We ❤️ Postal Carriers

Check out this collection of photos to remember all the work we did together in 2020 to save the post office

This win—which is in no small part thanks to the more than 1.5 million MoveOn members who signed petitions, rallied, called Congress, hung signs and stickers, and more—will save the USPS approximately $50 billion over the next decade and secure family-sustaining union jobs for 550,000 public servants!2 And it comes from years of grassroots pressure to ensure the vital services provided by the USPS that support everyone, no matter their ZIP code, stick around, delivering our medications, our ballots, and so much more without interruption, even during a global pandemic. It’s a proof point that people power can produce results!

Don’t just take our word for it: check out this video with Representatives Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, and Sara Jacobs saying thank you to MoveOn members for all your organizing!

The ability to vote by mail was essential for the 2020 elections during the pandemic. Trump appointed Louis DeJoy, a political donor and crony, to the position of postmaster general, where DeJoy led blatant efforts to undermine the post office and influence the election by slowing mail, removing mail-sorting machines, and warning states not to count on the post office to deliver ballots.3 

But MoveOn members spoke out and took action alongside our allies. At more than 800 post offices across the country, MoveOn members showed up—masked and socially distanced—in solidarity with postal workers everywhere and to defend the essential public institution and our democracy from Trump and Postmaster General DeJoy. This pressure forced DeJoy to stop some of his operational changes in their tracks. And in October, mere weeks before Election Day, the USPS finally agreed to reverse many of the destructive decisions.4 Together, we ensured every vote was counted. MoveOn partnered with a broad spectrum of progressive and voting rights allies to demand state and local officials expand access to voting rights.

Together, MoveOn members: 

• Collected nearly 1.5 million petition signatures.
• Led over 800 rallies with allies at post offices across the country. Cher even attended one!
• Made thousands of phone calls to elected officials.
• Put up over 330,000 “We ❤️ Postal Workers” stickers on mailboxes.

The first success was blocking DeJoy’s sinister plot to interfere with our election. This week marks a second victory, with Congress and President Biden delivering long-term stability to the Postal Service to ensure it can continue to provide service across the country, especially as we head into the next election season.

We powered this victory not only with pressure on lawmakers but also by turning out in record numbers to create Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, which have delivered to secure the future of USPS. 

Next up: We need these elected officials to continue to deliver and hold everyone involved in Trump’s disastrous administration accountable. And for the USPS, there are so many ways they can expand their services, such as postal banking. Post offices—already in nearly every community in the U.S.— used to provide low-cost banking services. Over 100 million people don’t currently have access to affordable financial services, and this solution would ease the burden while we continue to emerge from the pandemic.⁵ 

At the same time, we’ll also keep working to push the USPS to electrify its fleet—which would be a significant move in reducing our carbon pollution.

This victory reminds us of what is possible when we work together to create a better future for everyone. We all have a chance to use our power again this November to elect people who will deliver for our communities and keep advocating for what we believe in. This entire campaign started because someone started a petition, and it gave people who agreed an opportunity to have their voices heard. You can start a petition here anytime on an issue in your neighborhood or on something that affects everyone nationwide.

Thanks for all you do.

Sources: 

1. Tweet by President Biden, April 6, 2022
https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1511805701827579906

2. “U.S. House to Vote to Provide Postal Service With $50 Billion in Relief,” U.S. News & World Report, February 7, 2022
https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2022-02-07/u-s-house-to-vote-to-provide-postal-service-with-50-billion-in-relief

3. “Postal leader defends changes, denies ‘sabotaging’ election,” The Associated Press, August 24, 2020
https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-election-2020-ap-top-news-politics-us-news-dc647214b5fc91cc29e776d8f4a4accf

4. “Postal Service Agrees To Reverse Service Cutbacks Ahead Of Election,” National Public Radio, October 15, 2020
https://www.npr.org/2020/10/15/923960405/postal-service-agrees-to-reverse-service-cutbacks-ahead-of-election

5. “Postal Banking,” American Postal Workers Union, accessed April 4, 2022
https://apwu.org/postal-banking