NALC Slams Expected Appointment of FedEx Executive to US Postmaster General as "Conflict of Interest"

The National Association of Letter Carriers is condemning the expected appointment of a FedEx executive to succeed Louis DeJoy as the next postmaster general. The Washington Post reported this week that President Donald Trump and the USPS's Board of Governors have struck a deal to approve the appointment of David Steiner, the lead independent director at FedEx, to succeed Louie DeJoy as postmaster general. In a statement, NALC President Brian Renfroe called the expected appointment a "clear conflict of interest" and a potential step toward privatizing a critical public service. Below is the rest of the statement:

"Steiner didn’t just stroll in from the private sector—he comes straight from one of the Postal Service’s top competitors. His selection isn’t just a conflict of interest—it’s an aggressive step toward handing America’s mail system over to corporate interests. Private shippers have been waiting to get USPS out of parcel delivery for years. Steiner’s selection is an open invitation to do just that.

"During his tenure as Waste Management, Inc.’s CEO, Steiner took a stand against unions. He built his brand on union-busting, slashing jobs, and replacing workers with machines. He has publicly bragged about shrinking the union footprint. Now, he’s being handed the keys to one of the nation’s largest unionized employers. At a time when collaboration with workers helped USPS turn a $144 million profit in the last quarter of 2024, this decision flies in the face of everything that’s working.

"This isn’t just bad policy—it’s a direct assault on the workers who keep the mail moving and the public connected. The damage will hit rural communities hardest, where the Postal Service isn’t just a convenience—it’s a lifeline. And make no mistake: if this appointment stands, it threatens 7.9 million jobs tied to the postal industry and service to over 300 million Americans.

"The nation’s letter carriers are outraged that the Postal Service Board of Governors has chosen an anti-union postmaster general with a major conflict of interest. The board has the responsibility to do what is best for USPS. This decision is not only a failure in that responsibility but shows open contempt for the work of America’s letter carriers and the public good."