Postal Workers to Launch National Campaign Against Outsourcing USPS Services to Staples
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M E D I A A D V I S O R Y
For Immediate Release -- January 27, 2014
Contact: Jamie Horwitz 202/549-4921(cell), jhdcpr@starpower.net
Sally Davidow 202/ 842-4250, sdavidow@apwu.org
Postal Workers to Launch National Campaign Against Outsourcing USPS Services to Staples
Protests Begin in San Francisco and
San Jose Tues., Jan. 28
Message to Staples: When it comes to mail no sale
USPS workers must staff postal counters
SAN FRANCISCO -- Members of the American Postal Workers Union, joined by community activists, will launch protests against a deal between the U.S. Postal Service and Staples to move mail services into Staples stores. The first protests in the nation will begin in San Francisco Tuesday morning and later move to San Jose in the afternoon.
In October, USPS announced a no-bid agreement to open postal counters with limited service in more than 80 Staples stores. The Staples-operated and staffed postal counters will open on a trial basis in four markets across the United States: Northern California, Atlanta, GA, Pittsburgh, PA and Central Massachusetts. After the trial period, the Postmaster General has said the plan is to expand to 1,500 stores.
WHO: Members of the American Postal Workers Union, community activists, individuals who regularly use postal services
WHAT: Protests outside Northern California Staples stores
WHEN/WHERE: 10 a.m., Jan. 28th, Staples, 1700 Van Ness, San Francisco
4 p.m., Jan. 28th, Staples, 121 Bernal Road, San Jose
All Americans should have access to a full-service post office, said APWU President Mark Dimondstein. Although first-class mail is declining, package delivery is growing, largely due to e-commerce. This is when we should be expanding the post office to offer longer hours and more options, such as public notary and basic banking. Instead, we are giving customers fewer postal services as a result of this no-bid sweetheart deal with Staples. If were going to have mini-Post Offices located in Staples stores, they should still be operated by USPS workers.
Staples has been struggling recently, shutting 40 stores in the last quarter. The publicly-traded company runs a low-wage operation, with high employee turnover, designed to deliver bulk commodities to customers.
Although the USPS handles 160 billion pieces of mail each year 40 percent of the worlds total mail is not a bulk commodity. Each package is individually addressed, and requires individual handling.
During this time of rampant identity theft, privacy and security are of concern to millions of postal customers. Uniformed USPS employees are required to take an oath and pass a background check before they can handle mail and make credit card transactions. Retailers, such as Staples, cannot offer the same assurances.
Without public debate and despite claims to the contrary, the USPS is moving to shutter the reliable neighborhood post office and move work to Staples and other for-profit businesses, said Dimondstein Our union wants to shed a light on this bad deal. Were confident that when the public learns whats going on they will say, Staples, when it comes to mail without USPS workers no sale.
For more information, see this recent story from the Associated Press:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/01/19/postal-service-union-
wrangle-over-staples-outlets/4647199/
The American Postal Workers Union represents 200,000 employees of the United States Postal Service. The union is affiliated with the AFL-CIO.
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Htom Sirveaux
(1,242 posts)to the post office. They would make the perfect state owned banks. and it would preserve mail delivery for those who need it.
CurtEastPoint
(18,641 posts)Staples started with backing from private equity firms including Bain Capital; Bain co-founder Mitt Romney served on the company's board of directors for the next 15 years, helping shape their business model.
yeoman6987
(14,449 posts)It was great to go into a grocery store and mail thing. I am not sure why they are against this. Heck most Office Depots are part of a big shopping center which means a better lunch situation and even quick shopping after work. I don't know enough about the negatives, but I would be pretty happy myself (again this is from an outside observation).
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)that USPS jobs are the good jobs that we want to preserve and expand.