parcels in case

MiddleOfNowhere · Feb 11, 2018

thinking of preparing a slot in my case for checking to see in some of the crap will fit. get a couple of 5" high metal dividers, and put them in so the 45 degree portion is not usable space. (backwards) then filling the adjacent cells with cardboard bricks cut to maximum height, so the dividers can't tip to allow extra space. if you want to see if that envelope with a hard object will go in the case, try it right there. what do you think? i've got an extra shelf after having condensed everything to make room for a apt. that will be coming on soon. might as well put it to good use.

wolfound · Feb 11, 2018

if you have already had the pre-mail count conference..you arenot allowed to change anything in your case. Just saying..................

Rt2mailman · Feb 11, 2018

First of all, what do you mean "condensed your case for an apartment"?

The rule on "is it a parcel or not" is sometimes looked at 2 ways. The USPS looks at it as if any piece can be crammed in the slot using both hands, and bending the deviders. The NRLCA reads the description in our count manual correctly. "A piece is a parcel if it will not fit in the case with out extra "ordinary force". The USPS sees it as "extraordinary", or superman like force. If your manager believes in "superman" try to use reason first. Then file a grievance at the end of count, after documenting each piece in question.

MiddleOfNowhere · Feb 11, 2018

First of all, what do you mean “condensed your case for an apartment”?

it's what you do whenever you add spaces in, without adding more equipment, you shrink 2 inch spaces for a single customer, down to one, gaining a one inch cell, for another address. do that to 40 customers cells, and you have room to add an apartment house. all the sudden you end up with an entire shelf in the case thats temporarily unused.

something else that came up during precount conference is that our district (hawkeye), supposedly is not allowing any postmaster to count their own office. have no idea what the logic behind that may be, other than postmaster pay being based on the level of office, and they don't trust the pm's in regards to their own pay. might also be that they plan on being real a-holes during count, which might result in a few pm's being shot.

D.B.Cooper · Feb 11, 2018

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote">MiddleOfNowhere said 
First of all, what do you mean “condensed your case for an apartment”?

it's what you do whenever you add spaces in, without adding more equipment, you shrink 2 inch spaces for a single customer, down to one, gaining a one inch cell, for another address. do that to 40 customers cells, and you have room to add an apartment house. all the sudden you end up with an entire shelf in the case thats temporarily unused.

something else that came up during precount conference is that our district (hawkeye), supposedly is not allowing any postmaster to count their own office. have no idea what the logic behind that may be, other than postmaster pay being based on the level of office, and they don't trust the pm's in regards to their own pay. might also be that they plan on being real a-holes during count, which might result in a few pm's being shot. </blockquote>
You know... they're doing crazy @$$ed $#i+ like this... and yet we still got people speculating that they're not circling overhead like vultures waiting to swoop in for the last remains after the final kill... aka this mail count... <img title="Confused" alt="Confused" src="https://www.ruralmailtalk.ruralinfo.net/wp-content/sp-resources/forum-smileys/sf-confused.gif" />

I didn't highlight your last statement, because I didn't want anybody to think back to the Dublin PO... <img title="Wink" alt="Wink" src="https://www.ruralmailtalk.ruralinfo.net/wp-content/sp-resources/forum-smileys/sf-wink.gif" />

btdtret · Feb 11, 2018

M-O-N -- "thinking of preparing a slot in my case for checking to see in some of the crap will fit. get a couple of 5″ high metal dividers, and put them in so the 45 degree portion is not usable space. (backwards) then filling the adjacent cells with cardboard bricks cut to maximum height, so the dividers can’t tip to allow extra space. if you want to see if that envelope with a hard object will go in the case, try it right there."

-- A couple of thoughts: 1) after the office pre-count meeting, there can not be any changes made operationally wise. Mainly aimed at manglement, but should apply to carriers too ( IMHO ), and 2) the "envelope with the hard object" should be going into, or the attempt made, in the actual address slot with other letters and flats.

" i’ve got an extra shelf after having condensed everything to make room for a apt. "

-- Have you updated the Red Book with the condensing?

"get a couple of 5″ high metal dividers, and put them in so the 45 degree portion is not usable space. (backwards) "

-- How many shelves per case? Plastic dividers currently being used?

-- Not to encourage it, but putting the metal dividers in backwards would pretty much eliminate room for small parcels. Think manglement would catch on?

-- Getting metal dividers for an entire case would be a monumental task, or at least was years ago in my office. The carriers were sick and tired of the plastic ones breaking off and /or flopping to one side or the other. Manglement would only say "We trying to get those metal dividers." ( yeah, right! )

-- And if you get the metal dividers, DO NOT pull ( accidentally or other wise ) the shelf off its supports! Those dividers really add weight to the shelf. ( from per personal experience )

"something else that came up during precount conference is that our district (hawkeye), supposedly is not allowing any postmaster to count their own office."

-- That seems to be pretty obvious. As you say, part of the PM's salary is based upon the number of routes in the office. Could it be those at the top of the USPS food chain have looked at the Industrial Study categories and numbers ( or what the bean counters have showed them ) and realized just about any route being counted will go up -- maybe even into the 47- and 48-hour range, thus needing to be cut down. That would result in MORE rural routes, hence more pay for PM's?

-- Way back -- before my time -- rural carriers counted their own mail at count time. Once that ended, no doubt that led to the distrust ( open or other wise ) between carriers and manglement.

gotstamps · Feb 11, 2018

Never knew there was a "forwards" or "backwards" on the metal deviders. Doubt our mgmt knows the difference either.?

Rt2mailman · Feb 11, 2018

Gotstamps, you would notice if any of yours were in backwards, it's harder to pull.

M O N, I didn't know there were any cases out there where 2 inch slots were the norm. I thought that you were using 2 customers per 1" slot (only allowed on the city side). I've explained on this site before that the parcels that are to be "Tested" to fit in any slot for count reasons are to be 2" slots, but nobody wanted to hear it. The reasoning behind it is that your manager has the right to require you to sort into a 2" slot with 2 customers per 2" slot. That is a stupid idea, so most managers allow us to use dividers in between creating a 1" slot per customer. Technically when we ask a piece to be changed to a parcel (because it wouldn't fit with other mail) it should be checked to fit in a 2" slot with other mail, not 1". Most managers don't know this, or remember it, and I'm not one to tell them when they are wrong if it is helping me.

btdtret · Feb 11, 2018

Rt2mailman -- " I didn’t know there were any cases out there where 2 inch slots were the norm."

-- Sounds like my old route. When I was "awarded" the route, it had 5 FULL CASES / 5 shelves each! No wonder no one else bid on it! The route was in a new and up and coming neighborhood where most customers were some sort of professional , military, or retired -- i.e. lots of professional magazines and such.

-- As the route was whittled down due to growth, I kept the addresses with a 2-inch slot. Manglement didn't say anything about reducing them. By the time I retired the route was down to 3 cases and a wing. And probably 30% of the addresses with 2-inch slots.

" a 2″ slot with 2 customers per 2″ slot. That is a stupid idea,"

-- Agreed - certainly opens the door for mis-deliveries even we are supposed to check each piece before delivery. And if manglement succeeded in having carriers NOT put names on the cases -- like city carriers.

" Technically when we ask a piece to be changed to a parcel (because it wouldn’t fit with other mail) it should be checked to fit in a 2″ slot with other mail, not 1″. Most managers don’t know this, or remember it"

-- That is a new one for me too. However, if I was in a challenging mood that day, I would ask manglement if I should deliver that item to the address where it fit into the 2-inch slot!

Deer Smearer · Feb 11, 2018

Remember, fitting in the case is for the flexible item bs.

If it's a rigid item and thicker than 1 9/16" it's a parcel whether the carrier chooses to case it or not

MiddleOfNowhere · Feb 11, 2018

i switched back to metal dividers from plastic several years ago. plastic dividers break easily, and flop all over once half cracked. my thought on the 5 inch dividers compared to 3 1/2 is that a pill bottle inside a plastic bag will sit on top of the short dividers if their spread apart a little. we have boxes of all sizes of dividers

also had a counter tell me that other mail (to fit with a parcel), didn't mean that customers mail, but any other mail, i.e. this thin postcard is mail, and can always be crammed in with parcel.

according to the 603, two inch slots should be the norm, even if there are two addresses in that slot. having dividers to make one inch slots, is something some managers won't allow.

edit book was in great shape, had route inspection and only had to add a couple of new houses that had just sold. haven't had any mail for either one yet.

i've been through enough counts, to have seen most of managements tricks. as far as making changes to the case, your allowed to make (add) addresses through the last day of count, to get the number included in final totals.