April 30, 2009

Multichannel Merchant has reported that "According to Direct Media’s numbers, Catalog Tracker received 144 books in the mail this past February, down from 325 in February 2008. That’s a 226% decline in catalogs mailed."

According to The Economist, "engraved magnificently above the columns of the main post office in Manhattan is a promise of the postal service’s resilience. “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night”, runs the motto, “stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” Inclement weather is one thing, but the downturn is posing a greater challenge. This recession has been particularly cruel to the postal service, already battered by the popularity of e-mail. Last year saw the biggest decline in mail since the Depression: volume fell by 4.5%, or about 9 billion pieces. The postal service ended the 2008 fiscal year with a $2.8 billion loss, and the next two years may well be worse. “No one knows at what point mail volume will bottom out,” said the postmaster-general, John Potter, in his testimony before the Senate in January. In spite of these cost-cutting measures, Mr Potter knows that, without help, the service could run out of cash by the end of the year."

From Canada NewsWire: "The Honourable Rob Merrifield, Minister of State (Transport), today shared the report of the independent review of the Canada Post Corporation. "Canada Post provides a fundamental public service to Canadians. I am pleased to make the review report available to the public," said Minister Merrifield. "The advisory panel that undertook the review has provided a thoughtful and comprehensive report to the government and it is being carefully analyzed." The independent review was conducted in 2008. Its purpose was to make sure Canada Post has the tools and means to continue to fulfill its mandate, which is to provide affordable, universal postal service to Canadians. During the course of its review, the advisory panel met with stakeholders, associations, unions and other interested parties. It also received thousands of submissions from Canadians. The report is now available online, in both official languages, at www.cpcstrategicreview.gc.ca. It can also be ordered by visiting www.publications.gc.ca or by calling 1-800-635-7943." The Executive Summary noted that:

Over the course of the strategic review, the Advisory Panel became concerned that:

Canadians are generally of the opinion that Canada Post is profitable and financially sound, whereas it is apparent to the Advisory Panel that Canada Post’s financial sustainability is uncertain at best.

Canada Post’s plants and facilities are in urgent need of upgrading and modernization as a result of inadequate capital investment over the past several years.
There is misunderstanding and misconception at Canada Post and in the government about Canada Post’s core responsibilities and the government’s concrete postal expectations, particularly in key areas like the universal service obligation and rural mail services.
The roles, responsibilities and authority of the Government of Canada, as shareholder, the corporation’s Board of Directors, and Canada Post management need clarification and must be better understood by all involved.
These realities present a pressing need for postal policy action, as they combine to limit Canada Post’s capacity to continue to deliver a universal postal service of a quality and at price levels that Canadians expect and deserve.
This is a situation made more urgent by the recent economic and financial downturn. The Advisory Panel aims to contribute constructively to the ongoing evolution of Canada Post by making recommendations and by providing advice to ensure that Canada Post has the corporate and commercial capacity it needs to maintain its financial self-sustainability, while presenting new ways and approaches for the shareholder (the government) to articulate and communicate its public policy expectations of Canada Post.

Business & Leadership has reported that "An Post has reported a record operating profit of €31.2m for 2008, despite a fall in mail volumes in the second half of the year. Profit after tax for the group was €33.2m in 2008, which marks its fifth consecutive profitable year. However, mail volumes fell 2pc in 2008 compared to the year previous, which was reflected in a 2.9pc fall in turnover (€26m) to €850m."

The EUObserver has reported that "The European Commission denied on Thursday (30 April) it was launching an investigation into a new Chinese law that would prevent international companies from accessing China's lucrative domestic postal market. "This is an issue that we have been discussing with the Chinese for quite some time," commission spokesman Lutz Gullner told EUobserver. Chinese vice-premier Wang Qishan is in Brussels next week meeting trade commissioner Catherine Ashton and ten other commissioners (Photo: European Commission) Print Comment article "We have received the law. We are now analysing it and we are looking at all aspects, including its World Trade Organisation compatibility," he added. "

MediaPost has reported that "Time Warner is anticipating that ad dollars at its Turner networks will fall in a mid-single-digit percentage range for the current April-June period, a top company executive said Wednesday. At the Time Inc. magazine group, a decline in the 30% range is possible."

Here are two important links for those seeking more on the Postal Service's Intelligent Mail program:

The list of FAQs coming out of the Postal Service's IMb webinars.
The link on the next USPS IMb webinar.

According to TechDirt, "The Newspaper Association of America, who just recently has been out pushing the value of a print product as opposed to an online-only product, seems to not be taking its own advice. According to Romenesko, the NAA has not only laid off nearly 50% of its staff, but it's also switching its own print magazine to an online-only production."

WEBINAR ON USPS NETWORK REALIGNMENT

The Association for Postal Commerce (PostCom) will be joining with the DMA, Parcel Shippers Association, National Postal Policy Council, Magazine Publishers of America, Continuity Shippers Association and the DMA Nonprofit Federation in sponsoring a webinar focusing on changes in the Postal Service’s mail acceptance, processing network and distribution network at 2:00 p.m. eastern on Tuesday, May 5th. William Galligan, Senior Vice President for Operations at the U.S. Postal Service will be discussing the Service’s actions to date and changes that will soon be coming off of the drawing board. There will be an opportunity to ask question so that participants may better gauge the potential impact of these changes on their own operations. The webinar is free to members of sponsoring groups: DMA, Association for Postal Commerce, Parcel Shippers Association, National Postal Policy Council, Magazine Publishers of America, Continuity Shippers Association and the DMA Nonprofit Federation. To register, please email government@the-dma.org with a subject line ‘Realignment’

Posted on this site are several of the powerpoint presentations used by speakers at yesterday's meeting of the Postmaster General's Mailers Technical Advisory Committee. [EdNote: Our thanks go to the USPS and the speakers for making these presentations publicly available so quickly.]

The Staten Island Advance has reported that "The U.S. Postal Service last night pledged no layoffs in a plan to move some operations from its Manor Road office to Brooklyn, but those promises did little to reassure workers waiting for the other shoe to drop. About two dozen mail sorters here would have to become carriers or clerks but would not have to take a pay cut. Mail that would lose the Staten Island postmark would instead be marked "BKLYN-QNS-STATEN ISL." "We have equipment sitting idle because we don't have the volume to keep it running," said the director, Vito Cetta. "We cannot afford to keep our machines running at less than capacity, and we cannot continue to run trucks that are not full."

European Voice has reported that "The European Commission's backing for a merger between the postal services of Sweden and Denmark raises questions about the future of the sector. The decision, announced on 21 April, permits the first merger between two incumbent postal services in the EU and suggests that the landscape is changing for Europe's postal services. Although both companies are Scandinavian, they are very different. While Sweden has one of the most liberalised postal systems in the EU, Denmark has one of the least liberalised. Although member states had established independent regulators to police their postal markets, there were “justified doubts” about whether all of them were up to the job. Member states have promised to liberalise, but this is no guarantee that competition will thrive. The Nordic market will be an important testing-ground for the Commission's powers of regulation."

The Financial has reported that "The operator of mobile cellular communication, Astelit company, which renders services under the life:) brand, has introduced new service called life:) Post for reception and sending of e-mails, the press service of the operator said. Having connected to the service, the subscribers obtain WAP-push messages with e-mails. Life:) Post service gives an opportunity to read letters and look through the attached information, write letters to e-mail addresses from mobile phones, and connect up to five e-mail addresses to the service. Those, who have no e-mail address, this service allows creation of new personalized postal account in the form of ХХХ@life.ua (where ХХХ - is a phone number), with the capacity of 7 GB."

Hellmail has noted that "According to Deutsche Post DHL, the price of a letter in Germany compares well against other European countries. A new letter price survey confirms an inflation-adjusted 16 percent drop in the past ten years. Deutsche Post DHL said that German mail customers are benefiting more than almost any other country from the stable price of a standard letter. This is the result of Deutsche Post's latest European letter price survey for 2009."

The Telegraph has reported that "Hundreds of thousands of pounds have been spent on consultants who are advising on plans to part-privatise Royal Mail."

PostCom Members!! The latest PostCom Postal Policy Report is now available on this site. In this issue: "A Snapshot Of Current Regulatory Activity."

Welcome to PostCom Radio
A PostCom Postal Podcast
Join PostCom President Gene Del Polito, NPF executive director Mike Genick, and the Postal Service's Alixe Johnson in a discussion of this year's National Postal Forum.

From the Postal Regulatory Commission: Complaint of Capital One Services, Inc. Docket No. C2008-3 "Order On Capital One Motion To Compel And Extension Of Deadlines Certified To The Commission By Presiding Officer’S Ruling No. C2008-3/38"

In preparation for the launch of Intelligent Mail^® services in May 2009, the Postal Service™ is conducting a series of Webinars to answer technical questions about Intelligent Mail barcode implementation. The next webinar is Friday, May 1 from 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm Eastern Time.

To join the Intelligent Mail Technical Integration Webinar on your computer:
1. Go to: https://uspostal.webex.com/
2. Click on the Intelligent Mail Technical Integration Webinar URL next to the date.
3. Input your First and Last name, and email address.
4. Click Submit.
5. The audio for this presentation is going to stream through your computer speakers rather than through the phone line. Please make sure the volume is turned up on your computer and test your speakers prior to the meeting.

NOTE: For those who do not have access to a computer for this Webinar or do not have computer speakers, you can listen to audio only by dialing this teleconference number: 1-866-699-3239, please submit the event id number 667 256 006 and press ## For online technical assistance, please contact WebEx Technical Support at 1-866-229-3239 (U.S. and Canada toll-free)

DMM Advisory: May 11 Pricing Change – Reminder. Our Mailing Services prices change on May 11. Highlights of the price change include:

The price of a First-Class Mail stamp increases 2¢, to 44¢. No changes to the additional-ounce price or the nonmachinable surcharge.
New options for preparing First-Class Mail automation letters and Standard Mail automation and machinable letters.
Aligned machinable and automation letter characteristics for First-Class Mail (commercial) and Standard Mail.
New Standard Mail saturation mail initiatives to encourage growth.
Parcel Post simplified to one price list.
Added a new Bronze tier for small-volume Confirm users.

Mailers may use plant-verified drop shipment (PVDS) during the price change as follows:

Current Prices — Mailers may use the current prices for PVDS mailings verified and paid before May 11. We will accept these mailings at destination entry postal facilities up to May 26 when presented with appropriate verification and payment documentation.

New Prices — Mailers may use the new prices for PVDS mailings verified and paid beginning April 13 for deposit on or after May 11. We will accept these mailings at destination entry postal facilities beginning May 11 when presented with appropriate verification and payment documentation.

Resources - We have resources and tools at usps.com/prices/pricechanges.htm to help you prepare for the mailing services pricing change. You will find many helpful materials, including the updated Price List with new prices for First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, Periodicals, Package Services, and Special Services. We’ve also posted our Federal Register notices, downloadable price files, new postage statements, links to Postal Explorer, and more.

In addition, check out our March/April MailPro [HTML] | [PDF] on usps.com/mailpro for extensive information on the price change, including FAQs. We encourage everyone to review the MailPro to prepare for the pricing change.

Full-Service Intelligent Mail^® We will continue to provide updates from the Intelligent Mail team as the May 18 implementation approaches. Access the many Intelligent Mail resources and guides at ribbs.usps.gov.

\ The Staten Island Advance has reported that "The U.S. Postal Service will sponsor a public meeting tonight about shifting some of the mail processing work currently done at the Manor Road Post Office to Brooklyn, as a cost-cutting measure."

April 29, 2009

PostCom Members!! A summary of news from today's meeting of the Postmaster General's Mailers Technical Advisory Committee has been posted on this site. See also the most recent Postal Service headquarters organizational chart.

The U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors has authorized postal management to move on with the filing of its proposed Standard Mail "summer sale" experiment.

PostCom Vice President Jessica Lowrance has reported that in a media briefing conducted at USPS headquarters, the Postal Service's executive in charge of the intelligent mail program, Tom Day noted tht the IMb is moving forward. He noted that there were issues that required attention, and the USPS is dealing with them as they are identified by mailers. Systems Integration testing is complete. There were identified defects that have been fixed. Customer Acceptance Testing (CAT) is underway. One of the major issues with CAT is that Mailers can not produce mail.dat 9.1 files to run through postal system. Pritha said that all vendors are updating and creating new software. 2 mailers have the capability of converting mail.dat 8.1 or 8.2 files into 9.1. One recently was able to just create 9.1 files. During testing, USPS would have like to test every different type of mailer profile to make sure the system was ready, but mailers were not ready. Need to open up system, so other mailers can participate outside of 6 CAT testers. More information will be reported in this week's bulletin.

Hellmail has reported that "The Communication Workers Union today accused the UK government of 'misusing' public funds to pay for specialist advice in the run-up to a partial sale of state-owned postal operator, the Royal Mail."

The USPS will start a daily webinar on May 4th from 2 to 4pm on using the new Business Customer Gateway. Dial-in information will be made available on RIBBS. Additional information will be in this week's DMM Advirsory.

Eyefortransport has reported that "DHL has added a Boeing 747-400F to service its Singapore - Hong Kong route through Air Hong Kong, the Cathay Pacific - DHL joint venture."

Jean-Claude Mallet has resigned for health reasons as chairman of ARCEP, the French telecommunications and postal regulator.

The DM Bulletin has reported that "There has been a marked rise in complaints about direct mail and against database companies, according to DM watchdog the Direct Marketing Commission. The home shopping sector was the biggest offender, the DMC said. The DMC's quarterly complaints index between December 2008 and March 2009, a report and analysis of complaints received, reveals that direct mail is the second biggest cause of grievance (14%) after financial accounts/invoicing issues (15%), and that complaints against database companies have risen from 6% to 9% of the total. However the DMC said that the report also showed a continued trend for high industry compliance with self-regulatory rules. Of the 88 complaints received by the DMC in this period the majority (54) were investigated and resolved swiftly and informally."

From PR Newswire: "MasterCard Worldwide today announced that the U.S. Postal Service(R), the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation -- including residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes(TM), and Dunkin' Donuts, the largest coffee and baked goods chain in the world, have joined the growing list of merchants to provide small businesses with automatic discounts and savings through the MasterCard Easy Savings Program. Eligible MasterCard business credit and signature debit, U.S. cardholders enrolled in the program will now receive an automatic 5 percent rebate on Click 'N Ship purchases made with the United States Postal Service (USPS(R)) at usps.com, and an automatic 5 percent rebate on purchases at Dunkin' Donuts."

Korea IT Times has reported that "Nam-gung Min, the former Director General for Electronics & IT Industries of the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, has become the President of the Korea Post. The Korea Post is a huge organization with forty-three thousand public officials and three thousand seven hundred post offices all around Korea. Through them, it offers postal services and financial services. Also, it holds over 60 trillion won [US$45 billion] in deposit and insurance assets. Nam-hung announced: “As a national agency, the Korea Post will find its niche for overcoming the economic crisis and creating green growth, and then do its best to overcome.” His statement is understood to mean that he is going to use the biggest public agency – Korea Post - as an engine to overcome the national crisis."

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

At the beginning of July, the French La Poste will be putting two of its eight mail TGVs (high-speed rail mail service trains) out of service. This is the organisation’s response to the decreasing number of consignments sent within France.
The Swiss postal monopoly will be reduced on 1 July from 100 grams to 50 grams.
At Royal Mail, a fresh conflict has arisen between the management and the trade union. The trigger was a letter from the Human Resources Director, Jon Millidge, in which the union, CWU, was informed that the 180,000 employees at Royal Mail, Parcelforce and the Post Office, as well as the group’s headquarters, could not be awarded a pay rise this year. He said the reason was the "very tight financial position".
The Belgian La Poste has opened its new international mail centre at Brussels Airport.
The Handelsverband and the Verband Österreichischer Zeitungen (VÖZ) have criticised the amended Austrian Postal Act bill (CW 17/09). Only 50 percent of it is good, and the remainder should undergo a further review, according to the associations. Inter alia, the focus of the criticism is the requirement that the controversial letter boxes should not be abolished until 2013. According to the associations the draft bill has turned into a "post office protection act".
TNT is strengthening its presence in Brazil by making another acquisition. As was announced on Tuesday of this week, the Expresso Araçatuba Transportes e Logística S.A., which was founded in 1952.
The American logistics group, Con-Way, which recently concluded a transatlantic partnership with TNT, has had to record a loss of 154m Dollar - the equivalent of 117.9m euros - in the first quarter.
YRC Worldwide Inc., one of the biggest US trucking companies with 60,000 employees, has had to combat falls in turnover and profit in the first quarter of this financial year.
According to the most recent estimates from the BGL association (Bundesverband Güterkraftverkehr Logistik und Entsorgung e. V.), because of the economic crisis, as many as 80,000 jobs could be at risk this year in the German road haulage sector.
The proposed sale of Tachimetafores ELTA, the express subsidiary of the Greek post office, to the Belgian La Poste has clearly come to nothing. The Greek government is now looking for another solution.
Ver.di trade union rejects re-negotiations of the current collective bargaining with Deutsche Post.
The introduction of a minimum wage in mail services at the beginning of 2008 has cost 19,000 jobs in Germany, according to Post rivals.
This year, the U.S. Postal Service is intending to reduce its own fleet by 10,000 vehicles.
On account of the universal economic downturn, the Thai post office will not be able to increase its net profit this year.
Only a few days after his announcement Ivars Krauklis, Chairman of the Board of the Latvian post office, resigned. It was his response to the salary reductions the government was planning to introduce for post office employees on 1 May. In his case, his salary was to be cut by 60 percent.

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.)

The Guardian has reported that "The European Commission said on Wednesday it was investigating whether China broke world trade rules with a new postal law that allows only a state monopoly to deliver domestic letters and documents. The probe by the European Union executive, which oversees trade policy for the 27-nation bloc, could further damage brittle trade relations between Brussels and Beijing ahead of high-level talks between the trading partners next month."

Hellmail has reported that "The new hybrid mail service, Docmail, has pledged to hold down its postal prices despite the recent rise of First and Second class stamps. Managing director of CFH Total Document Management, Dave Broadway, who runs the Docmail service, has said that he will continue hold his prices for at least three months, resulting in increased savings for customers. From 6 April 2009 Royal Mail announced the price of posting a standard letter weighing up to 100g was to rise by 3p to 39p for First class and to 30p for Second class."

The Virgin Island Daily News has reported that "The U.S. Postal Service on Monday rewrapped and shipped out most of the mail that was on an airplane that burst into flames early Sunday morning on an airport runway in San Juan. The fire consumed the cockpit and damaged more than 3,000 pounds of priority and Express and First Class mail bound for the territory, Monica Hand, Postal Service spokeswoman said on Monday. The aircraft - which was built in 1942 - was carrying 6,000 pounds of mail. While the Postal Service was able to salvage most of the mail, which was re-wrapped and shipped out on another aircraft, about 1,500 pounds of mail could not be saved, she said."

KTVB has reported that "The Boise Fire Department's Hazardous Materials Team was called to a downtown Boise building just before noon today to investigate a white powdery substance found on an unopenend envelope. That investigation last more than three and a half hours and led to the delay of mail delivery to some downtown businesses. This after a mail carrier was detained as a safety precaution while experts determined if the substance posed a danger to humans."

April 28, 2009

From the Postal Regulatory Commission:

National Payroll Hours Summary Report, Pay Period 08 (2009), FY 2009; http://www.prc.gov/docs/62/62983/Letter-NPHS-PP-08-FY-2009.pdf; http://www.prc.gov/docs/62/62983/bb0809.pdf
Postal Service Active Employee Statistical Summary (HAT report), Pay Period 09, FY 2009 Link: http://www.prc.gov/docs/62/62982/Letter-HAT-PP-09-FY-2009.pdf; http://www.prc.gov/docs/62/62982/HAT_Report_PP09_FY2009.pdf

The National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) has announced that the nation’s largest food drive to combat hunger will be conducted this year on Saturday, May 9. On that day, letter carriers will collect non-perishable donations from homes as they deliver mail along their postal routes. [EdNote: This is the kind of public service that deserves the nation's recognition and thanks.]

The latest issue of the PostEurop newsletter is now available. Take advantage of the opportunity to subscribe to this newsletter. In that newsletter, PostEurop reported that the European Commission has launched a study to "assess the role of the regulators in a more competitive postal market."

PostCom Members! Consider this a gentle reminder of the upcoming price change and the dates for plant-verfied drop shipment (PVDS). Current prices: Mailers may use the current prices for PVDS mailings verified and paid before May 11. USPS will accept these mailings at destination entry postal facilities up to May 26 when presented with appropriate verification and payment documentation. New prices: Mailers may use the new prices for PVDS mailings verified and paid beginning April 13 for deposit on or after May 11. The USPS will accept these mailings at destination entry postal facilities beginning May 11 when presented with appropriate verification and payment documentation. PLEASE NOTE: Mailers will have up until May 26th to enter dropshipment mailings (paid for before May 11th) at destination facilities.

The Palm Beach Daily News has reported that "Despite past denials that the island's main post office is for sale, confirmation from the mayor has led the U.S. Postal Service to finally own up to its plans for the landmark building."

Dead Tree Edition has told its readers that "With the Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMb) program veering off the tracks, prominent mailers called for the U.S. Postal Service to hit the brakes today on the much-delayed program. “There is a general consensus that even if the USPS stays with their commitment of May 18 it will be almost impossible for the program to begin in a successful manner,” says a memo written by Jack Widener, a respected industry consultant, that Idealliance released today to its members. Widener, a former Newsweek executive, chairs the IMb users group for the major trade association."

As PC World is trying to tell its readers, "Online Postage Tools Can Save You Time and Money."

WBGH has reported that "The workforce reduction at Lockheed Martin in Owego is here. At 3 o'clock Monday afternoon, systems integration president Marillyn Hewson sent out a memo, saying that a reduction of approximately 225 positions is needed now, and that a further reduction will likely be necessary in the months ahead. Hewson cited uncertainty about defense spending in the coming federal budget year, and the call by defense secretary Gates to cancel the presidential helicopter program, and the Air Force Combat Search and Rescue choppers. She also mentioned a slowdown in work for the postal service."

This Day has reported that "The Federal Government yesterday formally launched a new national Postal Code otherwise known as ZIP Code. It also decided to put up a committee and appoint consultants who will fashion out modalities for a new national addressing system in the country."

April 27, 2009

According to the Wall Street Journal, "Postal systems the world over are notorious for being bloated, inefficient bureaucracies that eat up public funds and resist reform. (See: Postal Service, United States.) China's postal system is no different, and the State Council has just missed a great opportunity to open up the sector to competition. China's new Postal Law, approved on Friday, will limit competition in the 40.8 billion yuan ($6 billion) per year industry. The law imposes new regulations on private domestic and foreign courier services, and raises the barriers for new firms to enter the courier market. The law explicitly codifies a ban on foreign companies delivering documents domestically -- in what may contravene China's WTO commitments. There's even a clause about "a universal postal service fund" that could give the government room to levy a tax on private couriers in order to help pay for the universal service run by China Post. These are steps backward for a sector that in the past has amply demonstrated the benefits of liberalization."

The latest blog has been posted on the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General’s Internet site “Pushing the Envelope.” The public, mailers, postal employees, and other stakeholders are invited to weigh in on the online discussions taking place. To view the site, visit http://blog.uspsoig.gov/. The OIG Wants to Know How You Feel about Sick Leave. The Postal Service’s sick leave absence rate (absenteeism) was 4.3 percent in 2008. This seems high compared to the 1.1 percent rate the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports for employees in the private sector and 1.7 percent rate for employees in the federal sector. So why was the Postal Service’s rate higher? That means 5 percent of its employees have nearly one absence for every paycheck! What is the impact on morale to the other 640,026 career employees? Is there something the Postal Service can do to reduce the number of unscheduled absences? The OIG would like to know how you feel about these issues. You can visit Office of Inspector General’s public website at: www.uspsoig.gov. If you have additional questions, please contact Communication and Work Life Director Agapi Doulaveris at 703.248.2322.

DM News has reported that "The second annual National Catalog Advocacy & Strategy Forum is slated for May 20-21, with the postage rate increase and the proposed “summer sale” among the topics of discussion. The event, to be held in Washington D.C., will feature panel discussions of challenges facing catalogers during these economic times, as well as positive developments made by the U.S. Postal Service to help the mailing industry, said Hamilton Davison, president of the American Catalog Mailers Association."

Logistics Manager has reported that "DHL Express is launching an upgraded internet tracking service, designed to provide customers with enhanced tracking options for their shipments. The improvements are based on customer feedback captured in extensive online surveys. One of the main enhancements is the ability to switch from a summary view of all results to a detailed view of a specific shipment without having to reload the page, using Asynchronous JavaScript and XML techonology."

The Grantham Journal has reported that "postal protesters campaigning to keep the Royal Mail public were delighted with the support they received in Grantham. Post Office staff joined union members in Grantham High Street on Friday morning to ask people to support their campaign against part privatisation."

The News-Journal has reported that "Gregg County Organized Drug Enforcement and U.S. Postal Service investigators on Friday found 12 pounds of suspected marijuana in 100 block of Arthur Street, the release said. The search led authorities to search another home in the 100 block of Cherie Lane, where they found a half-pound of suspected marijuana."

According to Air Force Link, "Postal workers deliver pieces of home through mail."

The New York Times has reported that "The rate of decline in circulation at the nation’s newspapers has accelerated since last fall, as industry figures released Monday show a more than 7 percent drop compared with the prior year. While newspaper circulation has long been in decline, the latest figures show the drop is accelerating."

From PR Newswire: "The U.S. Postal Service has earned the R. Gene Richter Award for "Leadership and Innovation" for optimizing the use of bidding software that resulted in savings of more than $57 million from 2005 to 2008."

According to Advertising Age, "Several players, from ambitious software developers to arcane auditing bodies, are suddenly converging this spring to hasten the arrival of a long-awaited "iPod for print." It might just be the iPhone. So far magazines and newspapers have built applications chiefly for the iPhone -- and the surprisingly popular iPod Touch -- that riff on their core editorial missions. Many publishers would also like to turn iTunes into a virtual newsstand and subscription hub."

Personnel Today has noted that "All Royal Mail staff will see their pay frozen this year as the postal service attempts to cut costs during the recession."

The Daily Record has reported that "postal services could be thrown into chaos by crippling strikes over Royal Mail plans for 1600 job cuts. Union leaders accuse bosses trying to "bulldoze" through changes which would devastate services across the country. The threat emerged just 48 hours after mail chiefs warned they were planning to impose a pay freeze on their 180,000 workers. This is despite doubling halfyear profits to £177million. The first walkout is likely to hit services across London next month but others will follow nationwide. The Communication Workers Union will start balloting members next week over the sacking plans." See also CityWire.

DMA will host a webinar focusing on changes in the Postal Service’s mail acceptance, processing network and distribution network at 2:00 p.m. eastern on Tuesday, May 5th. William Galligan, Senior Vice President for Operations at the U.S. Postal Service will be discussing the Service’s actions to date and changes that will soon be coming off of the drawing board. There will be an opportunity to ask question so that participants may better gauge the potential impact of these changes on their own operations. The webinar is free to members of sponsoring groups: DMA, Association for Postal Commerce, Parcel Shippers Association, National Postal Policy Council, Magazine Publishers of America, Continuity Shippers Association and the DMA Nonprofit Federation. To register, please email government@the-dma.org with a subject line ‘Realignment’

Dominican Today has reported that "the Dominican Postal Institution (Inposdom) is taking a great leap forward in the direction of competitiveness and profitability by implementing a basic tool for the improvement and optimization of its services: a National Postal Code system."

April 26, 2009

According to A. Lee Fritschler, Professor, School of Public Policy, George Mason University (and former Chairman of the Postal Rate Commission), in an article entitled Liberating the Postal Service, "Government bailouts of high profile private corporations have obscured the fact that one of the largest government enterprises, the U.S. Postal Service, is also in dire financial straits. Its requests for immediate relief, however, should be turned into long term, and long overdue, reforms that will strengthen a great national institution for the future."

The Sydney Morning Herald has reported that "a postal bank official in southern China was sentenced to death for siphoning more than 1.3 billion yuan ($265 million) to pay her gambling debts. State media reported yesterday that He Liqiong, 45, was given the death penalty by a court in Guangdong province. She was convicted of siphoning deposits from a post office bank in Foshan city to pay off debts incurred whilegambling in casinos in neighbouring Macau."

April 25, 2009

The Bellingham Herald has reported that "Several loose dogs have caused the U.S. Postal Service to stop door-to-door mail delivery in the 2500 block of Toledo Street. The 30 affected residences are now getting mail from two cluster boxes that have been installed on the block. Each cluster box has 16 mailboxes. "Folks in that area have been repeatedly warned to keep dogs under control," said Ernie Swanson, spokesman for the Seattle District of the Postal Service. "We have to protect the welfare of our carriers."

The Finanical has reported that "The U.S. Chamber of Commerce expressed regret over China’s decision to pass a postal law on April 24 that does not allow Chinese companies and consumers full access to international express delivery service providers."

The Mirror has reported that "The Royal Mail's 180,000 staff face a pay freeze - despite profits doubling to £177million in just six months. The company has scrapped this year's wage rise even though all its sections made a profit for the first time in nearly 20 years."

POSTAL SERVICE. Board of Governors; Meeting Date and Time: Monday, May 4, 2009, at 6 p.m.; Tuesday, May 5, 2009, at 10 a.m.; Wednesday, May 6, 2009, at 8:30 a.m. Place: Washington, DC, at U.S. Postal Service Headquarters, 475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW., in the Benjamin Franklin Room. Status: May 4 at 6 p.m.--Closed; May 5 at 10 a.m.--Closed; May 6 at 8:30 a.m.--Open. Matters To Be Considered Monday, May 4 at 6 p.m. (Closed) 1. Financial Matters. 2. Strategic Issues. 3. Pricing. 4. Personnel Matters and Compensation Issues. 5. Governors' Executive Session--Discussion of prior agenda items and Board Governance. Tuesday, May 5 at 10 a.m. (Closed) 1. Continuation of Monday's closed session agenda. Wednesday, May 6 at 8:30 a.m. (Open) 1. Call to Order and Approval of Minutes of Previous Meetings. 2. Remarks of the Chairman of the Board. 3. Recognition of Former Board Chairman. 4. Remarks of the Postmaster General and CEO. 5. Committee Assignments and Committee Reports. 6. Quarterly Report on Service Performance. 7. Quarterly Report on Financial Performance. 8. Tentative Agenda for the June 22, 23 and 24, 2009, meeting in Washington, DC, and Adjourn. Contact Person for More Information: Julie S. Moore, Secretary of the Board, U.S. Postal Service, 475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW., Washington, DC 20260-1000. Telephone (202) 268-4800.

According to The Scotsman, "The UK mail market is now declining at between 8 per cent and 10 per cent compared to a year ago, and for every 1 per cent decline in volume, income is reduced by £7 million."

Yahoo! Tech has reported that "One in 10 online consumers have purchased something directly from their cell phones, according to a new report from PriceGrabber.com. The study said that nearly two-thirds of online consumers overall own a cell phone that's capable of connecting to the Internet."

FedBizOps: Solicitation Number: PREQUAL001-LLV The U. S. Postal Service is considering potential suppliers for its Electric Vehicle (EV) conversion of Long Life Vehicles (LLVs).

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

Last week, PostCom reported on a Postal Service idea that represents an innovative approach to using pricing freedoms to generate additional mail volume and revenue. In response to numerous mailer inquiries, the Postal Service has sought to flesh out a bit more about its thinking as it gets ready to propose the idea to the Board of Governors.
Unknown to many mailers, the Postal Service last week quietly distributed to Confirm subscribers an update to its Publication 197, Confirm User Guide, which includes specifications and requirements to Confirm data provisioning for Full Service Intelligent Mail barcode users that will result in the need to purchase additional Confirm subscriber IDs at $2,500 for each non-subscriber in order to have the data provisioned to that entity. Mailers are not pleased at what some see as a covert move by the Postal Service that will result in onerous price increases for Confirm Service. PostCom provides more details in its synopsis of the changes.
Steve Lawson of Hellmail offers a look at the troubled times of postal services across the pond.
In honor of Earth Day, the Dead Tree Edition says websites and digital editions that tout themselves as being environmentally friendly and disparage ink-on-paper editions aren’t as green at they pretend to be.
A PostCom Bulletin reader speaks out with concerns about the planning, timing and problems arising from the USPS proposed summer sale.
PRC to host postal technology briefing April 30. USPS, UPS both reporting bad numbers; H.R. 22 stuck in House. PRC issues final rules on periodic reports. USPS submits market test to PRC. Pitney Bowes launches Click&Mail. UPS announces 1st quarter results. Senior-level direct marketing course set for Madrid.
E.U. court rules royal mail services can be VAT exempt. European Commission okays Swedish, Danish posts merger. Austria considers churches as post offices. Austria to mandate other postal firms to pay same salaries.
New member for PostCom.
Postal previews

Hey! You've not been getting the weekly PostCom Bulletin--the best postal newsletter anywhere...bar none? Send us by email your name, company, company title, postal and email address. Get a chance to see what you've been missing.

The PostCom Bulletin is distributed via NetGram

Postal Regulatory Commission. MC2009-23 Order No. 206 - Notice and Order of Classification Changes. http://www.prc.gov/docs/62/62955/Order_No_206.doc; http://www.prc.gov/docs/62/62955/Order_No_206.pdf

The U.S. Postal Service has posted its latest Intelligent Mail® Services Weekly Update via DMM Update. In this update is information on: PostalOne! and FAST Outages;PostalOne! Release 20 Testing Update; First-Class Mail Containers (Mail.dat); Parent/Child Container Weight Validation (Mail.dat);Standard Mail multiple copies in a single mail piece and Periodicals Mail firm bundles; Customer access to PostalOne! and FAST; Mailer IDs; and Updated Guides.

April 24, 2009

Publishing Executive has reported that "Amazon and Universal News will run the "Better Paper for People and Planet" online promotion highlighting magazines that use recycled paper, under a major push by Green America's Better Paper Project and Next Steps Marketing."

TNT today announced that they have signed an agreement with Singapore Post and Royal Mail on the exit of Singapore Post from the joint venture Spring Global Mail. The parties agreed that Singapore Post will acquire the Asia-Pacific business of Spring Global Mail and at the same time will exit the global joint venture. TNT and Royal Mail remain committed to the future growth of Spring Global Mail. Spring Global Mail will independently develop new business opportunities in the Asia Pacific region. TNT and Royal Mail will continue to own 100% of Spring Global Mail (TNT’s share in the joint venture will increase from 51% to 67.55%).

The Telegraph has reported that "Royal Mail has warned postmen and other staff to expect a pay freeze this year as a result of the recession." See also the BBC.

You might want to check out the new message from the Chairman of the Postal Regulatory Commission.

Editor's Note: We've been told by several of our readers that the piece published earlier by National Academy of Public Administration fellow Murray Comarow in response to a piece published by American Interest seemed a bit truncated. Well, we checked, and it was. So, we're posting it again.

Plan your days at the National Postal Forum in Washington, DC! Visit our updated website at WWW.NPF.ORG where you will find not only the most up-to-date program information but be able to check all your options and locate a Session, Speaker or Topic; an Exhibitor, and a piece of equipment. All that can now be accessed at WWW.NPF.ORG under "MY PERSONAL PLANNER".

Business First has reported that "Officials with United Parcel Service Inc. have asked the Independent Pilots Association to find a way to cut costs in order to avoid the furlough of about 300 of the roughly 3,000 pilots who fly for the shipping giant. The move comes as Atlanta-based UPS grapples with domestic overnight shipping volume that declined about 10 percent between the fourth quarter of 2007 and the fourth quarter of 2008."

Scoop.co.nz has reported that "New Zealand Post Group Finance completed its NZ$200 million sale of bonds that pay 7.5% annual interest."

According to Dutch News, "The controversial TNT Post pay deal, which offers workers job security in return for a pay cut, has also been rejected by members of the FNV-affiliated postal workers union. The two other postal workers' unions have already rejected the deal, which would give job security for between three and six years if workers agree to a 15% pay cut."

The Timmons Daily Press has reported that "Porcupine residents are seeking support to keep their post office boxes within walking distance. Concerned residents, with support from members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers Local 642, were stationed at The Porcupine Mall yesterday. They were collecting signatures on a petition to keep the boxes in the mall."

CNN Money has reported that "Foreign companies will continue to be barred from delivering express letters in China's domestic market based on a new law approved Friday, despite years of lobbying by major global express-delivery companies to lift the restrictions. Foreign companies will be limited to delivering express packages domestically, and can only send express letters internationally." See also Reuters, Straits Times, and China Daily.

According to the Postalnews Blog, "In a complaint filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission, online video game rental service Gamefly accuses the US Postal Service of providing preferential treatment to Netflix and Blockbuster. The company says that its DVD’s are being damaged at an unacceptable rate despite the fact that the mailer has agreed to use sturdier mailers, and as a result pays higher postage fees per piece than the other companies. (The company also notes that a significant number of its DVDs are stolen- 19 postal employees have been arrested for stealing GameFly DVDs). The issue has taken on additional urgency for GameFly because of Blockbuster’s entry into the game rental market. The company says it has attempted to work out an agreement with the Postal Service, but that the USPS has ignored its requests to discuss the issue."

The Ledger has reported that "U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam has asked the U.S. Postal Service nicely, now he is getting tougher on the semi-governmental corporation's decision to move part of its local mail processing operation from Lakeland to Tampa."

Federal Register: Postal Service "Rules of Practice in Proceedings Relative to Mailing Hazardous Materials," 18630–18634 [E9–9376] [TEXT] [PDF]

From PR Newswire: "The U.S. Postal Service is accepting questions for the next Intelligent Mail Technical Integration Webinar set for Friday, May 1, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. EDT. Mailers should submit their questions to imb@usps.gov at least four days in advance (by 5 p.m. EDT, April 27). The Postal Service began hosting Intelligent Mail Technical Integration Webinars in March every other Friday to answer mailers' technical questions about Intelligent Mail barcode implementation. FAQs derived from each webinar are posted on the RIBBS website (ribbs.usps.gov)."

News On 6 has reported that "Tulsans Continue To Fight Post Office Closing."

Postal Regulatory Commission: "COMPLAINT OF GAMEFLY, INC." Docket No. C2009-1 -- The complaint involves the rates and service provided by the Postal Service to customers who use First-Class Mail to send and receive DVDs.

April 23, 2009

Federal Times has reported that "The Postal Service’s board of governors is meeting early next month to discuss, among other things, the financial results from the second quarter of 2009. There’s not much optimism about the numbers, considering USPS lost $384 million in the first quarter, which is traditionally the strongest of the year. Another bad sign: UPS’ earnings report. The shipping giant said its first-quarter earnings were down by 56 percent, and it expects the second quarter to be worse than previously expected."

Purchasing.com has noted that "With the exit of DHL from the U.S. domestic small parcel market, a significant chunk of market share was up for grabs in the first quarter, at a time when carriers were hungry for business and shippers were cutting costs. But just how much of that market share went to which carriers is still a bit cloudy. Both UPS and FedEx have claimed to be satisfied with the amount of DHL business they gained in the first quarter. According to some reports, both have claimed to win more than half of DHL’s business, while some market watchers say the US Postal Service may have been the real winner by scooping up more market share than expected. But as one market analyst points out to Purchasing.com, “half plus more than half plus the USPS share is well over 100% so someone’s fibbing here." See also Interactive Investor.

The Jakarta Globe has reported that "The Central Jakarta District Court on Thursday acquitted the president director of state-run postal company PT Pos Indonesia in a decision that could deal a blow to the Attorney General’s Office, which began investigating the case, along with several other major graft scandals, in part to improve its reputation following a string of corruption scandals in the office. In separate hearings, the court acquitted two other PT Pos executives of corruption charges."

Logistics Management has reported that "Earlier this month, LM reported that that United States Postal Service (USPS) will launch a market test next month to provide service that will resemble a less-than-truckload (LTL) network. The USPS made this announcement in a filing submitted to the Postal Regulatory Commission. According to the filing, the LTL-like market test cannot exceed 24 months, with total revenues not anticipated to exceed $10 million. The USPS said it will leverage its national transportation network that serves its processing facilities, which are primarily comprised of approximately 440 sectional center facilities and more than 40 bulk mailing centers. USPS does not have an asset-based transportation network, as it contracts out its over-the-road trucking business. Since the PRC initially submitted its filing, both the Public Representative for the PRC and the USPS issued comments on the LTL services endeavor."

Word has it from reliable sources that the National Rural Letter Carriers Association intends to oppose the Postal Service's proposed Standard Mail summer sale experiment. Reportedly the NRLCA is of the opinion that after having their contract mail piece counts expanded already by the Postal Service, any additional mail volume will not result in any additional rural letter carrier compensation.

Associated Press has reported that "The Homeland Security Department is dropping some newspaper and magazine subscriptions to save money. The agency has told its employees to cancel subscriptions to general interest newspapers such as The New York Times and The Washington Post and to magazines such as Newsweek and Time by April 27. Future subscriptions will have to be authorized in advance. The department says employees will still have access to news because most publications can be found online on an in-house Web site." [EdNote: I suppose you're pretty close to hitting bottom when even the feds don't want you anymore.]

According to CNN Money, "Stamps.com®, the leading provider of online postage to approximately 400,000 small businesses, enterprises, and advanced shippers, today announced a free webinar to inform customers and prospective users of PC Postage about the 2009 USPS postage rate increase and tactics they can immediately implement to help lower their mailing and shipping costs. The webinar will teach small business owners everything they need to know about the new USPS postal rates and options to lower costs such as discounts available on Priority Mail, Express Mail and International Postage. To register for the Postage Rate Increase -- Smart Ways to Lower Mailing Costs webinar, go to http://www.stamps.com/webinars and select the date that is most convenient for you. Date options include: -- Friday, May 8, 11 a.m. PDT -- Monday, May 11, 11 a.m. PDT."

Reuters has reported that "Dutch mail company TNT NV stuck to its annual cost savings targets and raised the prospect of thousands of forced redundancies after postal union members rejected a draft labour accord that included wage cuts. The firm said on Thursday it would maintain its target of 395 million euros ($514 million) in annual cost savings until the end of 2015, to compensate for declines in mail volume. TNT warned the restructuring could entail the loss of 11,000 staff over a period of one to three years if there was no agreement with unions. But it was open to talks on other options for achieving the savings target."

From PR Newswire: "TNT Post, the national postal operator for The Netherlands, has selected BancTec as its new partner for Scanpost, a recent initiative to meet the increasing demand for digital receipt of incoming mail. Customers of Scanpost will receive same day delivery of their incoming mail, which is rapidly scanned, digitally sorted and processed, and then delivered directly to the required department or business process. As a result, incoming mail processing requires far less time, space and expense, while response to customer correspondence will be much faster."

There will be a presentation by Dr. Leon Pintsov, Vice President, International Standards and Advanced Technology, Pitney Bowes Corporation, on "Postal Product Innovation and New Opportunities for Postal Commerce" on Thursday, April 30, 2009, beginning at 1 p.m., in the Postal Regulatory Commission's hearing room. The briefing is open to the public; however, seating is limited, and those wishing to reserve a seat should telephone Leona Anasiewiez at 202-789-6877. The program will be Webcast at http://www.prc.gov.

Brand Republic has reported that "TNT Post and the Direct Marketing Association have signed a letter of understanding pledging commitment to working together to promote environmental best practice within the direct mail sector. The letter contains a call for the responsible use of direct mail and proposes the implementation of at least two joint initiatives over the next 12 months."

Dow Jones has reported that "TNT NV said Thursday it has taken note of the trade union members' rejection of the in-principle agreement on a new three-year collective agreement for TNT Post operations staff in the Netherlands. In the in-principle agreement, to compensate for the decrease in pay, the parties had agreed transitional measures and a job guarantee spanning six years, the first three unconditional. The rejection of the agreement means that the proposed measures from the in-principle agreement no longer apply. New consultations on the social plan will now be required. As the result of the use of e-mail, and now with the opening of the postal market from 1 April, the volumes of mail handled by TNT Post are dropping faster than ever before - by 5 to 6 percent per year. The result is an ongoing decline in work for TNT Post operations staff. What's more, the company's competitors offer their staff a much more sober employment package. This means that over the coming period TNT will have to continue making preparations for the restructuring plans required to achieve the necessary savings. These plans will involve making a number of changes, including reducing the number of days on which business mail is delivered, a move that is in line with the wishes of the customer. In compliance with its obligations under the Postal Act, TNT Post will continue to deliver consumer mail six days a week."

The Nashville City Paper has reported that "Lately, the news has been littered with story after story about Ponzi schemes. Since the economy hit the skids, the supposed financial wizardry of people like Bernie Madoff and Allen Stanford has been washed away and their greed laid bare. Interestingly, one federal agency charged with investigating and building cases against Park and Grigg has offices a stone’s throw away from where much of the fraud took place. Interesting, that is, unless you’re under investigation. Nestled in a nondescript office building in Brentwood are the offices of the U.S. Postal Inspectors. Now, while the Federal Bureau of Investigation may get the bigger headlines, this “Silent Service,” as the postal inspectors are known, is right in the thick of rooting out Nashville’s most notorious criminal enterprises."

WhatTheyThink has noted that "Mail and messaging technology specialist Pitney Bowes has launched Click&Mail, an online service that enables businesses to send post directly from their desktop. Once communications have been written, users simply click ‘print’ for their document to be remotely printed folded, inserted and despatched. No need to order and store pre-printed stationery, forget the hours spent preparing mail at the last minute before rushing to the postbox, no more over-stamping costs - Click&Mail now provides an easy way to send professional looking mail from the comfort of a PC, anywhere in the UK."

According to the Bay Area Reporter, "In a move to ensure that residents of single-room residential occupancy hotels get their mail, San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera is preparing for a lawsuit against the U.S. Postal Service. The hotels are home to many low-income San Franciscans, including LGBTs. In January, the postal service in San Francisco stopped delivering mail individually to many SRO residents, potentially leaving people's mail open to being misdirected or stolen."

Digital Video & Imagery Distribution System has noted that "Combat Logistics Battalion 3 delivered some of the amenities of daily life that most take for granted during a specialized combat logistics patrol to Forward Operating Base Now Zad, Helmand province, Afghanistan, April 1, 2009. Equally as important for the Marines at the FOB was CLB-3's first mobile post office, giving Marines the opportunity not only to send letters home but also extra personal items they've accumulated, which many packed in storage trunks that were purchased at the mobile post exchange. "It was a big hit," said Staff Sgt. Jason N. Dixon, the postal chief based out of Okinawa, Japan, who is currently assigned to CLB-3. "It was really successful, and we were really busy." Dixon said the Marines were extremely happy to send home letters and lighten their load of non-essential personal belongings before redeploying home. As well as collecting outbound mail, Dixon also brought the 10 large containers-worth of inbound mail with him. "It feels great," said Cpl. Ryan P. Little, an automatic rifleman assigned to second platoon, Co. L. "We knew it was coming, and everybody was excited." [EdNote: Who said "mail is dead "or "mail doesn't count?" Try and tell that to the Marines.]

Finextra has reported that "The new PostFinance service allows customers to transfer money from one postal account to another for up to a maximum of Sfr100 per recipient account per day by text message. The transaction is free of charge for both the sender and the recipient, except for the standard text message charge, and the amount is credited to the recipient's account within minutes."

UPS today reported adjusted diluted earnings per share of $0.52 for the first quarter of 2009 compared to the $0.87 reported for the prior-year period. Revenue was off 13.7% at $10.9 billion. The continuing deterioration in global economic activity resulted in decreased revenue and profitability in all business segments.

The Wall Street Journal has reported that "China could pass new legislation for postal services as early as Friday that foreign companies worry will restrict them from competing in the nation's growing market for express delivery of documents. The major global express-delivery companies -- DHL Worldwide Express Inc., FedEx Corp., TNT NV and United Parcel Service Inc. – have been lobbying the Chinese government for years as it worked on a new law governing mail delivery. Concern about the legislation has heightened in recent months, with businesses worldwide fearing the global downturn could lead to a revival of protectionism in many countries."

Reuters has reported that "Europe's highest court ruled on Thursday that the universal postal service provided by UK's Royal Mail should be exempted from VAT, following a complaint from Dutch international mail group TNT. TNT filed a court complaint to dispute the validity of the value-added tax exemption from services provided by Royal Mail, saying it provided comparable services but was subject to VAT. The European Court of Justice (ECJ), however, took the view that the services provided by the two companies were not comparable. "Royal Mail supplies postal services under a legal regime which is substantially different from that of an operator such as TNT Post," the court said in a statement. Royal Mail was designated in 2001 as the only universal postal service provider in the United Kingdom. The UK postal market was later fully liberalised in 2006, without affecting the status and obligations of Royal Mail, the court said. TNT entered into an agreement with Royal Mail for the latter to provide downstream services to TNT. It collects post from clients, sorts and delivers it to Royal Mail, which then ensures delivery to addressees." See also the BBC, the Wall Street Journal, and The Guardian.

DM News has reported that "The United States Postal Service launched a campaign today to increase awareness and create results for energy conservation at a “Turning Over a Green Leaf” event in celebration of Earth Day. The agency, which says it wants to reduce energy use 30% by 2015, exhibited “green” initiatives at the event, including the USPS' green Web site, a carbon and lifestyle calculator, an office supplies swap Web site, energy-saving tips, and Cradle to Cradle-certified “green” packaging and shipping supplies."

Hellmail has reported that "The Communication Workers Union is to hold a May Day March and Rally as part of it's ongoing campaign to stop the partial provatisation of the Royal Mail."

Federal Register:

Postal Regulatory Commission. "Meetings: Briefing on Postal Technology," 18596 [E9–9287] [TEXT] [PDF]
Postal Service. "International Product and Price Changes; Correction," 18467–18471 [E9–8512] [TEXT] [PDF]

CIO has reported that "The USPS announced last year its success in cutting annual transportation costs by more than $5 million. The decrease in transportation has resulted in reducing fuel consumption by 615,000 gallons per year. What made this possible is a transportation-optimization system called HCAP (Highway Corridor Analytic Program), developed by the USPS and IBM using Ilog Cplex optimization software. HCAP determines the most efficient plan for using existing mail-transportation assets in various types of scenarios, such as bulk-mail delivery and planning for holiday peak volumes, weekend transportation, and along highway corridors. It accounts for parameters such as starting and ending points, delivery times, truck-capacity restrictions, and mail classes. The system analyzes existing scenarios then generates alternative loads and routes that would save USPS money but still meet all of its service goals (such as getting that first-class letter from Boston to Washington, D.C., within two days), says E.J. Matto, an associate partner at IBM.

The BBC has reported that "the global economy is set to decline by 1.3% in 2009, in the first global recession since World War II, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) says.

Last week, PostCom reported on a Postal Service idea that represents a rather innovative approach to using pricing freedoms to generate more mail volume and revenue. In response to numerous mailer inquiries, the Postal Service has sought to flesh out a bit more about its thinking, as it gets ready to offer the proposition for Board of Governors review. If the Governors give the proposal a green light, the next step would be to file the proposed summer sale experiment with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC). Under the new postal law, the PRC will have 45-days to review the proposal and offer its decision.

From PR Newswire: "This Earth Day, Pitney Bowes Inc., a leader in mailstream technology, offers tips for consumers wanting to adopt more sustainable practices when it comes to their daily mail delivery. Numerous studies have shown the true environmental impact of mail and that individual choices can make a big difference in increasing the efficiency of this vitally important communications channel. In a white paper published last year, Pitney Bowes compared the carbon emissions for the creation and delivery of mail to many household activities. Among other findings, the study revealed that the carbon impact of mail was relatively small when compared to many daily chores. These findings are similar to a US Postal Service life-cycle analysis of mail, which concludes that the annual carbon footprint of a typical household’s mail is equal to the use of a kitchen coffee maker for a year." [Sooooo.....will that be regular or decaf?]

According to Bloomberg, "United Parcel Service Inc., the world’s largest package-delivery company, may say first-quarter revenue fell for just the second time in 10 years as businesses curbed shipping to thin out inventories."

DM News has reported that "Direct marketing solutions provider Direct Group will be consolidating its direct mail, digital printing and fulfillment operations into one location over the remainder of this year and anticipates eliminating approximately 50 positions as a result. “We want to optimize our associates, equipment and facilities infrastructures,” said Don McKenzie, president and CEO at Direct Group, of the move."

April 22, 2009

As one writer for Advertising Age put it: "The death knell for newspapers has been sounded too quickly. Newspapers are suffering from a confluence of factors, but many of their woes are self-imposed and have solutions, albeit painful ones. Newspapers have an enduring place in today's fragmented media world. The industry's survival depends on curing its structural ills and reshaping a new strategy for post-recession recovery. Like millions of American homeowners, many newspaper companies are buried in debt. It was piled on with the anticipation of never-ending profit growth and readily accepted by bankers and optimistic buyers. Tribune Co., the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News are already in Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and a number of other major companies will fall soon. They were not capitalized to survive a severe recession; Chapter 11 will provide them with a capital structure to see them through to a better economy. The double whammy of excess debt and a severe recession exposes the broader structural issue of excess industry capacity: There are still too many newspapers in America. The newspaper industry will inevitably consolidate further."

The Detroit News has reported that "Chrysler LLC is celebrating Earth Day today with the unveiling of four all-electric minivans at an event in Washington. The electric minivan is the automaker's first product from its ENVI electric vehicle division that is intended for production as a fleet vehicle. It is a joint product with the United States Postal Service, although the two have not yet signed an agreement to produce electric versions of a cargo van, both right- and left-hand-drive, for the USPS."

From PR Newswire: "Northrop Grumman Corporation reported that first quarter 2009 earnings from continuing operations increased 48 percent to $389 million, or $1.17 per diluted share, compared with $263 million, or $0.76 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2008.Electronic Systems first quarter 2009 sales increased 16 percent from the prior year period and included higher deliveries for LAIRCM, and higher volume for aerospace systems and postal automation programs, the Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) program, and intercompany programs.

The Board of Governors of the U.S. Postal Service will meet in Washington, DC, at Postal Service Headquarters, 475 L’Enfant Plaza, SW, on May 4-6. The public is welcome to observe the Board’s open session, scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. on May 6 in the Ben Franklin Room on the 11th floor. The Board is expected to discuss the following items: Wednesday, May 6 at 8:30 a.m. Call to order and approval of minutes of previous meetings. Remarks of the Chairman of the Board. Recognition of the former Board Chairman. Remarks of the Postmaster General and CEO. Committee assignments and committee reports. Quarterly report on service performance. Quarterly report on financial performance. Tentative agenda for the June 22, 23 and 24, 2009, meeting in Washington, D.C., and adjourn.

Yahoo! Tech has reported that "Newspaper executives on Tuesday requested a bailout of sorts to help protect their papers from the far-reaching power of the Web. The papers want to be exempt from antitrust laws in order to explore new business models, a suggestion not favored by the Justice Department and labor unions. The Department of Justice does "not believe that any additional exemptions … are necessary," said Carl Shapiro, deputy assistant attorney general for electronics in the antitrust division at DOJ. "Antitrust laws can work well in this industry, reflecting as well as the Newspaper Preservation Act. Bernie Lunzer, president of The Newspaper Guild, was also concerned about changing antitrust laws to accommodate major newspapers. "An antitrust exemption for such large corporations would create real barriers to entry for others, who may choose to compete in this same market," Lunzer said. "[This] would create incredible power for a select few." See also the San Francisco Chronicle. [EdNote: Reminds me of the time the AMA wanted physicians exempted from antitrust provisions. The AMA actually thought it would get its way....until they ran into a Virginia Stonewall named Jim Miller....you know, a member of the postal board who formerly served as its chairman. Miller, at the time, was serving in the Reagan Administration as the chairman of the Federal Trade Commission. That ended that.]

Press Release: "Quad/Graphics President & CEO Joel Quadracci is proud to announce on Earth Day that the company has donated a conservation easement on its 325-acre Camp/Quad parcel of land in Erin, Wis., to Tall Pines Conservancy, a non-profit land trust dedicated to preserving natural areas in and adjoining Northwestern Waukesha County. “When we purchased the land in 1997 we always intended for it to remain in its pristine condition,” said Mr. Quadracci. “Designating Camp/Quad as a conservancy is an ironclad way to ensure the land can never be developed commercially, residentially or otherwise and that it will continue to serve as an environmental showpiece and education center for generations to come.”

According to the Washington Post, "A team of very nonscientific researchers has finally discovered one thing that can distract the nation from Britney Spears: coupons. According to Google, searches for coupons have outstripped those for the pop train wreck since 2008. In addition, Coupons.com reported that Washington area residents printed $2.85 million worth of coupons last month. The top items were ready-to-eat cereal, baby products and baking ingredients." [EdNote: Seems like an area that's ripe for new postal development.]

NCNewsonline has reported that "The U.S. Postal Service is looking into the feasibility of consolidating some operations in New Castle with Pittsburgh. If the consolidation should occur, up to 75 percent — 150 — of about 200 employees at the Cascade Street facility could lose their jobs, according to David Wigley, president of Local 227, American Postal Workers Union."

Austrian Times has reported that "Austrian Post AG is considering an unusual option as part of its current cost-cutting measures: making churches post offices. After the announcement that the post will close 33 branches in Styria, the company is looking for so-called "post partners" to replace them in order to arrange continuation of its services all over the country. "Post partners" are shops that do some of the postal service’s work."

The Morpeth Herald has reported that "Northumbrland can save on their mail bills from today with the launch of the region's first independent postal service. Northern Mail, based at Cramlington, has launched a service delivering and collecting post from Berwick-upon-Tweed to York. It comes off the back of a Governmental review of postal services last December, which recommended that independent mail outlets should be launched to work alongside Royal Mail." See also the Journal Newspaper.

NewsRoom Finland has reported that "The Finnish Post and Logistics Workers´ Union (Pau) is to stage a six-hour stoppage on Wednesday, leading to delays in postal services for the rest of the week. The union maintains that there is ambivalence about whether permanent unemployment pension could be treated as a legitimate outcome in cooperation procedure talks in government-owned companies like Itella, formerly known as Finland Post." See also YLE.

The Baltic Course has reported that "As of today, April 22, the chairman of the board of Latvijas Pasts (Latvia Post) postal company Ivars Krauklis resigns, as the Transport Ministry informed BC. Krauklis explained his decision to resign with the fact that, from May 1, there will be changes to regulations, which foresee substantial salary reductions – in his case, by 60%."

NVDaily has reported that "Rep. Frank R. Wolf has once again joined the fight to keep local mail-sorting operations from being moved to Dulles." [EdNote: Makes you wonder if Congress is prepared to take back responsibility for the Postal Service as they foreclose all options for improving cost-efficiency.]

The Drum has reported that "A new campaign has been created by advertising agency Mightysmall for the Communication Workers Union (CWU) as it looks to prevent the Post Office from being privatised. The marketing campaign will see full page ads running in The Guardian, The Times, The Daily Mail, The Independent, The Daily Record, The Daily Mirror and The Scotsman newspapers."

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

"The stabilisation of the rate of decline indicates that we have reached rockbottom." While Deutsche Post’s official message to this Tuesday’s AGM was relatively cautious, CEO Frank Appel sounded a much more upbeat note: "We’ve touched bottom." After this year’s first two months had seen a marked slump in business, the downward trend had now been halted.
After apparently intense negotiations Austria’s Minister for Infrastructure Doris Bures presented the draft for a new Postal Act on Monday. The new legislation is due to come into force this summer, stipulating rules and regulations for a postal market that is to be liberalised from 2011.
Dutch TNT also suffered a clear drop in consignment volumes during the first quarter of the current financial year.
La Poste’s change of corporate form to plc planned for this autumn is evidently being postponed.
Shrinking mail volumes and declining income figures seem to be forcing Posten Norge to axe more jobs.
Michel Kunz, new CEO of Switzerland’s Schweizerische Post, is expecting a slump in profit of almost 30% this year.
In connection with a profitability review of the smallest post offices in Switzerland, the postal management appears to have given in to the public pressure created by the trade unions.
SkyPostal Networks Inc., which claims to be the biggest private provider of postal services in South America, suffered considerable losses despite higher turnover last year.
Chronopost, the international express service of France’s La Poste, ended the financial year 2008 with excellent results.
The turn-around plans of French express and logistics operator Mory Group appear to be making good progress.
Taobao, Asia’s biggest online auction site with almost 40 million registered users, has become one of the most important suppliers of orders for Chinese express services.
British CEP operator City Link remains in the red.
TNT has officially opened a new regional hub at the Singapore airport.
Following the announcement that 390 jobs at Finland’s post Itella would be axed, the postal union has signalised protests.
Top managers of the Latvian post have announced their intention to resign, should the government carry out its threat to cut postal workers’ salaries.
Dutch transport associations Transport & Logistik Nederland (TLN) and Koninklijk Nederlands Vervoer (KNV) have decided to cooperate closely in future.
The Universal Postal Union wants to lend its support to the development of direct mail programmes for post companies in Third World countries. According to UPU, direct mail is currently on offer in only two thirds of its member countries. Global volumes attain around 170 billion items per year and represent more than a third of all domestic mail, says UPU.
Just like its arch rival TNT, DHL seems to pick up business growth in the streets in South East Asia.
TNT Express Russia has announced a 26% increase in turnover for 2008.
German telecommunications company Telekom is claiming damages from its former supervisory board president Klaus Zumwinkel.

Hellmail has reported that:

2009 is becoming a nightmare year for many European postal operators and most, already contending with annual mail volume shrinkage are now trying to weather a global recession. Liberalisation is still running at full speed ahead despite what has ultimately been consistent decline for many operators. The problem is, trying to liberalise a market in the midst of a global recession is like trying to change a lightbulb, blindfold, with boxing gloves on. The timetable is there, but there is far less scope for operators to consider risky ventures now, particularly when the decline in stamped mail still hasn't bottomed out yet." [EdNote: There are certain things you should never try to do in the midst of a recession. Postal liberalization is one of them.]
DX Group (DX) today announced they have agreed a deal to access the Post Office network to provide a local collection facility for undeliverable mail.

Postal Technology International has reported that:

An organisational restructure of the Jersey Post Group came into effect earlier this month to streamline Jersey’s national postal operator into two autonomous trading businesses. The restructuring of Jersey Post, as it celebrates the 40th anniversary of becoming independent from the UK’s General Post Office, marks yet another chapter in the development of the group.
Finnish postal operator, Itella Group will begin statutory labour negotiations this week in Finland. The negotiations will affect both administrative and production functions and will concern around 2,200 people. According to an initial estimate, approximately 390 permanent employees’ current jobs will be made redundant.

According to Flightglobal, "Stalled talks and the likely dissolution of an agreement with DHL is forcing UPS to look at shedding its 44 DC-8s before the original 2013 exit date."

USPS Lite Blue has reported that "The Postal Service’s efforts to reduce its inventory of leased and postal-owned vehicles this year is the subject of DPMG and Chief Operating Officer Pat Donahoe’s latest edition of Field Updates. According to Donahoe, the year-end goal is to remove 10,000 vehicles from the existing fleet of 220,000 vehicles. This will involve transferring some 3,000 right-hand drive vehicles to rural routes, redistributing under-utilized vehicles to where they are needed, and selling surplus vehicles. Area and district offices also will re-evaluate their needs for administrative vehicles and share resources."

The American Postal Workers Union has informed its members that "a new PowerPoint slide show about H.R. 22, a bill of critical importance to anyone concerned about the Postal Service, is now available to local, state, and national officers for use at union meetings. The slide show explains the significance of H.R. 22 in staving off a financial collapse of the USPS. “We hope union activists will use the slide show to inform rank-and-file members about the legislation,” said APWU President William Burrus. “This bill is essential to the viability of the Postal Service — and to our jobs.”

Federal Register: "The current mail cover regulations provide definitions for sealed and unsealed mail. Certain words used (e.g. second-class, third-class, and fourth-class mail) no longer reflect current classifications. The definitions of sealed and unsealed mail are revised to mirror mail classification definitions found in the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual, and in the International Mail Manual.

A revised agenda for the next meeting of the Postmaster General's Mailers Technical Advisory Committee has been posted on this site.

PR Newswire: "TALX, provider of Equifax Workforce Solutions and a leader in human resource and payroll-related services, today announced the highlights of its involvement at the Annual HRO World Conference & Exposition. The conference, which this year will have a special focus on "Developing Effective HR Leadership for Tough Times," takes place at the Hilton New York in New York City, May 5-6. Co-presenting will be Tony Vegliante, CHRO and EVP, United States Postal Service. USPS has a unique story to tell regarding successful shared services and selective outsourcing."

The New York Times Company has reported a first-quarter loss of $74.5 million on Tuesday, compared with a loss of $335,000 in the period a year ago, as it joined the roster of newspaper companies recording the steepest advertising declines in generations.

According to Yahoo! News, "More than a half-a-dozen newspapers in the United States and Europe have gone "Web only" in the past year in a bid to stave off bankruptcy. But the first cold-eyed analysis of this approach is not encouraging. The central reasons the experiment has failed -- at least so far -- are probably the same ones bedeviling newspapers the world over, according to the researchers in London. "Readers are reluctant to pay for content online, and... the value of advertising space on the web is significantly less than in print," their study said. Philip Meyer, author of "The Vanishing Newspaper: Saving Journalism in the Information Age," has forecast with unnerving precision that paper-and-ink news will "run out of daily readers late in the first quarter of 2043." For Web journalism guru Vin Crosbie, their demise will happen before 2021. New York Times publisher Arthur Sulzberger thinks that news print could peter out by 2012. "

FedEx Ground, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp., has won a United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit decision today that said FedEx Ground independent contractors are independent business owners – not employees -- and are outside the jurisdiction of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). This decision validates the company’s long-standing position that FedEx Ground contractors are small business owners. The US Court of Appeals decision was made on a FedEx Ground-filed petition for review following a September 28, 2007 NLRB decision granting the International Brotherhood of Teamsters the ability to conduct a membership election among single work area contractors in FedEx Ground’s Home Delivery terminals in Boston and Wilmington, MA. In the September 2007 decision, the NLRB claimed that the Home Delivery single work area contractors were employees. The US Court of Appeals agreed with FedEx Ground’s contention that the NLRB Regional Office wrongly excluded material evidence and misapplied settled law on the most important factor that defines the statutory “independent contractor” exemption from the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).

Reuters has reported that "The European Commission on Tuesday conditionally approved the planned merger of Swedish state-controlled postal services firm Posten with Danish counterpart Post Danmark."

As 7thSpace has noted, "Building on its history of environmental innovation, the Postal Service is working to create a culture of conservation among its 646,000 employees in its 34,000 facilities and among its suppliers and partners in the mailing industry. The Postal Service is recognized as an environmental innovator and leader, and has been honored with more than 70 major environmental awards, including the 2009 Climate Action Champion award and 39 White House Closing the Circle awards for environmental stewardship."

Federal Express Canada Ltd. (“FedEx Express Canada”), a subsidiary of FedEx Corp., will celebrate Earth Day by working with PITCH-IN CANADA and Tree Canada to support programs that will give back to communities across the country and reduce the effects of global warming. These programs complement FedEx Corp.’s global initiatives to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and improve fuel efficiencies of its vehicles and aircraft.

CNET News has reported that "A new Web-based rental service called BookSwim describes itself as Netflix for books. The pricing doesn't seem to be quite as good a deal as Netflix; the fees are slightly higher and the average price of books is somewhat lower than for movies. But it's in the ballpark. For example, BookSwim offers a subscription with three books out at a time for $19.98 per month. BookSwim covers shipping both ways via U.S. Postal Service media mail, though books over two pounds do carry an extra fee based on the actual difference in postage. This is not too far away from the three-DVD subscription from Netflix for $16.99 per month, also with free shipping. BookSwim is aimed at high-volume readers; its plans go up to 11 books at a time for $39.94 per month."

Press Release: "Following the phenomenal success of Global Distribution Strategies – Europe in 2008, plans are well underway for 2nd Global Distribution Strategies – Europe, which is to be held at the Radisson SAS Royal Hotel, Brussels, 6 - 7 October 2009. Sponsored by Agility and EVE Partners, the conference will explore the latest trends and developments occurring in the transport and logistics industry as the market evolves in a rapidly changing economic environment. For more information on sponsorship, exhibition and delegate opportunities please contact Sarah Smith, ssmith@transportintelligence.com, 44 (0) 1666 511872 or visit http://www.ticonferences.com/gds_europe/strategic-overview/.

According to The Guardian, "There is something deeply unsatisfying in sitting down to write a commentary about why newspapers can't charge for online content. It's not that what I have to say is unoriginal, though it is. The internet, after all, is awash in arguments as to why the disintegrating newspaper business must stop giving away its content and, conversely, why it can't. More than that, though, I fear that in pointing out the obvious, I'm only convincing myself there's no future for the metropolitan newspaper as we've come to know it, either in print or online. Probably the best we can hope for is to help newspapers shrink slowly into a new role as specialty news sources. It is probably too late to save newspapers. Our efforts would be better spent figuring out how to save journalism." [EdNote: Makes you wonder how far away we are from saying similarly: "It's probably too late to save the Postal Service. Our efforts would be better spent figuring out how to save universal mail service.]

Bloomberg has reported that "Former Deutsche Post AG Chief Executive Officer Klaus Zumwinkel gave back his Federal Cross of Merit three months after the head of Europe’s biggest postal service was convicted in a tax-evasion scandal, Bild Zeitung said. Zumwinkel returned the Federal Cross of Merit, which was awarded to him in 2001, to Germany’s Office of the Federal President, the newspaper said in a preview of an article to be published today, without saying where it got the information."

AMEInfo has reported that "The launch of Arab Direct Marketing Association (ADMA) marked the opening day's session of the three-day Arab Direct Mail and Marketing Forum '09, which was opened by Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal. The forum has the support of Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) Gov. Amr Al-Dabbagh and Saudi Post as well in launching ADMA as a way to develop and grow direct marketing across the global Pan-Arab community."

The Financial Times has reported that "Lord Mandelson was urged to delay his plans for a part-privatisation of the Royal Mail after a Labour group claimed that it would be an error to sell the stake at the bottom of the market. Compass, which is backed by scores of Labour MPs, said the sale of 49 per cent of the state-owned postal operator would raise £1bn - barely half the £1.9bn it could have fetched a year ago."

From Business Wire: "SkyPostal Networks, Inc., the largest private postal network in Latin America, today announced that it has entered into a co-marketing agreement for its PuntoMio online U.S. shopping facilitator service (www.puntomio.com) with TAM Fidelidade, the Frequent Flyer Program of TAM Airlines, the largest airline in Brazil. TAM currently services almost 50% of the air travel market in Brazil. Through SkyPostal’s PuntoMio service, subscribers are provided a physical U.S. address in Miami, which serves as their shipping address when making Internet purchases from U.S. stores. Merchandise is delivered to the assigned U.S. address at which point PuntoMio becomes responsible for international transport and associated logistics, including customs clearance and final delivery to the customer. PuntoMio also assists the shopper by providing product price and merchant rating comparisons though web integration with PriceGrabber. Customers are steered to secure sites that accept international credit cards through their Verified by PuntoMio program and provided with a cost estimator which enables the buyer to determine the total purchase cost including transportation, customs duties, taxes and delivery. PuntoMio also provides complete online tracking as the parcel moves from PuntoMio to its final delivery destination, and free international merchandise return shipping to Miami, plus returns handling back to merchant."

Dow Jones has reported that "Postal and logistics giant Deutsche Post AG Tuesday said first-quarter net profit soared on a higher valuation of put options on Deutsche Postbank AG shares and signaled volume declines had stabilized. The former state monopoly said volume continued to shrink for all products and across all divisions in the first quarter from the fourth quarter of 2008, but the rate of contraction had stabilized, "suggesting that overall flows are bottoming out."

MediaPost has reported that "Publishers Clearing House has formally launched an online ad network made up of six Web properties anchored by its flagship PHC.com site. The PCH Online Network -- which includes PCHGames.com, PCHQuiz4Cash.com, PCHLotto.com, PCHTV.com and PCHtrvia.com -- reaches more than 5 million monthly unique visitors and draws 90 million page views, according to the magazine and sweepstakes brand. Publishers Clearing House has also unveiled a new business-to-business site at pchonlinenetwork.com that provides details about ad opportunities on the network."

Hellmail has reported that "The Communication Workers Union has accused the UK government of getting it's sums wrong over the partial privatisation of Royal Mail and that 30% of the state-owned postal service would cost the treasury £900m. The comment by CWU general secretary Billy Hayes, follows research by Compass which warns that the sale of Royal Mail could raise only a £1m, almost half of what it might have done a year ago. This is partly due to the recession, partly due to stifled lending, and more significantly, a shrinkage of stamped mail volume."

As Deadtree Edition put it: "While countless words are published about the environment in honor of Earth Day this week, it's time for the publishing industry to confront its involvement in an egregious, and rather bizarre, form of greenwashing. I'm talking about touting Web content and digital editions as being environmentally friendly and disparaging ink-on-paper editions, which are still the major source of revenue for most traditional publishers. For example, one magazine's Web site recently admonished readers to reduce their carbon footprint by signing up for a digital edition -- right next to an article about the huge amounts of electricity that Web servers gobble up. But the worst offenders are the vendors of digital-publication software, such as Nxtbook, Texterity, and Zinio."

China Daily has reported that "A proposed legal amendment that would ban foreign couriers from delivering letters in China conforms to the country's commitments to the World Trade Organization (WTO), legislators said yesterday. An article in the amendment to the Postal Law, which is under second review at the top legislature, bans foreign companies from providing letter delivery services in China. The rule has raised public concerns and complaints from some international express delivery giants that it might breach China's WTO commitments and threaten the businesses and investments of foreign companies."

The National Association of Major Mail Users (NAMMU) has told its members that "At December 31, 2008, the Canada Post pension plan (the Plan) held total net assets of $11,709 million, a decrease of $2,957 million from prior year. The Plan earned a rate of return of negative 19.3 per cent over the year against a benchmark return of negative 17.6 per cent. This was the first time since the Plan’s inception eight years ago that the rate of return underperformed its benchmark. The Plan began 2008 with a solvency surplus, partially mitigating the impact of the financial market decline, and ended 2008 with an estimated solvency deficit of $1,190 million." Learn more:
http://canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/aboutus/news/pr/2009/2009_apr_pension.jsf

The Telegraph has reported that "Postal department officials are undergoing a four-day training, “Management training programme on rural business opportunity and emerging challenges”, to tap the market potential in rural areas and to overcome the challenges there."

The Chief-Leader has reported that "The New York Metro Area Postal Union staged a day of protest April 15 urging the U.S. Postal Service to rescind the closing of three Manhattan post offices and the termination of overnight service at the James A. Farley Main Post Office in midtown."

Brandweek has reported that "CMOs see digital as the medium of choice in this economy, but aren’t getting what they want out of it, according to a new survey from Heidrick & Struggles. Time after time in the survey, marketers expressed an awareness of digital’s potential along with a recognition that they weren’t close to tapping it."

The Independent has reported that "Gordon Brown faces growing pressure from mutinous Labour backbenchers to ditch or delay moves to partly privatise Royal Mail. Party whips have warned the Prime Minister, who is already dealing with the "smeargate" scandal, that the plans have stretched the loyalty of his MPs to breaking point."

Docket No. MT2009-1. The Postal Regulatory Commission's Public Representative has recommended "the approval of this collaborative logistics market test because it satisfies the statutory requirements4, but also because the product offering being evaluated will serve several key public interests. Those interests include: providing additional revenue to the Postal Service to aid in maintaining its Universal Service Obligations; providing increased economic efficiency benefits; providing environmental benefits; and providing additional shipping options to customers. However, the Public Representative herein urges the Commission to pay particular attention to several areas warranting caution: possibility of disproportionate harm from market tests in a limited geographic area; provision of adequate information to the public and the Commission; potential for legal challenges; challenges in costing and cost attribution; and administrative complexities that may pose deployment risks."

The Boston Globe has reported that "Senator John F. Kerry will hold hearings in Washington next week on the financial problems facing the newspaper industry, as dwindling advertising dollars push many US papers to the brink of closure. The hearings by the Senate Commerce Committee, beginning April 30, are the latest effort in the nation's capital to help out newspapers. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin, Democrat of Maryland, introduced a bill last month that would enable newspaper companies to restructure as nonprofits. "America's newspapers are struggling to survive and while there will be serious consequences in terms of the lives and financial security of the employees involved, including hundreds at the Globe, there will also be serious consequences for our democracy where diversity of opinion and strong debate are paramount," Kerry wrote in a letter sent to union leaders Friday. The union released the letter yesterday." [EdNote: Hey Congress! What about the Postal Service?....Yeah, I know....Postal Service? What's the Postal Service?]

Forbes has reported that "Newspaper and magazine subscriptions and most charter fishing trips would lose their sales tax exemptions if lawmakers pass a bill proposed by a Florida House panel Monday. On a voice vote, the panel rejected a motion by Rep. Perry Thurston, D-Plantation, to retain the subscription exemption. Thurston said the tax might cost jobs by putting publications out of business or encouraging them to leave Florida. Republicans said it was a matter of fairness because store sales of newspapers and magazines are taxed."

Advertising Age has reported that "Magazine giant Time Inc. is trying to build its online ad business with an ad network of its own that will, among other things, allow advertisers to make targeted buys across the well-lit, advertiser-friendly web sites operated by the company."

The latest blog entry has been posted on the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General’s Internet site “Pushing the Envelope.” The public, mailers, postal employees, and other stakeholders are invited to weigh in on the online discussions taking place. To view the site, visit http://blog.uspsoig.gov/. The Postal Service’s Green Initiatives. The Postal Service’s environmental efforts fall into many areas including: packaging, fuel use, facility energy use, recycling, purchasing, and building standards. The OIG asks stakeholders: What do you think of converting the Postal Service’s fleet to electric vehicles? Would it be feasible to implement? Do you have other suggestions for green initiatives the Postal Service could pursue? You can visit Office of Inspector General’s public website at: www.uspsoig.gov. If you have additional questions, please contact Communication and Work Life Director Agapi Doulaveris at 703.248.2322.

The DM Bulletin has reported that "Royal Mail and Google are sponsoring a website called Marketing Donut, which gives small businesses free marketing advice from a pool of over 100 marketing, PR and sales experts. The site, www.marketingdonut.co.uk, will carry no advertising and goes live today. It enables small business owners to access hundreds of pages practical information, dozens of videos and a range of online tools and resources, such as a media budget calculator."

The Asahi Shimbun has reported that "A former ad agency executive is believed to have been the mastermind of a series of suspected scams that cheated the postal system out of billions of yen, investigative sources said. Investigators base this theory partly on a comparison of the volume of mail using a postal discount for disability support groups over the past 10 years or so and the business operations involving Toru Abe, former director of Shinsei-Kigyo Co., the sources said. When his business operations were thriving, the amount of direct mail sent with the discount rate soared. When business operations slumped, so did the volume of such mail, the sources said. Abe and others are suspected of disguising millions of items of direct mail to unfairly gain the disability discount rate from what is now Japan Post Service Co."

RTT News has reported that "United Parcel Service, Inc. said it entered into a new $3 billion revolving credit facility with a syndicate of commercial banks. The new credit facility, which has a term of 364 days, replaces the $4.5 billion facility, the company said in a filing submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission."

Perth Now has reported that "Romanian crime gangs are forcing innocent Australian residents to receive illegal drugs through the mail. Many of those pressured into taking delivery of heroin, cocaine and amphetamine parcels from overseas are fellow Romanians. Gang members rely on their legendary reputation for extreme violence as insurance against victims dobbing them in."

According to the Slippery Brick, "Netflix Blu-ray movies are arriving cracked and unplayable. That’s what seems to be happening with a small group of subscribers who are claiming their discs are arriving with small cracks on the outside edges. They say it’s happening repeatedly. No one is sure what is causing it since the Discs have an extra coating to prevent scratches on Blu-ray. It could be the automated mail processing machines, manufacturing defects or maybe postal carriers are playing Frisbee. The Mars Box blog experienced this issue back in ‘07, but over the last few months reports are picking up again. It’s too bad the extra costs that customers are paying can’t go toward tougher packaging, but Netflix told Wired the problem is “infinitesimally small” and changing shipping wouldn’t be cost effective."

The Guardian has reported that "Experts have identified ineffective market regulation, and supervision, unregulated merging financing and uncompetitive cost structures as responsible for the unsavoury development in the capital market. There were also problems associated with effective mail delivery system, as postal agencies could not cope with the upsurge, thereby resulting in non or late delivery of capital market mails like dividend warrants, share certificates and prospectus."

According to OhMyGov!, "A U.S. Postal Service window clerk and his associate were nabbed in an undercover bust for pocketing over a half million dollars in stamps, and reselling them on eBay, according to a federal indictment."

NewsRoom Finland has reported that "The Finnish Post and Logistics Workers' Union (Pau) said at a news conference Monday it would stage a six-hour stoppage at sorting centres on Wednesday in protest against Itella's job cut plans. The union added that deliveries would be delayed throughout the country."

Bonner Wirtschaftsgespräche - Nachrichten aus Bonn has reported that "Deutsche Post DHL released its Sustainability Report 2009 just before this year’s Annual General Meeting. In the document, the international market leader in logistics and postal services and the world’s sixth-largest employer outlines its activities in the areas of the environment, employees and corporate social responsibility."

The Watertown Daily Times has reported that "The post office is one of two businesses still left in the village after Newstech NY shut the paper mill down in 2004 and sold it to a developer in 2005. Village Historian Janet M. Zando said losing it would be a major hit to the already dwindling tear-drop-shaped village. "We've lost everything else in town — we don't have a store, we don't have any of that anymore," she said. "I think it's very important to keep some kind of identity."

Reuters has reported that "Austria will order postal operators competing with Austrian Post AG to pay the same salaries as the state-run incumbent when markets are opened in 2011. The move, contained in a draft postal law by the ministry, is similar to German rules which in effect stifled competition with Deutsche Post AG for delivering regular letters in Austria's neighbour to the north. Only Austrian Post provides universal postal services in remote rural and Alpine areas of the country. The operator has said in the past it was worried alternative providers would cherry-pick and offer their services only in urban areas. Under the draft regulation, alternative operators would also be required to pay into a fund that would reimburse the state-owned operator's expenses for providing universal postal service, the ministry said. All operators -- including Austrian Post -- would pay into this fund according to their respective market share."

Hellmail has reported that "Finnish postal operator, Itella, said the global economic downturn and structural changes within the postal industry has forced it to make 390 permanent employees redundant. Itella said it faced significant challenges in trying to maintain the universal service and competition from other operators would only increase over the coming years, meaning that the job losses were inevitable."

Cargonews Asia has reported that "Aircargo consignors attempting to cash in on a bitter tug-of-war between air and seafreight operators over pricing are going to be disappointed. This is the blunt message to shippers from key aircargo carriers and freight forwarders who attended the World Air Cargo Summit in Shenzhen recently. Airlines, which have already lost a substantial share of their customers to shipping lines, said there would be no further rate cuts under any circumstances."

As one DC-area newspaper publisher put it for the Voice of America: "larger papers have lost their focus. It boils down to this. If you are not putting something out there that people want to read, you are going to go away. So, quit covering press releases, quit pandering to the lowest common denominator, go out and dig up news that nobody else has." [EdNote: And by analogy one could say: "Postal Service, if you're not offering something business mailers want to pay to receive, go out and dig up something they're willing to pay to receive. And when you try to find out what "they" want, be sure you're asking the question of the right "they," not simply the they that's found more conveniently at hand. If you don't know who the right "they" are, then you've got some work to do."]

The Wall Street Journal has reported that the "chief financial officer with Gannett Co. (GCI), said Thursday that the publishing company's U.S. newspapers, excluding USA Today, posted a 20% decline in online revenue in the first quarter. Newspaper publishers have touted their online ad businesses as a growth engine that can offset the industry's print declines over time, but that growth has largely disappeared amid the global economic crisis."

According to the New York Post, "the US Postal Disservice has announced cutbacks. My question is, why? They sure can't be laying off personnel. There's nobody ever there to lay off. Either every employee is in the witness-protection program or even 10:15 in the morning they're all on lunch break. My teenage niece went to one branch to send a registered letter but first got an AARP card because she knew she'd wait a lifetime for some human to appear. Not like they don't have lots of windows. Boy, have they got windows. Windows for postage, packages, air-mail, special-delivery mail, bulk mail, junk mail, lost mail, found mail, priority mail, which is the first to get lost, first-class mail, which is guaranteed to arrive within one week although not necessarily to the right address. Microsoft doesn't have as many windows. Windows they got. Workers behind them they don't."

The Waterbury Republican-American has noted that "State lawmakers are keeping postal workers busy and mailbags brimming. The General Assembly sent out more than 4.4 million pieces of mail last year. That kind of postage, copying and printing adds up. Legislative mailings cost $2.4 million in the last fiscal year, according to the Office of Legislative Management. The postage was $1.7 million and printing was $655,000."

The Age has reported that "a battle is brewing between Australia Post's top brass and its army of 35,000 postal workers amid union accusations the government-owned enterprise is preparing to force staff to take unpaid leave."

According to one writer for The American Interest, "For all its inability to stay in tune with changing consumer trends, technology advances, a warming planet and a deep economic crisis, the leadership of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) might as well have given all their mail carriers Hummers to drive on their appointed rounds in recent years. As it turns out, the USPS and Hummer’s parent company, General Motors, have a lot in common these days. Both are currently generating multibillion dollar annual losses, pushing products that ever fewer people want, burdening themselves with bloated payrolls and huge fixed-cost infrastructures, continuing to roll up enormous unfunded pension obligations, and contending with some of the largest and most powerful labor unions on earth. Both, too, are expecting the American taxpayer to bail them out."

Columbus Business First has reported that "DHL Express Inc. confirmed Friday plans to relocate its package-sorting operations back to its former hub at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport and vacate the city of Wilmington. Jonathan Baker, a spokesman for the German-owned parcel delivery service, said the move back to the Cincinnati area will mean the creation of about 180 full-time and 646 part-time jobs in the region. DHL employs 350 hourly workers and 130 management and professional staff at the Wilmington Air Park, where thousands of jobs have disappeared as the company scaled back its services with cargo carrier ABX Air Inc."

Alibaba.com has reported that "Alibaba Group, a global e-commerce leader and the largest e-commerce company in China, and China Post, the postal service of the People's Republic of China, today signed a long-term strategic cooperation agreement to further develop China's e-commerce infrastructure and make it easier for Chinese consumers to shop online. Under the agreement, the two organizations will cooperate in parcel delivery and money remittance services. In the short-term, China Post and Alibaba Group’s online payment platform, Alipay, will launch a new economical parcel service for online purchases called "e-Youbao" and allow customers to fund their Alipay account at any of China Post's 66,000 locations across mainland China, without the need for a debit card or bank account. China Post's Green Card debit service will also become a new partner for Alipay's online payment service."

Postal Regulatory Commission

NOTICES
Report Availability:
	Postal Service Oversight ,
	15315 [E9–7529]	[TEXT] [PDF]

Postal Service

PROPOSED RULES
Price Marking Requirements for Commercial Base and Commercial Plus Pricing ,
15226–15227 [E9–7479]		[TEXT] [PDF]

Postal Service

RULES
International Inbound Registered Mail Procedures,
14932–14933 [E9–7373]	[TEXT] [PDF]