Leather Shoes Blues

[Bukowski]

This RCA is singing them! Today was manglement shoe inspection day. None of the carriers were wearing all leather, again ALL leather without a hint of mesh or other material. Most wear athletic tennis shoes. I invested in a pair of Keens ($120) last year. Very much a work/utility shoe, but it only has one swatch of leather across the heel, so they are now, more than one year later, unacceptable. The PM handed out a paper with the title "Footwear Styles Not Permissible While on Duty." It shows pictures of the inappropriate footwear, which anyone with common sense would understand are inappropriate. Stiletto heels, jelly shoes, house slippers, clogs, flip flops. It also lists canvas tennis shoes and nylon running shoes. I don't understand why either of these are banned, but ok. Under all the pics of banned footwear, it says,
"To eliminate slips, trips, and falls, do not wear the following types of shoes on the workroom floor:
Shoes with cloth, nylon, or mesh-woven tops, such as tennis shoes, athletic or jogging shoes (except those with leather or leather like uppers) . . .
Will somebody explain 1. How does a shoe with mesh, cloth or nylon prevent slips, trips and falls? Wouldn't it be the material out of which the sole is made determine the slip factor? 2. Is there something inherently unsafe in mesh as opposed to leather? Does leather prevent injury if you drop a parcel containing a bowling ball on your foot? 3. Doesn't it make sense to use breathable materials like mesh and cloth for purposes of keeping your tootsies as cool as possible during all this hot weather? I am a lowly RCA trying to keep my POV on the road and just struggling to get by. I don't have $100+ of disposable income right now. Very strapped. And I bought my current WORK shoes last year with the intention to wear them out. Can they really force us to buy new, all leather shoes? Is there anything in writing besides this paper the PM gave us? I have no idea where they even got it. The shoe fiasco may seem a small thing in the long list of absurdities foisted upon us, but I just don't have the money for leather shoes right now. I sit in the middle of a car with no seat belt on 55 mph roads (seat belt extender not workable for me, I've tried). Now tell me, are my utility work shoes with some nice, breathable mesh mixed with other materials and a sturdy, non slip sole the REAL safety issue here?

 

[Bukowski]

And what is a "leather like upper?" That cheap, plastic like material all womens shoes seem to be made of anymore? How is this somehow better than an athletic tennis shoe?

 

[Windindaface]

Welcome to my world. Got that 3 weeks ago. Rumor in my area was a foot incident at plant. Expect foul language on floor, social media, and mandated seat belt use if LLV. What does now pass as approved footwear in my office is a leather like material that goes from the toes to the tongue of the shoe. Buy a cheapo pair at any major shopping mart for 25 -30 to meet office rule. There is nothing mentioned in this about proper footwear once off the workroom floor. Change shoes in ride for delivery and replace before walking into office. They can be vinyl.

From further investigations and comments made by management this new safety freak above your POOM is all about safety. While the previous one was all about the numbers submissions and cutting OT costs. This is a flavor of the day thing and will be ignored when other new brilliant ideas come down the pike that management now needs to pay attention to.

 

[Bukowski]

Ahhhh, foot incident at a plant. Wonder what was the nature of the incident and how leather vs. a mix of other materials, which is what most shoes tend to be could have prevented this person from injury? There is just no logic to the rule as stated on the paper the PM handed out. Slips, trips and fall have nothing to do with the upper material. So annoyed. I don't want to spend $30 on junk shoes and change them twice a day. If there is nothing in place that will allow me to bypass this mandate, then I guess I'm going to have to find a way to buy some leather shoes. You know, I don't buy anything made of leather if I can help it. I'm a vegetarian, not vegan, but I still choose non leather over leather goods. In some ways, the leather shoe requirements conflicts with my ethics.

 

[btdtret]

Bukowski -- " Today was manglement shoe inspection day. "

-- Face it, it will be a battle you will not win. In this case, best to be like the NRLCA -- go along to get along!

"To eliminate slips, trips, and falls, do not wear the following types of shoes on the workroom floor:
Shoes with cloth, nylon, or mesh-woven tops, such as tennis shoes, athletic or jogging shoes (except those with leather or leather like uppers) . . .
Will somebody explain 1. How does a shoe with mesh, cloth or nylon prevent slips, trips and falls?"

-- As you astutely noted thoses particular tops will do little to prevent accidents.

-- Probably manglement is more concerned about getting the blood from your squashed toes or foot on the wheels of crab cages or GPC's or the really big parcel containers. Not that you would be using such equipment.

-- More than likely, an accident might be caused by a clerk - in a hurry - to move the equipment to another spot in the office and across your foot.

-- The clerk might get a slap on the wrist ( slow down ) while you get a cast on your foot.

-- Go with "Windindaface's" suggest, get some el cheapo shoes to keep manglement happy, then switch out on the route. They'll last longer!

-- I believe it was "Windindaface" who had recent visitors who wore shoes that were inappropriate!

-- While you are scratching your head over shoe requirements, ponder Step 4 ( F-54 ), which is basically Appendix A ( p.9 ) from the EL-801 ( Supervisor's Safety Handbook. Footwear. Section 3. Heels and Soles. Shoes should be equipped with heels no higher than 1.5 inches ( measured from the back ) to prevent muscle strain. Apparently "muscle strain" is not a concern during off-duty time.

-- The USPS has little concern over such things as ethics, common sense, or logic.

 

[Bukowski]

The USPS has little concern over such things as ethics, common sense, or logic.

(Standing up and clapping) Well said, well said.

 

[Windindaface]

Personal ethics worth a job over shoes on the workroom floor? You were hired by an organization and they have the rite to dictate rules as to dress code and other things.

Clerks and carriers have been sent home for non compliance of shoe policy in my area who have submitted a grievance and have taken the day as AL/SL for pay. Waiting for results of these submissions. If you are an RCA not on an AUX run earning leave I suggest buy a pair if you want to keep dollars flowing in this RCA short organization.

 

[RDruckus]

Wal-Mart has a line of black work sneakers, over by the boots, with fantastic grip on the souls.
Our ramp gets very slippery when it rains, and these shoes adhere like a gecko's foot. (If you step in dog feces, it takes forever to get it out of the tread. They are fairly cheap, $30 -$50. I don't know if they come in vegan vinyl.

 

[hockey94]

Safety loser said the shoes they want us to have will protect us better if 50lb of crap falls on your foot, I dont buy that BS. I told safety person the USPS safety program was a joke, driving LHD cars and in our PO you can barely walk without tripping over some Amazon boxes. I said to her you are worrying about our shoes, what about the vehicle issue and a very crowded PO. She of course agreed with me.

 

[Bukowski]

WITF, I was only pointing out that I avoid leather. I didn't say my ethics should trump the dress code. It was more of a side note. I am going to buy a pair of leather/leather like shoes (hmmmm, shoes made out of fruit roll ups?) I only started this post to find out if there was any recourse in the matter since I'm so strapped financially right now. AND I've already invested in a pair of WORK shoes that were evidently in compliance for the last year and a half. Suddenly, they're not. I believed they were when I bought them, unaware that all leather was required.

 

[Bukowski]

"You were hired by an organization and they have the rite to dictate rules as to dress code and other things."
Yep, just questioning the logic. But thank you.

 

[RDruckus]

The only person I've seen walk on the tops of their shoes was Jerry Lewis.

 

[Skierstmoritz]

WITF, I was only pointing out that I avoid leather. I didn't say my ethics should trump the dress code. It was more of a side note. I am going to buy a pair of leather/leather like shoes (hmmmm, shoes made out of fruit roll ups?) I only started this post to find out if there was any recourse in the matter since I'm so strapped financially right now. AND I've already invested in a pair of WORK shoes that were evidently in compliance for the last year and a half. Suddenly, they're not. I believed they were when I bought them, unaware that all leather was required.

Buk - I'm surprised about the rejection of your Keens . I too, wear Keens. They are great! Mine are reinforced with a hard plastic toe and are waterproof. The tread is designed to be no slip. Best work shoes I have ever had for this job. Their counterparts in leather are over 200 a pair. Hope my office doesn't go this route. Fortunately, common sense occasionally prevails in our office. In spite of upper management.

 

[Nyfarmer]

"You were hired by an organization and they have the rite (right) to dictate rules as to dress code and other things."

Just a quibble. Clerk's and City's get a clothing allowance. Rural's NADA ! Most decent labor shops provide laundry service with the uniforms as well.

 

[Diana_of_Themyscira]

-- The USPS has little concern over such things as ethics, common sense, or logic.

emphasis on that !

 

[btdtret]

hockey94 -- "Safety loser said the shoes they want us to have will protect us better if 50lb of crap falls on your foot, I dont buy that BS."

-- Sure -- IF the shoes have steel toe enforement, which don't come cheap.

-- IF "Safety loser" is buying, by all means get those shoes.

 

[Bukowski]

Buk - I'm surprised about the rejection of your Keens . I too, wear Keens. They are great! Mine are reinforced with a hard plastic toe and are waterproof. The tread is designed to be no slip. Best work shoes I have ever had for this job. Their counterparts in leather are over 200 a pair. Hope my office doesn't go this route. Fortunately, common sense occasionally prevails in our office. In spite of upper management.

Yes! Mine are the same! I bought them because they are WORK shoes. I was looking at the all leather keens because they are a great brand. But, yes, so expensive. I invested in my current shoes (yes "invested" because I am poor) and now out of the blue they aren't proper footwear. Someone on top doesn't know what a work shoe is. A patch of mesh here and there and bzzzzzzt, unsafe shoe!

 

[btdtret]

Skierstmoritz -- "In spite of upper management."

-- Are they like "leather-like" uppers?

 

[Bukowski]

My PM doesnt know what Keens are. Nobody I work with knows Keens. Eventually when some oaf from above stumbles across them in the future, Keens will be required footwear. I'll hang onto mine for when that day happens.

 

[Morty]

There's a section in Walmart for these types of shoes.

Black, faux leather, oil/slip resistant. $20-30 bucks. Fastfood shoes lol.