Postal Worker Solidarity Hits New High as AFT Calls for National Boycott of Staples
AFT’s always fiery president, Randi Weingarten
This weekend at their bi-annual convention, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) passed a resolution calling for a national boycott of Staples in solidarity with the American Postal Workers Union (APWU). Despite protests, Staples is moving forward with a pilot program that would open USPS postal counters in 82 of their stores.
APWU members believe that their unionized jobs will be taken by Staples employees who will earn much lower wages. The AFT resolution says, “members of the AFT, along with friends, colleagues and family members, are urged to no longer shop at Staples stores until further notice.”
The decision to boycott follows similar resolutions from state and local AFT chapters which focused on the coming ‘back to school’ purchasing surge. These locals include the California Teachers Union, AFT Michigan, AFT Massachusetts and AFT New Hampshire.
“Postal workers are the most amazing public servants,” AFT President Randi Weingarten said following the convention. ”Who does Staples really want and need to come into its stores every single day? Teachers. The best way we can help is if we say to Staples: ‘You do this to the postal workers, and we aren’t buying supplies in your stores.’”
School supplies make up nearly one-third of Staples’ sales. According to a recent survey from the National School Supply and Equipment Association, the typical American teacher must now spend hundreds of dollars a year to ensure their classroom has proper supplies. Therefore, a boycott by the 1.6 million We Party Patriots » Postal Worker Solidarity Hits New High as AFT Calls for National Boycott of Staples: