The U.S. Postal Service has requested an expedited schedule to deal with the American Postal Workers Union’s objection to the rate case settlement.
Supporters of the stepped-up schedule include the Major Mailers Association, the American Bankers Association and the National Association of Presort Mailers.
The Postal Rate Commission, which received the request, has not indicated when it will rule on the issue. If a new schedule is accepted, proceedings on the proposed rate case could end by March, if not sooner, paving the way for the PRC to file its rate recommendations with the postal service’s Board of Governors shortly thereafter. The postal service has proposed a rate increase for this summer of an average 8.7%.
The union, which represents 366,000 postal workers, opposed the settlement agreement saying a series of discounts for high-volume first-class mailers favored those mailers at the expense of others.
At issue is a discount of 3.40 cents for high volume first class business reply mail, and discounts of 2.94 cents and 2.78 cents for each first class letter presorted by 3 and 5 digit Zip code.
The union has until Feb. 8 to inform the PRC if it plans to present testimony on the matter at hearings on Feb. 12 and 19. A March 4 deadline has been set for final written legal arguments.
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