SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — President Trump’s proposed changes to the U.S. Postal Service has drawn concern from the service’s employees throughout the country.
The Trump administration says it’s a necessary step to prevent the postal service from losing money.
However, some postal workers say Trump’s plans could have a negative impact on the people they serve.
In February, President Donald Trump discussed the possibility of moving the United States Postal Service into the Department of Commerce, which could lead to the service being privatized.
“We want to have a post office that works well and doesn’t lose massive amounts of money, and we’re thinking about doing that. It’ll be a form of a merger, but it will remain the Postal Service, and I think it’ll operate a lot better than it has been over the years,” Trump said.
In response to that, around 150 people gathered at Fawick Park to speak out against Trump’s proposal.
“We’re just we’re here to let people know how important the Postal Service is and, privatizing, how devastating it would be to the American people,” Mark DeBelts of the National Association of Letter Carriers said.
DeBelts says privatization would impact South Dakotans.
“If the privatization came around, it would affect maybe 55 million rural communities, and we as South Dakota, we live in a rural community. So, it would affect everybody. The prices would go higher. Who knows what would happen,” DeBelts said.
So postal workers who gathered hope they can receive support from the people they serve.
“We want to make sure the public is aware. Help fight for us. We are the eyes and ears of the community. When we’re out there delivering mail, we just ask their support like they’ve always supported us in the past and just keep that going,” postal carrier Brent Fjerestad said.
This was not the first protest in Sioux Falls against the possible USPS privatization. Around 30 people took part in a rally on Thursday.
