Stamp prices go up to 45c; postal labor talks fail

[n2doc]

Postage rates jumped Sunday for the first time in two-and-a-half years as the U.S. Postal Service hopes to generate more revenue amid historic losses.

First-class postage stamps now cost 45 cents each, a price jump that officials anticipate will generate an additional $888 million in annual revenue. The rate increase does not affect the use of Forever stamps purchased before Sunday.

The price hike comes as negotiations between the U.S. Postal Service and two of its labor unions reached an impasse that may eventually require a ruling by an arbitrator.

Postal and union officials announced late Friday that separate talks had collapsed between USPS and the National Association of Letter Carriers and the National Postal Mail Handlers Union. Contracts with both unions, which represent a combined 242,000 postal workers, expired in late November. Negotiations were extended twice before failing Friday.


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http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/post/stamp-prices-go-up-as-postal-labor-talks-fail/2012/01/22/gIQAnoYeIQ_blog.html

[IcyPeas]

1. I think 45 cents to send a letter is pretty cheap

[jwirr]

3. I have no problems with this - except of course I will have to buy stamps to use my old ones.

[trackfan]

4. I made the post office for 18¢!!!

Just the other day, I bought a pack of Forever stamps at the old rate.

[HopeHoops]

5. It is STILL the cheapest way to send anything!

It will cost 1.05 (up from 98 cents) to send my daughter a letter while she's in Hungary. How about asking FedEx what they would charge?

[RebelOne]

6. I very seldom use the U.S. mail.

All my bills are paid online through my bank. Let the bank pick up the stamp price.

[riderinthestorm]

7. I've never had a bad experience with the USPS. FedEx and UPS are completely different stories - bad!

It's still the cheapest way to go and since I'm rural, I know that UPS and FedEx are using the USPS as their last deliverer and taking advantage of those low Postal rates.

I went to buy more "forever" stamps this week before the rate change and my local Post Office only had holiday stamps and Ronald Reagan stamps left.

So my letter are going to be mailed with Hanukkah stamps for a LOOOOONNNNNG time (since there's no way in hell I'd do the Reagan stamps!)