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 can fill four positions on the nine-member board when he comes into office.

Strong nominees to the Board should fight for the Postal Service we all deserve. They should defend and expand postal services, not cut them. They should promote speedier delivery, not mail slow-downs and post office closures.

The Board has real power. Don’t forget, it was a previous Board of Governors that supported plans to eliminate Saturday delivery, close processing centers and privatize our work to Staples. And it was the current Board who hired Postmaster General DeJoy and supported his mail-delaying policies.

A Board with a pro-postal majority can hold the PMG accountable and keep the Postal Service committed to vibrant, public and universal postal service.

How do we get a postal Board that will fight for the people of the country?

Together with many of our allies, the APWU is petitioning the incoming Administration to quickly fill the vacancies on the Board with diverse and community-based members who will be strong advocates for the public Postal Service.

Together, we can send a clear message that postal workers, together with postal customers around the country, urge the Biden Administration support the Postal Service by quickly appointing Governors who will support the People’s Post Office.