Members of the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 147 attended a rally in Bishops Corner on Tuesday morning.

Save Our Post Office rally in Bishops Corner, West Hartford, Aug. 25, 2020. Courtesy photo

By Ronni Newton

An estimated 45 postal workers and letter carriers, as well as other union representatives, a representative of the American Federation of Teacher (AFT) retirees, and members of the public rallied Tuesday morning near West Hartford’s Bishops Corner Post Office.

“The majority of attendees were our APWU members from the Clerk Craft (both plant machine operators and window clerks from various 061 stations), and maintenance and motor vehicle operators who deliver processed mail to the stations for the letter carriers to delivery to homes and businesses,” APWU Local 147 President Jan White said.

“Union members from the Mail Handler Craft, including their Local Branch President Todd Bjunes were with us as well,” said White. The mail handlers are those who move mail from the plant platform to various machines to be run, and dispatch the mail once completed on the machines for dispatch, she said.

“Save the Post Office” was the rallying cry, with union members holding signs that read “Save Our Service” and “U.S. Mail Not for Sale,” and making the following immediate demands of elected officials and the postmaster general:

• Provide at least $25 billion in support for the United States Postal Service
• Stop the mail slowdown policies initiated by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy
• Provide resources necessary to ensure the timely delivery of election mail, and ensure the public confidence in the vote-by-mail process.

West Hartford’s rally was part of the national Save the Post Office Day of Action, but the Hartford, CT APWU Local 147 was the only local to hold a #SaveTheUSPS rally in the state.

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Save Our Post Office rally in Bishops Corner, West Hartford, Aug. 25, 2020. Courtesy of Ben Wenograd

Save Our Post Office rally in Bishops Corner, West Hartford, Aug. 25, 2020. Courtesy of Ben Wenograd

Save Our Post Office rally in Bishops Corner, West Hartford, Aug. 25, 2020. Courtesy photo