BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — Postal workers across the nation are raising concerns about proposals by the Trump administration that could lead to the privatization of the United States Postal Service.
Last month, President Trump stated that his administration is considering transferring the USPS to the U.S. Department of Commerce. In conjunction with this, tech entrepreneur Elon Musk suggested privatizing the self-sustaining agency to cut costs.
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has announced plans to cut 10,000 jobs and reduce billions in expenses, prompting fears among workers who want to preserve the USPS as a public entity that has served Americans for over 250 years.
In a recent demonstration, postal workers in Buffalo and other cities participated in leafleting campaigns to highlight the potential impact of privatization on their jobs and public service.
"It's kind of disbelief, it's a little outrageous," said Susan Nichols, who has been a postal worker for eight years.
"It’s discouraging; it’s disheartening," said Eric Bojarski, who has worked for USPS for 30 years.
Frank Resetarits, the President of the American Postal Workers Union for the Buffalo Chapter, emphasized that the USPS is self-sufficient and rooted in the Constitution.
"We receive no federal funding from the government...It was never established to make a profit; it was established to provide a service," said Resetarits.
Experts warn that privatizing the USPS could significantly increase delivery costs by as much as 30%, according to Wells Fargo analysts. USPS prices are already 25% to 60% lower than competitor services such as FedEx and UPS.
"The postal service is a service to the American people," said worker Dave Aiken. "Without it, the other privatized companies would take advantage of the American public."
Aiken stressed the critical importance of equitable service, noting that customers in remote areas receive the same service as those in urban centers.
The head of the National Association of Letter Carriers has expressed a willingness to help address the agency's financial challenges. Still, it firmly opposes any move to privatize the postal service.
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