Spreading the Word, Gearing Up for Action

Since the successful launch of A Grand Alliance to Save Our Public Postal Service on Feb. 12, APWU’s allies have been busy spreading the word about the need to protect and enhance our nation’s public mail system.

Emails, tweets, website articles and Facebook postings from the AFL-CIO, In the Public Interest, Jobs with Justice, and many others have resulted in 50,000 people viewing an inspiring video featuring actor-activist Danny Glover that was produced to support the cause.

More than 10,000 people across the country have signed the Alliance pledge, which says, “I support the fight to protect and enhance vibrant public postal services now – and for many generations to come.”

Garnering Headlines
Member organizations of the Alliance have also spread the word via guest columns and articles in publications across the country.

Dave Johnson of the Campaign for America’s Future and Ralph Nader of Essential Information each highlighted the launch of A Grand Alliance in columns in the Huffington Post.

In her article, “What We Lose with a Privatized Postal Service,” Katherine McFate, president and CEO of the Center for Effective Government, warns of the travesty of job loss and the loss of the principles of the universal, affordable, and public service that “help knit us together as a nation” that would come with privatization.

“Instead of selling off the assets we built together over two centuries, let’s invest in our Postal Service – a public system that has served our nation since its birth,” McFate wrote.

Melanie Campbell, convener of the Black Women’s Roundtable and Alliance coordinating committee member, spoke of the need to ensure the USPS remains a public service for the American people at the February 2015 press conference to launch A Grand Alliance.

“It is important,” said Campbell, “for the American people to raise our voices to stop attempts by special money interest to undermine the role of the post office for their private gain.”

Furthermore, Campbell said, “The post office is an American treasure and so are its employees … [and] [f]or thousands of Americans a job at the post office has been a gateway to the middle class.”

Growing Support
Organizational support for A Grand Alliance to Save Our Public Postal Service continues to grow, as national, state and local organizations join the list of signatories. National organizations that have joined recently include:

• American Federation of School Administrators
• Ms. Foundation for Women
• National Organization for Women
• New Progressive Alliance
• 9to5, National Association of Working Women
• Sierra Club
• United Students Against Sweatshops

Moving Forward
An interim coordinating committee has been formed with representatives from the American Federation of Government Employees, APWU, Black Women’s Roundtable, National Association of Letter Carriers, National Association of Active and Retired Federal Employees and Public Citizen.

The coordinating committee is working to bring group’s opposition to the USPS service standard changes and upcoming closings and consolidations to the attention of key policy makers. Plans include forming delegations to meet with new Postmaster General Megan Brennan, members of Congress, and newspaper editorial boards.

For more information or a full list of signatories, visit www.AGrandAlliance.org or www.Facebook.com/AGrandAlliance.