Besieged Fullerton Postmaster Reassigned

Fullerton’s postmaster, widely criticized by employees and chastised in a recent postal inspectors’ report for creating an “abusive” work environment, has been transferred, authorities acknowledged Monday.

Tim Bomersback, 54, postmaster in Fullerton for 10 years, has begun a 25-week temporary assignment but officially remains that area’s postmaster, the U.S. Postal Service said.

Bomersback declined comment, but sources within the Fullerton post office said he told some supervisors Friday he would not be back. He also reportedly cleaned out his desk.

The transfer comes just a week after postal authorities praised Bomersback’s record and said they did not believe the postal inspectors’ report revealed anything that merited a transfer.

The report by the postal inspector general said Bomersback encouraged an abusive management style among supervisors that led to a “tense and stressful” working environment for employees. As a result of that report, written in May but obtained recently by The Times, Bomersback and others were required to take sensitivity training.

Workers have continued to complain that improvements have been marginal at best. Workers, who picketed last year to protest the postmaster’s policies, were planning another public demonstration next month.

Terri Bouffiou, Southern California spokeswoman for the Postal Service, said the transfer was not related to management problems in Fullerton.

The Postal Service is installing a new computer system nationwide; Bomersback is on special assignment to show postmasters and other supervisors at Orange County’s 100 post offices how to use the system, Bouffiou said. He will work from district headquarters in Santa Ana.

Several workers interviewed said they believe the transfer came in part because of the publicity, but also because postal authorities knew the workers were planning another protest.

Though Bomersback’s assignment is temporary, some workers in Fullerton said the Postal Service knows better than to return him to Fullerton.

“We feel liberated,” said postal worker Rick Herrera, the only Fullerton employee interviewed who was willing to be identified. “Whoever replaces [Bomersback], the Postal Service knows we aren’t going to tolerate those same working conditions.”

The inspector general’s report came after Fullerton postal workers picketed, then took their complaints to U.S. Rep. Edward R. Royce (R-Fullerton), who asked the Postal Service to investigate.

Bouffiou said Bomersback has cooperated with postal authorities deciding how to respond to the inspector general’s report and has cooperated with those conducting an internal inquiry.

Workers’ complaints to the inspector general included supervisors timing their trips to the bathroom and pressuring them not to use sick days. One way the Postal Service measures a post office’s performance is by the number of sick days reported.

“Management used threats, harassment, intimidation and retaliation to control employees’ behavior,” the report stated. But it also concluded that supervisors were motivated by a desire to keep Fullerton at peak efficiency.

Herrera, who is gay, said he was subjected to sexual harassment and called vulgar anti-gay names behind his back. Bomersback refused to do anything about it, he claimed.

“Sexual harassment isn’t just directed at gays,” Hererra said. “Some supervisors are constantly talking about the anatomies of some of the women workers. It’s just a horrible environment.”

Bomersback has never agreed to be interviewed but last week issued a statement. “I am aware of the seriousness of the charges raised by some employees. I also am aware that because of our dedicated employees we provide the Fullerton community with great delivery service,” he stated.

He added that he was determined to improve working conditions and that his management team “is working hard to implement recommendations adopted by the district office.”

Bouffiou said, “This has been one of the most productive postal services in the area. . . . The tactics may not have been the best, but he’s been getting the job done.”