Postal workers rally to protest service, facility cuts

Amid shouts of “five days, no way,” postal workers from across the Pikes Peak region gathered Tuesday to rally against sweeping cuts threatening several post offices.

“There’s a simple fix to this; Congress is trying to make it more complicated than it is,” said Kathy Corcoran, president of the Colorado State Association of Letter Carriers.

Similar rallies were held across the nation Tuesday as lawmakers on Capitol Hill mulled two pieces of legislation aimed at addressing deep deficits within the agency.

Between 150 and 200 people participated in the Colorado Springs rally, where organizers passed around petitions to urge U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado Springs, to pass House Resolution 1351. Meanwhile, speakers railed against another bill, House Resolution 2309, which is being sponsored by U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif.

After the rally, Lamborn declined to support either bill, and his spokeswoman said he is studying each option.

Chuck Bader, a postal worker and vice president of the Colorado AFL-CIO, blamed financial troubles on the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006.

The act required the postal service to pay billions in the next 10 years to fund a pension fund covering the next 75 years. The crunched time frame, he said, has crippled the postal service.

He said HR 1351 would ease that requirement, offering the postal service much-needed flexibility.

But the rally comes at a time when postal workers face increasing criticism for a $52,747 average salary. Issa’s legislation would rework collective bargaining agreements, cut Saturday service and begin the process of closing some postal facilities.

The post office at Fountain and Academy boulevards is targeted for possible closure by the Postal Service, which also supports dropping Saturday mail delivery.

On Tuesday, postal workers worried about the effects of the closure and said it would delay mail service by a day in Colorado Springs.

“This is the only way to save this facility, and save America’s postal system,” said mail handler Tanu Foifua as he waved a sign outside city hall.

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