Retirees: Join the Legislative Fight!

(This article appeared in the September/October 2011 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine.)

Judy Beard, Director Retirees Department

With postal workers’ pensions and hard-earned benefits in jeopardy, it has never been more crucial for APWU retirees to become actively involved in the legislative arena.

In response to threats to our benefits from anti-labor politicians, retired APWU members have stepped up to the plate in recent months. Most recently, APWU state organizations have hosted meetings of retirees in Virginia, California, Ohio, Texas, and Michigan.

At each of these meetings, retirees were briefed on important bills that would put the Postal Service back on track to fiscal solvency — and would help deter anti-labor politicians from blaming the costs of current and retired workers for the USPS fiscal crisis.

One important bill is H.R. 1351, introduced by Rep. Steve Lynch (D-MA) in April, which would bring the Postal Service back to financial solvency by applying billions of dollars in overpayments to the USPS pension accounts toward the requirement to pre-fund healthcare benefits for future retirees. This would enable the USPS to regain its financial footing — and would allow the cash-strapped agency to remain viable for many years to come.

We must contact our U.S. representatives and encourage them to support this measure. At recent state meetings, retired union members vowed to lead letter-writing campaigns; visit their elected officials, and make phone calls to their members of Congress. (You can reach the congressional switchboard at 202-224-3121 or toll free at 866-261-4755.)

As retired postal workers, we want Congress to know that the Postal Service is important to the American people, and, if H.R. 1351 becomes law, it will correct financial problems of the Postal Service.

Applauding Efforts

Special thanks to the APWU leaders who took the initiative to organize retirees’ meetings in their respective states: Virginia State President Rolando Balagtas, and APWU Retiree Thomas Brown from Richmond, VA; California State President Isabelle Bailey and Retirees Chapter President Mary Martinez; Ohio State President Terry Grant and Retirees Chapter President Velma Chism; Texas State President Cindy Martinez and Dallas Retirees Chapter President Lewis Fulbright; and Michigan State President John Marcotte and Retirees Chapter President Al LaBrecque.

The Retirees Department has begun keeping track of congressional representatives who have helped — or hurt — our efforts so we know who deserves our votes in the 2012 election. We have added Rep. Lynch to the positive side of our score-card for the 2012 election, and we send a big thanks to him for introducing H.R. 1351.