Postmaster's USPS Cuts to be Protested Today

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe’s plan to cut hundreds of thousands of US Postal Service jobs and institute dramatic cuts to postal service -- including elimination of Saturday delivery -- are the target of a protest today by workers, labor allies and Occupy DC activists. While Donahoe (photo) and his GOP allies in Congress argue that the cuts are necessary to fix the budget crisis facing the Postal Service, unions and other activists say the “crisis” was created by Congress in 2006 with the passage of a law that requires the Postal Service to pre-fund retiree health benefits for the next 75 years within a ten-year deadline. “No other business or public agency faces such a requirement,” says NALC Branch 3825 President Ken Lerch. Meanwhile, the self-funded Postal Service actually netted profits of $600 million over the last four years. “Donahoe is determined to attack union contracts, shut down thousands of post offices and implement massive layoffs at a time of record unemployment,” Lerch adds. “This is another shameless attack on the 99 percent.” Activists plan to gather at McPherson Square at noon and hold a short march to the National Press Club. - courtesy of Alex Wong/Getty Images North America