Dayton Daily News...
Postal workers attack critics and protest cuts
Protesters say Congress caused the problem in 2006, but it can be fixed.
Steve Bennish 

DAYTON — Postal workers took to the streets Tuesday in a national “Day of Action” to challenge rhetoric they say distorts the financial condition of the U.S. Postal Service and to derail pending service cuts. 

More than 50 postal workers and their supporters turned out at 120 W. 3rd St. to march across the street from the Federal Building. The protest was by the American Postal Workers Union, the National Association of Letter Carriers, the National Postal Mail Handlers Union and the National Rural Letter Carriers Association. 

Their aim was to rally in every congressional district in the country to boost the chances of U.S. House Bill 1351 being passed, which they say will correct a problem caused by Congress in 2006. That year Congress ordered the Postal Service to pre-fund future retiree health benefits for the next 75 years within a decade—a burden the unions say no public agency or private firm faces. 

“Congress has created the problem and it’s an undue burden,” said John O’Ross, a letter carrier for 17 years and acting president of the Dayton branch of the National Association of Letter Carriers. “Without it, we would be profitable. Congress can fix this problem.” 

Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe has blamed a dramatic decline in mail volume for a need to slash. “First-Class Mail supports the organization and drives network requirements. With the dramatic decline in mail volume and the resulting excess capacity, maintaining a vast national infrastructure is no longer realistic,” he said. 

The Postal Service’s Dayton Processing and Distribution Facility is among 252 mail that may close. An estimated 3,700 post offices could also close. 

Read it at the Dayton Daily News