Statement by APWU President Mark Dimondstein on the Selection of the Next Postmaster General

On May 9, 2025, the Postal Board of Governors announced the selection of David Steiner as the next Postmaster General (PMG). Steiner is now going through an internal vetting process and is expected to assume the position sometime in July.

The APWU is deeply concerned and troubled by the process that the Postal Board of Governors (BOG) engaged in to select the new PMG. The public should share our concern.

Various news reports indicate that this BOG, currently consisting of two Democrats, two Republicans, and one Independent, would only consider a new PMG who had the approval of President Donald Trump. If these news reports are accurate, the BOG has shamelessly and outrageously abdicated their independent responsibility in selecting a new PMG.

The 1970 Postal Reorganization Act (PRA) created the modern Postal Service specifically to avoid political interference in the workings of the USPS. The PRA followed the Great Postal Strike that not only uplifted the wellbeing of postal workers, but forced the needed change that freed the Postal Service from the political patronage that was crippling the Post Office Department at that time.

Under the PRA, the hiring and firing of any PMG falls under the sole authority of what was designed by Congress to be a fully independent BOG.

No president, past, present or future, should have any say in who leads the independent Postal Service.

The APWU is in the process of further researching the Board’s selection and will share more information as it comes to light. The hundreds of millions of people that rely on the Postal Service should be deeply concerned that the BOG should select a PMG from the Board of Directors of FedEx. FedEx is not only a major competitor of the Postal Service in the package market, but are part of the chorus of billionaires, profit-driven corporations, and Wall Street that advocate for major privatization of postal services. By cowering to this administration, the BOG has likely chosen a “fox to guard the hen house.”

That said, Postmaster Generals come and go.The goals of the APWU remain the same.

The APWU will continue to oppose actions by any PMG who takes steps to privatize and undermine the public Postal Service, make sweetheart deals with the big mailers, and engage in more subcontracting. Likewise, the APWU has always shown a willingness to support management policies that strengthen the public Postal Service, expand services, continue to return subcontracted work, and respect the hard work and union rights of postal workers who move the mail.

As the country celebrates the 250th Anniversary of the founding of the Post Office this coming July, postal workers and the APWU remain committed to strong and expanded public postal services, defending the Universal Service Obligation, improving service and staffing, and defending the rights and livelihoods of postal workers.

The Postal Service is at a crossroads. The APWU stands ready to fight for a Postal Service that becomes financially sustainable by improving and expanding service, continuing to serve every address six and seven days a week, winning a greater share of the growing package market, valuing its employees, and ensuring the Post Office is a place where dedicated public servants can earn a decent living and retire in dignity.

While we welcome Mr. Steiner’s published statement about maintaining the independent and public nature of the Postal Service, words must be met with deeds. As we did with his predecessors, postal workers, the APWU, and the people will judge Mr. Steiner by his actions.