STEVEN INSKEEP, host:
And today's last word in business is postal weight limit. This is a report from Australia, where the postal service may now hire a bigger range of mail carriers. Australia Post is easing up on weight limits for new hires. The old weight limit was 198 pounds, and that was determined by the amount of weight -including mail - that postal motorcycles could safely carry. But the union complained that that made it hard to recruit postees - as the mail carriers are called in Australia.
The post office had a chat with the motorcycle's manufacturer, Honda, which signed off on a higher weight limit of 231 pounds, which makes it easier to hire people. Although, to play it safe, postees will have to carry fewer letters and packages. So now the union complains workers have to work overtime to deliver all the mail.
It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
