Sen. Tina Smith Steps Up Pressure on Postmaster General After Report on Mail Delays

U.S. Sen. Tina Smith is stepping up pressure on U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy following a United States Postal Service Inspector General (OIG) report that reveals severe management failures contributing to critical postal service disruptions in Bemidji and the broader Minnesota-North Dakota District.

The problems included around 80,000 pieces of delayed mail. Sen. Smith is calling for immediate action to address these failures and restore reliable postal service for Minnesotans.

Last November, USPS rural carriers held a picket and symbolic strike outside of the Bemidji Post Office to raise awareness about their work environment and concerns about delivering mail to the community. Rural mail carriers said they were short-staffed and unable to perform their jobs, where they were being forced to work 12-hour shifts while also delivering packages for Amazon.

As we reported previously, the OIG report reveals that the Bemidji Post Office only had eight days warning before their package volume doubled, and postal service management failed to confirm that the facility had the staffing or resources to accommodate the increased volume. It also found that local postal workers were not properly trained to avoid these issues.

The report attributes these problems directly to national and district management missteps, resulting in untenable working conditions for postal workers and severe delays in mail delivery.

Sen. Smith’s letter stresses the urgency of rectifying these issues and holds USPS leadership accountable for ensuring Minnesotans receive the reliable postal service they depend on for essential needs. Smith says it is “imperative that USPS leadership takes immediate action” to address these issues and restore trust in the postal system.