\u201cThe Staples pilot was an acceleration in the privatization of retail services and a direct assault on our jobs,\u201d said Dimondstein. \u201cIt was time to draw a line in the sand.\u201d \u201cWe wasted no time swinging into action,\u201d Dimondstein continued.<\/p>\n
Early in 2014, the\u00a0<\/span>Stop Staples<\/em>\u00a0<\/span>campaign started to put pressure on Staples and the USPS. On April 24, 2014, APWU members staged a country-wide National Day of Action with 56\u00a0<\/span>Stop Staples\u00a0<\/span><\/em>protests in 27 states. After this, the APWU launched the official Staples Boycott.<\/p>\n The APWU delegates to the 2014 National Convention reaffirmed the\u00a0<\/span>Stop Staples\u00a0<\/span><\/em>fight, authorizing necessary resources for the campaign. A thousand delegates took to the streets in front of a Staples store in downtown Chicago, IL, proclaiming, \u201cThe U.S. Mail is Not for Sale!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf Staples was going to take our work and jobs for their private profit, we were going to hit back and affect their bottom line,\u201d Dimondstein explained. The APWU launched\u00a0<\/span>StopStaples.com<\/em>\u00a0<\/span>where tens of thousands pledged to join the boycott. The union also engaged in a postcard campaign which resulted in over 100,000 postcards delivered to Staples\u2019 CEO.<\/p>\n The entire labor movement showed great solidarity with the APWU. Many national unions endorsed the boycott including large teacher unions, the\u00a0<\/span>American Federation of Teachers (AFT)<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>and the\u00a0<\/span>National Education Association (NEA)<\/a>. The\u00a0<\/span>other postal unions<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>enthusiastically supported the campaign. The 12 million worker-strong AFL-CIO added Staples to their\u00a0<\/span>official boycott list<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>UNI the Global Union<\/a>, an international union association, endorsed the Staples boycott urging all of the affiliated unions throughout the world to put pressure on Staples, since the company does business in 26 countries. Dozens of\u00a0<\/span>state AFL-CIO federations<\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>local unions<\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>Central Labor Councils<\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>community allies<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>city councils<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>passed resolutions endorsing the boycott.<\/p>\n Kept Up the Pressure<\/strong><\/p>\n The fight continued for another two and a half years, but APWU members did not give up. Constant pressure was maintained, especially in\u00a0<\/span>Atlanta<\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>Boston<\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>New York City<\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>Philadelphia<\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>Pittsburgh<\/a>, and the\u00a0<\/span>San Francisco Bay Area<\/a>. Protesters held signs and distributed leaflets in front of Staples stores across the country. APWU members and supporters spoke with prospective Staples customers and answered questions about what the protest was about and why they should not shop there. Many customers chose to respect the boycott.<\/p>\n In February 2015, the APWU released two research papers critical of Staples\u2019 proposed $5.5 billion merger with Office Depot and met with the staff of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) examining the merger. The FTC eventually blocked the merger and Staples was forced to pay a $250 million penalty to Office Depot.<\/p>\n The APWU carried out investigations that proved Staples was shortchanging the Postal Service in revenue, undermining the security of the mail and trashing the Postal Service\u2019s brand. The union requested a USPS Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigation that further proved these facts. The APWU won a series of cases before the National Labor Relations Board culminating in a recent Administrative Law Judge\u2019s decision that said the USPS failed to bargain with the union over the subcontracting of postal work to Staples.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is not only a victory regarding the Staples\u2019 dirty deal,\u201d Dimondstein said. \u201cIn regards to the USPS\u2019s planned retail privatization expansion to dozens of other corporations, those companies have largely backed-off and gotten the message \u2013 mess with postal workers and customers and you will have to tangle with the APWU family!\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cWith the Staples deal out of the way, there is a fresh opportunity for postal management and the APWU to consider the future expansion and improvement of retail operations without these misguided privatization schemes that undermine great service, good jobs, and a strong postal brand.\u201d President Dimondstein said.<\/p>\n President Dimondstein applauds \u201cthe many local and state organizations that joined in the fight; our retiree and auxiliary chapters who stepped up with enthusiasm; APWU National officers and staff who stayed the course; and especially the many\u00a0<\/span>Stop Staples<\/em>\u00a0<\/span>activists, active and retired, career and non-career, who worked day-in and day-out to see this struggle through and were the heart and soul of the campaign.<\/p>\n \u201cA job well-done, Sisters and Brothers!\u201d said Dimondstein. \u201cThe struggle continues and this victory helps strengthen and steel us for the battles ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.apwu.org\/sites\/apwu\/files\/Cover%20Option%201.JPG\")
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.apwu.org\/sites\/apwu\/files\/Dallas%2C%20TX.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.apwu.org\/sites\/apwu\/files\/Framingham%203.JPG\")
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.apwu.org\/sites\/apwu\/files\/Los%20Angeles%2C%20CA.jpg\")