Employees express dislike after a Topeka post office unexpectedly closed

TOPEKA (KSNT) – Recent changes at area post offices have left some local customers without easy access to their mail.

Thursday night, members with the American Postal Service Union gathered outside the US Postal Service Facility in north Topeka to express their frustration. They protested the recent closing of Topeka’s downtown post office and other changes they don’t agree with.

Postal union members tell 27 News the US Postal Service (USPS) held a meeting for staff, days after the USPS announced the downtown post office closure. The meeting was closed to the pubic and media. But union members tell a 27 News reporter many employees at the meeting were upset over the difficulties these changes are creating for the community, as well as employees.

They say increased centralization of post offices makes it hard for those who don’t have easy access to transportation.

“It’s an inconvenience not only for a lot of the businesses downtown, that they have to travel further now to be able to do their business and mail their packages and their mail,” Penny Oliver, Kansas Postal Union Vice President said. “The elderly having to travel to go get their packages and their mail and the homeless can’t travel to go anywhere.”

Union members also tell 27 News this has been hard on many of the post office clerks who have been reassigned to different locations. They say many have built relationships with many of the customers, and it’s hard to see that end.

27 News has reached out to USPS multiple times in the days since the closure was announced, but at this time they have not responded to our requests.

We’ll continue to follow the situation and bring you updates as we get them.