New Jersey Letter Carriers To Picket July 1

Posted on by postal

Letter Carriers Set July 1 Picketing in New Jersey to Oppose ‘Contracting Out’ by Postal Service

PATERSON, N.J.- Members of Paterson Branch 120 of the National Association of Letter Carriers will engage in informational picketing on Sunday, July 1, at the Paterson Post Office to protest a growing policy of the U.S. Postal Service to contract out to private firms and individuals the delivery of mail in urban and suburban areas, the postal union announced today.

NALC Branch 120 President Joseph Murone said the Paterson demonstration is one of many planned throughout the nation to bring attention of the public to this new policy that will diminish service to postal customers and endanger the future viability of the Postal Service.

Murone said the Paterson picketing is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the post office, 194 Ward Street. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) is scheduled to participate with the local letter carriers in the protest, along with other local and state officials.

NALC National President William H. Young said letter carriers in the Paterson area “have witnessed first hand this destructive policy of the Postal Service to outsource the delivery of mail to low-wage, no-benefit, part-time contractors instead of career government employees who have gained the trust and respect of American families for the past 118 years.”

“This policy must be reversed quickly before more damage is done,” Young said.

The NALC’s effort to fight privatization of mail delivery has gained strong support in Congress. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) has introduced legislation (S. 1457) to outlaw most contracting out, and in the House of Representatives, Rep. Albio Sires  (D-NJ) has authored H. Res. 282 which would condemn the practice and urges the Postal Service to halt the practice immediately. The entire New Jersey House delegation has joined as cosponsors of the Sires resolution.

The NALC represents 298,000 active and retired letter carriers of the U.S. Postal Service is all 50 states and U.S. jurisdictions.

SOURCE National Association of Letter Carriers