CHARLOTTE, N.C. (FOX 46 CHARLOTTE)- Postal workers are protesting, saying they aren’t receiving basic worker’s rights, like being able to use their earned paid time off, being treated with respect, and being able to take sick days without being belittled for doing so. 

The Charlotte-area American Postal Workers Union president says the constant beratement of these employees by managers at the post office is unacceptable. 

“Many of our workers have been unable to find vaccinations. Management is intentionally not staffing our offices,” said Miriam Bell, President of the Charlotte Area American Postal Workers Union. Many of our workers are being forced to work 12-hour days, six days a week, which is in violation of our contract. Management is bullying employees. Ill and injured workers are being harassed.”

More than 50 postal workers came out to march Thursday. They walked from the American Postal Workers Union to the USPS distribution facility where they say many problems are occurring. One worker who spoke with FOX 46 said she has experienced these problems firsthand.  

“How they haven’t protected us out in the stations with regards to COVID their refusal to sit down with our labor leaders and just overall the lack of respect that they have for people who have been there from the very beginning of the pandemic,” the USPS worker said.  

Another union official said the United States Post Office needs to take a step towards meeting in the middle to resolve these issues. 

“They try to bypass the union, so this is what happens when you try to bypass the union. There’s retribution and it doesn’t stop here. We will continue until they understand and respect this union, the American Postal Workers Union for what they do and what they stand for in any post office, but particularly in this facility we had today,” said Larry Sorrells, the President of the North Carolina American Postal Workers Union. 

The USPS Communications Director sent FOX 46 a statement saying they respect their employee’s right to express their opinions and protest on their days off, but they also expect all of their employees to treat each other, their customers, and the public with dignity and respect. 

At the end of their statement, they also said they’re committed to honoring their collective bargaining agreements but union workers say the post office has been bypassing the union left and right so we will have to wait and see what happens next.  

The statement didn’t respond directly to the forced overtime and harassment allegations.