Morale Low Among Local Postal Carriers

Morale Low Among Local Postal Carriers

September 1, 2003

By DON DARE
6 On Your Side Reporter

KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- As Americans celebrate Labor Day, it's worth noting that postal workers make up one of the larger labor unions in the country with about 860,000 members. The union has identified some of their jobs as "high risk" for exposure to stress.

Local mail carriers told 6 On Your Side about a number of problems.

The postal service is going through change. There is more automation. Fewer first class letters are being delivered, but there are more packages to deliver.

And the problems are getting worse. The postal service projects mail volume will decrease over the next 7 years, but postal routes will get longer because the number of addresses to which mail is delivered is increasing.

The carriers 6 On Your Side talked with are not a happy about the changes and other problems they face.

"In the last four years, what has happened, they haven't hired enough people to replace the people leaving," David Lambdin said.

6 On Your Side talked with a group of experienced, but unhappy city and rural mail carriers. They've seen their numbers drop by almost 100 carriers since 1997.

"If you're getting your mail at seven o'clock at night, you call in about it, they'll tell you your carrier probably called in sick today, or we just had a break down."

The men and women who asked to speak with 6 On Your Side work out of the Concord-Farragut post office. They say morale is low there.

"I have witnessed hostile actions from management down there," said Anita Price. "Yes, on the intercom, throwing equipment to yelling."

"I've been in the postal service 18 years," Bob Fres adds. "First time ever I got a letter or warning because I was sick."

Jim Derrick put it bluntly: "There's no morale. When you are treated like you're 6 or 8 years old, told to do this -- do that, that's just pathetic."

"They have no respect for us," Jack Murrah. "So it's hard to give respect from people who have not carried mail."

At Knoxville's central post office, 6 On Your Side talked with Tony Maples. He has consulted with the postmaster about the problems.

"We are very concerned about treating our employees with dignity and respect," Maples said. "We expect our employees to be treated with dignity and respect and we expect our supervisors to be treated with dignity and respect."

Maples said some mail carriers do travel longer routes today because jobs have been eliminated through attrition.

"There's always an implied threat," said David Lamdin. "If you continue to do it this way, we'll discipline you, up to firing you."

"Sometimes, if you have people used to doing a job one way, you change that job and say this is the way to do it now," said another worker.

The postal workers say the changes are affecting the way they do their job.

"The patron out on the route should not be the ones to suffer because we're having a difficult time in the office, which we are," said Anita Price.

The grievances the postal workers told 6 On Your Side about have been passed on to management.

Every year the postal service conducts a survey called "Voice of the Employee." It gives workers a chance to express their frustrations about working conditions and managers.

The postal service also says it does not tolerate a hostile work environment. It has a toll free number for employees to report violations.