Postman Banned From Wearing Santa Claus Outfit Fighting Back
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Chad Coleman/Bellevue Reporter
ABC News’ Melissa Morrissette and Kevin Dolak report:
A Washington mail carrier is fighting back after he was told by a supervisor that he is no longer allowed to wear a Santa Claus suit while delivering the mail.
Letter carrier Bob McLean has been donning the Saint Nick costume for the holiday season while on his route in Bellevue, Wash. for over a decade. Now a supervisor has told him that he is no longer allowed to spread his brand of holiday cheer, alleging that a complaint was filed that he is not wearing official post office attire.
“The government is shutting me down because it’s a non-postal regulation uniform,” McLean, who has been working with the postal service since 1971, told The Bellevue Reporter.
McLean, who wears a white beard and has crisp white hair, said that he began wearing the costume when he was told by that he looks a bit like Kris Kringle. Since then he has delighted residents while delivering the post, even causing traffic jams as motorists try to get a peek. He regularly visits the Aegis Living of Bellevue senior center as Santa, and at Bellevue’s most popular Christmas attraction, Snowflake Lane, people lined up to take photos with him.
But this year he was told that he must stop, and he’s not taking the news sitting down. USPS spokesman Ernie Swanson said the complaint came from a fellow carrier; McLean says that he believes it may be management’s decision, but he is unable prove it. No one has come forward and said they had a problem with his costume, he told ABC News.
McLean told said that the first reason that he was given for not being able to wear the suit was safety, followed by the fact that it was not a proper uniform. Finally a direct order came down, which he says he couldn’t disobey.
“This was the first time; I don’t know what happened. I don’t step on anyone’s toes,” he said, adding that dressing as Santa isn’t religious to him, “it’s secular. It’s about giving.”
His union has now filed a grievance over the matter, and will have a meeting Thursday morning to discuss the matter, th0ugh he expects it will get stonewalled until after the holidays.
Meanwhile, he continues to wear the Santa hat and will also wear thermo and white gloves on Saturday.
“I am wearing it no matter what,” McLean said, adding that he has even noticed supervisors watching him to make sure he doesn’t wear the suit while he delivers mail.
Despite the setback, McLean says that he still has his Christmas spirit, which he says his supervisors can’t take it away. On Christmas eve he says he plans to ride up and down Bellevue Way, waving to residents as he usually does in his red PT Cruiser, dressed like Santa.
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Hmm…I was sure that the US Postal Service officially declared that Kris Kringle was the one and only Santa Claus.
Posted by: Brian Levine | December 22, 2011, 1:13 pm 1:13 pm
Oh come on. Who is this gentleman hurting by wearing the santa suit? This is what’s wrong with our society and why folks are just so ill-tempered an ill-mannered. He’s trying to spread just a bit of happiness as he’s done for years. Simple things that bring smiles to people are no longer allowed. I can only shake my head and wonder.
Posted by: msyellarose | December 22, 2011, 1:15 pm 1:15 pm
Doesn’t the post office have bigger problems then what this guy is wearing? So sad he can’t just have fun and do his job like he always has. One person has to try to ruin it for those who enjoy it.I understand there are rules but sometimes you have to make exceptions. It is a sad world we are living in any more. Merry Christmas Bob McLean.
Posted by: G in PA | December 22, 2011, 1:22 pm 1:22 pm
“..the complaint came from a fellow carrier…”………………….There is a mindset among some managers that employees can do something extra, but if one employee complains, then whatever is happening must stop. We had soft non-offensive music where I worked, but one idiot complained, so none of us could enjoy the music anymore. Poor people management if you ask me….
Posted by: munster42 | December 22, 2011, 1:23 pm 1:23 pm
My kids would LOVE to see Santa delivering packages at Christmastime. I wish we had him here, where I live. This guy isn’t hurting anyone! Shame on the Scrooge who made the complaint in the first place. I guess it is true, misery really does love company.
Posted by: Mobalajee | December 22, 2011, 1:31 pm 1:31 pm
What the heck is going on with people nowadays. We are becomming a non caring, non religous, society. We worry about such miner things and allow people to question our religion. People we have forgotten about what this country was founded on. Any person who complains about us being to religous should move the hell out of our country. I for one are tired of people complaining about god in the pledge and merry christmas during the holidays. If you are an athiest keep your opinoins to yourself. We are destrying our country from within by letting these people dictate what we say. MERRY CHRISTMAS
Posted by: john | December 22, 2011, 1:57 pm 1:57 pm
People need to start getting over themselves already! Leave the guy alone. At least hes doing his job and standing around the water cooler b*tching about someones attire.
Posted by: Manda | December 22, 2011, 2:02 pm 2:02 pm
it is NOT about religion or anything else, but If wearing the postal uniform is the rules for mail carriers, then he should just abide. He could just wear the hat, but not the whole santa outfit. He is working for a legitimate agency and should just abide by their rules. So what if other employees think that they can dress any way they like? Might as well throw out all the various types of dress that is required by the different companies. If everyone just play by the rules, we would not have any of this nonsense.
Posted by: karuna | December 22, 2011, 2:16 pm 2:16 pm
Oh, good gawd! Let the man dress up like Santa Claus! It’s not like he does it year ’round. It’s once a year and I’m sure it brings a smile to many people’s faces.
Posted by: Whatthewhat | December 22, 2011, 2:21 pm 2:21 pm
If you allow him to wear this uniform, what is to stop other employees from demanding the same rights (for example, to wear a “Death” costume on Halloween, or an “occupy Wall Street” costume on July 4, etc., etc. Especially now that the media has made a big story out of it–USPS can’t just favor one employee over the other. This man isn’t really Santa working for Santa, Inc. He is a postman working for the USPS.
Posted by: JW | December 22, 2011, 2:30 pm 2:30 pm
Gee… let’s just suck the fun out of everything. I’d say the Post Office has a case of the “bah-hum-bugs”.
Posted by: wryview | December 22, 2011, 2:34 pm 2:34 pm
This is very sad. As an adult I would even enjoy seeing him. People have become so outspoken that they are invading other’s rights… He is not harming anyone. Everyone is intitled ot their opinion and beliefs, but, come on we are going overboard with stopping this and that…..
Posted by: elizabeth | December 22, 2011, 2:40 pm 2:40 pm
I am positive the United States Post Service ought to listen to the overwhelming support of this postal carrier who is not only not doing any harm, he is bringing some cheer to the community he delivers the mail to. The USPS doesn’t really need to cut off it’s nose to spite it’s face when things are bad enough for them, and postal customers need more cheer in their lives, which is what Bob McLean is doing quite well evidently.
Posted by: spence | December 22, 2011, 3:00 pm 3:00 pm
You would think that with all of it’s problems, the US Postal service would want good pr instead of bad. As can be seen from the comments here. the first response of nearly everyone is that we wish he delivered the mail in our neighborhoods at Christmas. Narrow minded, small hearted people really do stick out at Christmas time don’t they. It’s amazing that the Post Office let itself be drawn into this when all they would have had to do is just keep not noticing like they’ve been doing for a decade. SCROOGES! Bah Humbug! Are you smiling young man? You know you’re not allowed to smile! The Post Office delivers lumps of coal for Christmas children.
Posted by: karela | December 22, 2011, 3:16 pm 3:16 pm
I hope he gets fired for for making a big deal over it, which includes insubordination. When your employer tells you to stop wearing non-approved attire while on the job, you apologize for doing it in the first place, and follow orders. Maybe they’ll find some unemployed, down-on-their-luck person who’s willing to follow the rules.
Posted by: Connor | December 22, 2011, 6:34 pm 6:34 pm
Once again people, if a Moslim did this it would be perfectly fine. One person complains, so 10′s of thousands have to suffer. We gotta get these bimbo freaks out of office. How would you like someone like Nancy Wasserman-Schultz telling you how many pieces of toilet paper you need to be using?
Posted by: The Snake | February 8, 2012, 11:50 am 11:50 am