US postal unions will hold nationwide protests on 27 September under the slogan “Save America’sPostal Service” to support a Congress bill they hope will restore the financial stability of
USPS.The country’s four major postal unions including American Postal Workers Union, NationalAssociation of Letter Carriers, National Postal Mail Handlers Union and National Rural LetterCarriers’ Association have joined forces to organise informational events in every congressionaldistrict of the USA on 27 September. Through these “Save America’s Postal Service” rallies, theunions want to urge the US Congress to pass Lynch’s legislation ‘H.R. 1351’ initially introduced on5 April 2011.
The bill titled Pension Obligation Recalculation and Restoration Act of 2011 was drafted withthree major components. First, it instructs the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) torecalculate the USPS surplus in the Civil Service Retirement System and the Federal EmployeesRetirement System (FERS) using updated technology. If any overpayments are found during OPM’srecalculation, any surplus would be transferred to the Postal Service. OPM would also be requiredto refund the USPS any money it overpaid to its FERS account. The Postal Service could then usethis money to meet its pre-funding requirements, APWU explained.
At the rallies, the unions will be asking legislators to co-sponsor the bill. Meanwhile, thelegislation has 193 co-sponsors, including both Democrats and Republicans. Each union hasvolunteered to be responsible for specific congressional districts, and locals have already begundesignating District Leads for various locations. The District Leads will secure permits wherenecessary, contact the media, and make other arrangements.
In addition, the unions have developed a common website with the logo Save America’s PostalService informing about the rallies, which will be held from 4-5:30 p.m. on the designated day.Events will engage the public through speeches, handouts and gatherings.
A complete list of rally locations will be posted on the site by Sept. 16, which will be updatedregularly.
The unions claimed the Lynch bill would prevent the financial collapse of the USPS withoutclosing thousands of post offices, eliminating hundreds of mail processing facilities, delayingmail delivery, laying off 120,000 workers, cutting postal workers’ pay, or ending collectivebargaining rights.
On the other hand, the “Postal Reform Act 2011” introduced by the Government Reform CommitteeChairman Darrell Issa in June this year and welcomed by USPS would destroy the company and donothing to solve its financial crisis, the unions claimed. They added that Issa is blocking theconsideration of Lynch’s bill they support. Issa’s bill would eliminate mail delivery on Saturdayand make it easier for USPS to shut down financially unsustainable post offices and regional mailprocessing centres.
At the same time, the Postal Service is proposing legislative changes that would authorise themanagement to lay off 120,000 workers and that would remove postal employees from the FederalEmployees Health Benefits Programme and from federal retirement plans, the unions added.
“With the USPS’s dire financial situation making headlines, and a battle raging in Congress overwhat to do about it, postal workers must take action now,” said APWU President Cliff Guffey. “Iurge APWU members to work with our brothers and sisters in the other postal unions to organise therallies. We must let every U.S. representative know that we need their support.”
NALC President Fredric Rolando added: “With the huge amount of misinformation out there aboutthe Postal Service’s financial situation and how it can be improved, along with congressionalfailure thus far to address the crisis, letter carriers must take action now.”
On their common website, the unions wrote that a wide range of supporters are expected toparticipate in “Save America’s Postal Service” rallies. These would include small business ownerswho use the mail to advertise, businesses that consistently ship products using the Postal Service,and faith leaders and progressive allies who have concerns for the plight of working men andwomen.
The UNI global union which comprises postal operators all over the world has provided itssupport in the fight of the US postal unions to save jobs and rights. At the Post & LogisticsGlobal Conference taking place in Washington last week, delegates voted unanimously on a resolutioncalling on the US Congress to pass the bill H.R. 1351.
“The crisis facing the USPS was not caused by the workers. Congress created the crisis in 2006when President Bush demanded legislation to require USPS – and only USPS – to fund future retireehealth benefits in advance with annual payments of $5.5 billion per year. No other company oragency in America faces this burden – which requires USPS to pre-fund 75 years of future benefitsin just 10 years. Applied just when the global financial crisis began, the pre-funding requirementplunged the Postal Service into a deep deficit causing 100% of the postal operator’s $20 billion inlosses over the past four years,” UNI global union concluded.
