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U.S. Post Office cuts threaten source of black jobs
Reuters ^ | Jan 21, 2013 | Mary Wisniewski

Posted on 01/21/2013 8:29:48 PM PST by Lancey Howard

(Reuters) - While delivering mail on Chicago's North Side, Lakesha Dortch-Hardy spoke about how much she loves her job at the U.S. Postal Service, and how much it would hurt if jobs such as hers were to disappear.

"These jobs are the middle class ..." said Dortch-Hardy, a tall, energetic 38-year-old, who took long strides as she wheeled her cart along a row of two- and three-story brick apartment houses. "Without this job, I don't know where I'd be right now."

The cash-strapped U.S. Postal Service has eliminated 168,000 jobs since 2006, and more cuts could result as it struggles to avoid its own "fiscal cliff." As the United States honors Martin Luther King's civil rights legacy on Monday, many African-American workers may be facing new obstacles to achieving and maintaining a middle-class life style.

African-Americans represent 13.1 percent of the U.S. population and 11.6 percent of the labor force, according to a 2012 U.S. Department of Labor report. Nearly one in five African-American workers hold government jobs such as mail clerks, firefighters and teachers, the report said.

"There's a long tradition of the public sector being more friendly, or less hostile, to African-American workers," said Robert Zieger, emeritus professor of history at the University of Florida in Gainesville. "The Post Office is the best example."

(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; News/Current Events
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1 posted on 01/21/2013 8:29:50 PM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: Lancey Howard

I’m sorry, I didn’t know jobs came in colors.


2 posted on 01/21/2013 8:31:02 PM PST by Shadowstrike (Be polite, Be professional, but have a plan to kill everyone you meet.)
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To: Lancey Howard
Nearly one in five African-American workers hold government jobs such as mail clerks, firefighters and teachers, the report said.

Well, in the private sector, you have to actually be capable of making a contribution ...

3 posted on 01/21/2013 8:33:11 PM PST by ClearCase_guy (Nothing will change until after the war.)
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To: Shadowstrike

Sure they do. If you are white and don’t have prior military service you cant gat a job with the postal service. But if you are African American you get hired and in no time at all you be a pos master Bro.


4 posted on 01/21/2013 8:33:37 PM PST by cquiggy
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To: Lancey Howard

USPS: Minorities and retired military. I read somewhere recently that the USPS really needs to shed 250,000 positions. I just hope that the one’s in my local PO are on the list. They go out of their way to treat the patrons with as much disrespect as they can get away with. These jerks watch the clock and don’t stay at their station one second into their breaks!


5 posted on 01/21/2013 8:35:46 PM PST by vette6387
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To: Lancey Howard

USPS: Minorities and retired military. I read somewhere recently that the USPS really needs to shed 250,000 positions. I just hope that the one’s in my local PO are on the list. They go out of their way to treat the patrons with as much disrespect as they can get away with. These jerks watch the clock and don’t stay at their station one second into their breaks!


6 posted on 01/21/2013 8:35:46 PM PST by vette6387
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To: Shadowstrike

News to me, also.


7 posted on 01/21/2013 8:37:27 PM PST by onyx (FREE REPUBLIC IS HERE TO STAY! DONATE MONTHLY! IF YOU WANT ON SARAH PALIN''S PING LIST, LET ME KNOW)
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To: Lancey Howard

Its a sad state of affairs.

I was shocked when the deaths from the anthrax after 9/11 included a black college classmate of mine. I was saddened that after getting the college degree from a prestigious university he had gone to work in the post office. Afraid of competing? Comfortable family historical job?

Did the article mention that the USPS is losing 9 billion per year?


8 posted on 01/21/2013 8:38:51 PM PST by sgtyork (The secret of happiness is freedom, and the secret of freedom, courage. Thucydides)
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To: Lancey Howard

Hey USPS, here’s an idea. Issue an Obama portrait postage stamp limited edition, historic claptrap appeal and all that BS and charge extra for it. The sheeples will fork over their welfare and SS dollar to obtain them. That oughta funnel back in a few more redistributed greens.


9 posted on 01/21/2013 8:39:50 PM PST by tflabo (Truth or Tyranny)
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To: Lancey Howard

Didn’t know the post office ran black ops


10 posted on 01/21/2013 8:41:34 PM PST by doc1019
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To: sgtyork

Well, the blacks vote, what, 97 percent dim? Where do they think that money for jobs, theirs included, will come from if they constantly vote against the producers?


11 posted on 01/21/2013 8:41:56 PM PST by angry elephant (Endangered species in Seattle)
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To: Lancey Howard
Nearly one in five African-American workers hold government jobs such as mail clerks, firefighters and teachers, the report said.

That's a huge percentage, and a lot of families. It follows that many blacks would not support a political party that campaigns on the premise of smaller, limited government. There is another thread going here at FR where a freeper was told by a postal clerk that he voted for Ubama because Romney would close down his post office.

12 posted on 01/21/2013 8:42:00 PM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: Lancey Howard

Someone fax me a crying towel.


13 posted on 01/21/2013 8:44:16 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (I'll raise $2million for Sarah Palin's presidential run. What'll you do?)
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To: ClearCase_guy
Nearly one in five African-American workers hold government jobs such as mail clerks, firefighters and teachers, the report said.

I would say that it is prima facie evidence of job discrimination. The percentage of black employees is significantly out of line with their percentage in the general population. Somebody call the ACLU.

14 posted on 01/21/2013 8:44:56 PM PST by oldbrowser (They are marxists, don't call them democrats)
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To: sgtyork
Did the article mention that the USPS is losing 9 billion per year?

Or more?...

Last week, the Postal Service Board of Governors met to discuss a range of cost-cutting measures to strengthen the service's finances following the loss of a staggering $15.9 billion in fiscal year 2012.

15 posted on 01/21/2013 8:45:31 PM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: Lancey Howard
This story in no way sways me from my opinion of the USPS and their documented history of public and commercial service.

HEE-hee-hahahahahahahahahaha..........

"But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away, for his name is Obama."

16 posted on 01/21/2013 8:48:33 PM PST by Viking2002
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To: oldbrowser

> I would say that it is prima facie evidence of job discrimination. The percentage of black employees is significantly out of line with their percentage in the general population. Somebody call the ACLU.

The ACLU doesn’t care about reverse racism or any situation where white people are affected because it doesn’t get their names in the news.


17 posted on 01/21/2013 8:48:56 PM PST by jsanders2001
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To: Lancey Howard

Good. Let em all go stand in line outside the white house for a job. Massah barack will take care of them.


18 posted on 01/21/2013 8:49:24 PM PST by gotribe (obama = the Great Divider)
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To: angry elephant
The Postal Service has been hurt by a switch to electronic mail from paper communication, as well as onerous retiree payments to the government.

The Postal Service, self-funded by postage sales, blames most of the losses on a pre-funding requirement enacted by Congress in 2006 that requires it to make annual payments of nearly $5.5 billion in health benefits for future retirees.

Those mean Republicans again. How dare they force workers to pay for their own Rolls Royce retirement bennies.

19 posted on 01/21/2013 8:49:24 PM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: angry elephant
Where do they think that money for jobs, theirs included, will come from if they constantly vote against the producers?

That's a good question, ely, but so is the easy answer: they don't (think.)

Just as my former ex-employer, a hi tech company, didn't think when it laid off 10% of the IT department staff, to export their jobs to Bangalore, didn't think how that would affect the U.S. economy and in the end after all itself as well! Neither did any other U.S. employer exporting American jobs, despite growing revenues (as mine had), because all of us, individuals and corporate managers, think only about ourselves and our own interests, which characteristic is so admired by the worshipping Ayn Rand fans. In the end, there is something to the Left's slogan "Think globally, act locally!"

20 posted on 01/21/2013 8:51:27 PM PST by Revolting cat! (Bad things are wrong! Ice cream is delicious!)
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