CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - At least a hundred USPS workers gathered on Chicago's South Side Monday morning to call for better protection of letter carriers.
Many postal workers at the rally at 38th and Wabash skipped work to demand protections for letter carriers on the job.
The rally came after 48-year-old Octavia Redmond was shot and killed while delivering mail in the West Pullman neighborhood Friday morning.
"Our hearts are weary of the thoughts that you could be next, I could be next,” said Chicago letter carrier Adriane Frazier. “How is this be possible, that people can walk up or drive up and shoot a woman that was clearly identified as a mail carrier in broad daylight, and you expect us to continue with business as usual?”
Workers are calling on USPS and elected officials to work with their union to take action, change policy and pass legislation to protect postal workers.
Mack Julion with the National Association of Letter Carriers said workers will continue to demand action even if it means missing work.
"If we are not safe, you will not get mail,” Julion warned.
According to the National Association of Letter Carriers, more than 140 letter carriers have been attacked on the job in Chicago since August of 2022.
American Postal Workers Union Local 1 President Keith Richardson said now workers are urging the USPS and elected officials to take action.
"How many times are we going to call on the postal service to beef up patrols for postal police officers to protect our workers?” Richardson asked. “How many times are we gonna ask them to put plexiglass in our stations when they come in trying to rob our clerks? How many times are we ask them to secure the doors?"
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