OAK PARK, Ill. (CBS) — We heard about quite a lot of postal issues in 2021, and the New Year is bringing a brand new crop of bother.
Between COVID-19 and the climate, a few of our viewers say the Post Office is letting them down. CBS 2 Political Investigator Dana Kozlov went to test on these considerations Wednesday.
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In Oak Park, folks in a single neighborhood stated their Post Office has did not ship their mail for every week – and that could be a symptom of larger mail issues but to come back. Indeed, the New Year has introduced new mail complications for residents of 1 particular block.
“It’s just been really erratic,” stated Tim Caffrey.
Caffrey lives on the affected block, and he stated mail service has been erratic since final 12 months. But he stated it has gotten even worse for the reason that begin of 2022.
“The severe weather, in addition to the pandemic in the last few weeks, we’ve had very sporadic delivery of our mail,” he stated, “We haven’t had mail since last week.”
People residing within the neighborhood in Oak Park aren’t the one ones who’ve reached out to us with considerations about irregular or a whole lack of mail supply these days. Staffing shortages have been an issue for the reason that begin of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A spokesperson for Chicago’s postal area signifies these shortages proceed. But he didn’t reply our query concerning the share of postal staff presently out due to COVID.
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Caffrey needs solutions too.
“Some sort of response from the Postal Service. Whether it’s an apology or an explanation, there doesn’t seem to be any mention of it,” Caffrey stated. “You just continue to have bad service.”
And there are considerations that Post Office issues may worsen as soon as the mandate that each one federal staff be vaccinated kicks in subsequent month. Last week, the deputy U.S. Postmaster General despatched a letter to the U.S. Department of Labor asking that the mandate be quickly waived.
Deputy Postmaster General Douglas Tulino said the vaccine will seemingly consequence within the “loss of many employees” – and mix that with the mandate’s timing throughout peak season and a good job market, Tulino wrote it may have a “catastrophic impact” on the Post Office’s capacity to offer service.
“It’s disruptive and it’s disappointing,” Caffrey stated.
The aforementioned postal spokesperson stated native administration is conscious of supply points within the space of Oak Park in query, and is taking steps to handle considerations.
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He stated all mail is being delivered Wednesday, and expects supply will enhance this week.
