Join the Battle to Save America’s Postal Service!

(This article first appeared in the March-April 2015 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine.)

The time to act is now! On Nov. 14, 2014, our national day of action, we had protests at 150 sites and at least one activity in every state. It was one of our biggest turnouts. We appreciate those who stood on the front lines and spoke out against management policies that are destroying our communities, our jobs, and the Postal Service.

However, we didn’t get crowds like the Super Bowl, or the crowd that watches the ball drop New Year’s Eve, or the crowd at a concert, or even the crowd at church or school. We didn’t get all the community organizations to stand with us, nor did every state and local official attend and bring the media.

We didn’t get our own members to show up in big numbers like we had hoped. We didn’t get every news outlet to tell the real story. Reporters made sure they ended every story with a USPS representative downplaying the consolidations, closures and change in service standards.

We have hope, but we don’t have enough members willing to help organize our powerbase!

Remember, “We, the People,” have to make a radical change. We have the power to organize ourselves and get our community to stand together. Those before us found a way and we must, too. Tell your local president you’re ready to take action and volunteer to get our communities and our members on board to save our Postal Service.

Do you know the magic words to get members to volunteer to help organize our community? We need to stop sitting back and accepting whatever happens to us. We don’t have much time and we need to commit to making a difference.

Every Vote Counts

A perfect example is how many of us don’t vote. In the 2012 election over 93 million eligible voters didn’t vote. More people didn’t vote than voted. That’s not even counting those who have never taken the time to register. Those 93 million eligible voters who didn’t participate could have changed the outcome of many races. Even if we had a small fraction of those votes it could have made a difference.

Some people don’t vote because they don’t have time, don’t know where to go, or don’t want to wait in line. We can do better than that. Voting by absentee ballot is an option in many situations. Absentee ballots also demonstrate the importance of our mail service.

Lack of participation in our nation’s civic life makes it harder to accomplish our goals, but it is not impossible. We must find the strength and the willingness to stand up and help each other.

When members of Congress see that many community organizations in their districts expect them to stop the destruction of the USPS, they know they have to do something. There is only one vote per person and if we have all the people working with us to save our Postal Service, we will have the bigger voice and the power. Our votes can bring about great change.

Get Involved

In America’s early days, only the rich and privileged were allowed to vote. The intent of the Constitution is that our country is to be governed by the will of the people. The structure is there to preserve life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It’s up to us to use it. 
Are we going to stand by and let the rich and privileged privatize our Postal Service? We can’t just tune out and give up. Our founding fathers gave us the power to meet with one another and discuss the direction of our country. Through our determination and votes we can make needed changes, regardless of political affiliation.

That’s one of the reasons we have a Postal Service: to provide necessary communication and to educate each other across this country. Performing your civic duty as a voter is much more important than most people think. You can’t just vote and think your responsibility ends there. You must give your elected officials input on what needs to be done throughout their terms. You must get actively involved, supporting change that helps not only yourself, but many others in your community.

Many politicians don’t know how important our issues are because they don’t see the people standing with us. It’s horrifying to see management destroy the USPS with their plans to turn retail and mail processing over to private, for-profit companies. The Postal Service has initiated these policies over the last few years and we have not influenced Congress to stop it.

We are not making our collective voices and votes heard. We need all the people who will be adversely affected to stand with us. That means pretty much the whole country. That’s a big job and that’s why we all need to be involved in attending community meetings, contacting our representatives, the Board of Governors, the Postal Regulatory Commission, and yes, even the president of the United States.

It is not enough to just educate yourself. You also need to think about your area of influence, which is much bigger than you might think: immediate family, friends, extended family, neighbors, work associates, church members, and a host of other people you come in contact with every day.

Our children and grandchildren are frequently excluded from serious conversations about the future of America, but it’s their future, too. You probably have social media contacts. Don’t forget the elderly, infirm, and disabled individuals who are just as important to reach. We can help them stand with us, contact Congress, or help them get an absentee ballot.

If each of us sits back and expects someone else to take action, it will soon be too late. Listed below are some organizers you can contact to sign-up to make a difference.