Here is why we are broke.

[ATCBigE]

34K views · 128 reactions | IF YOUR ROUTE DONT LOOK LIKE THIS YOU GOT AN AUX ROUTE | GenuinePear5825

If your route ain't like this, you have an aux route. This is 8 hours?!?!?

 

[justacarrier]

As much as I hate to say, there is just no mail anymore. I can be gone for a week and not even have to worry about putting my mail on hold anymore!

 

[ATCBigE]

As much as I hate to say, there is just no mail anymore. I can be gone for a week and not even have to worry about putting my mail on hold anymore!

I agree but if this is 8 hours. My route is easily 16 hours a day then compared to that.

 

[Worve]

Interesting take looks like a rage bait video.

 

[jaymacgthree]

I used to do a 2.67 Aux that would have had the back of that LLV packed and way more mail. Scary

 

[Old Fart]

That's the last 5% of my route....

My route has varied up or down one hour since start of RRECS.

 

[LouSainus]

I talked to some city carriers about how their routes are adjusted. Most of them have not had evaluations in 3 to 4 years. They are on average about half the size of our rural routes.

 

[Ally]

I talked to some city carriers about how their routes are adjusted. Most of them have not had evaluations in 3 to 4 years. They are on average about half the size of our rural routes.

since city carriers are paid hourly, and not given a specific time at a stop at each box, there are ways to keep their routes 8 hours. for example not cutting lawns. And not "running" their routes. And if they don't have mail for a house but the house has outgoing they still get "paid" for walking up to their house. for mounted, they can pull up to a box, stop and finger every piece a mail, it is not timed.

 

[Rt2mailman]

Although city carriers do not work efficiently as rural carriers, they do some work and add to the USPS by "delivering", our only "Product" we actually have to sell, our "service".
Usps managers do nothing to add to our "Product", they deliver nothing. Does any office notice when a manager is on vacation? No, that's because they aren't necessary. They are similar to the lights, somewhat necessary, but only add a cost to the Usps. If we had one working employee paid a slight amount more than now to do payroll, we wouldn't need most of our managers.
Then look at the number of managers the Usps has compared to any other business. Normal businesses have 1 manager for ever 25 workers. The Usps has 40,000 managers for 640,000 workers. 640,000 employees should be able to be managed by fewer than 5,000 managers which would still be higher than our country's national average.
If the Usps was able to lay off 35,000 of their highest paid employees, not only would we be in the "Black" instead of in the red, we could, once again, make the company so profitable we could lower the national debt by $6 billion/year. When you see any Usps manager today, know that is the reason the USPS is broke.

 

[Old Fart]

Although city carriers do not work efficiently as rural carriers, they do some work and add to the USPS by "delivering", our only "Product" we actually have to sell, our "service".
Usps managers do nothing to add to our "Product", they deliver nothing. Does any office notice when a manager is on vacation? No, that's because they aren't necessary. They are similar to the lights, somewhat necessary, but only add a cost to the Usps. If we had one working employee paid a slight amount more than now to do payroll, we wouldn't need most of our managers.
Then look at the number of managers the Usps has compared to any other business. Normal businesses have 1 manager for ever 25 workers. The Usps has 40,000 managers for 640,000 workers. 640,000 employees should be able to be managed by fewer than 5,000 managers which would still be higher than our country's national average.
If the Usps was able to lay off 35,000 of their highest paid employees, not only would we be in the "Black" instead of in the red, we could, once again, make the company so profitable we could lower the national debt by $6 billion/year. When you see any Usps manager today, know that is the reason the USPS is broke

Generally agree. I've done several "resizings" in the private sector. IMHO, the managers at offices aren't overstaffed, as they also handle much of the office customer service, whether it's window or ECC. The national managers have heaved tons of tech on local managers so they are consumed by replying and understanding these tasks. Which means local managers are surely working but they're doing the wrong stuff that adds no value. Furthermore, the "overstaffing" is mostly District to National, chocked with lots of "police" to audit, monitor, demand answers for all the programs and lists they create, most unnecessary.

In the private sector, top management asks their subordinate managers to develop their plan. They meet, come to agreement on what and when, and then the subordinate manager only calls upon their boss if they need help or to give interim reports. If the subordinate manager fails in their achievement of their plan, corrective action of some level is implemented. Continued failure results in dismissal.

USPS should cut at least half of their upper managers. Make local managers responsible to their plan and reward or punish depending upon results. This will not only save a ton of money, but also motivate local management and local craft to do well, as they're rewarded for success.

This is pretty rough, but I think you can see how we'd save a ton and grow our business by focusing on those who actually work (sort, process, ship, deliver mail and parcels) instead of computer jocks and people who spend most of their day trying to defend positions to their bosses who never touch mail or packages.

 

[jaymacgthree]

Although city carriers do not work efficiently as rural carriers, they do some work and add to the USPS by "delivering", our only "Product" we actually have to sell, our "service".
Usps managers do nothing to add to our "Product", they deliver nothing. Does any office notice when a manager is on vacation? No, that's because they aren't necessary. They are similar to the lights, somewhat necessary, but only add a cost to the Usps. If we had one working employee paid a slight amount more than now to do payroll, we wouldn't need most of our managers.
Then look at the number of managers the Usps has compared to any other business. Normal businesses have 1 manager for ever 25 workers. The Usps has 40,000 managers for 640,000 workers. 640,000 employees should be able to be managed by fewer than 5,000 managers which would still be higher than our country's national average.
If the Usps was able to lay off 35,000 of their highest paid employees, not only would we be in the "Black" instead of in the red, we could, once again, make the company so profitable we could lower the national debt by $6 billion/year. When you see any Usps manager today, know that is the reason the USPS is broke.

Amen

 

[Charlie Brown]

Although city carriers do not work efficiently as rural carriers, they do some work and add to the USPS by "delivering", our only "Product" we actually have to sell, our "service".
Usps managers do nothing to add to our "Product", they deliver nothing. Does any office notice when a manager is on vacation? No, that's because they aren't necessary. They are similar to the lights, somewhat necessary, but only add a cost to the Usps. If we had one working employee paid a slight amount more than now to do payroll, we wouldn't need most of our managers.
Then look at the number of managers the Usps has compared to any other business. Normal businesses have 1 manager for ever 25 workers. The Usps has 40,000 managers for 640,000 workers. 640,000 employees should be able to be managed by fewer than 5,000 managers which would still be higher than our country's national average.
If the Usps was able to lay off 35,000 of their highest paid employees, not only would we be in the "Black" instead of in the red, we could, once again, make the company so profitable we could lower the national debt by $6 billion/year. When you see any Usps manager today, know that is the reason the USPS is broke.

You might want to check your math. If there are 640,000 workers and 40,000 managers that works out to 18 workers to 1 manager. 640,000 workers managed by 5000 managers would be 128 workers per manager. Where did you get the 25 to 1 ratio? Most google results are showing anywhere from 8 to 1 up to 20 to 1. While I agree that there are too many "middle management" and in many cases too many local managers, I also see that the actual volume of mail (letters-flats) is about half what it was just 15 years ago. With numbers like that it is hard to justify all the managers, bigger problem is that it's hard to justify all the workers.

 

[Rogtar]

You might want to check your math. If there are 640,000 workers and 40,000 managers that works out to 18 workers to 1 manager. 640,000 workers managed by 5000 managers would be 128 workers per manager. Where did you get the 25 to 1 ratio? Most google results are showing anywhere from 8 to 1 up to 20 to 1. While I agree that there are too many "middle management" and in many cases too many local managers, I also see that the actual volume of mail (letters-flats) is about half what it was just 15 years ago. With numbers like that it is hard to justify all the managers, bigger problem is that it's hard to justify all the workers.

Way i justify the workers is we aren't actually based on volume, just on addresses serviced. Obviously there will be a max a carrier can handle so they will always get growth. The indoors crafts on the other hand...

Actual paper drops, more automation can (mis)handle that. Best for them is the pivot to parcel handling, and all the various shapes, sizes, weights, and handling conditions necessitate more steps in the process. Then corrections need to be made for failures in the chain and for the former to redo the strays, requiring another group.

All of these extra layers need to be made sure to do the job because what's stopping them just doing nothing. Someone also has to catch the blame, makes ititeasier to call A name instead of Shift 3. Then extra layers all the way up to watch/yell-at each other like a ponzi scheme until you get to people making real decisions, aka I put my name on a document and the org shivers at my power. "

 

[mail1000]

You might want to check your math. If there are 640,000 workers and 40,000 managers that works out to 18 workers to 1 manager. 640,000 workers managed by 5000 managers would be 128 workers per manager. Where did you get the 25 to 1 ratio? Most google results are showing anywhere from 8 to 1 up to 20 to 1. While I agree that there are too many "middle management" and in many cases too many local managers, I also see that the actual volume of mail (letters-flats) is about half what it was just 15 years ago. With numbers like that it is hard to justify all the managers, bigger problem is that it's hard to justify all the workers.

i agree that mail volume is down from 15 years ago-yet pkg volume has skyrocketed from 15 years ago

 

[Sunofa]

Although city carriers do not work efficiently as rural carriers, they do some work and add to the USPS by "delivering", our only "Product" we actually have to sell, our "service".
Usps managers do nothing to add to our "Product", they deliver nothing. Does any office notice when a manager is on vacation? No, that's because they aren't necessary. They are similar to the lights, somewhat necessary, but only add a cost to the Usps. If we had one working employee paid a slight amount more than now to do payroll, we wouldn't need most of our managers.
Then look at the number of managers the Usps has compared to any other business. Normal businesses have 1 manager for ever 25 workers. The Usps has 40,000 managers for 640,000 workers. 640,000 employees should be able to be managed by fewer than 5,000 managers which would still be higher than our country's national average.
If the Usps was able to lay off 35,000 of their highest paid employees, not only would we be in the "Black" instead of in the red, we could, once again, make the company so profitable we could lower the national debt by $6 billion/year. When you see any Usps manager today, know that is the reason the USPS is broke.

Maybe they should get rid of the custodians and have management do their work. Ours walks around half the day socializing and the other half resting from all the walking around and socializing. I forgot to add emptying the garbage cans and refilling the paper towels. I believe management can do that.

 

[Sunofa]

i agree that mail volume is down from 15 years ago-yet pkg volume has skyrocketed from 15 years ago

The package volume should be making up for the loss of mail but they give Amazon an almost free ride. Aren't they paying us more to deliver it, than they collect from Amazon?

 

[Rt2mailman]

In my area our poom has at least 5-10 people working for her as "helpers/secretaries" these are not even concidered managers, yet none of them add to our product, which is service. USPS has "Service" in its name, if any Usps employee is not directly contributing to that service, they're nor necessary. 14-20 vice- presidents to the Pmg are not needed. My PM knows nothing about how to do his job, and does very little of anything. Most of his day is spent justifying his job by answering reports for those above him that have created those reports to justify their jobs. Yes that and the daily conference calls take time, but all is un needed and again adds nothing to our product, (service) eventhough many of those managers have "Service" in their job title. Those "Needed reports" also generate more waste of $ used on printers, paper, filing systems and everything connected to the manager report process. If the Usps went back to its previous policy of whatever comes in, goes out that day, we wouldn't have any real need for reports at all.
If all of what I've been saying about the Usps being over managed is wrong, why would it be that anytime any of the managers above supervisor are on one of their 2 week vacations, NOBODY NOTICES? The office runs normally, and employees all get paid all while NOBODY filled in for that manager. If no replacement employees for managers are needed, then I submit, those managers are not needed.
Because of those managers being present in the USPS right now, the Usps will continue to loose $ by the billions.

 

[ATCBigE]

Going back to my original point.

#1 I agree that cutting management should be priority #1

#2 The real point I was trying to make is this. Especially heard this from few of city carriers I talked to and went to other offices, what is considered 8 hours in one office to another office is crazy. One city carrier worked in one office where getting 6-10 big packages was 8 hour day whereas our office is usually like 30-50 big ones.

Rural side I don't see as much variable (GRANTED I don't travel anymore since I am regular), but I never really notice major difference. There would be routes that get less than others but never was crazy less like example above.