Postal Workers Push Back as USPS Faces Calls for Privatization, Job Slashes

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Postal Workers Push Back as USPS Faces Calls for Privatization,
People demonstrate during a "Hell No!" to dismantling the US Postal Service rally outside the George W. Young Post Office, in Detroit, Michigan, on March 23, 2025. JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP via Getty Images/Getty Images

Thousands of postal workers and their supporters rallied across the US over the weekend to protest potential job cuts and privatization efforts targeting the US.

Postal Service (USPS). The demonstrations come as Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and government officials consider drastic changes to the agency, including eliminating 10,000 jobs.

According to USA Today, the USPS, which employs over 635,000 workers, has faced financial struggles for years, reporting a $9.5 billion loss last year.

Amid these challenges, discussions about privatization have intensified. The proposed changes have sparked outrage among postal employees and union leaders, who argue that such moves could harm service reliability, increase delivery costs, and disproportionately impact rural communities.

At a rally in Los Angeles, Brian Renfroe, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers, expressed strong opposition to any privatization efforts or job reductions.

"We had an election, and nobody voted to dismantle the Postal Service," Renfroe said, emphasizing that the USPS plays a crucial role in delivering essential services, including prescriptions and Social Security checks.

American Postal Workers Union President Mark Dimondstein echoed these concerns at a rally in Washington, DC, stating, "This isn't just a fight for postal workers—it's a fight for every American who relies on the mail."

Postal Workers Rally Against USPS Deal to Slash 10,000 Jobs

The protests intensified following DeJoy's recent letter to Congress, in which he confirmed an agreement with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to cut 10,000 jobs as part of a broader restructuring plan.

Lawmakers, particularly Democrats, have raised concerns over how these cuts might affect USPS operations and public access to mail services.

Rep. Gerald Connolly, a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, criticized the deal, warning that it could lead to "privatization through the back door."

Connolly argued that allowing DOGE to manage the USPS could "undermine its mission and leave millions without affordable mail services."

Postal unions warn that privatization could have severe consequences, particularly for rural communities.

Christopher Jackson, president of National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 358, pointed out that private companies might abandon less profitable delivery routes, leaving small towns without reliable mail service, NBC Said.

"If they privatize the Postal Service, they won't deliver to little places like Tupper Lake," Jackson said. "They're going to sell the profitable parts and leave the rest behind."

Union members also highlighted the USPS's role as a major employer for veterans, with over 73,000 former service members working for the agency.

"I could have been a corrections officer or a Border Patrol agent," Jackson said. "I chose the Postal Service because of the benefits."

While no final decisions have been made, union members are vowing to continue their fight against privatization. More rallies are expected, and legal action remains on the table if job cuts move forward.

"We're going to do everything we can to make sure this doesn't happen," Jackson said.

The USPS has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the protests or its privatization discussions.

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