Dear Leaguers,

As most of you know by now, the LEAGUE has taken the issues of Postmasters to Congress. After years of trying to work through the system, meeting and consulting with Postal Headquarters, we are seeking resolutions through Congress. You can read, on the LEAGUE website, copies of the letters that we sent to Postmaster General Jack Potter and to congressmen on key committees in the House and Senate. Going to Congress was not an easy decision to make, but the League felt that we had exhausted every other avenue to get relief and resolution for our issues.

Excitement was great at our Legislative Forum as the National Board revealed to attendees our plan to storm Congress and the Postmaster General with as many letters from Postmasters as we could muster. Your direct participation in this effort is the key to its success. These are Postmaster and, oftentimes, supervisor issues; in fact, we have the full support of Ted Keating and NAPS and Bob Rapoza and NAPUS. This is one of those occasions where we’ve all got to pull together. You’ve read the issues many times in the pages of our Advocate and on our website; long, long workweeks for Postmasters due to the neglect of the Postal Service in filling supervisor, PMR, clerk and carrier positions and to properly budget hours, the abusive, demeaning, threatening management styles prevalent in many Districts, will-sapping micromanagement, an out-of-touch and much manipulated NPA/PFP process and 2,700 unfilled Postmaster positions. While you may not be directly affected by all or any of these issues, you certainly know fellow Postmasters who have had their lives gravely impacted by one or more of the issues. That is why we are asking you, as concerned managers to take part in this great letter writing effort.

It is time to make big, positive changes for Postmasters and you can help make it happen! Imagine the impact on Congress if every Postmaster from California, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, Florida, Maine and every other state wrote to Washington. That is a voice that can’t be ignored. If you’ve been sitting on the fence grumbling about how bad things are for you and your fellow Postmasters, here is a chance for you to do something about it!

Letters to be written
Basically you will have two letters to craft; one to Postmaster General Potter and one to Congress.

* Letter to Postmaster General John E. Potter. You need to send this letter directly to the Postmaster General. Attached to this email are two templates of letters that you can use to help create your own letter. You need to personalize this letter and not just send what is there for examples. Be respectful; remember, Mr. Potter is still the Postmaster General with huge challenges. Any letters that you write to Congress can be copied and included with your letter to the PMG. His address is:

Mr. John Potter
Postmaster General
US Postal Service RM 10022,
475 L’Enfant Plaza, SW
Washington DC 20260

* Letter to Congress. You only have to craft one letter to Congress; however you should address it and send it to at least the two people listed below. On the LEAGUE website at:

www.postmasters.org

Under the Legislation tab, you can see the letters that the National Board has sent to the PMG and to Congress. There is also a sample letter there that you can use as an example for your own letter. Again, personalize your letter. Your story, your situation will mean much more than a form letter or card. Be relatively brief. Don’t appear to be whining and don’t mention money. Address your letters to:

The Honorable Joseph I. Lieberman, Chairman
U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
706 Hart Senate Building
Washington D.C. 20510

- And -

The Honorable Edolphus Towns, Chairman
Oversight and Gov’t Reform Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives
2232 Rayburn House Office Bldg
Washington DC 20515-3210

If you feel especially motivated, you can cc any or all of the committee members listed on the website. You should also strongly consider mailing a letter to your own congressman. His or her address can be found on the Legislative page under, “Contact your Representative.” In your letter to this person, you might list all of the Postmaster vacancies existing in her or his district.

This has to be a huge team effort. If you’ve never done anything before, now is the time to do it. Contact your fellow Postmasters and get them to right too! Some Branches have already started their efforts. Branch boards and Legislative Committees are already motivating their members to write. They’re utilizing 3-digit meetings, their own broadcast emails, newsletters, websites and phone trees. Their spouses, many following the lead of Charlene Wendt our National Auxiliary President and her board, are writing their own letters as well. Our retirees have joined the cause, and our recent retirees have much to share about why they left the service when they did.

There is no such thing as writing too many letters. Every letter is very important, and we’ll be using our own product; the U.S. Mail!

Respectfully,

Charley Mapa
President
National League of Postmasters