Office of Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH) Press Release
Cleveland, Ohio (October 17, 2011) – Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today released the following video and statement in support of the workers at the United States Postal Service:
“Reform of the Postal Service is vital to protecting universal service mandate. I agree Congress has a responsibility to work with USPS on this reform. But forcing workers and Postal Service union employees to break their labor agreements and to cut 6-day service is wrong.
“When you look at what is happening the Cleveland area, it is really concerning. First we saw the neighborhood post boxes disappear, and that was a staple for many communities. Instead of driving to the Post Office, anyone could just walk to the box and drop in the mail. Then we saw entire branches disappear and that presented some real hardship for people. And then you start to see private, competitive mail facilities being put right on the same properties as the Postal Service.
“It seems as though there has been a concerted effort inside the Postal Service towards a privatization model. I will fight that effort and any effort to weaken the Postal Service.
“There is something else going on that I find deeply disturbing and that is to make the employees second class citizens. The big battle happening all across the country and in Ohio is over what kind of rights workers have if they happen to work for the public. The issue in Ohio is over Senate Bill 5 and Issue 2, which I am urging be defeated.
“Why are we doing this to the people who serve the public? Why are we making those who work for the postal service second class citizens? We are moving towards a privatized model and we are treating the workers already like they have already been privatized.”I am committed to ensuring the viability of the USPS and to the unique, irreplaceable services it provides to Americans. The Postal Service employs the greatest number of veterans outside of the Department of Defense. It provides a living wage and decent benefits for the middle-class. For communities that do not have access to the internet or to public transportation, fighting the closing of a local post office branch often means fighting for their right to interact with the outside world. That is why I am committed to ensuring that our local post offices will still be there when the economy recovers. There are ways to generate revenue without cutting jobs, privatizing essential services and closing vital post office branches in communities that rely on them.”
we need this guy, let him tell Super Committee to give USPS with strings attached to give early retirement incentives, and maybe some to those who are eligible and could go anytime.
Hey Mr Kucinich, if we support your views will Larry Flint support ours? Can we all get money for olive pits too? Mr Kucinich you are a real american Hero all the way down to the 38.00 dollar a year income for doing nothing. But you did find yourself.
I am an postal employee working in the great state of florida. REP. Dennis J. Kucinich from ohio a dem. is who the american public and all the postal workers should be behind this this rep. and e-mail his office and thank him for standing with us in this fight, for our lively hood and well being.
Hip,Hip,Hooray for Kucinich! If he makes another run at the Presidency,then I am with him all the way!Finally,someone telling the truth for a change…rather than the lying,crooked Issa/Ross teabagger/republicans and the clueless,lazy,complicit mainstream press.Cleveland and Ohio have a state and National treasure in this guy!
Why don’t we have more Congressmen like this guy????? This is the type of support the employees of the USPS needs. Someone who actually cares what the general public relies upon. We should not be making it harder for citizens, but easier. Accessibility is what we should be offering, not fewer and harder to get to Post Offices. Many of those in Congress have no idea what a lot of the USPS employees give up to provide these services. Like our pay, and benefits. Do you know that half or more of the USPS employees work overnight?? We give up family time every single day, yes we get night differential for putting in such odd hours and we should because we are missing out on so much more that the 9-5 people take for granted.