Postal Workers Rally in Uptown; Say 7 Sorting Machines Have Been Removed

CHARLOTTE, NC – Sorting machines were removed from a Charlotte post office over the last few days according to reports from the local postal workers union. 

The news comes as dozens rallied at a post office in Uptown against financial cuts.

“I know that we can fight the good fight and together we can save our post office,” said U.S. Rep Alma Adams. 

“ It ties together our communities,” continued Adams, “it provides some of the most important services to each and every American.”

According to the local postal workers union president, seven of the roughly 25 sorting machines were removed from the facility on Scott Futrell Drive.

“That’s troublesome because it negatively impacts mail delivery times and can potentially further devastate our staffing,” said Miriam Bell, the local postal service union president.

Bell says she hasn’t been given a reason for the removal by post office management. She says her biggest concern is the impact any cuts would have on the thousands of postal workers. 

“We have jobs in place for those disabled veterans. Those jobs are gone. They’ve been gutted,” said Bell.

Similar situations are happening throughout the Carolinas as the postal service grapples with more than a decade of falling revenues.

“They have took machines out, they took four sorting machines out,” said Adrienne Griffin, a postal worker in Myrtle Beach. 

She says she was caught completely off guard when the machines were moved out. 

“We’re using them and they took them. So the operation has went up in smoke,” said Griffin. Postmaster General Louis Dejoy reversed his decision to enact sweeping cuts within the agency.

Saying on Tuesday that he wants to ensure voters are fully supported by the postal service. He said office closings, changes to retail hours, or dropbox locations won’t happen until after the election.