Save The Post Office Protest Planned In Merrifield

Vienna VA

20 August, 2020

3:34 PM

Description

MERRIFIELD, VA — On Saturday, activists will gather outside the U.S. Postal Service office in Merrifield for a "Save the Post Office Saturday" rally. It is part of grassroots actions being organized at local post offices around the country amid mail service delays around the U.S. and concerns about the impact on the upcoming elections. Groups participating in the event include Indivisible, the Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights, MoveOn, NAACP, RuralOrganizing.org, Service Employees International Union, Vets for the People, and the Working Families Party. Protesters will urge Congress to save the post office and protect the integrity of mail and elections, as well as call for the resignation of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. "The actions will show Americans coming together to stand up for a postal system that connects us, that we rely on for medications, paychecks, and more, and that will literally be counted on to deliver democracy in the elections this fall," organizers said in a statement. DeJoy, a former supply-chain CEO who took over the Postal Service in June, drew criticism for policies designed to make the financially-struggling Postal Service more efficient: eliminating most overtime for postal workers, imposing restrictions on transportation and reducing the quantity and use of mail-processing equipment. Amid scrutiny of USPS over the possibility of election mail delays, and delays of medication and other needs, DeJoy announced that he was suspending the policies. He released a statement saying he expects the postal service to send "election mail on time and within our well-established service standards." In suspending the policies, DeJoy said retail hours would not be changed, neither mail-sorting machines nor blue mailboxes would be removed, no mail-processing facilities would be closed, and overtime would be available as needed so that he could avoid "even the appearance of any impact on election mail." President Donald Trump, who has alleged voter fraud is associated with mail-in voting, denied he has acted to delay the mail. DeJoy and Trump have said the policies were intended to tackle the Postal Service's financial struggles, according to NBC News. In Virginia, Gov. Ralph Northam has proposed voter protection measures, including $2 million set aside for prepaid return postage on absentee ballots, permission for localities to run drop off boxes and drop off locations, and allowance for voters to fix an error on their absentee ballot. The Merrifield protest will take place outside and will include a social distancing plan. Attendees are asked to wear masks, bring hand sanitizer and stay six feet from others.