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WHEREAS continued access to affordable mail service that reaches every corner of the nation and the world is of vital
importance to all Americans; and
WHEREAS the president has named a commission that may recommend drastic changes in U.S. mail services, which could include
increased costs, reduced access and curtailed services; and
WHEREAS the United States has the most dependable and affordable Postal Service in the world, but it is at risk from this
initiative; and
WHEREAS rural, inner-city and senior Americans depend on a high caliber mail service and have few practical alternatives; and
WHEREAS millions of Americans, particularly those who are economically disadvantaged or older, do not have access to the
Internet, electronic transfers and electronic bill paying, and any change to the Postal Service that affects the continued availability of affordable mail service for all citizens will further erode
their economic security; and
WHEREAS continuation of six-days-a-week mail delivery is of paramount importance to those who rely on the mails for the
delivery of essential documents and packages such as medicines, checks and other communications; and
WHEREAS some advocates of change in the Postal Service also advocate privatization of the Postal Service, but, for Americans in
rural areas and for many in inner cities as well, a profit motive cannot support provision of essential services; and
WHEREAS the Postal Service employs hundreds of thousands of women, military veterans, African Americans and other minorities,
and for many of these people, the fact that the Postal Service provides a living wage and adequate fringe benefits has been critically important. In the private sector of our economy, there remains an
unfortunate disparity between the employment opportunities and compensation available to these workers compared to others. Any effort to dismantle the Postal Service would, therefore, be a regressive
step, contrary to our national effort to provide equal employment opportunities for minorities, women and veterans;
WHEREAS the Postal Service—with more than 600,000 workers in its bargaining units—is the nation’s largest employer of unionized
labor and its employees enjoy the right to engage in free collective bargaining; therefore, it is hereby
RESOLVED, that the AFL-CIO and its affiliates believe that the provision of affordable, dependable postal services to all Americans is and must remain the responsibility of our government. We oppose any change that would favor the supposed efficiency of private markets over protecting the public interest in maintaining dependable and affordable postal communications among all Americans. Further, we oppose any change that would threaten the economic security or collective bargaining rights of the employees of the U.S. Postal Service.
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