Momentum Demands Movement

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

Momentum is defined as “mass in motion,” or “mass multiplied by velocity.”

In the political arena, momentum is critical to getting legislation enacted into law. The APWU’s legislative priorities are the mass and the activism of APWU members creates the momentum that generates Congressional support for our goals and, ultimately, progressive legislation.

Last year, 51 Senators and 178 House members signed letters calling for a one-year moratorium on lower service standards and the planned closure of 82 mail processing plants.  

Earlier this year, a bipartisan coalition that supports prompt and reliable postal service quickly garnered 196 co-sponsors for House Resolution 54. Introduced by Rep. David McKinley (R-WV) and Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY), this non-binding resolution calls for the restoration of the service standards that were in place prior to Jan. 5, 2015, when management implemented drastically lower standards that severely delayed mail processing and delivery.

In April, the Senate voted 85-11 in support of a motion on the fiscal year 2016 budget sponsored by Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) that would reinstate overnight service, block mail processing facility closures, and protect rural mail service.

Most recently, an amendment by Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-PA) to the House Financial Service Appropriations Bill to restore service standards was approved by 6 committee Republicans and 20 Democrats.

Although they don’t have the force of law, these bipartisan votes demonstrate that prompt, reliable service standards are not a Republican or Democratic issue: Mail service standards are an American issue of great importance to all. 

Working Together

Working together, locals, states, the auxiliary and the national APWU have generated political momentum by educating members of Congress about the issues that mean the most to postal workers.

How do we keep the momentum going or, better yet, increase it?

We can build on the momentum if we accelerate our efforts to win congressional support for prompt, reliable service standards.

The number of co-sponsors of H. Res. 54 is rapidly approaching a majority of the House of Representatives. We should urge every House member to co-sponsor this resolution, which would strengthen service to the American people, while improving infrastructure for businesses and communities. Prompt, reliable postal service helps fuel America’s economy – without using a dime of taxpayers’ money. Now that is an issue every political party can support.

To find out if your House member co-sponsored H. Res. 54, visit www.apwu.org and click on the Legislative and Political Department page. You will also find a one-page summary of the issue that you can use in meetings with members of Congress or their staff.   

We have momentum; now is the time to step on the gas and get Congress to put the service back in the Postal Service!