Postal Heritage Rally Vows Resistance to Cuts, Closures, Delay of Mail

[Jamie Partridge]

Immediate Release

(contact Jamie Partridge, Communities and Postal Workers United, 503-752-5112)

(photos, video credit Jamie Partridge)

 

Postal Heritage Rally Celebrates 248 Years and Vows Resistance to Cuts, Closures, Delay of Mail

 

A small but spirited crowd of postal workers, retirees, unionists and postal customers rallied to celebrate the 248^th birthday of the U.S. Post Office today in front of the historic East Portland Post Office.

 

“The US Postal Service is a national treasure.  On the anniversary of its founding, we celebrate universal service at universal rates to 150 million American households and businesses, six and seven days a week,” proclaimed James Cook, retired letter carrier, speaking as the reincarnation of the first postmaster general, Benjamin Franklin.

 

Unfortunately, instead of sustaining, improving and expanding this essential service, the current Postmaster General, Louis DeJoy, with his Ten-Year Plan, is cutting service and jobs in the name of efficiency.

 

In Oregon, the latest piece of the Ten-Year Plan is to transfer Eugene and Medford mail processing to Portland.  It’s not hard to see this “consolidation” will delay the mail and cost the jobs of postal workers at the Eugene and Medford processing plants.

 

Joe Cogan, president of the local American Postal Workers Union, notified those assembled of community hearings on the impact of these “consolidations” on postal customers, workers and the local community in Springfield on August 8, 3-5pm, 919 Kruse Way and in Medford on August 9, 3-5pm at the Hilton Garden Inn.  Comments may be submitted to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/mpfr-eugene-or and https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/mpfr-medford-or

 

The Ten-Year Plan is slowing the mail, raising prices, cutting and closing postal facilities, outsourcing postal work, and paving the way for privatization of the US Postal Service.

 Teresa Oller, postal worker at the Portland Processing and Distribution Center, called on the crowd to “organize to protect vote-by-mail, protect the timely delivery of medicines, legal papers, and parcels, and protect our vulnerable communities who depend on reliable postal service - seniors, veterans, rural and low-income residents, and small businesses.”

 

Sponsor: Communities and Postal Workers United,
Endorsed by: American Postal Workers Union local 128, National Association of Letter Carriers branch 82, Portland Democratic Socialists of America, Portland Jobs with Justice