Postal workers in Utah joined a nationwide day of rallies Tuesday to call on Congress and the public to support the U.S. Postal Service. The demonstration in Salt Lake City is one of dozens planned across the country by the American Postal Workers Union to protect the nation's postal system.
Russ Franklin, president of the American Postal Workers Union Salt Lake City Area Local 6, stated that the rallies aim to draw attention to growing political pressure on the Postal Service. This includes efforts to restrict vote-by-mail and proposals to outsource portions of USPS operations.
Among the union's three primary demands are leadership that supports and strengthens the Postal Service, protection of vote-by-mail, and congressional action to improve the agency's finances. Franklin noted that the Postal Service's financial position is constrained by federal laws that limit how it can invest retirement funds, stating that the fund is currently restricted to government-issued bonds instead of an open marketplace.
Franklin also warned against contracting mail processing or delivery to private companies, arguing that privatization could increase risks regarding fraud, theft, and reduced mail security. He pointed to Utah's long-standing vote-by-mail system as an example of the service's importance, particularly for older adults, rural residents, and postal employees.
The Postal Service has operated primarily on revenue from postage, shipping services, and post office box rentals since becoming a self-funded entity in 1970. Franklin noted the agency continues to feel the effects of a 2006 congressional requirement to pre-fund retiree health benefits decades into the future.
Organizers encouraged attendees to contact their members of Congress to advocate for policies that would strengthen the Postal Service.
