Special count notification
- Thread starter rural
- Start date
Rt2mailman
Well-known member
Your manager must have a pre-count conference with all carriers that will be counting, 15 days before the last 2 weeks of September, or I believe it to be September 4 this year. That is if the count will start on September 18.
gotstamps
Well-known member
Starts on Friday, September 17.
Rt2mailman
Well-known member
What points should be mentioned at the pre-count conference, for those of you that are counting?
Brettknowsall
New member
Is there anywhere that says the time frame for special count like 30 days before?
Dumbassclerksyndrome
Well-known member
Be knowledgeable of all incidents that are ACTUAL timed events!!! Don’t let management say , “oh, I’ll just give you this amount of time!”
The pre-count conference is a joint conference between rural carriers and managers. Regardless of the type of mail count, a joint conference must be held at least 15 days prior to the beginning of the mail count. Ref: M-38 Section 525.11 (found on page 9 mail count guide)
this is from last year, this year's is not out yet. I don't think much as changed. Better start boning up now:
gotstamps
Well-known member
This year’s mail count guide IS available on the Union website. Go to the “News” tab (Union members) & find September mail count 2021. There is a link at the bottom of the document for all pertinent information.The pre-count conference is a joint conference between rural carriers and managers. Regardless of the type of mail count, a joint conference must be held at least 15 days prior to the beginning of the mail count. Ref: M-38 Section 525.11 (found on page 9 mail count guide)
this is from last year, this year's is not out yet. I don't think much as changed. Better start boning up now:
Rt2mailman et al -- "What points should be mentioned at the pre-count conference, for those of you that are counting?"
-- The 2020 Mail Count Guide ( thanx, "Oi veh" ) lists 38 items for discussion during a Pre-Count Conference.
-- It's a good start, but there should be many others, depending on office procedures.
-- Who are the counters and have they had any previous postal experience?
-- Have the "counters" actually been trained ( recently ) AND is there any PROOF?
-- How will scanner issues be addressed? Lost contact in a dead zone, dead battery, etc.
-- How will the route inspection be conducted? By scanner or an actual odometer reading? By the PM's vehicle or actual route vehicle?
-- How will disputes ( DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT ) be conducted / handled? Who has the "last word"?
-- Keep the Mail Count Guide and PO-603 as well as the contract near at hand.
-- Be civil towards your counter -- a cup of coffee or Egg-McMuffin can go a long way in building a "relationship" with a counter. At least until he/she shows he/she has little interest in being honest about counting mail pulled from DPS, flats, parcels, rigid items, etc.
-- Use your own "timer" for timed events, including loading. Ask to see the counters timing device. It used to be an actual stopwatch, but since cell phones became popular, they have replaced the stopwatch.
-- ENSURE every piece of paper used to document letters, flats, parcels has a match on the PS Form 4239 ( Item Descriptions ). Don't leave for the street until "disputes" have been settled as the counter may be gone by the time you get back from the route.
-- Remind manglement that weekly "Safety Talks" MUST be conducted with the ACTUAL time ( 5 minutes is recommended in the Mail Count Guide ) being recorded in Column 17. Actual time for weekly or daily stand-up service talks is IN ADDITION to Safety Talks. Repeat Safety and Service talks for those not in attendance when first given.
-- Used to be more than 15 minutes for loading time was "excessive" and needed to be explained. I'd guess with Amazon parcels, loading under 15 minutes would be rare.
-- Has anyone kept a count "ruler" or know how to use one? Will manglement supply a count ruler?
-- Timed events used to cover:
- Trips to the 3M case ( letters or parcels )
- If called by clerks to change out a full parcel hamper
- To conduct "search and rescue" of DPS trays when spread over several containers
- Riffling DPS. Extra time for a "hard" riffle ( looking for a specific piece )
- Loading vehicle ( don't load above the top of the hamper / pumpkin / what ever -- "safety first!" )
- Taking damaged items to the supervisor
- Ensure the counter knows that you are going on a "timed" event.
- Working on the Edit Book ( at least once a week ) and updating case labels - if allowed.
- Separating collected mail.
- If need be, returning trays / hampers to designated areas upon returning from the route
-- DON"T CRADLE THE SCANNER upon return from the route!!!!
-- The effort one puts into a mail count is no big deal -- it's only your paycheck!
-- Good Luck.
-- PS -- USE the 3821 Clearance Slip -- that is 2 minutes a day!!
-- The 2020 Mail Count Guide ( thanx, "Oi veh" ) lists 38 items for discussion during a Pre-Count Conference.
-- It's a good start, but there should be many others, depending on office procedures.
-- Who are the counters and have they had any previous postal experience?
-- Have the "counters" actually been trained ( recently ) AND is there any PROOF?
-- How will scanner issues be addressed? Lost contact in a dead zone, dead battery, etc.
-- How will the route inspection be conducted? By scanner or an actual odometer reading? By the PM's vehicle or actual route vehicle?
-- How will disputes ( DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT ) be conducted / handled? Who has the "last word"?
-- Keep the Mail Count Guide and PO-603 as well as the contract near at hand.
-- Be civil towards your counter -- a cup of coffee or Egg-McMuffin can go a long way in building a "relationship" with a counter. At least until he/she shows he/she has little interest in being honest about counting mail pulled from DPS, flats, parcels, rigid items, etc.
-- Use your own "timer" for timed events, including loading. Ask to see the counters timing device. It used to be an actual stopwatch, but since cell phones became popular, they have replaced the stopwatch.
-- ENSURE every piece of paper used to document letters, flats, parcels has a match on the PS Form 4239 ( Item Descriptions ). Don't leave for the street until "disputes" have been settled as the counter may be gone by the time you get back from the route.
-- Remind manglement that weekly "Safety Talks" MUST be conducted with the ACTUAL time ( 5 minutes is recommended in the Mail Count Guide ) being recorded in Column 17. Actual time for weekly or daily stand-up service talks is IN ADDITION to Safety Talks. Repeat Safety and Service talks for those not in attendance when first given.
-- Used to be more than 15 minutes for loading time was "excessive" and needed to be explained. I'd guess with Amazon parcels, loading under 15 minutes would be rare.
-- Has anyone kept a count "ruler" or know how to use one? Will manglement supply a count ruler?
-- Timed events used to cover:
- Trips to the 3M case ( letters or parcels )
- If called by clerks to change out a full parcel hamper
- To conduct "search and rescue" of DPS trays when spread over several containers
- Riffling DPS. Extra time for a "hard" riffle ( looking for a specific piece )
- Loading vehicle ( don't load above the top of the hamper / pumpkin / what ever -- "safety first!" )
- Taking damaged items to the supervisor
- Ensure the counter knows that you are going on a "timed" event.
- Working on the Edit Book ( at least once a week ) and updating case labels - if allowed.
- Separating collected mail.
- If need be, returning trays / hampers to designated areas upon returning from the route
-- DON"T CRADLE THE SCANNER upon return from the route!!!!
-- The effort one puts into a mail count is no big deal -- it's only your paycheck!
-- Good Luck.
-- PS -- USE the 3821 Clearance Slip -- that is 2 minutes a day!!
Last edited:
thank you! I didn't notice that! appreciate you
just4answers
Well-known member
Counters should still be there upon return during count, they have to verify returned items that need counting, such as outgoing mail, and also accountable's that have been scanned in the scanner. Also counts on the scanner.
gerl2
Well-known member
This is very important, over my years I would see and experience two things, I would never have the same exact time as my old PM, naturally PM ALWAYS had less time. I would Have to put this on the dispute page every time. Second, those trusting souls who think their PM won't screw them would stop the clock on them, I suspected this and would quietly time carrier on their event who didn't do his time sure enough his loading time was shaved 3 minutes. I didn't bother telling this carrier it would have been futile.
just4answers et al -- "Counters should still be there upon return during count, they have to verify returned items that need counting, such as outgoing mail, and also accountable's that have been scanned in the scanner. Also counts on the scanner."
-- Yes, but not as many. We had one counter for every 3 or 4 routes in the office.
-- Usually 2 or maybe 3 counters to handle the afternoon work when carriers returned.
-- During Count, the Accountable Clerk was always waiting for the carriers. However, after Count, the Accountable Clerk was scheduled to work the window up front - starting at 3 o'clock!! Manglement was puzzled why so much stuff was piled on the Accountable Clerk's cart.
-- Pre-Count material:
- Establish if Gas Cards and Arrow Keys will be accountable items.
-- Yes, but not as many. We had one counter for every 3 or 4 routes in the office.
-- Usually 2 or maybe 3 counters to handle the afternoon work when carriers returned.
-- During Count, the Accountable Clerk was always waiting for the carriers. However, after Count, the Accountable Clerk was scheduled to work the window up front - starting at 3 o'clock!! Manglement was puzzled why so much stuff was piled on the Accountable Clerk's cart.
-- Pre-Count material:
- Establish if Gas Cards and Arrow Keys will be accountable items.
