Letter carriers' concerns for privatization: higher prices, poorer service, especially in rural areas

WNIN | By Tim Jagielo

Published March 24, 2025 at 6:25 PM CDT

American Postal Workers Local 347 President Mitchell Dupree speaks at the protest Sunday, March 23 in Evansville. He equated the USPS to other federal services — "like the Forest Service, like our our military services," he said. "We're here for the American people." The "Fight Like Hell" campaign included both letter carrier contract negotiations with the USPS, and now, fighting privatization. — American Postal Workers Local 347 President Mitchell Dupree speaks at the protest Sunday, March 23 at the Four Freedoms Monument in Evansville. He equated the USPS to other federal services — "like the Forest Service, like our our military services," he said. "We're here for the American people." The "Fight Like Hell" campaign included both letter carrier contract negotiations with the USPS, and now, fighting privatization.

On Sunday there were more than 200 protests across the country by the National Association of Letter Carriers against privatizing the US Postal Service

US Postal Service employees and supporters demonstrate along Riverside Drive in Evansville, Sunday March 23.

The demonstration at the Four Freedoms Monument in Evansville was one of nine in Indiana by the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC).

According to NPR, President Trump said he's thinking of moving the Postal Service under the umbrella of the Commerce Department — a possible first step toward privatization.

Should this happen, the overall concern is for delivery prices to increase and for service to rural areas to become expensive and infrequent.

The message across the protests was that the United States Postal Service (USPS) is a service, not a for-profit venture.

This is echoed by American Postal Workers Local 347 President Mitchell Dupree.

“We understand that when you're doing some type of cost analysis, sometimes serving the people isn't cost effective in the short term. Obviously, our forefathers had the foresight to realize in the long term, it is cost effective for our people; everybody needs the ability to freely communicate.”

Yatzie Roysden, Indiana State Association of Letter Carriers president, said rural areas will hurt the most if the delivery goes commercial.

“If they come in and they cut this out, then I think the prices are going to skyrocket,” he said. “It is going to be profitable for them to do New York, but it's not going to be profitable for them to do the rural areas. And I think that's where the problem is.”

Speakers at the protest urged support of House Resolution 70, that calls on Congress to “take all appropriate measures to ensure that the Postal Service remains an independent establishment of the federal government and not subject to privatization.”

According to the publication Government Executive, privatization of the USPS was discussed by Trump in 2018 but “rebuked” by the bi-partisan congress at the time.

According to the Associated Press, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy announced in mid-March, plans to cut 10,000 workers and billions of dollars from the U.S. Postal Service budget while working with Elon Musk ’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

A new three-year labor agreement between the NALC and USPS was also just struck via binding arbitration progress.

A protest against US Rep. Mark Messmer (R-Dist. 8), with President Trump and Elon Musk was held Saturday.

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Yatzie Roysden, Indiana State Association of Letter Carriers president, urges those present to call their congressional representatives and seek support for House Resolution 70, to help protect the USPS from privatization.