e-Team Report, Aug. 20, 2014

Senators Call for Prompt Service, Robust Postal Network

On August 14th, 50 U.S. senators sent a letter to the leaders of the Senate Appropriations Committee urging congressional action to preserve service standards and prevent the closure or consolidation of mail processing facilities.  

Over the past few weeks, APWU members and allies sent thousands of messages and phone calls to their senators’ offices asking them to sign on to the letter.  Together, our collective calls to action were crucial in getting so many of our senators to sign on!

APWU locals, state organizations, retiree chapters and Auxiliary made this effort very successful even though many senators were traveling on recess and difficult to contact – well done!

The House Jumps On Board

A bipartisan group of representatives, 5 Republicans and 5 Democrats, are circulating a House of Representatives version of the Senate Appropriations letter.  The House members leading the effort are Reps. Dave Joyce (R-OH), Ron Kind (D-WI), Pete King (R-NY), Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Michael Grimm (R-NY), Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM), Michael Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Matt Cartwright (D-PA).  They are attempting to gather as many co-signers as possible before sending it to the House Appropriations Committee – but they too need our help.

That’s why, following our successful efforts to contact our senators, we must now reach out to our representatives and ask them to stand up for a vibrant, public Postal Service!  If the Postmaster General's plan to cut service standards is implemented in January 2015, it will end overnight delivery of first class mail throughout the country.  Slowing down the mail is an issue that affects every congressional district in the country – it pushes away postal patrons, denies essential services to communities and seniors, and harms small businesses.

Call your representative today and ask them to sign on to this important letter!

To get talking points, find their number and call your representative, please click here.

To read the letter, please click here.

Thank you and please forward this message to your friends, family, and coworkers and urge them to join us in this effort to protect speedy and reliable mail service.