Louis DeJoy Is Destroying the Post Office and Hurting Workers

Louis DeJoy's tenure as Postmaster General has been marked by a series of devastating changes to the US Postal Service. He took over in June 2020, and since then, the agency has been plagued by delays, cancellations, and understaffing.

DeJoy has implemented a range of policies aimed at reducing costs and increasing efficiency, but they've had the opposite effect, causing widespread disruptions to mail and package delivery. He's also been accused of prioritizing profits over people, with devastating consequences for postal workers.

Under DeJoy's leadership, the Postal Service has eliminated overtime pay for postal workers, forcing many to choose between working long hours without compensation or taking time off without pay. This has led to a shortage of postal workers, exacerbating the existing backlog of mail and packages.

DeJoy has also implemented a series of cost-cutting measures, including the removal of mail sorting machines and the consolidation of post offices. These changes have resulted in longer delivery times and reduced services for customers.

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Louis DeJoy's restructuring plan for the Postal Service has been a disaster for employees and the organization as a whole. He restructured postal management in a way that some alleged would centralize mail-processing power around him, displacing two top executives and reassigning 23 more.

Critics have accused DeJoy of playing partisan games, as his plan has caused massive pay cuts for many carriers. A rural carrier from Arizona, who has over two decades of experience with the USPS, said they've never seen such a mass exodus of highly capable, long-term carriers from the organization.

DeJoy's plan, dubbed "Delivering For America", has caused many carriers to see their pay cut, making it harder for the Postal Service to keep workers. Some carriers were able to retire, while others just decided it wasn't worth it, leading to a difficult situation for those trying to stay on.

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The USPS plan to restructure has hit a snag, and the timeline has been delayed. The original plan aimed to implement changes by 2023, but it's now expected to be pushed back to 2024.

The delay is largely due to the complexity of the task at hand. The USPS has a massive network of over 40,000 post offices and processing facilities.

The USPS has a long history of serving the American public, dating back to 1775. It has been a vital part of the country's infrastructure for over two centuries.

One of the main reasons for the delay is the need to modernize the USPS's outdated technology. The agency's current systems are not equipped to handle the increasing volume of mail and packages.

The USPS has been working to improve its efficiency and reduce costs, but it's a slow process. The agency has already implemented some cost-cutting measures, such as reducing its workforce and closing underutilized post offices.

The USPS is also facing financial challenges, with a significant decline in mail volume over the past decade. In 2010, the USPS handled over 42 billion pieces of mail, but by 2020, that number had dropped to just over 23 billion.

The USPS has been exploring new revenue streams, such as offering package delivery services to businesses and individuals. This move is aimed at offsetting the decline in mail volume and improving the agency's financial stability.

The restructuring plan is a critical step towards ensuring the USPS's long-term viability. It's a complex and challenging process, but one that's necessary to keep the agency competitive and relevant in the modern era.

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The Postmaster General, Louis DeJoy, made a significant change to postal management early in his tenure. He restructured postal management in a way that some critics alleged would centralize mail-processing power around him.

In August 2020, DeJoy displaced two top executives and reassigned 23 more. This move was met with criticism from Senator Elizabeth Warren, who wrote on Twitter that DeJoy was playing partisan games and should focus on getting the mail delivered on time.

The restructuring was part of a larger effort to cut costs and improve efficiency. However, many postal employees expressed concerns that these changes would worsen the agency's financial situation.

Elizabeth Coonan, a steward for the American Postal Workers Union, argued that the changes would particularly harm offices that do a lot of business during the hours that were being cut.

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DeJoy's consolidation efforts have been massively controversial, with both Republican and Democratic officials criticizing the Postmaster General's plan.

The plan involves consolidating hundreds of smaller postal facilities into fewer, larger, and more-centralized sorting and processing centers.

This will result in thousands of postal jobs being eliminated, and tens of thousands of employees will be faced with relocating to a new job, possibly a couple of hundred miles away, or ending their careers at the Postal Service.

The consolidations will also create excess space in processing facilities that will then be used to house a sorting and delivery center, which relocates letter carriers away from post offices.

Letter carriers will need to drive 10 or 20 miles to their routes, increasing costs and pollution.

Postal rates will go up, volume will go down, jobs will be eliminated, service will deteriorate, and post offices will close or relocate to smaller spaces.

Steve Hutkins, a retired NYU English professor and founder of Save the Post Office, warned that the consolidations will lead to a decline in postal services and a negative impact on local communities.

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Louis DeJoy's policies have had a devastating impact on postal workers. He made it harder for workers to get overtime pay, with a leaked memo revealing that he directed a plan to reduce overtime for USPS workers in summer 2020.

This move was met with outrage from Senate Democrats, who wrote a letter to the Postmaster General in February 2021 calling out his directive. They noted that postal workers and business partners had reported concerning practices, including management rejecting most overtime requests.

Many long-term USPS employees have been inspired to quit due to DeJoy's compensation restructuring plans. These plans have caused massive pay cuts for many carriers, making it difficult for them to continue working for the organization.

A rural carrier from Arizona, who has over two decades of experience, shared their story with the World Socialist Web Site. They noted that they've never seen such a mass exodus of highly capable, long-term carriers leaving the organization.

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DeJoy reduced post office hours, only to face immediate backlash from postal employees who argued that these changes would worsen the agency's financial situation.

The decision to slash post office hours was made without adequate communication, leaving employees to deal with the consequences.

Many postal employees, including Elizabeth Coonan, a steward for the American Postal Workers Union Local 3264, spoke out against the changes, citing the importance of post office hours for business.

DeJoy eventually suspended the cuts but later reinstated plans to limit hours with the launch of DFA.

This decision has been met with criticism, with many warning that reduced services will ultimately destroy the Postal Service.

The consequences of reduced services are far-reaching, with thousands of postal jobs on the line and tens of thousands of employees facing relocation or career-ending decisions.

Steve Hutkins, a retired NYU English professor, estimates that consolidations will create excess space in processing facilities, leading to post office closures and relocations of retail services.

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Many carriers have lost trust in the Postal Service, with some feeling betrayed by the compensation restructuring plans initiated by Louis DeJoy.

The plans have caused massive pay cuts for many carriers, making it harder for them to make ends meet.

A rural carrier from Arizona, who has spent over two decades working for the USPS, has seen a "mass exodus of highly capable, long term carriers" leave the organization.

They've never seen such a large number of experienced carriers leave at the same time, and it's taking a toll on the remaining employees.

Some carriers were able to retire, but others simply decided it wasn't worth it to continue working under the new compensation plan.

One carrier, who is trying to stay for their last few years, says it's difficult to stay motivated under the new plan.

They wonder how a company can just take money out of their paychecks without any explanation or justification.

Under Louis DeJoy's leadership, the Post Office has seen a significant decline in service standards.

The Postal Service's on-time delivery rate for first-class mail has plummeted to just 62.2% in 2020, down from 92% in 2019.

DeJoy has implemented policies that prioritize cost-cutting over customer satisfaction, leading to a decrease in the number of postal trucks on the road.

With fewer trucks on the road, mail and packages are taking longer to arrive at their destinations.

The Postal Service's accountability to the public has also suffered under DeJoy's leadership, with a lack of transparency in decision-making and a failure to provide regular updates on service disruptions.

DeJoy has been criticized for his lack of experience in the postal industry, having previously worked as a logistics executive for a private company.

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