U.S Postal News

– August 30th White House Will Not Release the Postal Task Force Report Until After Midterm Elections

  • The Trump administration is planning to keep under wraps until after the mid-term elections. Recommendations are expected to be actionable, either by legislation or regulation, but Trump’s Administration is not planning implementation until voters elect a new Congress.

The task force is continuing its work to identify solutions to strengthen the USPS business
model
driving toward a public report before the end of the year.”

– August 28th Senate Confirms 2 Postal Governors and President Trump Nominates 2 Additional Governors

  • The two new governors will be placed into earlier vacated, short-term positions and voted in by the Senate are

David Williams, former US Postal Service Inspector General

Robert M Duncan, former Republican National Committee Chairman

  • The White House announced two additional Nominees:

Ron A. Bloom of New York

Roman Martinez IV of Florida

Impact of not having a Board of Governors for nearly 2 years…

  • Rate increase of 2.5 to 3.0% in January 2019
  • Complex business issues requiring review/approval, such as; critical capital expenses, labor policy, strategic guidance, and the Presidents Task Force Recommendations.

Postage Promotional Discounts, are not likely to come into play in 2019.

August 23rd, Uproar over USPS Marketing Mail surprise plan to eliminate non-paper-based inserts

  • The Postal Service plans to revise its content standards for Marketing Mail® limiting letter-size and flat-size, regular and nonprofit, to content that is only paper-based/printed matter; no merchandise or other goods will be allowed.
  • The proposal could exclude a vast range of creative marketing and continuity techniques such as; dry-release discount cards, fabric swatches, thin slim balm/perfume packets, scratch-off cards, tokens, coin magnetized items, cellophane window envelopes, and many other items.

Our voices are being heard…

  • Arandell as Board Member on ACMA, PostCom and holding MTAC and IdeAlliance leadership roles responds:

“…while we agree that very bulky product items, large fluid packets, and like-type products may not be effectively inserted or efficiently delivered in the Marketing Mail class. However, we do believe the “Marketing Mail” class is the means, as designed by the USPS, to support the marketeer’s ability in advertising, promoting and building customer continuity through efficient creative insert, onsert and blow-in venues. We feel the USPS is being knee-jerk reactive towards solving a very specific problem… and that this concern must be thoughtfully resolved with industry support. Otherwise, this ruling if not adjusted will result in marketeer’s finding ways other than mail to deliver their message.

  • With this proposal being much too broad and harmful to the industry and the Postal Service, they are working on a fall back plan that is expected to be modified or even rescind this proposed change by the end of the first week of September.