Postal Service wants “to continue to look like America”
Note: At the end of 2005, Hispanics comprised 7.89% of the Postal Service workforce. See: The EEOC Annual Report on the Postal Service Work Force 2005 [PostalReporter]
Postmaster General speaks to Hispanic postal employee organization during National Hispanic Heritage Month
San Antonio, TX – (Press Release) Postmaster General John E. Potter told a conference of Hispanic postal employees over the weekend that there has never been a better time to prepare for future career opportunities at the Postal Service. The Postal Service will soon experience more turnover than ever before due to the baby boomer generation reaching retirement age. Potter said attracting qualified people from diverse populations – including Hispanics – and promoting them based on performance is important because “it’s our goal to continue to look like America, even as the face of America continues to change.”
Potter made his remarks at the Hispanic Organization of Postal Employees (HOPE) conference in San Antonio, TX. Hispanics are now the largest minority population in the United States, comprising about 14 percent of the population. By 2050, it is estimated that almost 25 percent of the nation will be of Hispanic descent.
Potter also said the Postal Service must identify and meet the needs of new demographic groups when it comes to customers. “We have to meet customers on their terms, overcome language barriers, and offer services relevant to different lifestyles.” For Hispanic customers, the Postal Service is accomplishing this through the efforts of its National Hispanic Program by working with national Hispanic organizations, helping stage passport fairs in local ethnic communities, and designing Postal Service Automated Postal Centers (APCs) to communicate in Spanish.
Susan LaChance, Vice President, Employee Development & Diversity, told the HOPE attendees that the Postal Service has created programs that they and all postal employees should take advantage of in order to climb the career ladder. Noting that Postmaster General Potter started his postal career as a clerk and she started hers as a clerk and letter carrier, LaChance said “I’m proud that postal jobs at all levels continue to offer so much to those who hold them. But as a manager responsible for development, I also want to make it as simple as possible for every employee to move as high up in this organization as their talents and tenacity will take them.”
The National Hispanic Program is one of many Postal Service diversity programs designed to ensure that all employees have an equal opportunity to compete in every aspect of employment.
October 10th, 2006 at 10:40 am
why are diversity programs needed to ensure that all employees have an equal opportunity to compete for jobs? The German, Polish, Italian, Irish, French, Danish, and the other LEGAL immigrants never needed diversity to compete. Oh, I forgot, this is so these individuals have an advantage over more qualified applicants.
October 10th, 2006 at 1:44 pm
The Postal Service will get all the diversity it wants very soon,as only housewives and those willing to live 15 to a house will apply to start there.
October 10th, 2006 at 6:47 pm
silly me…. I thought that English was the official language of the USA, and goverment business (are we still part of the goverment?)
would be conducted in that language. I can’t wait until the supervisors have to become bi-lingual..most of them have a hard enough time with proper english as it is.
October 11th, 2006 at 11:37 am
To answer common sense. The German, Polish, etc. did not need diversity because they didn’t need to compete, just like they don’t now. The Postal Service has, is, and will continue to be run by WHITE ANGLO SAXTON PROTESTANTS and they will promote from within. Nothing has really changed. However, it still amazes me how many of you out there are still so prejudiced against the same fellow workers who cover your back daily. Our tears and are blood are all the same color and we will ultimately wind up in the same place where neither color, creed, or national origin will matter. Dust is dust.
October 12th, 2006 at 10:49 am
would potter address a group called White Anlo-Saxon Postal Workers?
October 12th, 2006 at 7:04 pm
Look, not the thing to use as defense, “The Postal Service has, is, and will continue to be run by WHITE ANGLO SAXTON PROTESTANTS”. Look, The P&dc I work in is pretty much managed by 75% Black, hispanic, asian and females. I am talking about from post master down. This is a large P&DC. I have no fret about this. Its all good with me. I know if I wanted to manage I could but, look whom I would be managing. People whom are very unpleased with management and many have little work ethic. At any rate I feel your statement is false, I work in guite an anglo saxton area but they obvoiusly wish to not supervise. Look, the status quo and your future is yours.