U.S. postal workers rally against privatization
Local postal workers rallied in Georgetown Oct. 8 in support of resolutions opposing privatization of the U.S. Postal Service.
With calls of “the U.S. mail is not for sale,” postal workers lined The Circle to spread their message.
The Trump administration has proposed privatizing the postal service as part of a sweeping reform package to reorganize the federal government.
Shawn Colleran, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 906, Southern Delaware, said privatization would lead to fewer services and higher costs for consumers.
He said a 50-cent, first-class stamp would go to $2 and above and that rural delivery would cease because that type of service is not fiscally sound. In addition, he said, door-to-door city service would be limited to cluster centers and post office boxes, both resulting in the loss of postal jobs.
By law, the U.S. Postal Service is obligated to deliver daily mail to every inhabited address in the United States. “We are the only company that does that. In fact, we pick up last-mile deliveries for FedEX and UPS. There is no doubt there would be service cuts,” he said.
Colleran said four postal unions are pushing hard to gain support in Washington, D.C. He said House Resolution 993 has enough co-sponsors needed to move forward, and 10 more cosponsors are needed for Senate Resolution 633. Both resolutions call on Congress to oppose postal privatization.
“This is a bipartisan and not a political issue. It's an issue for our country,” he said.
He said the Delaware federal delegation is in support of the resolutions.
“This is just the beginning. They want to take what you have, so you have to keep fighting,” Colleran told his fellow workers.
Rallies were held throughout he U.S., including one in Newark, on Oct. 8, a federal holiday.
U.S. POSTAL SERVICE BY THE NUMBERS
More than 500,000 employees
Nearly 2,000 employees in Delaware
$1.3 trillion mailing industry
157 million business/residential customers
Second-largest employer of veterans
