For Immediate Release – October 7, 2014 
Contact: Jamie Horwitz 202/549-4921(cell), jhdcpr@starpower.net
Sally Davidow 202/842-4250, sdavidow@apwu.org 

Philadelphia – Members of the American Postal Workers Union (APWU), joined by labor and community supporters, will protest outsourcing and privatization of U.S. Postal Service (USPS) jobs and services at a Staples retail store in downtown Philadelphia beginning at 11 am on Tuesday, October 7.

Who:         Postal workers joined by representatives from the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, along with other labor and
                  community supporters     

What:       Protest at Staples store in downtown Philadelphia against outsourcing and privatization of the U.S. Postal Service

When:       Tuesday, October 7, 11 am to 1 pm

Where:     Staples, 1500 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102 (near City Hall)

APWU members and supporters want to put an end to a no-bid sweetheart deal between Staples and the USPS. Staples was granted permission to open postal counters in more than 80 Staples stores last year. The counters are staffed with low-wage Staples employees rather than highly-trained USPS employees who take an oath and are accountable to the American people. Several of the pilot sites are located in Pennsylvania.

These stores lack the same level of service and security as traditional post offices.

Recently, as a result of protests and boycotts of Staples stores by teachers and others, USPS changed the name of the pilot program, but acknowledged that the program would remain essentially unchanged.

“It doesn’t matter what they call these privatized postal counters; dismantling the high quality, universal service offered in U.S. Post Offices and creating knock-off postal counters in Staples stores across the country is bad news for consumer and communities and must stop,” said Mike Gallagher, APWU’s Eastern Regional Coordinator. “The U.S. mail is not for sale. That’s why we’ll be in the street in front of the Staples store in downtown Philadelphia. Your personal letters and business transactions shouldn’t be treated like reams of paper.”

For more information, consumers can text “postal” to 91990, or visit StopStaples.com

The American Postal Workers Union represents 200,000 employees of the United States Postal Service, and is affiliated with the AFL-CIO.