PASCO, Wash. – Local United States Postal Service workers gathered outside the Pasco postal office, joining a nationwide action to raise awareness about possible changes in their industry.
Despite the strong winds, about a dozen USPS clerks rallied Thursday morning to express concerns over potential job cuts and privatization. The event was organized by the American Postal Workers Union and was part of a larger national effort to address these issues.
Alfredo Silva, president of APWU Local 2293, highlighted the potential consequences of restructuring the USPS.
“Being privatized.. Selling it to a billionaire… they get to do whatever they want. They’re going to run the post office at that point,” said Silva. “We’re mandated to deliver to the 160 million addresses in the United States. If somebody privately comes in, they can deliver to, you know, how many addresses they want to in the United States and charge what they want.”
According to an NPR article, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy signed an agreement on March 12 with the Department of Government Efficiency to explore cost-saving measures, planning to cut 10,000 postal jobs in the next 30 days.
Andy McKenna, a steward for APWU Local 2293 with 25 years of experience, shared his concerns about the changes’ impact on daily mail service.
“If you live in a rural area, there’s a good chance you’re not going to get medication when you need it and your daily services and all that,” said McKenna. “We need to let people be aware of that. That this kind of change probably isn’t going to be for the better.”
In a letter to Congress on March 13, Postmaster General DeJoy stated the following,
“Fixing a broken organization that had experienced close to $100 billion in losses and was projected to lose another $200 billion, without a bankruptcy proceeding, is a daunting task.””The Postal Service is on the right track. With further implementation of the DFA plan, and the continued dedication from the 635,000 men and women of the United States Postal Service, the organization will thrive and become the envy of other government and commercial enterprises across the world.”
Silva says USPS carriers will continue their efforts with another rally at the Pasco location on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. to further spread their message.
