August 5-9, 2024 Boston Convention and Exhibition Center
Communications Department they are not familiar, often unsure of where to turn to get the unvar- nished truth. And that is where the widespread contributions of letter carriers around the country have proven invaluable. The Com- munications and Media Relations Department can inform journalists of the facts and help them avoid the pitfalls. But when thousands of letter carriers at all levels—from national officers to regional offi- cials, and branch leaders to rank- and-file carriers in every part of this vast nation—make their voices heard through letters to the editor or op-eds, through interviews with newspaper reporters or comments on radio or television, it alters the way the public, the politicians and the press understand all things postal. All the more when letter carriers communicate their mes- sage in a clear, factual and non- partisan manner, as they have con- sistently done for the past decade and more.
officers plan the rallies, formulate their messages and deal with re- porters who attend and often seek one-on-one interviews. Media cov- erage has been intense, with local TV affiliates of NBC, Fox, ABC and CBS often present, along with local and regional newspapers, radio stations and online news outlets. The department also helps to publicize and generate news cover- age for the many important things that letter carriers do beyond their jobs to serve their customers, their communities and the country as a whole, such as the food drive and heroic actions on the route. Our overall goal: to inform the press, public and policymakers in ways that will lead to policies en- suring a stable and prosperous fu- ture for the Postal Service and for letter carriers—one that will allow us to continue to offer residential and business customers the indus- trial world’s most-affordable deliv- ery service. To get there, members of the Communications and Media Rela- tions Department interact daily with news reporters, editors and producers in all parts of the coun- try. We provide information for journalists working on stories, so NALC’s voice—and the facts—will be part of the public discussion. We often do this before an event or before news breaks, both to achieve more accurate reporting and to make it more likely that NA- LC’s perspectives and comments will be included. That has led to much-improved reporting by key media organizations such as the Associated Press, whose stories are carried by thousands of news outlets nationwide. We also fa- cilitate interviews when advisable with NALC officers and members for prominent print, television and radio outlets on a national level, as well as for small local news organi- zations—with the latter being a key part of our efforts because they of- ten are the most-trusted source of news for residents. Indeed, while many unions and other institu-
tions focus on high-profile and prestigious national outlets, NALC understands the importance of lo- cal news outlets that are closer to where people live and work. Em- phasizing regional and community media requires extra work because of their smaller circulation, yet an- other factor that makes the partici- pation of individual letter carriers in the department’s communica- tions efforts so important. The om- nipresence over the past decade of our letters to the editor and our op- ed/commentary pieces, from major newspapers such as The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Wash- ington Post and Los Angeles Times to regional newspapers in North Carolina or small-town weeklies in Wisconsin and in every other part of the country, is unparalleled in the union movement—as is the in- creasing volume of interviews our leaders and members do with print or broadcast outlets on letter carri- er safety issues. Our internal com- munications efforts help inform letter carriers so they can carry out this mission out—and they deliver the message with considerable success. The department regularly con- verses with journalists—in Wash- ington, DC, around the country, and occasionally around the globe—to help them better un- derstand postal issues, to explain where the common narratives about USPS fall short, and to show them why postal issues matter to readers, viewers or listeners—and thus are worth reporting or com- menting on. There remains much to do, but these efforts—helped tremendous- ly by the support and participation of President Renfroe and Executive Vice President Paul Barner; the members of our Executive Council, including the national business agents; our state association pres- idents; our branch officers and our rank-and-file letter carriers—are clearly influencing the national de- bate, as seen by the passage of the Postal Reform Act.
46 The Postal Record August 2024 That dynamic also has manifest- ed itself in the 15 or so “Enough is enough” rallies letter carriers have organized around the country over the past year to draw attention to the skyrocketing number of as- saults and robberies targeting let- ter carriers, the impact, and the need to combat the trend, with the Communications and Media Rela- tions Department closely involved in aspects ranging from working with local and regional media out- lets on coverage to helping branch It is that dynamic that was vital in achieving legislative goals such as the landmark postal reform legis- lation in 2022, because it not only provided legislators with a fuller grasp of the facts and the need for changes, it also made clear the public support for such reform. When media outlets produce accu- rate reports, it informs the public while influencing the political dis- cussion in two ways—lawmakers directly consume media reports, while also hearing from their con- stituents about how much they value the Postal Service.
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker