It was three transport days earlier than Christmas, and Santa’s blue-clad helpers have been laborious at work spreading vacation cheer on the Bellflower submit workplace.
Pickup was imminent. Mail carriers in fuzzy hats and crisp polyester shorts scurried back and forth. Inside, a line of procrastinators in ugly sweaters and nubby fleece pajama bottoms waited to submit their nick-of-time Christmas presents and eleventh-hour vacation playing cards.
“It’s plenty of last-minute playing cards,” stated Postmaster Tania Cason, as she greeted her regulars. “We begin as early as 6 a.m. delivering packages, and preserve rolling till 8 or 9 at night time.”
However Cason wasn’t within the foyer that morning to glad-hand. She was recruiting new would-be Christmas elves, providing $19.33 an hour plus advantages to hitch the North Pole’s authorities arm — in any other case referred to as the US Postal Service.
Like employers throughout the nation, the USPS has struggled to shore up its workforce amid a traditionally tight labor market. In an try to draw youthful carriers, it boosted wages and caught QR codes on its mail vans to promote open jobs. Not too long ago, branches comparable to Bellflower have begun internet hosting pop-up job gala’s amid a nationwide effort to recruit 20,000 new employees.
Technically, these are momentary roles, akin to these provided by UPS, FedEx and Amazon to fulfill the vacation rush. However after surging pandemic demand and a chaotic reorganization threw the company into disaster in 2020, the Postal Service has moved to transform its temp employees into profession workers.
Since 2021, tens of 1000’s of such “pre-career” employees have been reclassified into everlasting roles.
Now, tens of 1000’s extra are being recruited to hitch them.
“We used to rent simply seasonally,” stated company spokeswoman Natashi Garvins. “[Now] we’re going to proceed to rent till we will’t rent anymore.”
That effort is slated to proceed lengthy after opponents lower their vacation workers.
“As many employers are letting go on the finish of the season, we’re hiring,” Garvins stated.
Among the many hopefuls who gathered across the tree in Bellflower’s P.O. Field alcove Thursday have been younger moms, faculty college students and skilled package deal handlers.
“I like being exterior, and I’d like to work in my neighborhood,” stated Vanessa Wassenaar, 25, a stay-at-home mom of two who’d discovered herself with spare time. “It’s profession to begin off as a result of you may develop inside the postal service.”
Certainly, the common hours and federal advantages give the submit workplace an edge in a market nonetheless dominated by just-in-time scheduling and unpredictable paychecks.
By hiring past the vacation season, the company hopes to keep away from the cascade failures of 2020 and the viral crush of final winter.
“Final yr this time was horrific,” Cason stated. “New Yr’s Eve I used to be right here on my own,” with the remainder of department administration and half the Bellflower letter carriers sidelined by sickness.
However at the same time as they recruit, postal employees are quick growing old out of the job.
In keeping with the Nationwide Assn. of Letter Carriers, one of many labor unions representing postal employees, as of 2018 the typical letter service was 48.
That may very well be a boon for youthful recruits like Andrew Alcaraz, 20, a package deal handler at UPS who was nonetheless sporting the rival brown and gold when he got here in to use.
“I all the time wished to be a driver,” he stated.
However to land that function at UPS would take years of seniority — and endurance he doesn’t have.
“This place, you [convert to a career hire] routinely after two years,” stated Marisol Rivas, postmaster on the Bell Gardens department close by, who joined Cason and Lynnwood Postmaster Joyce Roelants on the occasion. “Perhaps earlier than that, as a result of now we have plenty of carriers retiring.”
Nonetheless, it takes greater than a stout coronary heart and powerful calves to hold the mail.
“Folks don’t anticipate how bodily tough it’s,” stated Scott Bunnell, 62, a retired mail service who determined to return after feeling pinched by inflation. “This time of yr, it’s like getting up and doing a marathon day by day.”
Bunnell agreed with the supervisors that delivering the mail had been job. He additionally knew what they weren’t telling fellow candidates.
Their drawback wasn’t hiring. It was retention.
“You’re out within the solar, you’re strolling all day. I walked seven to 10 miles a day with additional time,” he stated. “Mine was one of many largest courses, 35 folks. Inside six months, I used to be the final one left.”
Along with power, stamina and ergonomic sneakers, a job with the postal service requires a clear document, two years of protected driving, and a selective service registration.
Dashing tickets and automobile wrecks disqualified some hopefuls on the spot. Youthful males have been scolded for failing to register for the draft.
Artwork scholar Timaan Meeks, 21, thought he met the necessities, however he was ambivalent. He’d spent the autumn checking ballots for the L.A. County Board of Elections and hoped to seek out one thing extra stimulating with out dropping the perks of a authorities job.
Cruising the neighborhood as a letter service appeared extra thrilling. However he had reservations.
“We don’t actually wish to be mailmen,” he stated of his era. “No one’s attempting to work on the submit workplace.”
Neither snow nor rain nor warmth nor gloom of night time would keep him from the swift completion of his appointed rounds, he felt positive.
However Fido could be an issue.
“I don’t like canine,” Meeks stated.
The uniform was additionally a priority.
“The shorts are kinda cool. However that bucket hat, that button up? That’s not fly,” he stated. “It’s gonna look bizarre on my head.”
Different zoomers have been extra pragmatic.
“I hear it has good advantages — I used to be pondering of me and my son,” stated Kaitlynn Carmichael, 20, a single mom who’d hoped to snag a metropolis service assistant job. “I would like two years of driving expertise, however I simply acquired my license final yr.”
Garvins inspired her to use once more in just a few months.
“Please don’t hand over,” the postal employee implored her. “Don’t overlook us in June.”
