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Princella Vogel
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A Visit That Can Save Your Postal Life
Princella Vogel
Southern Region Coordinator
(This article was first published in the July/August 2011 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine.)
The vast majority of postal workers don’ t seem to realize that it takes just a few minutes to help safeguard our jobs. There are plenty who have filed grievances or complained to the union or to their manager about workplace issues. But the overwhelming majority have never invested 15 minutes of their personal time to visit their legislators.
We are fortunate to be part of a strong union. But with all the great work that President Guffey and the other officers do, we are still vulnerable to the political process. Many of our rights can be yanked by the stroke of an elected official’s pen.
The dire financial straits that the USPS finds itself in — and the distinct possibility that the agency could default on its fiscal obligations — is frightening. If the Postal Service goes broke, everything we have worked so hard for could be lost.
The cause of these financial problems is the congressionally-imposed demand that the USPS pay in advance for future retiree benefits, a burden that no other business or government agency bears. The USPS must pay $5.5 billion annually — and unless the law is changed, the Postal Service cannot remain viable.
How long do you think our jobs would survive if we worked for a bankrupt Postal Service? If you think the current wave of postal consolidations is bad, imagine what it would be like if thousands of post offices were forced to shut their doors because insufficient funds prevented them from operating.
We acknowledge that new technology — such as e-mails, texts, and other methods — affect the way many people communicate. But new technology doesn’t take away the need for the Postal Service; a parcel cannot be delivered through electronic communication, and millions of Americans depend on viable postal services in their communities.
Without a change in the law — and soon — we could lose our sense of job security and the benefits we have fought so long and hard for. Some anti-labor politicians in Congress want to destroy our service; they want to privatize it, cannibalize it, downsize it, or make it irrelevant to American society. We must ask ourselves: What can we do?
One Visit at a Time
Our battle for survival begins with you and just a few minutes of your time. Start by visiting the Legislative and Political Department pages of www.apwu.org, or by reading about important developments in The American Postal Worker magazine — beginning with this issue! Educate yourself about the topics that affect union members in your area and the local community.
Next, look up the field office address and telephone number of your congressional representative. Then, take out your calendar, and make an appointment to visit his or her office.
You don’t need a script; just walk in and introduce yourself. Explain that you work for the Postal Service and are a member of the APWU. Let them know that they have postal workers in their district who are affected by anti-worker legislation on Capitol Hill. Ask them for support on issues that are important to you, your family, your coworkers, and postal customers.
These simple steps will go a long way in helping to save your job — and the USPS. In these difficult times, as anti-worker legislators launch attacks on our rights, we cannot afford to be silent. We have to “pump up the volume.”
You will be receiving “calls for action” from my fellow Regional Coordinators, Sharyn Stone, Omar Gonzalez, Mike Gallagher, and John Dirzius, and me. We will be working closely with Executive Vice President Greg Bell and Legislative and Political Director Myke Reid to keep you informed and to request your help in making our voices heard.
Your help is vital to our survival. We ask that when called upon you partner with your officers and members in taking action to ensure our issues are addressed. We must be a part of the political process or be a victim of politics. As union activists, we must remain vigilant and pro-active, contractually and legislatively.
Police the contract; contact your legislators; be the voice that ensures our survival.
