Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ) has sent a letter to United States Postmaster General Louis DeJoy urging greater transparency and sharing concerns about proposed changes to the U.S. Postal Service’s (USPS) South Jersey Processing and Distribution Center and the potential impacts on mail service reliability, the local economy, and jobs in the community.
“Residents in South Jersey and across the country rely on the Postal Service every day. From an electric bill or mail-in ballot to a lifesaving prescription or COVID-19 test, timely mail delivery is essential to our communities and economy. I have many concerns about the proposed changes by USPS to the South Jersey distribution center and the potential impact it may have on delivery times, small businesses, and jobs across our region,” Rep. Norcross said. “Today’s hearing, which was not advertised with adequate notice and is occurring during most people’s normal work hours, is also extremely concerning. Holding one hearing in only one town on the proposal is restrictive on the public’s ability to provide input and is a disservice to our community. The distribution center serves a large region in South Jersey and our community must be allowed to have sufficient input when USPS wants to make significant changes that will impact its services.”
“The United States Postal Service is intended to provide an efficient, timely service to all people nationwide. Postmaster General DeJoy’s costly ‘Delivering for America Plan’ erodes the quality service people and businesses deserve and depend on to get their mail, retirement checks, to receive medications, ship goods and to vote. DeJoy’s Plan will cause lengthier mail delays in addition to those he has already caused by removing mail processing equipment and reduced staffing. The changes he is making to the South Jersey P&DC are no exception. All residents and businesses in Camden, Gloucester, Salem, Burlington, and Cumberland counties will be negatively impacted,” Borough of Mt. Ephraim Mayor and Retired South Jersey Processing and Distribution Center worker Sue Carney said.
Rep. Norcross also requested a briefing on the proposal and how it will impact South Jersey from USPS officials.
In the letter, Rep. Norcross requested answers to the following questions:
• What criteria did the Postal Service use to determine which P&DCs would be involved in the Mail Processing and Facility Review, and how was employee feedback incorporated into that process?
• What criteria were used in determining any cost-benefit analysis to consolidating facilities? What is the savings the Postal Service intends to accrue from these consolidations?
• What is USPS’ plan to guarantee that jobs will not be lost or relocated or that delivery times will not grow longer?
• How has the Postal Service incorporated local community feedback during the review process?
• How did the Postal Service conclude that moving mail from the SO Jersey, NJ P&DC to the Philadelphia, PA P&DC to sort, then back to the SO Jersey, NJ P&DC will not slow or affect delivery times? Please share the criteria and methodology that led to that decision.
• Does USPS have an estimate of the number of employees they expect to reassign from the SO Jersey, NJ PD&C to the Philadelphia, PA P&DC? Is there a plan to work with these employees who will see increased commute costs and times?
• How and when was the public notified of the public hearing? Why were this specific time and location chosen?
The letter sent by Rep. Norcross to Postmaster DeJoy can be found at norcross.house.gov/_cache/files/2/8/2896d3db-94f9-4c63-b893-9627cd36e154/24337850BA753E69255E03E34A66E5BF.usps.pdf
