CHICAGO – Every day every home in America welcomes a visit from an agent of the federal government. And it seems like almost every day one of these agents is assaulted or threatened in carrying out their duties.
Over 2,000 postal carriers have been assaulted or robbed since 2020 with 305 carriers targeted in 2023 alone.
The “Arrow Key” — which every carrier must have on them as they make their rounds in our nation’s neighborhoods and business districts — is worth thousands of dollars to criminal gangs which assault the workers to steal their keys. The arrow keys can be sold for thousands of dollars on criminal networks to access the boxes they open. Mail has a new value now that checks can be “washed” and re written for large amounts.
Sitting Ducks left to fend for themselves
The postal service has been looking into technologies to protect the mail boxes, but the workers say they are being left to fend for themselves. The Postal Service, headed by Trump appointee Louis DeJoy, seems indifferent to the attacks suffered by a work force that in this city is predominantly African American.
As wage inequality and employment discrimination across racial lines persist in this country, working for the Post Office has traditionally been one of the jobs that African American workers could access that provide good union wages, benefits and security. Such jobs are an important part of that community’s stability, but now these workers are at risk.