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Politics: Now, More Than Ever

(This article first appeared in the July/August 2008 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine.)

As you read this article, the November elections are fast approaching. Notice that I say the November elections — not the presidential election. I believe that both the congressional and presidential election cycle and the future of postal employees and retirees are critically tied together.

It is in our best interest that everyone – including YOU – works hard to elect men and women who are supportive of workers.

We as postal workers have enjoyed a 38-year run of raises and cost-of-living increases that is unparalleled in the arena of time-clock employees. We have done this with your support in tough negotiations and, when necessary, presenting your case for raises before a neutral arbitrator.

But there are two features of the law of the land that will make this case more difficult to make in the future. First, is the “Comparability Clause.” In the 1970 Postal Reorganization Act, the law states, in part: “It shall be the policy of the Postal Service to maintain compensation and benefits for all employees on a standard of comparability to the compensation and benefits paid for comparable levels of work in the private sector of the economy.”

Over the years when we have addressed this issue before an arbitrator, it has become more and more difficult to demonstrate “comparability” with workers in the private sector. For one thing, large sectors of the work force have had their jobs outsourced to foreign nations. And we often read that the salaries and benefits of working people are being driven down by Corporate America: Indeed millions have lost their health insurance, and their retirement plans.

The second obstacle we face in the law is found in the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA) of 2006. The APWU vigorously opposed so-called “postal reform” from the beginning. Although we had some success in modifying several negative components of earlier versions of the law, there are still areas of concern.

Among our successes: Despite attempts by some of our adversaries, under the PAEA our collective bargaining process remains intact; there was no change to the historical definition of “universal service;” and we are not required to bargain over healthcare and retirement benefits. We also were successful in persuading legislators to include a provision in the bill that severely restricts excessive “worksharing” discounts for major mailers that drain billions of dollars in revenue from the Postal Service.

But there are troubling aspects to the new law as well. Perhaps the most detrimental feature of the PAEA is that postage rate increases cannot exceed increases in the cost of living. This restriction is expected to pose major problems for the union at the bargaining table. There is little doubt that Postal Service negotiators will cite this provision as they attempt to limit pay raises.

In Our Best Interest

It is in our interest that everyone — that means you — works hard to elect congressional representatives who are supportive of workers and not those who are in the pocket of the Chamber of Commerce.

That’s right: The Chamber of Commerce.

Although it is clear that the so-called fiscal and social conservatives put the current president in power, and won eight years of congressional control beginning in 1998, it should also be clear that the officials they elected implemented an agenda that was neither fiscally nor socially conservative. The mounting deficit and national debt, and the unparalleled pork-barrel spending mark this so-called conservative era.

And what agenda did get through? Tremendous leaps by the courts to protect wealthy corporations; cuts in government services that have opened the door to the importation of dangerous medicines and lead-paint covered children’s toys (along with laws that protect the U.S.-based manufacturing interests to avoid prosecution); trailers with soaring formaldehyde levels provided to Hurricane Katrina victims (again, without prosecutions); continued tax breaks for the wealthy; skyrocketing gas prices.

The Chamber of Commerce has ticked off victory after victory, thanks to the current administration and its appointees. Working people have seen their checks frozen or diminished; our quality of life reduced, and we are staring at a greater separation of rich and poor. Veterans’ benefits are delayed. Educational assistance is diminished. The list goes on and on.

Do you want this to continue? No? Then get mad, get involved, and work for candidates whose votes will reflect your needs.

Postal workers should work in campaigns and get to know the candidates and their staffs so that we can elect a congress that will help get the country back on course. We need constructive change: For America and for a secure future for postal workers.

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