- Thursday, January 23, 2014

The American Postal Workers Union, 200,000 strong, is rightfully fearful that Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe is looking for ways to stop the bleeding (“Unions angered by Postal Service’s Staples outlets,” Web, Jan. 20). Our current postal system loses on the order of $3.2 billion a quarter, or roughly $12 billion a year.

Unfortunately, the primary reason for this shameful waste of American taxpayers money is because of the annual $5.5 billion pledged to fund future postal retirees. This unsustainable cost plus the union-garnered average wage of $25 an hour is not only a drain on the American taxpayers, it also makes the Postal Service noncompetitive.

I’m not anti-postal worker, as I have friends and family in the Postal Service, but I do know that a business has to be competitive to be successful. High wages, health care benefits, retirement funds and any kind of employee benefits are wonderful, but somebody has to pay for them.

DICKIE BENZIE

Charlotte, N.C.

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