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My fear

sinister minister

Well-known member
All of the issues that are discussed in this forum are real and serious. People are starting to get more than upset. Management willfully ignores the contract because they know that the union's position of "smile and file" is in their favor. The union is impotent and incompetent to even put forth the feeblest attempt at supporting the rank file. People are tired of working 7+ days in a row, maintaining vehicles, relinquishing ownership of their personal lives, not being paid properly, treated without the least modicum of respect and/or dignity. I've been employed at USPS 30+ years. It's astonishing how the atmosphere has changed.

My fear is that someone is going to get hurt. I see it in this forum. I see it out in the field. I hear it from other office contacts. Am I wrong? I want to be wrong.
 
I think and hope at some point the scales start tipping back toward the carrier and not the bottom dollar. You see it all around us with other businesses offering more and more to new employees.

As far as people being hurt it has all ready happened. It will always Happen given the job duties, but it does not need to happen as often as it does. there is really no one but each one of us who has safety in mind. I personally have slowed way way down for my own safety. It means I work longer and later but in a safer way. I also have the one saving grace of after 40 hrs I am hourly regs do not have that.

the biggest part that bothers me is how much each and every office is totally different then another. How one manager can make or break a PO. with no incentive to be Better as a PM, supervisor etc.
 
No, Mulder. You're not wrong. Its already happing with fistfights and other awesome stuff. The stress levels exhibited by employees is something I've never seen for such a prolonged amount of time. I gave EAP paperwork to 3 employees this week. These are 20+ year employees at a breaking point.
 
No, Mulder. You're not wrong. Its already happing with fistfights and other awesome stuff. The stress levels exhibited by employees is something I've never seen for such a prolonged amount of time. I gave EAP paperwork to 3 employees this week. These are 20+ year employees at a breaking point.
Carriers stop by my work area and talk about their frustrations and irritations. They appreciate I listen, put it in perspective, and sometimes advise for what it's worth to investigate EAP or maybe just use your skills to find another job that doesn't push you beyond limits. If I can work with management to lighten their burden a bit, I do that. Most of the time it's just listening and trying to keep it in perspective. I have no real answers for them.

The frustration level is as high as I've seen it. They KNOW our union really doesn't care about them, and compensation is falling farther behind other industries. I believe the tension in national and international politics is adding to their worry. Covid. Family finances. Personal safety.
 
the biggest part that bothers me is how much each and every office is totally different then another. How one manager can make or break a PO. with no incentive to be Better as a PM, supervisor etc.
the biggest part that bothers me is how much each and every office is totally different then another. How one manager can make or break a PO. with no incentive to be Better as a PM, supervisor etc.
Truer words were never spoken!!!!
 
I think and hope at some point the scales start tipping back toward the carrier and not the bottom dollar. You see it all around us with other businesses offering more and more to new employees.

As far as people being hurt it has all ready happened. It will always Happen given the job duties, but it does not need to happen as often as it does. there is really no one but each one of us who has safety in mind. I personally have slowed way way down for my own safety. It means I work longer and later but in a safer way. I also have the one saving grace of after 40 hrs I am hourly regs do not have that.

the biggest part that bothers me is how much each and every office is totally different then another. How one manager can make or break a PO. with no incentive to be Better as a PM, supervisor etc.

THIS ^^^^^^^^^^ 100%

I was getting screwed constantly on schedule and other stuff with schedule and working double on Saturdays or splitting routes on Saturday (I think most have seen my post on here). Co workers who constantly took off last second (listen I get crap happens but constantly when someone like myself has a 2nd job it is tough). I finally left that office. Bad work environment. I took my work with me after I finished because it was ruining my life.

3 1/2 months later, I am feeling great. Life is good. Office is great. Co workers are great. Treated well. I control my schedule to a degree (only 1 route in office)(So I can go to other offices in the area if I want and I do).

You can see why my current office is fully staffed in EVERY POSITION. CCA RCA PSE. They care about people and treat them us as humans not a number like old office.

It is sooooo true that management can make or break your feelings towards the job.
 
I always tell any new rca to apply to be a clerk, granted no new applicants recently. I honestly wish this craft upon noone in the current state. If you don't want to work they force you, if you want to work they shaft you. If the NRLCA had any brains they would realize the leverage we have, but they keep doing their same pandering nonsense.
 
None of us know what other carriers are going through and my take on Sinisterminister’s statement is what type violent action someone may take towards someone else. I’ve walked out of office and stated undo stress caused by PM. Talked to Counselor and she told me how many postal employees she’s seeing and they all say same thing. Counselor is just flabbergasted at what is told It’s hard for my generation to just pick up and change jobs. Most have done for over 25 years. These new generations change jobs like we change underwear ( if you wear. had to find laughter). I’ve come to understanding they are trying to get the older knowledgeable carriers OUT and replace with robot minions who don’t know contract and only want a paycheck and will do as demanded without threat of grievance. I too have slowed down drastically. Drive enjoying scenery, spend time talking to loyal customers, and walking out if they piss me off!! We are our own best mental health counselor. Take care all. Know you are not alone.
 
None of us know what other carriers are going through and my take on Sinisterminister’s statement is what type violent action someone may take towards someone else. I’ve walked out of office and stated undo stress caused by PM. Talked to Counselor and she told me how many postal employees she’s seeing and they all say same thing. Counselor is just flabbergasted at what is told It’s hard for my generation to just pick up and change jobs. Most have done for over 25 years. These new generations change jobs like we change underwear ( if you wear. had to find laughter). I’ve come to understanding they are trying to get the older knowledgeable carriers OUT and replace with robot minions who don’t know contract and only want a paycheck and will do as demanded without threat of grievance. I too have slowed down drastically. Drive enjoying scenery, spend time talking to loyal customers, and walking out if they piss me off!! We are our own best mental health counselor. Take care all. Know you are not alone.
This is what I advise too, though I'm no counselor. We are fortunate in that our offices are well run with a good PM and support staff. It hasn't always been that way. Be safe. Stop stressing over stuff you can't control. Try to find good parts of your job and enjoy those. Relax, interact positively with customers. A few moments, no matter if some geek tracks it or not, doesn't matter in the scheme of life. This is SO much easier said than done, I've had those situations where there's no way out apparently. It takes strength, and often times counseling and some time away from the situation to find a level balance
 
None of us know what other carriers are going through and my take on Sinisterminister’s statement is what type violent action someone may take towards someone else. I’ve walked out of office and stated undo stress caused by PM. Talked to Counselor and she told me how many postal employees she’s seeing and they all say same thing. Counselor is just flabbergasted at what is told It’s hard for my generation to just pick up and change jobs. Most have done for over 25 years. These new generations change jobs like we change underwear ( if you wear. had to find laughter). I’ve come to understanding they are trying to get the older knowledgeable carriers OUT and replace with robot minions who don’t know contract and only want a paycheck and will do as demanded without threat of grievance. I too have slowed down drastically. Drive enjoying scenery, spend time talking to loyal customers, and walking out if they piss me off!! We are our own best mental health counselor. Take care all. Know you are not alone.
I can truly say that the younger generations having to change professions over and over is not something that we like or want. We are seen as cheap, disposable, and desperate and the system wants to try and keep it that way.

I do agree that mental health is so important, and should be made a top priority. I learned the hard way trying to do it all myself. Reach out if its possible to do so. In the end, it's just mail. You are more important.
 
How often do Rural move up to management? My PM he said he only know of 1 rural who filled in for a super, the rest were City or Clerks.

In my PM/Super experience, the ones who carried (I think all were city) for at least several years were more enjoyable to work under vs the ones that didn't.
I know of only one also. My guess is first, most rurals don't want to be supervisors, as most positions include city carriers. We see the slow down tactics, the inflexibility, and the continual grievances, along with every day assigning swings to different carriers, which causes supes to move carriers around at the end of the day as they lag behind their assigned times. They're ALWAYS wrong at whatever they do in their job, as only 100% is accepted as average. It's a game of duck and cover on telecons, days filled now with zoom meetings where they're on camera so they can't be working on other stuff. Set up to fail.
 
I know of only one also. My guess is first, most rurals don't want to be supervisors, as most positions include city carriers. We see the slow down tactics, the inflexibility, and the continual grievances, along with every day assigning swings to different carriers, which causes supes to move carriers around at the end of the day as they lag behind their assigned times. They're ALWAYS wrong at whatever they do in their job, as only 100% is accepted as average. It's a game of duck and cover on telecons, days filled now with zoom meetings where they're on camera so they can't be working on other stuff. Set up to fail.
"Set up to fail" .not a good plan to follow
 
I know of only one also. My guess is first, most rurals don't want to be supervisors, as most positions include city carriers. We see the slow down tactics, the inflexibility, and the continual grievances, along with every day assigning swings to different carriers, which causes supes to move carriers around at the end of the day as they lag behind their assigned times. They're ALWAYS wrong at whatever they do in their job, as only 100% is accepted as average. It's a game of duck and cover on telecons, days filled now with zoom meetings where they're on camera so they can't be working on other stuff. Set up to fail.
I would also add rurals like being independent. Being your own boss. Do your thing, go home. Only worry about yourself. Undertime!
Although those aspects have changed over the years.
 
One of our supervisors used to be a rural carrier in our office. She got injured and 204b'd for a while and then took the position. Because she was one of our coworkers, she mostly handles city and clerks.

Both our postmaster and station manager were city carriers. They're easier to work for than the ones who were clerks. I don't know the percentages, but I'd say two thirds of supervision comes from the clerk craft. Clerks and managers have interactions all day rather than just in the morning, so there's more occasion to bond and get advice and a recommendation.

Managers who were clerks have been flabbergasted that I'm able to immediately say the last name of the family who lives at an address they have a question about. Clerks may know the scheme and have general area knowledge but we have specific knowledge about individual people counting on us. That we're able to give excellent service to our people is something that is unfathomable to (some) former clerk managers, so they assume we're not.
 
One of our supervisors used to be a rural carrier in our office. She got injured and 204b'd for a while and then took the position. Because she was one of our coworkers, she mostly handles city and clerks.

Both our postmaster and station manager were city carriers. They're easier to work for than the ones who were clerks. I don't know the percentages, but I'd say two thirds of supervision comes from the clerk craft. Clerks and managers have interactions all day rather than just in the morning, so there's more occasion to bond and get advice and a recommendation.

Managers who were clerks have been flabbergasted that I'm able to immediately say the last name of the family who lives at an address they have a question about. Clerks may know the scheme and have general area knowledge but we have specific knowledge about individual people counting on us. That we're able to give excellent service to our people is something that is unfathomable to (some) former clerk managers, so they assume we're not.
Yes.

Those never carrying a rural route lack some of the knowledge to make good managerial decisions sometimes. Those who've carried city, and the longer it gets from carrying to today, lose their perspective of the carrier. Not always, but a high percentage generality.
 
"Set up to fail" .not a good plan to follow
But that's the post office plan. As one who's been a knowledge base for managers in our offices, I can absolutely positively and totally confirm that most of their plans that come from their bosses are set ups to fail. Their is NO win. It's a matter of failing the least. And when telecon or zoom comes, others have failed more miserably so they escape the wrath, and they have to sit through the boss hammering their fellow PM's and supervisors.
 
2 of our 204b are rural side one is retiring end of month. The other 204b is city side both our OIC and supervisor were originally clerks. much prefer dealing with 204b they get it and understand it far better.
 
2 of our 204b are rural side one is retiring end of month. The other 204b is city side both our OIC and supervisor were originally clerks. much prefer dealing with 204b they get it and understand it far better.
Old line city supervisor....."what's so difficult about this? Just get your stuff, get out of the office and stop wasting time, and put it in the boxes!" Bangs the same message to 40 city carriers in one of our offices....Walks past the "rural line" and looks the other way.

Completely out of touch with challenges faced by carriers in the office. I suppose they're upset with the city carrier who drives to the restroom on their route over ten times every day and then has to call for help? "Hey you nag me on my scanner daily to stay hydrated, where do you think all that water goes?"

Some people just LOVE their jobs! And for some of us, it's watching some variation of "Archie vs Meathead" for it's entertainment value.
 
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