March 2025 Update
Many Members have become concerned with what they see occurring across the Federal Government. They see thousands of people being separated from their employment, the elimination of collective bargaining rights, and the invalidation of collective bargaining agreements. Members are asking: is this going to happen to us? That’s a good question, and this month I’m going to address our current situation.
Last month my column began with the statement “We have entered a period of unprecedented uncertainty.” Since then, we have seen developments which indicate that Postal employees are in harm’s way. It is amazing how quickly the pendulum has swung. In slightly more than two months we've gone from what was likely the most Union friendly and worker friendly administration, to the most anti-Union, anti-worker administration in history. If you don’t believe me, just ask any Member of the American Federation of Government Employees.
So far, we have been protected by the wall built by the Postal Reorganization Act of 1970 that created the Postal Service and separated it from the direct control of the Executive Branch. But there are those who are working to tear that wall down. The reasons are economic. There are private companies that are drooling at the proposition of changing the Postal Service, or potions of the Postal Service, from a fundamental service provided to the people by the Government, to a for-profit business. To be sure, the ability of the private sector to profit from a change is the motivation behind the idea of privatization, no matter how much it ends up costing the American people.
There is at least one (although I suspect more than one) model for the privatization of the Postal Service. It was released by Wells Fargo on February 27, 2025, and is titled “USPS Privatization: A Framework.” I’ve included a link; so, feel free to download a copy and read it for yourself.
While my web columns always are my opinion, I want to be crystal clear that what follows is just that, my opinion. I am not speaking on behalf of anyone else, just myself. All right, here I go.
For context, it must be noted that the Postal Service wasn’t always an “independent establishment” of the Government. Prior to the Postal Reorganization Act of 1970, the old “Post Office Department” existed under the Executive Branch with the Postmaster General serving as a member of the President’s cabinet (like the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Commerce, etc.).
Some further context is needed before proceeding to the question of how the Postal Service, or portions of the Postal Service could be privatized. I often read in articles, or hear it said at rallies, that “the Postal Service predates the country” or that “the Postal Service is in the Constitution.” Both statements are true; however, we need to put a finer point on these statements. “A” Postal Service is authorized by the Constitution. But there is no Constitutional requirement that “a” Postal Service be operated as an “independent establishment” of the Government. Congress built a wall and separated the Postal Service from the rest of the Executive Branch by enacting the Postal Reorganization Act of 1970. The Postal Service belongs to the people, and it is safeguarded by their representatives in Congress, only Congress can tear down that wall and place the peoples' Postal Service back under the control of the Executive Branch. The battle for the future of the Postal Service will occur in the halls of Congress and any (lawful) changes will require legislation.
How could the Postal Service, or portions of the Postal Service be privatized?
Step 1 – Interrupt the funding of Postal Unions by eliminating the deduction of voluntary dues withholdings from employee checks. This will undermine their ability to make the voice of Postal employees heard and undermine their ability to provide information to the public.
Has legislation to do this been introduced? Yes.
H.R. 2174, the Paycheck Protection Act: This bill would prohibit federal agencies, including the U.S. Postal Service, from withholding union dues, fees, and political contributions from employee paychecks.
Step 2 – Create a mechanism to place the Postal Service back under the complete control of the Executive Branch.
Has legislation to do this been introduced? Yes.
H.R. 1295, the Reorganizing Government Act of 2025: This bill amends the Reorganization Act Amendments of 1984 to renew and extend through December 2026 the authority of the President to propose a government reorganization plan of which Congress must consider via an up or down vote on a joint resolution of approval within 90 calendar days.
This bill strikes the term ‘‘agencies’’ in each place it appears and inserts ‘‘executive departments.’’ The term ‘‘executive departments’’ is then defined as including ‘‘(i) any executive department, agency, or independent establishment of the United States or any corporation wholly owned by the United States.” The bill proposes to place the Postal Service within the scope of any governmental reorganization conducted by the President. If adopted by the House and Senate, and then signed into law, this could be used as the statutory authority to place the Postal Service under the Department of Commerce.
Step 3 – After the Postal Service is placed back under the control of the Executive Branch, sell off the profitable segments to the private sector.
H.R. 2174 and H.R. 1295 were marked up by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on March 25th where they remain. It is unknown when or if these bills will be discharged for a vote in the House of Representatives. But all is not doom and gloom. Due to the broad bipartisan support enjoyed by the Postal Service, both bills will be difficult to get passed in the House of Representatives, and even more difficult to get passed in the Senate. Still, we must remain vigilant, and we must be prepared to contact our elected representatives to voice our opposition should either of these bills emerge from the committee. So, I’m reiterating my call for every Member to add their voice to our efforts. I’ve created a link on the home page for all Members to subscribe to political updates and receive action items which allow everyone to easily contact their Congressional representatives. It’s free, quick, and easy. Please take a moment to check it out.
The threat is real and the time for action is now!
JL