HR 756, the Postal Service Reform Act of 2017, is moving through the House already having
cleared one committee. Most of the discussion around the bill that I have seen seems to center
around the provision forcing retirees over age 65 to enroll in Medicare Part B as their primary health
insurance. I am one of the 20% who has opted not to enroll in Medicare Part B. However, I am willing
to bite the bullet on increasing my health care costs in view of the fact that HR 756 also amortizes the
over $33 billion debt imposed on USPS owes by the Treasury.
What I am not willing to do, and will never be willing to do, is endanger 10,000s of Unionized Letter
Carrier jobs which is what will happen if HR 756 is signed into law with the odious Section 202 intact.
Eliminating Door Delivery for all business by 2023 will cut thousands of routes, especially in big
cities. Despite protestations from NALC HQ, voluntary conversion for residential delivery points is
equally perilous. While it may be difficult to get 40% compliance for blocks where residents get
delivery to their door, those residents who already get curbside delivery will undoubtedly be subjected
to a persistent campaign by USPS telling them how much safer, greener, etc. cluster box delivery
would be. Also, as a basic principle, it is anti-democratic for 40% to approve cutting service for the
other 60%. It is also likely that the communities targeted for this service cut will be those with fewer
resources to defend themselves from it, and most dependent upon To-the-Door delivery services, e.g.
the Elderly, the Disabled, and the Poor.
Why should the APWU care about Letter Carrier jobs? Because "An Injury to one is an injury
to all" is a basic principle of Unionism, and every craft is weakened by any cut to our service,
especially now, when we are fighting for more jobs and to expand services, like providing Postal
Banking and Postal Internet Services.
I call upon all APWU sisters and brothers, members and officers alike, to re-examine their
thinking about HR 756.
Please urge your representatives to co-sponsor HR 28 to protect Door Delivery. This Resolution,
while having no force of law, may prove a bulwark against Section 202.
Please sign and distribute the model petition to City Councils being circulated by Communities and
Postal Workers United:
https://www.scribd.com/document/344434737/Attention-Carriers-20170407-0001
Yours in Unionism,
John Dennie
(I am a retired Union Mail Handler who worked over 2 years with my APWU sisters and brothers
defending the Clerk craft in the STOP STAPLES campaign.)