The American Postal Workers Union Local in Oakland, California via the following petition is urging Congress to investigate the Postal Service’s business practices :
The Honorable Senator Diane Feinstein
United States Senate
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Senator Barbara Boxer
United States Senate
112 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Representative Barbara Lee
United States House of Representatives
2444 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Senators/Representative:
We, the undersigned Oakland Local APWU members (510) 635-8497, Oakland Post Office P&DC bid cluster Postal Service employees, union officials, customers, concerned citizens, and constituents of the 9th Congressional District, over the years have stood by helplessly and dismayed as the Postal Service deteriorated. The methodical decline of the Postal Service has been primarily caused by a conspiracy involving special interest groups, Postal Service Headquarters, and some members of Congress, with the objective of privatizing the Postal Service. We have watched as Postal Service Headquarters pandered to large mailers to the detriment of the public, small businesses, non profit organizations, Postal Service employees, and the Postal Service itself.
For years, management has falsified figures regarding the volume of mail processed and delivered at the Oakland Post Office P&DC bid cluster (1675- 7th Street, Oakland, CA 94615); understaffed postal operations based on falsified figures; and used inept managers to run these operations using outdated equipment that is in serious disrepair. These practices have caused delayed mail delivery, the closure of facilities, hiring freezes, unsafe working conditions, blatant violations of Federal laws and the employees’ Collective Bargaining Agreement, and the loss of numerous Postal Service jobs.
It is time for the new leadership in Congress and the new administration to take a serious and sincere look at the Postal Service’s business practices. We urge Congress to conduct a comprehensive and thorough investigation of the Oakland Post Office P&DC bid cluster, that will include interviews with craft employees and visits to all facilities.
Privatizing the Postal Service would give private industry a responsibility that it cannot handle adequately and mail would not be under the protection of Federal law. People living in remote areas would be denied mail service or it would become very expensive for mail because of delivery cost and volume. Moreover, many jobs would be lost.
Yes, it is true, the Postal Service has its problems just as other businesses do; however, the United States Postal Service moves more mail more cheaply and efficiently than any other government or private systems in the world.
The Postal Service is a vital public service. It connects citizens like nothing else. You can be at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, in prison, or even homeless, yet you still get your mail. Now it’s time to revive the Postal Service for the common good and to protect a service that citizens need and deserve.
