decision. Let's see it.
DeJoy's new plan for USPS: Slower mail and higher prices, sources say
Self-serving sycophant of Trump with a goal of sabotaging the PO for two reasons: his own gain and loyalty to Trump.
Destroying mail sorting machines worth million$ and going back to manual labor.
Surely there must be a cost-benefit analysis to make such a business decision. Let's see it.
paleotn
(19,853 posts)6. Why is he still employed at the Postal Service? Why?
Tree Lady
(12,212 posts)8. Just took 2 1/2 weeks
For birthday card to get to my daughter. Used to take 3 days.