Stating that it is “at the precipice of insolvency,” the U.S. Postal Service is asking for congressional action to eliminate the layoff protections in the agency’s collective bargaining agreements.

In a discussion white paper, the Postal Service says it needs to make significant reductions in its infrastructure and work force in order to survive, but the existing no-layoff protections in the collective bargaining contracts do not allow layoffs to occur “as quickly as is now clearly needed.”

The Postal Service argues that reductions in bargaining unit postal employees should be governed by the reduction-in-force-provisions applicable to federal competitive service employees, which would supersede existing contract provisions and would not be subject to modification or supplementation through collective bargaining to avoid conflicts of law and to maintain necessary continuity among bargaining units.

In a separate discussion white paper, the Postal Service also asks for congressional action to allow it to administer its own health benefits and retirement programs to help it control benefit costs.