Majority of Senate Members Oppose Postal Privatization

(This article first appeared in the January/February 2019 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine) 

In Dec. 2018, Senate Resolution 633 (S. Res. 633) achieved a majority of co-sponsors. This resolution expressed the need to keep the United States Postal Service as an independent establishment of the federal government and that it should not be sold to private corporations. The House of Representatives’ companion resolution, H. Res. 993, obtained a majority of co-sponsors in Oct. 2018.

“Achieving majorities in both the House and the Senate sends a strong message to the White House and the Wall Street privatizers that the people of this country want the Postal Service to remain in the hands of the public,” said President Dimondstein.

The people’s Post Office has a strong foundation of support as the 116th Congress convenes in Jan. 2019. The APWU will work to have these resolutions re-in-troduced and will be relying on postal workers to drive
the message home.

“APWU members were instrumental in achieving majority support in both the House and Senate, and we will be looking to our members again to educate new members of Congress and ask those returning for their continuing support,” said Legislative & Political Director Judy Beard.

When the 115th Congress finished its term on Jan. 2, 2019, S. Res. 633 had 52 co-sponsors and H. Res 993 had 240 co-sponsors.

Research Shows that Almost Half of U.S. Zip Codes Face Drastically Higher Shipping Prices With Private Shippers

During this last holiday season, it was clear to every postal worker just how much the people of this country rely on the Postal Service for their shipping needs. E-commerce continues to boom and customers bring retail clerks millions of parcels for holiday deliveries.

New research just published by the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) shows who would be at most risk – during the holidays and everyday – if the White House postal task force had its way.

Without matching the Postal Service’s commitment to universal service and uniform rates, private shippers already generally charge higher rates and additional surcharges to areas of the country where approximately 70 million people live. The private surcharges, which can be high as $4.45 to some portions of the lower 48 states, mean that online shopping and personal shipping to more than 22,000 ZIP codes is significantly more expensive with private carriers. If the Postal Service’s promise of universal service were to be eliminated, as the task force suggests, people living in those areas, as well as people shipping to those areas, could expect even higher prices still, and undoubtably significant service cuts.

To read the report, go to usmailnotforsale.org/materials.