Lining the sidewalks of the west end of Charles Street, dozens of protesters of all ages held handmade signs and passionately cheered as cars honked past. Clad in hoodies, coats and scarves, many of the protesters even managed to joke about the chilly weather.
"Does Starbucks deliver?" asked one of the protesters.
"No," a fellow protester said. "But the Postal Service does."
Tuesday night, approximately 70 protesters braved the chilly temperatures and windy weather like many others across the country, and gathered downtown in front of Rep. Mike Pence's headquarters to encourage him to support House Bill 1351.
A hybrid between a governmental agency and private company, the Postal Service isn't able to declare bankruptcy, so it has to wait to see if Congress will provide a bail out.
The passing of House Bill 1351 will repeal the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act, which was passed into law in 2006. The act required the U.S. postal service to prefund 75 years of retiree health benefits within a 10-year period. The act is costing the postal service a proposed $5.5 billion a year.
Supporters of the bill believe that it is a stepping-stone to correcting the damage that has previously been done by the 2006 law.
"Today, we're just trying to get the word out," said Janetta Carter, who has worked at the Muncie Postal Service distribution plant on Cowan Road for 13 years.
Carter is one of nearly 100 employees who are at risk of becoming unemployed if this bill is not put into action.
Linda Gore, who travelled from Anderson, Ind., to participate in the rally, has been employed by the Postal Service for the last 12 years and is a huge supporter of the bill. Gore said that she not only supports the bill because she is hoping for some type of retirement, but she also wants to serve the public and make sure they are aware of the consequences.
"They're looking to close several post offices, and several of the mail processing plants, and the one right here in Muncie is proposed to close," Gore said. "So there's 100 people that could possibly lose their jobs, or be forced to transfer several miles away."
Gore also said that Postal Service unions have made it very easy to contact Pence about the bill, with links and forum letters being posted on their national website.
Organizers of the event contacted Pence's office and were told that Pence was "still studying" the issue, and had yet to make a decision concerning the matter.
A part of the increase of the post office's costs are due to decades of contractual promises made to unionized workers, including no-layoff clauses, according to an article by the New York Times. Eighty percent of the agency's expenses are represented by labor, and postal workers receive more generous health benefits than most other federal employees.
Local Democratic Candidate for City Council at-Large Nora Powell spoke at the rally and expressed that she was there as more than just a candidate. Powell grew up in a union family, and this is an issue that is of great importance to her.
"We have a right to ask for what we deserve," Powell said. "No entitlement — just a fair shake."
Powell also emphasized the power of local politics.
"That's where it starts," she said. "We can take our voices to a higher level, and we need to stand together as one."
Curt Cary, president of Muncie's chapter of National Association of Letter Carriers, also talked at the event.
Cary encouraged protesters to contact Pence, ironically, through the Postal Service.
"Write him a letter," Cary said. "Utilize the Postal Service."
Doug Brown, president of the local American Postal Service Union, said that this is a huge issue that people are underestimating.
"It's a vast entity," Brown said. "The Postal Service employs 9 million people, either directly or indirectly."
With the Postal Service suggesting massive layoffs and closures, Brown said it will heavily affect the nation's economy. The service is responsible for approximately $1 trillion of the gross domestic product of the United States, Brown said.
Although Brown is worried about the effect this will have on the Postal Service itself, he is also concerned about the effect it will have on other aspects of the country's economy.
"It's the ripple effect that we are most concerned about," Brown said. "Not just the Postal Service, but other major industries will be affected by this."
Brown said that the main goal behind the rally outside of Pence's office was to raise awareness of the situation and to educate the public on how the Postal Service works.
"We're here to make sure the public understands that Congress created this situation, and Congress can fix it," he said.
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