‘Grand Alliance’ to Hold Field Hearings

(This article first appeared in the March-April 2016 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine.)

For the past year, A Grand Alliance to Save Our Public Postal Service (AGA) has been sounding the alarm that our national treasure, the US Postal Service, is under attack.

• More than a year ago, on Jan. 5, 2015, overnight delivery of first-class mail was virtually eliminated;
• All mail throughout the country is being delayed. This includes medicine, online purchases, local newspapers, organizational bulletins, letters, bill payments and invitations;
• More than 140 mail processing facilities have closed since 2012, and 81 more are still on the chopping block;
• Retail work is being sent to Staples, at more than 1,500 stores throughout the country;
• Door-to-door delivery is being eliminated in most new housing developments;
• Chronic understaffing frustrates customers and slows the mail, and
• Six-day delivery is under constant threat.

USPS Isn’t Broke

Despite headlines announcing that the USPS has lost billions of dollars, the Postal Service isn’t broke. To be more precise, it isn’t losing money sorting and delivering mail. In fact, the USPS has been operating in the black for three years in a row.

The USPS financial crisis is a manufactured one. It was caused by Congress, and Congress can fix it – without using a dime of taxpayer’s money.

But many on Wall Street and in Congress are eager to dismantle the Postal Service so they can turn over the profitable segments to their cronies in private industry.

We must continue to join together with our allies to spread the word that the Postal Service is not broken and to protect it from the forces who want to privatize it.

What Field Hearings Will Accomplish

AGA will hold field hearings around the country to:

• Bring postal issues to the attention of the public and media, and
• Build AGA locally, leaving behind a network of allies who will continue to work together on postal issues.

The field hearings will be an opportunity to present and examine postal issues that are important to the public, from mail delivery delays to longer hours at post offices and the need for affordable financial services.

Individuals will present testimony about the U.S. Postal Service to a tribunal of three to four “opinion leaders,” such as religious figures, writers, academics, politicians, etc., who are well-known and respected in the community. The tribunal will then issue a report that will be released to the media.

The field hearings will also explore how the Postal Service can adapt to thrive in the digital age, when people expect to receive information and deliveries quickly. Ideas for new services include:

• Postal banking and/or expanded financial services.
• Licensing and notary services;
• Access to high-speed Internet service;
• Longer hours at neighborhood post offices;
• More staff at retail windows to shorten lines; and
• Restore overnight delivery of first-class mail and periodicals.

The U.S. Postal Service belongs to the American people. Let’s ensure that it remains a vibrant, public Postal Service for generations to come.