The U.S. Postal Service’s nationwide consolidation of mail processing centers is expected to include moving operations from its Springfield facility to Kansas City.
The long discussed move is now slated for April 2015, according to Stacy St. John, communications specialist with the USPS. It’s part of phase 2 of a comprehensive plan that is projected to save the Postal Service $20 billion by 2017, she said.
St. John did not indicate how many jobs will be affected at the Springfield office, saying “a lot can happen over the next several months.” She indicates there will be a methodical transition for employees working in affected mail processing facilities like Springfield.
Requests for comment from the local postal workers union were not immediately received on Thursday.
The changes at the Postal Service are the result of a decline in mail over recent years. According to figures provided by St. John, single-piece first class mail volume - things like personal correspondence, bills, and greeting cards - has declined 53 percent over the last 10 years. With the proposed changes in phase 2, this will mean items sent locally will take two days instead of one to be delivered. Single piece first class mail sent anywhere in the continuous United States will arrive in three days, while packages and priority mail will not be effected.
The American Postal Workers Union has said it will conduct nationwide protests on Friday against plant closings and declining services standards.
