The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is facing a paradox. Over the last two decades, the volume of mail has plummeted by 80%, dropping from 59 billion pieces of mail annually to just 12 billion. Despite this drastic decline, USPS has increased its workforce by a staggering 190,000 employees. This move comes as part of the agency’s “Delivering for America” initiative, aimed at stabilizing its workforce and providing clearer career paths for its employees, particularly by converting many “pre-career” employees to full-time positions.
Senator Rand Paul has sharply criticized this decision, pointing out the contradiction. He asked, “Can you think of a private business where 80% of what they’re, you know, doing to make money is going down in volume that would actually increase their employees?” Paul’s concerns highlight the perplexing nature of USPS’s actions—why hire more staff when the core service driving revenue is in sharp decline?
While the USPS has focused on growing its workforce, its financials tell a more complex story. For the fiscal year 2024, USPS reported $79.5 billion in operating revenue, a 1.7% increase from the previous year. However, operating expenses surged to $89.5 billion, a 4.8% rise from the previous year. This gap resulted in a net loss of $9.5 billion, up from a $6.5 billion loss in the prior year. The controllable loss, which excludes certain uncontrollable expenses, was $1.8 billion.
WOW 🚨 USPS has seen a 80% DECREASE in volume of mail but ADDED 190,000 employees
Senator Rand Paul “Can you think of a private business where 80% of what they're, you know, doing to make money is going down in volume that would actually increase their employees?”
“You've… pic.twitter.com/knQwwNXLl3
— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) December 7, 2024
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