Two weeks after picketing with hundreds of letter carriers in a spectacular movement against the privatization of postal delivery services, U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-08) and the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) praised the United States Postal Service (USPS) decision to cancel private contract routes in Passaic and Essex Counties.

The USPS cancellation of contract routes ensures that delivery service to the Four Seasons at Great Notch in Little Falls and West Paterson, and the Bel Air Development in West Orange will be conducted by unionized letter carriers who have undergone background checks. 

“I credit New Jersey’s letter carriers for organizing to stop the privatization of mail delivery right here in our back yard,” stated Pascrell.  “We stood in unity to stop the outsourcing of jobs, and got the results we wanted.  Postal delivery routes will remain exactly where they belong-- in the reliable and secure hands of unionized letter carriers.”

“I am delighted that the Postal Service has reconsidered and cancelled its decision to turn these delivery points in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area into contract routes,” stated NALC National President William H. Young.  “This ensures that affected residents will have quality mail delivery service provided by career letter carriers.  We deeply appreciate Congressman Pascrell’s strong support in our struggle against outsourcing of mail delivery to private individuals and firms and also his participation in our recent demonstration in Paterson.”

“This announcement is a major victory for letter carriers throughout the region,” stated Joseph Murone, the President of NALC Branch 120.  “I thank Congressman Pascrell and the activism demonstrated by hundreds of local letter carriers to help preserve quality mail delivery service right here in northern New Jersey.”  

Founded in 1889, NALC is the union of city letter carriers employed by the U.S. Postal Service. Letter carriers delivered 203 billion pieces of mail last year, six days a week, to over 138 million homes and businesses in every city, suburb and town in America.

But NALC’s proven track record stands threatened by attempts to replace unionized letter carriers with low-wage, non-union employees on new postal routes in suburban and urban areas.

“Career letter carriers are proud to uphold the enormous responsibility they have in our communities,” stated Pascrell.  “Since 1889, unionized letter carriers have won America’s trust by handling our most personal information in a secure and efficient manner.  Replacing good mail delivery jobs with contracts to the lowest bidder is a dangerous concept that would relieve mail delivery service of any real accountability, threaten our privacy, and compromise the workforce.  It’s a fantastic success that we have helped nip these attempted privatization deals at the bud.” 

Pascrell, a long time opponent of privatizing mail delivery is a cosponsor of H. Res. 282 which would condemn contracting out and urges the Postal Service to halt the practice immediately.

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