BUFFALO, N.Y. — The United States Postal Service has released the initial findings of its review of the Buffalo Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) on William Street.
The review is part of a $40 billion strategy to address processing, transportation, and delivery services at USPS facilities across the country, as they try to rein in losses.
The initial findings released Tuesday support keeping the facility on William Street, modernizing it, but also downsizing operations.
That process would include turning the Buffalo P&DC into a local processing center (LPC) and moving mail processing and outgoing operations to Rochester. The Buffalo facility would maintain some destinating operations, however.
Frank Resetarits, president of the American Postal Workers Union, Buffalo told 2 On Your Side that Tuesday's report brings no consolation to the opinion that mail service in the area will be delayed if items first have to go to Rochester.
"What we want the public to understand right now is that if the mail is moved to Rochester, that it will mean a delay in the delivery of mail to customers in zip codes 140, 141, 142, 143, and 147," Resetarits said.
Those zip codes cover all of Niagara, Erie, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and parts of Allegany, Orleans, Wyoming, and Genesee counties.
The consolidation would mean adding new sorting and processing equipment in Buffalo and in the future would allow for a Sorting and Delivery Center to be colocated at the site.
The findings add that new equipment along with other investments including new LED lighting, flooring upgrades, and employee amenities like renovated restrooms, lockers, and break areas would amount to $25 million to $35 million in new investment at the Williams Street plant.
Regarding jobs, USPS says, "there will be no career employee layoffs as part of this initiative." Although if distribution operations are moved to Rochester 18 craft and 3 management positions would be reassigned in accordance with their respective collective bargaining agreements.
Resetarits from the American Postal Workers Union, Buffalo contends those job numbers are disingenuous however because the postal service lists combined employment figures for Buffalo and Rochester.
That could mean while jobs are retained people may have to relocate he said.
U.S. Rep. Brian Higgins (D) said in a statement Wednesday:
“Don’t be fooled, the Postmaster is being disingenuous, trying to sell the public on a plan that will, in the end, pull the rug out from underneath Western New York. The devil is in the details they are holding back from the public. By the time the jobs are lost and mail services are delayed it will be too late. We need the public to stand up and speak out.”
The proposed savings of the plan which has not been made final are projected to be $2.5 million - $3.5 million annually if implemented.
The United States Postal Service is expected to host a meeting where the public can offer their thoughts and insights on the findings. A rescheduled date for that meeting has not been set since being moved off Jan. 31.
Written comments can be submitted online through Feb. 15 at the following link.