Shocking Findings In USPS Inspector General Report On Rural MN Mail Delivery Issues

There are some shocking findings in an audit and comprehensive report from the United States Postal Service Inspector General on mail delivery issues in northern Minnesota.

The audit and report shows that nearly 79,000 mail pieces were delayed at the Bemidji facility during the investigation from December 12-14 of last year.

Last November, United States Postal Service 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. They said they were being forced to work 12-hour shifts while also delivering packages for Amazon.

The report from the Inspector General shows that USPS headquarters management failed to adequately plan for, staff, resource, and even inform the facility about the sudden increase in package volume.

The IG report states that headquarters management did not have a program in place to provide Bemidji Post Office management with training on mail processing operations. The Inspector General also found that facility management failed to accurately report the delayed mail.

Minnesota Democratic Sens. Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar requested the audit. A press release from the two says the IG findings directly contradict the Postal Service’s response to their concerns, where the Postal Service stated that it has well-established procedures and guidance to help every facility in the country prepare for the busiest time of the year. The senators say that it is clear from the IG’s findings that those procedures and guidance failed to adequately address the situation in Bemidji.

Sen. Smith says this isn’t the end of the story and that she is looking forward to the Inspector General’s district-wide report that will be released soon so she can get a full picture so they can hold the Postal Service accountable for real solutions.