By Noelle Phillips
The Denver Post
(The Denver Post) Three dozen men and women who belong to the American Postal Workers Union lined South Broadway in Denver Tuesday to send two messages to the public.
First, they are capable and prepared to handle mail-in election ballots so that every vote that passes through their hands is counted.
Second, they want a fair contract that protects wages and benefits and brings the U.S. Postal Service back to adequate staffing levels so long lines at post offices and delivery delays are eliminated.
“We are fighting every day to prove to the American public that we are here for the sanctity of our elections,” said Deanna Tesone, a member of the postal workers union Denver Metro Area Local. “When you hear someone like Donald Trump lying about how we lose ballots we know better. We are taking care of the ballots and we care about the sanctity of our elections.”
The contract between the American Postal Workers Union, which represents 200,000 workers nationwide, and the U.S. Postal Service expired on Sept. 20, said Laviena Vargas, president of the Denver Metro local. Workers continue to operate under the terms of their previous contract just as the crucial 2024 election approaches. Eight states, including Colorado, allow all elections to be conducted entirely by mail. Fifteen other states allow some elections to be carried out via mail.
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Postal workers will get the job done in spite of low staffing levels, she said. That’s why they used the power of the labor movement on Tuesday to send a message to the American public while also seeking support in their contract negotiations.
“We are out here to help educate our customers that postal workers are ready to process all the election mail,” Vargas said.
After Trump lost the 2020 election he cast some of the blame on mail-in ballots. And in mid-September he claimed on social media the postal service was a mess and again cast doubt on whether it can be trusted to handle ballots as he prepares to sow chaos should he lose to Vice President Kamala Harris in what polls show is a tight contest.
Aside from false claims about how they might handle election ballots the postal workers also are concerned about continued cuts to services. They are as frustrated with long lines at community post offices and delays for mail delivery as their customers, Tesone said. They also are concerned about the consolidation of processing centers in Grand Junction and Denver, she said.
“Most of us think it wouldn’t make sense to to move mail on I-70 in the winter,” she said.
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