On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed into law the S. 475 Juneteenth National Independence Day Act. This law establishes June 19th of each year as a Federal holiday. President Biden then declared it would be observed beginning June 18, 2021, as the 19th falls on a Saturday.
On June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger announced in Galveston, TX the end of slavery in accordance with President Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 Emancipation Proclamation. This day has become known as Juneteenth to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. Juneteenth is currently recognized by 48 states as the official commemoration of the End of Slavery and some states recognize the day as a paid holiday.
We are demanding that the Postal Service recognize Juneteenth as a holiday as well. Under the Postal Reorganization Act of 1970, the Postal Service is required to be a model employer for other employers in the country. Also, the Postal Service is one of the most diverse employers in the country. Failing to recognize this holiday is an insult to the hard-working postal employees.
At this historical moment, dozens of private companies will honor the day by making it a paid holiday for their employees, including Target, Best Buy, Google, the “Big 3” automakers, Nike, Uber, Twitter, and more. The Postal Service needs to do the same and recognize Juneteenth as a Federal holiday.
There was a strong bipartisan support for this holiday, as the Senate voted unanimously in favor of the bill, and the House of Representatives voted 415 to 14 in favor of it. The APWU applauds the act of Congress in enacting this law and believe it should be applied to all Postal Workers .
The APWU immediately raised and discussed this important issue with management today and will continue to demand that the issue gets resolved that the Postal recognizes the paid holiday
I sent an email to: (of course no response)
Mr. Tulino,
I found your memo to be yet another “slap in the face” to people of color. Our organization continues to show reactiveness and not proactiveness. This organization continues to flex leadership as the “good ole boys club” and not equal opportunity for all! As a Black woman, a veteran, as a customer, a postal employee and many more hats I display, your memo parades the continuing support of “racial divide”, your memo to me comes across as dismissive and “we’ll address when we’re ready.” This should have been addressed when “black lives matters, all lives matters” peaceful protests were held. Readiness and preparation should of started over a year ago! There is a process in place when a POTUS dies.
It’s sad in this day and age our leadership that we look to for positive direction and support, continues to display such callousness for it’s employees.
A suggested resolution prepare our organization to observe a future date this 2021: Friday, July 16th and or Friday, July 23th.
I doesn’t need to know much about History, or different cultures. The truth is, and
always was that each tribe of people in America. Always added to the bigger postive
outcomes of the whole. The current answer is throw your brothers from the past,
under the bus, and then we have money to party.
No more days off for the Post Office !
As such as this has become a known fact since 1865 it is perplexing that the “two” last established holidays has been Martin Luther King and now “Juneteenth” both involving issues that involve blacks. Nothing else has been accomplinished concerning other issues since then. Really!