Rally relays threats to U.S. Post Office

PLATTSBURGH | Letter carriers and U.S. Postal Service employees and friends rallied in red with big signs, saying "Hell No!" on Sunday along Route 3. Roughly 30 workers and supporters arrived early and raised signs condemning any White House or Department of Government Efficiency plan to privatize and dismantle mail delivery. The rally here was one of hundreds held nationwide, coordinated by the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) with support from the AFL-CIO. The American Postal Workers Union (APWU) held a series of similarly focused rallies three days prior. Chris Jackson, of Plattsburgh, is president of the letter carriers union in northeastern New York. He said ongoing review in Washington is considering whether to sell the post office to corporate owners. That move, he said, would threaten smaller, rural post offices and the entire rural delivery system. "We are a universal service. By law, we deliver to every household, whether you're on a city street or at the end of a rural dirt road," Jackson said. "The postal service is not a federal agency. "We don't take taxpayer money. The post office is self-funded through postage and services. If it were privatized, they would take steps to make a profit, sell off big distribution centers and close the small post offices." Their commitment to home delivery is a vital link in community, Jackson said. "We're everyday heroes. When we deliver mail, we check on the elderly, we see if mail builds up or anything seems off. That keeps us connected across the country. The consequences of privatization and job cuts would be devastating." For many, including veterans and home-bound residents, mail service is the main link for medicine. "There are many rural residents who get their prescriptions delivered to their home from the postal service," Jackson said. Over 73,000 U.S. military veterans are employed by USPS nationwide, including Jackson. At the Plattsburgh Rally, Betty Lennon, past president of the regional Labor Council, offered experience in support. At 79, she has advocated for working people and labor relations for more than 65 years. "People aren't thinking this is affecting them," she said. "But all of the federal job and spending cuts will reduce services and increase prices. I think people are starting to see it, especially the farmers and veterans." The cost to community is not about politics, she said. "It doesn't really matter what party you are," Lennon said. "No political party is standing up for workers' rights now." Evident on Sunday, workers are standing up for themselves. The signs and megaphone call outs drew blares from cars and trucks along Route 3. Town of Plattsburgh Supervisor Michael Cashman stood with the rally row along with City of Plattsburgh Mayor Wendell Hughes. "From Plattsburgh to Cadyville, Morrisonville, and beyond, the Postal Service is a lifeline—ensuring residents, small businesses, and veterans receive essential deliveries," Cashman said. "Any cuts or rollbacks would have devastating consequences here in the North Country, increasing costs and delaying services for those who need them most. I stand in deep concern with our letter carriers and urge strong support to preserve these vital jobs and services for the well-being of our community." The Letter Carrier union represents 640,000 employees across the U.S. and serves 51.5 million households and businesses in rural communities, many who do not have service from other delivery companies. The union asserts any move to privatize or restructure USPS would be unconstitutional. "The Constitution gives Congress, not the president, a key role in setting postal policy. Mandated by federal law, USPS has been an independent, self-sufficient agency for 55 years. The postal service is older than our nation itself and enshrined in the Constitution." Moves to restructure postal service, union leaders said, are considering ways to: Eliminate the USPS Board of Governors, stripping the Postal Service of independent oversight; Abolish the Postal Regulatory Commission, leaving no independent regulatory authority on pricing and service; Carve up the USPS, jeopardizing 7.9 million jobs tied to the postal industry; Raise shipping costs, driving inflation higher for businesses and consumers; Destabilize commerce, affecting small businesses and major private shippers. The American Postal Workers' Union held rallies across the country on March 20, decrying the same threats. "We're trying to alert the public – the people of the country – that our postal services are truly in danger. This is not a one-off day, this is the beginning of an ongoing fight," APWU President Mark Dimondstein said at a rally in Washington, DC. "This is really a fight between Wall Street and Main Street. They want their hands on this money," he said of the nearly $80 billion that USPS generates in revenue each year.

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Rally relays threats to U.S. Post Office

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