St. Paul, MN Area Local APWU
Legislative Action
Home
Latest Flash Bulletin
Scholarship Info!
Legislative Action
Move to Eagan
Bulletins 2010
Bulletins 2009
Older Bulletins 2006-2008
President's Page
Stewards and Officers
Clerk Craft
Motor Vehicle Service
Maintenance Craft
APWU Health Plan
Recent Grievance Settlements
Membership Meeting Schedule
Uniform Vendors
Helpful Links
In the News
This Month in Labor History
Retiree's Corner
Why Be a Member?

Horizontal Divider 1

SAVE SATURDAY SERVICE!  THE JOB YOU SAVE MAY BE YOUR OWN!

Horizontal Divider 1

To send an email to your representative click the link below:
 

Horizontal Divider 1

Sample Letter to the Editor

Please note: Below is a sample letter to the editor, which you  can customize to address the news coverage and editorials in their areas. The reports and editorials have varied widely, so it is not possible to prepare a response that is appropriate for all circumstances. Please keep in mind that many news outlets impose word limits, so check before sending a response.

To the Editor:

Businesses can’t grow by cutting service, but that's what the postal service is planning to do.

Eliminating Saturday mail delivery would slow service and abandon individuals and companies that rely on weekend deliveries (such as mail-order medicines, DVDs, magazines, etc.). In short:

Ending Saturday delivery would hurt citizens and businesses.

It also would weaken the USPS – perhaps fatally. Abolishing Saturday delivery would encourage high-priced couriers to fill the void, but only in the most profitable locations. And that would be the beginning of the end: Allowing private companies to skim lucrative operations would undermine the Postal Service’s ability to serve every American at an inexpensive, uniform rate, and privatization could soon follow.

The loss of a national, public postal system would be bad news for our country and our financial system: The Postal Service is a powerful engine in the nation’s economy and it operates a vast network that enables citizens, businesses and government to communicate quickly at a low cost.

Fortunately, eliminating Saturday delivery and other drastic cutbacks are not necessary. Congress could revitalize the USPS by repealing the mandate to pre-fund future retiree healthcare benefits. This burden – which no other federal agency or business bears – costs the Postal Service more than $5 billion a year. Without that requirement, which Congress imposed in 2006, the USPS would have experienced a cumulative surplus of $3.7 billion over the last three fiscal years, despite declining mail volume and an economy in chaos.

And the Postal Service could strengthen its financial position by ending the practice of granting excessive, below-cost discounts to major advertising mailers.

To survive, the U.S. Postal Service must innovate and improve service. The road to postal solvency is to eliminate the $5 billion pre-payment, and unfair, excessive discounts for large mailers.

Horizontal Divider 1

Please note: Below are sample letters to U.S Representatives and Senators about why it is crucial to save Saturday mail delivery. Please feel free to put the message in your own words.

[Sample letter to your U.S. Senators]

Sample letter to your U.S. Representative [PDF | MS Word Version]

The Honorable _________
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Representative _________:

I am writing to urge you to oppose the Postal Service’s plan to end mail delivery on Saturdays, a misguided effort to address its financial problems.

Millions of Americans depend on Saturday delivery to receive prescription drugs, checks, newspapers, magazines, greeting cards, and notices from churches and community organizations. Many U.S. businesses operate six or seven days a week, and they rely on a six-day mail delivery cycle. For retailers, magazine publishers and companies like Medco, Netflix, Caremark and eBay, Saturday delivery is crucial.

Ending Saturday delivery also would weaken the USPS — perhaps fatally. Depriving citizens of the right to receive mail on Saturday would eliminate any justification for the Postal Service’s exclusive access to mailboxes, and would encourage high-priced private couriers to try to fill the void.

And that would be the beginning of the end: Allowing private companies to skim the lucrative operations would undermine the Postal Service’s ability to serve every American at a reasonable, uniform rate.

The Postal Service’s financial difficulties are caused by a provision of the 2006 Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act, which directs the USPS to “pre-fund” future retiree healthcare benefits. As a result of the pre-funding mandate, before the Postal Service sells its first stamp, it begins every fiscal year more than $5 billion in debt. No other federal agency or business is forced to bear similar burden: paying for a 75-year liability in just 10 years.

Without the pre-funding requirement, the USPS would have experienced a cumulative surplus of $3.7 billion over the last three fiscal years — despite declining mail volume and an economy in chaos.

The Postal Service is barred from ending six-day delivery by a provision in annual Appropriations bills. I am asking you to retain that provision, and to support H. Res. 173, which expresses support for continuing Saturday mail service for every American community.

Sincerely,

[Add signature, printed name and address]

Sample Letter to U.S. Senators [PDF | MS Word Version]

The Honorable _________
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510

I am writing to urge you to oppose the Postal Service’s plan to end mail delivery on Saturdays, a misguided effort to address its financial problems.

Millions of Americans depend on Saturday delivery to receive prescription drugs, checks, newspapers, magazines, greeting cards, and notices from churches and community organizations. Many U.S. businesses operate six or seven days a week, and they rely on a six-day mail delivery cycle. For retailers, magazine publishers and companies like Medco, Netflix, Caremark and eBay, Saturday delivery is crucial.

Ending Saturday delivery also would weaken the USPS — perhaps fatally. Depriving citizens of the right to receive mail on Saturday would eliminate any justification for the Postal Service’s exclusive access to mailboxes, and would encourage high-priced private couriers to try to fill the void.

And that would be the beginning of the end: Allowing private companies to skim the lucrative operations would undermine the Postal Service’s ability to serve every American at a reasonable, uniform rate.

The Postal Service’s financial difficulties are caused by a provision of the 2006 Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act, which directs the USPS to “pre-fund” future retiree healthcare benefits. As a result of the pre-funding mandate, before the Postal Service sells its first stamp, it begins every fiscal year more than $5 billion in debt. No other federal agency or business is forced to bear similar burden: paying for a 75-year liability in just 10 years.

Without the pre-funding requirement, the USPS would have experienced a cumulative surplus of $3.7 billion over the last three fiscal years — despite declining mail volume and an economy in chaos.

The Postal Service is barred from ending six-day delivery by a provision in annual Appropriations bills. I am asking you to retain that provision, and to support H. Res. 173, which expresses support for continuing Saturday mail service for every American community.

Sincerely,

[Add signature, printed name and address]

[Get the Facts, Spread with Word (APWU Web News Article 035-2010, April 28, 2010)]

[back to top]


To write to your Congressperson or Senator, click below: