take a stand | APWU - South Jersey Area Local 0526

Notices of Public Meeting for SO Jersey NJ P&DC

There will be a Public Meeting next Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at 1 PM (EST) at the Cherry Hill Public Library. (DOWNLOAD THE ATTACHED DOCUMENTS TO SEE THE FULL DETAILS)

The recent announcement by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) regarding the potential relocation of operations from the South Jersey Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) in Bellmawr NJ to the Philadelphia P&DC in Philadelphia PA has sparked significant concerns among residents and businesses. While part of a $40 billion investment strategy aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and improving customer service, this move has already resulted in mail delivery delays and the loss of mail and packages. These issues underscore the pressing need for a thorough reassessment of this decision.

The USPS’s Delivering for America plan, while seeking to make the Postal Service more efficient and competitive, has raised doubts about its effectiveness in light of the current situation at the South Jersey P&DC. The facility review, intended to inform resource allocation and enhance customer service, has instead led to disruptions that are negatively impacting the community. Moreover, the potential decrease in employment opportunities due to this relocation adds to the local economic struggles, further exacerbating the situation.

Public input is a crucial component of such decisions, yet the short notice given for the public meeting on March 6, 2024, at the Cherry Hill Public Library, has left little time for meaningful community engagement. This rushed approach undermines the transparency and inclusivity necessary for a decision of this magnitude, especially considering the potential impact on the stability of current employees who may be uprooted from their base of operations, leading to possible job losses.

As concerned citizens, we urge the USPS to reconsider its decision regarding the South Jersey P&DC. While recognizing the need for modernization and efficiency, we emphasize that these goals should not come at the expense of service quality and community well-being. We call for a more comprehensive evaluation, with ample opportunity for public input, to ensure that any changes made benefit all stakeholders involved, including the employees whose livelihoods are at stake.

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Standing Against Deteriorating Mail Service

The United States Postal Service (USPS) is currently facing a myriad of challenges, including delayed mail, facility closures, intentional short staffing, and redirected mail logistics. These issues not only inconvenience millions of Americans but also threaten the integrity of a critical public service. Timely mail delivery is essential for individuals and businesses alike, impacting everything from bill payments to business transactions. Delays in mail delivery can lead to significant financial losses and missed opportunities, highlighting the urgent need for the USPS to prioritize efficient and timely service.

Furthermore, the closure of postal facilities exacerbates challenges for both USPS employees and customers. Such closures disrupt local communities and contribute to longer delivery times and increased workloads for remaining postal workers. Particularly in rural areas, facility closures can leave residents without convenient access to essential postal services, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a robust and accessible postal network. Additionally, intentional short staffing within the USPS poses significant problems, leading to increased stress and burnout among workers and compromising service quality. Adequate staffing levels are crucial for ensuring efficient mail processing and delivery.

In response to these pressing issues, it is vital for the public to mobilize and demand accountability and reform within the USPS. Citizens can take action by contacting elected representatives, participating in community protests, and advocating for legislative measures to address systemic challenges. By standing together, the public can send a powerful message that deteriorating mail service standards are unacceptable and demand better for themselves and future generations. It is essential to uphold the USPS’s vital role with excellence and integrity, ensuring it continues to serve as a cornerstone of society.

Use the attached documents to inform your neighbors, local businesses, local and state officials. Use the petition to gather our neighborly support!

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Join us on July 23

Join our nationwide phone action on July 23.
Sign up to support the USPS Fairness Act and save our public Postal Service.
Sign up for the phone action here>>

We have the opportunity to collectively educate the members of the House of Representatives on the value of the public Postal Service and the threats it is facing.

In 2006, Congress saddled the US Postal Service with an extraordinary financial burden of prefunding retirees’ health care costs 75 years into the future, through a law called the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA).

That burden has led to service and job cuts. It is also what the White House Task Force report is using to justify proposing the elimination of our right to collectively bargain wages and benefits, and threaten the sale of the public Postal Service.

This White House threat couldn’t be any more serious for postal workers and the public. It’s time for Congress to start undoing some of their damage by passing the USPS Fairness Act (H.R. 2382).

On July 23, I am asking you to step up and call your member of Congress. Sign up now. Be a part of our nationwide phone action.

No other Federal agency or private organization is saddled with this kind of burden.

Taking billions of dollars out of the day-to-day running of the Postal Service has prevented investments and innovations for the future. It is also part of the reason why we so often find the USPS understaffed and we are so overworked.

The White House Postal Task Force made it clear that they see an opportunity to come after our jobs and our livelihood. In their recommendations to deal with this manufactured crisis, they state: “USPS employee rights should be more closely aligned with other federal employee rights by eliminating collective bargaining over compensation.”

Part of a real solution is to get rid of this burdensome mandate.

The USPS Fairness Act (H.R. 2382) would put the Postal Service on the road to sustainability by immediately repealing that mandate.

This bill has unprecedented bipartisan support. We can get this passed if we all take action together. Sign up now. Register for our July 23rd online action day.

In union solidarity,

Legislative and Political Director, Judy Beard