Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) called on Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to scrap plans that would consolidate mail processing at the Seattle East DDC facility in Redmond and move operations south to Tukwila. In a letter to DeJoy, she also requested he visit the center with her to see its importance to the growing region.
This consolidation would slow mail delivery across King and Snohomish counties. The facility processes mail for Mercer Island, Bellevue, Issaquah, North Bend, Snoqualmie, Snoqualmie Pass, Carnation, Duvall, Fall City, Mill Creek, Bothell, Woodinville, Lynnwood, Edmonds, Kirkland, Redmond, and Everett.
“I strongly urge you to reconsider your plan to conduct an operational mail move at the Seattle East DDC facility in Redmond, WA,” wrote DelBene. “I had the opportunity to tour this facility and see firsthand the incredible breadth of work this facility and its employees support. Following my tour, I spoke directly with union leaders and workers who are employed at the facility, and they shared their concerns about the impending mail move, lack of necessary processing equipment, delays in mail delivery, and staffing shortages.”
Earlier this month, DelBene toured the Seattle East DDC facility and met with union leaders and workers to understand how staffing shortages and the consolidation and removal of mail processing equipment would impact the region.
DelBene previously called on DeJoy to provide a rationale for plans to proceed with mail moves at 18 facilities across the country, including the Seattle East DDC, in October 2021. In October 2020, she voiced concern to USPS over reports that sorting machines at the Seattle East DDC facility had been removed ahead of the 2020 presidential election, potentially interfering with ballot distribution and collection.
You can read the full letter to Postmaster General DeJoy here.