KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Tuesday afternoon, the American Postal Workers Union held a rally in downtown Kalamazoo as part of a nationwide day of action to save the post office.
The union, postal workers, and supporters gathered in front of the Arcadia Post Office on East Michigan Avenue between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m.
A protester holds a sign in Downtown Kalamazoo in support of the USPS. (Photo by Jeana Gondek).
“I’m here to defend our postal service,” attendee Val Janowski said in an interview. “I am absolutely furious at our postmaster general Luis DeJoy kneecapping our postal service. He thought he could get away with it, and he’s wrong. The American people are calling him out.”
Janowski said that actions and policy changes taken by DeJoy need to be addressed.
“We want to see a reversal of the horrible changes that he’s made,” Janowski said. “We want a return of the automatic sorting machines of course, and we want overtime restored for the postal workers. He’s doing the bidding of his boss, and it’s all about slowing the returns of mail-in ballots. The post office is not a business, it’s a service. It’s a service provided to the American People.”
Letter carriers are also speaking out about what they are hoping to achieve with this event.
“What we want is $25 billion at least in funding from the Senate, the House has already approved this,” local letter carrier and union member Dave Staiger said in an interview, speaking as an individual citizen. “Especially because of COVID, the post office has been hit with business mail being down, even though package volume is up. We really need the $25 billion immediately, the house has passed this for weeks, and the Senate, I feel, has been dragging their feet, so we want them to take action on that.”
Staiger also said that delays in mail have been an issue.
Protesters gather in downtown Kalamazoo regarding action for the USPS. (Photo by Jeana Gondek).
“We also want to stop any delays in mail that have happened recently, and we want to make sure voting is safe,” Staiger said. “With the pandemic, we want people to trust the post office. It has a 91% approval rating among the public, the highest of any government agency. Postal workers are passionate at getting the mail out, and want to do that in a timely manner and accurately. We want Congress to support us in that, just to help us to our jobs as safely and effectively as possible.”
Staiger said that the effects from the changes have been noticeable.
“Overall, the pandemic has been the biggest effect on the mail that I see, but we do see some with what mail we get and some delays, so we would like that corrected,” Staiger said. “There’s already been burdens on the [postal service], and we really need the help and support. Otherwise, the post office is projected to run out of funds by next year. It’s an institution that’s been around longer than the country, since Ben Franklin founded it, and we want to make sure it’s there for people. We want to keep up good service, but we need some support from Congress to do that.”
Staiger says citizens can help by calling their Congress and Senate representatives to encourage their actions on approving the funding and other items.
Organizers are demanding the following from elected officials and Postmaster General DeJoy:
- Provide at least $25 billion in immediate support for the Postal Service
- Stop the mail slowdown policies introduced by Postmaster General DeJoy
- Ensure public confidence in voting-by-mail by providing all necessary resources for the most timely delivery of election mail possible.
Attendees also signed a giant postcard that they plan to mail to the U.S. Senate in care of Mitch McConnell.
Elsewhere in Michigan Tuesday, Senator Gary Peters made a stop at the USPS facility on Patterson Avenue SE in Grand Rapids, as well as the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 56 in Kentwood.
While there, Peters discussed the recent changes the protesters were against, in addition to providing an update into his ongoing investigation of the matter.
“West Michigan residents are among the thousands who reported their stories to my office about how recent postal delays have negatively impacted them. That’s why after I didn’t get clear, satisfactory answers from Postmaster General DeJoy, I came to see what’s happening on the ground here in West Michigan and hear directly from the dedicated postal workers who strive day in and day out to deliver the mail on time,” Peters said. “It is clear that the changes Postmaster General DeJoy directed are harming those who depend on the Postal Service to receive critical prescription drugs, bills, paychecks and home supplies. Michiganders need a Postal Service that provides dependable service, and I will continue working to ensure families and small businesses can once again get the service that they deserve.”
Peters said his investigation has received more than 7,600 personal submissions from individuals, veterans, seniors and small business owners in Michigan and across the country.
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