Workers, community leaders are trying to save U.S. Postal Service center from closing

By: Richard Gould | Morganton News Herald
Published: October 14, 2009

Hickory --

Postal workers at the Hickory Processing and Distribution Facility, 110 Somerset Ave., are reaching out to area residents and elected officials in an effort to save their jobs.
About a month ago the U.S. Postal Service initiated a feasibility study to consider shifting the distribution center's second-shift operations to Greensboro, said postal service spokeswoman Deborah Yackley.
In the past, this type of feasibility study has led to entire facilities' being shut down. Hickory employees worry that could happen here, said local American Postal Workers Union President Norman W. Allen. About 40 people work second shift at the plant that has employs total of 190.
"There are a lot of scared people. They're afraid they're going to be unemployed," Allen said.
Postal workers have rallied local leaders to their cause.
The city leaders of Morganton, Valdese and Hildebran, along with those in towns and cities in other counties, have passed resolutions supporting the processing and distribution plant in Hickory and opposing any further job losses in the area.
"My concern is with the loss of jobs," said Hickory Mayor Rudy Wright. "I'm concerned about the quality of life for these people."
Although consolidations of this type are being considered all over the country, Wright said he feels certain none of the regions being looked at has had the same degree of job loss and unemployment as the Hickory area.
"I think they ought to close down the Greensboro site and send (the employees) all down here," Wright said.
Yackley said she understands workers are concerned, but said, "No postal employee has lost their job as a result of this type of study.
"It's really premature to be talking about this. We have not made any decision," she said. She also said she does not foresee any decision being made until the end of December.
Yackley said similar studies are under way in Rocky Mount and Kinston.
Allen said any postal employee hired before November 2006 is protected against layoffs by a union-negotiated contract. Twenty employees at the Hickory center were hired after that date, so their jobs are not protected.
Doug Woodward, one of those workers, said he's concerned about his job, but he's more concerned about the decline in customer service and efficiency that he feels would accompany the consolidation. On average, nearly 700,000 pieces of mail go through the processing center daily, say employees.
Conover City Manager Donald Duncan said, "The mail that's collected here would have to be shipped 90 miles to be sorted and 90 miles back to be delivered. We believe that would delay people's mail."
Yackley disagrees. She said, "Service would not be negatively impacted – we would not allow that. We've done this every few years just to make sure we're operating efficiently."
Joshua McCroan has worked at the Hickory center for the past five years. He said it would probably be shut down if the employees hadn't worked to gain community support to keep the facility and its employees in Hickory.
Now, he thinks he and his co-workers may have a fighting chance.
McCroan said a town hall-type meeting to rally support may be held in Hickory sometime in November.
Meanwhile, he said, employees are always seeking information from the postal service, but many times receive vague answers.
McCroan said postal officials have said a final decision won't be made until late December or early January.
For more information, go to www.conovernc.gov and click on "Local Postal Service Operations Could Be Cut!"