Jason Thompson, a letter carrier for the United States Postal Service (USPS), said he was suspended and threatened with termination after using his Facebook profile to complain about extreme working conditions during a blizzard that hit the region.
Last Monday (26), Thompson arrived to work at the post office in Fairfield, 26 miles (42 kilometers) north of Cincinnati, Ohio, and found the parking lot insufficiently cleared and delivery trucks buried under “two to three feet of snow,” he wrote.
“Our mail carriers deliver mail during heat waves, blizzards, storms and emergencies, and today they showed up once again only to be put in harm’s way, with nothing to do and no safe place to work,” Thompson wrote on his Facebook profile.
“Post carriers are coming from Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and nearby areas, risking their lives just to get to work, only to be told there are no letters or packages,” he revealed.
“This is not our fault and it is not a situation that we should solve. Why don’t we hire a specialized company to clear all these structures, instead of forcing the postmen themselves to do their utmost to clear the snow?”, he asked.
Thompson said letter carriers were told they would have to use sick days or vacation if they wanted to be away for the rest of their shift, even though there was nothing to deliver. “This is not how the most dedicated men and women of the United States Postal Service should be treated,” he argued.
Five hours after posting his outburst, Thompson said higher-ups at the USPS warned him to remove the post or “there would be consequences.” “Now they are threatening me saying that if I don’t remove this post I might lose my job. Help, listen to us… Please!”, he wrote.
About an hour after the first warning, Thompson announced that he had been suspended without pay because of his post. “I have been informed that I am on emergency suspension without pay. I hope this brings positive changes for everyone,” he lamented.
To the broadcaster WXIXa USPS spokesperson said “the safety of our employees is a top priority, especially during periods of severe cold. In extreme cold, letter carriers follow established safety precautions.”
“The Postal Service continually monitors weather conditions and reinforces safety guidelines to help ensure employees can deliver mail as safely as possible while continuing to provide reliable service to our customers.”
Photos and videos: Facebook. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
