DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. Postal Service says its decision not to fill dozens of postal jobs in Des Moines is intended to deal with a shrinking workload. The comment follows picketing Wednesday by more than 100 postal workers, customers, teamsters and others outside the post office near downtown Des Moines to protest recent job cuts. USPS spokesman John Friess says no one has lost a job at the postal service; all cuts have come through attrition.

The Postal Service has seen growth in its package segment. But Friess says overall volume has declined by more than 3 billion pieces. He says cuts are to “reduce costs and remain competitive in the marketplace, to be able to continue to serve the public in the most efficient, cost-effective way possible and keep mail affordable.”