No Saturday mail, no problem?

I don't usually comment on articles I share (res ipsa loquitur, the thing speaks for itself..). In this case, however, I feel the need to point out a few things:
Ending Saturday delivery means massive lay offs for mail carriers. The usual mail carrier schedule is that regular carriers have a five day work week, starting on a Saturday. Sunday (of course) is skipped, and an alternate day of the week is given as a day off (their 'non sched'). Often, the 'non sched' is on a rotating basis. So, if you have a Monday off one week, the next may be Tuesday, followed by Wednesday, Thursday... When you get to Friday (the end of the work week) the day that follows would be Saturday, so you get a three day weekend, followed by a six day work week (Monday through Saturday), even though officially you only worked five days in a row.
The way this system works is that enough mail carriers are hired to fill in for the absent regulars on their routes. These may be T 6s, regulars without one regular route but a schedule of changing routes, or PTFs (part time flexibles) who are not guaranteed a forty hour work week. Or, the regulars on other routes may be assigned to 'pivot' onto a vacant route for a limited period of time ( a 'hit'). This will mean overtime pay for them. Though some carriers actively seek overtime, others would often prefer a more regular schedule... Tough! Overtime can be 'forced', if the needs of the office require it. So, a carrier's family shouldn't expect him/her at an appointed time of day (or night). Change the schedule to five day delivery, and the need for 'pivots' and T6s and PTFs changes... Everyone will have the exact same day of the week off, hence no need for someone to fill in..

Does that mean, then, the end of overtime? No. After every Sunday, there is a surge in mail volume due to the fact that mail still travels 24/7 to the regional distribution centers. Mail delivery may be curtailed, but the sorting process will continue. Thus, every Monday, the carriers have more mail to deliver than previous days. And more packages, too. Add Saturday's mail to the back log, and you're creating a huge glut of work for one day of the week, and possibly creating delays. Mail may be left behind so carriers can meet their schedules.

What else does the end of Saturday delivery mean? Retail businesses that rely on the USPS for deliveries on Saturdays will no longer receive important shipments. The chances of finding the recipient of a certified, registered or insured delivery at home is drastically reduced, as most people are not home during a Monday to Friday work week.

There's a saying I've recently learned: "saving dimes while losing dollars". It tends to apply to those business strategies like Six Sigma training that optimize bottom line expenses at the cost of good service and growing the customer base. Businesses that do so often alienate their clients by becoming inflexible and unadaptive to their client's needs. I'm afraid that the USPS has been too long down that path of self-immolation...

No Saturday mail, no problem?