Postal Mail Processing Plant Consolidation Information

Keeping Track of Mail Processing Plant Consolidations - Closures

Updated July 31, 2006

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Resources

USPS - What Is Area Mail Processing

Public Supports Postal Workers’ Efforts To Preserve Service, Postmarks, Jobs - From Waterbury to Waco, from western Pennsylvania to Pacific Palisades, public officials, consumers, and local businesses are expressing alarm at wide-ranging plans to consolidate “some operations” at postal facilities around the country. (APWU - 1/24/06)

APWU: USPS Network Realignment Plans Spark Controversies
Consumers, Postal Workers Air Concerns About 'Consolidation' - (1/03/06)

OIG Audit Report - Area Mail Processing Guidelines (includes flowchart for AMP process) (12/21/05)

APWU: Locals Threatened with Consolidation Are Urged to Take Action to Protect Jobs, Service

APWU: Olympian Effort May Be Model
For Combating Consolidation

(12/22/05)

OLYMPIA, Washington Consolidation Information

Procedures for Closing Postal Facilities [pdf]

NALC Branch 78

NAPUS Action Guide for preventing the closing or consolidation of post office

GAO Report: U.S. Postal Service: The Service’s Strategy for Realigning Its Mail Processing
Infrastructure Lacks Clarity, Criteria, and Accountability

(April, 2005)

Notice from USPS to APWU on standardizing all AMCs- AMFs- ATO

PO 408 [6.3mb pdf],

Postal manual covering consolidations (APWU)

When Excessing Occurs...
Know Your Rights and Benefits

(APWU)

more info on excessing

Chapter 44 of the CSRS and FERS Handbook, published by the OPM contains information about Discontinued Service Retirement

Questions and Answers About Veterans’ Preference, provides information about impact of veterans’ preference on excessing.

APWU and USPS Agree to Joint Q&A on Application of Article 12 to Excessing Issues

If a dispute arises, the local parties should use the Article 12 Q&A’s in conjunction with the APWU/USPS Joint Contract Interpretation Manual (JCIM)

50 mile Radius Rule

USPS Strategic Transformation Plan 2006-2010

APWU: USPS Lists 139 Facilities As ‘Potential Candidates’ for Consolidation - "The Postal Service was forced to acknowledge in testimony to the Postal Rate Commission (PRC) in July that nearly a year ago it had compiled a list of 139 facilities that were being considered “potential candidates” for consolidation. The USPS provided the list to the PRC on July 25.David Williams, who coordinates the Area Mail Processing program at USPS headquarters, revealed the existence of the list during cross-examination on July 19. He testified that the list of facilities was part of the Evolutionary Network Development (END) initiative, and was generated in September 2005. It identified facilities that postal headquarters wanted regional managers to consider for possible inclusion in the program, he said .”

(7/31)|

Five Consolidations Cancelled
USPS: ‘No Significant Opportunities to Improve Service’

APWU Web News Article #32-06, May 24, 2006

The APWU has been notified that the proposed consolidation of “certain operations” at five postal facilities in the Northeast Area has been cancelled, because they present no substantial opportunities to improve efficiency or service. The five facilities are:

Utica (NY) Processing & Distribution Facility
Plattsburgh (NY) Post Office
Burlington (VT) P&DF
Springfield (MA) Processing & Distribution Center
Portsmouth (NH) P&DF

In a May 22 letter [PDF] to APWU President William Burrus, the USPS wrote, “After careful and exhaustive review, it has been determined that there are currently no significant opportunities to improve efficiency or service through consolidation of mail processing operations at the locations listed above. Therefore, no significant changes will be made at this time.”

Burrus said he was pleased by the decision, but added, “I am certain that a fair and impartial analysis of the proposed consolidations would yield the same result in virtually every case.” The Postal Service has implemented 10 consolidations since October 2005, and has announced “feasibility studies” for consolidations at approximately 40 more since then.

“The Postal Services attempts at consolidation clash with the objective of service,” Burrus said. “The USPS has an obligation to provide high-quality service to every American. Removing operations from communities across the country will result in delayed mail service to the vast majority of citizens in the affected areas.”

The five facilities listed in the May 22 letter to the APWU were identified for “studies for the feasibility of consolidating certain mail processing operations” in November 2005.

Five AMP Consolidation Studies Put ‘On Hold’

APWU Web News Article #23-06, April 6, 2006

The APWU has been notified that five Area Mail Processing (AMP) feasibility studies “have been placed on hold” indefinitely.

An April 3 letter [PDF] to APWU President William Burrus indicated that the facilities involved are two in Illinois (Carbondale and Centralia), two in New Mexico (Las Cruces and Alamogordo), and one in Arkansas (Batesville).

“While conducting the study,” the USPS letter said, “the Postal Service determined that there are other factors associated with these studies or the community that need to be addressed before we can proceed with the study.”

“We have not been provided any explanation for the decision,” said APWU President William Burrus. “We have not been informed whether these decisions are the result of community resistance or technical issues involving appropriate management review and approval for the studies.”

The USPS has announced more than 50 consolidations or consolidation “feasibility studies” since Oct. 19, 2005. The Illinois studies were announced in December, and contemplated moving mail processing from these facilities to St. Louis. The Las Cruces and Alamogordo studies were announced Nov. 15, and Feb. 1, respectively, and anticipated transferring mail processing to El Paso, TX. The Batesville AMP was announced on Jan. 4, and concerned shifting mail-processing responsibilities to Little Rock

USPS Briefs APWU on Plans to Realign Network

Feb. 15, 2006

The Postal Service outlined the long-awaited Evolutionary Network Development (END) program in a meeting with APWU officers Feb. 14, 2006, the same day it submitted the plan to the Postal Rate Commission (PRC) for evaluation. The USPS is required by law to seek an advisory opinion from the PRC when it proposes to make changes in service that are national in scope.

Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Postal Service is also required to notify the union when a major relocation of employees is planned “due to the implementation of national postal mail networks.”

The APWU filed a Notice of Intervention with the PRC Feb. 15, advising the agency of the union’s intent to participate in any proceedings that occur as a result of the USPS submission.

The USPS plans to replace the nine existing facility-types with five processing facility-types:

Regional Distribution Centers (RDCs), which will process all classes of parcels and bundles and serve as Surface Transfer Centers
Local Processing Centers (LPCs), which will process single-piece letters and flats and cancel mail
Destination Processing Centers (DPC), which will process single-piece letters and flats;
Airport Transfer Centers (ATCs), which will serve as transfer points only, and
Remote Encoding Centers (RECs)

Over a period of years, these facilities are expected to replace Processsing & Distribution Centers, Customer Service Facilities, Bulk Mail Centers, Logistic and Distribution Centers, annexes, the Hub and Spoke Program, Air Mail Centers, Remote Encoding Centers, and International Service Centers.

The network must change, USPS representatives said, due to declining volumes of single-piece first-class mail, population shifts, the increase in drop shipments by advertising mailers at destinating postal facilities, advancements in equipment and technology, redundancies in the existing network, and the need for operational flexibility.

Tentative Agreements

In accordance with Article 12.4.B. of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, postal management must meet with the union at the national level “at least 90 days in advance of implementation” of a network realignment plan to fully advise the union.

The Feb. 14 presentation [USPS slideshow - PDF] will serve as official notice to the national union that management intends to restructure the national postal mail network. (It also satisfies the requirement of the 2003 contract extension to provide the union with notice of the USPS plan to “consolidate installations.”)

Article 12.4.B. also requires management to meet with regional union officials in advance of the reassignment of employees, by as much as six months, whenever possible. Tentative agreement was reached at the meeting that management would adhere to this requirement at the conclusion of the 90-day notice to the national union.

The union and management also agreed to establish a special dispute-resolution process dedicated to issues that arise out of the network redevelopment plan. The union and management at the national level will determine the specifics of the process.

Attending the briefing at the union’s national office were APWU President William Burrus, Industrial Relations Director Greg Bell, Clerk Craft Director Jim McCarthy, Maintenance Craft Director Steve Raymer, Motor Vehicle Services Craft Director Bob Pritchard, Northeast Regional Coordinator Liz Powell, Central Regional Coordinator Sharyn Stone, Legislative Director Myke Reid, and the union’s legal counsel. National Business Agent Eric Wilson attended on behalf of Eastern Regional Coordinator Jim Burke, who was unable to participate.

The Evolutionary Network Development (END) is the Postal Service’s network redesign strategy. The END initiative is to migrate to a flexible network that increases operational efficiency, reduces costs, and improves consistency of service. This future network will have Regional Distribution Centers, Local Processing Centers, and Destinating Processing Centers. Significant changes are also taking place in the mail processing operations at the network level. Some examples of processing changes are:

New automated equipment that is being developed will sequence flats (large envelopes, magazines, and publications) in delivery order. This will eliminate manual sorting and thereby achieve savings. The Postal Service plans to field test this equipment in April 2006 with deployment scheduled to begin early in 2008.

Other new equipment has been developed to further automate the parcel process and eliminate manual keying of addresses. These machines are currently being deployed in large plants to replace small parcel sorting machines.

Elimination of some outdated and labor-intensive mail bag sorting machines will increase efficiency in plants. Mail in trays is more efficient and easier to process.

The Postal Service is also making network infrastructure changes to improve efficiency and service, as well as reduce costs. Examples include:

Closing over 50 annexes that are temporary plants used for mail processing when space is limited.
Closing over 38 Remote Encoding Centers that assign barcodes to mail pieces from out-of-town locations.
Converting BMCs that process and distribute bulk Standard Mail and parcels to Regional Distribution Centers to address redundancies in the network.
Converting Priority Mail Processing Centers that process only Priority Mail, to Logistics and Distribution Centers that process multiple types of mail. source: USPS OIG Semiannual Report to Congress

Mail Processing
Integrated operating plans will improve mail processing performance and
reduce process variability between tours and among plants and Post
Offices. These plans, to be implemented nationally in 2006, will set critical
entry and clearance times by operation to ensure service targets are met
consistently. The Postal Service will further standardize equipment and
floor layouts at plants and Post Offices to reduce mail flow inefficiencies.
To further capture the benefits of automation, the Postal Service has set a
target to reduce manual letter distribution volume to 10 percent and manual
flat distribution volume to 45 percent in 2007. Mail processing activities
will continually be reviewed and refined in all plants and operations in
conjunction with the introduction of new technologies and equipment. BPI
will also be employed to replicate successes from the top-performing plants
to those plants that are performing at a lower level.

source: USPS Transformation Plan 2006-2010

List of Facilities

Ask President Burrus
Question: Why was the national APWU caught off guard by the USPS consolidation plans? The only time I know of that the APWU protested management’s refusal to provide the consolidation plan was during the first year of the contract extension. Why was there no follow-up? Why wasn’t legal action taken or a grievance filed? What is the national doing in regard to all the Area Mail Processing (AMP) studies? Grassroots efforts are fine, but what is the national union doing?

Answer (in part): We are continuing to review the options for filing a lawsuit, and are reaching out to appropriate congressional representatives and requesting their assistance. In addition to these activities, we took steps to inform and mobilize the union membership. Early in 2003 we distributed a packet to all local and state presidents outlining methods for organizing union members and involving the community in efforts to oppose consolidation. (1/18/06)

APWU: Postal Operations Identified for Consolidation or Study

APWU has received notification from the USPS that some operations at the facilities listed below would be consolidated, or that the facilities would be the subject of AMP (Area Mail Processing) studies. (Updated 01/09/06)

AMP is the consolidation of selected processing functions, typically from several facilities into one centralized facility. It eliminates excess capacity and makes better use of space, staffing, equipment, and transportation. AMP will result in some consolidation of mail cancellation and outgoing distribution. Consolidation among existing facilities will also be identified for processing of First-Class Mail 2- and 3-day service areas. Consolidating mail from multiple plants improves productivity, increases mail density in containers, and achieves better utilization of transportation capacity. The role of airport mail centers will also be re-examined, case by case, to determine if high-cost on-airport facilities can be reduced and better coordinated using third-party facilities. source: USPS Transformation Plan 2006-2010

Date of
Notification Facility Into Facility

Notice of Area Mail Processing Study, 05/08/06 [PDF] Flint (MI) and Detroit (MI) P&DCs NE Metro (MI) P&DC

Notice of Area Mail Processing Studies Placed on Hold, 04/03/06 [PDF] Carbondale (IL) Post Office
Centralia (IL) Post Office
Las Cruces (NM) Post Office
Alamogordo (NM) Post Office
Batesville (AR) Post Office St. Louis P&DC
St. Louis P&DC
El Paso P&DC
El Paso P&DC
Little Rock P&DC

Revised
03/27/06 [PDF] Rockford (IL) P&DC Palatine (IL) P&DC

Revised
02/01/06 [PDF] Daytona Beach, FL P&DC AMP Mid-Florida, FL P&DC

Sheridan, WY CSMPC Casper, WY P&DC

01/06/06 [PDF] Alamogordo, NM Post Office EL Paso, TX P&DC

McAllen, TX Post Office Corpus Christi, TX P&DF

Waco, TX P&DF Fort Worth, TX P&DC and
Austin, TX P&DC

Bryan, TX Post Office Houston, TX P&DC

Cumberland, MD Main Post Office Frederick, MD P&DF

01/04/2006 [PDF] Batesville (AR) Post Office Little Rock (AR) P&DC

12/20/2005 [PDF] Bronx (NY) P&DC Morgan (NY) P&DC

12/19/2005 [PDF] Gaylord (MI) Main Post Office Traverse City (MI) Processing P&DC

12/15/2005 [PDF] Daytona Beach (FL) P&DC Jacksonville (FL) P&DC

Saint Petersburg (FL) P&DC Tampa (FL) P&DC)

12/12/2005 [PDF] Aberdeen (SD) CSMPC Dakota Central (Huron, SD) P&DC

Carroll (IA) CSMPC Des Moines (IA) P&DC

Glenwood Springs (CO) CSMPC Grand Junction (CO) CSMPC

Helena (MT) CSMPC Great Falls (MT) CSMPC

Hutchinson (KS) CSMPC Wichita (KS) P&DC

LaCrosse (WI) CSMPC Rochester (MN) P&DF

Sheridan (WY) CSMPC Billings (MT) P&DC

Twin Falls (ID) CSMPC Boise (ID) P&DC

Wheatland (WY) CSMPC Cheyenne (WY) P&DC

McCook (NE) CSMPC North Platte (NE) CSMPC

12/8/2005 [PDF] Bloomington (IN) P&DC Indianapolis (IN) P&DC

12/5/2005 [PDF] Carbondale (IL) Post Office St. Louis P&DC

Centralia (IL) Post Office St. Louis P&D

12/2/2005 [PDF] Yakima (WA) Post Office Pasco (WA) P&DF

12/1/2005 [PDF] Oshkosh (WI) P&DF Green Bay (WI) P&DC

11/23/2005 [PDF] Fox Valley (IL) P&DC South Suburban (IL) P&D

Rockford (IL) P&DC Palatine (IL) P&DC

Newark (NJ) P&DC DVD (NJ) P&DC

11/21/2005 [PDF] Canton (OH) Akron (OH)

Zanesville (OH) Columbus (OH)

Jackson (TN) Memphis (TN)

11/16/2005 [PDF] Beaumont (TX) P&DF Houston (TX) P&DC

11/15/2005 [PDF] Binghamton (NY) P&DF Syracuse (NY) P&DC

Watertown (NY) Post Office Syracuse (NY) P&DC

Utica (NY) P&DF Syracuse (NY) P&DC

Plattsburgh (NY) Post Office Albany (NY) P&DC

Burlington (VT) P&DF White River Junction (VT) P&DC

Springfield (MA) P&DC Hartford (CT) P&DC

Cape Cod (MA) P&DF Brockton (MA) P&DC

Dallas (TX) P&DC North Texas P&DC

Las Cruces (NM) Post Office El Paso (TX) P&DC

Kansas City (KS) P&DC Kansas City (MO) P&DC

Sioux City (IA) P&DF Sioux Falls (SD) P&DC

11/1/2005 [PDF] Olympia (WA) P&DF Tacoma (WA) P&DC

10/19/2005 [PDF] Bridgeport (CT) P&DF Stamford (CT) P&DC

Monmouth (NJ) P&DC Trenton (NJ) P&DC and
Kilmer (NJ) P&DC

Pasadena (CA) P&DC Industry (CA) P&DC and
Santa Clarita (CA) P&DC

Waterbury (CT) P&DF Southern Connecticut P&DC

Kinston (NC) P&DF Fayetteville (NC) P&DF

Greensburg (PA) Post Office Pittsburgh (PA) P&DC

Mojave (CA) Post Office Bakersfield (CA) P&DC

NW Boston (MA) P&DC Boston (MA) P&DC

Marysville (CA) P&DF Sacramento P&DC+A1

A USPS letter dated Dec. 20, 2005, notified the APWU of management's intent to conduct an AMP survey for the feasibility of consolidating certain mail processing operations at the following location:

Bronx (NY) P&DC into the Morgan (NY) P&DC

In a letter dated Dec. 19, 2005, the USPS notified the APWU of its intent to conduct an AMP survey for the feasibility of consolidating certain mail processing operations at the following facilities:

Gaylord (MI) Main Post Office into Traverse City (MI) P&DC

A USPS letter dated Dec. 15, 2005, notified the APWU of management's intent to conduct an AMP survey for the feasibility of consolidating certain mail processing operations at the following locations:

Daytona Beach (FL) P&DF into Jacksonville (FL) P&DC
Saint Petersburg (FL) P&DC into Tampa (FL) P&DC

A USPS letter dated Dec. 12, 2005, notified the APWU of management's intent to conduct an AMP survey for the feasibility of consolidating certain mail processing operations at the following locations:

Aberdeen (SD) Customer Service Mail Processing Center (CSMPC) into Dakota Central (Huron SD) P&DC
Carroll (IA) CSMPC into Des Moines (IA) P&DC
Glenwood Springs (CO) CSMPC into Grand Junction (CO) CSMPC
Helena (MT) CSMPC into Great Falls (MT) CSMPC
Hutchinson (KS) CSMPC into Wichita (KS) P&DC
LaCrosse (WI) CSMPC into Rochester (MN) P&DF
Sheridan (WY) CSMPC into Billings (MT) P&DC
Twin Falls (ID) CSMPC into Boise (ID) P&DC
Wheatland (WY) CSMPC into Cheyenne (WY) P&DC
McCook (NE) CSMPC into North Platte (NE) CSMPC

In a letter dated Dec. 8, 2005, the USPS notified the APWU of its intent to conduct an AMP survey for the feasibility of consolidating certain mail processing operations at the following facilities:

Bloomington (IN) P&DC with Indianapolis (IN) P&DC

A USPS letter dated Dec. 5, 2005, notified the APWU that AMP Feasibility Surveys would be performed at the following sites:

Carbondale (IL) Post Office into St. Louis P&DC
Centralia (IL) Post Office into St. Louis P&DC

In a letter dated Dec. 2, 2005, the USPS informed the APWU of its intent to conduct an AMP survey for the feasibility of consolidating certain mail processing operations at the following facilities:

Yakima (WA) Post Office with Pasco (WA) P&DF

A USPS letter dated Dec. 1, 2005, notified the APWU that an AMP Survey would be conducted for the feasibility of consolidating certain mail processing operations of the following sites:

Oshkosh (WI) P&DF with Green Bay P&DC

A USPS letter dated Nov. 23 listed three new sites where Area Mail Processing Feasibility Studies would be performed and provided written confirmation that studies would be conducted at 16 previously identified sites. The three new sites are:

Fox Valley (IN) P&DC into South Suburban (IL) P&DC
Rockford (IL) P&DC into Palatine (IL) P&DC
Zanesville (OH) P&DC into Columbus (OH) P&DC

On Nov. 21, USPS officials sent electronic messages to the APWU notifying the union that the following locations would be the subject of AMP studies:

Canton (OH) into Akron (OH)
Zanesville (OH) into Columbus (OH)
Jackson (TN) into Memphis (TN) - Officials say a study of the issue could be done by early January, and any moves could happen shortly after that. But some postal workers say they've been told that the decision has been made, and things would start moving in January.

On Nov. 16, USPS officials sent an electronic message to the APWU notifying the union that the following locations would be the subject of an AMP study:

Beaumont (TX) P&DF to Houston P&DC

On Nov. 15, USPS officials sent electronic messages to the APWU notifying the union that the following locations would be the subject of AMP studies:

Binghamton (NY) P&DF into Syracuse (NY) P&DC
Watertown (NY) Post Office into Syracuse (NY) P&DC
Utica (NY) P&DF into Syracuse (NY) P&DC
Plattsburgh (NY) Post Office into Albany (NY) P&DC
Burlington (VT) P&DF into White River Jct. (VT) P&DC
Springfield (MA) P&DC into Hartford (CT) P&DC
Cape Cod (MA) P&DF into Brockton (MA) P&DC
Portsmouth (NH) P&DF into Manchester (NH) P&DC
Dallas P&DC to North Texas P&DC
Las Cruces (NM) PO to El Paso (TX) P&DC
Kansas City (KS) P&DC to Kansas City (MO) P&DC
Sioux City (IA) P&DF to Sioux Falls (SD) P&DC

A USPS letter dated Nov. 1 informed the APWU that the Postal Service headquarters officials had announced plans to consolidate certain mail processing operations:

Olympia (WA) P&DF into Tacoma (WA) P&DC

An Oct. 19 letter from the Postal Service notified the national union that mail processing operations would be consolidated as follows:

Bridgeport (CT) P&DF into Stamford (CT) P&DC
Monmouth (NJ) P&DC into Trenton (NJ) P&DC and Kilmer (NJ) P&DC
Pasadena (CA) P&DC into Industry (CA) P&DC and Santa Clarita (CA) P&DC Notice
Waterbury (CT) P&DF into Southern Connecticut P&DC
Kinston (NC) P&DF into Fayetteville (NC) P&DF
Greensburg (PA) Post Office into Pittsburgh P&DC
Mojave (CA) Post Office into Bakersfield (CA) P&DC Notice NW Boston (MA) P&DC into Boston P&DC
Marysville (CA) P&DF into Sacramento P&DC Notice (p