BROCKTON, Mass. — The U.S. Postal Service is exploring a plan that would move parts of its mail processing operations out of Brockton and into Rhode Island.
The proposal is part of the USPS ten-year Delivering for America plan that aims to improve Postal Service efficiency and lower costs. According to a Feb. 28 USPS report, an ongoing review is evaluating what role the Brockton Processing and Distribution Center on Liberty St. will take in a “redesigned postal network,” and could result in moving part of the processing facility to Providence, R.I.
“By consolidating the processing of outgoing mail…our Brockton facility can be refitted to provide better processing of locally destined mail, including an increase in package volumes,” a USPS spokesperson said.
But South Shore Area Local #3844 President Steven Curreri believes the move will lead to downsizing and slower delivery times.
“Automatically you’re going to end up with an extra day or two of delivery,” Curreri said. “It’s going to delay the mail. No matter how you look at it, it will delay the mail.”
Curreri said anyone living in a 023 or 020 zip code could be impacted. The 27-year USPS veteran has been organizing an effort to stop the move out of Brockton, writing local lawmakers and encouraging USPS employees to attend a Mar. 6 public hearing at the Brockton Public Library.
“Please understand, this is just the beginning. They will take a little here and there, then they will come for more and then more, until this building is just and empty shell,” Curreri wrote to his union members Feb. 21.
The USPS said there will be no career employee layoffs. Between $8-10 million will be invested to upgrade the Brockton facility with potential savings of up to $2.4 million a year, the USPS report said.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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