Postal Workers Protest Staples in Chicago
Source: NBC Chicago
By Alexandria Fisher
Hundreds of members of the American Postal Workers Union protested outside a Staples in Chicago Tuesday in hopes to keep mini-post offices from opening up inside the business.
The group, which included leaders from the Chicago Teachers Union, gathered outside a Staples at Wabash and Washington in Chicago to “turn up the heat” on their “Don’t Buy Staples” campaign.
The protest comes as postal workers claim the stores finished a pilot program allowing for postal counters to open in more than 80 Staples stores nationwide.
“About a week ago, the USPS and Staples attempted to derail the boycott,” Union President Mark Dimondstein said. “They announced the pilot was over, but admitted that Staples clerks would continue to do the work of uniformed postal workers under a program with a different name. We’ve got news for them: our campaign to stand up for living-wage jobs and quality service for our customers isn’t over until we say it’s over.”
FULL story at link.
http://media.nbcchicago.com/images/620*339/staples+protest+7-20.jpg
Postal workers protest Staples in Chicago Tuesday.
Read more: http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/inc-well/Postal-Workers-Protest-Staples-in-Chicago-268180282.html
Info from this AM ere: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-postal-service-protests-staples-20140722,0,4054047.story
Press release from yesterday below.
American Postal Workers Union
M E D I A A D V I S O R Y
For Immediate Release – July 21, 2014
Contact: Jamie Horwitz 202/549-4921(cell), jhdcpr@starpower.net
Sally Davidow 202/842-4250, sdavidow@apwu.org
Media Advisory for Tuesday, July 22nd, Chicago
Postal Workers Turn up the Heat on Staples –Thousands to Protest in Chicago Loop Against Shift by USPS of Postal Services to Retailer
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, Chicago Teachers Union Leaders and Other Supporters Will Join Postal Workers to Send Message: The U.S Mail is Not for Sale
CHICAGO – Thousands of members of the American Postal Workers Union (APWU), joined by supporters, including AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka and leaders of the Chicago Teachers Union, will protest the outsourcing and privatization of U.S. Post Office jobs at a Staples store in the Chicago loop on Tuesday, July 22, beginning at 3:30 p.m.
Who:
Thousands of delegates to APWU national convention and supporters, APWU President Mark Dimondstein, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, leaders of the Chicago Teachers Union
What:
Protest at Staples store in the Chicago Loop against outsourcing and privatization of the U.S. Postal Service
When:
Tuesday, July 22nd at 3:30 pm
Where:
111 N. Wabash at Washington, Chicago
“Staples and the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) are feeling the heat of our ‘Don’t Buy Staples’ campaign, and we’re going to turn up the heat on Tuesday,” said Dimondstein.
Thousands of APWU members will travel by bus to join the July 22nd protest from their national convention, being held at Chicago’s McCormick Center.
APWU members have protested at Staples stores and U.S. postal facilities at dozens of locations across the country since January. Last fall, the USPS announced a no-bid sweetheart deal for a “pilot project” to open postal counters in more than 80 Staples stores.
“About a week ago, the USPS and Staples attempted to derail the boycott,” Dimondstein said. “They announced the pilot was over, but admitted that Staples clerks would continue to do the work of uniformed postal workers under a program with a different name. We’ve got news for them: our campaign to stand up for living-wage jobs and quality service for our customers isn’t over until we say it’s over.”
Staples’ announcement followed a July 12 vote by delegates to the American Federation of Teachers national convention to join the ‘Don’t Buy Staples’ campaign, which has been endorsed by the AFL-CIO, the Service Employees International Union, AFSCME, the International Association of Firefighters and many other labor and community organizations. Thousands of members of the National Association of Letter Carriers also will protest the Staples deal on Tuesday, in conjunction with their national convention in Philadelphia PA.
“We’re not falling for that ruse, and neither are the labor and community allies who have joined with us in this fight,” said Dimondstein. “This campaign will continue so long as the USPS tries to replace experienced, uniformed U.S. postal workers who are accountable to the American people with low-wage, high-turnover employees who have little training and who are not qualified to handle the U.S. Mail.”
For more information, consumers can text “postal” to 91990, or visit StopStaples.com.
* * *
The American Postal Workers Union represents 200,000 employees of the United States Postal Service, and is affiliated with the AFL-CIO.
= new reply since forum marked as read
If they raised the minimum wage for everybody to $15 per hour.
Bet they wouldn't want to then. 
