Minnesota And North Dakota Lawmakers Push For Postal Service Impr

Federal lawmakers are critical of the United States Postal Service which has been battling workforce shortages and facing more package deliveries than ever before.

Members of the Minnesota and North Dakota delegations to Congress are calling on the US Postmaster General to improve postal service and operations in our region.

Those lawmakers including Minnesota U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar as well as Sixth District Congressman Tom Emmer and Seventh District Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach.

In a joint letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, the delegation called findings of a recent Inspector General's report "deeply concerning."

Among the report's findings, investigators:
-- visited six post offices selected for their poor performance;
-- saw 130,858 pieces of delayed mail in just two days;
-- and, say staffing shortages of 551 employees contributed to the "poor" performance by forcing managers to prioritize package deliveries, delaying First-Class Mail, Priority Mail and Priority Express Mail.

The delegation is urging Postmaster General DeJoy to enact recommendations to fill carrier and clerk vacancies and to review staffing of postal units.

The lawmakers want monthly briefings on the USPS' progress on improving service and staffing.

The USPS has been holding job fairs throughout Minnesota and North Dakota in attempt to stabilize its workforce.