Postal Service employees are one of the few groups of federal workers with the right to bargain collectively for wages and conditions. The USPS is financially independent from the federal government, generating all its own revenues with no subsidies from American taxpayers. The postal service employs more U.S. workers than GM, Ford, and Chrysler combined. One of the more poplar jobs with the US Postal Service is the postal carrier.
After the mail has been processed and sorted, Postal Service mail carriers deliver mail, to residences and businesses in cities, towns, and rural areas. Carriers are classified as either city or rural, depending on their type of route, but both types share similar duties. In the early morning, mail carriers arrange their mail in delivery sequence at the Post Office. The mail carriers then travel established routes, delivering and collecting mail by either foot, vehicle or a combination of both. Mail carriers also collect money for postage-due and COD fees and obtain signed receipts for registered mail. At the end of their routes, mail carriers return to the post office and turn in their collected mail, receipts, and money collected during the day.
Rural carriers perform similar duties to city carriers, but also provide a wider range of postal services such as selling stamps and registering parcels and letters. Both city and rural carriers provide a high level of customer service including answering customers’ questions about postal regulations and services and providing change-of-address cards and other postal forms when requested.
Getting a job with the US Postal Service requires you to pass a postal exam. Post office jobs cover many different responsibilities, including: postal carrier, mail processing clerk, and postal clerk. Other local post office jobs include corporate jobs, sales and marketing jobs, and information technology jobs. Postal jobs often have superior compensation and benefits.
In May 2006, the median annual salary of Postal Service mail carriers was $44,350. Earnings ranged from $40,290 to $48,400 for the middle 50 percent. The top 10 percent of Postal Service mail carriers earned more than $50,830.
In 2006, the median annual salary of Postal Service mail processors was $43,900. Earnings ranged from $40,350 to $47,440 for the middle 50 percent. The top 10 percent of mail sorters and processors earned more than $49,570.
In 2006 the median annual salary of Postal Service clerks was $44,800. Earnings ranged from $41,720 to $47,890 for the middle 50 percent. The top 10 percent earned more than $49,750.
The benefits of Postal Service workers are similar to those enjoyed by Federal Government workers. Employees of the postal service are often members of various unions, such as: The American Postal Workers Union, the National Association of Letter Carriers, the National Postal Mail Handlers Union, and the National Rural Letter Carriers Association.
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