ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Postal workers in the Rochester area are continuing to protest against the potential privatization of the U.S. Postal Service.

It comes after the Trump administration said it would put USPS under the control of the Commerce Department, which could be a step toward privatizing the service that delivers mail, medicine, and election ballots. 

Protesters gathered outside the main post office on Jefferson Road on Sunday, as part of a nationwide movement called “Stand with the Letter Carriers and Save the USPS.” There was also a rally on Thursday in Rochester.

Workers and Rep. Joe Morelle spoke about how privatizing USPS will lead to staff reduction, higher delivery rates, and limited access to mail delivery in certain areas.

“There’s a lot of people who are very concerned about what President Trump and his administration is doing, potentially, to break up the postal union and bring it within the Commerce Department,” Rep. Morelle said. “It’s an independent agency, one that is commissioned by the Congress. The Constitution gives us the right in Congress to make the decisions around the postal service.”

In 2018, President Trump’s USPS task force evaluated the operations and finances of the postal service and recommended reforms. The Postal Service’s fiscal report from last year shows they lost $1.8 billion and are expected to lose $6.9 billion this year.

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