Post Office Chief Suspends Controversial Changes Until After Election

Speaker 1: 00:00 In response to mounting pressure postmaster general Lewis did joy announced today that he is suspending policies he implemented, that were blamed for causing mail delays. Part of that pressure came from San Diego this morning. All of the counties serving members of Congress gathered at the midway post office to join in what was billed as a national day of action against changes in postal operations that could threaten mail in ballot. This November here's San Diego Congressman Mike Levin Speaker 2: 00:32 Of Americans depend on the postal service to deliver prescriptions, social security, benefits paychecks, and yes, absentee ballots Speaker 1: 00:40 Speaker Nancy Pelosi has announced her intention to bring lawmakers back from recess to vote on legislation aimed at stopping changes to post office operations. Joining me is the president of San Diego's American postal workers union local one 97, Eddie Cooper jr. And mr. Cooper, welcome to the program. Thank you. Thanks for having me now, the changes that have been taking place across the country include mailboxes and mail sorting machines being removed. What changes have you seen to post office operations in San Diego? Speaker 3: 01:15 Well, the changes in San Diego, unfortunately we've had some mail processing machines, uh, removed out of our processing plant here in San Diego, uh, which has, uh, you know, resulted in some, some delays and mail being delivered. Uh, we've had six, specifically six mail processing machines removed out of our plant, but we've also just to be transparent. We've had six machines extended so that they can process more mail. And we've had a couple other of our mail processing machines talk for the time being with hopefully the intention of doing the fall mailing season and the upcoming political season that those machines will be put back into action, but there has been limited or minimal rather, uh, delays here in San Diego to my knowledge, but the removal of those machines. And it does hamper the ability of postal employees to be able to do their mission, which is to ensure that the American public receives their mail in a timely, a timely fashion. Speaker 1: 02:16 Now, in his statement today, postmaster did, Joyce says that over time will continue to be approved. Had there been changes to overtime rules for postal workers? Speaker 3: 02:26 Yes. I wouldn't say changes to the rules, but changes in the authorization of overtime here in San Diego, as of late over the last few months. As a matter of fact, we had been quite a bit of overtime usage and just literally within the last four, three, four weeks that has been reduced drastically. And I mean drastically, uh, almost to the, uh, to the extent where there's hardly any overtime and our non-career employees who would average around between 35 and 45 hours a week, their hours have been reduced as of late till around 24 to 32 hours a week. So there has been a reduction, a significant reduction in the work hours of, um, uh, postal employees here in San Diego. Speaker 1: 03:16 And you say there have been delays in mail delivery here in San Diego, Speaker 3: 03:20 Very minimal. Whereas up until about three, four weeks ago, the postal services mantra was every piece of mail. A first class mail would have to be processed every day per pro postmaster did Joy's directive about three, four weeks ago. Uh, the carriers were instructed to leave mail behind if it's not up and ready for them when they are tasked to hit the street. So that would result in them leaving their particular station without all of the first class mail. And what's left would go the next day. So that is a direct, uh, delay in the delivery of the mail. Absolutely. Speaker 1: 04:00 Now the postal service is suddenly right in the middle of a political fight over funding and mailing balloting. What effect has had that had on postal workers Speaker 3: 04:11 At the present time, it hasn't had any effect, but just the fact of knowing was hanging over our head in regards to, if we don't get that funding, what the catastrophic effects would be the way I understand it. If we do not get that $25 billion stimulus that we desperately need, the United States postal service literally can be out of money within the next four to five months. Now, what is going to result from that? No one knows. And it's that uncertainty that has a lot of posts and employees nervous, anxious, scared all of the above. As you can imagine, if you don't know what's going to happen with your job, uh, that's very unnerving. Speaker 1: 04:55 Now the post office, everyone knows, has persevered during the pandemic with postal workers, becoming essential workers and keeping the nation going. If it were not for this injection of politics that may or may not be reversed. Now, according to the stance of postmaster to joy, how would the postal service be gearing up for this election? Because you already know there's going to be so more, many more mail in ballots than ever before. Speaker 3: 05:21 Well, we, up to we're up to the task of delivering the mail. That's what we do. We deliver millions of pieces of mail every day. So that wouldn't be anything different than what we have done and what we will continue to do. It would hamper the financial resources as far as being able to provide more over time and to pay for the overtime and everything else that's needed to continue what we've always done, but we feel very confident. The American postal workers feel very confident that we can get the job done with the existing infrastructure and resources we have. Now, we just need for those infrastructures and those resources to be continued and available to postal workers, but we can get the job done. We can move the mail. Speaker 1: 06:06 Now your union has endorsed democratic candidate, Joe Biden for president. Do you see your fight against the changes at the post office as politically motivated? Speaker 3: 06:16 Not at all. This is not a political issue at all. This is about the future state of the United States postal service. And again, I need to be clear about that. The postal service is a service. It's not a business. We are here to serve the American public and we oppose any action that slows down the mail we served the properly is nothing political about it. Uh, we, we have endorsed, uh, vice president Biden and, uh, Kamala Harris as the vice president. That is true, but this is not a political issue. This is a postal service issue. This is a postmaster general issue. This is a public service issue. Speaker 1: 06:58 I've been speaking with the president of San Diego's American postal workers union, local one 97, Eddie Cooper jr. Mr. Cooper. Thank you so much for speaking with us today. Thank you. Thank you. And once again, postmaster general, Louis did joy announced today that he has suspending policies that were blamed for causing mail delays. He says he wants to assure Americans that retail hours at post offices will not change mail processing equipment and collection boxes will remain no mail processing facilities will be closed and that overtime has and will continue to be approved for postal service employees. Speaker 3: 07:43 [inaudible].