What the future of USPS Looks like under President Joe Biden
Date: April 13th, 2021
What the future of USPS Looks like under President Joe Biden
There has always been a perception that once a new president takes charge of the government, everything changes. Of course, as a new leader, you would want to reshape your administration.
As the new United States president, Joe Biden would want to implement some changes to his desiredimage of the administration. Among the changes expected would bein the United States Postal Servicewhich he had promised to make changes during his campaigns.
What are some of the changes expected in USPS under Joe Biden?
Even though the USPS is an agency within the federal government, it does not get its funding from the government or the tax payer’s money.
But instead, entirely depend on its commercial services and activities such as mail and package delivery, among other benefits. The election of Joe Biden as the United President could come in hand with some United States Postal changes.
Among them are.'
a.Postal cash infusion
According to the2020 fiscal year reports of the United States Postal Service, the Postal Service's financial stability has continued to be at significant risk, especially due to the Corona Pandemic's spread. The Postal Service has not been able to fund its services or its financial obligations from its revenues.
Some of the financial problems have been as results of;
Poor financial situations
Financial deterioration and unsustainability have been realized in the US Postal Service financial viability-high risk issue. The overall financial conditions have gone down.
Loss of $69 billion has been realized over the past 11 fiscal years, included in the $3.9 billion in the fiscal year 2018. The USPS has considerable debt and unfunded liabilities of $143 billion per the fiscalyear 2018 reports.
Insufficient cost savings
The Corona pandemic had hit all most all areas of businesses or services. USPS is no exception. The USPS savings has been low over the years, which has made it challenging to manage their activities and services.
Additionally, the USPS has, to some extent, failed to operate well due to adverse trends financially. Its expense has grown above the revenues due to the rising compensation and benefits in the volume of the First class mail.
Besides, the former US President Donald Trump made it difficult for the USPS to receive funds. This came clear when he admitted that he intentionally blocked the federal funding to the US Postal Service. A move he made to discourage the use of mail-in ballots before the November elections.
Therefore, as a solution.
During his campaigns, Joe Biden promised the United State Postal Services cash infusion to help run its operation beyond next summer.
In his response to Donald Trump’s statement of privatizing the Unites State Postal Service, Biden said his administration would ensure they push for a firmer financial footing to Postal Services.
To his pledge, the United States Postal Service will expect to receive financial reliefso that it has the resources needed to continue serving the American people.
b.Support the USPS’s employees with emergency relief
The US Postal Service has a provision for postal employees’ funds, which aims to provide assistance and support to the USPS employees and all members of their household who may be victims of a specified natural disaster.
Despite hardship imposed on individuals and businesses due to the Corona pandemic, former US President Donald Trump declined to support the congressional postal relief before the end of his tenure.
He (Trump) even threatened to veto the CARES Act should there be an attempt to make upa project for the lostrevenues or increased expenses due to the pandemic.
However, when responding to a survey sent to both candidates by the National Association of Postal Supervisor. President Joe Bidenpromised to support funding for COVID-19 relief to ensure the US Postal Service does not run out of finance due to the pandemic.
He pledgedthat his administration would work with Congress to ensure they provide the USPS with emergency relief and eliminate the Postal Service’s mandate.
Therefore, the US citizens and the Postal Service employees should be hopeful that USPS under Biden will have a great chance that he will ensure the onerous requirements are removed to refund the cost of retirees’health care plans.
c.Rebuilding the infrastructure of the US postal Service
Despite enacting the Moving Forward Act, which would require US Postal Service to replace its Grumman long-life vehiclewith zero-emission or electric vehicles, America has not succeeded in seeing the development.
In Joe Biden’scampaign agenda, he addresses a plan to replace or modernized the Postal aging vehicle fleet and make investments to combat climate change. The Biden plan is to build modern, sustainable infrastructure and an equitable clean energy future.
A plan that includes strategies to ensure a reduction in the climate change impacts on the transportation sector with a practical vulnerability assessment.
USPS under Bidenwill identify or opportunitiesthat facilitate the surface transportation resilience and rebuild America's disintegrating infrastructure with effective use of the federal resources.
d.Promote Workers’ Rights to form Unions
The USeconomy provides a section supporting the Right to Organize, also known as the PRO Act. The law ensures fairness that strengthens the federal laws protecting the workers' rights to join any union.
Despite the provision that allowed workers to join together and negotiate for wages,benefits, and better working conditions, the former US President Donald Trump opposes the PRO Act. He stacked National Labor Relation Board (NLRB) with corporate. He even issued executive orders that were to see the elimination of or reduce the federal employees' union rights.
However, USPS under Biden,workers are expected to form unions and negotiate for their wages, among other working rights.During his campaigns, President Joe Biden promised to protect the US postal workers' rights and make it easier for the workers to join unions of their choices.
Besides, he pledged to allow workers to collectively bargain for the rights like their pensions or health benefits. Additionally, he plans to support the PRO Act to commit to appointing pro-labormembers to NLRB.President Joe Biden declared in his campaigns that he would enhance the postal service leadership by ensuring all the vacant seats on the USPS board of governance are filled.
Moreover, President Joe Biden vowed to eliminate anti-union, also known as the "Right to Work" laws and any laws that strip workers the power to join groups or negotiate for their rights. He has plans to restore and restorethe US workers' right to union organizing and other essential protection.
e.Support, honor and defend the US Postal Service obligations
The purpose of the US Postal Service obligation (USO)is to ensure that all postal users receivefair services irrespective of the location, race at a reasonable price.
Suppose comparisons are to be made between USPS under and the expected results in Biden’s administration. USPS under Biden is set for greatness.
How?
According to the US Department of Treasury and the 2018 Presidential Postal Task Force Reports and press Statement, former president Trump’s leadership opposed most of the USPS's obligations.
He advocated for a reduced number of daysfor the delivery, closing the post offices, and raising the postal service by 400%. This effort drove away most businesses and customers from the USPS.He even called the postal service plan of postal banking “a joke."
However, USPS under Biden will be keen to maintain the Universal Service Obligations of the US Postal Service. This is according to Biden’s responseto the 2020 presidential candidate questionnaire sent by the National Association of Postal Supervisors.
In his response he said, his administration would ensure that postal services are provided to all American citizens irrespective of their geographical locations, sexual orientation, income, religion, and race. He said, "We must honor and defend the USPS’ universal service obligation as a core belief of our great nation."
Besides, Joe Biden promised to slow the postal rate speed increasesupport to maintain the six-day mail delivery for every American business and home. Allowing six-day delivery will enable the USPS to stay competitive and honor the universalobligation.
Conclusion
Whenever there is a change in any administration, different functions and services/activities must always be affected, either positively or negatively. President Joe Biden's election as the US presidentwill come with several changes as per his campaign promises.
Among the pledges, the USPS expects President Joe Biden’s administration to include postal financial stability as a result of cash infusion,support, and honor or defense of the US Postal Service obligations. Other postal changes expected are rebuilding the US Postal Service infrastructure and supporting the USPS's employees with emergency relief, among others.