Postal union workers from Pennsylvania will head to the nation's capital in early May for a national rally to raise awareness about the challenges faced by the U.S. Postal Service.

The workers say staff shortages, consolidations and office closures all are affecting mail delivery. The U.S. Postal Service's goal is 95% on-time delivery across its vast network of 167 million addresses nationwide.

Kimberly Miller, president of the American Postal Workers Union Keystone Area Local 1566, said the worker shortage means some post offices close their facilities early and see delays in processing the mail. Miller pointed out rural customers often are hardest hit.

"We are operating on minimal staffing, many customers are experiencing it at the front lines," Miller observed. "Post Offices are trying to curtail hours instead of hiring adequate staffing. There's always been a shortage and now it seems to get worse and worse. And the mail, there's a real delay in getting it to your door."

Miller noted she is not a fan of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's 10-year plan to move letter sorting and distribution from local offices into large, regional hubs. In 2020, DeJoy put a plan into effect known as "Delivering for America," to minimize employee turnover by converting more part-time staff to career status.

Miller acknowledged the Postal Service is hiring, but emphasized the issue seems to be employee retention.
Miller, who refers to career postal workers as "the craft," suggested increasing training and treating workers with respect could also lead to improved retention.

"They did a couple of investigations on allegations of who we said, 'Hey, look this supervisor is abusive,' and it just got worse," Miller recounted. "It's so abusive that people don't know how to talk to people. The craft fights back. It said, 'Hey, treat me with dignity and respect. Talk to me like an adult.'"

She stressed the importance of Pennsylvanians working with lawmakers to require the Postal Service to return its service standards to what they were five years ago, requiring local delivery of mail within one to two days.

Concert and sports fans in Ohio are expressing growing frustration over rising ticket prices and hidden fees.

In response, Congress is considering the TICKET Act, a bipartisan bill which aims to increase transparency by requiring ticket sellers to display all fees upfront.

Sally Greenberg, executive director of the National Consumers League, highlighted why she feels the issue is so important for consumers.

"People in Ohio understand the frustration and the anger that you feel when you go buy a ticket, it looks like a reasonable cost and, all of a sudden, the fees add 30%, 40%, 50% of the cost," Greenberg explained.

If the TICKET Act passes, ticket vendors will be required to show the total price, including fees, at the beginning of the purchase process. While supporters such as Greenberg see it as a win for consumers, some in the ticketing industry argued the change could disrupt business models.

The rise of online ticket fraud has become another challenge for buyers.

Nick Drewe, CEO of the consumer website WeThrift.com, emphasized the importance of vigilance when purchasing tickets online.

"Our study revealing the states with the highest online shopping fraud reports is a wake-up call for consumers nationwide," Drewe noted. "Navigating the digital marketplace is kind of like exploring a new city; it's exciting but also requiring caution."

As Ohioans await the outcome of the TICKET Act, many hope increased transparency will lead to fairer ticket pricing. Drewe urged consumers to remain cautious while shopping online to avoid becoming victims of fraud.

Groups are warning technology companies could undermine protections on a number of issues with their push for certain provisions in international trade agreements, known as digital trade rules.

Julie Bouanna, executive director of the Washington Fair Trade Coalition, said the policies could limit regulations on Big Tech passed in Washington state.

"The People's Privacy Act, legislation on artificial intelligence oversight and the right to repair," Bouanna outlined. "This is legislation that we see popping up in Washington but also, really, across the country as we're waking up to Big Tech's outsized influence on our everyday lives."

The People's Privacy Act was proposed legislation in Olympia, which would have allowed residents to correct and delete personal information collected on data servers. The tech industry argued trade agreements include exemption provisions for certain policies. It also said overregulation in areas like artificial intelligence could stifle the technology.

Bouanna countered there are legitimate concerns about the effects of including the policies tech companies are pushing for in trade agreements.

"These are trade rules that would essentially allow corporations to sidestep local privacy laws and shield their technology from government oversight," Bouanna explained. "Making it harder to hold them accountable."

Washington state lawmakers have also introduced legislation to increase transparency for algorithm-based decision-making to prevent discrimination from AI and allow for more affordable fixes to products through "right to repair" legislation, which has been adopted in other states like Oregon.

Bouanna noted all the policies could be affected by digital trade rules.


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During National Hispanic American Heritage Month, financial experts are speaking out to help Latino families build wealth.

Federal data show that more than a quarter of Latino consumers in the U.S. have no recent credit history, making them "credit invisible" and unlikely to qualify for a loan.

Jorge Lopez Colunga, business development officer in commercial lending for Self-Help Federal Credit Union in San Francisco, said some Latinos are unaccustomed to using credit.

"In Mexico, Latin America, it's either you pay cash or you just don't buy it because you cannot afford it," Lopez Colunga explained. "Here you have to learn how to use credit and leverage it, because it's crucial in order for them to afford something bigger in the future."

Lopez Colunga pointed out many Latinos are self-employed and may operate on a cash basis. He advised people to keep meticulous records and hire an accountant because accurate business income and tax records will help them qualify for business, home and car loans down the line.

Maria Ramos Cuaya, racial wealth gap coordinator at Self-Help Federal Credit Union, encouraged people to seek financial counseling.

"We always try to connect our members with the proper resources for them to understand how to create a spending plan, how to manage their finances, how to access credit without having to get into so much debt," Ramos Cuaya outlined.

Ramos Cuaya noted many banks and credit unions offer "credit builder" loans to help people establish or build new credit using their own money.