Stop the violence
Recently in the Indiana District, postal clerks received correspondence selling "disgruntled" T-shirts. Many of the styles feature weapon-toting postal workers and foul language slamming the Postal Service. I'm asking my fellow workers across the nation to please not purchase and wear these shirts. If we don't stop this joking attitude toward postal violence that the media has exploited, who will? Would you wear a similar T-shirt joking about disgruntled students in the aftermath of the Jonesboro, AR, shooting? I have seen many cartoons and movies aimed at the youth market referring to postal violence as humorous. Imagine the impact this must have on the families of victims of postal violence. Take the time to contact TV networks and film studios who promote this attitude and voice your disapproval. And, the next time you personally joke about postal violence, think about how funny it isn't.
Cindy Rowland
Clerk
Bedford, IN
Making a commitment
I was thrilled to learn USPS management recognizes that employees have "a role" in the success of the Postal Service (Cover, January/February 1998). Unfortunately, in our less-than-perfect world, craft employees are berated, goaded and belittled when we are the individuals who do the vast majority of the real work. Until management gives more than lip service to those in craft and union positions, we will continue to file grievances and to "police" the contract, as we must.
Sandra J. Lee
Letter Carrier/Shop Steward
Winter Springs, FL
"Making a commitment to employees, is this for real?" I frequently ask myself the same question. I've been a postal employee for 13 years, 10 of them as a union steward. But before that I was in the Army for five years and witnessed the promotion of many who had leadership skills, courage and insight along with a few bad apples. In the USPS, the exact opposite holds true. It seems the worst possible people are promoted. It's time to leave 18th-century-style management behind and enter the modern world.
Terry L. Bates
Letter Carrier
Mishawaka, IN
This is a challenge to all employees of the USPS. We must be committed to its betterment. We have what it takes. I am just one committed employee asking my fellow employees to band together, stay focused and look out for one another. I also am challenging postal management and the unions to negotiate fairly in the upcoming contract talks. We all share in the success and the failure.
Pat Reagan
Letter Carrier
Harrisburg, PA
I'd like to congratulate Postal Life on producing one of the finest pieces of satire I've ever seen. I haven't laughed that hard in years.
Melanie Meismer
Distribution Clerk
Peoria, IL
I will admit I don't normally read what I consider to be a management-oriented publication, but the cover caught my eye. Service is up, production is up and profits are higher than they have ever been, but we need to realize that these gains have been made due to the sweat of craft workers. If the USPS wants to convince me it is committed to its employees, it can commit to placing people in management positions who don't sell out to the numbers, who are not bent on proving the workfloor is their own private kingdom and who do not feel the need to issue petty discipline designed to disrupt employees' lives. When that happens, I'll believe it's for real ... that we just may be on the same team.
Don A. Sproles
President, NALC Branch 4240
Irving, TX
This article is so unbelievable. I have 21 years of postal service and except for two years with a superior supervisor, my life has been pretty miserable because of bad supervisors. My present supervisor does everything to make the place unsafe for employees to work including installing curbing around the main rear entrance. This is another example of how hard it is to maintain working relationships with management. It's only a matter of time before someone trips and gets hurt.
Edward A. Wilson
Rural Letter Carrier
Bells, TN
Supervisor program
I applaud the recent introduction of the Associate Supervisor Program (ASP) which selects supervisors based on qualifications. This is so much unlike the 204B program where temporary supervisors are often selected if they are friends or family of management. I hope ASP recruits some of the sharpest minds who will successfully lead us into the 21st century.
Robert Thompson
Mail Handler
Carteret, NJ
Get a life
In response to the California postmaster (Dialogue, January/February 1998), if managers were required by their bosses to operate under the same rules they require of us, with the same attention to detail and degree of expertise required of us, we would have nothing to "whine" about.
Edward M. Frigerio
Letter Carrier
Monterey, CA
How ironic. The postmaster's comments about craft employees "whining and complaining" and "not facing responsibility for their own actions and decisions" speaks more to the problems created by management than to those created by labor. The only thing for which managers are held accountable is "making their numbers," an abstract tally of the workload that they consistently use as an excuse to break contractual rules.
Sharon Seims
Letter Carrier
Charles Ziarko
Clerk
La Canada/Flintridge, CA
Beyond the call
In today's world of random violence, law enforcement officers, by necessity must be in possession of large doses of courage. That's why I would like to draw your attention to the courageous actions of two postal police officers who work at this facility — Sgt. Alex M. Gilio and PPO James Somerville. The pair were instrumental in saving the life of a young lady who was being attacked by two thugs armed with a box cutter.
Robert J. Pollina
Plant Manager
New Jersey International &
Bulk Mail Center
The postal police officers at our facility who recently stopped and detained two teenagers who were slashing a woman with a razor, could have ignored it since it happened off of postal property, but they didn't. We always hear the bad publicity about the Postal Service, but we rarely hear the positive. Their actions saved this woman's life.
Roy R. Diemer
Supervisor Maintenance Operations
New Jersey International & Bulk Mail Center
Lack of compassion
There is so little respect and compassion for each other in the workplace today. A year and a half ago I was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer. I missed only eight weeks of work and then worked each day through chemotherapy for six months. A handful of co-workers and one manager were supportive, but while I was in the middle of fighting for my life, I was also told my street times were excessive and to work on them.
Larry B. Slusher
Letter Carrier
Covington, KY
Pay for performance
A postmaster (Dialogue, January/February 1998) stated that city carriers should be paid for performance. I couldn't agree more. As a starting point, why not send me your bonus check? I actually earned it.
Ron Fait
Letter Carrier
Plover, WI
CTC & 32 cents
In the Celebrate the Century official ballot that appeared in Postal Life (January/February 1998), we were to vote on our favorite stamps of the '50s. I thought that was wonderful until I saw in order to mail it, you had to use a First-Class stamp. You mean to tell me they couldn't stamp it "postage paid" for postal employees? Oh, what a shame!
Evelyn Boddie
Mail Handler
Brooklyn, NY
A positive note
I just completed 35 years with the Postal Service and Janie Werst, my supervisor on Tour III, made my day special. She read a letter from our Seattle District Manager, Dale Zinser, and presented me with my 35-year pin and a pen-and-pencil set in front of about 20 co-workers. It is a day I will cherish forever. But to top it off, she had two six-foot sub sandwiches delivered for our dinner. We all agree Janie is the best.
Andrew J. Weller
Letter Sorting Machine Clerk
Yakima, WA
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