Postal workers are urging lawmakers to save America's postal service. Hundreds rallied across the country, Tuesday. In Fresno, dozens gathered in front of Congressman Jim Costa's office. They are urging congress to say yes to HR 1351. They say it is not a bailout, but a way for the USPS to rework the numbers.
“For the postal service with all the things that have gone on in the last four years, the economy tanking, housing tanking, we've made a profit of $611 million. That's the best kept secret in America,” said California State Association of Letter Cariers representative, Eric Ellis.
Postal workers are asking to get back billions in overpaid money.
Ellis explained, “We're paying for retirement benefit costs for people who haven't been born yet. What HR 1351 is transfer that $60-80 billion we've overpaid into our pension system, transfer it to the postal service retirement benefit fund. Once the money is transferred, there's no reason to keep paying that $5.5 billion a year.”
Postal officials are proposing to close hundreds of postal offices nationwide. There could be lay-offs and cuts to service, including the elimination of Saturday delivery. Postal officials claim the proposal will save the agency $3 billion a year.
Cruz Cuellar is a Vietnam veteran and retired postal worker. He says the cuts would be devastating, especially for veterans.
Cuellar told KSEE 24, “We have about 23% of the workforce that are veterans. Do we want to eliminate jobs when right now? We should be hanging on to some jobs, especially our veterans.”
Congressman Jim Costa is co-sponsoring HR 1351.
“So that we can maintain a viable postal service not only for the people of our valley, but for the people throughout the nation,” said Costa.
The Postal Service has warned it will not make $5.5 billion worth of mandatory labor payments, soon. The agency adds it will not have enough money, even if the spending bill is passed by the senate, Monday.
TXT 24
Twitter
Facebook