News

The Trump administration is threatening to pull out of the United Nations’ Universal Postal Union (UPU), a 144-year-old organization that sets postal rates and customs procedures, and a coalition of U.S. postal worker organizations is calling on legislators in Washington to stop what could be a harmful move to the U.S. economy and the international mail system.

In a letter to congressional representatives, the presidents of the National Association of Letter Carriers, the American Postal Workers Union, the National Postal Mail Handlers Union, and the National Rural Letter Carriers Association write: “Leaving the UPU would deny ourselves access to this infrastructure and threaten the world’s invaluable system of universal postal services. This would raise costs for consumers, reduce access for millions of American families with overseas ties, and have unpredictable impacts on international mailers.”

The unions note that U.S. trade associations also support remaining in the UPU.

The letter comes as the UPU holds its third extraordinary congress in Geneva this week, where a U.S. trade representative is expected to push the U.S. president’s threat of a withdrawal. One source of dispute for Trump is postal rates between the United States and China. Trump issued an order last October stating a  would withdraw from the postal treaty.

“UNI hopes that, in the end, the United States remains member of the UPU. Post is international by nature and requires an international system to regulate remuneration and standards,” said Cornelia Broos, Head of UNI Post & Logistics. “The participation of the United States is important to keep global service going smoothly.”