Manager says postal workers' claims are speculation
Union members worry Sioux City's mail will be moved to Sioux Falls
By Nicole Paseka, Journal intern | Posted: Saturday, December 31, 2005
A district manager of the U.S. Postal Service said Friday that it is "pure speculation" that Sioux City's mail processing will be moved to Sioux Falls.
"All of that is false and totally speculation," said Doug Morrow, Hawkeye District manager for the U.S. Postal Service in Des Moines.
Members of the American Postal Workers Union Local 186 have said Sioux City's mail processing could be moved to Sioux Falls after a feasibility study the U.S. Postal Service is conducting.
Morrow had not commented to Sioux City media about the study until Friday.
Union members said they have reason to be concerned with its results.
"Every community where a study has been implemented, where their outgoing mail has been taken away, has lost their postmark, according to our national office," said Jim Price, president of the American Postal Workers Union Local 186.
If Siouxland's mail processing moves to Sioux Falls, mail would take longer to be delivered locally and jobs could be lost, union members have said. Sioux City has the only mail processing plant west of Interstate 35 in Iowa.
"I honestly think it's going to take 100 percent of community support. The union itself can't stop this," Price said.
Union members have picketed at several Sioux City locations and are planning a community awareness meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the council chambers of City Hall.
Two other feasibility studies are under way in cities within the U.S. Postal Service's Hawkeye District. The study is not unlike a feasibility study conducted by any business, Morrow said.
"It's something we do all the time," he said.
"They're looking at every single piece of information, how it is done, how it could be done better," Morrow said.
Morrow said the research in Sioux City is nearly complete. That information will be reviewed by postal officials in Denver and in Washington, D.C., before any decision is made.
The results of the study will be released in four to six weeks.
Morrow said he believes members of the American Postal Workers Union Local 186 are acting on information they have received from the national American Postal Workers Union, headquartered in Washington, D.C.
"It's a national template they're using to generate community support and stop any changes in mail processing," Morrow said.
Price said that statement is not true.
"If anybody is working off a template, it is the Postal Service, and we will get into that at the Jan. 4 meeting," Price said.
Don Stusse, a member of the union, said the national APWU has provided guidance but not a template.
"The APWU is telling every community to fight their own grassroots effort to keep their own mail processing," Stusse said.
Price said that Sioux City's feasibility study is part of a national consolidation plan by the U.S. Postal Service.
"We think we should have been consulted on a community level and on the union level as to whether or not we fit into the consolidation mold," Price said. "They're not taking input from the community. They're not taking input from the employees."
"All of that is false and totally speculation," said Doug Morrow, Hawkeye District manager for the U.S. Postal Service in Des Moines.
Members of the American Postal Workers Union Local 186 have said Sioux City's mail processing could be moved to Sioux Falls after a feasibility study the U.S. Postal Service is conducting.
Morrow had not commented to Sioux City media about the study until Friday.
Union members said they have reason to be concerned with its results.
"Every community where a study has been implemented, where their outgoing mail has been taken away, has lost their postmark, according to our national office," said Jim Price, president of the American Postal Workers Union Local 186.
If Siouxland's mail processing moves to Sioux Falls, mail would take longer to be delivered locally and jobs could be lost, union members have said. Sioux City has the only mail processing plant west of Interstate 35 in Iowa.
"I honestly think it's going to take 100 percent of community support. The union itself can't stop this," Price said.
Union members have picketed at several Sioux City locations and are planning a community awareness meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the council chambers of City Hall.
Two other feasibility studies are under way in cities within the U.S. Postal Service's Hawkeye District. The study is not unlike a feasibility study conducted by any business, Morrow said.
"It's something we do all the time," he said.
"They're looking at every single piece of information, how it is done, how it could be done better," Morrow said.
Morrow said the research in Sioux City is nearly complete. That information will be reviewed by postal officials in Denver and in Washington, D.C., before any decision is made.
The results of the study will be released in four to six weeks.
Morrow said he believes members of the American Postal Workers Union Local 186 are acting on information they have received from the national American Postal Workers Union, headquartered in Washington, D.C.
"It's a national template they're using to generate community support and stop any changes in mail processing," Morrow said.
Price said that statement is not true.
"If anybody is working off a template, it is the Postal Service, and we will get into that at the Jan. 4 meeting," Price said.
Don Stusse, a member of the union, said the national APWU has provided guidance but not a template.
"The APWU is telling every community to fight their own grassroots effort to keep their own mail processing," Stusse said.
Price said that Sioux City's feasibility study is part of a national consolidation plan by the U.S. Postal Service.
"We think we should have been consulted on a community level and on the union level as to whether or not we fit into the consolidation mold," Price said. "They're not taking input from the community. They're not taking input from the employees."
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