Postal Workers Rally Against Privatization: "The U.S. Mail is Not for Sale"

Los Angeles - Postal workers in Los Angeles and across the country are rallying today to raise their voices against a proposed plan to privatize the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). They warn that this move could harm millions of Americans who rely on the service.

What’s Happening:

Protests are taking place today in cities like Buffalo, New York, and parts of Illinois, as workers stand together to say, “The U.S. mail is not for sale.”

Locally, postal workers in the Inland Empire have been busy making signs in preparation for this nationwide day of action. Members of the American Postal Workers Union are speaking out against what they describe as a "hostile takeover" of the USPS.

Just last month, President Donald Trump suggested the possibility of a federal takeover of the USPS, an independent, self-funded agency that employs around 635,000 people.

Concerns are growing as reports emerge that a deal could lead to the loss of 10,000 postal jobs through voluntary retirements in the next 30 days. Workers fear this is just the first step toward deeper cuts and eventual privatization. Their concern is that a private company would prioritize profits over providing universal service, leaving rural communities with fewer mail deliveries and higher prices.

Why It Matters:

Postal workers and their union argue that turning the USPS into a for-profit business would harm the American people, especially those in rural areas. They fear fewer delivery days, rate increases, and reduced access to essential mail services.

Voices of Protest:

Congresswoman Maxine Waters joined postal workers in South LA to show her support. She spoke out against the privatization effort, saying, "The post office belongs to the people; it's in the Constitution. We depend on it, and some of the people who voted for him [Trump] didn’t know he would use his ‘gangster mentality’ to push for this. We’re not gonna let it go. He’ll be challenged on this issue, just like on others. The people are gonna say, 'You may not have our post office.' Our post office is not for sale."

Rick Ruiz, President of American Postal Workers Local 4635, shared his thoughts, saying, "You can’t sell it to the highest bidder. We deliver to every household in America. It’s depressing to think they could just take it away."

Another postal worker added, “What they’ll take are the big cities, but rural America won’t get its mail. We’re all Americans. The USPS is an American institution.”

Postal workers are determined to stand their ground and protect the USPS, emphasizing that the service is a vital part of the country, not for sale to private interests.