Postal unions protest in Viera against Trump proposal to privatize mail service

A coalition of postal workers' unions picketed Monday in Viera, urging the public to oppose a Trump administration initiative to privatize the U.S. Postal Service.

Union members and their supporters set up along Judge Fran Jamieson Way, across the street from the Brevard County Government Center, holding signs and chanting "U.S. mail is not for sale."

They also urged support for House Resolution 993, which says that "it is the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should take all appropriate measures to ensure that the United States Postal Service remains an independent establishment of the federal government and not subject to privatization."

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In May, President Trump signed an executive order creating a task force to evaluate the Postal Service's operations and finances. The task force has not yet released its findings. Trump's proposal boasted cost-savings as a selling point for privatization. 

Local representatives of the postal unions and their supporters contend that privatizing the Postal Service would be a bad move, and would increase prices, while reducing jobs and the service to the public, especially in rural communities.

"It's an absolutely crazy idea to privatize the Postal Service," said Mike Monopoli, congressional district liaison for the National Association of Letter Carriers, one of four postal unions that participated in the protest.

The others are the American Postal Workers Union, which includes workers inside post offices, handling transactions with the public and sorting mail; the National Postal Mail Handlers Union, whose members load and unload trucks with mail; and the National Rural Letter Carriers' Association.

The four unions represent more than 1,500 postal workers in Brevard County.

Representatives of other unions and the Space Coast Progressive Alliance also were part of the rally.

The picketing in Viera was part of a nationwide series of protests held at 140 locations. The protests were held on Columbus Day, a postal holiday, so union members could attend without missing work.

Union members were hoping to meet Monday with U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, R-Rockledge, to seek his support for House Resolution 993. But Posey's Viera office was closed for the holiday.

Contacted later Monday by FLORIDA TODAY, Posey said he is open to having a meeting with the postal union officials to discuss the issue.

"I have a lot of respect for postal employees," Posey said, noting that his father-in-law was a postal worker.

Phil Stasik, president of the Space Coast Progressive Alliance, joined the workers in the picketing and helped lead the chants.

"The Space Coast Progressive Alliance is proud to stand with the good men and women of the U.S. Postal Service, as they tell Congressman Posey that the U.S. mail is not for sale," Stasik said.

Stasik called the idea of privatizing the Postal Service, which employs more than 500,000 people, "foolish, and bad for America and American workers." 

The U.S. Postal Service is completely self-sustaining, according to the House resolution, and does not receive taxpayer funding and "relies solely on revenue derived from the sale of postal services and products." It is part of a $1.4 trillion mailing industry, employing a total of 7.5 million Americans and the nation’s second-largest employer of military veterans.

The Postal Service "serves the needs of 157 million business and residential customers at least six days a week, maintains an affordable and universal network and connects the country’s rural, suburban and urban communities," the resolution states.

In a statement released Monday, American Postal Workers Union President Mark Dimondstein said: "We're not waiting to see the task force report. The administration has already indicated where they're headed."

Dimondstein contends that "private companies are going to raid the precious resources of the people's Postal Service, which has only grown more valuable due to the growth of e-commerce. Then these companies are going to raise prices, cut service and leave rural communities isolated, senior citizens stranded and many businesses without a reliable means of reaching their customers."

National Association of Letter Carriers President Fredric Rolando said he is "grateful for the strong support" from the public "for a vital, public U.S. Postal Service. We're going to ask all candidates for the House and Senate — incumbent or challenger, Republican, Democrat or Independent — where they stand on this issue. Are you with the people, standing up for quality service, strong communities and good jobs? Or are you with the privatizers, who will raise prices, cut service and hurt residents and communities across the country?"

A majority of the House of Representatives — 223 members — are co-sponsoring House Resolution 993 opposing Trump's proposal. And the companion Senate Resolution 633 has 42 co-sponsors in the 100-member Senate.

"We're getting quite a bit of support from Congress right now," said Michael Clark, vice president of the Space Coast Branch 2689 of the the National Association of Letter Carriers.

Dave Berman is government editor at FLORIDA TODAY. 

His Political Spin column runs Sundays in FLORIDA TODAY. 

Contact Berman at dberman@floridatoday.com.

Twitter: @bydaveberman

Facebook: /dave.berman.54

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