(This article appeared in the September/October 2026 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine)
The APWU’s 28th Biennial National Convention has just concluded, and as I reflect on the debates, resolutions, and conversations that brought us together, one message stands out: Our voices matter. They matter in our union, and they matter in our democracy.
Union democracy and elections are built on the same
principle that everyone, no matter where we live or how
much money we have, should have a meaningful voice
in the decisions that affect our lives.
At our national convention, members exercised that
right. Delegates debated the issues facing postal workers,
considered the future of our union, and helped
shape the priorities that will guide us forward for the
next two years. That process is not always easy. Democracy
rarely is. It requires listening, participation,
disagreement, compromise, and ultimately a willingness
to stand up and be counted. Despite the debates, no
matter how heated or long, at the end of the convention
we all went home united under the same letters –
APWU. That is what makes our union strong.
But our responsibility to raise our voice and participate
in democracy does not end when convention adjourns.
It extends into our communities and into the voting
booth, especially since this is an election year.
This November, Americans will head to the polls for the midterm elections. The choices made in those elections will have consequences for postal workers, our families, and the future of the Postal Service. Elected officials make decisions about wages, retirement, healthcare, workplace protections, collective bargaining rights, and the public institutions that millions of Americans depend on every day.
We cannot afford to sit on the sidelines. This fall, we
must research the candidates running for office, challenge
them to support a public Postal Service, and then
make a plan to vote for them by Election Day.
Just as union democracy depends on members participating
in our local unions, attending meetings, asking
questions, debating proposals, and voting, our broader
democracy depends on regular people using their
voices and going to the ballot box. There is a lesson
in what we have just experienced at convention: Your
voice only has power when you use it. You do not have
to agree with every position taken at convention. You do
not have to agree with every decision our union makes.
But you should participate. You should make your
views known. You should vote.
The same is true in our electoral democracy. We
should know where candidates stand on the issues
that matter to working people and to the public Postal
Service. We should ask questions. We should pay attention
to their promises and their voting records. Most
importantly, we should make sure our voices are heard
on Election Day.
As postal workers, we understand the value of a public
institution that Americans rely on. We also understand
that democracy depends on participation. Every ballot
cast is a voice. Every union member who participates
in our democratic processes strengthens our organization.
Every person who votes this fall strengthens
our country.
Our convention reminds us that democracy is not
something we watch from a distance. It is something we
practice. So, let’s carry that spirit forward as we return
home. Participate in your union. Stay informed. Speak
up for what you believe in. Vote in your local elections
and union elections. And this November, make your
voice heard in the midterm election.
The APWU is strongest when members participate. The same is true in our communities. When we stand up and participate in elections, we build stronger communities that reflect our values. Our voice is our power. In our union and at the ballot box, let’s use it. ■
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