What is the Postal Board of Governors and what does it do? The Postal Service has a Board of Governors that is responsible for major decisions about the Postal Service’s operations, policies and expenditures. The Board’s responsibilities also include hiring and firing the Postmaster General. The Board is usually made up of nine members who are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Why should we care about the Board? President-Elect Joe Biden […]
» Read moreCategory: Legislative
Why we all need to care about the Postal Board of Governors
What is the Postal Board of Governors and what does it do? The Postal Service has a Board of Governors that is responsible for major decisions about the Postal Service’s operations, policies and expenditures. The Board’s responsibilities also include hiring and firing the Postmaster General. The Board is usually made up of nine members who are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Why should we care about the Board? President-Elect Joe Biden […]
» Read moreMessage from Legislative & Political Director Judy Beard
We have entered the new year and, with it, a flurry of Congressional activity. Following the passage of H.R. 113, Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act on December 27th (which included funding for the Postal Service), the House and Senate voted to override the Presidential veto of the National Defense Authorization Act, a bill that provides military funding. On December 28th, the House passed H.R. 9051, a bill which would increase the $600 direct payments provided […]
» Read moreAPWU Members Give Their All in Labor 2020 Campaign
In the face of continuous attacks on the Postal Service, voter suppression, and a pandemic, the APWU’s Legislative and Political Department launched Labor 2020 – our campaign to mobilize voters, elect leaders who will work to better the lives of working families, and guarantee the future of the public Postal Service. “APWU members knew that the fate of the Postal Service and the working class were at stake in this election,” said President Dimondstein. “That’s […]
» Read moreAdvancing Postal Banking in a New Political Landscape
A changing political landscape offers new opportunities for the Campaign for Postal Banking to advance an agenda for expanded postal financial services. Of course, simply electing politicians who say they support us is only part of our struggle to secure and expand the public Postal Service. We must also hold them accountable to their commitments. In this case, the Democratic National Convention adopted a platform that includes postal banking and other helpful considerations for the […]
» Read moreSecond Federal Court Issues Preliminary Injunction Against Postal Service To Protect Election Mail
On Monday, Judge Victor Marrero on the federal district court for the Southern District of New York issued the second nationwide injunction against the Postal Service on election mail. This case, unlike the case decided last week in Washington State, raised legal issues only about voting and voting rights. In a lengthy decision, the Court found that even if the Postmaster General did not intend his recent changes, ideas, and statements to impact election mail, […]
» Read moreStatement: Federal Court Issues Preliminary Injunction Against Postal Policies that Could Slow Election Mail
Yesterday, Judge Stanley Bastian of the federal district court in Washington state issued a nationwide order prohibiting the Postal Service from making major operational changes before the November election. The lawsuit was led by the State of Washington, and it was joined by Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin. The Court was concerned that Postmaster General DeJoy was making or allowing operational changes or policies […]
» Read moreAPWU Members Rally With Community to Demand Congress Save the Post Office
On Tuesday, headlines from news outlets across the country read: “Postal Workers Day of Action.” As the country continues to rise up in defense of the public Postal Service and against the new policies that have significantly delayed mail, thousands took to the streets under the banner “Save the Post Office.” An estimated 300 actions took place in almost every state. Postal workers; labor, civil & human rights activists; community allies; and lawmakers made clear […]
» Read moreSave the Post Office Day of Action Planning Livestream
Our urgent announcement on the #SaveThePostOffice campaign with APWU President Mark Dimondstein and Secretary Treasurer Elizabeth Powell.
» Read moreRegarding PMG DeJoy Temporarily Suspending Some Recent Policy Decisions
Statement by Mark Dimondstein Postmaster General DeJoy’s mid-July implementation of a series of new policies slowed down and delayed the mail. These included the arbitrary canceling of overtime, limiting mail transportation runs, and demands that everything run on time, even if it meant leaving large quantities of mail undelivered. APWU members are deeply committed to our mission of serving the public with “prompt, reliable and efficient” services to all communities. This has been powerfully underscored […]
» Read moreBOMBSHELL: Trump ADMITS he won’t fund USPS so that mail-in ballots don’t arrive
WATCH: WHY WE NEED THE POSTAL SERVICE
The U.S. Postal Service has long been an important source of decent jobs, particularly for people of color, who make up 40 percent of their workforce. In the current crisis, postal workers are playing a particularly vital role in our nation’s economic and public health as they strain to meet the surge in demand for package deliveries. At the same time, mail volume has plummeted as a result of the crisis. Without emergency relief, the […]
» Read morePRESIDENT DIMONDSTEIN ON PBS NEWS HOUR
The vital role of U.S. Postal Service in American elections With the election nearing and many parts of the U.S. in the grips of COVID-19, mail-in ballots have become a prominent issue. But President Trump has disparaged both the U.S. Postal Service and the integrity of voting by mail. What effect could his criticism have? William Brangham talks to Mark Dimondstein of the American Postal Workers Union and then Spencer Cox, lieutenant governor of Utah.
» Read moreSAVE THE POST OFFICE ON MEET THE PRESS
President Dimonstein joined MSNBC’s Meet The Press Daily’s host Chuck Todd to explain how the new Postmaster General’s slowdown policies are damaging the mail. He explained why we must reject the White House’s attempts to kill the public confidence in our vote-by-mail system.
» Read moreAPWU members make almost 30,000 calls to Congress
On Thursday, July 23, APWU members and our allies made an incredible 28,156 calls to the senate. That’s a phone call every three seconds! Together with calls made direct to Congress, not through the APWU Legislative Hotline, the total was likely closer to 30,000. This is exactly the kind of pressure we need. Congress holds the key to solving the Postal Service’s financial problems during this Coronavirus crisis. We need to work together to make […]
» Read moreMessage to Members from APWU National Executive Board In Response to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s Destructive Policy Changes
The Postal Reorganization Act of 1970 is clear: “The United States Postal Service shall be operated as a basic fundamental service provided to the people by the Government of the United States, authorized by the Constitution, created by Act of Congress and supported by the people. The Postal Service shall have as its basic function the obligation to provide postal services to bind the Nation together…It shall provide prompt, reliable and efficient services to patrons […]
» Read moreCall Your Senators – #SaveThePostOffice
The Postal Service is in a crisis, caused by the Coronavirus, and Congress needs to act, urgently. The Coronavirus shutdown is plummeting postal revenues while increasing costs. The Postal Service could run out of money by the end of the summer and the Trump administration is trying to leverage the crisis to sacrifice our public Postal Service at the altar of private profit. Call your Senators urgently. Tell them to support stimulus funding for our […]
» Read moreLegislative & Political Hatch Act Training
The Legislative & Political Department will be hosting a Hatch Act Zoom Training Webinar on July 22, 2020 at 2:00 PM EST. The upcoming 2020 Election is quickly approaching. It is vital that all members know their rights and responsibilities pertaining to the Hatch Act. Click here to register. The Hatch Act is a federal law passed in 1939. The Hatch Act limits certain political activities and restricts postal and federal employees from engaging in […]
» Read morePostal Service Emergency Assistance Act, S. 4174
On July 3rd, Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Diane Feinstein (D-CA) introduced the Postal Service Emergency Assistance Act, S. 4174. This legislation would create a $25 billion fund for the Postal Service to recoup COVID related losses and expenses. This is a standalone bill that is currently separate from any Senate stimulus package. The key components of this legislations would: Require the USPS, in order to receive any part of the $25 billion, to declare […]
» Read more2 MILLION+ VOICES TO #SAVETHEPOSTOFFICE
Securing relief from the economic impact of the Coronavirus crisis is part of our work to ensure the health and safety of postal workers and the long-term future of the Postal Service. The Postal Service could run out of money by the end of the Summer. But instead of backing our public Postal Service, the Trump administration is trying to leverage the crisis to sacrifice our public Postal Service at the altar of private profit. […]
» Read moreSave the Post Office Ad and Danny Glover spot hit the airwaves
Postal workers and the fight to save the Postal Service hit the airwaves in two important new radio spots. A new radio ad, which focuses on the threat the USPS, was launched today by the American Postal Workers Union. The nationwide ad buy will inlude key states, whose senators will cast crucial votes on postal finances. APWU · Radio Ad: Essential Meanwhile, actor and social activist Danny Glover who has long been a supporter of postal workers […]
» Read moreAPWU Executive Board Endorses Joe Biden for President
The American Postal Workers Union’s National Executive Board has voted to endorse Joe Biden for President of the United States. In their decision, the Board recognized his record of advancing the cause of unions, his support for the public Postal Service, postal workers, and his opposition to postal privatization. As our country has confronted the pandemic, postal workers have heroically highlighted once again the importance of an affordable, universal and public Postal Service. Even as […]
» Read moreOver 60 Labor Leaders Urge Congressional Leaders to #SaveThePostOffice
On May 11, over 60 Labor leaders sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, copying both the Postal Board of Governors and the Postmaster General, urging them support the United States Postal Service. The letter states, “As representatives of our 17 million members and all American workers, we write to thank you for your national leadership during this ongoing crisis to protect the wages, salaries, and benefits of […]
» Read moreSave the Postal Service – Because it’s yours!
The Postal Service is in a crisis, caused by the Coronavirus, and Congress needs to act, urgently. Call your Senators and tell them to support stimulus funding for the USPS: 833-946-2037. The Coronavirus shutdown is plummeting postal revenues while increasing costs. The Postal Service could run out of money by the end of the summer and the Trump administration is trying to leverage the crisis to sacrifice our public Postal Service at the altar of […]
» Read moreThe Urgent Need for Congressional Funding to Save the Postal Service
(This article first appeared in the May/June 2020 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine) The ongoing COVID-19 crisis places an unprecedented financial strain on the United States Postal Service, with plummeting mail volumes and billions in lost revenue. Without immediate and substantial funding by Congress, Postmaster General Brennan stated before Congress that the USPS will run out of cash before October, threatening the Constitutional role of the public Postal Service, its universal service mandate […]
» Read moreHouse Passes New Stimulus Bill- Postal Funding Included
On May 15th, the House of Representatives passed the fifth COVID-19 response package. The 1815 page Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act (H.R. 6800) provides some resources to lessen the impact of COVID-19 including direct stimulus payments to Americans, aid for state and local governments, and emergency appropriations for the Postal Service. “There is a big, bold movement taking place across rural and urban American to make sure postal funding is included in the next […]
» Read moreNew Poll Shows Two-Thirds of the Public Supports Stimulus Funding for the U.S. Postal Service, Only 15 Percent Oppose Added Funding
A new nationwide opinion poll shows that the public overwhelmingly supports funding for the U.S. Postal Service in the next stimulus bill to prevent USPS from running out of cash. Postmaster General Megan Brennan has reported to Congress that due to a decline in revenue linked to the pandemic, USPS will run out of money by September, without financial support. The survey, conducted by YouGov on behalf of the American Postal Workers Union (APWU), also […]
» Read moreTell Congress to Support the Public Postal Service in the Next COVID-19 Stimulus Package!
Talks in Congress are rapidly progressing regarding further stimulus legislation, and we need your assistance in educating members of Congress about the invaluable service postal workers provide, and the investments that need to be made to ensure USPS is able to continue serving the American public. On March 27, the President signed the $2.2 trillion CARES Act stimulus into law. While much-needed financial relief for the USPS was in advocated on a bi-partisan basis by the Postal […]
» Read morePresident Dimondstein Appears on Democracy Now!
President Dimondstein appeared on Democracy Now! with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez today. He spoke about the campaign to save the Postal Service. The interview covered the financial crisis facing the U.S. Postal Service, the impact of the Coronavirus on the USPS and the vital role of our public Postal Service in carrying out civic life across the country. DEMOCRACY NOW! INTERVIEW PART 1
» Read moreReponse to President Trump’s remarks today that he will block coronavirus aid for the U.S. Postal Service
President Trump’s shameful comments today that the Postal Service “is a joke” and that USPS “should raise package prices four to five times” current levels is no laughing matter to the American people. His comments are an insult to the forty-four postal workers who have died carrying out their vital public service in the midst of this pandemic. It’s also disheartening to the 600,000 proud postal workers who continue to carry out our essential mission […]
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