Fasano Statement USPS Wallingford Closure
February 27, 2012Senator Len Fasano Minority Leader Pro-Tempore (R-Wallingford) released the following statement today re: The U.S. Postal Service decision to close the Wallingford distribution center.
“I’m very disappointed and quite frankly shocked that they plan on closing it. The Wallingford facility cannot be closed before May 15 due to a moratorium on closing or consolidating facilities. Therefore, I am calling on our Connecticut delegation to work on an alternative plan and help save these jobs.
“Part of the problem stems back to 2006, when Congress passed a law requiring the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to prefund the cost of retiree health benefits. Within one decade the USPS must pay in advance – retiree benefits for the next 75 years. That is an outrageous mandate. If they didn’t have to pay these benefits upfront maybe jobs wouldn’t be in jeopardy.
“I also understand there maybe an opportunity for some of the workers to transfer out of state to postal facilities that are now slated to handle all of the regions sorting. In the unfortunate case that Congress and the USPS can’t come up with an alternative plan to keep this facility open, I am hopeful the Connecticut workers will be given the option to relocate. In this economy jobs are hard to come by – so we must do all we can to protect the ones we have.”
Senator Fasano represents North Haven, Wallingford and the shoreline community of East Haven.