Having worked for the USPS as a carrier, I think it's a great idea! The current contracts for carriers (city and rural contracts are separate) are complete rubbish. Rural carriers are paid by the route, regardless of how long it takes (imagine the difference in delivery time between say May and December) and city carriers are paid by the hour. The contracts provide little to no protection for either group, leaving both out on the road for up to 12 hours a day. There are zero merit raises and the harder you work, the less you actually make because you'll just be worked longer and harder for the same money.
If the USPS is privatized, it will likely allow the entire delivery side to qualify for a Teamsters contract. Having also worked for UPS, there is no comparison in the contracts. The Teamsters take care of their employees, making those jobs far more desirable. Additionally, the administrators and bloated fat cats currently protected under the civil service rules will be held to the same standards as other managers in private companies, meaning they will be fireable. As it stands, you can't touch these turds because they're protected under the same guidelines as all other government slackers. I know lots of people are anti-union just on principle but this kind of work is why unions came into existence in the first place as it is very easy to run employees right into the ground. Good contracts motivate employees by providing attractive benefits and decent wages.
I look forward to a day when the USPS actually has to compete (and thereby be accountable) with the private carriers. At present, if you happen to have one of the many horrible carriers doing your postal route, you're just screwed. If you have a bad carrier on a route with one of the private carriers, you can actually do something about it.
In the end, it's business and private businesses always care more about their bottom lines than government does. Mark my word, if the USPS is privatized it will markedly improve every aspect of the organization (after what would likely be a rough transition).
