Punatang - Heavy unionization, for better or worse, severely limits flexibility when it comes to common sense management decisions like closing low volume facilities and/or adjusting staffing. Private companies are able to quickly adapt to rapidly changing circumstances in the modern world
Oh, it's the unionization (also part of that Nixonian overhaul) that's causing the issues. Given that ~70% of UPS is also unionized, I guess they're not able to adapt well either so that leaves FedEx (only pilots are unionized) as the predicted best shipping provider (although UPS and FedEx are both publicly traded so not private companies either?). With 5 convenient FedEx locations on the east side, everyone can stop complaining and enjoy their new and improved Drive to Hilo/Keaau.
To go beyond the "unions bad" talking points, Brookings recently had a good analysis showing that while letter volume has fallen by half, total revenue has been largely stable due to increased rates and package shipments.
The losses are largely from being mandated to serve costly rural areas (like Puna) and service past debt obligations. So possible solutions could be to drop the unprofitable routes (hey wait, that's us) or have the government help subsidize this governmental mandated service (like most countries do, and we did in its entirety until the Nixon-era).
"These services reflect a public good provided by the Postal Service. Congress could fund that mandate explicitly through annual appropriations. Most countries maintain universal service by providing direct public funding to the designated universal service provider for these components. The United States does not."
MyManao - the USPS should be fully funded at whatever cost it takes to get the job done. Period. ... Same with healthcare.. schools.. retirement.
Sorry, best we can do is infinite money for bombing school girls around the world while cost cutting for quality of life services at home. The free market will obviously provide mail delivery, healthcare, education, and more (at the most profitable rates possible).
Maybe there is some other principle other than profitability that might need to be the primary measure for essential services... Oh well, someone will surely think of something at some point. Aloha!
Oh, it's the unionization (also part of that Nixonian overhaul) that's causing the issues. Given that ~70% of UPS is also unionized, I guess they're not able to adapt well either so that leaves FedEx (only pilots are unionized) as the predicted best shipping provider (although UPS and FedEx are both publicly traded so not private companies either?). With 5 convenient FedEx locations on the east side, everyone can stop complaining and enjoy their new and improved Drive to Hilo/Keaau.
To go beyond the "unions bad" talking points, Brookings recently had a good analysis showing that while letter volume has fallen by half, total revenue has been largely stable due to increased rates and package shipments.
The losses are largely from being mandated to serve costly rural areas (like Puna) and service past debt obligations. So possible solutions could be to drop the unprofitable routes (hey wait, that's us) or have the government help subsidize this governmental mandated service (like most countries do, and we did in its entirety until the Nixon-era).
"These services reflect a public good provided by the Postal Service. Congress could fund that mandate explicitly through annual appropriations. Most countries maintain universal service by providing direct public funding to the designated universal service provider for these components. The United States does not."
MyManao - the USPS should be fully funded at whatever cost it takes to get the job done. Period. ... Same with healthcare.. schools.. retirement.
Sorry, best we can do is infinite money for bombing school girls around the world while cost cutting for quality of life services at home. The free market will obviously provide mail delivery, healthcare, education, and more (at the most profitable rates possible).
Maybe there is some other principle other than profitability that might need to be the primary measure for essential services... Oh well, someone will surely think of something at some point. Aloha!