Postal Service to delay cutbacks until mid-May

[December 14, 2011]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- The U.S. Postal Service has agreed to delay the closing of 252 mail processing centers and 3,700 local post offices until mid-May.

The cash-strapped agency, which is forecast to lose a record $14.1 billion next year, announced last week it was moving forward on cutbacks. It had planned to begin closing processing centers as early as April, and shutter some post offices early next year.

A group of senators planned to announce the agreement Tuesday, according to two people familiar with the deal who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid preempting the announcement.

Last Thursday, a group of 18 Senate Democrats signed a letter to congressional leaders asking them to add language to legislation that would halt closings for six months.

Closures could cost 100,000 postal employees their jobs.

[Associated Press; By HOPE YEN]

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