WACO, Texas (KXXV) — Postal workers in Central Texas protest President Trump's plan to privatize the USPS, fearing job cuts and higher prices. They argue privatization would harm rural communities.
- Central Texas postal workers protest President Trump's plan to privatize the USPS, citing job security concerns.
- They warn privatization could harm rural communities and increase costs for essential services.
- Over 260 rallies have taken place nationwide in opposition to the proposed changes.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
“If we don’t fight for our jobs nobody will,” said USPS mail carrier Jerrod Perry.
Postal workers in Central Texas are taking part in a nationwide protest against President Trump and his efforts to privatize the U.S. postal service.
“You go to work everyday and you are just hoping that you still have a job,” said one mail carrier.
Jerrod Perry is one of many Central Texas mail carriers that took part in Sunday’s protest.
Workers tell 25 News privatization of the company could lead to job cuts, higher prices and cause a great disadvantage for our neighbors in rural areas.
“The people that it is going to affect is elderly people trying to get medicine, the rural community that people can’t reach. Most businesses or companies that ship, they use to make it to the rural communities,” said Perry.
In December, postmaster general Louis DeJoy offered postal workers a voluntary early retirement plan, which included a buyout negotiated with postal unions.
And in a recent letter to congress, DeJoy said the buyout would result in a reduction of 10,000 workers over the next month.
“It doesn't just affect the carriers or employees of the U.S. postal service. It affects the country itself. We have a rally across the world today,” said President of branch 643 of the National Association of mail carriers, Regina Antwine.
President Trump claims that the postal service has been losing $78 billion dollars annually. DeJoy said that the service needs "further efficiences.”
But for the employees of the 250 year old institution that has been acting independently since the 1970s - they say this is a step in the wrong direction.
“We provide a public service and we need this. Please stop the privatization of postal service,” said Antwine.
President Trump's push for this privatization has postal workers fearful for their future. The call for privatization of the USPS has led to more than 260 rallies nationwide.
“It’s stressful. You wonder what’s going to happen with your job, could you lose your job, could you be unemployed, how are you going to take care of your family, how are you going to feed your kids…it’s just a lot,” said Perry.
