The U.S. Postal Service has cancelled its decision to downgrade the large processing and distribution center in Charleston and shift most of its work to a facility in Pittsburgh.
U.S. Senator Joe Manchin announced Thursday morning the decision by USPS to cancel its plans came after months of negotiations. Manchin said the USPS now plans to do $23 million in upgrades in Charleston.
“It never made economic sense to send our mail from Charleston to Pennsylvania and then back to West Virginia, and I commend the union for fighting for their members and all West Virginians throughout this process,” Manchin said in a statement released by his office.
The Postal Service began the review the Charleston operations last November and announced the downgrade to a local facility this past April. It was possible more than 40 workers would have move to Pennsylvania to keep their jobs.
Manchin, fellow Senator Shelley Moore Capito and the union representing the postal workers have continued to urge United States Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to change his mind about the Charleston facility. Dejoy announced in May that any changes at Charleston or other targeted facilities across the country wouldn’t happen until 2025.
“No mistake about it it would not have (happened) without Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito,” Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin told MetroNews.
Capito appeared more cautious in her comments reacting to Thursday’s announcement.
“I am pleased about the news that USPS will now maintain additional mail processes than previously planned at the Charleston facility. While this is a win for West Virginia’s mail service, I still have concerns that need to be addressed,” Capito said. “Not only do many West Virginians work at this facility, but others depend on it for reliable and timely mail delivery, which is why it is important that the facility is maintained with its current operations or with enhanced services. As I have conveyed directly to Postmaster DeJoy throughout this entire process, I am hopeful that USPS will continue to reevaluate its future plans to better serve West Virginians.”
American Postal Workers Union Local 133 Vice President Tim Holstein, who works at the facility, called Thursday a good day.
“Letter mail will still be processed here in the state of West Virginia. It will still be cancelled here. It will still ran here,” Holstein sad. “This decision could not have come at a more critical time, right before the holiday season. Although there will be slight changes, the members of APWU 133 are pleased and bargaining in good faith on Postmaster Dejoy’s word.”
Holstein said there are remaining questions concerning where the new equipment will be located and where the USPS Priority Mail will be processed but overall he said a cloud has been lifted. He told MetroNews he could tell it right away at the facility Thursday morning.
“There were heads lifted that I normally seen that are druped. There are some smiles that I haven’t seen for a while,” Holstein said.
The workers held several information pickets and turned out in big numbers at a Valentine’s Day public hearing. Holstein said everyone, including state and local leaders, could have given up but they didn;t.
“That shows the resilience of residents of the state of West Virginia,” he said. “I think it shows the resilience of the stronghold of union members in the state of West Virginia and the resilience of our politicians. This has been a bipartisan effort.”
West Virginia First District Congresswoman Carol Miller said months of advocacy has paid off.
“This decision ensures that West Virginians in rural areas who rely on the postal service will have quicker access to their life-saving medication and veterans who depend on the postal service will receive their hard-earned federal benefits,” Miller said.
Kanawha County Commissioner Lance Wheeler said making sure West Virginia mail is processed in West Virginia means residents, many of whom still pay their bills by mail, can continue to do so.
“That service is really the big reason why we fought so hard for this,” Wheeler said. “This was not only going to effect West Virginians but the entire eastern region.”
Goodwin, who stood on the informational picket lines with workers, said there are two main reasons to celebrate the announcement.
“Services will not be cut to our residents, that’s number one, and number two, we’re talking about hundreds of jobs, the livelihood of so many folks and that’s all that anyone needs to hear,” Goodwin said.
Along with those mentioned above, Holstein also thanked Kanawha County Senator Eric Nelson, South Charleston Mayor Mullens, Wes Holden, WV AFL-CIO President Josh Sword and union leaders throughout the state.