Web News Article #: 154-14

08/20/2014 – A bipartisan group in the House of Representatives – five Republicans and five Democrats – has drafted a letter to leaders of the House Appropriations Committee calling for a one-year moratorium on Postal Service plans to close mail processing plants and slow down mail delivery.

The letter’s authors are attempting to gather as many co-signers as possible before sending it to committee leaders.

APWU President Mark Dimondstein is asking union members and supporters to urge their U.S. representatives to sign the letter. “Union members around the country stepped over the last several weeks and persuaded half of the Senate to sign a similar letter,” he said. “We must make a strong effort to get House members to sign this letter as well.”

The House members leading the effort are Reps. Dave Joyce (R-OH), Ron Kind (D-WI), Pete King (R-NY), Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Michael Grimm (R-NY), Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM), Michael Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Matt Cartwright (D-PA).

The letter, which is modeled on an Aug. 14 letter to leaders of the Senate Appropriations Committee, urges congressional action to preserve service standards and prevent the closure or consolidation of mail processing facilities.

Over the past few weeks, APWU members and allies sent thousands of messages and phone calls to their senators’ offices asking them to oppose Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe’s proposal to close as many as 82 mail processing plants; slow mail service, and eliminate up to 15,000 jobs. Fifty senators signed the letter.

”We must reach out to our representatives and ask them to stand up for a vibrant, public Postal Service,” Dimondstein said.

“If the Postmaster General’s plan to cut service standards is implemented in January 2015, it will end overnight delivery of first-class mail throughout the country.  Slowing down the mail is an issue that affects every congressional district in the country – it drives away postal patrons, denies essential services to communities, and harms small businesses.”

Call your representative today and ask him or her to sign on to this important letter!

via Tell Your Congressman: Sign the Letter! | APWU.