By Eileen Buckley
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-987613.mp3
Buffalo, NY – U.S. Postal workers across the country will be holding a "Day of Action to Save America's Postal Service" Tuesday.
The U.S. Postal Service says it may close more than 250-mail processing facilities around the country.
If the agency closes processing center, it could mean the loss of 3,500 jobs, 700-in the Buffalo region.
A local union leader said Tuesday's "Day of Action" is so important to preserve mail service and jobs.
Postal workers will be rallying in every congressional district across the U.S. Tuesday.
"Right now there's nearly 500 rallies planned for Tuesday, September 27, and here in Buffalo we are going to be out from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Niagara Square Station at 229 West Genesee Street,"
Robert McLennan is president of the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 3.
The Postal service says it lost more than $8-billion last year and is facing an even larger deficit this year. But McLennan said that's not the real financial story at the Postal Service.
"We're not broke. There's over $100 billion in accounts, money that is overpaid in the federal government that belongs to the Postal Service. There's $75 billion that the Postal Service has overpaid into the Civil Service retirement system. And that's not just the union figures, that's been confirmed by the Postal Regulatory Commission and Office of Inspector General," said McLennan.
Additionally the Postal Service must also set aside five point $5 billionevery year to pre-fund future retiree health care benefits -- 75 years in advance.
"No other government agency or large company has to do that. We are basically putting away future retiree health benefits for people who aren't even born yet. We're being set up to fail by Congress," said McLennan.
But House Bill HR 1351 could change that. It already has 211 co-sponsors, almost a majority. The bill could create a payment schedule to stop the overpayment for future postal retirees.
McLennan say if the government fails to fix the problem the indeed the Postal Service will indeed run out of money.