August 31, 2007

The latest issue of the PostCom Bulletin is available online. In this issue:

In this essay by Mackinac Center for Public Policy economist Chrtistina M. Cohn, she claims private competition would be very effective against the USPS, and that there is historical precedent for saying so.
USPS offers new procedure for periodical mailing applications. Federal executive bonuses getting congressional scrutiny. Discovery Channel will spotlight USPS.
TNT asks staff for wage freeze. Deutsche Post fudging its rates? Postcomm says Royal Mail failing competition. Australia Post sticks to its offer.
A list of upcoming postal-related events.

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Postal Regulatory Chairman Dan G. Blair will be the guest on the IBM Business of Government Hour at 9 a.m. Saturday, September 1 on WJFK radio (106.7 FM). The station will have live streaming audio available at the WJFK website (www.wjfk.com)

From the U.S. Postal Service: "Pay consultations with the Postal Service and the National Association of Postal Supervisors, The National League of Postmasters and the National Association of Postmasters of the United States have concluded, resulting in a four-year compensation package that will remain in effect through fiscal year 2010."

Analytiqa has reported that "DHL has been selected as the exclusive small package delivery provider for the Bon-Ton Stores, Inc., one of the largest regional department store chains in the US. DHL will provide US domestic Express and home delivery services, supporting The Bon-Ton store's entire network."

Financial Times Deutschland has reported that "Deutsche Post, the German postal service operator, is planning to replace its head of finance, Edgar Ernst, earlier than expected. Mr Ernst's contract is not due to expire until November 2010. Sources close to the group say that Deutsche Post is examining possible replacements and that it is also searching for a successor for Bernd Boecken, Mr Ernst's deputy. A spokesperson for the company has denied that it wants to replace Mr Ernst but has confirmed that it is looking for a successor for Mr Boecken, who is to retire next March when he turns 65."

The Straits Times has reported that "THE Group CEO of Singapore Post Limited (SingPost), Lau Boon Tuan resigned on Friday to pursue other opportunities. He will also step down as Director of SingPost. Mr Lau has been SingPost's Group CEO since February 2005."

The Globe and Mail has reported that "Canada Post is following Britain's example, and offering free delivery of mail to Canadian soldiers stationed in Afghanistan and elsewhere around the world."

From BusinessWire: "Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c67052) has announced the addition of "Five Factors That Will Shape The Future Of The Express Industry" to their offering. The express industry is set to undergo drastic transition driven by growing globalization, deregulation of the postal sector, the wave of mergers and alliances and the booming e-commerce industry. This brief contains a strategic overview of the upcoming trends in the European express market and a detailed discussion of the positive and negative effects of these trends."

Logistics Business Review has reported that "Mail and logistics company Norway Post has recorded a 17.8% increase in first half revenue, while also registering an increase in costs. Going forward, the company aims to cut costs by improving efficiencies and by further decreasing its dependence on the domestic postal market, but faces a tough challenge given the increasingly competitive environment in which it operates.

As DM News postal commentator Cary Baer has noted, "During the past few weeks, both the Senate and the House have held so-called oversight hearings concerning the Postal Service. This hearing also featured testimony from a number of high-ranking members of Washington-based postal-oriented trade associations. To me, however, the most significant testimony came from Mike Winn, director of postal affairs and mailing operations for R.R. Donnelley and a member of Postcom’s Board of Directors. Winn was able to provide testimony based on his experiences and responsibilities at Donnelley."

Banking Technology has reported that "Citi Markets & Banking and Eurogiro, a low value payments network of postal organisations and financial institutions, are collaborating to extend their payment networks. The alliance will bring together Eurogiro's 61 connections in 50 countries with Citi's existing payment network encompassing over 100 countries. Eurogiro's members will benefit from Citi's distribution capacity and payment offerings, while Citi and its customers will gain access to Eurogiro's distribution network and products."

According to Nepal News, "Postal services have came to a complete halt with the postal employees announcing closure of all the post offices around the country from Friday to protest government’s 'indifference' towards fulfilling their demands."

PrintWeek has reported that "Finishing kit manufacturer Buhrs is in the midst of potentially its largest-ever deal, having so far installed six 4700 Film Wrapping Systems at Deutsche Post sites in Germany."

ABC Regional has reported that "Australia Post staff throughout regional New South Wales, including the New England and north-west, are likely to take industrial action next month in a push for more pay. The Communications, Electrical, Plumbing Union (CEPU) says staff are not satisfied with the latest enterprise bargaining agreement that has been offered to them."

The Hindu has noted that "for the first time in the country, the movement of mail vehicles in Chennai will be monitored with the help of global positioning system."

The Economic Times has reported that "Matching steps with the growing competition from private courier firms, the Delhi Post is targeting corporate houses to generate more revenues by flaunting a well-established network across the country. India Post's Delhi Circle, responsible for postal services in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, has launched a special service, Mail Business Centres (MBC), for private companies, through which postal staff will not only collect the companies' bulk mail, but will also place them in envelopes and label them with the recipients' address."

August 30, 2007

From eGovMonitor: "Royal Mail today announced that Stephen Carter, Chief Executive of Brunswick Group LLP, has been appointed as a Non Executive Director. Stephen was Chief Executive of OFCOM between 2003 and 2007 and before that Managing Director of NTL Ltd, the cable, broadband and telecommunications business between 2000 and 2002. Royal Mail Chairman Allan Leighton said: "I am delighted to welcome Stephen to Royal Mail. He brings a wealth of experience from the worlds of telecoms, marketing and regulation to the Board at a time when we are facing increasing competition from a range of other communications media as well as rival postal operators."

From the U.S. Postal Service: "In today’s Postal Bulletin [PDF] | [HTML], we introduce a new application procedure for publishers seeking Periodicals mailing privileges. The “New Launch” procedure provides an alternative process to apply for and obtain Periodicals mailing privileges under the “general” or “requester” categories. Publishers who use this procedure are not initially required to meet traditional circulation standards at the time of application. Publishers seeking Periodicals mailing privileges under the New Launch procedure have up to 15 months from the date of initial application to file an updated PS Form 3500, Application for Periodicals Mailing Privileges, with the appropriate circulation criteria and to provide documentation showing compliance with Periodicals circulation standards. The new procedure is available beginning August 30, 2007."

Ha'aretz (tongue-in-cheek) warned its readers: "Watch out, Walla. Take heed, Google: the Israel Postal Company will shortly be competing in the electronic arena to provide e-mail boxes and services to customers, if not in other areas controlled by the online giants. The postal service's motivation is simple: It must prepare for an era when regular mail, featuring envelopes and a stamp, disappears altogether and is replaced by electronic communications." See also the Jerusalem Post.

From the National Association of Major Mail Users: Canada Post and the mailing industry meet to present and review the impact of the 2008 rate case as well as the strategic development of all major postal products and services. A vital session you won’t want to miss.

CEP News (Courier-Express-Postal), published by the MRU Consultancy, has reported that:

The first half of 2007 has produced mixed outcomes at Posten Norge.
Speculation surrounding a new major shareholder boosted Deutsche Post as well as TNT stock prices last Thursday. Apparently Apax, together with UPS, plans to bid 28 euros per Deutsche Post share for the remaining stake which is still held by the state-owned bank KfW, a trader told the news agency »Reuters«.
The relationship between the executive board at Österreichische Post and the workers’ representatives has apparently broken down.
If Royal Mail does not succeed in modernising its business and drastically cutting costs, it should be split into two companies. This was suggested by Nigel Stapleton, chairman of the regulator Postcomm.
Österreichische Post intends to cut one in ten jobs in the delivery sector by the end of 2009.
TNT has asked staff in the Netherlands to agree to a 30-month pay freeze.
The Indian government now apparently plans to take the amended postal bill, criticised by trade associations and operators, to the cabinet and parliament after all, reported the »Economic Times«.
Customers in Germany can anticipate stable postal rates even after the monopoly on letters comes to an end in 2008.
Österreichische Post is going to lose the delivery of parcels in Austria for the mail order company Quelle.
The British CEP operator City Link, one of the largest operators on the market, has completed the first half of the year extremely successfully.
Klaus Zumwinkel, CEO of Deutsche Post, has announced that the company is interested in entering the Japanese postal market if it is liberalised.
World Courier, which specialises in Special Speed Services, announced the start of a new cool-chain transport service in China last week.

The MRU, founded in 1992, is the only consultancy in Europe, which has specialised in the market of courier-, express- and parcel services. For large-scale shippers and CEP-services in particular, the MRU provides interdisciplinary advice for all major questions of the market, as there are for example market entry, product design, organisation, and EDP.To learn more about the stories reported above, contact CEP News. (We appreciate the courtesy extended by CEP News to help whet your appetite for more of what CEP offers.)

August 29, 2007

The Postal Regulatory Commission has extended the dates for comments on the Commission’s proposed regulations to implement a modern ratemaking and classification system for market dominant and competitive mail products (Order No. 26), issued on August 15, 2007, and posted on www.prc.gov. The comment period has been extended from September 14, 2007 to September 24, 2007. The date for reply comments is extended from September 28, 2007 to October 9, 2007. The Commission remains committed to expediting the development of these important rules.

The Florida Times-Union has reported that "If Windy Hill residents want their front-door mail delivery restored, they and Jacksonville must take lasting action to eliminate the problem of dogs running loose in their neighborhood. That was the message delivered by a postal spokesman Tuesday at a meeting in City Hall."

According to Forbes, "The German cartel office said that regulators' lenient calculations allow Deutsche Post World Net AG to keep its postal rates unchanged, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported, quoting a spokeswoman of the office."

The Gaylord Herald Times has reported that "According to U.S. Congressman Bart Stupak, D-Menominee, the Gaylord mail processing facility not only lacks equipment which would increase efficiency, it is one of a handful of facilities in the country without a biological agent detection system. The meeting followed Stupak’s recent letter to the USPS questioning management decisions to move mail processing responsibilities of third-class flats from the Gaylord mail processing facility to the Traverse City Processing and Distribution Center.

Transport Intelligence has reported that:

DHL has announced the opening of a new facility at the Baltimore/Washington International Airport. DHL's previous operations at the airport have been enhanced with the opening of a new, $1.6 million on-airport facility serving Baltimore and the surrounding areas. Improved material handling equipment for aircraft container loading and unloading as well as a 25 percent larger facility will provide for a significantly more efficient operation.
FedEx Express (FedEx) has announced the launch of a dedicated direct flight between Manchester, U.K., and the U.S. FedEx will fly a wide-body MD-11 freighter daily, Monday through Thursday, between Manchester International Airport and Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. The flight, originating at the FedEx European Hub in Paris, will increase FedEx daily capacity on the important U.K. - to - U.S. route by up to 50% and from Europe to the U.S. by up to 20%.

The Age has reported that "Australia Post says its 12 per cent pay offer to postal workers is generous, rejecting unions claims that it fails to keep up with CPI. Australia Post said it was offering a 12 per cent pay increase over two and a half years, plus a one-off $500 performance bonus to workers under a new enterprise bargaining agreement. Australia Post spokesman Rod McDonald said the agreement also locked in all existing award entitlements and conditions. "Our offer is a very good one," Mr McDonald said."

The Malaysian National News Agency has reported that "A Malaysian student's letter on the plight of a tiger cub which lives in the rainforest of Malaysia won her the first prize in the 36th Universal Postal Union (UPU) International Letter-Writing Competition for Young People in Berne, Switzerland."

August 28, 2007

The Cambridge Evening News has reported that "The Royal Mail is finding it difficult to cope with competition, partly because of its slow progress in improving efficiency and developing new services, according to an industry report. Postal regulator Postcomm, which produced the study, has called on mail operators to make the most of the opportunities presented by the changing mail market."

Forbes has reported that "German mail operator Deutsche Post is not going to have a very happy new year in 2008 when the German postal sector is liberalized, say the analysts that downgraded the stock on Tuesday."

The Discovery Channel’s new series Really Big Things profiles “the inner workings of massive man-made wonders that keep our world moving.” The U.S. Postal Service, which processes and delivers more than 213 billion pieces of mail every year—handling more than 46 percent of the world’s card and mail volume*—will be showcased in tomorrow’s (Wednesday, Aug. 29) episode. Watch Really Big Things at 8 p.m. ET/PT Wednesday, Aug. 29, on the Discovery Channel to follow the modern journey of a letter through state-of-the-art machinery at the Santa Clarita, Calif., Processing and Distribution Center and beyond.

The Poughkeepsie Journal has reported that "Poughkeepsie school district residents who tell the tax collector, "The post office ate my bill," won't just be making excuses. According to Poughkeepsie City School District officials, an unknown number of this year's school tax bills were damaged or destroyed by sorting ma-chines at the Poughkeepsie Post Office, 55 Mansion St. "It seems that the machinery, as it sorted out the various tax bills, it just chewed some of them up," Poughkeepsie Superintendent Laval Wilson said. The district has not yet determined whether there will be an extension on the taxes' due date because of the shredding. Taxpayers who haven't received a bill should contact the district. This is the second year in a row the post office's machinery has jammed up on the city district's tax bills, Wilson said. Tom Gaynor, spokesman for the New York Metro Area U.S. Postal Service, said the problem with the tax bill mailer is thickness."

From NewsReleaseWire: "Stopthejunkmail.com releases their consumer opinion survey quarterly in an effort to determine how best to reduce the environmental impact of postal junk mail. The survey is taken anonymously by a nationwide sampling of consumers to accurately show attitudes toward stopping junk mail. The survey also asks consumers what they believe are direct mail’s “worst offenders” with banks at the top of the list followed by catalogs."

From Carolina Newswire: "Mail Your Sharps, a business unit of Plastic Recovery Service LLC, introduces a U.S. Postal Service approved mail-back sharps program. The mail-back sharps program is designed for syringes, lancets, needles including those used in tattoo and body piercing studios, other sharps and small amounts of medical waste. The mail-back program consists of a U.S. Postal Service approved sharps collection container, ranging in size from 1.4 quarts to 5 gallons, protective bag liner, third party bar coded tracking, destruction manifest for Regulated Medical Waste – Sharps and a postage paid U.S. Postal Service approved return box."

Forbes has noted: "UPS Celebrates Its 100-Year Anniversary."

The Express-Times has reported that "Workers at international delivery company DHL's Lehigh County distribution center will vote next month on forming a union."

Transport Intelligence has reported that "there have been new developments in the highly strategic Indian express market, this time involving DHL and the state-run India Post. It appears that the two companies are in negotiations to form some type of joint venture which would allow DHL to access India Post's huge distribution footprint reaching right across the vast geographies involved."

August 27, 2007

The Associated Press has reported that "One block of Capitol Hill is plagued with so many bird droppings that even the U.S. Postal Service says there are days it won't deliver the mail."

According to Precision Marketing, "When Royal Mail blamed its first operating loss in six years on increased competition, eyebrows were raised across the industry. But new figures from Postcomm reveal that the 15 alternative licenced postal operators are clawing their way deeper into Royal Mail territory."

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has reported that "Australia Post has rejected union claims mail sorters are being forced to work on the APEC public holiday next week, even though there will be no mail deliveries until the following Monday. The Communications, Electrical and Postal Union says 600 employees are expected to turn up for work at 40 mail centres across Sydney on Friday September 7. The union's Ed Husic says while the workers will be paid double-time-and-a-half, they will be faced with a "nightmare" drive home after their night shift." See also the Sydney Morning Herald.

DutchNews has reported that "TNT wants staff to agree to a 2.5 year pay freeze and to make their own payments into the company pension scheme, according to the postal group's starting position for the latest round of pay talks."

Forbes has reported that "Hermes, a Hamburg-based logistics groups, is considering legal steps if the German Finance Ministry extends the VAT exemption for Deutsche Post World Net AG beyond 2007, its managing director Hanjo Schneider told Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung."

The Czech Business Weekly has reported that:

With the Czech government having recently agreed on a crucial step in getting the privatization of the state-run post office under way—namely, transforming the state enterprise into a corporation—analysts are busy estimating how much capital could be raised for the public purse by the sale. Karel Potměšil, an analyst at brokerage Cyrrus, gives an approximate figure of Kč 10 billion (€ 362 million) for Czech postal services operator Česká pošta (ČP). “But it could be more, and it could be less. It depends on how big a part of the company will be sold, and what changes will occur with the company during the transformation [from a state to a privatized entity],” he said."
The Czech postal services market is the most open and developed within the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) region, yet rivals of traditional public operators are awaiting full liberalization of the European Union postal market, says Jaroslav Aujezdský, CEO of Mediaservis, an alternative competitor to domestic state-run post office Česká pošta (ČP). Europe’s postal market was supposed to be opened up to rivals as of 2009, but the European Parliament adopted a compromise solution July 11 that would allow EU member states to delay full liberalization until 2011 or 2013. The decision is expected in October. Countries including France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Belgium, Hungary and Poland fear that rapid liberalization could destroy their public operators, resulting in weaker customer service and significant job losses. Except for Sweden, Finland and the U.K., which are fully liberalized, national postal operators in the European Union currently have a monopoly on processing mail weighing less than 50 grams.

August 26, 2007

The Boston Globe has reported that "Six million people know the experience: You order a DVD from the Netflix website and a day or two later it appears in a red paper envelope. You watch the movie, mail it back, and soon another disc arrives. This cycle happens in America 20 times every second and 1.6 million times every day, making Netflix, the movie-rental company, a veritable postal service within the postal service."

The Sentinel has reported that "Businesses are still counting the cost of postal strikes and say the action has the potential to lose them thousands of pounds.Royal Mail workers walked out in two 24-hour strikes followed by a campaign of staggered action, in which each division was allocated a different day to revolt in a bid to cause continuous disruption."

August 25, 2007

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FirstCoastNews has reported that "The Windy Hill community is petitioning the U.S. Post Office to reconsider pulling home mail delivery to nearly 600 homes and businesses because of dog attacks. Earlier this month cluster boxes were installed at several locations making home mail boxes useless."

Inc. has reported that "A small trucking firm awarded multimillion contracts with the U.S. Postal Service owes its drivers nearly $1.4 million in back wages, the Labor Department said this week. Alan Berman Trucking, based in Woodland Hills, Calif., is accused of pay violations on at least eight government contracts worth $10 million to haul mail for post offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco, the agency said. Investigators with the agency's Wage and Hour Division said the company paid its drivers by the mile or trip, making them use their own vehicles and cover fuel, maintenance, and repair costs. It also did not provide fringe benefits required by law. As a result, the drivers' wages fell below rates stipulated by the Service Contract Act."

The Allentown Morning Call has reported that "The international delivery company DHL violated labor laws by trying to hamper a union organizing campaign at its new Upper Macungie distribution center, an attorney with the National Labor Relations Board alleged Friday. But the company disputed the allegations, which stem from complaints filed earlier this year by the American Postal Workers Union."

Gulf Daily News has reported that "Bahrain has joined other GCC states in studying the establishment of a pan-Gulf mail transportation company. The company is aimed at streamlining and speeding up mail transportation within the Gulf region."

August 24, 2007

PostCom Members! The latest PostCom issues brief (this one dealing with addressing) is now available on this site.

The latest issue of the PostCom Bulletin is available online. In this issue:

Attorney and former postal executive Murray Comarow examines the roles played by Congress, postal unions, postmasters, competitors, and the Postal Service in creating the conditions that now threaten the agency’s viability while emphasizing the behavior of mailers in contributing to those conditions.
In this perspective, QUAD/Graphics’ Joe Schick looks at some of the methods postal employees use to deliver your mail on time, inadvertently increasing costs, and the mailers and their service providers who abuse the process.A new paper in Pitney Bowes Future of Mail Series peers beneath the much-hyped increased adoption of electronic bills, statements and payments while systematically reviewing available research and attempting to forecast future mail volumes and the expected growth of electronic alternatives.
Federal Register: State Dept. wants UPU input. DMM Advisory: Revised Plant Verified Drop Shipment Forms 8125 and 8125-C. AT&T wins USPS contract. FEDEX, UPS shifting campaign contributions to Democrats. RPost, Postini form global alliance. Online postal delivery firm to star in new TV series.
Britain’s Postcomm threatens Royal Mail with breakup. Is Canada Post trying to ‘banish’ competitors? Deutsche Post loses Berlin business. FedEx changing partners in Russia. UPS wants China Postal Act modified. Korea post pondering bank investments. China Postal Group adding non-postal services.
A list of upcoming postal-related events.

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The DM Bulletin has reported that "Postcomm has suggested that Royal Mail's bulk mail services could be removed from its universal service obligations in a two-stage process."

Registration is now open for the September 19 NAMMU National Forum: 2008 Rate Case Review Plus+ New Ideas That Matter. A vital session you won’t want to miss, this year’s forum mirrors the productive format introduced in 2007, and adds even more opportunity for idea exchange. All major postal products and services that enhance and impact your business model are tabled. Maximum opportunity for dialogue, and discussion about new ideas that matter to you. Registration required by September 14. Learn more. And be sure to register.

According to the Kyodo news service, "Japan Post said Friday all of some 26,000 automated teller machines for postal savings will be taken out of service on Sept. 30 to prepare for the privatization of postal services due to start the following day. All postal ATMs installed at post offices and other locations across Japan need to be suspended so as to confirm the amount of cash Japan Post holds on the last day as a public corporation, it said. ATMs operated by financial institutions and convenience stores tied up with Japan Post will not be affected."

The Daily News has reported that "Shortcomings at the top management level in the postal service has led to several irregularities. Corrective measures will be taken immediately after submission of the Committee Report, Posts and Telecommunications Minister Rauff Hakeem said yesterday. Hakeem revealed this to representatives of trade unions attached to the Postal Department during discussions to enlighten them on matters of the interim committee report which probed into the alleged corruption and irregularities at the Postal Department."

According to Bloomberg, "FedEx Corp., United Parcel Service Inc. and General Dynamics Corp. are among companies shifting campaign contributions to Democrats after years of favoring Republicans, federal records show."

Air Force Link has noted that "Members of the Det. 4, Pacific Air Forces Air Postal Squadron here have been busy supporting Operation Deep Freeze 2007-08 winter flights to Antarctica beginning in late August after more than 150 days since the last shipment of mail to the ice station. The detachment members collected 14,000 pounds of incoming mail in more than five months for the staff of the U.S. Antarctic Program at McMurdo Station who have wintered over and who are heading down to the frozen continent. Severe winters prevent any flights into Antarctica, but mail is flowing again now that winter fly-in flights have started in late August. Loaded into tri-wall containers, the mail is palletized eight containers at a time and loaded onto a C-17 Globemaster III for a five-hour flight to its destination on the ice.

The U.S. Postal Service has revised Form 8125, Plant-Verified Drop Shipment (PVDS) Verification and Clearance, and Form 8125-C, Plant-Verified Drop Shipment (PVDS) Consolidated Verification and Clearance. Both forms are dated July 2007. Images of the revised forms appear on pages 77–79 in the August 2, Postal Bulletin.

August 23, 2007

The Wall Street Journal has reported that "Valassis Communications Inc. sells coupons, but it may be Valassis's shares taking a big discount if it doesn't show payoffs from a recent acquisition. Buying direct marketer Advo Inc. -- a lengthy, contentious purchase that closed in March -- was supposed to broaden Valassis's coupon business as a price war with competitors and shrinking newspaper sales eroded profits. Like Valassis, Advo puts together marketing promotions from multiple advertisers. Valassis delivers its bundles of coupons as "free standing inserts," or FSIs -- the familiar pages of coupons stuffed into Sunday newspapers. Advo delivers similar marketing promotions through the mail. Valassis saw an opportunity for cross-selling to each company's traditional clients."

The American Postal Workers Union has announced that "In an overwhelming vote of 51 to 9, on Aug. 17 the National Postal Professional Nurses (NPPN) voted “YES,” in favor of merging with the American Postal Workers Union."

Hemscott has reported that "Oesterreichische Post AG (Austrian Post) said that it plans to shed around 1,200 jobs until the end of 2009, with some 1,000 positions being eliminated in its mail and package delivery segment. The Austrian postal services group said that the reduction in the number of letter carriers will take place within the previously announced framework of striking around 400 such positions a year through natural attrition."

The Financial Times has reported that:

Royal Mail should be split in two if it fails to modernise its business and cut costs, the industry regulator warns on Thursday. Nigel Stapleton, Postcomm chairman, told the Financial Times the priority was for Royal Mail drastically to improve its efficiency. One option would be to separate its sorting operations from doorstep deliveries.
In public relations terms, Berlin’s decision this week to impose a minimum wage in the postal sector was a masterpiece of craftsmanship, demonstrating both social responsibility and industrial patriotism. But it was also symptomatic of how German policy-making could evolve, if the agenda of the government’s conclave starting on Thursday at its guesthouse north of Berlin is anything to go by.

Direct Newsline has reported that "Quebecor World Inc. has named Hughes Bakewell president of its direct marketing solutions business. Bakwell most recently served as VP of marketing at Quest Diagnostics Inc. Prior to that, he was president and CEO of Kickstart Inc., an Internet company, and before that he was a managing director at The Integer Group, an advertising agency. Bakewell has also spent more than a decade in a succession of marketing and business development roles at Frito-Lay Inc., Hallmark Cards Inc., and Pepsi-Cola Inc."

Federal Computer Week has reported that "Robert Otto, the U.S. Postal Service’s chief technology officer and a vice president, will retire Oct. 1."

Transport Intelligence has reported that "DHL has joined the international relief effort to help victims of the earthquake disaster in Peru. The DHL Disaster Response Team (DRT) for the Americas region is supporting the National Civil Defense System at the Pisco Air Base."

Network World has reported that "RPost on Monday announced its e-mail registering service will be integrated with Postini’s messaging security hosted service. As per the agreement, Postini’s 35,000 customer sites can immediately take advantage of RPost’s proof-of-delivery service as part of Postini’s collection of service offerings, according to RPost officials. RPost provides users with proof of an e-mail’s content, receipt, and delivery date, which holds up as admissible evidence in court, officials say. Sending a message with RPost’s Registered E-mail service is much like sending registered mail, offering proof that an e-mail was sent, when it was sent, who the recipient was, and what the original content of the e-mail was. In June, RPost added encryption, PDF conversion, data-leak protection and the ability to generate electronic contracts to the service."

From WebWire: "Parcel2go, the UK and USA delivery and collection postal service, are now offering a 10 percent discount for eBay users."

From the Federal Register: "The Department of State solicits ideas and suggestions for proposals that the U.S. Government could submit to the plenipotentiary Congress of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) to be held in Nairobi, Kenya from August 13 to September 3, 2008. The deadline for submission of proposals by an individual UPU member country is February 12, 2008. Written suggestions for draft proposals for the Nairobi UPU Congress should reach the Department of State by September 30, 2007. Your suggestions may be sent to the Department of State by one of the following methods: E-mail: DelehantyDM@state.gov or WoodCS@state.gov. Fax: (202) 647-8902. Mail: Mr. Dennis Delehanty, Foreign Affairs Officer, Office of Technical Specialized Agencies (IO/T), Bureau of International Organization Affairs, Department of State, 2201 C Street, NW., Room 5333, Washington, DC 20520."

HR.BLR.com has reported that "The U.S. Department of Labor has filed an administrative complaint against Alan Berman Trucking, seeking $1,369,870 in back wages for 80 current and former employees. The complaint also seeks to prohibit the company from receiving government contracts for a period of three years. Alan Berman Trucking had some $10 million in mail hauling contracts with the U.S. Postal Service subject to the Service Contract Act (SCA) during the time period investigated, providing services from postal facilities in the greater Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay areas."

Reuters AlertNet has reported that "A minimum wage for the postal sector has been agreed in a deal to end the domestic mail monopoly, but the SPD insists on a national minimum wage. The CDU is strongly against the idea."

CBC News has reported that "A private member's bill that would make it free to send letters to Canadian Forces personnel serving overseas has stalled, and the New Brunswick MP who sponsored the bill wants to know what the holdup is. Saint John Liberal MP Paul Zed introduced the bill to amend the Canada Post Corporation Act in April. Not only has Canada Post not responded to his calls for action on the matter, he says, but House of Commons leader Peter Van Loan struck down the bill three times in three weeks. Zed said it doesn't make sense, because he feels the majority of parliamentarians support the bill. "

ThisIsLocalLondon has reported that "Royal Mail workers have warned the suspension of industrial action may only be temporary if bosses continue to push ahead with changes to working practices and conditions."

Expatica has noted that rolling strikes continue in Belgium as the failure of progress in labor talks continues.

The Financial Times has reported that "The German government could introduce a minimum wage in postal services next year in a move set to help Deutsche Post, the former monopoly, ahead of the liberalisation of the market. The decision comes as the cabinet prepares for its mid-term retreat in Meseberg, north of Berlin, on Thursday, where it will map out its policy programme for the next two years. Economists have criticised the meeting’s draft agenda for focusing too much on potentially costly social policies and protectionist measures at the expense of structural reforms. Analysts said the minimum wage move reflected the ruling parties’ concern about their lacklustre popularity ratings and Berlin’s gradual embrace of a more hands-on industry policy."

The Globe & Mail has reported that "More than twice as many letter carriers have been bitten by dogs this summer in British Columbia than last and Canada Post wants owners to know they're responsible for their pets."

From PR Newswire: "AT&T Inc. has announced that AT&T Government Solutions has been awarded up to $22 million under the Postal Advanced Telecommunications Network (PATN) contract. AT&T will upgrade 1,800 United States Postal Service (USPS) facilities with its Enhanced Virtual Private Network (EVPN) service."

From Marketwire: "Pop N Go, Inc. has announced the test of our popcorn vending machine program with the U.S Postal Service at their South New Jersey Processing and Distribution Center. Frank Collepardi, President of Franco's Snacks, stated, "We service over 1,000 employees in this center and based on the response to Pop N Go's popcorn machine we are looking forward to expanding into many other facilities."

The Orange County Register has reported that "U.S. Postal Service officials announced Monday that they have scrapped plans for a proposed nine-acre mail processing facility near the city's northern gateway, following two weeks of heated opposition from residents and city leaders. The sticking point for the project was a study determining that an overpass bridge was needed to cover a rail line on the property, postal officials said. The bridge would have required coordination with the Public Utilities Commission and each of the railroad operators."

CFRA.com has reported that "Canada's border guards are looking for some high-tech help to read the mail. The Canada Border Services Agency has put out a call to manufacturers for leading edge equipment that will automatically screen thousands of packages for weapons and explosives. The devices would be used to monitor the flow of suspicious munitions into Canada's major postal facilities."

The New York Times has noted that "Competing for consumers who spend less time browsing to find the perfect card and who increasingly communicate with friends electronically, the two companies — which dominate the $7.5 billion industry — are appealing to women who, according to their research, like humorous takes on their everyday travails. They also purchase 80 percent of all paper greeting cards. While the paper card market is declining, it is still five times as large as the e-card market, according to the Greeting Card Association, a trade group. Ninety percent of United States households still buy paper greeting cards, and the average household buys 30 a year, the association said."

9News.com has noted that "U.S. Postal Inspectors hope you will recognize a man they say is using counterfeit credit cards to steal stamps out of automated postal centers at post offices in Denver and Boulder. Postal inspectors say this man used numerous counterfeit credit cards to make transactions at the automated stamp machines. The robber visited a number of Denver and Boulder post offices between January and March 2007. Postal officials think he is part of a larger scheme to steal stamps and sell them on the street or on the Internet."

From eMediaWire: "According to ScanMyPhotos.com, a division of 30 Minute Photos Etc. (which began in 1990 as a traditional retail photo center in Irvine, Calif.), they have also begun receiving its order of 50,000 co-branded United States Postal Service Priority Flat Rate boxes. Working in partnership with the USPS, ScanMyPhotos.com is able to provide super-fast turnarounds. According to Mitch Goldstone, President and CEO of ScanMyPhotos.com, "the newly imprinted, co-branded boxes help celebrate our commitment and enhances our credibility for the new business model we built to efficiently preserve analog pictures in today's all digital world."

Politics.co.uk has reported that "Politicians have welcomed Royal Mail's decision to allow relatives of troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan to send parcels for free. Royal Mail is working with the British Forces Post Office to arrange special arrangements for the busy posting period up until Christmas and will confirm formal arrangements in the next few days. Head of the army general sir Richard Dannatt, who had called on Royal Mail to introduce the free service, said he was delighted at the move." See also The Mirror.

Bloomberg has reported that "German postal workers may be subject to a minimum wage from early next year after the ruling coalition parties reached a late-night deal to extend basic pay levels, Labor Minister Franz Muentefering said.

Arabian Business has reported that "A pan-GCC mail transportation company is likely to be set up to carry postal mail and courier parcels across the region, the UAE’s postal services company said. The company, which was first proposed at a meeting of GCC postal officials last May, would facilitate package delivery among the different postal systems of the six GCC member states." See also AMEInfo.

Xinhua has reported that "China's first national museum of postal artifacts is expected to open in Beijing on Wednesday, according to its owner China Postal Group (CPG). The China Museum of Postal Services and Stamps will house almost 10,000 exhibit items in a four-story exhibition hall with a floor space of 7,500 square meters, and a warehouse with a floor space of 6,000 square meters. The country's postal services can be traced back to 400 B.C., when post houses were set up nationwide by imperial governments to deliver letters and documents, mostly for military and diplomatic purposes."

AllAfrica.com has reported that "Posta Uganda, the country's traditional postal service provider, is sliding out of business after taking damaging knocks from new sophisticated players amid severe under funding from the government. "Posta needs re-capitalisation to become profitable," the former Posta Uganda Board Chairperson Aisha Lubega said last week. Her statement underlined the deep seated precarious situation under which the company is operating. Almost ten years after its formation, the company has failed to break even despite initial government promises to subsidise it."

Be sure to check out the PostInsight web site, where you can find a summary of the findings and strategic conclusions of the latest

paper in the Future of Mail Series from Pitney Bowes. This paper is entitled Bills, Statements and Payments – Paper and Electronic Delivery. The complete report is available at http://postinsight.com/files/EBPP_Paper_Aug07_AFu.pdf.

The Economic Times has reported that "After putting the issue on the backburner for a couple of months on account of strong protests from private courier players, the ministry of communications under telecom minister A Raja has now revived work on amendments to the controversial postal bill. Private courier companies are opposed to the proposed bill as it intends to prevent them from carrying any letter or parcel below 150 grams and also seeks to limit the foreign direct investment in the sector to 49%. The bill also envisages that private courier companies who want to deliver letters below this slab (150 grams) do so at a price which is five times more than the rates charged by India Post or 2.5 times Speed Post rates."

The Orange County Register has reported that "After two weeks of heated debate, the council Tuesday is expected to weigh in on a U.S. Postal Service backed plan to construct a 9-acre mail sorting facility at the northern gateway to the city. While postal officials say the facility is needed to meet growing demand for mail service in South County, many residents and community leaders fear it would destroy the rural character of the area."

MediaWeek has reported that "Emap has handed its magazine postal account to TNT Post, marking the Royal Mail rival’s first win in the sector. The 12-month contract will involve handling up to six million items across its consumer and business-to-business titles using TNT’s Premier service."

The Daily Mail has reported that "Royal Mail is paying out more than £1million a month in compensation for its failures - including settling vast numbers of claims for lost and damaged items. More than 800 claims a day are paid out for letters and packages that have been lost. There are another 80 a day for damaged parcels and 150 per day over delayed items. The £13.6million annual bill to settle claims represents the tip of the iceberg of Royal Mail failings because the company has become notorious for refusing to pay up over complaints."

In a letter to the editor, Communication Workers Union president Billy Hayes took the Financial Times to task for an earlier editorial. He wrote: "You paint the usual picture of letters being replaced by e-mail. This ignores the growth of letters alongside the internet. The complementary nature of different forms of communication in society and industry appears too complex a concept for many. If this is simply a declining industry, why are foolish competitors lining up to take a piece of the vanishing pie? Of course, privatisation is your ultimate solution. Our view is different. We favour making the industry more responsive to customer demand through a process of tailoring services to customers, and involving authority for decision-making in line with local needs."

ZeeNews has reported that "Post offices in metros are set for a major change with the Government deciding to introduce new facilities like forex counters, cargo services, access to instant money order and other revenue generating services."

The latest issue of the PostCom Bulletin is available online. In this issue:

Yahoo! has reported that "News audiences are ditching television and newspapers and using the Internet as their main source of information, in a trend that could eventually see the demise of local papers, according to a new study."

According to LawFuel, "IBM Corporation and PriceWaterhouseCoopers have both agreed to pay the United States more than $5.2 million to settle allegations that the companies solicited an provided improper payments and other things of value on technology contracts with government agencies, the Justice Department announced today. IBM has agreed to pay $2,972,038.50, while PWC will pay $2,316,662. According to the complaints against the companies, IBM and PWC knowingly solicited and/or made payments of money and other things of value, known as alliance benefits, to a number of companies with whom they had global alliance relationships. The government intervened in the actions because the alleged alliance relationships and resulting alliance benefits amount to kickbacks, as well as undisclosed conflict of interest relationships in violation of contractual provisions and the applicable provisions of the federal acquisition regulations."

From the Federal Register: "Representatives from Time Inc. will present a briefing on Monday, August 20, 2007, beginning at 3 p.m., in the Postal Regulatory Commission's main conference room. The briefing will address delivery service measurement for certain Periodicals mailings. The briefing is open to the public."

Transport Intelligence has reported that "FedEx appears to have lost its present round of litigation over wages rates for its drivers. According to its opponents in the litigation, the California Court of Appeal has upheld the trial court's decision finding FedEx Ground drivers to be employees and not independent contractors, thus denying the appeal of FedEx in the landmark Estrada vs. FedEx Ground Package System, Inc. The appeals court also determined that the FedEx Ground drivers were entitled to reimbursement for approximately $6 million in additional expenses, bringing the total damages to about $11 million for 200 drivers."

As Steve Barr of the Washington Post has noted, "Here's a regulator running ahead of schedule -- the Postal Regulatory Commission. The commission this week released a 160-page proposed framework for setting mail rates, beating the deadline set by Congress by 10 months."

ABC12.com has reported that "Around 180 Flint postal jobs could move to Pontiac. The United States Postal Service is proposing the move as part of a consolidation plan. Workers are not happy about this proposal. That's why they held an informational picket day, saying this consolidation would be unnecessary."

From Newswire Today: "As the world’s largest exhibition and conference for printing, finishing and packaging products, GRAPH EXPO 2007 will feature hundreds of vendors displaying their latest equipment and products. But only at BÖWE BELL + HOWELL’s booth will attendees see a unique Connectivity Showcase featuring what is expected to be the largest multi-vendor online connectivity ever displayed at a print tradeshow. This “live and connected” environment will feature Web-based tracking of vendors’ equipment on the show floor in real time, illustrating their open architecture and integration capabilities. A leading provider of document management and postal solutions, BÖWE BELL + HOWELL will prominently occupy Booth No. 600, located just inside the main tradeshow entrance at GRAPH EXPO 2007."

Reuters has reported that "African postal services must diversify into lucrative businesses like money transfers and direct marketing or lack of government support will force them out of operation, the head of Posta Uganda said on Friday. National post organisations are suffering worldwide as volumes of traditional letters fall and more people use e-mails, the Internet and mobile telephones to communicate. In Africa, many rural post offices are little more than dilapidated shacks. But often they are the only network capable of reaching the majority of the population who live in villages. Some believe they could also be used to bring new electronic services to millions of customers."

According to 24dash, "The Royal Mail is losing almost 2p on every letter it delivers for rival firms, new financial figures have shown."

The Nanaimo News Bulletin has reported that "To many, the public library is a sacred institution – like motherhood and apple pie, or rural mail delivery. But in January a World Trade Organization ruling takes effect that would block Ottawa directly subsidizing postal rates for libraries. Canada Post would likely start charging libraries the full parcel rate – 13 times what it currently charges them to send materials to in the mail."

The Financial Times has reported that "Royal Mail slipped into the red for the first time in six years on its first and second- class and bulk business mail, incurring an operating loss of £12m last year after a profit of £197m in 2005-06. The weak financial performance, revealed in its regulatory accounts yesterday, underlines the challenges facing the company as it seeks to cut costs and raise productivity."

According to The Mirror, "Royal Mail could face a £350million fine after the recent strikes left services in turmoil."

According to the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "At 41 cents per stamp, paying a bill, sending a birthday card or keeping in touch with a pen pal can be pretty expensive. Postal fees continue to rise, but deliveries aren’t faster, mail isn’t safer and the lines at the Post Office don’t get any shorter. All this leads one to ask, "How can such an inefficient company stay in business?" The answer, of course, is by force of law: Competing with the United States Postal Service in the delivery of first-class mail is illegal. The Post Office has held its statutory mail monopoly since our country’s infancy, when government officials contended that private companies could not handle the awesome responsibility of delivering the mail. But the truth is that private mail services have existed all along and have generally lowered prices, introduced innovations and intrepidly challenged the government’s statutory control of the mail delivery market."

New Delhi News has reported that "State-run India Post is seeking to beat growing competition from private courier companies by acquiring its own aircraft that would carry mail by the end of this month."

Easier Finance has reported that "Post Office Ltd and British Gas have signed a new deal running to the end of December 2010, which allows British Gas customers to continue to benefit from the convenience of paying for and towards their Gas and Electricity at Post Office branches."

The Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) today published proposed regulations to implement a modern ratemaking and classification system for market dominant and competitive mail products. Comments to the proposed regulations are due by September 14,2007, and reply comments are due by September 28,2007. The proposed regulations are available on the Commission's website, www.prc.gov, and will be available in the Federal Register. The proposed rulemaking consists of three parts: regulations related to compet itive products; regulations related to rate adjustments for market dominant products, includinq the formula for calculation of the rate cap under which annual adjustments may be made; and establishment of a Mail Class ification Schedule, which categorizes products as either market dominant or competitive. See also the PRC press release.

Press Release: "Winn Solutions has over a decade of experience in the software tracking industry combined with todays leading edge technology, Microsofts .NET Framework, we have created the first hosted, web-based tracking system: WebWITS. Please read our overview that explains the benefits of a web-based system such as WITS when compared to a web-enabled system. Click here to download the white paper from WINN Solutions."

From Business Wire: "Postage, which already represents one of direct marketers’ largest expenses, has just become even more costly in the wake of recent rate increases. To help mailers mitigate the impact of these increases, Transcontinental Direct offers a postal optimization solution to maximize USPS postage and destination-entry discounts. Called Postedge, the company’s Standard Class postal optimization service includes professional presorting, commingling, and logistics services designed not only to take maximum advantage of available USPS discount incentives, but also to improve the overall consistency and predictability of in-home delivery."

The DM Bulletin has reported that "Shoppers are increasingly using catalogues to pick a product before going online to place their order, signalling a new trend dubbed 'flick to click' shopping, according to research from Experian."

According to The Day, "never mind the rain, snow and gloom of night — porch steps alone will stop the mail." See also the Norwich Bulletin.

Dow Jones has reported that "the Mexican government plans to upgrade the country's much-criticized postal service and signed an agreement Tuesday with the U.S. Postal Service to help in the process. Communications and Transport Minister Luis Tellez said the Mexican Postal Service, or Sepomex, has been neglected for years, while the USPS is "an example of modernity, efficiency and quality." Under the agreement signed Tuesday, Sepomex staff will visit U.S. facilities to analyze procedures and equipment, and the two will also cooperate to improve cross-border services."

Potomac News has reported that "the work environment at the Harry J. Parrish Post Office in Manassas has disintegrated, according to carriers, clerks and union representatives. And they don't want to take it anymore."

According to Marketing Sherpa, "Digital print capabilities have made it possible so you don’t have to send out the exact same postal mail piece to each of your prospects. In fact, you can arrange products based on past purchase behavior and other data or even change the size of your mailer. Reader’s Digest Canada has results from a new mailing where they tested four catalogs with varying levels of customization. Conversions increased as much as 74%. "

The Financial Express has noted that "Liberalisation has contributed to India’s transition from dismal growth rates to the present rate of 9%, among the highest today in the world. After decades of being served sub-standard goods, the Indian consumer is experiencing the benefits of competition in sectors such as automobiles, consumer electronics and durables, telecommunications, insurance, and so on. Yet unfortunately, reform remains to be completed in important areas, for example coal, oil, gas, banking and posts. Old habits die hard and there is a tendency to retain controls or power of market intervention, as reflected in some recent ministerial proposals such as the Postal Amendment Bill that seeks to give a wide monopoly to the Post Office and impose regulatory controls on private service providers, or the Warehousing Bill that seeks to actually regulate warehousing rates and conditions! "

BOPA News has noted that "Botswana finance assistant minister Duncan Mlazie has said that "postal services constitute a very important part of peoples daily life all over the world."

From PRDomain: "Variable data printing (VDP) is the star of a new DVD aimed at educating marketers on the power of personalized print communications. Sponsored by Kodak, the DVD explores the components of a successful VDP program through a series of expert interviews and detailed analysis of real world case studies from a variety of industries. Advertising Age magazine, Printing Impressions magazine, the U.S. Postal Service, Pitney Bowes and Kodak collaborated in the production of the DVD."

Mad.co.uk has reported that "Royal Mail is promoting the combined use of direct mail and digital campaigns after its latest research found it can increase customer spend by almost 25 per cent. The postal operator’s consumer study into the best uses of different advertising also reveals nearly 70 per cent of respondents believe direct mail supports online advertising."

Traffic World has reported that "How the UPS and Teamsters deal with the pension fund will set the tone for how both will handle pensions and each other for decades to come. A UPS pullout from the fund would reverberate across the parcel delivery and trucking industries. Union activists worry that if one of the largest unionized companies pulls out of a multiemployer plan, others will follow."

Direct Newsline has reported that "while postal list costs rise consumer and business-to-business e-mail list prices have declined over the last year, while the cost of magazine and newsletter postal lists have risen $6/M and $5/M respectively, according the Worldata Summer 2007 List Price Index."

Press Release: "If you will be attending Graph Expo ’07, visit Window Book at Booth #2297 where they will be showcasing its new mailing product, Postage Statement Form Filler (PSFF). PSFF is an easy and cost-effective solution for quickly producing printed USPS Postage Statements replacing hand-written mailing statements. Postage Statement Form Filler allows users to easily create computer generated Postage Statements, when submitting them handwritten is the only other option. The new Postage Statement Form Filler will generate the following statements and forms for processing your mailings: 3541, 3600-R, 3602-R, 3602-N, 3605-R, 3606, 3700, and 8125s. Fill out your statements faster and more accurately."

PostalMag.com has reported that "Among the items in the Proposed National Agreement between the NALC and USPS is a memorandum on FSS work methods. FSS could add another (third) bundle to carriers' daily workload (1. carrier-cased letters and flats; 2. DPS letters; 3. DPS flats). According to the memorandum, a Joint Task Force comprised of four members from the NALC and four from the USPS will "explore alternative work methods necessary for handling mail in an FSS environment." Though the implementation of FSS will result in greater efficiencies in the sorting of mail, the implementation could make the daily work of carriers harder in that carriers will probably have a third bundle everyday, instead of just on circular (ADVO, etc.) days. (Still not clear is how circulars will be delivered in an FSS environment.) Also, carrier routes will be adjusted longer as carriers will need less office time to sort mail."

Newbury Today has reported that "the postal strike by Royal Mail sorting office and delivery workers, which has disrupted postal services in the Newbury area, has been called off until September. Counter staff remain set to continue their industrial action, however. The postal workers union CWU has issued a statement about their dispute with employers Royal Mail, saying both sides were committed to reach an agreement by Tuesday, September 4. Delivery and mail sorting workers returned to work after union bosses signed up to a pledge that during this period CWU will not serve notice of any strike action, with all industrial action suspended." [Who the blazes is in charge here? Does anyone speak for the union as a whole?]

The Washington Post has reported that "Bonuses for federal executives are getting a congressional grilling. Sen. Byron L. Dorgan (D-N.D.) has asked the Government Accountability Office to investigate possible misuse of the bonus program for federal executives. In fiscal 2006, two-thirds of federal executives received bonuses, and at five federal agencies, more than 90 percent of the executives collected bonuses, he pointed out. In announcing the GAO probe, Dorgan said agencies, rather than rewarding only their high-performing executives, seemed to believe that all of their executives were above average, "a lot like Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon." Dorgan said he was concerned by reports that some executives received bonuses when their agencies had failed to meet certain performance standards."

Stars and Stripes has reported that "A new tracking system — the first at an Air Force base in the Pacific — is helping postal workers at Osan automate registered mail and package deliveries. The system, called UPS Trackpad, is a United Parcel Service system that uses bar codes and computer scans to track certain mail inside the post office."

The Detroit Free Press has noted that "As airline delays mount and more bags are mishandled, it's not an idle worry. About one of every 130 domestic airline passengers had luggage go astray during the first four months of 2007, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation. That's the highest since last summer's airline bankruptcy-inspired delays. To be on the safe side, you can ship your luggage ahead. Around for about eight years, luggage delivery services are being used more as airlines crack down on luggage allotments. While not all guarantee your bags will arrive, most ship several days ahead so you're likely to get delivery on time. After surveying prices and policies, and being the cheapskates we are, the Detroit Free Press tried the cheapest method of mailing a small suitcase fast, the good old U.S. Postal Service (USPS)."

The Financial Times has reported that "Horror stories about the state of Royal Mail abound. But there is a good chance that these tales are not circulating in the form of a letter, stamped and mailed at a post office. That loss of market share lies at the heart of Royal Mail's problems: its operations are a shambles - not entirely its own fault - and the company is facing ever more competition it is not equipped to handle."

InTheNews has reported that "Thousands of Post Office workers are today staging a pay strike, which comes after separate industrial action by postal workers was called off last week. Today's strike, the latest in a series of walkouts staged by workers at crown post office branches, comes after union leaders called off separate industrial action by postal workers on Thursday after agreeing to further talks with Royal Mail bosses over a row concerning pay and conditions."

The Philippine Information Agency has reported that "the country will host the 14th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Postal Business Meeting (ASEANPost) on September 4 to 6, 2007 that will be held in Makati City."

eTrucker.com has reported that "A former FedEx owner-operator told a congressional panel that the company had misclassified him as an independent contractor."

The Daily Mail has reported that "Almost two-thirds of homes and businesses will be condemned to afternoon deliveries under fiercely contentious Royal Mail plans. The proposal, hidden away in a consultation paper, signals yet another downgrading of a once first-class postal service. It will infuriate consumer groups and small firms who see morning deliveries as their lifeblood."

The Times of Malta has reported that "The Union Haddiema Maghqudin has met Investments Minister Austin Gatt to discuss the future of Maltapost employees in connection with the company's privatisation."

Zawya has reported that "Global leader in international express, overland transport and air and ocean freight, DHLDHL has decided to transfer two of its main aviation services centres from Africa and Europe to the kingdom. Operations of its Harare and Brussels centres would be merged and shifted to Bahrain to serve the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe segments. Bahrain is a major hub for the cargo leader's Middle East operations with its regional distribution centre based at the Bahrain International airport."

The latest issue of the PostCom Bulletin is available online. In this issue:

As Air Cargo World has noted, "As the U.S. Postal Service faces the growing challenge of consumers' move to electronic communications, revenue in the third quarter grew just 2.9 percent. USPS got a boost for its competition with private parcel carriers from its scores in on-time performance. The scores were at all-time highs for all three categories tracked. "

The Financial Times has reported that "Royal Mail should be allowed to increase the price of a second-class stamp from 24p to 29p by 2010 to help its “deteriorating financial position”, the postal operator’s regulator proposed on Thursday." See also The Independent.

According to Card Guide, "A number of banks and credit card companies in the UK have stated that they intend to be sympathetic with customers who may have suffered as a result of the postal strikes in terms of payments coming in late because of the postal delays. Although banks have suffered a fair amount of bad press lately some of the leading banks and credit card companies stated that they would take the postal strikes into account when it came to customers' accounts."

DM News has reported that "In light of the recent postal rate hike and advances in printing technology, the transpromo trend has quickly accelerated. Transpromo is a technique that combines obligatory transactional customer communication with revenue-generating promotional offers."

The Rio Rancho Observer quoted one local official as saying: "Sometimes you wonder how can a mailman put in a wrong box on a wrong address so many letters, including statements of the credit card," he said in an interview the previous day. "Something is not working right in the back of the post office. Something is dysfunctional."

The U.S. Postal Service has filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission a paper by one of its consultants, James I. Campbell, Esq., on "An Analysis of Provisions of the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act Relating to the Regulation of Postal Rates and Services."

The Postal Regulatory Commission the Commission has received an appeal of the closing of the Ecorse Classified Finance Station, Ecorse, MI.

Deutsche Welle has reported that "At the end of this year, the remains of Germany's postal monopoly are slated to be fully dismantled. But Deutsche Post says it faces a less-than-level playing field and unfair competition on the open market."

According to the Lexington Institute's Dr. Charles Guy, "the Postal Service would apparently prefer to cave in to union demands rather than confront the long-term challenges of its burgeoning labor costs. USPS also capitulated earlier this year in its negotiations with the American Postal Workers Union, its largest union."

Reuters has reported that "Postal workers have called off a series of 24-hour strikes due to start at 7 p.m. on Thursday after last-minute talks with employers at the Royal Mail. In a joint statement the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and the Royal Mail said "detailed discussions" would now take place at the Trades Union Congress. Both sides were committed to reaching an agreement by September 4, the statement added."

Newsdesk has reported that "DHL Express has reached an agreement to sell its Dutch subsidiary Dedicated Distribution Services (DDS) and its Belgian subsidiary Van Osselaer Pieters Colli Service (VOP) to Österreichische Post AG (ÖPAG), the Austrian postal service. The transaction is a further step in DHL’s strategy to optimize the strategic synergies within the express organization and thus to maximize shareholder value. The transaction will not have any effect on the services provided to existing customers."

From the Federal Register: The Postal Regulatory Commission has opened "a formal docket to consider changing the status of Premium Forwarding Service (PFS) from experimental to permanent. It describes the Postal Service's proposal and makes several preliminary administrative decisions. Issuance of this document meets legal publication requirements and informs interested persons about key details, including opportunities for public participation and the decisionmaking timetable. August 21, 2007: Deadline for intervention. August 28, 2007: Prehearing conference (10 a.m.)."

According to Pensions & Investments, "United Parcel Service of America Inc., Atlanta, and Teamsters Central States, Southeast & Southwest Areas Pension Fund, Rosemont, Ill., reached an agreement on the company’s potential withdrawal from the $20.7 billion fund, according to a letter the International Brotherhood of Teamsters sent to local union offices."

The Indianapolis Business Journal has reported that "A federal judge in South Bend this month will weigh whether lawsuits filed by independent contractors against FedEx Corp. in two dozen states should be combined. About 150 independent contract drivers, designated by FedEx as part-time employees, seek to be classified as full-time workers, according to Bloomberg. That would entitle them to benefits and paid time off. FedEx also could be forced to buy up to 15,000 trucks used by the drivers, at $45,000 apiece. According to some estimates, a favorable ruling for contract drivers could cost the Memphis-based company $630 million."

From PR Web: "StampsByMail.us is officially open for business. StampsByMail.us will allow people or businesses to order Stamps by phone or online and have them delivered right to their door. In addition, people can enroll in a Stamp Subscription Program, and automatically receive Stamps Monthly or Bi-Weekly."

The Chicago Tribune has reported that "The Chicago District of the U.S. Postal Service announced Wednesday that it had improved its delivery rate through reforms a few months after the U.S. postmaster slammed the city for having the worst mail delivery in the nation." See also the Chicago Sun-Times.

Check out the PostInsight web site for the latest paper on 'Future of Mail' Paper: "Bills, Statements and Payments – Paper and Electronpic Delivery" by Alex Fu. This paper analyzes the U.S. and European landscape vis-à-vis: the adoption rates of electronic bills, statements and payments, and the evolution of the corresponding mail volumes. Third, the paper examines how consumers prefer to receive and pay bills so as to provide an outlook on the future of paper vs. electronic methods. Finally, the paper looks at the progress billers have made to effectively institute and establish new bill, statement and payment mechanisms."

According to Bloomberg, "Deutsche Post AG may be defenseless against invaders into its lucrative home turf as the rest of Europe backtracks on promises to throw open national mail markets. A two-year delay in opening most of the region is thwarting plans by Europe's biggest postal service to expand. That leaves Deutsche Post little room to improve margins when its letter- delivery monopoly in Germany, its most profitable business, ends Jan. 1. The shares have dropped 18 percent since April, after more than doubling in four years as Deutsche Post shed workers and boosted profit."

Manchester.com has reported that "UK postal workers will today begin the latest in a series of strikes as union leaders continue to battle with Royal Mail bosses over pay and jobs." See also The Guardian.

The Times has reported that "Royal Mail came under attack yesterday for refusing to publish its delayed financial results as it emerged that it has given them to the postal regulator."

Newsdesk has reported that "DHL EXPRESS has reached an agreement to sell its Dutch subsidiary Dedicated Distribution Services (DDS) and its Belgian subsidiary Van Osselaer Pieters Colli Service (VOP) to Österreichische Post AG (ÖPAG), the Austrian postal service. The transaction is a further step in DHL’s strategy to optimize the strategic synergies within the EXPRESS organization and thus to maximize shareholder value."

Hemscott has reported that "China Post Group, a 10 bln-usd company formed out of the State Postal Bureau, said it has won regulatory approval to set up a life insurance unit."

Forbes has reported that "Oesterreichische Post AG (Austrian Post) said its net income for the second-quarter was up 72 pct year-on-year to 25.1 mln eur, beating analyst consensus of 21.0 mln eur, thanks to continued strong growth in the company's packets and logistics segments."

This Day has reported that "The Postmaster General of the Federation, Mallam Ibrahim Mori Baba has asked employees of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) to brace up for the challenges of global competition in the discharge of postal services, saying that was the only way to catch up with the state of postal services in other regions of the world."

The Postal Regulatory Commission has received a request of the United States Postal Service for a recommended decision on classifications and rates to implement a baseline negotiated service agreement with Life Line Screening (Docket No. MC2007-5).

The presentation to the Board of Governors by USPS CFO Glen Walker has been posted on this site.

From the U.S. Postal Service: "National on-time performance scores for the delivery of First-Class Mail were at all-time highs in the third quarter of fiscal year 2007 for all three of the categories the Postal Service tracks. Overnight service was 96 percent on-time, up from 95 percent the same period last year. Two-day service was 93 percent on-time and three-day service was 91 percent on-time."

“Our big challenge is to build awareness,” said Anita Bizzotto, CMO and EVP at the USPS. DM News quoted her as saying, “We are not the same USPS we were 10 years ago; we have services that we never offered before that promise efficiency, speed and automation.” The Postal Service has mailed about 1 billion direct mail pieces this year to educate small businesses, large commercial businesses and consumers on the importance and effectiveness of a direct mail piece. It’s part of a multichannel marketing approach that uses direct mail, Internet and television ads."

icWales has reported that "As Royal Mail faces continuing industrial unrest in a dispute with postmen and women over pay and modernisation, Huw Roberts, Director of Welsh Affairs, Royal Mail Group, gives an insight into the imperative for change in Britain’s postal services."

TMCNet has reported that "Italian competition regulator Autorita Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (Antitrust) has opened an investigation into possible abuse of a dominant market position by the country's leading postal services operator, Poste Italiane. The investigation relates to liberalised services and services that are due to be liberalised in the next six years, and covers supply contracts made by Poste Italiane between December 2000 and January 2007. These contracts are thought to have been weighted in the state-owned group's favour, and to have contained clauses that restricted competition."

Transport Intelligence has reported that "Global express company FedEx has confirmed reports that it is to move one of its principal European operations from Frankfurt Rhein/Main Airport to Cologne/Bonn Airport. The integrator stated on Monday that it "will relocate its largest German gateway from Frankfurt/Main to the Cologne/Bonn airport in 2010". The reason given for the move is that FedEx needs greater capacity for its European network. Germany is particularly favoured due to its exposure to Central and Eastern European traffic. To this end FedEx will invest in 50,000 sq m of new sorting facilities in Cologne. Another key reason for moving out of Frankfurt, however, was that airpor'ts imminent ban on night-flights."

The Mirror has reported that "Union leaders last night blasted Royal Mail for trying to lure staff into becoming "scabs" to smash the bitter pay strike. They said post bosses are offering to smuggle workers into depots and give them minders if they cross picket lines. In a flyer dished out to mail centres, staff are also offered a transfer to a different office to protect their identity."

Network World has reported that "missed delivery is a bane of apartment and condo living (unless your swanky address has a real doorman), as well as a costly drain on the major package-delivery services. But now this problem also is offering an interesting business opportunity to a trio of MIT grads behind a startup called IdentiCert, maker of easyQube."

A copy of the "Declaration of J. Gregory Sidak to the Federal Trade Commission Concerning Network Advantages Conferred on the U.S. Postal Services By Its Statutory Monopolies" is available at the Social Science Research Network.

"Is modern technology a threat to traditional postal service providers?" Yes, but Vanguard has reported that "Mallam Ibrahim Mori Baba, Post Master-General and CEO of the Nigeria Postal Services, (NiPOST) thinks so, but believes the post remains a vital ingredient of communication in modern business enterprise."

Mainichi has reported that "The opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), which became the largest bloc in the House of Councillors as a result of the July 29 election, is set to submit to the chamber a bill that would freeze postal privatization for one year."

From PR Newswire: "RELM Wireless Corporation today announced that its exclusive supply contract with the United States Postal Service (USPS) has been extended for a second time through July 14, 2008."

According to the New York Times, "It is only a matter of time until nearly all advertisements around the world are digital. The plan is to build a global digital ad network that uses offshore labor to create thousands of versions of ads. Then, using data about consumers and computer algorithms, the network will decide which advertising message to show at which moment to every person who turns on a computer, cellphone or — eventually — a television. More simply put, the goal is to transform advertising from mass messages and 30-second commercials that people chat about around the water cooler into personalized messages for each potential customer."

DM News has reported that "Vertis Communications has unveiled MailTrail, a mail tracking and reporting system powered by GrayHair Software. MailTrail provides marketers with the ability to trace a direct mail campaign’s journey through the mail stream, from a package’s initial entry to its projected in-home delivery date. The system design is driven by the US Postal Service’s next-generation Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMB) technology."

The Glasgow Evening Times has reported that "Royal Mail is clearing a backlog of mail in Glasgow by sending lorry loads of letters and parcels to sorting offices in England. Management say it's normal practice. But angry workers claim it's a spiteful move to avoid having to pay them overtime. The row erupted after hundreds of postal workers ended wildcat action last week and agreed to continue normal duties."

Online Media Daily has reported that "spending on internet advertising will reach $61.98 billion, and will surpass newspapers to become the nation's leading ad medium in 2011, projects private equity firm Veronis Suhler Stevenson in its 21st Communications Industry Forecast released today. Consumers are also migrating away from ad-supported media and spending more time with media they support, according to the VSS Forecast. Consumers spent an average of 1,631 hours in 2006 with consumer-supported media, such as the Internet and video games--a gain of 19.8% compared to 2001. Time spent with ad-supported media, such as broadcast television and newspapers, has fallen 6.3% since 2001 to 1,899 hours per person."

Press Release: "Often overlooked, parcel shipping frequently suffers from unnecessary rush expenditures and underutilized volume discount opportunities. Enterprise-wide parcel management systems are helping companies gain cost control and improve staff productivity, shipment visibility, and compliance management."

The Financial Times has reported that "Korea Post is considering buying a stake in Woori Bank or Korea Exchange Bank, two of South Korea's largest lenders, as it seeks to broaden its range of investments and find new areas of business growth."

The Jerusalem Post has reported that "The Israel Postal Company sanctions that have annoyed customers and caused millions of shekels in financial losses to the company over the past two months ended on Monday, the company management announced."