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1
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(logo whooshing)
2
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- I'm hoping my buddy comes out.
3
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(gentle country music)
4
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The young handicapped guy right here.
5
00:00:25,747 --> 00:00:27,237
What's up, Jason.
6
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And he usually comes out, gets his mail.
7
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(man laughs)
8
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How you doing, buddy?
9
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All right, is that good?
- Thank you.
10
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- All right, you got it, Jason.
11
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Have a good day, bud.
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Be careful.
13
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Now he can't get in the box or anything,
14
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so I'll hold this mail for him.
15
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And he'll come out and
I'll give him his mail.
16
00:00:47,943 --> 00:00:51,193
(upbeat country music)
17
00:00:53,352 --> 00:00:54,575
I mean, you just befriend these people.
18
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They're like family too.
19
00:00:55,408 --> 00:00:56,241
So I see them coming up,
20
00:00:56,241 --> 00:00:58,789
I'll just grab their mail
or something like that.
21
00:00:58,789 --> 00:01:00,219
They get things like clockwork,
22
00:01:00,219 --> 00:01:02,096
like their medicine, their checks.
23
00:01:02,096 --> 00:01:04,523
So you know when that's
coming and they know.
24
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Some customers get that special attention.
25
00:01:08,602 --> 00:01:09,602
Seatbelt on.
26
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It's part of the job.
27
00:01:13,761 --> 00:01:15,813
When it gets to that point
too, it's not even like a job,
28
00:01:15,813 --> 00:01:17,925
it's just like a normal family thing
29
00:01:17,925 --> 00:01:19,927
that you're doing with them, for them.
30
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(gentle country music)
31
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- You can leave a letter on your door
32
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and it will be hand-delivered
33
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to a spot thousands of miles away
34
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in the most remote corner
of the United States.
35
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- It's just really great.
36
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I mean, I don't think
there's a bigger bargain
37
00:01:40,193 --> 00:01:42,193
in the world these days.
38
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- That's a miracle right there.
39
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It takes three or four of those
40
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to get my normal cup of coffee.
41
00:01:48,226 --> 00:01:51,171
If you can get this letter
anywhere in the world,
42
00:01:51,171 --> 00:01:53,021
and you trust it's gonna go there.
43
00:01:53,021 --> 00:01:56,483
(gentle country music)
44
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- The postal service
delivers 155 billion pieces
45
00:02:00,995 --> 00:02:05,833
of mail every year, approximately
40% of the world's mail.
46
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(gentle country music)
47
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- You can actually see the
people that you're touching,
48
00:02:12,596 --> 00:02:17,179
and I'm a people person, so
it gives me a good feeling.
49
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- Are you all right?
50
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- Yeah.
51
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- Good.
52
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- We come here for the news,
we come here for our mail,
53
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for the kids to play.
54
00:02:28,117 --> 00:02:32,128
I mean, this is just kind of
our social point of Evanston.
55
00:02:32,128 --> 00:02:35,157
- It's a post office and
you know the postmaster,
56
00:02:35,157 --> 00:02:36,966
if there are clerks there, you know them,
57
00:02:36,966 --> 00:02:40,089
you know they're there to serve you.
58
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- They see each other,
59
00:02:40,936 --> 00:02:43,425
they get to talk about
things that are happening
60
00:02:43,425 --> 00:02:46,370
and what they need to
get involved in in town.
61
00:02:46,370 --> 00:02:49,229
- It can be politics,
it can be a bond issue,
62
00:02:49,229 --> 00:02:51,280
it can be that there's a forest fire
63
00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:54,613
two miles down the road coming your way.
64
00:02:55,577 --> 00:02:57,462
- Each place is composed
of different people
65
00:02:57,462 --> 00:03:01,130
and everybody's got a story to tell.
66
00:03:01,130 --> 00:03:05,880
- Well, the post office is
kind of a window on the world.
67
00:03:07,201 --> 00:03:09,452
- You look forward to it.
68
00:03:09,452 --> 00:03:10,653
- You got it?
69
00:03:10,653 --> 00:03:11,486
- Thank you.
70
00:03:11,486 --> 00:03:12,634
- You're welcome.
71
00:03:12,634 --> 00:03:13,656
(both laughing)
72
00:03:13,656 --> 00:03:15,251
- Have a great day.
- Take care.
73
00:03:15,251 --> 00:03:17,127
- It's a nice interlude.
74
00:03:17,127 --> 00:03:17,960
Hi, Jack.
75
00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:19,980
How are things, and a
little bit of information
76
00:03:19,980 --> 00:03:22,160
about the neighborhood and the community.
77
00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:23,634
- Take big picture.
78
00:03:23,634 --> 00:03:27,301
- [Jack] A real life
spice in the community.
79
00:03:29,452 --> 00:03:31,434
- The first thing I learned when I came
80
00:03:31,434 --> 00:03:34,716
to the postal service was three words,
81
00:03:34,716 --> 00:03:36,928
the sanctity of the mail.
82
00:03:36,928 --> 00:03:40,066
- I'm Jay, and this is my dad.
83
00:03:40,066 --> 00:03:43,134
- Right now, we're in front
of the maple crush station
84
00:03:43,134 --> 00:03:45,217
in Maplewood, New Jersey.
85
00:03:46,713 --> 00:03:49,630
My job was box clerk, window clerk.
86
00:03:50,891 --> 00:03:53,273
And I spent many wonderful years here
87
00:03:53,273 --> 00:03:56,275
taking care of beautiful customers.
88
00:03:56,275 --> 00:03:58,337
- [Jay] He always had a lot to say
89
00:03:58,337 --> 00:04:00,616
about his job at the post office.
90
00:04:00,616 --> 00:04:02,744
- I felt a feeling of accomplishment
91
00:04:02,744 --> 00:04:05,867
every day I came home from work.
92
00:04:05,867 --> 00:04:09,461
- I love the attitude
of those that work here.
93
00:04:09,461 --> 00:04:12,088
They're very personal and
they give you good advice,
94
00:04:12,088 --> 00:04:14,255
like we just got it today.
95
00:04:15,434 --> 00:04:18,396
- I like to help people,
and I care about them,
96
00:04:18,396 --> 00:04:20,034
and I wanna give them the best service
97
00:04:20,034 --> 00:04:24,012
and the most knowledgeable
service that I could.
98
00:04:24,012 --> 00:04:27,118
- [Jay] After hearing
the stories for 27 years
99
00:04:27,118 --> 00:04:29,695
and watching what he went
through to keep his job,
100
00:04:29,695 --> 00:04:32,049
I set out to uncover if what happened
101
00:04:32,049 --> 00:04:34,327
to him was happening everywhere.
102
00:04:34,327 --> 00:04:37,577
(gentle country music)
103
00:04:48,093 --> 00:04:51,320
(car engine roaring)
104
00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:54,593
- I loved my job when I went
to work at the post office.
105
00:04:54,593 --> 00:04:56,176
It was a tough job.
106
00:04:57,881 --> 00:05:00,798
A lot of the jobs were
playing out around here
107
00:05:00,798 --> 00:05:04,442
at the time that I worked
in the textile industry
108
00:05:04,442 --> 00:05:08,716
and the mail I was working
at was closing down.
109
00:05:08,716 --> 00:05:10,381
- When I started at the post office,
110
00:05:10,381 --> 00:05:13,787
I was 27 years old with two children,
111
00:05:13,787 --> 00:05:16,791
and I had three jobs working at the mall.
112
00:05:16,791 --> 00:05:18,845
They were all minimum wage jobs,
113
00:05:18,845 --> 00:05:23,261
and there's no way I
could support my children.
114
00:05:23,261 --> 00:05:25,656
- I couldn't have found a better job.
115
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Money was great, the hours.
116
00:05:28,836 --> 00:05:31,832
It was just a great place to work.
117
00:05:31,832 --> 00:05:33,601
But as time went on
118
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(letters rattling)
119
00:05:37,729 --> 00:05:41,106
I had never been messed
with in my whole career
120
00:05:41,106 --> 00:05:45,289
to have to have turn 51
with so many years in.
121
00:05:45,289 --> 00:05:49,439
It's almost like they'd had
their usefulness out of me
122
00:05:49,439 --> 00:05:51,187
and it was time for me to go.
123
00:05:51,187 --> 00:05:53,915
(letters rattling)
124
00:05:53,915 --> 00:05:56,403
- Don't talk to nobody, deliver the mail
125
00:05:56,403 --> 00:05:58,689
as fast as you can, cut the lawns,
126
00:05:58,689 --> 00:06:00,475
climb somebody's bushes.
127
00:06:00,475 --> 00:06:02,362
They would actually tell you that.
128
00:06:02,362 --> 00:06:04,313
- They're trying to get you to speed up.
129
00:06:04,313 --> 00:06:07,877
And if anything gets you
to break safety measures,
130
00:06:07,877 --> 00:06:10,752
but they won't tell you that.
131
00:06:10,752 --> 00:06:12,693
It's big time stress.
132
00:06:12,693 --> 00:06:13,986
- I gotta do everything right.
133
00:06:13,986 --> 00:06:15,502
If I do one thing wrong,
134
00:06:15,502 --> 00:06:18,247
the 99 things I did are negated.
135
00:06:18,247 --> 00:06:21,728
- My chest was pumping and
my head was about to pop.
136
00:06:21,728 --> 00:06:23,966
- It's like a mutual distrust.
137
00:06:23,966 --> 00:06:26,581
The employees don't trust the supervisors,
138
00:06:26,581 --> 00:06:29,315
the managers don't trust the workers.
139
00:06:29,315 --> 00:06:30,600
- It's basically a war zone.
140
00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:32,759
You're on one side, they're on the other.
141
00:06:32,759 --> 00:06:35,306
(protestors chanting)
142
00:06:35,306 --> 00:06:37,898
- The system right now as
the postal service operates
143
00:06:37,898 --> 00:06:39,200
as counterproductive,
144
00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:42,127
in many places, it's a day-to-day battle.
145
00:06:42,127 --> 00:06:44,363
- I was told by several postmasters
146
00:06:44,363 --> 00:06:46,989
and supervisors throughout my career,
147
00:06:46,989 --> 00:06:49,883
I will follow you till I
catch you do something wrong.
148
00:06:49,883 --> 00:06:53,132
- In this postal culture, you're
the enemy if you speak up.
149
00:06:53,132 --> 00:06:56,748
- We'll find a way to get at
you for opening your mouth.
150
00:06:56,748 --> 00:06:59,748
(suspenseful music)
151
00:07:06,683 --> 00:07:08,847
- I worry about someone going postal.
152
00:07:08,847 --> 00:07:10,205
This is not an option for me,
153
00:07:10,205 --> 00:07:12,351
but what about someone
that has put their life
154
00:07:12,351 --> 00:07:13,820
into the post office?
155
00:07:13,820 --> 00:07:17,001
What if they find themselves
in Brian's crosshairs,
156
00:07:17,001 --> 00:07:20,203
see no way out and decide to fire back.
157
00:07:20,203 --> 00:07:21,339
What if I'm at work that day
158
00:07:21,339 --> 00:07:23,635
and get caught in the crossfire?
159
00:07:23,635 --> 00:07:24,836
I warned them.
160
00:07:24,836 --> 00:07:28,781
I put it in writing and I sent
it to the EEO investigator.
161
00:07:28,781 --> 00:07:32,347
And I know that somebody took notice
162
00:07:32,347 --> 00:07:36,608
because the EO investigator
sent it to Charlotte
163
00:07:36,608 --> 00:07:39,875
who sent a guy down to interview me
164
00:07:39,875 --> 00:07:41,536
for an hour to make sure
165
00:07:41,536 --> 00:07:45,203
that I wasn't contemplating
something, that.
166
00:07:49,598 --> 00:07:54,050
- The district manager was
having a town hall meeting.
167
00:07:54,050 --> 00:07:56,848
I told him, I said, "We're
giving you this paper,
168
00:07:56,848 --> 00:08:01,244
this petition, because
we don't wanna sit around
169
00:08:01,244 --> 00:08:04,052
and watch TV at the 11 o'clock news
170
00:08:04,052 --> 00:08:07,835
and something crazy
happens in the post office
171
00:08:07,835 --> 00:08:10,370
and we look at the TV and
see you guys on there saying
172
00:08:10,370 --> 00:08:11,908
we didn't know anything was wrong.
173
00:08:11,908 --> 00:08:15,558
(gentle somber music)
174
00:08:15,558 --> 00:08:19,055
So we're putting you on
notice that we have a problem.
175
00:08:19,055 --> 00:08:22,222
(gentle somber music)
176
00:08:23,677 --> 00:08:27,159
And then of course, we have
this disaster Tuesday morning,
177
00:08:27,159 --> 00:08:30,862
where Steve Spencer committed suicide
178
00:08:30,862 --> 00:08:33,825
in the bathroom of the annex.
179
00:08:33,825 --> 00:08:36,242
(bell dings)
180
00:08:39,931 --> 00:08:41,764
I was totally shocked.
181
00:08:42,882 --> 00:08:44,149
We had no one.
182
00:08:44,149 --> 00:08:48,294
We didn't have anybody
to talk to, the carriers.
183
00:08:48,294 --> 00:08:52,588
We sent two people to
the hospital after that.
184
00:08:52,588 --> 00:08:55,823
It's just a tragedy that they
had to work through that.
185
00:08:55,823 --> 00:08:58,906
(gentle piano music)
186
00:09:02,893 --> 00:09:05,625
- Steve was, he was this happy face.
187
00:09:05,625 --> 00:09:07,276
He was this happy face that you'd see
188
00:09:07,276 --> 00:09:09,861
in the morning, this friendly guy.
189
00:09:09,861 --> 00:09:11,956
He didn't have any problems,
190
00:09:11,956 --> 00:09:14,276
not on the outside.
191
00:09:14,276 --> 00:09:16,503
- Steve was straight up fella.
192
00:09:16,503 --> 00:09:20,419
He always willing to take
the lead in all the things
193
00:09:20,419 --> 00:09:24,506
that the union and the postal
service did for the community.
194
00:09:24,506 --> 00:09:26,589
He was a tireless worker.
195
00:09:29,035 --> 00:09:31,618
(somber music)
196
00:09:41,500 --> 00:09:45,333
- There would be postal
management supervisors
197
00:09:47,290 --> 00:09:51,715
that will be coming out
and following Steve.
198
00:09:51,715 --> 00:09:54,863
At first, it was just
every once in a while.
199
00:09:54,863 --> 00:09:58,530
But the last three
months that he was alive,
200
00:09:59,573 --> 00:10:04,573
it had gotten to be, well,
three, four times a week.
201
00:10:04,654 --> 00:10:06,476
- You're taking your lunch break,
202
00:10:06,476 --> 00:10:09,878
you see him pass by or pull
into the place you're at
203
00:10:09,878 --> 00:10:11,227
and stop and look,
204
00:10:11,227 --> 00:10:14,843
and look at their watch and get out
205
00:10:14,843 --> 00:10:17,767
and check, see if your
vehicles locked, look in it,
206
00:10:17,767 --> 00:10:20,481
no one all the time, but
you're watching them.
207
00:10:20,481 --> 00:10:24,814
And then they move on, and
to me, that's harassment.
208
00:10:27,139 --> 00:10:32,139
- I believe they were following
him to shake Steve up.
209
00:10:32,442 --> 00:10:35,151
Hopefully they would
find him doing something
210
00:10:35,151 --> 00:10:37,273
they could dismiss him for
211
00:10:37,273 --> 00:10:39,432
that they could fire him for,
212
00:10:39,432 --> 00:10:41,682
but they can never do that.
213
00:10:42,851 --> 00:10:46,020
And I think that's why they
followed him for so long.
214
00:10:46,020 --> 00:10:48,603
(somber music)
215
00:11:07,881 --> 00:11:09,380
- Steve would be the kind of fit,
216
00:11:09,380 --> 00:11:10,213
he would've been the kind of guy
217
00:11:10,213 --> 00:11:14,630
that would be a sacrificial
lamb to make things right
218
00:11:15,749 --> 00:11:17,946
for everybody else.
219
00:11:17,946 --> 00:11:20,446
He was just that good-hearted.
220
00:11:22,519 --> 00:11:25,898
- Steve Spencer was my
secretary when I was president.
221
00:11:25,898 --> 00:11:28,684
The thing that I was shocked about is
222
00:11:28,684 --> 00:11:31,686
why Steve didn't come to somebody for help
223
00:11:31,686 --> 00:11:34,189
because everybody used
to go to Steve for help.
224
00:11:34,189 --> 00:11:36,448
- Being real honest with
you, if it wasn't for Steve,
225
00:11:36,448 --> 00:11:37,615
a lot of days,
226
00:11:39,642 --> 00:11:43,280
I probably could have done
something wrong to people.
227
00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:45,894
- Even the president of
the union would come to him
228
00:11:45,894 --> 00:11:48,811
for advice because they knew, well,
229
00:11:49,660 --> 00:11:52,144
everyone knew, the postal management knew
230
00:11:52,144 --> 00:11:55,409
of the union members old and new knew
231
00:11:55,409 --> 00:11:57,909
that he has so much knowledge.
232
00:11:59,288 --> 00:12:03,201
And I think that's where
part of the problem came in.
233
00:12:03,201 --> 00:12:05,701
They were truly afraid of him.
234
00:12:07,769 --> 00:12:11,049
He was the one that they were determined
235
00:12:11,049 --> 00:12:13,395
to see leave the postal service.
236
00:12:13,395 --> 00:12:16,478
(somber piano music)
237
00:12:28,541 --> 00:12:31,679
- I wasn't surprised at
what happened last week,
238
00:12:31,679 --> 00:12:33,929
'cause I've seen it coming.
239
00:12:34,846 --> 00:12:39,562
There's gonna be a lot more
coming to if it don't stop.
240
00:12:39,562 --> 00:12:42,156
(suspenseful music)
241
00:12:42,156 --> 00:12:46,168
- [Man] You could cut
the stress level walking
242
00:12:46,168 --> 00:12:48,157
into the building.
243
00:12:48,157 --> 00:12:50,912
- I think people feel like
their jobs are on the line.
244
00:12:50,912 --> 00:12:53,057
I think they feel like
that if they say something
245
00:12:53,057 --> 00:12:55,637
that they're gonna be after them,
246
00:12:55,637 --> 00:12:57,927
they're gonna find things
to go after them for,
247
00:12:57,927 --> 00:13:01,446
they're gonna find things
to try to get them out.
248
00:13:01,446 --> 00:13:03,006
- When we were voicing our opinions
249
00:13:03,006 --> 00:13:05,361
about what this guy's saying and doing,
250
00:13:05,361 --> 00:13:08,549
the firm interviewed six people.
251
00:13:08,549 --> 00:13:12,014
All six people said, "I feel
my blood pressure coming up
252
00:13:12,014 --> 00:13:14,159
when I see this manager.
253
00:13:14,159 --> 00:13:15,819
The hair on my arm stands up.
254
00:13:15,819 --> 00:13:18,136
I get nervous, I get tense."
255
00:13:18,136 --> 00:13:21,540
I said, "What's your
definition of going postal?"
256
00:13:21,540 --> 00:13:24,042
And when I said that to Majid,
257
00:13:24,042 --> 00:13:27,222
he threw himself back into the computer,
258
00:13:27,222 --> 00:13:29,668
the girl that was taking
notes drops her pen.
259
00:13:29,668 --> 00:13:32,468
And he says, "We don't like
to talk about going postal."
260
00:13:32,468 --> 00:13:34,760
I said, "Okay, well, then
let's change the word.
261
00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:35,999
You tell me what the word is
262
00:13:35,999 --> 00:13:38,360
that we'd use instead of going postal."
263
00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:41,814
He says, "I don't wanna
talk about going postal."
264
00:13:41,814 --> 00:13:44,564
They don't wanna talk about that.
265
00:13:45,685 --> 00:13:47,262
- [Woman] We need an ambulance.
266
00:13:47,262 --> 00:13:48,389
- [Man] Where are you at?
267
00:13:48,389 --> 00:13:50,830
- [Jay] On August 18th, 1983,
268
00:13:50,830 --> 00:13:54,318
Perry Smith carried a 12 gauge
shotgun to the post office
269
00:13:54,318 --> 00:13:57,093
where he worked for 25 years.
270
00:13:57,093 --> 00:14:00,868
He chased the postmaster to a
nearby store and killed him,
271
00:14:00,868 --> 00:14:03,671
shooting two former
coworkers in the process.
272
00:14:03,671 --> 00:14:05,412
Less than four months later,
273
00:14:05,412 --> 00:14:08,677
it happened again in
Alabama, then Georgia,
274
00:14:08,677 --> 00:14:10,456
and New York City.
275
00:14:10,456 --> 00:14:13,051
For more than two decades,
it kept happening.
276
00:14:13,051 --> 00:14:17,394
Postal employees came to
work aiming for their bosses,
277
00:14:17,394 --> 00:14:19,660
leaving a wake of collateral damage
278
00:14:19,660 --> 00:14:23,615
as dozens of postal workers
were killed or injured.
279
00:14:23,615 --> 00:14:25,508
- [Woman] Oh, my God,
he's using (indistinct).
280
00:14:25,508 --> 00:14:28,341
- [Woman] I think we're gonna die.
281
00:14:29,804 --> 00:14:31,451
- He had a nine millimeter pistol
282
00:14:31,451 --> 00:14:34,284
and he started to shoot at us all.
283
00:14:40,646 --> 00:14:42,585
- In Montclair, New Jersey,
284
00:14:42,585 --> 00:14:45,932
there were two postal employees killed,
285
00:14:45,932 --> 00:14:50,932
two people from the general
public, and one maimed for life.
286
00:14:51,326 --> 00:14:54,813
I went and sat outside that
office that night and had tears
287
00:14:54,813 --> 00:14:59,004
in my eyes because I wondered
if I should go to work
288
00:14:59,004 --> 00:15:01,549
because of the fact that
this could happen to me,
289
00:15:01,549 --> 00:15:04,618
but it could happen to
anybody in any walk of life.
290
00:15:04,618 --> 00:15:07,780
And I had too much to give up
to leave the postal service.
291
00:15:07,780 --> 00:15:10,363
(somber music)
292
00:15:11,300 --> 00:15:15,294
- Every incident of post
office violence back then
293
00:15:15,294 --> 00:15:17,898
I was involved in, I was called in.
294
00:15:17,898 --> 00:15:19,855
- [Reporter] Dr. Mike Mantell an expert
295
00:15:19,855 --> 00:15:22,397
in dealing with mass trauma arrived today.
296
00:15:22,397 --> 00:15:26,405
- I remember talking about
how quickly they cleaned up
297
00:15:26,405 --> 00:15:28,789
the blood and the bullet holes
298
00:15:28,789 --> 00:15:31,506
and how some of the post
office workers said,
299
00:15:31,506 --> 00:15:34,227
there's still some
bullet holes in the wall
300
00:15:34,227 --> 00:15:38,609
and it turns our stomach and
it turns and twists our minds,
301
00:15:38,609 --> 00:15:41,053
and it affects us deeply.
302
00:15:41,053 --> 00:15:43,628
And it was just get back to work.
303
00:15:43,628 --> 00:15:44,461
Don't worry about it.
304
00:15:44,461 --> 00:15:45,294
Get over it.
305
00:15:45,294 --> 00:15:47,794
Don't just take a file
cabinet and move it over
306
00:15:47,794 --> 00:15:51,094
to cover a bullet hole, clean it up.
307
00:15:51,094 --> 00:15:52,895
- I've seen a lot of
people that are waiting
308
00:15:52,895 --> 00:15:54,986
to explode in there.
309
00:15:54,986 --> 00:15:57,595
- To lay the labor management relations,
310
00:15:57,595 --> 00:16:02,595
to layer that stress, I just
don't think is legitimate.
311
00:16:02,663 --> 00:16:04,502
- [Police man] (indistinct) policeman.
312
00:16:04,502 --> 00:16:06,552
- [Reporter] This time
it's Royal Oak, Michigan.
313
00:16:06,552 --> 00:16:08,867
Another postal worker gone bizarre
314
00:16:08,867 --> 00:16:13,499
on a shooting rampage
targeting his supervisors.
315
00:16:13,499 --> 00:16:15,500
- He came in at about eight o'clock
316
00:16:15,500 --> 00:16:18,085
and had his gun under his coat.
317
00:16:18,085 --> 00:16:21,790
He shot Chris Carlisle
in the head five times.
318
00:16:21,790 --> 00:16:26,010
Came out, shot two other
supervisors and went upstairs.
319
00:16:26,010 --> 00:16:29,577
And I guess he shot some
people who were injury comp
320
00:16:29,577 --> 00:16:31,838
and somebody jumped out of a window.
321
00:16:31,838 --> 00:16:33,950
- [Reporter] Incredibly,
everyone at Royal Oak
322
00:16:33,950 --> 00:16:37,807
knew it was coming and most
knew the gunman by name.
323
00:16:37,807 --> 00:16:40,890
- Tom McElvane was their main target.
324
00:16:42,066 --> 00:16:44,586
They went after the guy for everything.
325
00:16:44,586 --> 00:16:46,771
They went after him
'cause his shorts weren't
326
00:16:46,771 --> 00:16:47,949
the right length,
327
00:16:47,949 --> 00:16:52,182
that he went to the
bathroom too many times.
328
00:16:52,182 --> 00:16:56,141
The day that he was
actually fired and it stuck,
329
00:16:56,141 --> 00:16:58,555
three management people got in a car
330
00:16:58,555 --> 00:17:00,573
and followed him out to his route.
331
00:17:00,573 --> 00:17:04,969
They were following like
within inches of his bumper.
332
00:17:04,969 --> 00:17:09,136
And then he slowed down
to 10 or 15 miles an hour,
333
00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:12,889
they said that he tried to hit them
334
00:17:12,889 --> 00:17:17,258
with slam on the brakes
and make them hit him.
335
00:17:17,258 --> 00:17:22,091
What it came down to was that
he would not submit to them.
336
00:17:24,771 --> 00:17:27,906
And so, when I came to San Francisco,
337
00:17:27,906 --> 00:17:31,842
I was just shocked that
the manager there was
338
00:17:31,842 --> 00:17:36,342
the same kind of manager
that I had seen in Royal Oak,
339
00:17:37,300 --> 00:17:40,850
barking at everybody, screaming at him,
340
00:17:40,850 --> 00:17:44,480
scream from across the room
for you to come to her desk
341
00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:48,504
so she could yell at you in
front of everybody in the place.
342
00:17:48,504 --> 00:17:51,365
It's frightening to me to be in there.
343
00:17:51,365 --> 00:17:54,948
And the times that I went to
the postmaster in San Francisco
344
00:17:54,948 --> 00:17:58,031
and personally asked, what can we do?
345
00:17:58,898 --> 00:18:01,889
Because the morale is so bad
346
00:18:01,889 --> 00:18:06,389
that I can see how another
Royal Oak will happen here.
347
00:18:07,664 --> 00:18:10,577
And the response always was to me,
348
00:18:10,577 --> 00:18:13,297
"Well, geez, Audrey, you seem to have
349
00:18:13,297 --> 00:18:16,527
some kind of personal problems.
350
00:18:16,527 --> 00:18:20,136
Have you thought about
seeing a psychiatrist."
351
00:18:20,136 --> 00:18:21,938
- [Reporter] A postal supervisor appears
352
00:18:21,938 --> 00:18:24,081
to have been killed by a coworker
353
00:18:24,081 --> 00:18:27,081
who later turned the gun on himself.
354
00:18:28,104 --> 00:18:31,341
Postal employees were told not to comment.
355
00:18:31,341 --> 00:18:32,662
- As specifics to discipline,
356
00:18:32,662 --> 00:18:35,436
already that information
we're not gonna release.
357
00:18:35,436 --> 00:18:38,255
Both of these employees
were very well-liked.
358
00:18:38,255 --> 00:18:41,171
- They didn't have any idea.
359
00:18:41,171 --> 00:18:43,871
No one could possibly know why he did it.
360
00:18:43,871 --> 00:18:45,289
How can that be
361
00:18:45,289 --> 00:18:47,206
that you just have the same situation
362
00:18:47,206 --> 00:18:49,366
so many times over and over.
363
00:18:49,366 --> 00:18:51,199
How can that possibly be?
364
00:18:51,199 --> 00:18:55,419
It has to be the mentality
of the post office.
365
00:18:55,419 --> 00:18:58,376
- This is a philosophy
that's being promoted
366
00:18:58,376 --> 00:19:02,543
by the post office in
general, harass, intimidate.
367
00:19:04,390 --> 00:19:07,633
And we're here to say,
stop the harassment,
368
00:19:07,633 --> 00:19:11,966
stop the abuse, stop the
harassment, stop the abuse.
369
00:19:20,391 --> 00:19:23,474
(train horn honking)
370
00:19:26,007 --> 00:19:30,340
- Stewart is a union person
in the local post office
371
00:19:31,730 --> 00:19:34,874
that takes care of any
problems with management
372
00:19:34,874 --> 00:19:37,457
and any of the other employees.
373
00:19:39,639 --> 00:19:41,910
It's just the part of my makeup
374
00:19:41,910 --> 00:19:45,426
that I can not see another human being
375
00:19:45,426 --> 00:19:47,592
being easily verbally harassed,
376
00:19:47,592 --> 00:19:50,774
or dehumanized an earshot of me,
377
00:19:50,774 --> 00:19:54,774
without me getting up and
trying to assist them.
378
00:19:58,377 --> 00:20:01,419
- You just see the injustice
and you say, you know what,
379
00:20:01,419 --> 00:20:03,023
I'm either gonna go nuts
380
00:20:03,023 --> 00:20:05,419
or I'm gonna go do something about it.
381
00:20:05,419 --> 00:20:08,048
That's one of the things
that made me a steward.
382
00:20:08,048 --> 00:20:10,719
Invariably, you'll find that the stewards
383
00:20:10,719 --> 00:20:13,971
were people that grew up
standing in between a bully
384
00:20:13,971 --> 00:20:15,651
and somebody who either couldn't
385
00:20:15,651 --> 00:20:17,866
or wouldn't defend himself.
386
00:20:17,866 --> 00:20:21,077
- I am not an individual
that likes to fight.
387
00:20:21,077 --> 00:20:23,308
I like to sit down and negotiate,
388
00:20:23,308 --> 00:20:26,585
but if I'm backed into the corner,
389
00:20:26,585 --> 00:20:29,055
I'll come out swing both arms,
390
00:20:29,055 --> 00:20:30,552
because I believe in human rights,
391
00:20:30,552 --> 00:20:34,795
and I believe in fairness,
and I believe in morality.
392
00:20:34,795 --> 00:20:37,099
- There's always some type of retaliation
393
00:20:37,099 --> 00:20:39,413
whenever you get a really good settlement,
394
00:20:39,413 --> 00:20:42,304
whenever you, as I would say,
395
00:20:42,304 --> 00:20:45,811
just nail them once, they
wanna come back and get you,
396
00:20:45,811 --> 00:20:46,984
but it's just business.
397
00:20:46,984 --> 00:20:50,295
It's not supposed to get personal.
398
00:20:50,295 --> 00:20:51,521
- [Jay] As a shop steward,
399
00:20:51,521 --> 00:20:53,516
my dad had an adversarial relationship
400
00:20:53,516 --> 00:20:55,789
with many of the bosses.
401
00:20:55,789 --> 00:20:56,622
Around the dinner table,
402
00:20:56,622 --> 00:20:59,734
I'd hear stories like this one.
403
00:20:59,734 --> 00:21:04,379
- After he had lost a large
arbitration and grievance
404
00:21:04,379 --> 00:21:07,359
with me, and he took me outside
405
00:21:07,359 --> 00:21:10,609
on my 45th birthday without any earshot
406
00:21:12,031 --> 00:21:13,691
of anyone else and say,
407
00:21:13,691 --> 00:21:17,017
"I may fire you for no reason at all
408
00:21:17,017 --> 00:21:19,512
and you'll be on the outside
looking in for six months
409
00:21:19,512 --> 00:21:22,762
to a year till you get to arbitration."
410
00:21:24,602 --> 00:21:28,935
In 1997, the local management
had postal inspectors,
411
00:21:31,996 --> 00:21:35,746
following me and filming
me on a daily basis.
412
00:21:37,393 --> 00:21:42,222
They accused me of stealing
$500 over a 10-year period
413
00:21:42,222 --> 00:21:44,139
and put me out of work.
414
00:21:45,268 --> 00:21:47,289
At this time, I understand
Bob is suspended
415
00:21:47,289 --> 00:21:49,141
without pay pending the outcome
416
00:21:49,141 --> 00:21:50,579
of a criminal investigation
417
00:21:50,579 --> 00:21:53,412
regarding mileage expense reports.
418
00:21:54,475 --> 00:21:57,133
- [Jay] It was the
spring of my senior year
419
00:21:57,133 --> 00:22:00,300
and the future was suddenly uncertain.
420
00:22:01,275 --> 00:22:03,246
- In the federal sector and especially
421
00:22:03,246 --> 00:22:04,148
in the postal service,
422
00:22:04,148 --> 00:22:09,148
they have an incredible maze
of how to resolve problems.
423
00:22:09,443 --> 00:22:12,384
It's totally designed to
take as long as possible.
424
00:22:12,384 --> 00:22:14,864
- These were mileage
vouchers for 10 years,
425
00:22:14,864 --> 00:22:18,749
which only came to two
miles a day, seven miles,
426
00:22:18,749 --> 00:22:21,760
wherever I went that
they had asked me to go,
427
00:22:21,760 --> 00:22:23,177
plus the letters,
428
00:22:25,559 --> 00:22:26,962
hundreds and hundreds of letters
429
00:22:26,962 --> 00:22:31,171
from customers that I
service over the years.
430
00:22:31,171 --> 00:22:33,233
And I'd never had a financial shortage.
431
00:22:33,233 --> 00:22:37,066
I never took anything
from the postal service.
432
00:22:40,128 --> 00:22:42,215
- [Jay] In US workplaces
you were presumed guilty
433
00:22:42,215 --> 00:22:43,995
until proven innocent.
434
00:22:43,995 --> 00:22:47,416
- Workers are routinely fired, suspended,
435
00:22:47,416 --> 00:22:48,916
held out, starved,
436
00:22:50,230 --> 00:22:53,969
and it is a disciplining tool
on the part of management.
437
00:22:53,969 --> 00:22:57,219
Most working class people can't sustain
438
00:22:58,194 --> 00:22:59,164
a single paycheck,
439
00:22:59,164 --> 00:23:02,674
much less several months of
waiting for a grievance case
440
00:23:02,674 --> 00:23:07,674
to be heard by an arbitrator
or through a grievance panel.
441
00:23:08,123 --> 00:23:10,863
- There's always a fear you're
not gonna get the job back.
442
00:23:10,863 --> 00:23:15,462
And many people give up
and take the punishment.
443
00:23:15,462 --> 00:23:18,441
As I've known single
mothers and single fathers
444
00:23:18,441 --> 00:23:20,300
that had to feed their families
445
00:23:20,300 --> 00:23:22,872
and took the deal and made it look
446
00:23:22,872 --> 00:23:27,039
like they were guilty of
something they never did.
447
00:23:31,612 --> 00:23:32,591
- [Man] What you're actually gonna do,
448
00:23:32,591 --> 00:23:35,101
you're gonna fuck around and get fired?
449
00:23:35,101 --> 00:23:36,461
- [Man] They can fire
me for asking questions-
450
00:23:36,461 --> 00:23:38,058
- [Man] What are you trying
to figure out with that?
451
00:23:38,058 --> 00:23:39,288
- [Man] You're gonna fuck
around and get fired.
452
00:23:39,288 --> 00:23:40,144
- [Man] What are trying to figure out?
453
00:23:40,144 --> 00:23:42,503
- [Man] Now, the union
will get you your job back,
454
00:23:42,503 --> 00:23:45,177
but in the meantime,
you're gonna be hurting.
455
00:23:45,177 --> 00:23:46,566
- [Man] Why would they fire me?
456
00:23:46,566 --> 00:23:47,399
- [Man] You're gonna be fired without pay.
457
00:23:47,399 --> 00:23:48,232
- [Man] What are you trying to do, though?
458
00:23:48,232 --> 00:23:51,912
- [Man] He's trying to start the most-
459
00:23:51,912 --> 00:23:54,412
(tense music)
460
00:23:57,681 --> 00:24:02,238
- Well, yeah, I had one
manager of many officers.
461
00:24:02,238 --> 00:24:03,556
He told me the best way to do
462
00:24:03,556 --> 00:24:04,924
to take care of your employees
463
00:24:04,924 --> 00:24:07,180
find your best employee and find something
464
00:24:07,180 --> 00:24:10,233
that he's doing wrong and
give them a letter of warning.
465
00:24:10,233 --> 00:24:11,550
And I would say to myself,
466
00:24:11,550 --> 00:24:14,255
why in a world would I want to do that?
467
00:24:14,255 --> 00:24:16,591
Well, they figured that if you
wrote up your best employee
468
00:24:16,591 --> 00:24:18,873
and the other employees
would fall in line thinking,
469
00:24:18,873 --> 00:24:20,237
well, they just wrote off the best guy
470
00:24:20,237 --> 00:24:24,535
in the office for some
minor little detail.
471
00:24:24,535 --> 00:24:27,535
They wanted to intimidate everybody.
472
00:24:31,091 --> 00:24:33,837
- Sir, the working environment
473
00:24:33,837 --> 00:24:36,892
in the postal service is combative now.
474
00:24:36,892 --> 00:24:39,516
We're getting warning
letters without checks.
475
00:24:39,516 --> 00:24:41,697
- [Patrick] The current
atmosphere out there
476
00:24:41,697 --> 00:24:45,114
is ones largely of fear and intimidation.
477
00:24:46,629 --> 00:24:48,801
Many of us are working six days a week,
478
00:24:48,801 --> 00:24:51,651
10 hours a day, 12 hours a day,
479
00:24:51,651 --> 00:24:53,262
because we're very dedicated.
480
00:24:53,262 --> 00:24:54,557
However, when you do that
481
00:24:54,557 --> 00:24:57,872
and you're still told you
failed, you failed, you failed.
482
00:24:57,872 --> 00:25:00,463
And the answer to
everything is discipline,
483
00:25:00,463 --> 00:25:03,754
discipline of your employees,
or you'll be disciplined.
484
00:25:03,754 --> 00:25:06,387
- There's a ton of pressure,
but there's no reason
485
00:25:06,387 --> 00:25:09,790
why people should threaten
people or treat them poorly.
486
00:25:09,790 --> 00:25:12,971
That message will go up with my next-
487
00:25:12,971 --> 00:25:15,493
(audience claps)
488
00:25:15,493 --> 00:25:17,216
- [Man] We're supposed
to treat people fairly
489
00:25:17,216 --> 00:25:19,174
and treat people with dignity and respect.
490
00:25:19,174 --> 00:25:20,719
Now, if you say one thing,
491
00:25:20,719 --> 00:25:24,444
but you promote somebody who
does completely the opposite,
492
00:25:24,444 --> 00:25:26,194
then what do you say?
493
00:25:28,936 --> 00:25:30,062
- I've had particular managers
494
00:25:30,062 --> 00:25:33,467
who I've received
hundreds of complaints on.
495
00:25:33,467 --> 00:25:35,244
I've had to go out to the post office,
496
00:25:35,244 --> 00:25:38,721
I've had to sit down and
have a come to Jesus meeting
497
00:25:38,721 --> 00:25:42,742
with that manager about
what their responsibility is
498
00:25:42,742 --> 00:25:45,833
and how they should be
treating their workers.
499
00:25:45,833 --> 00:25:48,147
When a United States Congress
who walks in a post office
500
00:25:48,147 --> 00:25:52,512
and reams out the manager,
you get a response.
501
00:25:52,512 --> 00:25:55,157
I mean, it's unfortunate
that that has to happen,
502
00:25:55,157 --> 00:25:57,907
but sometimes that has to happen.
503
00:25:59,021 --> 00:26:01,691
- If you have a disagreement with a boss,
504
00:26:01,691 --> 00:26:04,372
you might be suspended.
505
00:26:04,372 --> 00:26:08,389
You might be called in for
an investigative interview.
506
00:26:08,389 --> 00:26:12,253
- [Man] You'll see audit
teams miraculously showing up
507
00:26:12,253 --> 00:26:15,438
at your door at five
o'clock in the morning
508
00:26:15,438 --> 00:26:17,530
to look through your records.
509
00:26:17,530 --> 00:26:20,470
You did initial one
little block of 47 blocks.
510
00:26:20,470 --> 00:26:23,451
Also you're being disciplined.
511
00:26:23,451 --> 00:26:26,118
I was told to lay off, back off.
512
00:26:26,967 --> 00:26:30,063
You don't want something to happen to you.
513
00:26:30,063 --> 00:26:33,547
- If you go to a post office
and they have 60 routes,
514
00:26:33,547 --> 00:26:38,212
they'll probably have enough
personnel to operate 46 routes.
515
00:26:38,212 --> 00:26:42,628
They'll probably have enough
vehicles for 43 routes
516
00:26:42,628 --> 00:26:44,790
and they'll be short
on everything they need
517
00:26:44,790 --> 00:26:45,872
to run that office.
518
00:26:45,872 --> 00:26:48,455
In that respect, it's hostile on its own.
519
00:26:48,455 --> 00:26:52,872
- Every little delivery
number you are answerable for
520
00:26:55,291 --> 00:26:58,791
every single day in your post office.
521
00:26:58,791 --> 00:27:00,859
- Like I say, on any
given day on the street,
522
00:27:00,859 --> 00:27:02,779
it's not the same day.
523
00:27:02,779 --> 00:27:04,544
It's a different 24 hours.
524
00:27:04,544 --> 00:27:06,054
The management doesn't allow for that
525
00:27:06,054 --> 00:27:07,584
because they're so focused
526
00:27:07,584 --> 00:27:10,501
on the binary code off the numbers.
527
00:27:11,509 --> 00:27:14,076
- From the craft all the way
up to the top management,
528
00:27:14,076 --> 00:27:17,572
they're under a lot of
pressure, and stress,
529
00:27:17,572 --> 00:27:20,818
and computer programs that
follow you around all day.
530
00:27:20,818 --> 00:27:23,442
I mean, we know what everyone is doing.
531
00:27:23,442 --> 00:27:24,991
- [Man] You've got an email
532
00:27:24,991 --> 00:27:28,120
or your boss would call
you up and they would say,
533
00:27:28,120 --> 00:27:31,537
"Get the carriers back by 5:00, or else."
534
00:27:34,632 --> 00:27:38,689
- One of the managers of post
office operations was calling
535
00:27:38,689 --> 00:27:40,474
the post office is telling them,
536
00:27:40,474 --> 00:27:44,307
I told you guys no
overtime this week, fix it.
537
00:27:46,104 --> 00:27:50,021
So they're being told to
lie, cheat, and steal.
538
00:27:51,819 --> 00:27:54,249
- It's tough not to
break some kind of rule,
539
00:27:54,249 --> 00:27:56,749
or law, or something in a year
540
00:27:58,659 --> 00:28:00,909
when you're managing the post office,
541
00:28:00,909 --> 00:28:03,796
because they just don't give you
542
00:28:03,796 --> 00:28:05,424
what you need to operate in.
543
00:28:05,424 --> 00:28:08,556
- I had gotten curious
about why some of my pay
544
00:28:08,556 --> 00:28:11,489
and my overtime wasn't paid to me.
545
00:28:11,489 --> 00:28:14,260
I would go in in the morning,
I would swipe my badge,
546
00:28:14,260 --> 00:28:16,625
I would go case my route.
547
00:28:16,625 --> 00:28:20,745
And I would work that way until
I went home and I swipe off.
548
00:28:20,745 --> 00:28:22,359
But what they were doing,
549
00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:24,939
they were going in and actually deleting
550
00:28:24,939 --> 00:28:26,852
my badge swipe time.
551
00:28:26,852 --> 00:28:29,852
(suspenseful music)
552
00:28:36,324 --> 00:28:39,773
- [Man] Unfortunately,
supervisors won't take
553
00:28:39,773 --> 00:28:43,023
the carriers time and change it to 1699
554
00:28:44,853 --> 00:28:47,441
so that they're backed by 1700.
555
00:28:47,441 --> 00:28:50,777
Just don't be caught,
'cause if you get caught,
556
00:28:50,777 --> 00:28:52,771
then they start (indistinct)
557
00:28:52,771 --> 00:28:55,180
- If something's going on
and you didn't suck in a way
558
00:28:55,180 --> 00:28:56,620
that you shouldn't be doing,
559
00:28:56,620 --> 00:28:57,799
I'm gonna check into it.
560
00:28:57,799 --> 00:28:59,014
I'm gonna read it.
561
00:28:59,014 --> 00:29:00,455
I'm gonna look through the contract.
562
00:29:00,455 --> 00:29:02,216
I'm gonna look to the
employee labor manual,
563
00:29:02,216 --> 00:29:03,620
I'm going to CFR.
564
00:29:03,620 --> 00:29:05,140
I'm not stopping with this right here,
565
00:29:05,140 --> 00:29:07,307
because this is not right.
566
00:29:09,694 --> 00:29:13,883
They said that Steve didn't
clock on, on Tuesday,
567
00:29:13,883 --> 00:29:16,121
the day that he died.
568
00:29:16,121 --> 00:29:19,621
Notice that they came in here on six, two.
569
00:29:20,781 --> 00:29:25,085
You see this is all management
generated on six, two.
570
00:29:25,085 --> 00:29:30,002
They came in here on six, three
and deleted the clock ring.
571
00:29:31,165 --> 00:29:32,902
Why did you have to go on there that day
572
00:29:32,902 --> 00:29:35,023
and delete something on
the same day Steve died,
573
00:29:35,023 --> 00:29:37,023
unless Steve clocked in?
574
00:29:38,682 --> 00:29:41,195
- [Jay] Could you answer that question?
575
00:29:41,195 --> 00:29:42,066
- I know what it was.
576
00:29:42,066 --> 00:29:45,301
It's keeping them having to pay Wanda
577
00:29:45,301 --> 00:29:48,343
because Steve was on the clock,
578
00:29:48,343 --> 00:29:51,093
because of his death on the clock
579
00:29:53,182 --> 00:29:55,901
'cause he's on postal time.
580
00:29:55,901 --> 00:29:56,734
- Yes.
581
00:30:01,550 --> 00:30:04,215
- I think that the union and
management was in it together.
582
00:30:04,215 --> 00:30:07,476
I think that they drove a wedge to Steve.
583
00:30:07,476 --> 00:30:11,223
And I think that they left
Steve feeling like he just-
584
00:30:11,223 --> 00:30:12,056
- Had nothing left.
585
00:30:12,056 --> 00:30:15,477
- Had nothing left to
do and no other way out.
586
00:30:15,477 --> 00:30:18,977
And they come close to putting that to me.
587
00:30:20,481 --> 00:30:23,882
We speak out, we speak out to congressman,
588
00:30:23,882 --> 00:30:28,400
we speak out to all kinds
of people, our politicians,
589
00:30:28,400 --> 00:30:29,881
you can't get nobody to address it.
590
00:30:29,881 --> 00:30:34,393
It's almost like the politicians
and the postal services-
591
00:30:34,393 --> 00:30:35,557
- Together.
592
00:30:35,557 --> 00:30:36,390
- I mean, it is.
593
00:30:36,390 --> 00:30:40,284
It's almost like it's all
in this one corruption.
594
00:30:40,284 --> 00:30:42,148
(car engine roaring)
595
00:30:42,148 --> 00:30:45,157
God said we had to stand
up for what was right.
596
00:30:45,157 --> 00:30:46,838
And this is right.
597
00:30:46,838 --> 00:30:49,243
What we're talking about is right.
598
00:30:49,243 --> 00:30:51,926
This is a corruption that's got to stop
599
00:30:51,926 --> 00:30:54,194
and we have to stand up for what is right.
600
00:30:54,194 --> 00:30:55,111
We have to.
601
00:31:01,074 --> 00:31:02,739
- Most people anywhere who are
602
00:31:02,739 --> 00:31:04,278
in business today use the mail,
603
00:31:04,278 --> 00:31:06,528
whether it's part of
their marketing program,
604
00:31:06,528 --> 00:31:08,996
part of their communication capabilities.
605
00:31:08,996 --> 00:31:12,111
From our perspective as account
managers, sales specialists,
606
00:31:12,111 --> 00:31:15,105
you say, well, my goal
is to increase revenue.
607
00:31:15,105 --> 00:31:16,605
How can I do that?
608
00:31:17,545 --> 00:31:19,211
- I went into the marketing department,
609
00:31:19,211 --> 00:31:23,805
it was a different and a change
of pace and a better pay.
610
00:31:23,805 --> 00:31:25,703
One of the things that
the postal service does
611
00:31:25,703 --> 00:31:29,460
is they measure everything
because they can measure mail,
612
00:31:29,460 --> 00:31:32,874
how many letters they do
per second per machine.
613
00:31:32,874 --> 00:31:37,291
And that mindset came over
into the sales department.
614
00:31:39,147 --> 00:31:42,337
The postal service bought a
program called customer first,
615
00:31:42,337 --> 00:31:46,907
and they could manage and
manipulate numbers for everything.
616
00:31:46,907 --> 00:31:49,685
- So you're going through all
sorts of computer systems,
617
00:31:49,685 --> 00:31:52,692
scouring for money that the
postal service already made
618
00:31:52,692 --> 00:31:55,343
and already got and then get it associated
619
00:31:55,343 --> 00:31:56,843
with your account.
620
00:31:58,877 --> 00:32:01,565
All I cared about was the end big number.
621
00:32:01,565 --> 00:32:03,966
(letters rattling)
622
00:32:03,966 --> 00:32:05,356
- It was a lot of work, many,
623
00:32:05,356 --> 00:32:08,762
many more hours than we got
paid for your salary employee,
624
00:32:08,762 --> 00:32:11,095
but they expect you to work.
625
00:32:12,144 --> 00:32:15,469
You're 40 anyway, plus another 20, easy.
626
00:32:15,469 --> 00:32:18,179
And many times it was
an 80-hour work week.
627
00:32:18,179 --> 00:32:19,214
- There was a mandate
628
00:32:19,214 --> 00:32:23,373
that you bring in $100,000
new revenue every month.
629
00:32:23,373 --> 00:32:26,944
Many of my colleagues
were reporting 100,000,
630
00:32:26,944 --> 00:32:30,361
500,000, 700,000, a million dollar sales.
631
00:32:31,332 --> 00:32:35,357
- They started to create
this the favoritism,
632
00:32:35,357 --> 00:32:38,969
better geographic territories,
the better customers,
633
00:32:38,969 --> 00:32:41,619
all of the things that
would make your job easier
634
00:32:41,619 --> 00:32:43,536
if you played the game.
635
00:32:46,564 --> 00:32:49,838
- And then when all the
numbers came out, they said,
636
00:32:49,838 --> 00:32:51,503
"Oh, how come New York stinks?
637
00:32:51,503 --> 00:32:52,336
Look at the rest of the country.
638
00:32:52,336 --> 00:32:53,169
Look what they're doing."
639
00:32:53,169 --> 00:32:54,028
I'll go, "What are they doing?
640
00:32:54,028 --> 00:32:55,072
They're making up numbers.
641
00:32:55,072 --> 00:32:56,276
It's not real."
642
00:32:56,276 --> 00:32:58,695
And a lot of people made lots of money
643
00:32:58,695 --> 00:33:00,669
based on whatever that criteria was.
644
00:33:00,669 --> 00:33:02,836
And a lot of the people like,
I'll say old post office,
645
00:33:02,836 --> 00:33:05,184
kind of like what I call
myself old post office,
646
00:33:05,184 --> 00:33:06,199
we're going, this is ridiculous.
647
00:33:06,199 --> 00:33:07,032
What is almost nonsense?
648
00:33:07,032 --> 00:33:08,805
What is the one that's wasted activity?
649
00:33:08,805 --> 00:33:11,105
Well, some people didn't
look at it that way.
650
00:33:11,105 --> 00:33:13,219
All they saw was a formula
for them to get paid,
651
00:33:13,219 --> 00:33:15,838
and they immediately jumped in
there and started doing that.
652
00:33:15,838 --> 00:33:17,407
- If you didn't bring in the numbers,
653
00:33:17,407 --> 00:33:19,208
your manager didn't get paid either.
654
00:33:19,208 --> 00:33:21,453
So your manager had a vested interest
655
00:33:21,453 --> 00:33:25,113
in getting you to write down
what you needed to write down.
656
00:33:25,113 --> 00:33:26,503
I started getting in trouble.
657
00:33:26,503 --> 00:33:28,144
For the first time in my postal career,
658
00:33:28,144 --> 00:33:29,537
I started getting in trouble
659
00:33:29,537 --> 00:33:31,697
for not producing what they wanted.
660
00:33:31,697 --> 00:33:34,550
And it took me a while
to pick up the tricks,
661
00:33:34,550 --> 00:33:38,266
how you were able to get the
numbers that they expected.
662
00:33:38,266 --> 00:33:41,747
And little by little, I
caught on, but after a while,
663
00:33:41,747 --> 00:33:43,637
it just felt wrong.
664
00:33:43,637 --> 00:33:44,687
And every time I talked about it,
665
00:33:44,687 --> 00:33:49,077
it's almost like I was
growing enemies within.
666
00:33:49,077 --> 00:33:52,090
They didn't like the fact
that I was bringing up stuff.
667
00:33:52,090 --> 00:33:53,479
It was dangerous.
668
00:33:53,479 --> 00:33:54,881
- And so, some people would just outright
669
00:33:54,881 --> 00:33:56,942
avoid talking to me because
they didn't wanna be seen
670
00:33:56,942 --> 00:33:59,960
and get in trouble 'cause
they would be quizzed
671
00:33:59,960 --> 00:34:03,165
or they would have extra duties.
672
00:34:03,165 --> 00:34:04,916
- When the vice president
of sales came to New York
673
00:34:04,916 --> 00:34:09,650
because we were like falling
into line, I just went for it.
674
00:34:09,650 --> 00:34:11,851
I called him onto the side, I said,
675
00:34:11,851 --> 00:34:14,320
"Sir, I know for a fact
676
00:34:14,320 --> 00:34:18,400
that there are places where
portfolios are being adjusted
677
00:34:18,400 --> 00:34:20,515
and manipulated so people become stars
678
00:34:20,515 --> 00:34:22,255
and other people become losers
679
00:34:22,255 --> 00:34:24,644
and are under punished."
680
00:34:24,644 --> 00:34:27,756
He goes, "I never promised you fair."
681
00:34:27,756 --> 00:34:29,514
- I'm writing all these people
682
00:34:29,514 --> 00:34:30,710
and telling them 80%
683
00:34:30,710 --> 00:34:33,679
of our USPS income was being manipulated.
684
00:34:33,679 --> 00:34:36,762
(car engine roaring)
685
00:34:39,771 --> 00:34:41,482
Yeah, these are actually,
686
00:34:41,482 --> 00:34:43,320
I just took these out of the house here
687
00:34:43,320 --> 00:34:44,880
and they need to be filed
688
00:34:44,880 --> 00:34:48,623
that there's just papers
and documentation,
689
00:34:48,623 --> 00:34:52,149
sales that were fabricated at work.
690
00:34:52,149 --> 00:34:55,002
I have got so much more than this
691
00:34:55,002 --> 00:34:58,273
and then different files here.
692
00:34:58,273 --> 00:35:01,433
I mean, at work I have huge file cabinets.
693
00:35:01,433 --> 00:35:03,632
There's no way I would
wanna keep it all at work
694
00:35:03,632 --> 00:35:05,861
'cause you never know if
something would happen.
695
00:35:05,861 --> 00:35:07,032
And then some people,
696
00:35:07,032 --> 00:35:10,731
they get walked out for very
unusual, strange reasons.
697
00:35:10,731 --> 00:35:13,814
And so, you wanna definitely have it.
698
00:35:15,122 --> 00:35:16,631
I mean, I don't think it's being paranoid,
699
00:35:16,631 --> 00:35:18,101
it's just being realistic
700
00:35:18,101 --> 00:35:23,101
that you're going against
a really huge organization.
701
00:35:23,252 --> 00:35:26,305
And you're trying to make them understand
702
00:35:26,305 --> 00:35:29,805
how they've really wronged so many people.
703
00:35:30,685 --> 00:35:33,604
- Victoria, I'm putting you
out on administrative leave,
704
00:35:33,604 --> 00:35:37,183
pending an investigation into wrongdoing.
705
00:35:37,183 --> 00:35:38,679
And she had two policemen with her.
706
00:35:38,679 --> 00:35:40,831
So I looked at her and
she just walked away.
707
00:35:40,831 --> 00:35:43,898
And I asked them, "How
long, what do I do?"
708
00:35:43,898 --> 00:35:45,907
And he says, "Get your
personal belongings.
709
00:35:45,907 --> 00:35:47,178
"How long will it take
you you," they ask me?
710
00:35:47,178 --> 00:35:48,553
I said, "Probably 20 minutes.
711
00:35:48,553 --> 00:35:50,323
I've got everything in the office."
712
00:35:50,323 --> 00:35:54,361
And they shouted at me,, "Now, lady, now."
713
00:35:54,361 --> 00:35:57,732
I should have realized
that I was being set up.
714
00:35:57,732 --> 00:36:00,021
It took me a long time
because I couldn't believe it.
715
00:36:00,021 --> 00:36:02,281
I grew up in the postal service.
716
00:36:02,281 --> 00:36:04,195
There are rules and regulations.
717
00:36:04,195 --> 00:36:06,856
I couldn't believe that my
colleagues would be so afraid.
718
00:36:06,856 --> 00:36:07,841
"You shouldn't be afraid,"
719
00:36:07,841 --> 00:36:11,600
I used to tell them because
the systems protect you.
720
00:36:11,600 --> 00:36:13,680
And what I learned is they don't.
721
00:36:13,680 --> 00:36:15,009
- And you can't walk
around a corner worrying
722
00:36:15,009 --> 00:36:17,599
about they're coming
after you for some reason,
723
00:36:17,599 --> 00:36:19,323
somehow looking for excuses
724
00:36:19,323 --> 00:36:21,679
to find you doing something wrong
725
00:36:21,679 --> 00:36:23,218
and then punishing you
for it and bringing you up
726
00:36:23,218 --> 00:36:25,169
on progressive disciplinary action
727
00:36:25,169 --> 00:36:27,877
with a view towards removing
you from the postal service.
728
00:36:27,877 --> 00:36:29,753
How can anybody focus on their job?
729
00:36:29,753 --> 00:36:32,836
(gentle piano music)
730
00:36:36,327 --> 00:36:38,326
It's almost like assassination really.
731
00:36:38,326 --> 00:36:41,409
(gentle piano music)
732
00:36:45,896 --> 00:36:47,555
- The manager I was telling you about
733
00:36:47,555 --> 00:36:50,571
would always want three
weeks of appointments
734
00:36:50,571 --> 00:36:52,671
for a day scheduled out,
735
00:36:52,671 --> 00:36:54,196
yet the people that were
736
00:36:54,196 --> 00:36:56,660
the favored didn't have to have that.
737
00:36:56,660 --> 00:36:59,914
They were sort of missing
on their calendars.
738
00:36:59,914 --> 00:37:02,435
And I believe that that contributed
739
00:37:02,435 --> 00:37:06,215
to my current health state
that I could have been
740
00:37:06,215 --> 00:37:08,970
in a lot better shape had I
addressed my health issue,
741
00:37:08,970 --> 00:37:10,500
that I was not allowed to.
742
00:37:10,500 --> 00:37:15,333
'Cause if you go out on medical
where you take a day sick,
743
00:37:17,304 --> 00:37:18,543
you have to make up those visits.
744
00:37:18,543 --> 00:37:20,772
So now the four visits
you didn't make that day,
745
00:37:20,772 --> 00:37:23,599
you gotta make them up that week.
746
00:37:23,599 --> 00:37:26,075
I have never used any sick leave
747
00:37:26,075 --> 00:37:28,049
and I've never taken any
time off as you can see
748
00:37:28,049 --> 00:37:29,579
from our conversation.
749
00:37:29,579 --> 00:37:33,014
So I have enough leave to cover me.
750
00:37:33,014 --> 00:37:36,201
- [Jay] The pressure Sue
was under proved deadly.
751
00:37:36,201 --> 00:37:40,474
By the time she sought treatment,
her cancer had taken over.
752
00:37:40,474 --> 00:37:43,288
Looking back, would you have
done anything differently?
753
00:37:43,288 --> 00:37:44,999
- Yeah, I would have
started complaining earlier
754
00:37:44,999 --> 00:37:47,666
and been more forceful about it.
755
00:37:53,691 --> 00:37:56,441
(water sloshing)
756
00:37:58,830 --> 00:38:02,543
- We've got some raspberry
bushes that we transplanted.
757
00:38:02,543 --> 00:38:06,637
If we can get enough
berries, we'll make some jam.
758
00:38:06,637 --> 00:38:08,338
The biggest complaint that I have
759
00:38:08,338 --> 00:38:11,753
is that people can't
get a grievance filed.
760
00:38:11,753 --> 00:38:15,962
It sounds to me like they're
not even filing them.
761
00:38:15,962 --> 00:38:17,500
Show me the grievance,
762
00:38:17,500 --> 00:38:20,766
and that's what I was doing
at the last union meeting.
763
00:38:20,766 --> 00:38:21,964
Show me the grievance.
764
00:38:21,964 --> 00:38:23,084
And so, the next thing you know,
765
00:38:23,084 --> 00:38:26,918
someone in the back starts
hauling for the sergeant at arms.
766
00:38:26,918 --> 00:38:29,389
Like they need to grab me and throw me out
767
00:38:29,389 --> 00:38:32,525
of the union meeting because
I won't stop complaining
768
00:38:32,525 --> 00:38:34,442
that I'm being lied to.
769
00:38:35,987 --> 00:38:39,737
Right now, our union is
afraid of management.
770
00:38:41,725 --> 00:38:43,836
Our union should not be
afraid of management.
771
00:38:43,836 --> 00:38:45,353
They should not.
772
00:38:45,353 --> 00:38:47,274
I hope by the time that this is over
773
00:38:47,274 --> 00:38:50,607
that our union is afraid of its members.
774
00:38:52,937 --> 00:38:54,477
- [Reporter] In March, 1970,
775
00:38:54,477 --> 00:38:57,277
US postal workers went on strike.
776
00:38:57,277 --> 00:39:00,132
It was the first nationwide
strike against the government
777
00:39:00,132 --> 00:39:03,795
and the largest wildcat strike in history.
778
00:39:03,795 --> 00:39:05,459
- We called it a wildcat strike
779
00:39:05,459 --> 00:39:08,258
because postal workers went out on strike
780
00:39:08,258 --> 00:39:10,698
in opposition to what the union leaders
781
00:39:10,698 --> 00:39:12,478
were advising them to do.
782
00:39:12,478 --> 00:39:14,287
- In several large cities,
783
00:39:14,287 --> 00:39:16,757
the post offices are shut down.
784
00:39:16,757 --> 00:39:17,892
In New York, for example,
785
00:39:17,892 --> 00:39:22,333
the mail system is wholly
paralyzed by illegal walkout.
786
00:39:22,333 --> 00:39:24,444
The government immediately
obtained a court order
787
00:39:24,444 --> 00:39:26,754
against the strike and union leaders order
788
00:39:26,754 --> 00:39:29,091
the carriers back to work, many refused.
789
00:39:29,091 --> 00:39:30,297
- I don't like to go on strike
790
00:39:30,297 --> 00:39:32,654
but we must because we've
been (indistinct) too long.
791
00:39:32,654 --> 00:39:35,986
- You can't live in new York
City on what they're giving in.
792
00:39:35,986 --> 00:39:40,054
- Prior to the strike, raises
were dictated by congress.
793
00:39:40,054 --> 00:39:41,744
Congress said, "Yeah, we're
gonna give them a raise,"
794
00:39:41,744 --> 00:39:43,246
congress said, "No, we're
not gonna give them a raise."
795
00:39:43,246 --> 00:39:44,684
That's what created the strike.
796
00:39:44,684 --> 00:39:47,851
(upbeat guitar music)
797
00:39:51,249 --> 00:39:53,436
- I've been told I'm eligible for welfare,
798
00:39:53,436 --> 00:39:54,973
but I don't wanna take welfare.
799
00:39:54,973 --> 00:39:57,914
- We wanna work, but
this is the only means
800
00:39:57,914 --> 00:40:00,068
we have of letting congress know
801
00:40:00,068 --> 00:40:02,445
that we cannot take it any longer.
802
00:40:02,445 --> 00:40:04,757
Either they give us what we should have
803
00:40:04,757 --> 00:40:08,246
or we will stay out on strike
until hell freezes over.
804
00:40:08,246 --> 00:40:09,386
(protestors cheering)
805
00:40:09,386 --> 00:40:12,553
(upbeat guitar music)
806
00:40:14,015 --> 00:40:16,003
- I pulled the Berkeley Heights office out
807
00:40:16,003 --> 00:40:17,857
eight to 10 clerks in there.
808
00:40:17,857 --> 00:40:20,977
I was a young buck and I took a chance.
809
00:40:20,977 --> 00:40:24,497
And we out there where
everybody that walked their line
810
00:40:24,497 --> 00:40:26,093
should have been fired,
811
00:40:26,093 --> 00:40:29,391
but we took a chance to make
it better for everybody else.
812
00:40:29,391 --> 00:40:33,141
- Well, what if what
you're doing is illegal?
813
00:40:36,274 --> 00:40:37,830
- I don't care.
814
00:40:37,830 --> 00:40:41,580
If they wanna put me in
jail, put me in jail,
815
00:40:43,014 --> 00:40:46,430
but they haven't got a jail
big enough to put all of us in.
816
00:40:46,430 --> 00:40:50,035
(upbeat guitar music)
817
00:40:50,035 --> 00:40:52,409
- [Reporter] The strike has
spread from coast to coast.
818
00:40:52,409 --> 00:40:54,817
Now it directly affects 14 states
819
00:40:54,817 --> 00:40:58,333
and has involved about
200,000 postal workers.
820
00:40:58,333 --> 00:41:01,896
- I have just now directed
the activation of the men
821
00:41:01,896 --> 00:41:04,346
of the various military organizations
822
00:41:04,346 --> 00:41:06,225
to begin in New York City,
823
00:41:06,225 --> 00:41:09,961
the restoration of
essential mail services.
824
00:41:09,961 --> 00:41:12,617
Do you think you're doing it
as fast as a postal worker?
825
00:41:12,617 --> 00:41:14,222
- No, I don't, no.
826
00:41:14,222 --> 00:41:15,688
He must have his own little tricks
827
00:41:15,688 --> 00:41:17,649
because I can't find half the slots.
828
00:41:17,649 --> 00:41:19,269
- [Reporter] What exactly are you doing?
829
00:41:19,269 --> 00:41:22,898
- I don't really know. (laughs)
830
00:41:22,898 --> 00:41:25,215
- [Jay] Finally, Nixon had
to give the postal workers
831
00:41:25,215 --> 00:41:26,856
what they were asking for.
832
00:41:26,856 --> 00:41:30,141
- [Nixon] The disposition that
I have made 12% Pay increase,
833
00:41:30,141 --> 00:41:33,340
quicker raises, no penalties
for local union leaders.
834
00:41:33,340 --> 00:41:38,111
- Collective bargaining
and binding arbitration.
835
00:41:38,111 --> 00:41:40,149
(protestors cheering)
836
00:41:40,149 --> 00:41:43,383
- And I am grateful for the strikers
837
00:41:43,383 --> 00:41:46,215
'cause if it wasn't for
the strikers of 1970,
838
00:41:46,215 --> 00:41:48,951
we wouldn't be wherever you are
today in the postal service.
839
00:41:48,951 --> 00:41:52,128
- And everybody knows today what happened.
840
00:41:52,128 --> 00:41:54,520
We've got the American
Postal Workers Union,
841
00:41:54,520 --> 00:41:59,010
we've got the Postal Service
and a Private Corporation semi
842
00:41:59,010 --> 00:42:00,343
and we made out.
843
00:42:01,873 --> 00:42:03,385
- They put them on a different footing
844
00:42:03,385 --> 00:42:08,385
with management being able to
strike this major operation
845
00:42:08,856 --> 00:42:10,698
and essentially bring it to its knees.
846
00:42:10,698 --> 00:42:13,870
(car horn honking)
847
00:42:13,870 --> 00:42:17,804
I would say that it wasn't
a wholesale victory.
848
00:42:17,804 --> 00:42:20,540
- The forces around Nixon said,
849
00:42:20,540 --> 00:42:23,500
"Make the post office
stand on its own two feet
850
00:42:23,500 --> 00:42:27,116
and only operate within its own revenues."
851
00:42:27,116 --> 00:42:30,779
And so, they pulled it out of
the post office department,
852
00:42:30,779 --> 00:42:33,019
which was a cabinet level department
853
00:42:33,019 --> 00:42:36,506
and put it into a public corporation.
854
00:42:36,506 --> 00:42:37,482
- [Jay] They called themselves
855
00:42:37,482 --> 00:42:40,601
The Citizen's Committee on Postal Reform.
856
00:42:40,601 --> 00:42:43,328
They were Standard Oil, Bank of America,
857
00:42:43,328 --> 00:42:47,217
Boeing, Coca-Cola and a
host of giant corporations.
858
00:42:47,217 --> 00:42:49,233
Their goal was to take the post office
859
00:42:49,233 --> 00:42:51,856
out of the hands of
congress and the president
860
00:42:51,856 --> 00:42:53,873
to have it run by a board of governors
861
00:42:53,873 --> 00:42:56,061
made up of corporate insiders.
862
00:42:56,061 --> 00:43:00,403
In 1970, with workers
satisfied by higher pay,
863
00:43:00,403 --> 00:43:02,042
they got their wish.
864
00:43:02,042 --> 00:43:05,267
And the postal reorganization
act became law.
865
00:43:05,267 --> 00:43:06,218
The first chairman
866
00:43:06,218 --> 00:43:09,071
of the new US Postal
Service was Fred Kapell,
867
00:43:09,071 --> 00:43:10,677
former AT&T CEO.
868
00:43:10,677 --> 00:43:13,760
(instrumental music)
869
00:43:20,122 --> 00:43:22,602
Though the new law begins
with the founder's vision
870
00:43:22,602 --> 00:43:25,226
for a postal service operated as a basic
871
00:43:25,226 --> 00:43:26,918
and fundamental service
872
00:43:26,918 --> 00:43:28,890
to bind the nation together,
873
00:43:28,890 --> 00:43:31,136
Kapell's vision of a
corporation with leaders
874
00:43:31,136 --> 00:43:34,078
not accountable to the
people has proven stronger.
875
00:43:34,078 --> 00:43:37,245
(bright upbeat music)
876
00:43:38,782 --> 00:43:40,764
- Hello, and thanks for joining me today.
877
00:43:40,764 --> 00:43:42,371
I appreciate the
opportunity to speak to you
878
00:43:42,371 --> 00:43:45,019
about the situation that
we find ourselves in today
879
00:43:45,019 --> 00:43:47,995
in regards to the postal
service and our entire business.
880
00:43:47,995 --> 00:43:50,508
The bottom line is this, we
have got to constantly look at
881
00:43:50,508 --> 00:43:52,764
what we can do to cut expenses
882
00:43:52,764 --> 00:43:55,986
in an attempt to track
revenue going forward.
883
00:43:55,986 --> 00:43:57,841
Now, people say, "Well,
this is a service business.
884
00:43:57,841 --> 00:43:59,441
We shouldn't have to worry about that.
885
00:43:59,441 --> 00:44:00,656
We are a business.
886
00:44:00,656 --> 00:44:02,808
You work in a business."
887
00:44:02,808 --> 00:44:05,816
We are no different than any
other business out there.
888
00:44:05,816 --> 00:44:07,545
As always, thank you for the great job
889
00:44:07,545 --> 00:44:08,824
that you do every day,
890
00:44:08,824 --> 00:44:11,335
and I'll talk to you next time.
891
00:44:11,335 --> 00:44:14,102
- The nature of privatization
in the US Postal Service
892
00:44:14,102 --> 00:44:16,931
is very much hidden from public view.
893
00:44:16,931 --> 00:44:20,181
It's privatization from the inside out.
894
00:44:21,169 --> 00:44:24,644
So you still see the US Postal Service
895
00:44:24,644 --> 00:44:27,822
letter carrier delivering
the mail to your door,
896
00:44:27,822 --> 00:44:30,527
but all the people
involved from getting it
897
00:44:30,527 --> 00:44:32,767
from say, the business in Chicago
898
00:44:32,767 --> 00:44:34,851
to your local postal center
899
00:44:34,851 --> 00:44:36,462
may not have been postal employees
900
00:44:36,462 --> 00:44:38,270
because that whole segment
901
00:44:38,270 --> 00:44:41,690
of the US mail stream
may have been privatized.
902
00:44:41,690 --> 00:44:46,005
- With the US Postal Service
provides FedEx and UPS
903
00:44:46,005 --> 00:44:50,301
is what they call the last
mile, which is expensive.
904
00:44:50,301 --> 00:44:51,786
If they had to go the last mile
905
00:44:51,786 --> 00:44:54,286
to the destination to deliver.
906
00:44:55,163 --> 00:44:58,815
- [Man] We have Federal Express
who will drop off parcels.
907
00:44:58,815 --> 00:45:01,006
You purchased the item on the internet,
908
00:45:01,006 --> 00:45:03,934
you think that you're going
through Federal Express,
909
00:45:03,934 --> 00:45:06,349
'cause that's the only option
you're given on the internet.
910
00:45:06,349 --> 00:45:09,020
Federal Express then takes
them and drops them off
911
00:45:09,020 --> 00:45:10,635
at the post office and
then we deliver them.
912
00:45:10,635 --> 00:45:13,901
(suspenseful music)
913
00:45:13,901 --> 00:45:17,917
They can go and charge someone
$10, or $15, or whatever,
914
00:45:17,917 --> 00:45:19,131
then they can go to the post office
915
00:45:19,131 --> 00:45:20,459
and get it delivered for $3.
916
00:45:20,459 --> 00:45:21,772
- There are all these other companies
917
00:45:21,772 --> 00:45:23,989
that are also processing parts of the mail
918
00:45:23,989 --> 00:45:25,115
and delivering parts of the mail
919
00:45:25,115 --> 00:45:29,659
and creating the machines
that help to do the sorting.
920
00:45:29,659 --> 00:45:32,572
- [Man] We're seeing private
companies doing the work
921
00:45:32,572 --> 00:45:34,204
that we used to do.
922
00:45:34,204 --> 00:45:38,203
We give them discounts to
do the work full shift.
923
00:45:38,203 --> 00:45:39,323
- It's all those people
924
00:45:39,323 --> 00:45:42,261
who were behind the
scenes sorting the mail,
925
00:45:42,261 --> 00:45:43,928
collecting the mail.
926
00:45:45,219 --> 00:45:46,707
Pitney Bowes has one of
927
00:45:46,707 --> 00:45:49,921
the larger mail house
services in the country.
928
00:45:49,921 --> 00:45:52,109
They have a variety of business services,
929
00:45:52,109 --> 00:45:55,192
many of which are designed to replace
930
00:45:56,064 --> 00:45:59,731
the inner workings of
the US postal service.
931
00:46:01,367 --> 00:46:04,064
- Post service has spent
billions of dollars
932
00:46:04,064 --> 00:46:08,481
in investment on equipment
that now is underutilized.
933
00:46:10,606 --> 00:46:14,106
Much of that work has been contracted out.
934
00:46:17,645 --> 00:46:19,532
- And so, what has been privatized
935
00:46:19,532 --> 00:46:22,973
is everything up to that
last mile of delivery,
936
00:46:22,973 --> 00:46:25,227
because that's where private enterprise
937
00:46:25,227 --> 00:46:27,322
can make the biggest profit.
938
00:46:27,322 --> 00:46:29,770
They take the profit and then they leave
939
00:46:29,770 --> 00:46:32,121
the costliest aspect public.
940
00:46:32,121 --> 00:46:34,633
- [Man] We were
contracting out everything.
941
00:46:34,633 --> 00:46:36,649
I could see that the postal service
942
00:46:36,649 --> 00:46:39,982
would just be a shell of what it is now.
943
00:46:41,991 --> 00:46:43,847
- The postal service was founded based
944
00:46:43,847 --> 00:46:44,775
on a premise to provide
945
00:46:44,775 --> 00:46:47,049
a service to all American people,
946
00:46:47,049 --> 00:46:49,851
no matter where they
live, universal service.
947
00:46:49,851 --> 00:46:51,162
- You can't discriminate.
948
00:46:51,162 --> 00:46:52,601
You can't say, I don't wanna go
949
00:46:52,601 --> 00:46:54,792
into the bad parts of the city,
950
00:46:54,792 --> 00:46:56,280
there's no money there.
951
00:46:56,280 --> 00:46:57,961
- Business doesn't do that.
952
00:46:57,961 --> 00:47:00,624
It can't do that because
it's not profitable.
953
00:47:00,624 --> 00:47:02,472
- And the postal service
954
00:47:02,472 --> 00:47:05,431
has the responsibility of delivering
955
00:47:05,431 --> 00:47:07,591
to little towns in America.
956
00:47:07,591 --> 00:47:10,372
That's what we're all about.
957
00:47:10,372 --> 00:47:13,587
(suspenseful music)
958
00:47:13,587 --> 00:47:16,371
If we're talking about mail delivery
959
00:47:16,371 --> 00:47:21,038
and nobody else does it, and
nobody else wants to do it.
960
00:47:22,259 --> 00:47:25,507
- And as far as remote areas
having to pay more, well,
961
00:47:25,507 --> 00:47:26,340
you know what?
962
00:47:26,340 --> 00:47:27,173
That seems fair to me
963
00:47:27,173 --> 00:47:29,657
because out in Wyoming and
other places like that,
964
00:47:29,657 --> 00:47:31,769
they pay a lot less for their
homes and for their land.
965
00:47:31,769 --> 00:47:34,284
So, this would kind of
equal everything out.
966
00:47:34,284 --> 00:47:36,701
- If you were starting a mail company
967
00:47:36,701 --> 00:47:39,940
you would skim the cream off the top,
968
00:47:39,940 --> 00:47:42,132
you would deliver to the big cities.
969
00:47:42,132 --> 00:47:44,882
You'd only do what is profitable.
970
00:47:46,891 --> 00:47:49,388
I'm thinking of the few smaller towns
971
00:47:49,388 --> 00:47:51,387
that did lose their post offices.
972
00:47:51,387 --> 00:47:54,970
And you remember back
when they were towns,
973
00:47:55,833 --> 00:47:59,416
you don't even consider
them towns anymore.
974
00:48:01,753 --> 00:48:04,282
- [Jay] Despite their
costly responsibility
975
00:48:04,282 --> 00:48:07,066
of delivering to over
a 100 million addresses
976
00:48:07,066 --> 00:48:09,233
nearly every day, by 2006,
977
00:48:10,710 --> 00:48:14,071
the postal service was making
a billion dollars a year
978
00:48:14,071 --> 00:48:17,045
and supporting a trillion
dollar mail industry.
979
00:48:17,045 --> 00:48:19,061
But it wasn't enough.
980
00:48:19,061 --> 00:48:20,677
- Right now, the US Postal Service
981
00:48:20,677 --> 00:48:22,373
is in the fight of its life to save it-
982
00:48:22,373 --> 00:48:24,946
- The postal service is in
such bad financial shape
983
00:48:24,946 --> 00:48:27,652
that it may have to shut down this winter.
984
00:48:27,652 --> 00:48:29,444
- And it's now facing default.
985
00:48:29,444 --> 00:48:32,532
- A thunderbolt about the
future of the US Postal Service.
986
00:48:32,532 --> 00:48:35,409
(indistinct chatter)
987
00:48:35,409 --> 00:48:37,615
- The postal service is a cash cow
988
00:48:37,615 --> 00:48:41,072
and there was a way to pull
money out of the postal service
989
00:48:41,072 --> 00:48:44,231
to put into the federal budget.
990
00:48:44,231 --> 00:48:46,727
- [Jay] The postal accountability
and enhancement act
991
00:48:46,727 --> 00:48:51,727
was signed into law by President
George W. Bush in 2006.
992
00:48:51,778 --> 00:48:55,683
Under the law, the postal service
must pre-pay pension funds
993
00:48:55,683 --> 00:48:57,636
in 10 annual installments
994
00:48:57,636 --> 00:49:01,331
of over five and a 1/2 billion dollars.
995
00:49:01,331 --> 00:49:02,498
- [Man] No other company does that,
996
00:49:02,498 --> 00:49:05,581
no other government agency does that.
997
00:49:07,303 --> 00:49:10,170
- And President Bush, he said
he would only sign the bill
998
00:49:10,170 --> 00:49:12,469
if the postal service recognize
999
00:49:12,469 --> 00:49:14,055
that they have a liability
1000
00:49:14,055 --> 00:49:16,896
for the healthcare costs
of their pensioners
1001
00:49:16,896 --> 00:49:18,933
now and going forward,
and that they agreed
1002
00:49:18,933 --> 00:49:21,092
to fund it over 10 years.
1003
00:49:21,092 --> 00:49:23,737
Well, most employees
have not even recognized
1004
00:49:23,737 --> 00:49:25,705
that it's a liability,
but in order to get him
1005
00:49:25,705 --> 00:49:28,466
to sign the legislation,
we had to agree to that.
1006
00:49:28,466 --> 00:49:31,125
I think when the president
signed the bill in 2007,
1007
00:49:31,125 --> 00:49:32,990
we thought everything's
fine, it's hunky-dory.
1008
00:49:32,990 --> 00:49:35,281
And a year later, we're in
this terrible economic mess
1009
00:49:35,281 --> 00:49:36,364
as a country.
1010
00:49:37,264 --> 00:49:40,347
(car engine roaring)
1011
00:49:42,990 --> 00:49:44,809
- I actually think there was some malice
1012
00:49:44,809 --> 00:49:47,893
among some individuals
involved that wanted
1013
00:49:47,893 --> 00:49:50,715
to see the United States Postal Service
1014
00:49:50,715 --> 00:49:53,509
as a union environment go away
1015
00:49:53,509 --> 00:49:55,317
and just privatize the whole thing.
1016
00:49:55,317 --> 00:49:58,970
I think there was some of that in the mix.
1017
00:49:58,970 --> 00:49:59,803
- Ladies and gentlemen,
1018
00:49:59,803 --> 00:50:03,242
it's a third quarter and
you're down by 25 points.
1019
00:50:03,242 --> 00:50:05,768
And if Tom Brady doesn't come in,
1020
00:50:05,768 --> 00:50:07,941
the fact is you're bankrupt.
1021
00:50:07,941 --> 00:50:09,682
You're beyond bankrupt.
1022
00:50:09,682 --> 00:50:12,004
Deferred maintenance is about $9 billion,
1023
00:50:12,004 --> 00:50:13,287
those vehicles and things,
1024
00:50:13,287 --> 00:50:14,917
they just have to be restored sooner.
1025
00:50:14,917 --> 00:50:17,700
The wheels literally will fall off.
1026
00:50:17,700 --> 00:50:20,530
That tells us as a businessman,
1027
00:50:20,530 --> 00:50:22,010
that no matter what they say,
1028
00:50:22,010 --> 00:50:24,164
they have more than a sprawl cash problem.
1029
00:50:24,164 --> 00:50:26,530
80% of their costs are human beings.
1030
00:50:26,530 --> 00:50:28,464
And if you've got too many human beings,
1031
00:50:28,464 --> 00:50:32,964
you'll build in inefficiency,
you'll use labor poorly.
1032
00:50:33,864 --> 00:50:36,481
- [Man] Dawning by decades
of lavish spending,
1033
00:50:36,481 --> 00:50:40,377
defeated by new technology,
booming last century,
1034
00:50:40,377 --> 00:50:42,196
it's bleeding money today.
1035
00:50:42,196 --> 00:50:44,557
It begs for a government bail.
1036
00:50:44,557 --> 00:50:48,127
- That was a way to make the
books of the post office look
1037
00:50:48,127 --> 00:50:49,969
like they were losing money
1038
00:50:49,969 --> 00:50:52,627
so you could portray the postal system
1039
00:50:52,627 --> 00:50:55,208
as inefficiently unprofitable,
1040
00:50:55,208 --> 00:50:59,493
and therefore make the
comparison to FedEx and UPS.
1041
00:50:59,493 --> 00:51:00,988
Gee, they are profitable,
1042
00:51:00,988 --> 00:51:03,553
but that's only because
you didn't make them do
1043
00:51:03,553 --> 00:51:05,467
what you made the post office do.
1044
00:51:05,467 --> 00:51:08,800
It's hustling the public, it's shameful.
1045
00:51:10,379 --> 00:51:12,924
- In spite of the economy tanking,
1046
00:51:12,924 --> 00:51:14,411
if we hadn't had that payment,
1047
00:51:14,411 --> 00:51:18,055
the postal service would have
been one of the few businesses
1048
00:51:18,055 --> 00:51:20,514
around that actually made money.
1049
00:51:20,514 --> 00:51:24,264
We would have been hailed
as a great success.
1050
00:51:26,915 --> 00:51:29,633
- [Jay] Saddled with a $56 billion demand
1051
00:51:29,633 --> 00:51:31,105
by the federal government,
1052
00:51:31,105 --> 00:51:33,361
combined with the biggest
financial collapse
1053
00:51:33,361 --> 00:51:34,978
since The Great Depression,
1054
00:51:34,978 --> 00:51:37,313
the stage was set for the hustle,
1055
00:51:37,313 --> 00:51:39,551
the half truth that would justify
1056
00:51:39,551 --> 00:51:42,634
the largest downsizing in US history.
1057
00:51:44,624 --> 00:51:47,937
(gentle piano music)
1058
00:51:47,937 --> 00:51:51,090
- [Jay] First-class mail was
declining at a rapid pace
1059
00:51:51,090 --> 00:51:53,206
because people are mailing less.
1060
00:51:53,206 --> 00:51:55,407
- In this information
age of emails, tweets,
1061
00:51:55,407 --> 00:51:56,544
and text messages,
1062
00:51:56,544 --> 00:51:58,783
what we affectionately call snail mail
1063
00:51:58,783 --> 00:52:00,303
seems somewhat impractical.
1064
00:52:00,303 --> 00:52:03,095
- The post office is essentially
technologically obsolete.
1065
00:52:03,095 --> 00:52:05,837
We all have a post office in our pocket.
1066
00:52:05,837 --> 00:52:10,389
- We must create a low cost
streamlined operational network.
1067
00:52:10,389 --> 00:52:14,078
- [Jay] They called it
network rationalization.
1068
00:52:14,078 --> 00:52:15,771
It would break apart the infrastructure
1069
00:52:15,771 --> 00:52:19,604
that kept mail fast,
affordable, and reliable.
1070
00:52:21,482 --> 00:52:23,177
- As we consolidate plants,
1071
00:52:23,177 --> 00:52:25,931
we'll be moving people
from one place to another.
1072
00:52:25,931 --> 00:52:28,169
In some case we'll be moving employees
1073
00:52:28,169 --> 00:52:29,516
from one job to another.
1074
00:52:29,516 --> 00:52:31,227
- Sorry, your volume's down,
1075
00:52:31,227 --> 00:52:32,995
there's excess the whole building.
1076
00:52:32,995 --> 00:52:34,979
Excess this, get rid of all of that.
1077
00:52:34,979 --> 00:52:35,860
I don't care.
1078
00:52:35,860 --> 00:52:36,898
It's not me.
1079
00:52:36,898 --> 00:52:40,527
Move them out and tell them,
it'd be lucky to get a job.
1080
00:52:40,527 --> 00:52:42,752
(country guitar music)
1081
00:52:42,752 --> 00:52:45,120
- Demonstrations sprung
up across the country
1082
00:52:45,120 --> 00:52:47,071
in 2011 and '12.
1083
00:52:47,071 --> 00:52:48,640
- We wanna get the mail out.
1084
00:52:48,640 --> 00:52:50,448
- We don't need no bail out
1085
00:52:50,448 --> 00:52:52,223
- We wanna get the mail out.
1086
00:52:52,223 --> 00:52:53,865
- What they're doing across the country
1087
00:52:53,865 --> 00:52:56,857
is they're closing postal mail facilities.
1088
00:52:56,857 --> 00:53:00,761
And one of them here in
our valley is Mid-Hudson.
1089
00:53:00,761 --> 00:53:04,011
(country guitar music)
1090
00:53:07,257 --> 00:53:09,241
- I think it's very obvious to anybody
1091
00:53:09,241 --> 00:53:12,408
that's immediately involved the lunacy
1092
00:53:14,664 --> 00:53:17,975
of sending local mail a 100 miles this way
1093
00:53:17,975 --> 00:53:20,519
or a 100 miles that way when
you've got the facilities,
1094
00:53:20,519 --> 00:53:24,105
and the equipment, and
the people right here.
1095
00:53:24,105 --> 00:53:26,896
(car engine roaring)
1096
00:53:26,896 --> 00:53:29,224
- The fact that they would take our mail,
1097
00:53:29,224 --> 00:53:33,110
ship it off to Albany, let
them work it, bring it back
1098
00:53:33,110 --> 00:53:37,184
and then the trucks would
arrive to deliver the mail.
1099
00:53:37,184 --> 00:53:40,351
It's just a delay of the mail service.
1100
00:53:44,025 --> 00:53:45,463
- I'm not gonna talk about the fact
1101
00:53:45,463 --> 00:53:47,663
that this should be a
jewel in your system.
1102
00:53:47,663 --> 00:53:50,021
The fact that it has a $1 a year lease,
1103
00:53:50,021 --> 00:53:52,399
the fact that it sits in Stewart Airport,
1104
00:53:52,399 --> 00:53:54,917
the fact that it's on the
crossroads of the Northeast
1105
00:53:54,917 --> 00:53:56,485
on two major highways.
1106
00:53:56,485 --> 00:53:58,377
- I'm here tonight as a tax payer,
1107
00:53:58,377 --> 00:53:59,692
small business owner,
1108
00:53:59,692 --> 00:54:02,545
and a person who spends
thousands of dollars
1109
00:54:02,545 --> 00:54:03,832
at the post office.
1110
00:54:03,832 --> 00:54:06,122
- You're gonna sink the ship completely.
1111
00:54:06,122 --> 00:54:08,459
- All of those people that we deliver to
1112
00:54:08,459 --> 00:54:10,284
and that we process their mail,
1113
00:54:10,284 --> 00:54:13,643
they will get it overnight, first class.
1114
00:54:13,643 --> 00:54:15,478
- [Woman] With the
postal service proposes,
1115
00:54:15,478 --> 00:54:17,499
is changing that overnight service
1116
00:54:17,499 --> 00:54:19,999
to a two to three-day service.
1117
00:54:21,657 --> 00:54:25,128
- Things that we're really
concerned with are the elderly,
1118
00:54:25,128 --> 00:54:29,127
the poor, those that are
dependent on their medicines.
1119
00:54:29,127 --> 00:54:32,343
They're out there and they're
depending on that mail
1120
00:54:32,343 --> 00:54:35,542
to be delivered by their carrier.
1121
00:54:35,542 --> 00:54:36,741
- As far as being a letter carrier,
1122
00:54:36,741 --> 00:54:38,148
it's very personal because I delivered
1123
00:54:38,148 --> 00:54:39,488
to the route I grew up on.
1124
00:54:39,488 --> 00:54:42,120
As a mail carrier, I deal
with these people every day,
1125
00:54:42,120 --> 00:54:44,169
and I don't wanna see the
service get cut for them.
1126
00:54:44,169 --> 00:54:46,941
I hate to see what the postal
service does to our customers.
1127
00:54:46,941 --> 00:54:49,397
They almost treat our customers
like they don't count.
1128
00:54:49,397 --> 00:54:50,325
And that's what we're fighting for.
1129
00:54:50,325 --> 00:54:51,584
We do think they count.
1130
00:54:51,584 --> 00:54:52,645
- You have to pay your bills,
1131
00:54:52,645 --> 00:54:54,596
you want your bills to get there on time,
1132
00:54:54,596 --> 00:54:57,059
you don't wanna count on
waiting a week and a 1/2,
1133
00:54:57,059 --> 00:55:00,243
or two weeks, or whatever
the heck it's gonna take.
1134
00:55:00,243 --> 00:55:01,617
That's not right.
1135
00:55:01,617 --> 00:55:03,338
And not everybody owns a computer.
1136
00:55:03,338 --> 00:55:06,509
Not everybody wants to do
their mail over the internet.
1137
00:55:06,509 --> 00:55:08,817
Not everybody wants to do their
banking over the internet.
1138
00:55:08,817 --> 00:55:10,811
You look at the hacking that's going on.
1139
00:55:10,811 --> 00:55:14,728
I rely on the postal
service to do my business.
1140
00:55:15,952 --> 00:55:18,000
- The postal service, you're
bucking the trend here.
1141
00:55:18,000 --> 00:55:20,417
Things try to get more local,
1142
00:55:21,316 --> 00:55:23,636
and we're talking about getting people
1143
00:55:23,636 --> 00:55:26,479
to commute an hour and
a 1/2 in their cars,
1144
00:55:26,479 --> 00:55:29,503
for me, it's gonna be over
three hours round trip,
1145
00:55:29,503 --> 00:55:33,536
and then having these
trucks go all distances.
1146
00:55:33,536 --> 00:55:36,079
- You're also talking about
all of that pollutant.
1147
00:55:36,079 --> 00:55:38,703
Hudson valley is the most beautiful valley
1148
00:55:38,703 --> 00:55:40,958
that you could imagine with
the river and everything.
1149
00:55:40,958 --> 00:55:44,041
And it's a big expense for everybody.
1150
00:55:45,880 --> 00:55:47,638
- They're being told there's no jobs
1151
00:55:47,638 --> 00:55:52,135
within 50 miles, might be
jobs within a 100 miles.
1152
00:55:52,135 --> 00:55:54,902
And then if there's no
jobs within a 100 miles
1153
00:55:54,902 --> 00:55:57,989
they talk to maybe up to 200, 300 miles.
1154
00:55:57,989 --> 00:56:00,280
They own homes or they live in condos,
1155
00:56:00,280 --> 00:56:03,702
they got kids in school, kids in college,
1156
00:56:03,702 --> 00:56:06,950
they can't afford just to
pack their bag and move out.
1157
00:56:06,950 --> 00:56:07,969
- We don't wanna lose them.
1158
00:56:07,969 --> 00:56:08,900
They're great people,
1159
00:56:08,900 --> 00:56:11,676
they're great neighbors, they're lovable.
1160
00:56:11,676 --> 00:56:13,083
Please don't move away.
1161
00:56:13,083 --> 00:56:15,608
(audience laughing)
1162
00:56:15,608 --> 00:56:17,964
- These people down at that plant
1163
00:56:17,964 --> 00:56:21,499
give their heart and
soul to that damn plant.
1164
00:56:21,499 --> 00:56:24,683
- This job represents for me,
1165
00:56:24,683 --> 00:56:27,819
I was able to provide my children a home,
1166
00:56:27,819 --> 00:56:29,733
a stable family environment.
1167
00:56:29,733 --> 00:56:31,283
I have a daughter now in college.
1168
00:56:31,283 --> 00:56:33,979
My two boys are in high school.
1169
00:56:33,979 --> 00:56:38,227
If I lose this job, with
the economy the way it is,
1170
00:56:38,227 --> 00:56:40,725
how can I support my children?
1171
00:56:40,725 --> 00:56:42,209
- If they take our jobs away at the plant,
1172
00:56:42,209 --> 00:56:44,848
we have no idea where
we're gonna be working.
1173
00:56:44,848 --> 00:56:47,696
It just seems like they're gonna tell us
1174
00:56:47,696 --> 00:56:51,363
at the last minute, and
nobody really cares.
1175
00:56:54,512 --> 00:56:56,920
- [Jay] In all 223 plants
1176
00:56:56,920 --> 00:56:59,314
had operations moved elsewhere.
1177
00:56:59,314 --> 00:57:02,801
- The postal service is
a human organization.
1178
00:57:02,801 --> 00:57:04,465
- [Jay] With postal managers promising
1179
00:57:04,465 --> 00:57:07,465
a $1.6 billion savings in two years.
1180
00:57:09,173 --> 00:57:11,851
After two years and all the disruption,
1181
00:57:11,851 --> 00:57:15,674
they saved about $91 million or 51/2%
1182
00:57:15,674 --> 00:57:17,591
of their imagined goal.
1183
00:57:19,905 --> 00:57:23,885
- The loss of jobs is
typical in all industries
1184
00:57:23,885 --> 00:57:25,650
as they're going to automation?
1185
00:57:25,650 --> 00:57:27,988
The only way to be more efficient
1186
00:57:27,988 --> 00:57:31,528
is to embrace technology and automation.
1187
00:57:31,528 --> 00:57:34,642
- Today, they got
machines with so much mail
1188
00:57:34,642 --> 00:57:37,889
that you blink an eye, and
I got a truck full already.
1189
00:57:37,889 --> 00:57:39,906
And what did that mean?
1190
00:57:39,906 --> 00:57:41,656
That meant less jobs.
1191
00:57:43,392 --> 00:57:45,312
- But if you look at
some of the things Amazon
1192
00:57:45,312 --> 00:57:47,983
is talking about drones and the like,
1193
00:57:47,983 --> 00:57:49,326
I think they're looking for a way
1194
00:57:49,326 --> 00:57:52,686
to cut the middleman out on delivering.
1195
00:57:52,686 --> 00:57:56,758
- Drones, robots, all
technological changes
1196
00:57:56,758 --> 00:57:58,630
are now revolutionizing
1197
00:57:58,630 --> 00:58:01,607
most of the industries in our economy.
1198
00:58:01,607 --> 00:58:04,167
So, this is a general problem.
1199
00:58:04,167 --> 00:58:06,084
One solution is you 50?
1200
00:58:07,273 --> 00:58:08,391
You're fired.
1201
00:58:08,391 --> 00:58:12,223
Go home, go on welfare, become a crook,
1202
00:58:12,223 --> 00:58:14,623
leave the country, whatever.
1203
00:58:14,623 --> 00:58:16,339
Here's the second way.
1204
00:58:16,339 --> 00:58:18,923
Everybody works halftime.
1205
00:58:18,923 --> 00:58:20,791
Nobody loses a job.
1206
00:58:20,791 --> 00:58:24,437
And guess what, nobody
loses any pay either.
1207
00:58:24,437 --> 00:58:27,270
(people clapping)
1208
00:58:28,236 --> 00:58:30,014
- All right, one down.
1209
00:58:30,014 --> 00:58:32,939
- Half the work time of
everybody there about 100 people
1210
00:58:32,939 --> 00:58:36,036
is now available for their families,
1211
00:58:36,036 --> 00:58:37,396
for their own development,
1212
00:58:37,396 --> 00:58:41,254
for their relationships,
for the community.
1213
00:58:41,254 --> 00:58:43,285
That's a benefit for the majority.
1214
00:58:43,285 --> 00:58:44,437
We don't do that.
1215
00:58:44,437 --> 00:58:45,509
We do the opposite.
1216
00:58:45,509 --> 00:58:49,105
We fire 50 of them
because that makes profit
1217
00:58:49,105 --> 00:58:52,062
because the money you don't
have to pay those 50 you fired,
1218
00:58:52,062 --> 00:58:54,277
you, the employer get to keep.
1219
00:58:54,277 --> 00:58:58,160
(gentle country music)
1220
00:58:58,160 --> 00:59:00,920
So we allow the profit motive
1221
00:59:00,920 --> 00:59:04,248
to shape the way technology is instituted
1222
00:59:04,248 --> 00:59:06,730
in our businesses, public and private.
1223
00:59:06,730 --> 00:59:11,685
- Technology really needs to
be used just for the betterment
1224
00:59:11,685 --> 00:59:15,518
of our lives and not
just for cutting corners,
1225
00:59:16,498 --> 00:59:18,520
putting people out of work.
1226
00:59:18,520 --> 00:59:21,001
I mean, I do the math
and I say, well, okay,
1227
00:59:21,001 --> 00:59:24,723
you can keep eliminating jobs
because you have now a machine
1228
00:59:24,723 --> 00:59:25,835
that can do it.
1229
00:59:25,835 --> 00:59:28,474
But if you take it all
the way to the extreme
1230
00:59:28,474 --> 00:59:30,328
and you just have a couple people working
1231
00:59:30,328 --> 00:59:32,649
in a whole country with just machines,
1232
00:59:32,649 --> 00:59:35,310
who's gonna buy all the stuff.
1233
00:59:35,310 --> 00:59:37,403
How can that work?
1234
00:59:37,403 --> 00:59:40,091
People need to be able to make a living.
1235
00:59:40,091 --> 00:59:42,522
If delivering mail is not necessary,
1236
00:59:42,522 --> 00:59:46,457
hey, let's not deliver mail,
let's do something necessary.
1237
00:59:46,457 --> 00:59:47,945
Do we need houses?
1238
00:59:47,945 --> 00:59:49,278
Do we need food?
1239
00:59:53,250 --> 00:59:55,602
- The simple story is that the decline
1240
00:59:55,602 --> 00:59:58,195
of the us postal service coincides
1241
00:59:58,195 --> 01:00:00,482
with the rise of the internet and email.
1242
01:00:00,482 --> 01:00:03,513
And that story is just too simplistic.
1243
01:00:03,513 --> 01:00:05,633
First-class mail volumes have declined,
1244
01:00:05,633 --> 01:00:07,503
and that has created financial pressure.
1245
01:00:07,503 --> 01:00:10,094
But if you look at mail volume as a whole,
1246
01:00:10,094 --> 01:00:12,573
particularly if you look
at the parcel segment,
1247
01:00:12,573 --> 01:00:15,773
they have grown substantially.
1248
01:00:15,773 --> 01:00:17,637
Looking at internet use,
1249
01:00:17,637 --> 01:00:19,864
people with more use of the internet
1250
01:00:19,864 --> 01:00:24,567
or more access to the internet
tend to get more mail.
1251
01:00:24,567 --> 01:00:25,734
The role and influence
1252
01:00:25,734 --> 01:00:28,691
of private corporations is tremendous.
1253
01:00:28,691 --> 01:00:31,509
And their ability to shape
the legal environment
1254
01:00:31,509 --> 01:00:36,092
then really reflects their
desire to limit competition.
1255
01:00:37,173 --> 01:00:39,027
- If the postal service
was out of the way,
1256
01:00:39,027 --> 01:00:42,596
don't you think FedEx
and UPS could charge more
1257
01:00:42,596 --> 01:00:43,766
for what they do.
1258
01:00:43,766 --> 01:00:45,667
If the postal service was out of the way,
1259
01:00:45,667 --> 01:00:48,613
don't you think the vampires and congress
1260
01:00:48,613 --> 01:00:51,470
could sell off all the property
1261
01:00:51,470 --> 01:00:54,365
and all the assets the postal service has
1262
01:00:54,365 --> 01:00:56,115
and steal that money.
1263
01:00:56,957 --> 01:01:00,040
(gentle piano music)
1264
01:01:01,549 --> 01:01:03,035
- All across the United States,
1265
01:01:03,035 --> 01:01:07,274
we are losing very distinguished
buildings and public art
1266
01:01:07,274 --> 01:01:08,761
that they contain.
1267
01:01:08,761 --> 01:01:11,448
- Major buildings that
the postal service owned,
1268
01:01:11,448 --> 01:01:15,864
iconic beautiful buildings
in the centers of town
1269
01:01:15,864 --> 01:01:19,256
have been sold to real estate developers
1270
01:01:19,256 --> 01:01:21,031
for not that much money.
1271
01:01:21,031 --> 01:01:24,698
(somber instrumental music)
1272
01:01:28,696 --> 01:01:33,015
- They were designed to be among
the best buildings in town,
1273
01:01:33,015 --> 01:01:36,215
architecturally distinguished,
but also the craftsmanship.
1274
01:01:36,215 --> 01:01:39,882
(somber instrumental music)
1275
01:01:41,493 --> 01:01:44,693
Artworks were commissioned
for the first time
1276
01:01:44,693 --> 01:01:46,485
for small rural towns
1277
01:01:46,485 --> 01:01:49,526
where people had generally
never seen art before,
1278
01:01:49,526 --> 01:01:53,173
let alone public art
that depicted themselves
1279
01:01:53,173 --> 01:01:55,892
and the work that they
do, and their legends,
1280
01:01:55,892 --> 01:01:59,225
and their history, and their landscapes.
1281
01:02:00,819 --> 01:02:04,682
It was to a noble Americans
who do common work
1282
01:02:04,682 --> 01:02:07,239
so that they would know that this is part
1283
01:02:07,239 --> 01:02:10,023
of what constitutes a civilization,
1284
01:02:10,023 --> 01:02:13,690
of all of us working
together doing our bit.
1285
01:02:16,518 --> 01:02:18,357
The real estate portfolio,
1286
01:02:18,357 --> 01:02:21,812
which the public owns and paid
for is variously estimated
1287
01:02:21,812 --> 01:02:24,388
to be worth $50 to a $100 billion.
1288
01:02:24,388 --> 01:02:26,532
So anybody who can get their hands on that
1289
01:02:26,532 --> 01:02:31,199
is going to make out very
nicely like abandoned perhaps.
1290
01:02:32,036 --> 01:02:35,027
The postal service gave
an exclusive contract
1291
01:02:35,027 --> 01:02:37,651
to the world's largest
commercial real estate company,
1292
01:02:37,651 --> 01:02:40,568
CBRE to not only sell our property,
1293
01:02:41,699 --> 01:02:43,685
but also to advise them on what to sell
1294
01:02:43,685 --> 01:02:46,068
and also to lease back property
1295
01:02:46,068 --> 01:02:48,787
which the postal service
doesn't own to it.
1296
01:02:48,787 --> 01:02:51,620
So this is a very nice cushy deal.
1297
01:02:54,259 --> 01:02:56,022
Now what really gets interesting is
1298
01:02:56,022 --> 01:02:59,872
the chair of the board and
largely the owner of CBRE
1299
01:02:59,872 --> 01:03:02,185
is none other than Richard C. Blum,
1300
01:03:02,185 --> 01:03:04,304
a billionaire, private equity capitalist,
1301
01:03:04,304 --> 01:03:07,048
who just happens to be the husband
1302
01:03:07,048 --> 01:03:08,864
of Senator Dianne Feinstein,
1303
01:03:08,864 --> 01:03:12,697
perhaps the most powerful
senator in congress.
1304
01:03:14,942 --> 01:03:15,775
By any measure,
1305
01:03:15,775 --> 01:03:20,061
this is a rather startling
conflict of interest
1306
01:03:20,061 --> 01:03:21,645
that nobody seems to have looked into
1307
01:03:21,645 --> 01:03:23,274
and the press has scarcely mentioned.
1308
01:03:23,274 --> 01:03:26,941
(gentle instrumental music)
1309
01:03:39,654 --> 01:03:42,922
- In my own city of Santa Monica,
1310
01:03:42,922 --> 01:03:46,595
I was involved in reforms
that transformed that city
1311
01:03:46,595 --> 01:03:49,762
so that the downtown
of Santa Monica became,
1312
01:03:49,762 --> 01:03:50,790
if not the most,
1313
01:03:50,790 --> 01:03:55,465
one of the most vibrant retail
centers in all of California.
1314
01:03:55,465 --> 01:04:00,465
And there's a beautiful post
office in that set of blocks,
1315
01:04:00,956 --> 01:04:02,595
and the postal service sold it
1316
01:04:02,595 --> 01:04:06,328
to some guy who's making
it into a movie studio,
1317
01:04:06,328 --> 01:04:08,827
whereas they could have shared that space,
1318
01:04:08,827 --> 01:04:10,714
expanded the opportunity
1319
01:04:10,714 --> 01:04:13,713
so that they would have ongoing revenue
1320
01:04:13,713 --> 01:04:17,155
and maintain this beautiful location
1321
01:04:17,155 --> 01:04:20,160
in the middle of town where
everybody could go to it.
1322
01:04:20,160 --> 01:04:22,212
They've moved the post office to someplace
1323
01:04:22,212 --> 01:04:23,595
on the other side of the freeway
1324
01:04:23,595 --> 01:04:25,163
where the bus depot is.
1325
01:04:25,163 --> 01:04:27,285
It's really a crime.
1326
01:04:27,285 --> 01:04:29,703
That's an area where the postal service
1327
01:04:29,703 --> 01:04:32,369
has not followed my suggestions at all,
1328
01:04:32,369 --> 01:04:34,516
and I'm quite frustrated about it.
1329
01:04:34,516 --> 01:04:38,183
(gentle instrumental music)
1330
01:04:48,361 --> 01:04:50,005
- [Jay] In Washington, DC, you can go
1331
01:04:50,005 --> 01:04:51,737
to the old post office
1332
01:04:51,737 --> 01:04:55,610
and pay the President
of the United States $24
1333
01:04:55,610 --> 01:04:56,498
for a cheeseburger.
1334
01:04:56,498 --> 01:05:00,165
(gentle instrumental music)
1335
01:05:07,447 --> 01:05:10,614
Mary Burkhardt, Pacific Branch President
1336
01:05:10,614 --> 01:05:14,345
of the National Association
of Postal Supervisors.
1337
01:05:14,345 --> 01:05:16,567
Every four years, delegates gathered
1338
01:05:16,567 --> 01:05:20,533
to elect the officers who will
represent them in Washington.
1339
01:05:20,533 --> 01:05:21,673
- You need to be assertive,
1340
01:05:21,673 --> 01:05:23,440
you need to be even a little aggressive,
1341
01:05:23,440 --> 01:05:25,170
and you have to be unafraid.
1342
01:05:25,170 --> 01:05:27,101
That was always my expectation.
1343
01:05:27,101 --> 01:05:29,813
The three officers that we elected
1344
01:05:29,813 --> 01:05:33,150
and we're paying almost 150,000 a year to.
1345
01:05:33,150 --> 01:05:34,972
So, you think, wow,
1346
01:05:34,972 --> 01:05:36,841
those are the best of the best.
1347
01:05:36,841 --> 01:05:39,384
They're fighting, they're 24/7
1348
01:05:39,384 --> 01:05:42,631
And so, it was always
a little disappointing
1349
01:05:42,631 --> 01:05:44,338
to see that they leave right at 5:00
1350
01:05:44,338 --> 01:05:46,432
and didn't carry cell phones.
1351
01:05:46,432 --> 01:05:50,519
And didn't even know a
lot of the basic rules.
1352
01:05:50,519 --> 01:05:53,597
We have not elected the right people.
1353
01:05:53,597 --> 01:05:57,215
(audience applauds)
1354
01:05:57,215 --> 01:05:59,952
When I first ran, one of the
national officers told me,
1355
01:05:59,952 --> 01:06:00,862
"Why are you doing this?"
1356
01:06:00,862 --> 01:06:02,289
Because, it was already,
1357
01:06:02,289 --> 01:06:04,702
the election happened four years ago.
1358
01:06:04,702 --> 01:06:09,115
He said that all the votes
were promised to other people
1359
01:06:09,115 --> 01:06:13,438
and you don't have anything
to run on, but your skills.
1360
01:06:13,438 --> 01:06:16,775
If our whole convention is
that corrupt, why even have it,
1361
01:06:16,775 --> 01:06:19,212
just dial it in, promise it in.
1362
01:06:19,212 --> 01:06:22,295
(funky upbeat music)
1363
01:06:27,160 --> 01:06:29,414
We need someone that's serious,
1364
01:06:29,414 --> 01:06:31,148
someone who will get it done,
1365
01:06:31,148 --> 01:06:33,016
someone with the facts behind them,
1366
01:06:33,016 --> 01:06:34,769
someone that's different.
1367
01:06:34,769 --> 01:06:37,852
(indistinct chatter)
1368
01:06:39,922 --> 01:06:42,886
- [Man] Did you get ice cream?
1369
01:06:42,886 --> 01:06:45,415
- Not one candidate can
show you they've gone
1370
01:06:45,415 --> 01:06:47,350
to the OIG and been a whistleblower,
1371
01:06:47,350 --> 01:06:48,946
and I've done it twice.
1372
01:06:48,946 --> 01:06:53,821
Not one can say they have
gone to postal headquarters
1373
01:06:53,821 --> 01:06:56,240
and talked to everyone.
1374
01:06:56,240 --> 01:06:58,972
I better get in or I'll get
locked out of my own campaign.
1375
01:06:58,972 --> 01:07:00,924
Thank you, thank you.
1376
01:07:00,924 --> 01:07:02,162
- Yeah, the vote's in.
1377
01:07:02,162 --> 01:07:06,305
We're hoping that Mary will be
the new secretary treasurer.
1378
01:07:06,305 --> 01:07:09,932
- For the office of national
secretary treasurer,
1379
01:07:09,932 --> 01:07:14,932
John Jader, 1,288, Joe Cart,
176 votes, Brian Wagner, 1,593,
1380
01:07:23,144 --> 01:07:25,311
Mary Burkhardt, 235 Votes.
1381
01:07:26,238 --> 01:07:29,238
(audience cheering)
1382
01:07:38,908 --> 01:07:39,951
- But I'm real disappointed
1383
01:07:39,951 --> 01:07:43,205
that Mary Burkhardt did not get selected
1384
01:07:43,205 --> 01:07:46,735
because she was by far the most competent
1385
01:07:46,735 --> 01:07:50,787
and most caring of the
candidates that were running.
1386
01:07:50,787 --> 01:07:53,069
- And that's why one
day I want one member,
1387
01:07:53,069 --> 01:07:56,059
one vote 'cause that's the
ultimate way to break this up.
1388
01:07:56,059 --> 01:07:57,681
Every time I mentioned it, they're like,
1389
01:07:57,681 --> 01:08:00,507
"We can't have one member,
one vote, we can't do that."
1390
01:08:00,507 --> 01:08:02,127
And I said, "Why not?"
1391
01:08:02,127 --> 01:08:03,908
And they go, "Well,
because they don't know
1392
01:08:03,908 --> 01:08:04,945
what they're doing."
1393
01:08:04,945 --> 01:08:07,623
And I go, "But isn't
that what the Elisa said
1394
01:08:07,623 --> 01:08:10,332
in England and isn't that
why we formed this nation,
1395
01:08:10,332 --> 01:08:12,597
and isn't that why
people sit at the 1800s,
1396
01:08:12,597 --> 01:08:14,474
and isn't that why women can't vote,
1397
01:08:14,474 --> 01:08:16,404
isn't that why black
people couldn't vote."
1398
01:08:16,404 --> 01:08:19,947
And so, what we're doing is
we're disenfranchising everybody
1399
01:08:19,947 --> 01:08:23,716
for a few good old boy power
brokers, nothing happens.
1400
01:08:23,716 --> 01:08:26,334
And it's just a tired organization
1401
01:08:26,334 --> 01:08:28,834
with a lot of travel expenses.
1402
01:08:32,833 --> 01:08:34,575
- Don't buy Staples.
1403
01:08:34,575 --> 01:08:35,908
Boycott Staples.
1404
01:08:38,906 --> 01:08:41,946
- Our message is loud,
our message is clear.
1405
01:08:41,946 --> 01:08:44,331
US mail is not for sale.
1406
01:08:44,331 --> 01:08:45,437
- [Woman] Yes.
1407
01:08:45,437 --> 01:08:47,186
- [Jay] In November, 2013,
1408
01:08:47,186 --> 01:08:50,413
the postal service begins
opening mini post offices
1409
01:08:50,413 --> 01:08:52,815
in Staples stores nationwide.
1410
01:08:52,815 --> 01:08:54,735
- I mean, what's gonna happen next?
1411
01:08:54,735 --> 01:08:56,419
You're gonna go to your local post office,
1412
01:08:56,419 --> 01:08:58,098
there's gonna be a sign on the door,
1413
01:08:58,098 --> 01:09:01,015
we're closed, go to nearest Staple.
1414
01:09:01,856 --> 01:09:03,833
- If it's not a secret
deal, give us a contract.
1415
01:09:03,833 --> 01:09:05,620
I like to know what
they're getting out of me.
1416
01:09:05,620 --> 01:09:07,348
The contract has been so redacted
1417
01:09:07,348 --> 01:09:09,349
that you could hardly read it.
1418
01:09:09,349 --> 01:09:12,516
(protestors chanting)
1419
01:09:18,392 --> 01:09:22,267
- We took an oath, and we were
hired to protect their mail.
1420
01:09:22,267 --> 01:09:26,053
I'm a customer too, so I'm
gonna say protect our mail.
1421
01:09:26,053 --> 01:09:28,018
- After three years of pressure,
1422
01:09:28,018 --> 01:09:30,933
the postal service was found
in violation of its contract
1423
01:09:30,933 --> 01:09:35,028
with employees, and Staples
closed their postal counters.
1424
01:09:35,028 --> 01:09:37,221
- It's about big business and money,
1425
01:09:37,221 --> 01:09:39,398
it's not about the public
and giving them the service
1426
01:09:39,398 --> 01:09:40,476
that they deserve.
1427
01:09:40,476 --> 01:09:43,281
It's not about quality, trained workers.
1428
01:09:43,281 --> 01:09:44,714
It's about money.
1429
01:09:44,714 --> 01:09:47,714
(suspenseful music)
1430
01:09:49,999 --> 01:09:52,643
- One of the things the postal system did
1431
01:09:52,643 --> 01:09:55,230
was to create the expectation
1432
01:09:55,230 --> 01:09:57,670
that a job can have reasonable hours,
1433
01:09:57,670 --> 01:09:59,170
can have a good pension.
1434
01:09:59,170 --> 01:10:00,628
What used to be called
1435
01:10:00,628 --> 01:10:03,925
a middle-class American
dream lifestyle, right,
1436
01:10:03,925 --> 01:10:05,829
if you destroy those jobs,
1437
01:10:05,829 --> 01:10:08,232
what you're doing is
you're ratcheting down
1438
01:10:08,232 --> 01:10:09,797
the standard of living.
1439
01:10:09,797 --> 01:10:12,091
You're allowing all the other employers
1440
01:10:12,091 --> 01:10:14,544
in an area to offer less and less
1441
01:10:14,544 --> 01:10:19,544
so that the only comparison
anybody has is the poor job.
1442
01:10:19,757 --> 01:10:22,588
- What are the costs of low wages?
1443
01:10:22,588 --> 01:10:24,650
Not just cost to those individual workers,
1444
01:10:24,650 --> 01:10:27,067
but costs to the communities.
1445
01:10:30,617 --> 01:10:32,243
- The first largest business
1446
01:10:32,243 --> 01:10:35,071
that employs the most people is Walmart.
1447
01:10:35,071 --> 01:10:37,213
And the wages there are so low,
1448
01:10:37,213 --> 01:10:41,361
that many of the Walmart
employees have to go on welfare.
1449
01:10:41,361 --> 01:10:45,090
That is they're subsidized
by the taxpayer.
1450
01:10:45,090 --> 01:10:46,376
- [Man] And what you end up having
1451
01:10:46,376 --> 01:10:49,142
is the US Postal Service retail clerk
1452
01:10:49,142 --> 01:10:52,881
subsidizing Walmart in
order to pay those workers
1453
01:10:52,881 --> 01:10:55,101
so much lower wages.
1454
01:10:55,101 --> 01:10:57,834
So it really changes the direction
1455
01:10:57,834 --> 01:11:00,084
of who is subsidizing whom.
1456
01:11:02,257 --> 01:11:04,661
- Traditional 9:00 &to 5:00 doesn't work
1457
01:11:04,661 --> 01:11:06,566
in our current economy
1458
01:11:06,566 --> 01:11:10,981
as people are working
multiple part-time jobs,
1459
01:11:10,981 --> 01:11:14,056
you may work a four-hour
a day at the post office
1460
01:11:14,056 --> 01:11:17,191
and drive Uber for four hours.
1461
01:11:17,191 --> 01:11:21,090
- They've tried to bring
in hourly wage people
1462
01:11:21,090 --> 01:11:25,423
for part-time hours at $15
an hour with no benefits,
1463
01:11:26,456 --> 01:11:28,462
no health insurance.
1464
01:11:28,462 --> 01:11:31,544
- Even though they have a ton
of employment opportunities,
1465
01:11:31,544 --> 01:11:32,892
it's hard for them to find people
1466
01:11:32,892 --> 01:11:34,319
to come and fill the spots.
1467
01:11:34,319 --> 01:11:35,923
And then the people we
do get sometimes there,
1468
01:11:35,923 --> 01:11:36,879
they just don't get it.
1469
01:11:36,879 --> 01:11:38,683
They think the job is easy and it's not.
1470
01:11:38,683 --> 01:11:41,183
It's very physically enduring.
1471
01:11:42,395 --> 01:11:44,695
- This past winter, it
was the polar vortex.
1472
01:11:44,695 --> 01:11:46,734
It was absolutely horrendous.
1473
01:11:46,734 --> 01:11:48,679
We were working forced overtime.
1474
01:11:48,679 --> 01:11:50,385
We were working six day weeks.
1475
01:11:50,385 --> 01:11:53,204
We were working 12 and 13 hour days.
1476
01:11:53,204 --> 01:11:54,910
- I feel like this is a low cut,
1477
01:11:54,910 --> 01:11:58,740
and it's getting really not fun anymore.
1478
01:11:58,740 --> 01:12:00,603
- [Man] When I was
working on the UPS mail,
1479
01:12:00,603 --> 01:12:02,067
you gotta break it down per loop.
1480
01:12:02,067 --> 01:12:04,543
- The plant just runs it off.
1481
01:12:04,543 --> 01:12:06,126
We're overburdened.
1482
01:12:07,342 --> 01:12:09,354
- [Jay] You see yourself
staying here until you retire?
1483
01:12:09,354 --> 01:12:10,271
- Oh, yeah.
1484
01:12:12,011 --> 01:12:15,161
Not by choice though. (laughs)
1485
01:12:15,161 --> 01:12:17,324
Like I said, my family needs me.
1486
01:12:17,324 --> 01:12:19,206
My family needs me, that's
what I keep telling myself,
1487
01:12:19,206 --> 01:12:20,996
my family needs me.
1488
01:12:20,996 --> 01:12:23,718
It gets me through the day.
1489
01:12:23,718 --> 01:12:25,420
- When you say your family, you mean?
1490
01:12:25,420 --> 01:12:28,555
- [Jay] My wife, three kids.
1491
01:12:28,555 --> 01:12:30,156
- Now, this is America's job.
1492
01:12:30,156 --> 01:12:31,579
This is for the people.
1493
01:12:31,579 --> 01:12:34,171
This has existed since the
beginning of this country.
1494
01:12:34,171 --> 01:12:35,921
And there's no reason to stop it.
1495
01:12:35,921 --> 01:12:39,588
(gentle instrumental music)
1496
01:12:42,448 --> 01:12:44,224
I think letter carriers
1497
01:12:44,224 --> 01:12:47,342
are the most widely
appreciated federal worker
1498
01:12:47,342 --> 01:12:48,592
in the country.
1499
01:12:50,362 --> 01:12:54,419
- Day-to-day when I knock on
people's doors and they see me,
1500
01:12:54,419 --> 01:12:56,041
my postal uniform,
1501
01:12:56,041 --> 01:12:59,842
they feel like I'm someone they can trust.
1502
01:12:59,842 --> 01:13:02,355
- People do come out in our favor.
1503
01:13:02,355 --> 01:13:03,442
Communities are always backing
1504
01:13:03,442 --> 01:13:05,944
the letter carriers all the time.
1505
01:13:05,944 --> 01:13:08,243
- [Man] Whatsup, man.
1506
01:13:08,243 --> 01:13:09,298
- Hey, whatsup.
1507
01:13:09,298 --> 01:13:10,131
- [Man] You're on TV, man?
1508
01:13:10,131 --> 01:13:13,464
- Yeah, why, you wanna be on TV with me?
1509
01:13:17,164 --> 01:13:20,509
- Our postal workers know
our people on the routes.
1510
01:13:20,509 --> 01:13:22,732
They take pride in being able to make sure
1511
01:13:22,732 --> 01:13:24,092
that they're okay.
1512
01:13:24,092 --> 01:13:27,628
We've saved quite a few
lives all through the years.
1513
01:13:27,628 --> 01:13:29,710
- Well, I did a few emergency breathing.
1514
01:13:29,710 --> 01:13:30,786
I opened his airway up.
1515
01:13:30,786 --> 01:13:32,337
I didn't do anything more
than anybody else would.
1516
01:13:32,337 --> 01:13:33,170
- Yes, you did.
1517
01:13:33,170 --> 01:13:34,128
- He's a hero.
1518
01:13:34,128 --> 01:13:35,028
- I believe this guy,
1519
01:13:35,028 --> 01:13:37,726
just making sure I'm in the
right place at the right time
1520
01:13:37,726 --> 01:13:39,661
- You see something going
on in the neighborhood,
1521
01:13:39,661 --> 01:13:41,611
you report it.
1522
01:13:41,611 --> 01:13:44,030
See a fire, they run
in and they help people
1523
01:13:44,030 --> 01:13:46,906
or they at least warn
the people in the area.
1524
01:13:46,906 --> 01:13:48,051
- You think I'm kidding, right?
1525
01:13:48,051 --> 01:13:50,334
I'm going through the guy's garage.
1526
01:13:50,334 --> 01:13:51,463
Little park in the winter time
1527
01:13:51,463 --> 01:13:54,126
instead of walking away around
to the front of the house.
1528
01:13:54,126 --> 01:13:57,543
It's where you go through after 30 years.
1529
01:14:00,163 --> 01:14:03,393
- In emergencies and
national security situations,
1530
01:14:03,393 --> 01:14:04,943
or you're gonna deliver a medicine
1531
01:14:04,943 --> 01:14:07,034
or you're gonna deliver some antidote
1532
01:14:07,034 --> 01:14:09,054
or you're gonna deliver some equipment,
1533
01:14:09,054 --> 01:14:13,054
the post office is the
last hope of this country
1534
01:14:14,217 --> 01:14:18,296
because it doesn't say, well,
that's not very profitable.
1535
01:14:18,296 --> 01:14:19,529
I'm not gonna do it.
1536
01:14:19,529 --> 01:14:24,054
It has a civic obligation as
well as a legal obligation
1537
01:14:24,054 --> 01:14:27,721
to perform on behalf
of the American people.
1538
01:14:30,327 --> 01:14:32,385
- You have powers in this country
1539
01:14:32,385 --> 01:14:34,235
that are trying to choke off
1540
01:14:34,235 --> 01:14:38,000
the postal service and
take everything it has
1541
01:14:38,000 --> 01:14:39,856
that's worth any money.
1542
01:14:39,856 --> 01:14:42,666
And then you have a group
of people that are trying
1543
01:14:42,666 --> 01:14:44,590
to fulfill the mission
1544
01:14:44,590 --> 01:14:47,963
and to deliver to every address every day,
1545
01:14:47,963 --> 01:14:51,834
the one philosophy flies
in the face of the other.
1546
01:14:51,834 --> 01:14:55,257
- The way to do it is not to
eliminate a day of delivery.
1547
01:14:55,257 --> 01:14:58,974
The way to do it is not to
eliminate door-to-door services,
1548
01:14:58,974 --> 01:15:01,682
something that we've provided
the people all these years.
1549
01:15:01,682 --> 01:15:03,665
You wanna make it like foreign to people.
1550
01:15:03,665 --> 01:15:05,917
You wanna put a box up at the
corner and have your mother
1551
01:15:05,917 --> 01:15:09,476
have to walk a mile to
get her mail every day.
1552
01:15:09,476 --> 01:15:12,673
I don't think people want that.
1553
01:15:12,673 --> 01:15:14,423
- I would love to see us go
1554
01:15:14,423 --> 01:15:16,522
the direction of the
self-directed work team
1555
01:15:16,522 --> 01:15:18,323
or self-managed team
1556
01:15:18,323 --> 01:15:21,379
because we're capable of
making the decisions ourselves.
1557
01:15:21,379 --> 01:15:24,243
We can put peer pressure
on each other to perform.
1558
01:15:24,243 --> 01:15:26,719
We can probably achieve better results.
1559
01:15:26,719 --> 01:15:27,574
If Richard has a problem,
1560
01:15:27,574 --> 01:15:30,193
I have a problem and
the other people know it
1561
01:15:30,193 --> 01:15:32,677
and they have to get on board with that.
1562
01:15:32,677 --> 01:15:34,607
This has to be an important decision
1563
01:15:34,607 --> 01:15:35,987
just like everything else.
1564
01:15:35,987 --> 01:15:40,214
You gotta involve the employees
in getting the mail done.
1565
01:15:40,214 --> 01:15:41,670
When we take ownership,
1566
01:15:41,670 --> 01:15:44,978
you're not gonna recognize the place.
1567
01:15:44,978 --> 01:15:49,258
- Desire, commitment, that's what we want.
1568
01:15:49,258 --> 01:15:54,258
You only get it when you make
people part of the process.
1569
01:15:54,477 --> 01:15:57,340
- [Man] We don't need four
people doing the same job
1570
01:15:57,340 --> 01:15:59,799
at four different levels of
four different pay structures.
1571
01:15:59,799 --> 01:16:01,664
- I think there's no one more equipped
1572
01:16:01,664 --> 01:16:03,165
to run the post office
1573
01:16:03,165 --> 01:16:04,950
and the people that actually do the work
1574
01:16:04,950 --> 01:16:06,204
and understand what it takes.
1575
01:16:06,204 --> 01:16:07,878
- Oh, we can definitely run it.
1576
01:16:07,878 --> 01:16:10,382
In my station, for example,
and I come from Westmont,
1577
01:16:10,382 --> 01:16:11,371
we ran our stations.
1578
01:16:11,371 --> 01:16:13,124
Employees ran our station.
1579
01:16:13,124 --> 01:16:15,328
You know what your
assignment is every day.
1580
01:16:15,328 --> 01:16:17,423
We can do it all.
1581
01:16:17,423 --> 01:16:19,219
- And most of the
oversight and the paperwork
1582
01:16:19,219 --> 01:16:20,716
that the people deal with now is
1583
01:16:20,716 --> 01:16:23,260
just did the mail get there on time?
1584
01:16:23,260 --> 01:16:25,175
Did did that box get there?
1585
01:16:25,175 --> 01:16:27,599
Did the Amazon get all scanned properly?
1586
01:16:27,599 --> 01:16:30,779
(gentle piano music)
1587
01:16:30,779 --> 01:16:32,183
But there's a lot of people in here
1588
01:16:32,183 --> 01:16:36,338
that are justifying their
job, which is a useless job.
1589
01:16:36,338 --> 01:16:37,437
We have one guy that comes down
1590
01:16:37,437 --> 01:16:39,391
just to make sure the
mail gets here in time.
1591
01:16:39,391 --> 01:16:41,058
We could check that.
1592
01:16:42,453 --> 01:16:43,370
Ridiculous.
1593
01:16:44,288 --> 01:16:46,725
- Let the post office be a pioneer again
1594
01:16:46,725 --> 01:16:49,519
in the days of the Pony Express
and the way that it was,
1595
01:16:49,519 --> 01:16:52,332
but now not about reaching
into the far reaches
1596
01:16:52,332 --> 01:16:53,877
of our country, but rather
1597
01:16:53,877 --> 01:16:55,819
into the way we organize business,
1598
01:16:55,819 --> 01:17:00,058
every post office should be
a local workers cooperative,
1599
01:17:00,058 --> 01:17:03,568
a group of workers whose job it is to make
1600
01:17:03,568 --> 01:17:06,645
that institution as useful,
1601
01:17:06,645 --> 01:17:08,797
as helpful to the local community
1602
01:17:08,797 --> 01:17:10,508
as it knows how to be,
1603
01:17:10,508 --> 01:17:13,758
free to do that in any way it sees fit.
1604
01:17:15,756 --> 01:17:19,162
- At one time, they're able
to offer copying services
1605
01:17:19,162 --> 01:17:21,531
in a post office lobbies.
1606
01:17:21,531 --> 01:17:23,942
And Kinkos got that shut down.
1607
01:17:23,942 --> 01:17:25,525
They lobbied congress
1608
01:17:25,525 --> 01:17:27,137
and all of a sudden there's a law
1609
01:17:27,137 --> 01:17:30,507
that you can have copy machines
in your local post office.
1610
01:17:30,507 --> 01:17:33,208
- The postal service has
his hands tied by congress.
1611
01:17:33,208 --> 01:17:35,467
For example, up until 1968,
1612
01:17:35,467 --> 01:17:39,653
you had postal savings system
as part of the post office
1613
01:17:39,653 --> 01:17:41,212
and the banks didn't like it,
1614
01:17:41,212 --> 01:17:43,792
even though people used
it, it was convenient,
1615
01:17:43,792 --> 01:17:45,274
it was reliable.
1616
01:17:45,274 --> 01:17:46,895
Banks pressured congress.
1617
01:17:46,895 --> 01:17:48,562
They closed it down.
1618
01:17:51,792 --> 01:17:52,625
- People have said,
1619
01:17:52,625 --> 01:17:54,428
well, let the post office go into banking.
1620
01:17:54,428 --> 01:17:58,110
Well, that's not why we
created the postal service.
1621
01:17:58,110 --> 01:18:01,466
We got plenty of private
banks that'll do banking.
1622
01:18:01,466 --> 01:18:03,841
I think it might diffuse our mission.
1623
01:18:03,841 --> 01:18:07,341
It might open us up to a lot of criticism.
1624
01:18:09,622 --> 01:18:12,261
- The postal service
didn't crash the economy
1625
01:18:12,261 --> 01:18:14,108
and steal people's pensions.
1626
01:18:14,108 --> 01:18:15,041
The postal service is there
1627
01:18:15,041 --> 01:18:17,022
to provide a service for the people.
1628
01:18:17,022 --> 01:18:19,007
- Unless the banking community
1629
01:18:19,007 --> 01:18:22,126
has completely abandoned a certain area,
1630
01:18:22,126 --> 01:18:25,644
and there are some areas
that are underbanked.
1631
01:18:25,644 --> 01:18:30,508
- There are only 30 million
unbanked people in this country
1632
01:18:30,508 --> 01:18:33,948
and they could be the
source of wonderful service
1633
01:18:33,948 --> 01:18:35,371
and communities all over the country,
1634
01:18:35,371 --> 01:18:39,218
because most offices there
doesn't have to be built
1635
01:18:39,218 --> 01:18:42,370
and they will produce revenue
for the postal service.
1636
01:18:42,370 --> 01:18:44,575
(lively instrumental music)
1637
01:18:44,575 --> 01:18:46,927
- I think there's a lot
of other adaptations
1638
01:18:46,927 --> 01:18:49,148
that we could be leading the way in
1639
01:18:49,148 --> 01:18:51,818
such as a high-speed internet kiosk,
1640
01:18:51,818 --> 01:18:55,985
the access to a secure
online bill payment center.
1641
01:18:56,921 --> 01:18:58,647
There's communities all across the country
1642
01:18:58,647 --> 01:19:02,065
that don't even have access
to high-speed internet period.
1643
01:19:02,065 --> 01:19:03,617
And there's also many
people that can't afford
1644
01:19:03,617 --> 01:19:05,699
to have these services in their home.
1645
01:19:05,699 --> 01:19:07,231
- The postal service doesn't have
1646
01:19:07,231 --> 01:19:09,648
to pay tax on their building.
1647
01:19:11,439 --> 01:19:13,534
So if we're gonna do that,
1648
01:19:13,534 --> 01:19:16,302
we've got to find a way
to level the playing field
1649
01:19:16,302 --> 01:19:19,550
so they don't put the
mom and pop internet cafe
1650
01:19:19,550 --> 01:19:23,047
a couple of blocks down out of business.
1651
01:19:23,047 --> 01:19:25,046
- This would be the government competing
1652
01:19:25,046 --> 01:19:27,958
with the private sector, you betcha.
1653
01:19:27,958 --> 01:19:29,462
And that's a good thing.
1654
01:19:29,462 --> 01:19:32,565
Let the private sector have a competitor.
1655
01:19:32,565 --> 01:19:34,731
to exclude the government means
1656
01:19:34,731 --> 01:19:36,739
the private sector can do to us,
1657
01:19:36,739 --> 01:19:38,979
the customers, what it wishes.
1658
01:19:38,979 --> 01:19:41,732
There's no one else
who benefits from that,
1659
01:19:41,732 --> 01:19:44,436
not the public, not
the country as a whole,
1660
01:19:44,436 --> 01:19:47,139
but for the private
alternative profit makers,
1661
01:19:47,139 --> 01:19:48,210
that's why this was done.
1662
01:19:48,210 --> 01:19:51,877
(lively instrumental music)
1663
01:19:53,215 --> 01:19:56,287
- We understand their frustration
about waiting in lines,
1664
01:19:56,287 --> 01:19:59,247
the short staffing, we wanna be the best.
1665
01:19:59,247 --> 01:20:01,534
We've always strive to be the best
1666
01:20:01,534 --> 01:20:04,817
and to see all of what's
falling apart now,
1667
01:20:04,817 --> 01:20:08,817
it hurts a lot of workers
because we have pride.
1668
01:20:09,997 --> 01:20:11,452
- Let them be responsible,
1669
01:20:11,452 --> 01:20:13,444
not only to one another as workers,
1670
01:20:13,444 --> 01:20:15,367
but to the community they serve,
1671
01:20:15,367 --> 01:20:18,227
but there'd be a board
of the community elected
1672
01:20:18,227 --> 01:20:22,499
democratically that interacts
with this worker co-op
1673
01:20:22,499 --> 01:20:26,059
to reach the decisions that
serve this community best.
1674
01:20:26,059 --> 01:20:28,892
It's a whole new way of organized.
1675
01:20:29,810 --> 01:20:30,643
- [Woman] That's right.
1676
01:20:30,643 --> 01:20:32,768
- [Man] The post office belongs to us.
1677
01:20:32,768 --> 01:20:35,048
The post office belongs
to the American people.
1678
01:20:35,048 --> 01:20:36,202
- Yeah!
1679
01:20:36,202 --> 01:20:40,197
(protestors chanting)
1680
01:20:40,197 --> 01:20:42,508
- I want to be able to bring back pride
1681
01:20:42,508 --> 01:20:43,694
in being a postal worker.
1682
01:20:43,694 --> 01:20:45,656
I'm proud to be a postal worker.
1683
01:20:45,656 --> 01:20:48,537
I'm proud to be able to
serve the American people.
1684
01:20:48,537 --> 01:20:49,753
That means something.
1685
01:20:49,753 --> 01:20:52,003
That means something to me.
1686
01:20:53,241 --> 01:20:55,944
- I definitely wanna see a
lot of grassroots activism,
1687
01:20:55,944 --> 01:20:57,080
people getting out there
1688
01:20:57,080 --> 01:21:00,417
and protecting the United
States Postal Service.
1689
01:21:00,417 --> 01:21:02,880
The letter is so personal,
1690
01:21:02,880 --> 01:21:04,991
the emails and the texting and all that
1691
01:21:04,991 --> 01:21:06,586
is all impersonal.
1692
01:21:06,586 --> 01:21:08,968
And you know how much
time and effort it takes
1693
01:21:08,968 --> 01:21:11,192
to sit down and pen something.
1694
01:21:11,192 --> 01:21:13,496
So it means a lot more.
1695
01:21:13,496 --> 01:21:16,487
My mom was cleaning out some
files and gave me that picture.
1696
01:21:16,487 --> 01:21:17,779
So, I love it.
1697
01:21:17,779 --> 01:21:20,210
So, yeah, I've been born
to do this kind of stuff.
1698
01:21:20,210 --> 01:21:22,756
I was doing this way back then.
1699
01:21:22,756 --> 01:21:24,356
Mom made sure I was ready.
1700
01:21:24,356 --> 01:21:27,889
I guess she planned for me
to be somebody (laughs).
1701
01:21:27,889 --> 01:21:29,330
And I got the envelope printed.
1702
01:21:29,330 --> 01:21:32,257
And inside there's a letter from me.
1703
01:21:32,257 --> 01:21:33,945
I wanna continue to do big things
1704
01:21:33,945 --> 01:21:36,953
for the membership as
your chief spoke person.
1705
01:21:36,953 --> 01:21:38,761
And that's what I am a chief spokesperson.
1706
01:21:38,761 --> 01:21:40,777
That's what union representatives are.
1707
01:21:40,777 --> 01:21:42,361
We're not lawmakers.
1708
01:21:42,361 --> 01:21:45,950
So hopefully people don't look
at us like some politician.
1709
01:21:45,950 --> 01:21:47,263
It's a different kind of election.
1710
01:21:47,263 --> 01:21:51,096
So, sent out way more
than a thousand of them.
1711
01:21:53,387 --> 01:21:55,735
- So the one more year
to go with the union.
1712
01:21:55,735 --> 01:21:59,446
And as I said, I think
I'll be able to smile
1713
01:21:59,446 --> 01:22:01,013
and sleep a little better
1714
01:22:01,013 --> 01:22:04,273
and not have nightmares
about who lost the job today
1715
01:22:04,273 --> 01:22:06,767
or who's getting written
off for silly stuff
1716
01:22:06,767 --> 01:22:09,055
or things like that.
1717
01:22:09,055 --> 01:22:12,973
'Cause if you take it
personally, which I do,
1718
01:22:12,973 --> 01:22:17,741
it stays with you in a
very negative type of way.
1719
01:22:17,741 --> 01:22:19,741
Really, it wears on you.
1720
01:22:24,841 --> 01:22:26,681
- [Jay] You get nostalgic
when you come here.
1721
01:22:26,681 --> 01:22:28,969
- Oh, without a doubt, I tell you.
1722
01:22:28,969 --> 01:22:31,552
It's 30 years, half of my life.
1723
01:22:32,726 --> 01:22:34,444
Bartending, you may ask if I want a drink.
1724
01:22:34,444 --> 01:22:36,534
I'm here an hour.
1725
01:22:36,534 --> 01:22:39,803
- So my fondest memories
are coming here as a kid.
1726
01:22:39,803 --> 01:22:41,718
And you letting me sit at the counter
1727
01:22:41,718 --> 01:22:44,381
and sell a book of stamps
and count some change out.
1728
01:22:44,381 --> 01:22:45,335
for the customer.
1729
01:22:45,335 --> 01:22:50,085
- Right, I wanted to show you
that you wanna treat people
1730
01:22:51,519 --> 01:22:54,317
like you wanna be treated.
1731
01:22:54,317 --> 01:22:56,727
You treat people like
you wanna be treated.
1732
01:22:56,727 --> 01:22:58,491
And I honestly and firmly believe
1733
01:22:58,491 --> 01:23:01,477
that even though these
people were doing business
1734
01:23:01,477 --> 01:23:02,490
with the postal service,
1735
01:23:02,490 --> 01:23:05,311
they were doing business with me.
1736
01:23:05,311 --> 01:23:08,558
And after time they were not customers,
1737
01:23:08,558 --> 01:23:11,136
they were family and friends.
1738
01:23:11,136 --> 01:23:12,330
- [Jay] It doesn't take long outside
1739
01:23:12,330 --> 01:23:14,485
the Maplewood Post
Office for my dad to bump
1740
01:23:14,485 --> 01:23:15,569
into an old customer.
1741
01:23:15,569 --> 01:23:16,731
- Are you feeling okay?
1742
01:23:16,731 --> 01:23:17,676
- Everything's all right.
1743
01:23:17,676 --> 01:23:18,509
- That's good.
1744
01:23:18,509 --> 01:23:20,148
I'm out six years already,
I can't believe it.
1745
01:23:20,148 --> 01:23:21,052
- I know.
1746
01:23:21,052 --> 01:23:22,358
- That's my son and his wife.
1747
01:23:22,358 --> 01:23:24,021
- Oh, how you doing?
1748
01:23:24,021 --> 01:23:24,854
- All right, great
- And today's
1749
01:23:24,854 --> 01:23:29,293
their first anniversary (laughs).
1750
01:23:29,293 --> 01:23:32,670
- We're making a movie about
the post office because of him.
1751
01:23:32,670 --> 01:23:34,939
(Robert laughs)
1752
01:23:34,939 --> 01:23:36,726
- He lived in my house and saw it happen.
1753
01:23:36,726 --> 01:23:40,226
So he was honoring me by making this film.
1754
01:23:42,551 --> 01:23:45,388
I was fired because I was accused
1755
01:23:45,388 --> 01:23:47,726
of falsifying a federal document,
1756
01:23:47,726 --> 01:23:49,924
misappropriation of funds
from the postal service,
1757
01:23:49,924 --> 01:23:53,035
which totaled $579 and 56 cents
1758
01:23:53,035 --> 01:23:56,810
over 10 year period, 13 cents a day.
1759
01:23:56,810 --> 01:23:59,485
The postal service was
able to keep me out of work
1760
01:23:59,485 --> 01:24:04,068
for 364 days without benefit
of pay or hospitalization.
1761
01:24:08,152 --> 01:24:10,652
A very trying time in my life.
1762
01:24:11,587 --> 01:24:12,945
- [Jay] I knew it took a big toll on him
1763
01:24:12,945 --> 01:24:14,585
and I was about to go to college.
1764
01:24:14,585 --> 01:24:16,055
And so, he had a mortgage
1765
01:24:16,055 --> 01:24:18,436
and I knew he had all
these stresses on him
1766
01:24:18,436 --> 01:24:20,936
and it just didn't seem right.
1767
01:24:23,755 --> 01:24:24,875
- You lose a couple of cases
1768
01:24:24,875 --> 01:24:26,204
that you feel you should have won
1769
01:24:26,204 --> 01:24:29,935
and you feel like your world
almost like fell apart.
1770
01:24:29,935 --> 01:24:33,135
It's like a personal kick in the head.
1771
01:24:33,135 --> 01:24:35,666
It's just not acceptable.
1772
01:24:35,666 --> 01:24:36,499
That's never a good thing
1773
01:24:36,499 --> 01:24:39,056
when you couldn't protect somebody
1774
01:24:39,056 --> 01:24:41,536
'cause there have been a minimal number
1775
01:24:41,536 --> 01:24:44,824
where they just lost it mentally.
1776
01:24:44,824 --> 01:24:47,657
They couldn't continue in the job.
1777
01:24:48,727 --> 01:24:52,006
Others fight, and fight, and
fight, and continue fighting,
1778
01:24:52,006 --> 01:24:53,077
even though they get written up,
1779
01:24:53,077 --> 01:24:56,077
they fight and they won't back down.
1780
01:24:56,939 --> 01:25:00,022
(gentle piano music)
1781
01:25:03,771 --> 01:25:06,170
- But I was so happy that I held out
1782
01:25:06,170 --> 01:25:09,419
and I was exonerated the
day before we were supposed
1783
01:25:09,419 --> 01:25:11,594
to go to court because management knew
1784
01:25:11,594 --> 01:25:13,978
they did not have a case against me.
1785
01:25:13,978 --> 01:25:16,732
And he reasonable subsistence expense
1786
01:25:16,732 --> 01:25:18,489
that you incur as a result
1787
01:25:18,489 --> 01:25:20,787
of official travel will be approved.
1788
01:25:20,787 --> 01:25:22,855
Somehow, some way from my family,
1789
01:25:22,855 --> 01:25:24,758
my family was at the forefront.
1790
01:25:24,758 --> 01:25:26,091
My wife, my son,
1791
01:25:26,997 --> 01:25:29,891
and the place we lived
was at the forefront.
1792
01:25:29,891 --> 01:25:32,891
And they gave me all of my strength.
1793
01:25:33,907 --> 01:25:38,907
I felt like a boxer who was
on the canvas in the 10 count.
1794
01:25:39,113 --> 01:25:43,456
And somehow God gave me the
strength to swing my arms.
1795
01:25:43,456 --> 01:25:46,873
And I hit him, and I won, and I survived.
1796
01:25:52,355 --> 01:25:53,688
How's the momon?
1797
01:25:55,665 --> 01:25:57,045
- Momon.
1798
01:25:57,045 --> 01:25:58,208
- Yeah, momon.
1799
01:25:58,208 --> 01:25:59,293
- Momon.
1800
01:25:59,293 --> 01:26:01,367
- (indistinct) momon.
1801
01:26:01,367 --> 01:26:04,238
(gentle instrumental music)
1802
01:26:04,238 --> 01:26:05,239
And even if at the end
1803
01:26:05,239 --> 01:26:06,676
of the day management has to put
1804
01:26:06,676 --> 01:26:09,533
that worker back to
work with full back pay,
1805
01:26:09,533 --> 01:26:10,867
they will have achieved something
1806
01:26:10,867 --> 01:26:13,606
in terms of imposing discipline
1807
01:26:13,606 --> 01:26:16,023
and control on the workforce.
1808
01:26:17,130 --> 01:26:18,189
I can't make a statement
1809
01:26:18,189 --> 01:26:19,022
because then they're gonna treat me
1810
01:26:19,022 --> 01:26:20,607
like they treat you.
1811
01:26:20,607 --> 01:26:23,357
Lo and behold, I did lose my job.
1812
01:26:26,821 --> 01:26:27,654
(phone ringing)
1813
01:26:27,654 --> 01:26:28,920
- He pointed his finger at me,
1814
01:26:28,920 --> 01:26:29,753
he looked at me saying,
1815
01:26:29,753 --> 01:26:31,367
"Now you keep eye contact at me
1816
01:26:31,367 --> 01:26:33,534
when I am talking to you."
1817
01:26:35,539 --> 01:26:36,967
I'm not afraid of your congressman
1818
01:26:36,967 --> 01:26:39,208
or your senator, (indistinct).
1819
01:26:39,208 --> 01:26:42,875
(gentle instrumental music)
1820
01:26:44,111 --> 01:26:46,528
(indistinct)
1821
01:26:51,059 --> 01:26:55,133
- [Woman] You can't get
anybody to address this.
1822
01:26:55,133 --> 01:26:58,800
(gentle instrumental music)
1823
01:27:02,404 --> 01:27:05,737
- Hello again, Mr. Brian, this is Jay...
1824
01:27:06,584 --> 01:27:11,205
I come bearing concerns of
many, many postal workers.
1825
01:27:11,205 --> 01:27:12,937
But workplace change never came
1826
01:27:12,937 --> 01:27:15,016
from the postmaster general,
1827
01:27:15,016 --> 01:27:16,046
whether Megan Brennan
1828
01:27:16,046 --> 01:27:19,546
or Ben Franklin, justice, safety, respect.
1829
01:27:23,337 --> 01:27:25,715
They only ever came in small victories
1830
01:27:25,715 --> 01:27:30,215
by employees who know their
rights and fight for them.
1831
01:27:31,199 --> 01:27:35,131
- I might lose this thing,
I might lose everything.
1832
01:27:35,131 --> 01:27:39,605
There's a big price to
pay fighting the system.
1833
01:27:39,605 --> 01:27:43,826
But you have to make a decision
that you're gonna do it.
1834
01:27:43,826 --> 01:27:47,603
And it was my reputation, my livelihood.
1835
01:27:47,603 --> 01:27:48,826
Now I have my job back
1836
01:27:48,826 --> 01:27:52,624
after three very long years of struggle.
1837
01:27:52,624 --> 01:27:55,338
- I've spent almost $20,000 on a lawyer,
1838
01:27:55,338 --> 01:27:58,333
that's something that I
might not even get back.
1839
01:27:58,333 --> 01:28:00,685
Dave was really wild, 'cause
he would stand up going,
1840
01:28:00,685 --> 01:28:02,794
"I gotta be honest, I'm under oath,
1841
01:28:02,794 --> 01:28:03,667
I gotta be honest."
1842
01:28:03,667 --> 01:28:05,494
And he says, she's really a good worker.
1843
01:28:05,494 --> 01:28:06,327
And I'm sitting there going,
1844
01:28:06,327 --> 01:28:08,091
"Hey, just keep on being honest, man.
1845
01:28:08,091 --> 01:28:09,540
Just keep on."
1846
01:28:09,540 --> 01:28:12,148
'Cause he turned out to
be a better witness for me
1847
01:28:12,148 --> 01:28:14,522
than it did for them.
1848
01:28:14,522 --> 01:28:16,195
- Tracy won her lawsuit.
1849
01:28:16,195 --> 01:28:20,690
(gentle instrumental music)
1850
01:28:20,690 --> 01:28:25,273
- Today is election day for
the union here in Gastonia.
1851
01:28:27,599 --> 01:28:30,908
I was gonna maybe hail that
in the main post office.
1852
01:28:30,908 --> 01:28:34,325
Tim Ranchi is going to run for president.
1853
01:28:37,944 --> 01:28:39,493
- Each candidate is entitled
1854
01:28:39,493 --> 01:28:42,289
to having an observer
present during the following.
1855
01:28:42,289 --> 01:28:46,122
- An observer is in the
room with the ballots.
1856
01:28:47,383 --> 01:28:51,466
They watched proceedings
that are going on mostly
1857
01:28:52,872 --> 01:28:55,777
to see that things are done correctly,
1858
01:28:55,777 --> 01:28:57,660
done the right way
1859
01:28:57,660 --> 01:29:02,522
that there are no per se
shady dealings going on.
1860
01:29:02,522 --> 01:29:04,770
- The people that we wanna
challenge are the people
1861
01:29:04,770 --> 01:29:07,209
that have been management.
1862
01:29:07,209 --> 01:29:08,883
Once you go to management,
1863
01:29:08,883 --> 01:29:10,903
we don't ever want you back.
1864
01:29:10,903 --> 01:29:15,340
- Of course, I accepted
because I want to see
1865
01:29:15,340 --> 01:29:17,340
that this is done right?
1866
01:29:20,734 --> 01:29:22,392
And the challenge must be made
1867
01:29:22,392 --> 01:29:25,225
before those envelopes are opened.
1868
01:29:26,059 --> 01:29:28,976
Very hopefully this can be changed,
1869
01:29:30,660 --> 01:29:35,243
the presidency to make a new
beginning, push the union,
1870
01:29:37,029 --> 01:29:39,112
I think, needs very much.
1871
01:29:41,749 --> 01:29:44,416
- There's the letter I sent out.
1872
01:29:46,562 --> 01:29:49,895
That was the only mother I really slung.
1873
01:29:50,782 --> 01:29:52,111
- [Woman] Okay, like a poem.
1874
01:29:52,111 --> 01:29:52,944
- Yeah.
1875
01:29:57,434 --> 01:29:58,267
I didn't vote last year.
1876
01:29:58,267 --> 01:29:59,780
And this year I wanna be the president.
1877
01:29:59,780 --> 01:30:02,447
(both laughing)
1878
01:30:03,956 --> 01:30:06,622
- Doesn't take long time.
1879
01:30:06,622 --> 01:30:08,039
- No, it doesn't.
1880
01:30:12,896 --> 01:30:15,555
- And people don't understand why.
1881
01:30:15,555 --> 01:30:18,722
our union does not stand up and speak.
1882
01:30:19,946 --> 01:30:21,930
- I understand why.
1883
01:30:21,930 --> 01:30:24,858
And most of it has to do with fear.
1884
01:30:24,858 --> 01:30:26,143
But the part I don't understand
1885
01:30:26,143 --> 01:30:28,310
is what they're afraid of.
1886
01:30:29,509 --> 01:30:31,101
You have them in your heart.
1887
01:30:31,101 --> 01:30:32,421
It's almost five o'clock.
1888
01:30:32,421 --> 01:30:33,447
- Yes, sir.
1889
01:30:33,447 --> 01:30:34,469
- Take care.
1890
01:30:34,469 --> 01:30:35,591
You take care of yourself.
1891
01:30:35,591 --> 01:30:36,890
- Bet ya.
1892
01:30:36,890 --> 01:30:39,557
(clock ticking)
1893
01:30:46,619 --> 01:30:49,493
- The first thing Steve ever gave him,
1894
01:30:49,493 --> 01:30:51,723
it was a watch for Christmas
1895
01:30:51,723 --> 01:30:53,744
for our first year we were married.
1896
01:30:53,744 --> 01:30:58,237
I thought that it would be
appropriate to wear it tonight?
1897
01:30:58,237 --> 01:31:01,110
I knew that he wouldn't
want me to be there.
1898
01:31:01,110 --> 01:31:02,943
I was there for Steve?
1899
01:31:04,952 --> 01:31:06,956
What he stood for?
1900
01:31:06,956 --> 01:31:11,706
I was there for Steve's respect
and to make things right.
1901
01:31:13,219 --> 01:31:16,469
And to put that spark back into people.
1902
01:31:19,038 --> 01:31:24,038
It started with the spark and
then just keep building it up.
1903
01:31:24,656 --> 01:31:27,156
- And if one person came there
1904
01:31:28,037 --> 01:31:30,120
and saw you supporting me
1905
01:31:31,310 --> 01:31:33,773
and changed their vote, one person,
1906
01:31:33,773 --> 01:31:35,606
that won the election,
1907
01:31:36,467 --> 01:31:39,300
that changed from what
would have been tie.
1908
01:31:39,300 --> 01:31:42,814
- And if it was, that's
one of the greatest things
1909
01:31:42,814 --> 01:31:44,209
that can happen.
1910
01:31:44,209 --> 01:31:46,709
- The final vote was 31 to 33.
1911
01:31:47,726 --> 01:31:52,476
And at one point, I was down
by five and I was like, wow.
1912
01:31:53,723 --> 01:31:57,795
- I just want to say that I
just feel so good about this.
1913
01:31:57,795 --> 01:32:01,100
- We're gonna take the
presidency in January.
1914
01:32:01,100 --> 01:32:05,600
- Main instrument ever, how
high, they you to give up.
1915
01:32:07,814 --> 01:32:10,172
They want you to give up.
1916
01:32:10,172 --> 01:32:13,944
- The way things have been
run has stopped people
1917
01:32:13,944 --> 01:32:17,293
from standing up because they would feel
1918
01:32:17,293 --> 01:32:19,347
that they would be standing alone.
1919
01:32:19,347 --> 01:32:22,014
And I hope to spread the message
1920
01:32:23,523 --> 01:32:25,356
that you're not alone,
1921
01:32:27,151 --> 01:32:31,151
so go ahead and stand up
and let's take this on.
1922
01:33:12,505 --> 01:33:17,505
♪ Sometimes every single thing
is happening, happening ♪
1923
01:33:24,076 --> 01:33:29,076
♪ Sometimes every single thing
is happening, happening ♪
1924
01:33:35,506 --> 01:33:40,506
♪ Across the great divide, you
don't wanna choose your side ♪
1925
01:33:40,766 --> 01:33:43,624
♪ We must do more than occupy ♪
1926
01:33:43,624 --> 01:33:46,803
♪ Give them a chance to just comply ♪
1927
01:33:46,803 --> 01:33:51,803
♪ Love and lucky brakes,
trampade in every way ♪
1928
01:33:52,280 --> 01:33:57,280
♪ Don't say that it's too
late to make a patient gray ♪
1929
01:34:00,424 --> 01:34:05,424
♪ The time is now, don't give up ♪
1930
01:34:06,394 --> 01:34:09,993
♪ Don't walk away ♪
1931
01:34:09,993 --> 01:34:14,993
♪ Oh, oh, oh, I need you ♪
1932
01:34:15,040 --> 01:34:19,540
♪ I need to treat you to say and rise ♪
1933
01:34:31,957 --> 01:34:34,207
♪ And rise ♪
1934
01:34:50,032 --> 01:34:55,032
♪ Sometimes every single thing
is happening, happening ♪
1935
01:35:01,350 --> 01:35:06,350
♪ Sometimes every single thing
is happening, it's happening ♪
1936
01:35:12,810 --> 01:35:17,810
♪ Sometimes every single thing
is happening, happening ♪
1937
01:35:24,265 --> 01:35:29,265
♪ Sometimes every single thing
is happening, it's happening ♪
151760
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