Postal Workers Rally Across Michigan Against Possible USPS Changes
Amid growing concerns over proposed changes to the United States Postal Service (USPS), postal workers across Michigan took to the streets on Thursday. The protests were sparked by President Donald Trump’s proposal to bring the independent agency under the U.S. Commerce Department’s control, a move that workers fear could lead to privatization.
The American Postal Workers Union (APWU) organized a national day of action, with demonstrations occurring in several Michigan cities. APWU state union president Michael Mize emphasized the need for public support against the changes, stating, “We want to make sure there’s a statement made by the public the U.S. Mail is not for sale.”
In Saginaw, over twenty union members rallied, carrying signs that read “Hands Off Our Public Postal Service.” Among the demonstrators was Thomas Gillespie, a former 20-year USPS employee and current president of the Saginaw APWU retirees’ chapter. Gillespie expressed concern that privatization could result in the discontinuation of mail delivery to less profitable areas in Michigan. He questioned, “Can a private company deliver a letter? Sure. Will they deliver a letter? Is some private company going to each and every house in the Upper Peninsula. Is some private company going to go to each and every house in the Thumb? No.”
The USPS is also facing potential staffing reductions. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy announced plans to reduce the workforce by 10,000 employees and cut billions of dollars from the agency’s budget, collaborating with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to achieve these goals.
Established during the Second Continental Congress in 1775, the Post Office became an executive branch department in 1872. In 1970, President Richard Nixon transformed it into an independent, self-financing agency known as the U.S. Postal Service. Despite its long history, the USPS has faced financial difficulties in recent decades due to growing competition from parcel delivery services and a decline in personal mail.
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