>>>
one of the headlines that greeted us on this
labor day
, the
u.s. postal service
is in such bad financial shape it may have to shut down this winter. it's a problem that's been in the making for a long time. the
postal service
lost $8.5 billion last year and has been working on ways to cut costs including cutting thousands, closing thousands of locations around the country. roger o'neil has more on the impact losing the town
post office
could have.
>> reporter:
it may be ant kuw "discovery" zooishgs.
>>
my mame is apz here.
>>
that could change for rogers and thousands more if the
postal service
persuades congress to close
post offices
. most will be rural, all are losing money like fork,
south carolina
.
>>
we must be very aggressive in realigning the operations of the
postal service
to match the declining mail volumes.
>> reporter:
closing
post offices
, many that opened in the
1800s
, is one way the
postal service
can stop the hemorrhaging of money. it's not just about the mail.
>>
how is miss betty?
>>
doing good.
>>
did you all have a good trip?
>>
we had a great trip.
>>
we'd lose or identity.
>>
you look mighty pretty today.
>>
thank you.
>>
it's important to us. we're going to stand up and say no.
>> reporter:
before congress will say yes, maine senator collins wants overly generous worker benefits reduced.
>>
80% of the
postal services
costs involve its
work force
. less than 1% involve operating small rural
post offices
.
>> reporter:
it was congress that imposed some of those onerous costs. postal offices say take the shackles off, and it will stop the financial bleeding. seemingly unstoppable is the rapid decline of the
postal service
's
cash cow
, first class mail, and that just may put this in the museum of yesterday.
>>
thank you, linda. have a good day.
>> reporter:
roger o'neil, nbc news, fork,
south carolina
.
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