Postal workers will host awareness meeting
Sioux City's postmark is in danger, they say
By Nicole Paseka Journal intern | Posted: Friday, December 30, 2005
Members of the American Postal Workers Union Local 186 continue to rally support for the preservation of Sioux City's postmark.
"We need everyone in the community behind us," said Don Stusse, a member of the union.
Union members will host a community awareness meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the council chambers of City Hall.
The U.S. Postal Service is conducting a feasibility study of the Sioux City Mail Processing and Distribution Center. Union members fear that as a result of the study, Siouxland's mail will be processed and "canceled" in Sioux Falls rather than in Sioux City.
Mail processed in Sioux Falls would have a two-day delivery commitment for mail addressed to communities in Northwest Iowa and Northeast Nebraska. Currently, these communities have next-day delivery.
Not only would mail take longer to reach its recipients, but the move could harm Sioux City's economy and result in a loss of community identity, union members say.
"We need people to write or call their senators or congressmen," Stusse said.
Results of the feasibility study will be released in four to six weeks.
Stusse said the U.S. Postal Service has requested "numbers from the mail plant on what the cost is to operate it on an annual basis."
Numerous politicians, including U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa; U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa; and U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, were invited to Wednesday's meeting, Stusse said.
Also invited was Doug Morrow, Hawkeye District manager for the U.S. Postal Service in Des Moines. Union members have voiced concerns that Morrow is behind the feasibility study.
"We did put a personal invite out to Hawkeye District manager Doug Morrow," Stusse said. "He respectfully declined."
Richard Watkins, spokesman for the Hawkeye District of the U.S. Postal Service in Des Moines, confirmed that Morrow will not attend the meeting.
"Why would he? The postal service is performing a survey of mail processing and distribution. That's what the postal service does," Watkins said.
Morrow was not available for comment. He will not talk publicly about the study until its results are released, Watkins said.
"There's no need to until we have the information," he said.
The union plans to picket from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday in front of the Main Post Office, 214 Jackson St.
"We need everyone in the community behind us," said Don Stusse, a member of the union.
Union members will host a community awareness meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the council chambers of City Hall.
The U.S. Postal Service is conducting a feasibility study of the Sioux City Mail Processing and Distribution Center. Union members fear that as a result of the study, Siouxland's mail will be processed and "canceled" in Sioux Falls rather than in Sioux City.
Mail processed in Sioux Falls would have a two-day delivery commitment for mail addressed to communities in Northwest Iowa and Northeast Nebraska. Currently, these communities have next-day delivery.
Not only would mail take longer to reach its recipients, but the move could harm Sioux City's economy and result in a loss of community identity, union members say.
"We need people to write or call their senators or congressmen," Stusse said.
Results of the feasibility study will be released in four to six weeks.
Stusse said the U.S. Postal Service has requested "numbers from the mail plant on what the cost is to operate it on an annual basis."
Numerous politicians, including U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa; U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa; and U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, were invited to Wednesday's meeting, Stusse said.
Also invited was Doug Morrow, Hawkeye District manager for the U.S. Postal Service in Des Moines. Union members have voiced concerns that Morrow is behind the feasibility study.
"We did put a personal invite out to Hawkeye District manager Doug Morrow," Stusse said. "He respectfully declined."
Richard Watkins, spokesman for the Hawkeye District of the U.S. Postal Service in Des Moines, confirmed that Morrow will not attend the meeting.
"Why would he? The postal service is performing a survey of mail processing and distribution. That's what the postal service does," Watkins said.
Morrow was not available for comment. He will not talk publicly about the study until its results are released, Watkins said.
"There's no need to until we have the information," he said.
The union plans to picket from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday in front of the Main Post Office, 214 Jackson St.
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