The National Association of Letter Carriers Local 157 plans to “fight like hell” in case the Trump administration tries to privatize the U.S. Postal Service or put it under control of the Department of Commerce.
The union rallied on Sunday outside its headquarters at 9607 James St. in Torresdale. Members wore red “Fight Like Hell” T-shirts. Speakers contended that privatization would lead to higher shipping rates, and that the Constitution gives Congress the power to stop any privatization effort.
Workers held signs that read, “U.S. Mail Not for Sale.” Letter carrier Kevin McCloskey and Mindy Murray, of the River Drivers, performed pro-union songs.
National business agent Brian Thompson shouted, “I say Hell, you say No,” into a megaphone. He noted the postal service is nearly 250 years old and consists of about 640,000 employees, including some 200,000 letter carriers.
Sean Geackel, an NALC branch president, said the USPS employs about 73,000 veterans, who he said “traded one uniform for another.”
Retired NALC executive vice president Tim O’Malley said, “We’ve been fighting this fight since 1970,” referencing a strike that year that led to guaranteed collective bargaining rights for workers.
O’Malley said he was happy that Donald Trump was given a change of address in January 2021, but Trump returned to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue earlier this year. The Department of Government Efficiency is eyeing cost savings that the NALC fears could lead to privatization or commerce department control.
The NALC has always been anti-Trump, endorsing Hillary Clinton in 2016, Joe Biden in 2020 and 2024 and Kamala Harris after Democrats muscled Biden out of his re-election bid.
The NALC on Sunday received support from other unions.
American Postal Workers Union regional coordinator A.J. Jones said letter carriers make it to “every door, every day.”
Rich Gennetti, national representative for District 3 of the American Federation of Government Employees, said letter carriers go to hills and valleys and, repeatedly pounding his first on the podium, said all unions should help USPS workers fight privatization.
Elected officials on hand to offer their support were City Councilman Mike Driscoll, state Reps. Ed Neilson and Pat Gallagher, city elections commissioner Lisa Deeley, Register of Wills John Sabatina and U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean.
Driscoll credited USPS employees for serving as essential workers during COVID.
“Keep your hands off of this union,” he said.
Neilson, a stamp collector, said some people can afford a stamp, but not a computer, to pay bills.
“We’ll march in Washington. We’ll do what it takes,” he said.
Deeley said postal workers help ensure the democracy, recalling their handling of mail ballots during the 2020 election, held during COVID.
Sabatina thanked workers for making sure his mailings during his 2023 campaign reached voters.
“Everybody in the world depends on the mail,” he said.
Dean thanked employees for working in the snow, sleet, rain and hail and claimed Trump runs a “corrupt administration.”
“We’re not going to let him succeed,” she said. ••
