Community rallies after sign posted on door of Topeka post office

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - A sign posted to the door of the Sherwood Carrier Annex Post Office at 6120 SW 29th St. has sparked tension in the community.

On Sunday, July 30, members of the American Postal Workers Union held a rally at the Sherwood Carrier Annex in response to a sign that reads:

The sign also lists the postal center’s business hours.

The members of the union gathered at the intersection of 29th Street and Wanamaker Road from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to voice their displeasure.

“Businesses and customers are going to have to travel now to Gage on Woodhull to do their mail and buy their stamps,” Penny Oliver, State Vice President of the American Postal Workers Union, said. “Elderly are having their prescriptions delayed in the mail, and it’s causing concern for the postal customers. It’s an inconvenience to them and we believe it’s a disservice.

13 NEWS contacted U.S. Postal Service officials in regard to the flyer. In response, USPS said that the closure is part of the Delivering for America plan which includes the creation of sorting and delivery centers. The first site was opened in Georgia in 2022.

As the project moves forward, USPS said customers will not see changes to local post office retail operations or PO Box service and that no post offices will close.

According to the Service, employees will benefit from the new model through new, modern workplaces with no lay-offs mentioned as part of the effort. Any movement of employees is expected to be done in line with the respective collective bargaining agreement.

“For decades, our outmoded network has created significant financial losses, increased deferred maintenance costs, deteriorated workplace conditions for our employees and failed to efficiently integrate mail and package processing and delivery,” said USPS Strategic Communications Specialist Mark Inglett. “The transformation of our network is necessary and fundamental to our continuation as an organization and service to the American people and our business customers.”

USPS noted that the new delivery model will position the Service for success with the use of existing postal-owned buildings. These facilities will receive significant upgrades and, in many cases, will also accomplish deferred maintenance. It will also allow the expansion of business customer’s market reach from a single nearby drop location with smaller time intervals. In many cases, the packages will be sent same-day or next-day.

According to the Service, the move also enables the use of electric vehicles where feasible and will improve the flow of mail and packages with new package sortation. The service and delivery center method is expected to greatly improve morale with modern and inviting workspaces and reduce costly truck trips from processing plants.

13 NEWS did ask Inglett for clarification regarding whether the Sherwood Carrier Annex closure would be temporary or permanent. Inglett refused to comment.

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