‘Tasteless and demeaning’ comments’
NALC
During a November 18 House debate, North Carolina Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-5th) engaged in an anti-union screed that lasted several minutes.
After attacking the pay and benefits of federal workers, she said that they also have too much job security. “Short of shooting up a post office,” Foxx said, “government workers rarely get fired or laid off.”
“Foxx’s statements about unions are factually wrong and her reference to workplace shootings in post offices was tasteless and demeaning to hard-working postal employees,” National Association of Letter Carriers President Fredric V. Rolando said. “Her comments were morbidly disrespectful to those postal employees and their families who have been the victims of shootings.
“Also, it is a myth that poorly performing federal workers—much less those that commit crimes—never get fired,” he added. “But workers facing dismissal or discipline have every right to union representation. The unions that represent federal workers make no apologies for providing this representation and ensuring fairness in the workplace.
“I have written Representative Foxx and demanded an apology, and the NALC will engage the media in her congressional district to expose her outrageous comments,” Rolando said.
The president also encourages members who live in Rep. Foxx’s district to write and/or call her district office to express your concerns over the negative and inaccurate image of federal workers that she tried to project.
The Honorable Virginia Foxx
6000 Meadowbrook Mall, Suite 3
Clemmons, NC 27012
Toll-free (866) 677-8968
NALC: 11/19/2010
I am disgusted by the generalizations made by Rep. Foxx and I am a registered Republican. So, to “Gary” I would simply ask that you please not paint all Republicans with the same broad brush that Rep. Foxx has. I am from a postal family…a father who rose from clerk upon returning from World War II to Postmaster and beyond, including President of a Postal Workers Union Local, and three sisters who are, or have been in the past, among the great group of dedicated USPS employees. It is a shame how quickly some have forgotten the inherent risks our USPS employees faced in the aftermath of 9/11 due to anthrax attacks, or have had to endure in years past with other such terrorist threats such as mailing or placing of pipebombs in mailboxes. USPS employees deserve our respect and our gratitude. And, even though some senior USPS leaders have made significant management mistakes, and some have been involved in significant instances of corruption, this does not apply to all USPS representatives. Many others have shown disdain for customers and should be appropriately dealth with; but many have gone above and beyond for customers, whether at the customer service window or on their routes. We must not forget that many of the challenges facing the USPS are as a result of the emergence of private shipping companies, like UPS, FedEx, etc., while other challenges are posed by the emergence of electronic communications, e.g., Email and social networking sites, that have rendered letter and postcard writing lost forms of art. Whenever I am home, and see my letter carrier approaching my home, I go to the front door to greet them and thank them and offer them a cold water or soda (in the summer) or a hot cocoa or coffee (in the winter). They are public servants, as am have I been working for the Department of the Navy for over 33 years. Please show them the appreciation and the respect that they deserve, while taking constructive action if they fail to perform their duties as they should, rather than simply complaining on line.
Evidently Ms. Fox has never gone home after a walking route with her feet hurting so bad she could hardly stand, or her back hurting so bad she could hardly sit.
I don’t think her comments are that far off. I just wish the USPS counter people didn’t make me feel like they’d rather punch me in the face than to sell me stamps!
What’s with the attitude? Everyone else has to work too, try to enjoy your job, people!
Jeannie Horlacher thank you for your comment. Sometimes I wish that everbody thought like. We as letter carriers work very hard. People see us as a dollar sign and that is far from the truth. We struggle just like everyone else. Congresswoman Foxx is a Government worker and this is how she feels about her own family than I dont want to be a part of her family, but again thank for the cookies you are an angel.
But she is right about getting fired. The Postal Service has become a haven for sex offenders. The San Antonio main plant has one who raped another employee. Go figure…
Yes, Virginia, there is no perfect world! And as a people’s representative, you function in what could possibly be the most imperfect part of the world! If you have to pick on someone, start on those in your own occupation!
The workers at our PO reach out to the community. You’ve insulted some of the nicest, hardest working people we know!
And just for the record — I don’t work for the PO, never have! And after reading about what you said, I’m leaving extra cookies in the mailbox this Christmas!
Congresswoman Foxx:
I find your comments very offensive. You are also in a profession that has had numerous elected officials work well into your 80`s and 90`s simply because of the good old boy network. Postal employees are some of the hardest working and dedicated men and women I have encountered. As a retired Letter Carrier I saw first hand in the last fifteen years how more and more work kept getting put on the letter carriers. We are squeezed for every minute we have even to the point of some workers sacrificing their lunch and breaks to avoid possible confrontation and discipline. Your comment about shooting up the workplace is so ignorant and distasteful. If you took the time to do some research you would find that there is no more violence in the workplace at the Post Office than at any other places of employment. It sounds to me that you are a typical uniformed Republican that is anti Post Office and anti Union and pro Sean Hannity! You make me sick!