Postal Workers Picket In Front Of Federal Building

BANGOR (NEWS CENTER)-- The handful of postal workers who were picketing Friday morning say they want to let people know that mail that use to be processed in Hampden is now being sent to a facility in Scarborough.

They say that people in Eastern Maine can expect delays in getting their mail because of this consolidation plan. "With the mail going down there, there's going to be delays in the mail delivery, up to anywhere from 1 to 5 days delay in the mail," said Richard Reed, President of the local union.

A spokesperson for the United States Postal Service says that is simply not true. "Well, let's look at the facts before we predict any decrease in service levels. Just this week independent agencies have rated the postal service as having the best overnight service in its history and that's nationwide including the state of Maine so we know that what we're doing is the right thing to do," said Tom Rizzo, the Public Affairs and Communications Director for the District of Maine.

Workers also say that their jobs will follow the mail down to southern Maine. But postal officials say that is also not true. They say they have taken steps to prevent that from happening.