Postal Workers Union Works To Gain Support For $25 Billion USPS Stimulus

The local American Postal Workers Union took to the streets Tuesday, urging people to support a $25 billion stimulus package for the U.S. Postal Service. 

American Postal Workers Union Oklahoma City Area Local #86 members and supporters were handing out flyers and showing off signs at the U.S. Post Office location at 7800 W. Hefner Road.  

The group was spreading the word that USPS needs help.  

“We’re trying to ask the congress to provide a stimulus package of $25 billion,” said Koquise Edwards-Williams, President of the American Postal Workers Union Oklahoma City Area Local #86. “(So) the postal service can continue to flourish as they have been in the past.” 

Politics, this group says, have gotten in the way with the ability or not to handle a surge of mail in ballots. 

According to the Washington Post, Trump’s newly appointed postmaster has millions of dollars of stock in competitors and contractors. 

“It is a conflict of interest and I believe that that case is going on now as far as the questioning of how he can handle the postal service with stock in other mailing businesses,” said Edwards-Williams.  

Oklahoma Senator James Lankford supports Postmaster DeJoy. 

“Congress seems to be shifting from beating up on postmasters for not doing work to now beating up on them for now doing the work,” Lankford told News 9’s Washington reporter Alex Cameron. “So, I do want to say thanks for stepping up and taking the risk to actually take this on.” 

COVID-19 hasn’t helped matters either. As the battle continues over what’s next, union members fight for a future. 

“It’s a postal service not a postal business,” said Williams-Edwards. “We are a service to the community, and we would like to continue to serve the community as we have in the past.”