I would like to thank you, Mr. Chairman, as well as the ranking member and all of the members of this committee for the opportunity to testify in this important matter. The National Association of Letter Carriers looks forward to continuing our discussions, not only when it comes to protecting our members and the public at postal facilities, but also as we move forward with postal reform legislation.
The anthrax attacks of 2001 jolted all postal employees throughout the country. The 220,000 active members of the NALC take great pride in serving the American public. But for a time, the day-to-day challenges of dog bites and inclement weather were overshadowed by fears of something far worse. I am happy to say that the tremendous public support we received got us through those tough times, and the vast majority of our members returned to their normal routine in shorter order.
At the same time, some letter carriers are still waiting for things to return to the way they were prior to the anthrax attacks, or as normal as they can be given what took place. Some 242 letter carriers were displaced when the Brentwood facility was shut down. The vast majority of them (with the exception of a few who handle government mail) will be returning when the Curseen-Morris facility is reopened. Letter carriers have been provided with the opportunity to transfer rather than returning to the facility, and it is still too early to know how many, if any, of our members will do so.
We would not let our members return to work at Brentwood unless we were fully satisfied that it is safe for them to do so. I intend to tour the facility myself to make that determination, and if there is a shred of doubt in my mind as to the safety of our members, I will not allow them to return to work there. Over the years, the NALC and its members have not been shy about letting our voices be heard when we don't like what the Postal Service is doing. Thus far, the Postal Service has been diligent about answering the questions we have posed to them as the clean-up process has moved forward, and we believe that the Postal Service is doing and will continue to do all in its power to ensure the safety of those returning to work.
The initial response to the anthrax attacks was chaotic. That was due in large part to the unprecedented nature of the circumstances. However, within the Postal Service, unprecedented circumstances gave rise to unprecedented levels of cooperation. The Postal Service established a line of communication with all of the employee organizations, initially meeting on a daily basis to deal with events as they occur. The Mail Security Taskforce Working Group as it has come to be known was formed with representatives from all of the employee organizations and all relevant departments within the Postal Service. At any given time, agencies with expertise in a particular area have briefed the group. Once the immediate anthrax threat subsided, that structure remained in place. Meetings of the task-force still take place two or three times a month.
As new information has become available, postal supervisors have delivered stand up talks to our members to keep them up to date. A toll-free number for answering questions has been set up, there are Brentwood Update Bulletin Boards, and there have been several town hall meetings. Many of the questions gathered through these channels are answered in writing and distributed on a regular basis.
Every inch of the Brentwood building is being methodically cleaned, and it is safe to say that this facility will be as clean as any postal facility in the nation. A panel of experts constituting the Environmental Committee has conducted an independent evaluation of the clean up efforts and made a formal recommendation for re-occupancy. Finally, protocols have been established in the event of another anthrax-type emergency. We are far more prepared to deal with such a situation today than we were two years ago.
It now appears that we are close to the day when postal employees can return to their jobs at the Curseen-Morris Processing and Distribution Center. While the memory of what happened there will not soon fade, our members are looking forward to getting back there, and putting behind them the disruptions they have experience over the last two years. It appears that the facility will be reopening as the Postal Service enters its busiest time of year when. The day-to-day responsibility of moving the nation's mail will make for a speedy return to a normal routine at Brentwood. That will serve as fitting tribute to those who gave their lives during those trying days in the Fall of 2001. |
