Business Management - Government/Governmental

By Erik Cagle Senior Editor Postal reform is the rally cry for 2005 in the commercial printing industry. Though it seems the cries are strong only from a select group, as opposed to a unison shout from the industry collective. In other words, a relatively small amount of people are making a big stink to Congress about the need for reform of the United States Postal Service (USPS), an entity that is still operating under guidelines set in 1971. Guidelines, mind you, established before the onslaught of private sector parcel delivery options and well before the invention of the Internet, both of which have

WASHINGTON, DC—Several of the major label stock vendors are reportedly under investigation for price fixing by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Under investigation are Avery Dennison, Bemis, Morgan Adhesives (MACtac), Raflatac and UPM-Kymmene. The DOJ is trying to determine if the companies raised, fixed and maintained the prices of self-adhesive label stock from January 1, 1999, to the present. News of the investigation and suit began back in April when Avery announced that the DOJ had begun a criminal investigation into competitive prices in the label stock industry and would shortly subpoena the company in connection with that investigation. Bemis followed Avery and announced that

WASHINGTON, DC—The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has turned its attention to increasing efficiencies in how flat mail is processed. "To meet the pledge of keeping mail service affordable for flats, we are committed to replicating the breakthrough productivity we achieved with letter mail," explains John Rapp, USPS senior vice president of operations. "Productivity in our letter operations increased 83 percent from 1993 to 2001. We expect similar results as we implement our Corporate Flat Plan." The Corporate Flat Plan is an efficiency-based strategy of the USPS' Transformation Plan—a short- and long-term blueprint for the future. Flat mail, which includes Periodicals and Standard Mail, is a valuable source

WASHINGTON, DC—A future postage rate increase could be delayed until at least 2006 thanks to a review of the United States Postal Service (USPS) employees' retirement plan, says Post Master General John E. Potter. This revelation comes after a review of the USPS' pension liabilities by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. The review found that the current formula contained overly conservative interest assumptions under which the USPS contributes for its employees' retirement, creating an overpayment of pension liabilities. Changes in the payment schedule will require a modification of the current law by Congress. This necessary change in the law would mean a reduction of postal