Letter carriers protest for higher pay, benefits and safety measures in Concord
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CONCORD, New Hampshire (WMUR) — Hundreds of letter carriers protested outside the State House in Concord on Sunday afternoon, urging the federal government to reach a new deal.
After more than a year without a contract, postal workers are calling for higher pay, more benefits and increased safety measures to keep up with the rising costs of living.
“There’s frustration, there’s a lot of anger,” said Service Branch 44 President Paul Boulanger. “As the president of a branch of about 600 people, every day we’ve got people on the workroom floor saying, ‘What are you doing?’ And we’re doing everything we can.”
National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 230 President Chris Gannett said pay is so low, some workers are forced to sleep in their cars.
“How are we supposed to provide for our family if we can’t even provide for ourselves?” Gannett said.
Federal law prohibits postal carriers from striking, causing many workers to turn toward the public to push for support from lawmakers.
“How are we supposed to get people to take a job, have integrity, and be proud to be letter carriers when management doesn’t want to pay them to be the professionals they should be?” Gannett said.
If their demands are not met, customers could face delays in receiving mail.
With the holiday season approaching, Gannett said the Postal Service may turn to retirees to fill workforce gaps, but it’s not guaranteed.
Boulanger said he is surprised, believing it is still essential.
“I think that when you start looking at dollars and cents, you’re never going to make money going to a small house in the corner of a town that’s 50 miles away. It’s a service we provide. And I think the service is more important than the dollar signs,” Boulanger said.
News 9 reached out to the Postal Service for comment but has not yet heard back.
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