Concerns about overhauling the U.S. Postal Service is driving local members of the National Association of Letter Carriers to bring awareness to what they say could devastate the nation's mail system.
President Donald Trump has floated ideas ranging from moving the USPS to the Commerce Department – to even privatizing it. Western New York postal workers took part in a nationwide event over the weekend, pushing back on talk Amherst mail carrier Steve Olander said could impact consumers and jobs.
"I think it's a very serious concern. I don't think that it's likely to happen all in one big sweeping motion, as in, like one executive order. I mean, that's not legal, not that that stopped him [President Trump] from doing anything like that before," said Olander. "But I think if we're going to see it happen, it's going to happen piecemeal, small changes are going to start to happen. Pieces are going to be broken off and sold for profit and that kind of thing. And so we have to protect against that erosion of our public institution. It's provided for in the Constitution, and we need to defend it."
Olander said many Americans might not be aware of how the postal service is structured as an independent agency, and what privatization could do.
"It would mean a lot of bad things. It would mean an end to universal service, meaning that areas that they determine are 'not profitable to deliver to' would no longer receive service," Olander argued. "It would probably mean the end of six day service. It could mean the end of ballot integrity. It could mean the end of life saving medications through the mail. It would mean slower service, higher prices, it would be a very impactful for the everyday customer."
Earlier this month, U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said he signed an agreement to work with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency team for cost cutting initiatives.
DeJoy, appointed in May 2020, also plans on stepping down soon after a five-year run at the helm of the agency. Meaning much of the "transformational change" he said is needed for the postal service, will be left to a new appointee
