Observe Postal Heritage Day July 26
Formal Resolutions
Greater Seattle Area Local
Whereas, The U.S. Postal Service traces its start to an act of the Second Continental Congress on July 26, 1775, which established the “United States Post Office” and named Benjamin Franklin as the first Postmaster General, and
Whereas, The Postal Reorganization Act of 1970 (a direct result of the 1970 strike) states that “The United States Postal Service shall be operated as a basic and 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,” and
Whereas, The USPS is the governmental agency which interacts the most with the citizenry, and which has always been held in high regard, and
Whereas, The USPS has always been a basic part of the infrastructure of this country, playing a vital role in its economy, and has provided jobs to millions of Americans, and
Whereas, Post offices have played a central role in their communities, and the many historic Post Office buildings embody both architectural and artistic features, such as New Deal-era art, which are part of America’s cultural legacy, and
Whereas, The Postal Service is under attack, from anti-government ideologues who hate public service, from privatizers who want to acquire postal operations, and from postal management, which wants to degrade service to the American people and sell off historic buildings, and
Whereas, The Postal Service is a national treasure that belongs to the people of this country, that should not be crippled or dismantled, and whose artificial financial crisis was caused by legislation advanced by business interests, and prolonged by federal budget politics, and
Whereas, union and community groups have, since 2012, begun to conduct public events in defense of the Postal Service as a public institution on the birthday of the Postal Service, July 26, therefore be it
RESOLVED, That this body of this union shall go on record as supporting the concept of “Postal Heritage Day” on July 26, in recognition of the principle of the Postal Service as a vital institution which belongs to the American people, which should be protected as a public service, a public asset, and a national treasure, and further be it
RESOLVED, That this union, and its officers and members, are hereby urged to support events and campaigns in defense of the above principle, both our own, and in alliance with others, on July 26, and whenever the opportunity arises.