Workers and advocates gather in Baltimore to fight back against what they say are concerted efforts by private interests to undermine the agency in order to eliminate solid middle class jobs
Story Transcript
MEGAN SHERMAN, TRNN: Community members converged at a panel discussion hosted at Coppin State University to voice their concerns over planned budget cuts to the United States Post Office. This event is the first of many organized by a Washington based group called the Grand Alliance to Save Our Public Postal Service. The cuts come as a result of cost saving initiatives demanded by critics of the agency who have required it to recognize long term retirement costs now. It’s a move supporters say has unfairly burdened the postal service with paper losses that do not reflect both the underlying health….and importance of the agency to workers and the communities they serve. Last week a series of speakers elaborated on the implications of such changes including the closing of mail processing centers and the reduction of hours. John L. Seibel, president of TrueBallot, are concerned slow mail service could hinder election efforts of potential candidates due to potentially slow mail service. Another concern are the middle class jobs the postal service has traditionally afforded to communities of color. George Askew, President of the Baltimore American Postal Workers Union, says that these cost cutting decisions affect the availability of stable union wage jobs. Baltimore Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke believes that big business is the driving factor behind efforts to weaken public agencies like the postal service. The ultimate goal? To privatize them and eliminate good paying union jobs to fatten corporate profits. The Real News will continue to cover this matter as it develops.
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