SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The union that represents postal workers at the Charleston Processing and Distribution Center are questioning recent comments made by U.S. Postmaster General Louis Dejoy to U.S. Senator Joe Manchin.
Manchin said after a conversation with Dejoy back on Saturday he was assured there would be no layoffs at the 800 employee facility located in the Southridge shopping area in South Charleston.
But American Postal Workers Union Local 133 Tim Holstein said Dejoy is talking out of both sides of his mouth.
“I believe Postmaster Dejoy’s language was ambiguously misleading,” Holstein said during an appearance on MetroNews “Talkline.” “There’s a big contrast between relocation and laid off.”
Holstein said Dejoy has probably had similar conversations with leaders in other states when cutbacks were planned at other processing facilities.
“I believe he’s telling the senator what he wants to hear to get him off his back to be able to proceed with the actions that he wants to take place,” Holstein said.
The approximately 800 workers at Southridge learned their processing facility was under review the day before Thanksgiving, they haven’t anything from the Postal Service since.
Holstein said the union isn’t concerned about the facility closing but taking current processing work away from it is the bigger issue.
“The facility is not going to close. We believe it’s just not going to be in its current operational state that we have today,” Holstein said. “We believe that within five to six months that things could drastically change which will affect the employees and will affect mail delivery to the greater part of the state.”
The review could result in some of the processing operations being shifted to Pennsylvania which could mean relocation for some workers. Holstein said the workers haven’t been told of any time line regarding the review. There is a QR Code available for residents to comment as part of the review.
The union plans informational pickets Thursday evening outside the main post office in downtown Charleston and Saturday morning near the South Charleston Community Center. Holstein said postal workers rallies will take place in Clarksburg, Huntington and Beckley in the coming days.
“We’re going to have our QR Code. We’re going to have some flyers to pass out to the public. We’re going to continue to fight this fight and continue to get this word out to the people that hopeful their voice can make a difference,” Holstein said.
Manchin is scheduled to visit the processing facility Friday.
Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin said she penned a letter to Dejoy Monday “urging reconsideration” regarding the possibility of operations leaving the USPS Charleston Processing and Distribution Center located in Southridge.
“The current proposal being reviewed would not only eliminate jobs that our families need, but also negatively impact our local economy,” Mayor Goodwin said Monday. “The City of Charleston fully support major investments into the facility that will modernize it to best support the people of our city and our state.”
Multiple local and state leaders have spoke out against the idea of operations leaving Charleston and potentially heading to Pennsylvania. U.S. Congresswoman Carol Miller also weighed in. She released the following statement Monday.
“I continue to be concerned about the USPS’ Mail Processing Facility Review of the Charleston Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) facility — the only of its kind in our state. This potential plan to move jobs and services to a P&DC in Pittsburgh is illogical and would threaten the economy in West Virginia while leaving the state’s dedicated postal delivery workers uncertain about their job security and commutes.”