Don’t let them tell your story. Let’s talk CCAs. It has been a struggle to train, retain and develop our next group of letter carriers. In fact, the retention rate has fallen to 20 percent. Some factors are that they are not interviewed anymore. They do not have to take the test. But to give up on them would be criminal of us. They represent us carriers. And if the more experienced carriers don’t play more of a role in their development, who knows where this company will go. But I’m a glass-half-full type of person. And to that end, there are many CCAs out there carrying on our legacy. One such carrier is Cristine Johnson from the Bala Post Office. She was going to be let go by her previous office for being “slow.” So, her trainer at the carrier academy (Beth Lloyd) talked to President Dillman about facilitating another chance for her. Les Dillman has given many other carriers second chances by facilitating transfers. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t. But as of this writing, things are going well for Cristine at Bala. On March 30, Cristine witnessed an accident on the route she was delivering. Upon arriving, she discovered a man unconscious. But she was the only one to respond. She called 911 and stayed until an ambulance arrived. The wife wrote a letter to the postmaster and stated that Cristine’s actions saved his life. So, call her “slow” or whatever you want. But be sure to call her a hero as well. And she is one example of many. Silly management will never get out of the mentality that we all have to be fast. The same haste causes more mistakes and only serves to negate our image as postal employees.
