APWU Fights Consolidation/Closure Plans

(This article first appeared in the July/August 2021 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine)

We have the power to influence those who are the target leaders who can stop consolidations/closures. Work with me and our National Fightback Consolidation/Closure Committee. Your Regional Coordinators: Omar Gonzalez, Sharyn Stone, Kennith Beasley, Tiffany Foster and AJ Jones. Who are the Target Leaders: the Postmaster General, the Board of Governors, the House Oversight Committee, the Senate Oversight Committee, the Postal Regulatory Commission, Office of Inspector General, the Attorney General in each state (we have the ability to file lawsuits against consolidations that affect vote by mail elections), and the President of the United States.

Who has the highest authority of our country? “We the People.”

We can bring fresh energy to this fight. As a postal worker, you know where the failures began in 2012, when partial and full consolidations took place. Those actions were very costly and undermined service. It is our time to stand up and fight back against any new consolidations/closures. What We Can Do:

1. Mobilize members, unions, communities, businesses and mentors to take action together.

2. Make your voice heard in our political institutions. Lobby your representatives, build those relationships, and get them to take an action.

3. Utilize all newspapers and news outlets, television interviews, radio, and social media to spread the word.

4. Hold activities and actions that inspire the rest of the country to stand beside us and participate in pressuring those Target Leaders, who have the power to change the Postal Service’s course by going back to the 2012 Service Standards. That will reverse consolidations, bring back the necessary equipment to provide overnight delivery and build on parcel sorting annexes around the country.

How We Start:

1. Collect contact emails and cell phone numbers of members and supporters for good communication access and include one-on-one contacts. Set up a local fightback committee to discuss tactics you want to utilize to persuade the Target Leaders and build your community power.

2. List the Target Leaders and how you want to lobby them to stop consolidations and improve our service performance. Set up an action calendar for lobbying and other activist activities.

3. Collect contact lists of all media outlets and share information with your supporters along with suggested actions you want your supporters to take, such as sharing congressional support letters, educational stories, talking points on the consolidations/closures, join activities, town halls, etc.

4. Engage in actions, take pictures, share letters of support, review successes, and prepare next actions, until we have won protections against consolidations.

5. When called upon by the APWU Legislative & Political Department, engage in the multi-year ongoing union campaign, to restore service standards to those of July 1, 2012, which in turn would restore overnight mail at least within the same city.

If you are ready to step up and fight back, contact your local or state union president, and let them know what you are willing to do and the time you can donate to the cause. It’s all about making time and making your postal work a priority. Support each other and be a family, because each of us have strengths. We can lift each other up and save our Postal Service for future generations. It is our time to make a difference. We are bigger than ourselves. Help make this change and do the work that needs to be done.