The U.S. Postal Service says Iowans should see -no- delays whatsoever in their mail delivery, despite a truckers’ union strike in the Midwest. U-S-P-S spokesman Richard Watkins says claims from union leaders that Iowans will see a mail slowdown are false. Watkins says “These are not employees of the U.S. Postal Service. They are contract employees and while we’re sad to see any group go on a work stoppage this will not have any delay in mail service either locally in Des Moines nor statewide across Iowa.” Watkins says some truck drivers went on strike Tuesday night, but they were quickly replaced. The drivers are employed by the Mail Contractors of America. Watkins says M-C-A has brought in more drivers to transport the mail and there is “absolutely no delay” in local or statewide mail. Lance Coles, president of American Postal Workers Union Local 44 in Des Moines, told Radio Iowa that Iowans would see a slowdown, but Watkins says, that’s a bogus union tactic. Watkins says “There’s absolutely no delay and Lance would like people to believe as a pressure point to help negotiate their contract with M-C-A that this will cause people to panic.” The union represents about 200 drivers in the Des Moines and Kansas City area.
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