I love getting letters. It seems hard to understand why the term "Going Postal" has come to mean losing one's temper.
It turns out that 20 years ago a postal worker, Patrick Henry Sherrill went on a shooting rampage systematically killing 14 people, then committed suicide.
I guess he delivered lots of postcards but only received bills. That would push anyone over the edge.
From the article:
"Postal workers are no more likely to resort to workplace violence than workers in other jobs. A commission on workplace violence found 0.26 workplace homicides per 100,000 postal workers from 1992 to 1998. By comparison the rate was 2.10 per 100,000 for retail workers, 1.66 in public administration, 1.32 for transportation and 0.50 for private delivery services."
I can see why retail workers would go postal. Talk about a thankless job for no money.
-Gary
3 comments:
My impression of a postal workers job is that it is well paid and unstressful. They get paid well enough that it's not fair really when you consider how easy it would be to replace them. I do however think that everyone should be paid a decent living wage. I also think the world should be fair.
Both my mom and dad are postal workers...
They don't own guns and are close to retirement. I think we should be safe, for now.
:-)
The postal system is more than just the mailmen and femailmen. The carrier is just the 'glamour' job that everyone sees. They get the glory of being relentless in the face of rain, sleet, and snow.
There are lots of other things that don't get you out in the fresh air where you have to stand in the same spot all day long reading illegible addresses, and the piles don't seem to get any smaller. Then if some management type imposes quotas. Even if the quotas aren't enforce and you aren't punished for missing them you still feel the pressure and get to feeling guilty if you consistanly miss your target.
It isn't all kissing naughty houswives!
;)
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