JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Dozens of Jacksonville postal workers protested Thursday with a simple request – to be able to keep delivering the mail.

Postal unions across the country held protests over the possible privatization or restructuring of the United States Postal Service.

“As a little girl, I was amazed at how the mailman used to come in, we lived in an apartment building and he’d put the mail in the boxes really, really fast,” said Union President Angela Johnson. “I was like, ‘Oh!’ I never would’ve thought I’d become a postal worker.”

Johnson has spent nearly three decades working for the United States Postal Service, gaining a new appreciation for how it all works along the way.

“I’m in mail processing,” said Johnson. “I work in the back, so when you drop it off at the counter, we make sure it gets where it needs to go.”

Johnson wants to make sure she can keep getting the mail where it needs to go, helping to organize a protest with the rest of the Postal Worker Union in Jacksonville.

The group is concerned by some recent comments by federal leaders. DOGE Leader Elon Musk said during a press conference this month he’s in favor of privatizing USPS.

“Why would we get rid of the postal service,” said Johnson. “When you get a new house, or you go to an apartment, you get mail keys. You get a mail box. Why would we want to change that? It’s part of American life.”

President Donald Trump also told reporters during the swearing in of a new commerce secretary he’s looking into folding the USPS under the commerce department.

“We want to have a post office that works well and doesn’t lose massive amounts of money,” Trump said. “We’re thinking about doing that. And it’ll be a form of a merger, but it’ll remain the Postal Service, and I think it’ll operate a lot better.”

USPS reported $1.8 billion in controllable loss during Fiscal Year 2024.

Johnson said the union is worried about what either option could mean not only for their careers, but for folks who depend on the postal service.

“It’s going to be a big change, especially in the rural areas where they don’t have easy pick up spots, everything is so spread out. Definitely, the elderly with the medications, it’s going to be a big change, and you really don’t want to see it happen,” said Johnson.

President Trump has not issued any executive orders at this point, so for now, the post office will continue operating as it has.

Johnson said the goal is to bring awareness to the issue before any decisions are made.