Metro mail carriers rally against nationwide increase in attacks
Mail carriers rally against increase in attacks
Across the country, calls to protect letter carriers are growing louder after a nationwide increase in robberies and assaults. Rallies calling for change have recently taken place in Arizona, Michigan, and Wisconsin. On Sunday, letter carriers rallied in Minnesota, to say "enough is enough."
(FOX 9) - Across the country, calls to protect letter carriers are growing louder after a nationwide increase in robberies and assaults. Rallies calling for change have recently taken place in Arizona, Michigan, and Wisconsin. On Sunday, letter carriers rallied in Minnesota, to say "enough is enough."
They’re calling on elected officials to use tougher prosecution against criminals. "All of us are angry. We are furious," National Association of Letter Carriers Afl-Cio President Brian Renfroe said. "Our members are under attack."
On Nov. 18, a letter carrier was robbed at gunpoint in Edina. Then, on Nov. 19, another carrier was held up for their postal equipment in Brooklyn Center.
"On Friday I got word from the postal inspectors [that] they did catch the suspect they were looking for," National Association Of Letter Carriers Branch 9 Executive Vice President Joseph Tiemann said. "I talked with both the carriers that were robbed for equipment, and they’re both extremely relieved to know that these guys are off the streets."
In Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Dakotas, Sunday’s protesters say there were 30 violent attacks and armed robberies between 2022 and 2023.
"It’s unacceptable, it’s appalling and it’s out of control," Renfroe said. "No workers should ever live in fear while they’re doing their job… this violence against our members must stop."
Click here to read about how USPS is responding to Sunday’s protest.