In our new regular feature, we’ll be taking a look at the villains who are doing their best to prevent the United States from raising wages for all or some Americans. In this series, we’re going to look past the usual suspects—for example, while it is true that too often elected officials get in the way of a fair economy, we want to dig deeper.
This week, we’re focusing on Staples, the office supply chain store, and the United States Postal Service (USPS). Staples and USPS have teamed up to scheme a privatization deal of retail post office operations. USPS is contracting services to Staples, with “postal counters” staffed with low-wage, nonunion, high-turnover Staples employees rather than postal employees who have a voice on the job through their union, Postal Workers (APWU).
The USPS began contracting out postal services to Staples in October. So far, 80 Staples stores are part of the pilot program. But the USPS plans to expand the scheme to 1,500 Staples locations nationwide. What’s really cynical about this pilot program is that USPS is hoping the convenience of Staples’ longer hours is a draw for customers, while it simultaneously eliminates regular public post offices and reduces their hours.
APWU members have been speaking out against this privatization scheme all over the country in rallies and actions outside Staples pilot program locations. Some APWU members even held proxies and were able to attend the Staples shareholders meeting in early June.
The AFL-CIO and several major unions have endorsed the APWU boycott of Staples. If you want to send a message to Staples CEO Ron Sargent that you will not shop at Staples until this program has been canceled or it decides to hire employees of the U.S. Postal Service at these counters, sign a postcard here.
For continuing the trend of taking good, stable jobs and turning them into low-wage professions, Staples and USPS are our low-wage villains of the week.
Low-Wage Villains of the Week: USPS and Staples
Funny how APWU gives a shit about the American consumer only when it impacts their coffers. However…wasn’t it Diamondstein that organized private contractors into the APWU instead of fighting for the rights of the MVS craft to have those jobs? Why…yes it was Diamondstein and wasn’t that a privatization scheme? Why yes…it was.
The Staples employees know what customer service is,,, and how to complete transactions efficiently.
Scott you are clueless. The NALC did not ‘agree’ to CCAs. An arbitrator made that decision. Once a contract goes to arbitration the union has NO say on what’s decided.
If you truly were a union president you would know this. I think you are full of it.
Carrier Chuck, I respect your opinion, but please get your facts correct.
The grocery stores where I shop are staffed with Postal employees.
The bottom line is this: The USPS wants to downsize, and needs to do so based on the volume of mail and the revenue being lost due to that fact. The problem with non-career employees, is usually they don’t care about the mail as a career employee does.
I agree Erick…. we have grocery stores doing the exact same thing as Staples and no one has boycotted them either…..just more propaganda from the unions…. round and round we go as the game continues and nothing gets solved
What about Office Depot, Office Max, Fred Meyers, and contract offices. They have been selling postal supplies and shipping parcels for years. Where we’re the protests and boycotts then.
And don’t think the USPS especially while PMG Donahoe is at the helm won’t continue to slash starting wages, benefits and conversion to full time positions while they’re at it. The NALC, usually tougher than they’ve been in recent years, really screwed up agreeing to a CCA deal that makes it very hard for new hires to become career employees as management diddles around and handles conversions to regular positions as slow as possible while NALC leaders tell us we can’t do anything about it. CCA’s won’t wait forever when they can get jobs that pay as well that don’t run them into the ground. It was easier as a PTF knowing that even though you were out 10 or more hours on some days, especially back in the pre-internet days when loads were much much heavier, you were a career employee just the same.
True unions are being outbribed ridiculously but I think more should and could be done to put Donohoe to rest. After all, COLCPE is there to take our case to Washington directly, and results have been disappointing, resulting in lip service and little else.
I have been a career long NALC member and have served as an officer either as steward or president 17 out of 29+ years. I did not fight for carriers for us to roll over. The regional and national level of the NALC need to get an earful at the Philadelphia convention.
Lucifer’s children are at it again, the ceo of staples has a great salary and he is in bed with postal management, may they sleep in the grave until the day of judgement.