Some little things are worth taking seriously

Some little things are worth taking seriously
EDITOR:
With our rapid stomping into the future and the addition of technology and progress, we find corporate big being bought out by corporate bigger. In this headlong push to improve, how much of the rights of the individual consumer are being trampled upon?
In recent years, many of the banks in Youngstown have been bought out by bigger banks elsewhere. The corporate policies elsewhere become the rules at our local branches. The employees here have no input into these changes and the customers aren't even aware of them until hit over the head by their unfairness and sometimes fiscal immoralities.
Recently my wife went to a local bank to cash a check from a business associate (who had an account there). She was told that since she had no account at that bank, she'd have to pay a $5 fee. She came home seething at this unfairness. I was equally angered and took up the cudgel.
I called the bank, explained the event and suggested the $5 be returned and this bit of corporate policy be carefully reviewed. A bank minion told me he'd have a check mailed to my wife but I had no right to tell him his business. He also hung up on me.
Reviewing this policy with friends, we opined that it was:
1) Morally wrong.
2) Corporately a way to lose customers.
3) Possibly bordering on illegal.
The $5, you say, is a pittance. I agree, but consider this. If you had to pay $5 for every check that was sent to you personally or through your work or business, how much of a strain would it be on those families operating on the financial edge? How much of an inconvenience and unfairness to those families not on the edge? How outrageously richer will this policy make that bank?
At this time in my existence, I have much more history than I have future sunrises to experience. I find myself increasingly intolerant of injustices and unfairnesses. I feel a need to tilt at small windmills -- even if no results occur and only the tilting happens.
Dr. MAX A. MALKOFF
Girard
P.S. We received a $5 check from the bank. We tilted! We won! Chalk one up for the little good guys!
Stamp of disapproval
EDITOR:
Recently the postal service said that it is going to make a study to see how much it could save by not having Saturday delivery of the mail. I don't understand why time and money has to be spent for a study. As "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno says, "Not being an accountant it would seem if people are paid for six days and one day is eliminated; you should save one sixth." However, that may make too much sense.
Postage rates were recently raised and they say another raise may be necessary or eliminate Saturday delivery. Elimination of Saturday delivery would probably put an undue burden on the carriers by dividing up six days worth of mail into five days unless junk mail can be eliminated. I don't think any cuts in service will work.
Price hikes are probably going to come and even though I won't like a hike it will still be much less than postage cost when the Pony Express carried letters to the West.
Perhaps if the sizable bonus payments that are made to the upper echelon in the post office would cease, the money saved could go to operating expenses. Another question I have is what happens to the money paid by stamp collectors who essentially pay for a service and do not receive it because the stamp is stored in a collection. Millions of dollars are being paid for a service not rendered.
JOSEPH P. HILKO
Hermitage