Sydney G., LNS Strategic Campaigns Director
On October 1, American Postal Workers Union (APWU) members are rallying across the country to demand better staffing, better services, and that postal workers and the public have a say in how this vital public service serves us.
Americans rely on the Postal Service to receive medications, pay bills, and vote, but Trump-appointed Postmaster General Dejoy’s restructuring of this critical institution has led to massive mail delays and understaffing — with disastrous implications. Workers and the public have been raising urgent concerns, but with little avail. The Postal Board of Governors recently limited public comment periods in their hearings to just once a year, and appear to be stonewalling APWU at the bargaining table (union contract negotiations between USPS and APWU are currently underway).
Despite this, postal workers are working hard to defend democracy and deploy “extraordinary measures” that will ensure that every mail-in ballot is delivered on time. But it shouldn’t take “extraordinary measures” to ensure that a crucial public service runs like it’s supposed to year-round. That’s why postal workers and allies are hitting the streets on October 1 to demand public input, better staffing, better services, and a fair union contract.
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APWU has been a long-time ally of climate and social justice movements, and the Labor Network for Sustainability (LNS) is proud to stand with them in defending this public service, demanding a fair union contract, and ensuring that everyday people have a say in how our public institutions serve us. Not only do we see robust, democratic, public institutions as a key element of a Green New Deal, but President Biden’s directive to electrify the postal fleet (and postal management’s missteps in doing this) make the Postal Service particularly important. We at LNS believe that the Postal Service can and must be a leader in demonstrating a science-driven and just transition away from fossil fuels and toward a future as a robust, zero-emissions public institution, with a unionized workforce, that serves the needs of communities across the country. Winning a strong union contract, better services, and public input help us get there (and give people a voice in advocating for it), which is why we are proud to support APWU’s October 1st nationwide actions.