Reliable mail service is not a luxury in rural America. It is a necessity for receiving checks, handling daily business, and getting critical medicine and supplies that many families cannot easily pick up in town. But delays are becoming more common, and the frustration is spreading well beyond Iowa. Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins says communities across the Midwest are being hit hard by recent Postal Service changes that reduce service in rural areas.
Hawkins says these delays are not minor inconveniences. When pickups are dropped to once a day and local schedules are pushed back, everything slows down. Payments arrive late. Business transactions take longer. And families depending on timely prescriptions or medical shipments face growing uncertainty. The changes also create new risk for producers who sell cattle and other livestock and now wait much longer for their checks to arrive.
Hawkins believes the problem comes down to fairness. He says rural Americans deserve the same level of service as urban and suburban areas and should not be treated differently simply because of their zip code. He argues that the Postal Service should not balance its budget by slowing delivery for half the country. The stories coming from Missouri and other states show just how widespread the impacts have become, from damaged packages to significant delays at regional processing centers.
Have to wonder if the root of these problems is lack of staffing
Why has the union agreed to bridge Part time employees time to year of service for the USPS? My wife, as a part time rural carrier worked 40hrs a week during her time as a sub, she cannot bridge her time for retirement. This shows preferential treatment of new employees over older more seasoned employees. When I was in the union this was not a condoned action showing preferential treatment, all employees in the bargaining union are to be treated equal. Has the union lost a stomach for a fight for all employees? Does the government dictate to the unions now? All upper managers should be disqualified due to their reluctance to treat everyone equal. Maybe all the employees should be made aware of this issue and strike against the union. Let’s see if you have simple answers to my questions. I will write my congressman and senator about these issues.