November 27 Declared Public Post Office Day in Minnesota

(This article first appeared in the January/February 2020 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine) 

On Nov. 19, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) signed a proclamation declaring Nov. 27, 2019 to be Public Post Office Day in the North Star State. Governor Walz’s declaration came after members and local officers spent time lobbying the Governor’s office to secure the declaration. A number of local members and officers also rallied in Minneapolis on Tax Day, informing members of the public that the Postal Service operates on no tax dollars.

Below is the Minnesota proclamation in full:

WHEREAS: The U.S. Postal Service traces its start to an act of the Second Continental Congress on July 26, 1775, which established the “United States Post Office” and named Benjamin Franklin as the first Postmaster General; and

WHEREAS: The Postal Reorganization Act of 1970 – a direct result of the 1970 strike - states that “The United States Postal Service shall be operated as a basic and fundamental service provided to the people by the Government of the United States, authorized by the Constitution, created by an Act of Congress and supported by the people”; and

WHEREAS: The U.S. Postal Service is the governmental agency that interacts with the most citizens of Minnesota daily through mail delivery to all residents; and

WHEREAS: The U.S. Postal Service provides quality jobs to Minnesotans; and

WHEREAS: The holiday season from Thanksgiving to New Years is traditionally the busiest time of the year for letters, cards, and package deliveries in Minnesota, across the country, and overseas.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, TIM WALZ, Governor of Minnesota, do hereby proclaim Wednesday, November 27, 2019, as: PUBLIC POST OFFICE DAY in the State of Minnesota.

Walz was not the only Governor to proclaim a Post Office Day – Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) proclaimed Nov. 27, 2019 to be Post Office Day as well.

I thank all the members who contributed to this effort for their hard work and dedication. We must continue to fight against privatization at the local and state level as well as nationally and gather as many allies in support of the public Postal Service as possible.

The proclamation comes at a critical time for the Postal Service. With Postmaster General Megan Brennan retiring soon, the Board of Governors will be naming her replacement. On Jan. 6, we delivered over 400,000 petitions to the Board asking them to protect the public Postal Service and appoint a Postmaster General who will not sell off the Postal Service to private corporations. This is an incredible number that shows just how many people – postal workers, family, friends, allies, and others – we have on our side.

As the USPS Fairness Act makes its way through Congress, it is important to remember that the fight is not over, and we must continue to strongly advocate for the public Postal Service. I encourage everyone to continue calling their representatives, lobbying their offices, and continuing to push back against the forces of privatization. For more information on the fight against privatization and the petition, click here.