Postal Service consolidation uproots workers

Postal Service consolidation uproots workers (9/10/10) -- GovExec.com: "The U.S. Postal Service's plans to consolidate operations to reduce costs are forcing some workers to move to new cities or take inconvenient shifts to keep their jobs.
Combining mail processing facilities and delivery routes allows the Postal Service to increase efficiency in the face of declining mail volume, said Greg Frey, a spokesman for USPS. The agency in March outlined a 10-year plan to streamline operations, including measures such as five-day delivery, changes to retiree health benefits funding requirements and building a more flexible workforce. Postal officials have said the agency must be able to adjust work hours quickly and use more part-time staff to reduce labor costs, which amount to more than 75 percent of total expenses."