goingpostal-beyond.com

Steve Musacco

All three management associations have “stepped-up to the plate” and in unison have said “enough is enough”! The Postal Service’s top management has increased the stressed level throughout the organization with the excuse of the current, deep recession and need for flexibility. First, the clarion call was “Transformation” and now its “flexibility.” Both are code for the USPS to implement the privatization of core postal operations and in the process degrade postal employees’ collective bargaining rights, benefits, and right to a safe and healthy work environment. All this is done with the blessing of the past and current Board of Governors working in concert with the large private mailing interests, neoconservatives, and past Bush administration officials. These efforts have contributed significantly to the overall deterioration of the postal culture, a culture reflected by an inhumane and paramilitary management style. The reported statement by Sylvester Black, Western Area Vice-President that “Some managers ought to be taken out and executed” is symptomatic and reflective of an arrogant, uncaring, ruthless management style that permeates all level of the organization. Charley Mapa, President of the League, points out the results of this dark, uncaring postal culture as follow:

“Like a cancer, this sick type of management has been festering and growing for years. I challenge Jack Potter and the Postal Service to walk the talk of Dignity and Respect. That term rings pretty hollow in light of how we manage our organization. It is time to actually make the changes necessary to root out abusive management. The League commits to working with our fellow management associations and the Postal Service to come up with a process to help us manage the way a world-class organization should manage. Ignoring this problem, sweeping it under the rug, will not make it go away. We’ve got to fix it now!” http://www.postmasters.org/news/message/021909.asp

Yes, now is the time for action. Enough is enough!  Now that the management associations have vehemently spoken out against the individual and organizational bullying of employees, I believe, it is critical that the management associations also work in concert with the four national postal unions to help ensure that dramatic and lasting action is implemented to improve the postal culture. One way of making this a reality is for the three management associations and four union organizations to reach agreement on how to enlist the support of Congress to reform the postal culture and then act on it. Congress will be more apt to listen and act quickly if they all “speak” with one voice.

To effect comprehensive reform of the postal culture, there also needs to be a grass-root effort by postal employees at all levels of the organization. Employees need to inform their congressional leaders, the media, and the public how employees’ physical health and psychological well-being are being comprised because of current working conditions and bullying practices and behaviors by the USPS. We all have a responsibility (current and retired employees) to take action to ensure that the USPS is held accountable for creating safe and healthy workplace environments for its employees. Yes we can!

This entry was posted on Friday, February 20th, 2009 at 3:24 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.