Morale at the Post Office

The U.S. Postal Service was never known to be a fun place to work but morale appears to  be reaching a new low as the organization executes a plan to cut about a quarter of its workforce by 2016.

How do I know this?

I brought a package to  my local post office this afternoon – a framed print meant for my son’s college dormitory room. The frame contains a plate of glass so  I fastidiously wrapped it in bubble wrap.

Just to be safe, I wrote, “Fragile” in bold letters on the outside.

When the postal clerk saw that I had written “fragile” on the brown paper wrapping, he frowned and shook his head.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” he said.  “When they see fragile on it they try to break it.  We tell people not to write fragile on their packages anymore.”

When did that happen?

At one time, postal carriers were celebrated because they could be counted on to deliver packages in rain, sleet and the dead lof night.  Then again, at one time workers could expect to work for an employer for their entire working life  all the while receiving health benefits and the guarantee of a pension in their old age.

Another distressing sign of the times.