INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Mail carriers across the country and in the Hoosier state gathered on Sunday to protest efforts to privatize the U.S. Postal Service.
Hundreds packed the steps of the statehouse and gathered in Fishers to share their message to Pres. Donald Trump: Keep your hands off the postal service.
As a part of their nationwide “Fight Like Hell” campaign, the National Association of Letter Carriers organized demonstrations in all 50 states on Sunday, including in Fishers and at the statehouse. The protestors shared why they believe privatization is a threat, not only to their jobs, but to the people’s mail they deliver.
“We’re mandated by law to deliver mail to every residence and business six days a week,” Paul Toms, president of Indy’s branch of the NALC said. “That would make that impossible to do.”
“If we got privatized, there’s no guarantee people in rural areas, people in different areas, would not get service,” NALC Carmel branch President Josh Armacost said.
Trump has long hinted at privatizing the 250-year-old service, but renewed concerns when he said the new commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, should oversee USPS.
The postal service is independent and has long been overseen by a board of governors, not a cabinet secretary.
“He’s gonna look at it,” Trump said at Lutnick’s confirmation in February. “he’s got a great business instinct, which is what we need. He’ll be looking at it. We think we can turn it around, but it is the postal service…we’re losing so much money with the postal service.”
USPS has seen billions in annual losses, about $9.5 billion in the last fiscal year.
The U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy recently signed an agreement with the Department of Government Efficiency to make cuts to the agency.
“Which is a threat to all postal jobs, which there’s 640,000 of those,” Toms said.
There are about 12,000 similar jobs in Indiana.
“That’s going to increase shipping costs, which will negatively impact inflation,” Toms said. “Inflation is going to rise.”
It comes as the USPS distribution center on Indy’s east side has faced months of delays, leading to widespread frustration.
Organizers argue privatizing the postal service won’t help.
“Mail service to millions of households and businesses would be affected by it,” Toms said. He also said he worries people will not receive essentials they need, like medication and checks.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
