A bipartisan coalition of West Virginia lawmakers have sent a strong message to the postmaster general about the proposed consolidation of mail processing facilities in southern West Virginia. It is our hope that he is listening.
U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., U.S. Rep. David McKinley, R-W.Va., U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., have all signed a letter of opposition that has been forwarded to Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe.
The postal service has proposed five area mail processing studies to consolidate mail processing operations in West Virginia — an unusually high number for one state, according to Rahall. Such studies are currently underway in Bluefield and Martinsburg, and have already been completed in Wheeling, Beckley and Huntington.
The outcome of the study in Bluefield will determine whether or not the existing postal processing and distribution center on Cumberland Road, and the dozens of jobs provided by the facility, will stay in Bluefield or be moved to Charleston and Johnson City.
If the jobs were to be lost, it would be another crippling blow to Mercer County — particularly given the 164 jobs that were lost last week at Flowers Baking Company. We must fight to keep these 96 postal positions in Bluefield.
“The postal service is required by law to provide effective and regular mail delivery services to rural areas — even when it costs the postal service money and it has to run a deficit to do so,” the five lawmakers said in the letter to Donahoe. “The people of West Virginia deserve the same level of service and the same fairness and equity afforded to the people of other states. We are rightly concerned about our mail services being disrupted and the impact on postal workers in our communities.”
Rahall said he requested the assistance of Capito, McKinley, Manchin and Rockefeller to “marshal our full strength in opposing the proposed consolidation at the Bluefield facility.” The lawmakers are requesting a prompt reply from Donahoe. In the meantime, Rahall said area residents concerned about the proposed closure of the Bluefield facility should speak out.
“The more the postal service hears from us, the better our position in protecting mail delivery services and jobs,” Rahall said.
The five lawmakers make a valid point. The postal service does appear to be unfairly targeting facilities in southern West Virginia, and the Mountain State in general, for consolidation.
We join Rahall, Capito, McKinley, Manchin and Rockefeller in awaiting a detailed response from Donahoe. We also strongly urge the postal center to scrap this ill-advised proposal to consolidate — and essentially close — the Cumberland Road processing and distribution center.
We can’t afford to lose these jobs. We have to fight to retain them.
Columns
March 13, 2011
United opposition Postmaster general should listen to lawmakers
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