UPDATE: U.S. Representatives Marcia Fudge (D-OH) and Gwen Moore (D-WI) introduced the Fair and Equitable Postal Service Access Act to require the Postal Service to consider the needs of the most vulnerable in communities affected by proposals to close Post Offices, including those in the 11th District. The Fair and Equitable Postal Service Access Act would:

•    Require the Postal Service to specifically consider when reviewing whether a post office should be closed or consolidated if such a move would decrease access to postal or non-postal services for elderly individuals, economically disadvantaged individuals, individuals with limited mobility, or individuals without reliable and affordable access to the Internet.

•    Explicitly require the Postal Service to address the impact that closing or consolidating post offices would have on these groups. 

•    Prevent the Postal Service from closing or consolidating retail post offices if it would result in a disproportionate, unreasonable, or undue burden on the elderly, economically disadvantaged, or individuals lacking access to transportation or the Internet.

WASHINGTON, DC-- Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11) is leading a letter to Postmaster General Patrick Donaho that supports the USPS workforce and opposes action to break labor agreements.The U.S. Postal Service will ask Congress to approve a proposal to close up to 3,653 post offices nationwide, including offices in the 11th District (click here for a complete list of closures in Ohio). The proposal will result in the termination of up to 220,000 postal positions by 2015, including 100,000 that may leave employment through attrition

"At a time when our national unemployment rate stands at a staggering 9.1 percent, it is incomprehensible to consider action that would result in hundreds of thousands of displaced workers. Such a drastic reduction would be disastrous for employees as well as small businesses and our economy. By no means will I agree to take unprecedented action to dismantle labor agreements that protect postal workers," said Congresswoman Fudge.

The letter is supported by the National Rural Letter Carriers' Association, National Association of Letter Carriers, the American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO, and the National Postal Mail Handlers Union.

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