Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R) and Joe Manchin (D) along with dozens of other U.S. Senators signed a letter addressed to the U.S. Postal Service asking them to pause changes to their processing and delivery network.

In the letter addressed to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and the USPS Board of Governors, they ask for the postal service to pause these changes under the “Delivering for America” plan until the Postal Regulatory Commission does a “comprehensive” study.

The plan would consolidate some of the USPS’ operations from local facilities into hubs, as well as cutting the number of “truck trips and mail collections at USPS facilities,” the letter said.

The senators say they are worried about the potential slowdown of mail delivery. In Sen. Capito’s press release, she says these changes are impacting communities across the U.S., including in Charleston.

In April, it was announced the USPS would transition a facility in South Charleston to a local processing center, which Sen. Manchin called a “slap in the face.” The $23 million investment will modernize the Processing and Distribution Center, but, while the plan was under review, the USPS said jobs could be created or eliminated.

Sen. Capito’s statement at the time said in part, “There are still many unanswered questions for USPS about their final decision that I plan to make sure are answered. I will continue fighting for this facility’s future.”

Just this week, a postal union spokesperson told 13 News four of their unionized employees have been removed from their work schedules indefinitely.

According to APWU Local 133 Vice President Tim Holstein, four of their employees received letters stating:

“This letter is to inform you that, due to the needs of this facility, you will not be scheduled to work effective Saturday 5/4/2024 until further notice. If you have any questions feel free to contact your supervisor. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.”

Holstein told 13 News the mail is coming in at a faster rate than the staff can process it, and Bob Kuhl said schedule changes at the plant have made processing more difficult.

“I’ve never seen mail done this way. The public’s mail. They entrust us to do a job to deliver that mail they paid for. A service they are provided. We’re not doing it. We’re failing,” Holstein said. “It’s a failure. It’s an epic failure all the way across the board.”

USPS sent a statement to 13 News saying, “There are no ongoing delays at the Charleston Processing and Distribution Center and no staffing reductions. Any recent concerns due to weather and network issues…are being rectified by local management. We are also actively working with our union partners to improve employee availability levels.”