Photo by Jimmy Myers / St. Joseph News-Press / Purchase this photo

Nearing the end of her route, postal carrier Janet Adams checks for traffic before crossing at the intersection of Commercial and South 21st streets. A recently retired postal employee has suggested management is pressuring employees to retire or quit.

As the U.S. Postal Service sheds jobs in St. Joseph, two former employees lay the blame on management.

A former postal employee suggests management is forcing hard-working employees to retire or quit amid a difficult work environment.

“I would have stayed another two or three years but the work environment got hostile,” said Bob Wilson.

Mr. Wilson, the former Savannah, Mo., mayor, worked in St. Joseph with the postal service for 32 years before retiring in June.

Another says he knows it’s a difficult work environment.

Rob Willoughby left in December because another company liked his work ethic and offered him a job. He’d been employed by the Postal Service for 10.5 years.

The work climate changed about two years ago and that was a definite part of why he left, Mr. Willoughby said.

“Their methods aren’t the most ethical or productive,” he said. “As another carrier said, management is trying to get a lot of productivity through intimidation. And that’s not the most productive way to achieve goals.”

Both men made their comments following the news that the postal service in St. Joseph lost 19 positions in the last year. The jobs for nine junior mail clerks were transferred to Kansas City along with six mail handler positions. Retirements led to the dropping of four auxiliary routes.

“I felt compelled to come forward,” Mr. Wilson said.

The News-Press contacted Richard Watkins, a district spokesman for the postal service.

Former employees have a First Amendment right to express their complaints but have little credibility if they’re not willing to go through the existing process for addressing those issues, Mr. Watkins said.

“It’s impossible to respond to someone who’s no longer in the organization,” Mr. Watkins said.

Mr. Willoughby and Mr. Wilson know that the Postal Service has to become more cost conscience by controlling expenses.

“But the way management’s doing it is just brutal,” Mr. Wilson said.

Delivering the mail isn’t ever enough. Management always ask for more, Mr. Wilson said.

It’s management that establishes a carrier’s route. Instead of looking at the carriers, Mr. Wilson says the postal service ought to be looking at those establishing and adjusting routes.

Mr. Watkins, the postal service spokesman, said the time to address an issue is when one is an employee.

“I’m not going to contradict these former employees,” Mr. Watkins said. “I don’t know them and I’m not saying they’re bad employees but the postal service has grievance procedures established with the unions. That’s why it’s there and everybody gets their fair say and due process. And then there is a record and upper management and the unions can go back and see what’s involved and how’s it being handled.”

Without using the process how will it affect change, Mr. Watkins asked.

The complaints seem to be directed at embarrassing the St. Joseph Post Office. He said it’s frustrating to deal with when the service isn’t hearing anything from current employees.

There isn’t a business out there doing things the same way, Mr. Watkins said, and the postal service shouldn’t be held to a different standard. The service is a deadline driven organization, and right now productivity and service are good, he said.

Marshall White can be reached at marshallwhite@npgco.com.