On the outset, The Great Postal Heist is about mail. But if you dig deeper, you’ll see an intricate story about labor, corruption, and American society. Filmmaker Jay Galione has a lot to say here. Galione uses his father Bob as a vital figure throughout. Bob Galione was a postal worker in Maplewood, NJ for three decades. The film portrays Galione as a proud worker, up until he was harassed by his employees, culminating in an accusation of stealing almost $600 via unjustified expenses over a ten-year period. Galione portrays his father as a sympathetic character caught in the web of bureaucracy. His father, however, isn’t the only victim.
Galione also details workers having their overtime pay slashed. Others claim they were encouraged to skirt safety rules in order to be more cost and time-efficient. A common theme was retaliation for speaking out about any of this. One sobering moment detailed is the case of Steve Spencer, a postal worker who, in a suicide note, wrote “the post office won.” Possibly because of his union allegiance, as well as the undue stress of his job, Spencer took his own life. Galione pulls no punches here, and the film is better for it, as it truly brings the point of what the postal system has become to the surface.
The film is bookended by interviews with figures like former Presidential candidate Ralph Nader, economist Richard Wolff, and labor scholar Robert Hickey. They provide insight as to why so many of Galione’s subjects experienced the things they did, and it reveals a gradual breakdown of one of America’s most significant institutions. Governmental interference, lack of union respectability, and overworked postmen all play a part in why the post office, and workers like Bob Galione, have suffered so much. The film is eye-opening and is relevant to anyone who’s ever waited days for an important piece of mail.
What academic library shelves should this title be on?
This title would work well for college students studying politics, economics, and social issues.
What type of library programming could use this title?
The film would be useful in a library presentation on current events and the impact COVID has had on public services.
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