Success During Summer Session

(This article first appeared in the September/October 2019 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine) 

H.R. 2382 Obtains Majority of Cosponsors

The USPS Fairness Act, H.R. 2382, reached a bi-partisan majority of cosponsors on Aug. 16. If signed into law, H.R. 2382 would repeal the mandate requiring the Postal Service to prefund its retiree health care benefits 75 years in advance – an unfair burden that is responsible for 100 percent of the Postal Service’s net losses since 2013. This critical milestone was achieved because of a successful, call-in day of action by APWU members.

Our collective action proved that we are a political force and Congress cannot ignore us. Thank you to everyone who made the call and helped us reach all 435 Representatives! Although we obtained a majority, the work does not stop there. With new rules in the House of Representatives, legislation that reaches 290 or more cosponsors can be scheduled directly for a floor vote. APWU members should continue their outreach.

New Members Appointed to Postal Board of Governors and Postal Regulatory Commission

The Senate confirmed three appointees to the Board of Governors in August before adjourning for the summer recess. Ron Bloom, Roman Martinez IV, and John Barger will join current Governors David Williams and Robert Duncan.

President Dimondstein and I had a meeting with White House officials in February of 2018 when there were no Governors serving on the Board. The discussion focused on the need for nominating Governors and the necessity of a functioning Board. We have also had ongoing engagement with key Senators, highlighting that appointees they confirm should value the public Postal Service, its workers, and the communities it serves. With these appointments, the Postal Board of Governors has finally reached a quorum, something that has not happened since December of 2014. The Board of Governors has the responsibility to direct and control expenditures, review USPS practices, and ensure USPS meets its statutory obligations.

Additionally, the Senate approved the nominations of Ann Fisher and Ashley Poling to the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC). The Postal Regulatory Commission, established under the 1970 Postal Reorganization Act, is an independent agency that provides regulatory oversight to the Postal Service. The Act also dictated that the Postal Service should be self-funded, by relying on the sale of postage and products. The PRC engages with postal stakeholders in their process of determining and setting rates.

We have started meeting with new members of the PRC and Board of Governors to educate them on the key APWU issues they will be working on that affect postal workers and the public.

APWU Tells the DNC the U.S. Mail is Not for Sale

With 2020 elections approaching, APWU members are actively reminding key officials of the importance of the Postal Service, the need to keep it out of the hands of privatizers, and the path forward to keeping it financially stable.

A group of California retiree members joined with Legislative & Political Director Judy Beard to take this message to the Democratic National Committee (DNC) Seniors Council meeting asking for help to stop the sale of the Postal Service.

Register today for the APWU Legislative Conference at apwu.org/events/legislative-political-conference. Regional Caucuses at this Conference will take a deep-dive into key races in their region as well as APWU’s mobilization efforts for the 2020 election.