USPS office closings won’t affect Selma

By George L. Jones (Contact) | Selma Times-Journal

Published Tuesday, March 24, 2009

The closing of U.S. Postal Service district offices nationwide will not directly affect Selma’s 51 employees.

The USPS announced in a recent release it has decided to close six of its 80 offices in response to its ongoing financial crisis. The decision to cut 1,400 administrative positions, representing 15 percent of jobs at the district level, is expected to save the USPS more than $100 million annually.

“As far as closing post offices, we have no plans to close any post offices in (the Selma) area,” said Joseph Breckenridge, a spokesman for the USPS.

The only district office closing in the South is in Lake Mary, Fla., 17 miles north of Orlando. The other five district offices closing are in North Reading, Mass.; Manchester, N.H.; Edison, N.J.; Erie, Pa.; and Spokane, Wash.

In addition to the closings, nearly 150,000 employees nationwide have the option of accepting early retirement. Those who qualify have worked 20 years or more for the USPS or are at least 50 years old. Ten employees in Selma are in this category.

The USPS will send out letters to inform them of their options in retirement to help them make a more informed decision. Breckenridge said this is a voluntary option.

“If you want to continue to work, you continue to work,” he said.

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