Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - It was standing room only as crowds of postal service workers and snail mail supporters flooded the Creekside Banquet Hall on Union Road in attempts to dissuade the United States Postal Service (USPS) from moving the distribution services from William Street in Buffalo to Rochester.
Representatives of USPS on Tuesday outlined a presentation that explains their plan to "reposition" the William Street facility from a Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) to a Local Processing Center (LPC) which means all letters that are delivered to Buffalo must go to the Rochester facility before getting to Buffalo.
This plan comes equipped with what USPS says is a $17 million investment into the facility in attempts to "modernize" it.
This includes:
- Repositioning machines to improve mail flow
- Remove obstructions from workroom floor
- Improve overall visibility (add LED lights)
- Improve employee common areas (such as restrooms)
The facility "will maintain destinating operations and same day and next day services will be expanded" and "will be fitted with state-of-the-art sorting equipment that will improve delivery service" with "outgoing mail moving to the Rochester P&DC".
Once the presentation concluded, USPS representatives heard an earful from the community, including members of the American Postal Workers Union and the National Association of Letter Carriers, Branch 3, business owners and members of the community.
During the nearly hour and a half long public comment period where many took issue with the "Fact vs. Fiction" section of the presentation, which claims that moving some mail operations to the Rochester P&DC will not slow down the mail in Buffalo and there will be no career employee layoffs.
"The Buffalo P&DC employs 700 workers contributing not only to their livelihoods, but also to the economic well being of our community. While you assured my office that there will be no career employee layoffs, and that any workforce changes or moves will be made in accordance with collective bargaining agreements, you also acknowledge that there may be a reduction in overall positions as some operations leave the facility. Specifically, you could not guarantee the job security of pre-career employees who are currently employed at P&DC. You also could not guarantee that all current employees at the Buffalo P&DC would remain at this location under the proposed operational changes. Any potential disruption in employment threatens the livelihoods of these employees, their ability to provide for their families and the economic prosperity of communities here in Western New York," Philip Gow, Jr. read on behalf of Congressman Nick Langworthy, who sent his remarks in a letter to the Postmaster General Louis DeJoy.
Those who have submitted similar letters include Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown as well as an official resolution from the elected officials of the Town of West Seneca opposing the proposed change.
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Nearly 100 members of the community shared similar remarks, mostly with concerns that this new process will significantly delay mail receiving times and will force some mail employees to relocate.
WBEN and WKBW-TV spoke with USPS's Strategic Communications Specialist Mark Lawrence following the presentation and comment period. We asked after hearing from the people, was there any message that he, as a user of the postal service, resonated with?
"Change is difficult for everybody. If this goes through, there are going to be some people that are impacted, they may have to change their work location, and so forth. But one of our big messages is that the facility is not closing, No career employees are losing their job. But, change is tough and I understand how people feel."
Despite the vast outcries of clear vocal opposition, the process of confirmation of this "initiative" trudges on. What are the next steps?
The public now have until March 13 to submit their comments. You can do so by scanning this QR code down below as well as read the business case for the LPC.
The USPS will then create a "Modernization Review Analysis" and reach their conclusion on the matter.
"There's no firm timeframe, but probably within the coming months, we should we should have a decision," said Lawrence.