Citizens, union leaders criticize proposal to sort Cheyenne mail in Denver

The meeting as intended to discuss the findings of a study conducted by the USPS that proposed potentially changing the Cheyenne Processing and Distribution Center into a Local Processing Center. This could mean that Cheyenne’s “originating” mail, which is mail that is entered into the mailing system in Cheyenne, would be sent to Denver for sorting and sent back to Cheyenne to be delivered.

This was the aspect of the proposal that drew the most criticism from the public and postal workers.

The change are proposed as the part of a broader plan for “modernizing” the country’s postal grid, according to people at the USPS, as well as cutting costs.

A report published by the agency on its findings concluded that the savings could range from $2.5 million to $3.3 million per year. Representatives for the USPS wanted to emphasize that nobody would be laid off, and the local center would not be closed.

“None of that local respect for the mail will change,” David Rupert, manager of strategic communications for the USPS, told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle. “The people that love us now will love us in the future.”

But several members of the public were worried about the effect that the proposed changes could have on mail delivery in Cheyenne, postal jobs in the state and the fate of the economy.

“The first thing I would like to hear more about is what’s prompting this,” said Barry Cole, a resident of Encampment who said rural communities like his rely on the Postal Service. “I’ve experienced the government saying, ‘We’re gonna save money,’ and we lost money every time something like this popped up. So, I really would like to see a lot more data that proves you’re doing this to save money.”

Cole also noted Ricci Robert, branch president for the National Postal Mail Handlers Union in Cheyenne, was the only reason he was able to attend the event, because she dropped notice of the meeting at his local post office.

Commenters were united in their support for Postal Service employees, and expressed concern for the way these changes would harm those working in Wyoming.

“I have always been a very firm backer of our postal people on the ground, particularly when they were getting harassed in 2020,” said John Sheffield, another member of the public who spoke up during Tuesday’s meeting. “I literally would pull over my car if I saw someone walking down the street that worked for the post office and tell them, ‘I got your back.’ I have a great deal of faith in the people on the ground.”

Part of the initial findings report said that four employees would be “reassigned” to a new position. However, at the meeting, USPS representatives said the estimated number of reassigned workers would actually be seven people.

One postal worker present cited things they’d heard about similar changes in Provo, Utah. She said, initially, people in Provo were told that only eight workers would be reassigned, but they, in fact, had lost 51 jobs. She, and other postal workers in the audience, were concerned that the same thing would happen to Cheyenne.

Workers were worried that turning the local post office into a Local Processing Center would mean that they would be asked to move to Denver or quit.

“When they’re talking about no layoffs, you’ve heard them say that many times,” Robert said. “... What they call (it) is ‘excessing.’ And, when an employee’s ‘excess,’ they have the opportunity to either drive two hours to Denver or quit their job. Now, when my employees work 12 hours a day (and you add another four hours onto their time, they will be losing their jobs.”

James Boxrud, a strategic communication officer with the USPS, assured the audience that reassignments could take people to plenty of other jobs in Cheyenne, and that those who were “excessed” would not necessarily be forced to move to Denver for work.

Jeff Morgan, a member of the Local 321 Mail Handlers Union in Denver, drove up to Cheyenne specifically for the meeting.

“One thing that I noticed right away when I looked at this initial findings was (that) it says, ‘Delivery times of mail to residences businesses should not change because of the (plan),’” Morgan said. “What does that mean, ‘Should not change?’ As customers, you’ve got to ask yourself, it doesn’t say it’s gonna improve. Says, ‘It should not change.’ It’s like throwing it up in the wind. Make a guess.

“That just basically tells you, they’re trying this as a cost-saving move. That doesn’t help the residents of Wyoming. If anything, it’s going to be a negative impact.”

Morgan continued by saying that the already overcrowded and unreliable mail facility in Denver, where he works, will only face greater challenges with the mail from Cheyenne going there.

“I see how they barely get the mail in and out every day,” he continued. “Now they want to stuff Wyoming in there. With the machines breaking down, with the amount of mail that they have to process just for Denver alone, and they want to throw Wyoming in there ...”

Representatives for the USPS said that the program was intended, nationwide, to help achieve the agency’s goal of 95% on-time delivery, which they contend this will help.

Members of the public have until Dec. 27 to submit comments online to the USPS about the proposed changes. The website address is surveymonkey.com/r/mpfr-cheyenne-wy.

USPS officials assured members of the public that a decision had not been made yet, and that they would notify stakeholders when there is one. Some postal workers, however, said they were skeptical of that claim and feel that the higher-ups in the organization had already made up their mind.