Ben Franklin would be rolling in his grave
Benjamin Franklin (photo left), the first Postmaster General in 1775, joined
dozens of demonstrators in front of Portland’s Main Post Office July 26 to
celebrate the 239th birthday of the U.S. Post Office — Postal Heritage Day
— and denounce the piecemeal privatization of the postal service. “Benjamin
Franklin would be rolling in his grave,” said Jamie Partridge, a retired letter
carrier and an organizer for Communities and Postal Workers United,
sponsor of the action. Many in the crowd, including substitute teacher Greg
Burrill (photo above), also cut up their Staples Reward Cards. Staples
contracted with the USPS to staff post offices installed within their stores, at
the same time community post offices are being closed and hours reduced.
Postal unions have launched a national boycott of Staples. The two largest
teachers unions and the national AFL-CIO are supporting the boycott. Staples
and the USPS recently announced that their “retail partnership expansion”
was being phased out in favor of an “approved shipper” contract. Postal
unions call the change a trick — the same privatization scheme under a
different name. The protesters vowed to increase pressure on the office supply
chain until they drop the postal contract.
All locally and independently owned locations
to serve you in Oregon and Washington!
Oregon & SW Washington
Beaverton - 503.641.4207
Chehalis - 360.996.4075
NEW! Clackamas - 503.905.3380
Gresham - 503.253.4979
Longview - 360.578.9999
NEW! NE Portland - 503.254.0888
NEW! Downtown Portland - 503.224.0133
Salem - 503.391.8920
Salmon Creek - 360.718.2355
NEW! Tigard - 503.906.8600
Western Washington
Arlington - 360.658.3131
Auburn - 253.333.9500
Bellevue - 425.450.9500
Bellingham - 360.734.1999
Bonney Lake - 253.862.1015
Bothell - 425.806.0077
Carnation - 425.333.4101
Everett - 425.513.2000
AUGUST 1, 2014
Federal Way - 253.838.3232
Issaquah - 425.391.7645
Kent - 253.856.3384
Lakewood - 253.581.2888
Lynnwood - 425.744.1022
Maple Valley - 425.432.4131
Marysville - 360.651.1882
Monroe - 360.794.0717
Mount Vernon - 360.848.6777
Olympia - 360.866.7669
Poulsbo - 360.697.2777
Puyallup - 253.770.4342
Renton - 425.430.2029
Redmond - 206.953.5850
SeaTac - 206.243.7788
Seattle - 206.623.2666
Sequim - 360.797.1100
Shoreline - 206.542.4444
NEW! Silverdale - 360.915.5977
Snohomish - 425-374.8451
Tacoma - 253.759.9291
Tukwila - 425.291.9555
Eastern Washington
Ellensburg - 509.790.0080
Kennewick - 509.737.8555
Pasco - 509.542.9981
Spokane - 509.536.9999
Spokane (North) - 509.468.0866
Spokane Valley - 509.924.0055
Wenatchee - 509.886.0500
Yakima - 509.457.5050
SAVE THE DATE:
Saturday, Aug. 16
Salem Trap & Skeet Club
A fundraising event to benefit
and Labor’s Community Service Agency
For information, contact Shannon Walker at 360-761-8922 or shannon@sunrisedental.com
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
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