Five people were arrested for trespassing at the Salem mail processing plant April 17. The “occupiers” were protesting the scheduled June closure of the facility, which will eliminate approximately 100 union jobs and delay mid-Willamette Valley mail delivery.
About 40 protesters held a noon-time rally at the front entrance to Salem’s main post office at 1050 25th Street, SE. They carried signs and chanted “Save Salem’s mail, or go to jail.” Among the protesters were State Reps. Brian Clem of Salem and Val Hoyle of Eugene. Clem’s father was a letter carrier in Coos Bay for more than 40 years.
“Postal management needs to stop and reverse these closures and cuts which are sending our beloved postal service into a death spiral,” said Rev. John Schwiebert, one of five protesters who went inside the sorting plant and unfurled banners reading: “No closures! No cuts!” and “Save Salem’s Mail!”
The five protesters demanded that acting-manager Rick DeWolfe suspend the closure and allow Congress to fix postal finances. DeWolfe said the closure was not his decision. When they refused to leave, DeWolfe had them arrested for trespassing.
In addition to Schwiebert, those arrested were retired letter carrier Jamie Partridge, Rosalie Pedroza of the Service Employees International Union, AFSCME retiree Jack Herbert, and Fernando Gapasin, an organizer for the Oregon School Employees Association.
Since July, the USPS has closed 114 mail sortation facilities, one third of the nation’s mail processing capacity. The agency announced in March that it was accelerating plans to close even more mail processing facilities. The USPS said it will consolidate 71 plants this year that were originally scheduled for possible closure in 2014. Salem, Bend and Pendleton plants are on that list.
(Editor’s Note: State Reps. Hoyle and Clem introduced House Joint Memorial 15, with 30 co-sponsors, urging Congress to pass the Postal Service Protection Act of 2013.)
