By Mike Cavanaugh, LNS Senior Strategic Advisor/Organizer
After years of facing challenges to their very existence as public service workers, the workers of the US Postal Service are close to finally achieving a measure of security with the February 8 passage of the Postal Service Reform Act in the House of Representatives by a vote of 342-92. The Bill now moves to the Senate and the unions are asking all of their members, family, friends, and supporters to call your US Senators to urge a YES vote on the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 by calling: 1-833-924-0085.
Through their unions, hundreds of thousands of letter carriers, mail handlers, and postal workers have fought a multi-year battle to ensure six-day delivery, eliminate the onerous requirement that USPS pre-fund future retiree health care costs, and strengthen the future of the public Postal Service.
Relatedly, the Biden Administration, through the Environmental Protection Agency, is seeking to have the Postal Service pause on its $11.3 billion contract to replace its fleet of more than 150,000 mail trucks so they can be certain to replace their aging fleet with electric vehicles. The Administration, joined by the United Auto Workers Union, has criticized the USPS’ Environmental Impact Statements as flawed and incomplete. Replacing the Postal Service fleet of vehicles is long overdue – and necessary for the health and safety of the workers as well as the modernization of the Postal Service.
More than $6 billion for Postal Service electric vehicles and the accompanying charging infrastructure is still in the sidelined Build Back Better agenda. How, if, and when elements of BBB are able to move forward is uncertain at best – but the need for a new generation of climate-safe, union-made USPS vehicles is a fight worth fighting for all of us.
The first step is to assure passage of the Postal Service Reform Act. Please support our sisters and brothers, and the public postal service. Call your Senators today: 1-833-924-0085