Save Postal Service Rally Today!!

The Postal Service is critical to our economy – delivering mail, medicine, and packages on time and for a good price. Yet plans are underway to close thousands of post offices, eliminate Saturday delivery, close mail processing facilities, cut service, and lay off 120,000 employees.

The Postal Service is in danger of financial collapse – but not for the reasons you might think.

The problem is that a bill Congress passed in 2006 is pushing the Postal Service into bankruptcy. The law imposes a burden on the USPS that no other government agency or private company bears.  It requires the Postal Service to pay a 75-year liability in just 10 years – to “pre-fund” healthcare benefits for future retirees. This congressional mandate costs the USPS more than $5 billion a year, and it is the cause of the Postal Service’s financial crisis. In other words, Congress has mandated that it pre-pay the health insurance premiums for postal workers yet born!

Meanwhile, the USPS has overpaid billions of dollars into federal pension accounts.

Congress created the USPS Financial crisis, and Congress can fix it.

Legislation pending in the House of Representatives would prevent a collapse of the USPS – without drastic cuts in service, without massive layoffs, and without terminating collective bargaining rights for postal employees. H.R. 1351, introduced by Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA), would allow the Postal Service to apply the billions of dollars in pension overpayments to meet the Postal Service’s financial obligations.

How much will this cost you, as a taxpayer? Not a single cent!

That’s because the Postal Service doesn't run on tax dollars. It’s funded solely by the sale of stamps and postage. H.R. 1351 doesn't call for a bailout. It would allow the Postal Service to apply its excess retirement payments to meet it's financial obligations.

What Can You Do?

Approximately 200 members of the House of Representatives have signed on as co-sponsors for H.R. 1351 – both Democrats and Republicans.But more support is needed.

Attend the Tuesday September 27 Rally at the Main Missoula Post Office, 1100 W. Kent from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm.

"Save America's Postal Service" rallies are informational events that will take place in every congressional district in the United States on Sept. 27 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Sign the petition asking Rep. Rehberg to support H.R. 1351

You can sign at the rally on Sept. 27, online  here.

Ask your legislator to support H.R. 1351.

• By phone: Call the Capitol Hill switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected to your representative’s office.

• By mail: Send a note to your representative at:

The Honorable Dennis Rehberg

U.S. House of Representatives

Washington, DC 20515

Visit here for more information.

From Local Union 427, Union Executive Officer, Mark Anderlik