CHARLESTON, W.Va. — U.S. Senator Joe Manchin is looking for some proof that will make him believe the decision by the United States Postal Service to move operations from the Charleston Processing & Distribution Center to Pennsylvania will be pay off and be more efficient.
“Show me that Pittsburgh is going to be able to do it more effectively and more efficiently,” Sen. Manchin said Tuesday.
The USPS decided last week to downgrade the facility located in Southridge to a Local Processing Center. The decision came following a review of the facility that started in November 2023. The USPS identified the Charleston P&DC as a candidate facility to have operations relocated out of state, more specifically to Pittsburgh, PA and Warrendale, PA.
The decision to downgrade the Charleston Processing & Distribution Center to a Local Processing Center is a slap in the face of every West Virginian who spent their Valentine’s Day at a public forum to make their voices heard. Read my full statement below. https://t.co/l9qj2elCoC
— Senator Joe Manchin (@Sen_JoeManchin) April 3, 2024
While on MetroNews “Talkline” Tuesday, Manchin said Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is making a mistake by allowing this to happen. When the news broke April 2, Manchin called the move a “slap in the face” to West Virginians. He’s hoping to receive some sort of report or response from DeJoy that details how the change will be beneficiary when it comes to people getting their mail in West Virginia.
“He knows I have a difference with him,” said Manchin. “But Mr. Postmaster, you’re going to have to show me that Pittsburgh is able to get that mail processed and put back into West Virginia quicker than what we can do it in Charleston or quicker than we can do it in part of Kentucky or part of Virginia.”
Manchin claims DeJoy is trying to compete with the likes of UPS and FedEx in the private world and not in the best interest of the people.
“He’s going to make decisions that are not in the best interest of the service of the people and I think that’s what he did,” said Manchin.
Manchin and fellow U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito had already sent a letter to DeJoy in February where they urged him to reverse course on the idea of relocating some of the operations out of Charleston.
The USPS still wants to make millions of dollars in improvements to the Charleston facility. If it becomes a Local Processing Center, the postal service is hoping to upgrade it with some new equipment. Also, most of the 800 some jobs that are there are expected to remain in Charleston and will not need to relocate.