Postal workers are essential workers. During the COVID-19 pandemic hundreds of thousands of dedicated postal workers tirelessly deliver our mail to residences and businesses throughout the United States. In order for millions of US citizens to safely vote, mail-in ballots are necessary more than ever to enable Americans to be able to exercise their right to vote and have their vote counted as cast. It’s time to give USPS the support it needs to continue providing crucial services to all Americans.
Congress has included $25 Billion COVID-19 relief to the US Postal Service in a bill passed by the House. However, Senate Leader Mitch McConnell wants to only give USPS a “loan” of $10 Billion. This is unfair, especially at this time when workers need appropriate PPE in order to carry out their work safely.
In a recent article posted by the APWU.org (American Postal Workers Union), author, Debby Szeredy wrote:
Over the years, we have had cuts. Did you know that 54,678 post offices have been closed? We have 31,322 post offices left. There are 10,678 zip codes that don’t have a post office. By 2013, we had 402 mail processing facilities consolidated; now we have 265. These closures have caused constant overtime and high transportation costs. Our PMG [Louis DeJoy] has plans to cut the Postal Service even further, compromising our national, public, and essential infrastructure. This will affect communities and jobs everywhere. The previous PMG slowed down first-class mail delivery by 3-5 days; now people are reporting first class delays of up to 14 days. This is frustrating postal consumers. We cannot let the Board of Governors and the new Postmaster General destroy the world’s finest postal system.
APWU.ORG Article #SaveThePostOffice
How to save the U.S. Postal Service, “the last holdout of true private communication”
Mark Dimondstein, president of the American Postal Workers Union, speaks to Democracy Now!
The Truth About the Post Office 