and staples agreed to a no-bid sweetheart deal to open postal counters in more than 80 staples stores nationwide. american of the postal workers union>> we don't think that americans want to trust their mail to corporate america. it should be in the hands of trained postal employees, who are sworn to uphold the safety of the mail. >> the postal counters inside staples stores are less secure than public offices and are staffed with low-wage staples employees. the american postal workers union, which represents 220,000 postal employees is working to stop this from happening. >> staples is after more money. they are getting discounted post office products, they want more people in their stores, and if they are not going to staff them with postal employees, then we want to take people out of their stores, it's about as simple as that. >> earlier this month, staples revealed it's planning to close 225 stores across the country over the next two years. 40 locations closed last year, and 40 other stores were downsized. the deal would put the post office at the mercy of staples' bottom line. the american postal workers union is planning pro

members of the american postal workers union hit the picket lines. workers protested in front of staples stores in 27 states yesterday.that's as the postal service teams with the retailer to expand a program that offers "mini post offices" in staples retail locations. workers don't like it.they say the plan will eventually lead to job cuts.staples says it is testing new ways to serve customers.we talked to postmaster general patrick donahoe, who said the postal service is trying to create new sources of revenue. " we still think the postal service is important for the american public and the american people and it is our responsibility to pursue new revenues to keep the revenue flow and the financial stregnth in this organization. " donahoe says the postal service has lost 28% of its mail base in the last 6 years. the greek yogurt growth curve apparently is still on the up swing. chobani is already the largest player in the category. it's increasing its exports and now has a 3- quarter of a billion dollar private equity loan to further expand exprts

. >>> and the american postal workers union is protesting the decision to open post office service counteraples stores. the union understands they need new revenue streams but says it should not come at the expense of union jobs. >>> michael phelps hits the fast lane in the swimming comeback. >>> the hockey player with the heart caught on tape. "early today" continues. ifyou may be muddlingble withrough allergies.nger... try zyrtec® for powerful allergy relief. and zyrtec® is different than claritin. because it starts working faster on the first day you take it. zyrtec®. muddle no more™. yeah. i heard about progressive's "name your price" tool? i guess you can tell them how much you want to pay and it gives you a range of options to choose from. huh? i'm looking at it right now. oh, yeah? yeah. what's the... guest room situation? the "name your price" tool, making the world a little more progressive. ♪ >>> this morning on "today," it's gotten millions of views on youtube, and it could be the "it" song of summer. sam smith & naughty boy with "la, la, la." live on "today." >>> in sports, let

and the american postal workers union is protesting the decision to open post office counters at staplesstores. they understand the usps needs new revenue streams but say it shouldn't come at the expense of union jobs. >>> other stories, a man in italy is dead after being crushed by a giant crucifix. it was dedicated to john paul ii. >>> the nra will hold the annual week long meeting today. one of the first orders of business, a gun law. concealed weapons are legal in all 50 states but the laws can differ. they want to make sure that permits from a particular state are recognized everywhere. >>> nissan hoping to make things easier for drivers that don't have time to hit the car wash. engineers are developing a type of paint that repels dirt and liquids before it has the chance to dry on your car. how amazing is that. right now the paint is being tested in europe. i sure hope it works. michelle obama goes primetime. supreme court justices legalize pot and family guy goes big on chris christie. politics is next. it's good, though. i really wouldn't survive it without this scarf. it's like

the investigation is ongoing. >>> today union workers will protest the proposal to operate postal counters in staples stores. according to the americaners union, they have a deal to operate counters at 80 of its stores. last month it announced it will close 225 stores because of declining sales. the president says this proves that it's a bad idea to turn private services to public companies. >>> time is 8:17 if you have outdoor plans rosemary is cooking up a nice forecast for us. all we have to deal is the fog. >>> we'll have nice weather for today. it will a mild for us. for some of us it will be slightly cooler. let's look outside our doors, in san jose we're waking up with mostly cloudy skies. i see a little glimmer of hope right there in the distance. we'll have partly cloudy skies for san jose as well as most of us for today away from the coastline. your pacific satellite view here we have a low moving across southern california and on its way. that hats again brought us the cool down, the onshore breeze as well as the increased marine layer and has you shall erred in cooler air. a lot of action moving in and bringing unstable w

from the american postal workers union, dan, you are not happy about the idea of minipostoffices. >>o, not 457 picture at all. as a union officer, we represent all the locals all the the post offices in new york city, and the bronx, what we do is we are here frying to tell this postal service, that we want to protect our jobs and also want to protect the mail and the rights of the people. >> seeing from staples point of view, they would say for us it is a good thing, what's wrong with that. >> for me, as a union person, first thing is wrong, is they hire low wage. they do not hire union people. they do not pay union wages. and it isn't so much the higher pay as much as the benefits that go with it. it is to protect people, to give people a living wage. not looking to become rich or famous, just to have a comfortable life. >> and that's what we are trying to push to protect our own. >> do you see this as the thin edge. expands this at the moment, experiment to put more post officers into staples that other parts of the business will go private as well? >> without a doubt. this is like

to a staples today, not fancy pants city, you saw postal workers hand delivering anger at a retail chain. members of the american postal workers union staples locations in 27 states today. workers are up in arms over the deal between the u.s. postal service and staples to operate a pilot program of mail counters. the counters offer customers quick mail services like stamps and package deliveries. union says it's not against the counters, but wants union staff helping customers not staples folks. union claims it is paving the way for privatization of post office jobs. postal officials say this is about growing the business and does the postal service need business? the agency lost 5 billion dollars last year. still to come, my "2 cents more" and the battle between book smart and street smart. which one do you want if you're a college grad? stay with us. this allergy season, will you be a sound sleeper, or... mouth breather? well, put on a breathe right strip and instantly open your nose up to 38% more than allergy medicines alone. so you can breathe and sleep. shut your mouth and sleep right. breathe right. a short word that's a tall

the postmaster general wants to reform and downsize. among his idea, opening mail centers inside staples stores. the postal workers union doesn't like it. the new president of the american >> thank you, craig. >> it's a pilot program that the postal service wants to put in place. this is what one postal worker on the union's youtube page had to say. take a listen. >> we don't think that americans want to trust their mail to corporate america. it should be in the hands of trained postal employees who are sworn to uphold the sanctity of the mail. >> you're planning a national day of action on april 24th, as i understand it, to kill this plan. why? >> well, craig, there are three obvious problems with the plan. one is these staples postal units are not staffed with postal employees who are accountable to the people of this country. when people take their mail to staples, the mail is not protected. it doesn't have sanctity of the mail. it doesn't have the privacy that you have when post offices or staff with postal employees under code of conduct and well trained. secondly, it's a transfer of decent paying, living-wage jobs to nonliving wage, nonbenefitted jobs. we talk abo