While the U.S. Postal Service is not funded directly by the government, we should expect Trump and DOGE to get involved in our contract struggle. They will raise a hue and cry about recent USPS deficits and do everything they can to deny us the wage and benefit increases we deserve. And if Trump and DOGE succeed in firing hundreds of thousands of federal workers, it will encourage them to push for postal privatization.
We should not wait for Trump and Musk to strike first. Our national union leadership should link our contract struggle to the struggle against DOGE’s reckless campaign to smash parts of the federal government that working people rely on. If they’re so concerned with the public debt, they can start by taxing the billionaires.
As a first step, the NALC should reach out to other federal employee unions to organize joint action. We have to stand together to confront this threat effectively.
Our union constitution provides that, if a new tentative agreement is voted down, our national leadership can call for an immediate work stoppage or a “designated job action,” rather than simply proceeding to binding arbitration. To defend against the threat posed by DOGE, the national leadership should instruct all NALC locals to prepare for job action, up to and including a strike.
As federal employees we are limited by law from striking. But Trump’s DOGE has not limited itself to the law, and we cannot afford to either.
Such a step cannot be taken lightly, and must be endorsed by the national leadership. Many letter carriers will feel justifiably concerned about the idea. But it is the rash and careless behavior of DOGE which brings us to discuss it. Any attempt to cut or privatize the post office must be met by collective action. Weakness invites aggression, and bullies respond only to strength.
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