‘A Tale of Two Cities'

‘A Tale of Two Cities’
By Toni Coleman-Scruggs
Retired Postmaster, Illinois State Branch 916 Area Vice President, and Lorraine Harry-Dr. Nancy Wesley Branch 493 Officer

In his classic, “Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens wrote, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness …”

For NAPS, Sept. 7, 1908, was a time in which the founders of this organization—50 postal supervisors from post offices in 13 states—met in Louisville, KY. Their objective was to establish an association comprising supervisors dedicated to the welfare of supervisors and improvement of the United States Post Office Department.

Poor working conditions and an unfair salary system were among the challenges that faced these pioneers, all of whom risked their livelihoods to participate in these early organizational activities. In the early 1900s, no standard workday or workweek existed for postal employees. The 8-hour workday was not a reality for postal supervisors.

The workday began at a specified time, but ended only when all mail on hand had been processed. Saturdays and Sundays were regular workdays; there was no overtime or compensatory time. The sick leave benefit was years away and on completion of a “career” in the Post Office Department, there was no retirement annuity.

As our “Historical Sketch” reads:

“These were bleak years made bleaker because no cooperative relationship existed between postal supervisors and postal managers in Washington, DC. The phrase ‘management team’ had not been coined, but the National Association of Supervisory Post Office Employees (later renamed the National Association of Postal Supervisors, or NAPS) was emerging as a force to influence a change.”

It now is 2025 and, as the title of this column reads, we are living in “A Tale of Two Cities.” Many of my fellow EAS colleagues feel there is no “best of times, just the worst of times.”

Like in the early 1900s, many members’ livelihoods today are in jeopardy; most have received little or no raises the past few years. Morale is down; workloads have increased. EAS employees continually are passed over for details or promotions to craft employees, in spite of the so-called “best qualified” candidates selection process. In many cases, EAS employees applying for promotions no longer receive letters for interviews or letters of non-selection. You may receive an email, but what happened to the process of receiving a letter in advance, instead of an email that may get lost in the hundreds of daily directive emails that fill up your inbox? EAS employees still are being treated as PTFs; their schedules are changed more often than a baby’s diaper. In spite of the involuntary reassignment letter being issued many times, this issue seems to be an ongoing problem. I hear people say they are in fear of retaliation, the EEO process is broken and there is no process in place to address issues. I always have been a firm believer in document, document, document! I continually tell people who call or write me the importance of documenting everything.

I often recommend completing a 1723 and using a leave slip for vacations and leave requests. Don’t use your car to deliver mail, conduct street supervisions or drop off Express Mail. If you have an accident, the Postal Service will not cover the damage to your car. The Postal Service issues letters of directives, but, many times, our members still don’t know their rights. You are entitled to due process and be treated with respect. Your representative has the right to represent you. When you are accused of violating the Joint Statement on Violence in the Workplace because you did your job, you don’t have to just accept a ruling handed down by a DRT team, postal Labor representative or POOM without ever being interviewed. Yet this has happened. Individuals have been terminated, forced to take training classes or moved from their Form 50 position without ever having their day in court. As the Constitution states, we all are entitled to due process. Yes, many believe we are regressing to bleaker times instead of reemerging as a force to influence a change like those brave supervisors in 1908. We have details lasting years and years, jobs staying vacant for many months or even years. Many NAPS members keep asking why this continues to happen. If we don’t push back, we will continue to see the worst of times.

The goal of this organization is to educate, represent and look out for the interest of its members. We have the tools, the talent and the people; we just underuse those resources. Most EAS employees have worked in various offices; it, too, is like a tale of two cities—each operates differently, without uniformity. Rules vary from district to area, from state to state.

I wish it was the best of times, but, if we surveyed our members, they would agree it is the worst of times. Until we have unity and better communication, along with better wages, respect and a decrease in workload, the poor working conditions the founding members faced will continue to plague our members in 2025.

I look forward to the best of days like many of you. A change has to come. Together, we can make it happen.