OIG operations report

Gotrope · Oct 30, 2019

Workhours in Customer Service operations increased by 23.6 million hours (17.4 percent). Customer Service workhours have generally increased along with workload between FY 2014 and FY 2018. Although all workhours increased, straight time increased by only 16.1 percent while OT and POT increased by 26.5 percent and 102 percent, respectively.
City Delivery Operations workhours increased by 34.3 million hours (8.6 percent). Although all workhours increased, straight time increased by 7.4 percent while OT and POT increased by 13.5 percent and 70.4 percent, respectively.
Productivity declined in two functional areas. The number of Customer Service mailpieces processed per hour declined from 1,141 pieces per workhour in FY 2014 to 915 in FY 2018, while City Delivery Operations mailpieces delivered fell from 391 to 339 per hour during the same five-year period.

So what I get out of this is
1) city carriers are taking longer to deliver less.
2) supervision hours and OT is outpacing all other employee groups by double.
3) we have no mechanics apparently. All vehicle maintenance hours have increased by 1% since 2014, with OT being significantly higher than straight hours. The only way that happens is less employees doing more hours(OT).

So I guess we can anticipate no decrease in vehicle fails. And no improvement in supervision efficiency.

hockey94 · Oct 30, 2019

The OIG reports usually do not exactly shed a positive light on the PO, does anything ever happen to correct problems that are noted in these reports.

My guess is the PO ignores these reports.

Shafted · Oct 30, 2019

The USPS thumbs their noses at OIG reports. There are no penalties imposed for anything in them that needs correcting, so the PO disregards them. Suggested corrective actions are never followed. “SSDD, it’s the postal way”. If the OIG reports were like OSHA, with progressive fines for repeat offenses, or failure to implement then it would be another story.

btdtret · Oct 30, 2019

hockey94 et al -- "The OIG reports usually do not exactly shed a positive light on the PO, does anything ever happen to correct problems that are noted in these reports. My guess is the PO ignores these reports."

-- Good guess! At least twice the USPS OIG has recommended the city carriers be paid evaluation.

-- The city side continues to be paid hourly, so most likely the USPS ignored the recommendation -- after the NALC fought it.

PastOThirty and many more · Oct 30, 2019

Less pieces, but more handling would be more hours. I would safely presume our story follows the same narrative, as does clerks. They just don’t have an appreciation for the complexity of package delivery, and importantly management of it. Don’t worry though, job security will be great once mail delivery proper has completely tanked, for customer service supervisors.

The trucks are held together by bad bandages and imitation bubblegum. Trucks approaching 40 years old before they are replaced is both a feat and outrageous that fleet management has been so post-reactionary. Also, mechanics as a trade is a real hit and miss proposition. It is hard to find good ones who want to do it for a living and if it’s like the rural craft harder to get them to the post office, making the good ones carry ever more, for longer.

PastOThirty and many more · Oct 30, 2019

Shafted said:
The USPS thumbs their noses at OIG reports. There are no penalties imposed for anything in them that needs correcting, so the PO disregards them. Suggested corrective actions are never followed. “SSDD, it’s the postal way”. If the OIG reports were like OSHA, with progressive fines for repeat offenses, or failure to implement then it would be another story.

My guess, now that we are near a functioning board of governors with an agenda, they will bear more weight.

Gotrope · Oct 30, 2019

Sadly, I went online 2 years ago and I believe the hire rate for qualified mechanics was only $17.04 an hour. The worst wages in the middle of Oklahoma pay $25 for new kids With ASE.

Deer Smearer · Oct 30, 2019

"This report does not address rural delivery operations"

uselesshasbeen · Oct 30, 2019

From what I've noticed lately all OIG's are pretty well ignored unless there is some way the power in place can use it to further their agenda.
The problem with viewing these productivity declines wholly negatively is that you need to grasp the reason for them and not just an overall number. I suspect that productivity decreased primarily because letters and flats continue a downward trend and parcels continue growing. But then again, maybe I don't really know what they count as a mail piece.
Question is will decision makers see a red flag in the mechanic's hours or point to that as the success story and others should be emulating it?

Itstillfun · Nov 8, 2019

Deer smearer said:
"This report does not address rural delivery operations"

Why are we a controlled asset or liability.

Haychica · Nov 8, 2019

Gotrope said:
Workhours in Customer Service operations increased by 23.6 million hours (17.4 percent). Customer Service workhours have generally increased along with workload between FY 2014 and FY 2018. Although all workhours increased, straight time increased by only 16.1 percent while OT and POT increased by 26.5 percent and 102 percent, respectively.

City Delivery Operations workhours increased by 34.3 million hours (8.6 percent). Although all workhours increased, straight time increased by 7.4 percent while OT and POT increased by 13.5 percent and 70.4 percent, respectively.

Productivity declined in two functional areas. The number of Customer Service mailpieces processed per hour declined from 1,141 pieces per workhour in FY 2014 to 915 in FY 2018, while City Delivery Operations mailpieces delivered fell from 391 to 339 per hour during the same five-year period.

So what I get out of this is
1) city carriers are taking longer to deliver less.
2) supervision hours and OT is outpacing all other employee groups by double.
3) we have no mechanics apparently. All vehicle maintenance hours have increased by 1% since 2014, with OT being significantly higher than straight hours. The only way that happens is less employees doing more hours(OT).

So I guess we can anticipate no decrease in vehicle fails. And no improvement in supervision efficiency.

But sorting mail on the street is So much more efficient!??