The United States Postal "Service" is no longer serving its customers . . . the members of its workforce are serving themselves. They are able to do this because (1) the USPS as a monopoly is in complete control of its pricing, and (2) because its workforce is unionized. As such, the organization is essentially unaccountable . . . and it shows. Everyone knows it, and no one is doing anything about it. I think it is time to petition the government to render monopolies ineligible for workforce unionization. By forcing their hand, either the USPS must surrender its monopoly status and compete with private industry, or postal workers must surrender their umbrella protections and compete with other workers for jobs. Maintaining the status quo can only continue to drain The American People. What say you?
Also being a stamp collector. Modern postage stamps SUCK, no more engraving, stupid modernistic themes. In Canada, it costs three cents to send a letter in 1960. Today, it costs $1.44 so roughly up 50 X Postage workers here make $80-120K per annum. Canada Posts losses are in the billions. US stamps also were neat from 1847 -1930s. Now not so much. Only the French TAAF (Territoire Australe & Antartique) print beautifull stamps. I only collect up to 1960.
I have a problem with labor unions in general these days for a myriad of reasons. They served a good purpose in the early 20th century. They now offer a cushion for those that would rather not excel and in my book that does not help make anyone wealthy except the union dues collectors.
I do not mind a letter carrier making 100K a year, its lots of walking like my job. I make 400K in eight months, walking 300K a wk. So, to be fair, I think its OK for them to earn that. My problem is why the Post Office a Crown Corp. is posting losses of billions each yr. Like our postal rates are $$$$$. My feeling is there are a lot of managers making 600K a yr. or more. However, unions are also demanding more and more.
I have multiple gripes with them . . . They charge $0.78 for a first class postage stamp. They charge $330 per year for a small PO Box. They keep raising the prices of their specialty services as well . . . Ground Advantage, Priority Mail, Express Mail, etc., and usually without public notice. They charge healthy enough fees for insurance, and then try to avoid fair compensation when there's a loss that is clearly their fault. They frequently fail to route packages directly to the destination, often sending them on circuitous routes that delay delivery by weeks. Now they don't have to postmark mail when they receive it in drop boxes. If you want a mailpiece postmarked the day you mail it, you must hand it to a clerk at the counter and request that it be postmarked in front of you. This is especially important to make sure your mailed bill payments are not considered paid late. My wife and I have both paid multiple check cancellation fees to our banks when vendors ask that we send another payment before the original payment is late. I'm glad to work with the clerks who serve us well, but there are some whose incompetence is boundless, and I don't work with. If I'm next in line and one of the underperformers calls me up, I motion to the person behind me to move up. I'm sick and tired of the organization at large.
Back in 1998, I ended up winning two FDC Roman aurei (CNG/ Triton I) CNG mailed the coins, back then everything was mailed, no internet/ e-mail. After waiting for six weeks, I wrote CNG to see if they sent it. They wrote back that it was sent 5 weeks ago, and they would start a investigation. Four weeks later, CNG insurer Lloyds of London came up empty. CNG said, the registered letter had been signed for up to reaching the Canadian border, there it went MIA. So, they said, either it was stolen in Canadian customs, or the Can. P.O. In the end, CNG promptly gave me the $$$$ as a credit for Triton II a yr. later. Still makes you wonder, how a reg. letter could vanish.
I'm still waiting for a superb gem 1907 quarter eagle that was mailed to me from England sometime before 2010. It was tracked to US Customs, and never left there . . . at least not in the package addressed to me. The postal service claimed they never got it from customs, so it wasn’t covered by insurance. Ultimately, the seller and I ended up agreeing to split the loss, so I ended up getting half my money back.
I was going to press "like", but there is nothing to like about someone loosing a beautifull coin thru sloppy or crooked customs, mail persons. Back in 1907 the US still made good looking coins. Talking US coins. They changed the Quarter/ Half Eagles from Turban Head design to Coronet one. The Turban was far more beautifull. US gold 1795-1833 were nice. Funny how old things are usually nicer. Esp. cars. On the otherhand, I luv my 70" HDTV compared to what was in vogue in time of Bonanza TV show.
