A U.S. Postal Service (USPS) truck is pictured within the Manhattan borough of New York Metropolis, New York, U.S., August 21, 2020. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri
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WASHINGTON, March 18 (Reuters) – A gaggle of U.S. lawmakers led by Home Oversight chair Carolyn Maloney requested Oshkosh Corp (OSK.N) if it sought to keep away from utilizing union employees by deciding to construct the next-generation U.S. Postal Service supply automobiles in South Carolina.
Maloney and three different lawmakers need paperwork by April 1 from Oshkosh detailing the choice to not construct the automobiles in Wisconsin and wish the corporate to elucidate how rapidly and what number of electrical supply automobiles it may possibly construct.
The ten-year contract with Oshkosh’s Protection unit makes an preliminary $482 million funding, nevertheless it may very well be value $6 billion or extra for the unit to construct as much as 165,000 next-generation supply automobiles.
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Oshkosh mentioned Friday it concluded South Carolina “would greatest meet the wants of this necessary program” and added hiring and facility preparations are properly underway “to make sure Oshkosh will meet contractual deadlines for car manufacturing to start in 2023.”
The United Auto Staff union and a few Democrats in Congress have been extraordinarily important of Oshkosh’s resolution to construct the automobiles in South Carolina.
“Staff and the atmosphere are counting on USPS and the Biden administration to take each potential step to make sure public {dollars} defend our subsequent era,” UAW President Ray Curry mentioned final month.
On Monday, Maloney and 4 different lawmakers requested the Postal Service Workplace of Inspector Basic (OIG) to evaluation USPS’s plan to purchase a brand new fleet of primarily gasoline-powered supply automobiles from Oshkosh, a plan that has come underneath hearth from the White Home and the Environmental Safety Company.
The inspector common’s workplace mentioned Thursday it “can be doing further work in response to that request.” OIG mentioned in a report that EVs may very well be a “good choice” on many USPS routes.
USPS mentioned its dedication to “an electrical fleet stays bold given the urgent car and security wants of our getting older fleet in addition to our fragile monetary situation.”
Oshkosh mentioned Friday it may possibly make any mixture of automobiles USPS desires – as much as 100% electrical fashions.
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Reporting by David Shepardson; Enhancing by Tim Ahmann
Enhancing by Chris Reese, Tim Ahmann and Bernard Orr