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Current, Retired Postal Workers Fight Cuts to USPS

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    Retired U.S. Postal Service Postman Curt Cary on the hunger strike by current and retired postal workers over budget cuts.

  • Duration 4:43
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And a Mallard -- delivered a huge mess and so the government.

The budget cuts to the United States Postal Service just think cutting -- the workers are hungry for attention and just went -- -- period because they're not eating.

And to doings gonna make a statement or Kerry is a retired postal -- -- she's part of this hunger strike Kurt good to have you.

Well thank you -- on are you up our president postal worker -- My status actually is that I'm.

Retirees.

From the US Postal Service been retired for about.

A year and a half.

-- worked for the Postal Service for about 34 years my -- Credit for three years in -- regular eurozone on -- thank you for your service on both counts current.

Why are you doing this though I mean none and what are you doing.

Okay.

What's.

Going on is that.

A group of us have organized into.

An organization known as the community postal workers united.

And just a loose coalition it's.

Mason -- -- just malfunctioning.

Of retirees per postal service employees and all the crafts.

You don't like on these cuts right you don't you think they're going too far below what what longer just supporting -- current you know that led European guy with.

You don't wanna push your body too much and what -- what you're -- -- They have -- the point is that the were outraged.

We're we feel that congress is starving the postal service of its rightful revenue and because of that we're starving ourselves -- -- -- look personal health on the line to make a point to congress that needs to act on the serious issue that's that's of concern to all Americans.

Below in you've probably heard from others in congress who say well every time they give you revenue you come back aren't you carpet but the postal.

Service comes back and they want more money and and they lose more money and it's sort of like -- says -- -- he's wasting money when you say that -- -- that the real problem is that may be an issue but the real problem is.

The two and 2006 the postal reform bill passed that -- -- to fourteen long years to wind its way through congress.

Directed that the Postal Service to pay five point five billion dollars a year every year towards future retiree.

Health benefits.

The -- 75 years off into the future just ten short years.

And that.

Onerous burden is not required of any other federal agency nor any private company does that does that.

So you're on this you're you're you're starving for how long what where are you on this for a Monday Monday through Thursday for the for the group are right now we're about it after Thursday you can meet again.

That's right all right so people listening you'll say.

All right so you know -- -- at a very nice guy.

Friday's going to be back to eating life goes on -- looks like he's gonna survive I don't have to worry you wasted your time -- -- Did this whole diet thing.

Not so the urgency the dire.

The gravity of the situation the dire such.

The dire situation is just that on on 1 July or thereabouts the service standard reductions in other words -- you may not be able to get him -- You will be able similar overnight for instance and could take a long time maybe a week or so for your letter to get say across the country go in effect in August.

The postmaster general has announced the closures and of certain installations.

And cuts and service we're going to affect them in one of those payments may be too is due September 30.

That's a really don't know what our then current you know people always -- the post those.

The one -- that you guys get a bad rap I mean I I do you're obligated to send -- anywhere and everywhere where a lot of private companies would never near ago because it's not worth the money -- time.

So you're under those constraints.

That's right now a lot of people are saying we don't -- what -- constraints are under.

Given all the private -- -- -- shut down the post war.

Office -- -- kind of that.

That -- that would deprive well.

-- but the issue again is that these payments.

20% of the postal service's budget every -- -- there -- 10%.

And it's.

It hasn't allowed the -- agency to.

Maintain its vehicle fleet for example or possibly purchase new equipment.

So it's so unfair.

Levy so to speak on on the Postal Service and -- when.

I don't -- -- would -- about this issue but I want you to take care is so presumably of organized.

Four days I couldn't go for hours but god bless our current hang in there okay we'll see what happens -- Perry OK thank.