MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Protesters gathered at the corner of G.E. Patterson and 2nd Street Thursday night to rally against recent cuts made to the United States Postal Service.
The group voiced opposition to new Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and cost-cutting measures he’s implemented in recent weeks. They include reducing overtime and removing a number of mail sorting machines from facilities nationwide.
Melvin Richardson is president of the American Postal Workers Union – Memphis area chapter.
“When you have fewer machines then some of your mail volume it has to sit idle,” Richardson said, “We’re talking about a backlog of three or four weeks in certain facilities.”
Critics say the new policies defeat the purpose of the postal service.
“It’s not a business that was designed to pack away billions of dollars and be a very profitable business,” Richardson said, “This is a service designed to serve the American people, to connect the dots from one end of our country to the other end.”
Critics also worry about the November election. Protest organizer Charlie Belenky fears the delays will prevent mail in ballots from being delivered in a timely manner.
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“Voting is not a privilege, it’s a right and everybody has the right to vote and people should not be interfering with it,” Belenky said.
Protesters said they planned to stay out there until 7:30 Friday morning. They also disagree with a Tennessee policy prohibiting someone from voting by mail just because they are afraid of getting COVID-19 at the polls.
