WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: Pictured Above, National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 3 Executive Vice President Michael Levering (on the left) is joined by American Postal Workers (APWU) Buffalo President Frank Resetarits (in the middle) and NALC Branch 3 President David Grosskopf, Junior (on the right) during the APWU’s public postal action that was held last week in Buffalo.  Unionized Mail Carriers are saying Hell No to the Trump Administration’s potential dismantling of the United States Postal Service.  Public actions were held across the U.S. on Sunday (March 23rd) by NALC in 30 major cities to call attention to what could be lost if Trump has his way.  (Photo Courtesy of NALC Branch 3’s Grosskopf)

(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) – Under the rallying cry of Hell No, Sunday (March 23rd) witnessed 300 actions taken by National Association of Letter Carriers (NLC) Members across the Nation to focus public attention on the Trump Administration’s feared dismantlement of the United States Postal Service (USPS) and the repercussions it would have for the country.

The American Postal Workers Union (APWU) held similar actions across the U.S. last week, including one in Buffalo, where Unionized Letter Carriers spread the news that Trump’s action could jeopardize the jobs of nearly eight million Workers employed by the USPS, reduce services to 51.5 million households and raise shipping costs and driving inflation higher for consumers and businesses alike, if privatized.

NALC Branch 3 President David Grosskopf, Jr. sat down with WNYLaborToday.com late last week to discuss the actions and what it would ultimately mean for everyone involved.

“Our customers ‘are concerned,’” he said. “The USPS is the ‘most historic’ institution we have in the United States ‘and it has worked for hundreds of years.’  ‘We’re here to make sure it continues to be around for hundreds more.’”

Many may not know, but our Letter Carriers deliver 376 million pieces of mail and packages to nearly 169 million delivery points - nationwide.

And as one of our most-trusted public agencies, NALC and the APWU are opposing any privatization effort or reorganizational plan that would threaten the viability and continuation of the service, as well as jeopardize the jobs of 7.9 million Employees in the $1.92 trillion Mailing Industry, including 640,000 USPS Workers - of which, 73,000 are Veterans.

“‘If’ privatized, ‘affordability would be jeopardized, allowing other companies to raise mailing rates and exploit prices.’  The USPS is ‘mandated’ by our Constitution to deliver mail six days a week and packages seven days a week.  ‘This is what is at stake,’” Grosskopf said.

Branch 3 represents 1,230 Active Members and around 800 Retirees. 

Of the USPS’s active Workforce, 200,000 are active Letter Carriers.

“We ‘deliver to all’ areas, urban and rural - ‘if’ the USPS was privatized, ‘rural delivery would be uncertain because any company could decide not to deliver to your residence because it isn’t profitable for them,’” Grosskopf pointed out.

What the APWU and NALC are asking those they deliver mail to is to call their Congressional Representatives in Washington, D.C. and tell them “we’re not doing this.”

“My ‘gut feeling is that we will do everything we can to make sure the United States Postal Service is around for another (250) years.’  ‘We will also make sure that future generations of Letter Carriers will continue to serve the public as they have and continue to make a good living that supports themselves and their families,’” Grosskopf pledged.

Meanwhile, Buffalo City Letter Carriers held their own event on Sunday to oppose any privatization, dismantlement or restructuring of the USPS.

The grassroots group - called BFN (Build A Fighting NALC) Buffalo, was formed to call attention to current contract negotiations between NALC and the USPS, as well as call for wage increases “that will put Letter Carriers back ahead of inflation.”