PRC clears way for June 30 postal rate hike

The Postal Rate Commission(PRC) on March 22 formally accepted the terms of the negotiated settlement between the U.S. Postal Service and different mailing concerns for an overall 7.7% postage increase on average that's expected to take effect June 30. Standard Mail, the mail classification used for most bulk catalog mailings, will increase 6%-10%, with some catalog rates rising as little as 6.2%. The groundwork of the unprecedented rate settlement was laid out by the USPS mailing groups earlier this year after PRC chairman George Omas initially proposed it last fall.