TULSA, Okla. — The coronavirus and cutbacks changed the day-to-day lives of hundreds of thousands of postal workers around the country.
The uncertain future of our country’s postal service has mail carriers frightened. “From the news you know it’s just kind of scary even seeing it,” USPS mail carrier Chase Phillips said.
Hiring freezes and delayed deliveries are just a couple results of the recent cuts made to the United States Postal Service delivery system.
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy implemented operational changes at the agency reportedly to cut costs amid the pandemic. Those changes include time constraints on mail carriers and the removal of several mail-sorting machines.
Dissenters across the country are standing with their mail carriers.
“The workers are the ones who make everything happen in this country,” USPS support rally organizer Jimmy Peterson said.
A support rally took place in downtown Tulsa Sunday, after a House bill to inject $25 billion into USPS funding and repeal DeJoy's changes.
“It’s good seeing that they’re actually trying to help us get through this because at the end of the day we all want to have a job,” Phillips said.
A bleak possibility for Phillips whose been delivering mail around Tulsa for five years, now.
"Just delivering mail every single day," Phillips said.
Phillips punches his clock at 7:15 a.m. and hits his route until every mailbox is filled. Not one left behind.
"Sometimes I go over," Phillips said. "Sometimes I don't."
But Phillips recognizes that may not be the case for much longer with late trips and overtime eliminated for many mail carriers across the country. The the son of a 38-year postal worker veteran, Phillips is keeping his hopes high he’ll continue to pound the pavement working his route for years to come.
"I’ve heard stories of them trying to change things and they usually end up going back to where they started,” Phillips said.
Phillips told 2 Works For You his day-to-day hasn’t changed all that much, but said a lot of his co-workers are putting in overtime, including his wife who is also a mail carrier.
President Trump and Senate Republicans already raised opposition to the House bill and said it is “not needed.”
DeJoy announced he will put off further cuts until after the November 3 election.
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