Spectrum News: Congressmen from Texas call on Postal Service to resume providing San Antonio letter carriers with water

SAN ANTONIO — According to a bipartisan group of Texas U.S. representatives, letter carriers in San Antonio are working during the state’s blistering heat wave without the bottled water they used to receive. 

Representatives Joaquin Castro, Greg Casar, Henry Cuellar and Tony Gonzales on Wednesday sent a letter to USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and the San Antonio Postmaster calling on them to “immediately create a plan to ensure letter carriers have access to cold water and are safe while on their routes.”

Earlier this summer, a 56-year-oldlettercarriercollapsedanddied in Dallas. The heat index that day reached 115 degrees. On Tuesday, a 3-month-oldwhowasleftin a hotcar inHoustondied. 

The lawmakers said they previously sent a letter to DeJoy asking that air-conditioned vehicles be sent to San Antonio because the current vehicles can reach 110 degrees.

“San Antonio’s letter carriers are dedicated public servants who keep our city connected, but they can’t do their jobs safely in record-breaking heat without cold water to keep them hydrated,” Castro said. “USPS must ensure that all workers have access to drinkable water without penalties. Every San Antonian deserves the basic right to a water break.”

The lawmakers said several letter carriers shared their concerns anonymously for fear of retaliation.

“I have been a city letter carrier for 23 years, and the weather has been extremely hot for the last few weeks. Management used to provide us with bottled water, and suddenly they just stopped when we letter carriers needed it the most. Temperatures are now going over 105 degrees,” one carrier said.

The letter calls on DeJoy to create a plan to allow letter carriers to do the following: 

• Take necessary breaks from the heat without retaliation
• Access cold water without having to pay out of pocket
• Visit a store or return to the station to pick up water bottles without penalty

“South Texas letter carriers work in the grueling Texas heat to deliver for our community. We must ensure they stay healthy and hydrated amidst triple digit temperatures that threaten heat exhaustion and heat stroke,” Cuellar said. “I applaud my colleagues, Congressmen Casar, Castro, and Gonzales, for joining me in fighting for our letter carriers.”