Ready to Fight Against the Odds
(This article appears in the January-February 2014 edition of The American Postal Worker.)
Kennith L. Beasley, Southern Region Coordinator
Greetings! I would like to introduce myself. My name is Kennith L. Beasley, and I am the newly-elected Southern Region Coordinator. I am totally humbled and honored to represent APWU members in the Southern Region.
I want to thank all the union members in the region for your support, and I want you to know that I mean to serve to the best of my abilities. I have been encouraged by the reception I have received from my fellow coordinators, Sharyn Stone, John Dirzius, Omar Gonzalez, and Mike Gallagher. They welcomed me with a helping hand, which is a testament to their character and professionalism.
I am looking forward to the fight at the regional level against the many problems we are encountering, such as plant closings, consolidations, and contract enforcement.
My mindset is one of constant optimism, in spite of these trying times. I realize that we face an uphill battle. However, I believe that through perseverance, dedication, fortitude and hard work, things can and will get better, if postal workers are willing to fight. I believe we are.
Now, enough about me; let’s get down to business. Manufactured Obstacles
The Postal Service is fighting for its very survival. However, evidence shows that the problems are manufactured by anti-postal adversaries. Their intent is to create a crisis that will lead to the demise of the USPS.
As postal workers, we have been in tough situations before. I believe — and I hope all postal workers believe — that dedicated and resilient postal workers who are willing to fight can accomplish any task, no matter how daunting.
If we are to be successful, we cannot allow our adversaries to keep chipping away at our existence. When called upon, always be ready.
Packages: It’s Common Sense
I have always believed that the postal unions must show management and Congress how the USPS should be run. Otherwise postal management will run it into the ground.
The Postal Service would have reported a surplus in fiscal year 2013 if it weren’t for the congressional mandate to pre-fund healthcare benefits for future retirees.
As many published reports have indicated, the Postal Service’s financial picture improved recently, largely because of the increase in packages, even though first-class mail declined. In each of the first three quarters of 2013, our competitor, UPS, which ships packages exclusively, had a profit of more than $1 billion.
An article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution pointed out that the USPS has just 17 percent of the package business. UPS, FedEx and other companies have the other 83 percent.
Common business sense should inspire a well-intentioned management to find ways to increase the number of packages we handle. If we can guarantee Express Mail, why can’t we guarantee package delivery?
Management’s actions are worsening USPS’ manufactured financial crisis. Let’s put a stop to it! Remember: United we stand, united we remain, and united we will be victorious.