Tulsa postal workers learned the fate of the east Tulsa sorting facility during meetings with officials of the U.S. Postal Service Wednesday, and the news comes as another blow to Tulsa's economy.

During a meeting held at the facility, located at E. 21st St. and S. 91st E. Ave., postal officials informed workers they would shut down the Tulsa facility.

In addition to the loss of jobs, Tulsans will now experience slower mail service, as all U.S. mail will have to be sorted in an Oklahoma City facility.

The USPS says mail delivery has dropped by about 25% since its peak in 2006, and the service plans large cuts in order to become more economically viable.

Stacy Boyd, a spokeswoman for the Postal Worker Union, said she learned the news at a meeting held at the east Tulsa facility at 4:00 p.m.  Additional meetings are scheduled for 10:00 p.m. Wednesday and 7:00 a.m. Thursday.

She said USPS Oklahoma District Manager Julie Gosten was at the facility to deliver the news to the workers.

There was also a short video presentation by the U.S. Postmaster General.

The postal service reportedly doesn't plan to make an official public statement until Thursday morning, but Boyd had told KRMG she would relate the outcome of the meeting to media gathered outside the facility Wednesday afternoon.

Boyd says the only possibility to save the facility is if proposed changes to the first-class mailing system are not approved.

When asked if that was likely, she said she doubted the USPS would have informed the Tulsa employees that they would be losing their jobs.

She said the employees were told that things would proceed in anticipation of the facility's closing.

That will mean mail sent in Tulsa will carry an Oklahoma City postmark.