Post office is Grinch for Rutland mailman
Toolbox
By CRISTINA KUMKA Rutland Herald STAFF - Published: December 12, 2009
Veteran mailman Kelly Socia doesn't get it.
Why would the Rutland Post Office, after 10 years of giving him permission to wear a Santa suit during his downtown mail deliveries in the days leading up to Christmas, adamantly say no this year?
"Last year they told me I couldn't wear it because it was offensive to some people," Socia said downtown during his lunch break Thursday.
"Is it a uniform issue or a political correctness issue?"
Socia, the 55-year-old owner of Vermont Backroad Tours and a mail carrier for 29 years in Rutland, Proctor and Poultney, said he never received more than a smile and wave as Santa during his routes over the last 25 years and said he wasn't given a good reason why he couldn't don the red and white holiday symbol again.
Socia said he didn't wear the suit last year, but not because he was forced not to.
Socia said he plans to ask for a written response from the post office as to why. He also said if his bosses ask him to take further steps, like forcing him to remove his candy-striped and holiday ties, he plans to file a grievance citing past practice.
Socia aired his concern on a national talk show, the Dennis Miller radio show, Wednesday.
In response, Miller said, "We're in the no-fun zone now and that's how it works."
Rutland Postmaster Sal Vitagliano said Thursday he didn't know what Socia was talking about.
He called all post office uniform policies "internal matters."
"He (Socia) hasn't discussed it with me at all," Vitagliano said.
On Friday, Socia said he was given a direct order from Vitagliano that he couldn't wear the suit.
Vitagliano and Steve Downs, the supervisor of all mail carriers, did not respond to repeated calls for comment Friday.
Thomas Rizzo, spokesman for United States Postal Service, said mail carriers are required to wear official uniforms and there are reasons why.
"First and foremost, the public recognizes those in uniform are official United States Postal Service employees, are on official business and can trust him or her as representing the organization that has served the country for 234 years," Rizzo wrote in an e-mail.
"Aside from being recognizable and reassuring, official postal uniforms are constructed to be visible with reflective material which promotes the letter carrier's personal safety in a variety of weather, lighting and road conditions."
And, wearing official USPS uniforms was agreed upon by the mail carriers' union, the National Association of Letter Carriers, and is contained in their contract, according to Rizzo.
Although Santa outfits are allowed at times, "they are done under very limited circumstances, primarily on Christmas Day for Express Mail package deliveries and are announced to the public ahead of time," Rizzo wrote.
Downtown merchants had mixed reactions to Socia not wearing his trademark suit this year.
"I thought it was always cute," said Ivan Rochon, co-owner of Desjardins Rochon Jewelers on Center Street.
Jim McNeil of McNeil & Reedy, a men's formal wear shop on Merchants Row, said there's good reason why the post office would restrict a carrier from wearing a Santa suit but there may be other reasons too.
"He should've been aware of the federal policy to begin with," McNeil said.
"Killington employees wear Killington jackets."
Longtime McNeil & Reedy employee Julie Loyzelle said her son works for United Parcel Service and if he was out of uniform, he would be sent home.
Loyzelle said times have changed and people may not trust a Santa coming to their door, even if he does have mail in his hand.
"He could be there to rob you," she said.
McNeil said, "He might not be, but somebody else who may follow suit may be."
Socia claims he always wore the suit just for fun and in his experience, no one minded.
"The thing is, when I wore that suit, people were always laughing, smiling … honking and giving me the thumbs up," Socia said.
"St. Nicholas is one thing, but Santa Claus is secular."
cristina.kumka@rutlandherald.com
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