Postmaster General Louis DeJoy plans to cut 10,000 jobs from the US Postal Service (USPS) as part of a plan to address financial struggles. The decision is set to be implemented within 30 days through a voluntary early retirement program.
DeJoy’s plan includes collaboration with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency and the General Services Administration to identify areas for improvement. However, critics argue that this could lead to privatization of the USPS and negatively impact Americans, particularly those in rural areas who rely on the postal service for mail delivery, medications, and ballots.
The USPS is facing financial challenges due to declining first-class mail revenue. To address these issues, DeJoy has announced a plan to cut $3.5 billion annually in operating costs. This move comes amid calls from President Donald Trump to privatize the USPS, although it was previously opposed by the agency’s leadership.
Critics of the plan include US Representative Gerald Connolly, who warned that turning over control to private entities could have catastrophic consequences for Americans relying on the postal service. The National Association of Letter Carriers also expressed opposition to any move towards privatization, advocating instead for “common sense solutions” to address the agency’s financial struggles.
Source: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation