Manasota, FL — In a continuing effort to improve productivity and increase efficiency, the Postal Service plans to move originating mail processing and distribution operations from the Manasota Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) to the Tampa P&DC. The transition will begin October 1, 2009 and be completed by April 1, 2010.

Postal officials said local service will not be affected by the move. A total of 59 positions will be affected and all employee reassignments will be made in accordance with collective bargaining agreements.

Suncoast District Manager David Patterson said, “As is the case with the Postal Service as a whole, the Manasota P&DC has been experiencing a decline in mail volume, and the Tampa P&DC has underutilized capacity. This consolidation will contribute toward the Postal Service’s goal of increasing efficiency and improving productivity. The move makes sense. Optimizing our processing network like this will help the Postal Service keep the cost of postage affordable for all Americans.”

“I am confident the transition will be smooth and transparent to our customers because of our excellent employees in this postal district,” Patterson added.

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An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 149 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes, six days a week. It has 34,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services, not tax dollars, to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.