Unverified: USPS Directives Could Result in Delayed Mail

Reports are running wild of new directives at the US Postal Service that could result in major delays in mail delivery - the last thing online sellers need, not to mention during a pandemic.

The National Association of Letter Carriers posted images of a multi-page memo on its Facebook page, noting that it did not own the images, but were shared by someone on a Facebook group page.

The post also linked to a post on the Postal Times website, which typed out part of the memo in text. The Postal Times noted, "This was shared online and it is from what I assume must be a DM (District manager) or MPOO (Manager Post Office Operations).. I do not know the original source."

One excerpt:

"Overtime will be eliminated. Again we are paying too much in OT. If the plants run late they will keep the mail for the next day. If you get mail and your carriers are gone and you cannot get the mail out without OT it will remain for the next day. It must be reported in CSDRS (Computer program)"

And this is reportedly from a July 10th message to postal employees published in the Postal Times article: 

"One aspect of these changes that may be difficult for employees is that - temporarily - we may see mail left behind or mail on the workroom floor or docs (in P&DCs), which is not typical. We will address root causes of these delays and adjust the very next day."

We haven't yet verified the authenticity of the directives outlined in the memo, but if it turns out to be inaccurate or a hoax, it's easy to understand why so many people find it easy to believe. The USPS is under enormous financial and political pressure.

The Postal Service also has a new Postmaster General (PMG), Louis DeJoy, who, while having a background in logistics, is "the first postmaster general in more than 20 years to lead USPS without prior experience working there," as the Federal News Network reported. The article also stated:

"Postal reform, he added, will include identifying "new and creative ways" for USPS to fulfill its mission with a focus on efficiency."

The Postmaster General obviously wields tremendous power, but the Postal Service is also restricted by Congress - and by union contracts.

We hope to get verification about the veracity of the directives in the memo, so stay tuned - and in the meantime, take a look at the Postal Times article above, and the reaction of an anonymous Twitter user, thread unroll via ThreadReaderApp.com.