Milwaukee postal workers protest Trump administration privatization proposal

USPS workers in Milwaukee protested against Trump administration plans to privatize USPS, citing risks to rural service and worker unions.

Postal workers across the United States gathered Sunday, March 23, 2025, to protest potential privatization plans for the United States Postal Service (USPS). In Milwaukee, dozens of workers assembled outside the post office at Plankinton and St. Paul streets.

The rally comes as the Trump administration considers transferring the USPS to the Department of Commerce, a move that could strip the service of its independence.

Critics argue the change could end guaranteed mail service to all American addresses, potentially leaving rural customers without deliveries.

William Schroeder, a USPS letter carrier, voiced concerns about the implications for workers. “As a postal union, we don’t know if our union will be recognized if it goes private, and the workers without a union have no power,” Schroeder said.

The USPS has historically operated as an independent federal agency since 1970, ensuring universal service. Opponents of privatization fear the move could prioritize profits over public service.

USPS currently employs about 640,000 workers tasked with making deliveries from inner cities to rural areas and even far-flung islands.

The service plans to cut 10,000 employees in the next weeks through a voluntary early retirement program, according to the letter. The USPS announced the plan during the final days of the Biden administration in January but, at the time, didn’t include the number of workers expected to leave.

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will assist USPS with addressing “big problems” at the $78-billion per year agency, which has sometimes struggled in recent years to stay afloat.

The agreement also includes the General Services Administration to help the Postal Service identify and achieve “further efficiencies.”

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.