Spm agreement

D.B.Cooper · Aug 23, 2017

In my couple of decades watching this, all I've seen are carriers losing, and USPS gaining... this SPM debacle is just the latest in the MANY loses we've suffered... be it pay cuts, 2-tiered pay system, time standard cuts, 43 ppm, changing hours for Aux Rt conversions, taking away high/low options from carriers, and I could go on and on... but it's all loses for us, no gains... <img title="Cry" alt="Cry" src="https://www.ruralmailtalk.ruralinfo.net/wp-content/sp-resources/forum-smileys/sf-cry.gif" />

And then to hear people acting like they think now all of a sudden this LONG standing trend is somehow gonna turn around... with a time study or whatever... where have they been and what have they been looking at for the past couple of decades??? <img title="Confused" alt="Confused" src="https://www.ruralmailtalk.ruralinfo.net/wp-content/sp-resources/forum-smileys/sf-confused.gif" />

D.B.Cooper · Aug 24, 2017

The MOU said something about us getting paid between September 2nd and the next mail count (2018)... what about between NOW and September 2nd??? Are we currently gonna get paid, or just after 9/2??? <img title="Confused" alt="Confused" src="https://www.ruralmailtalk.ruralinfo.net/wp-content/sp-resources/forum-smileys/sf-confused.gif" />

I've been getting quite a few this week, and was just wondering if they are trying to get their fill while they're still 'free'... probably won't get any after 9/2... those cheap bastids... <img title="Frown" alt="Frown" src="https://www.ruralmailtalk.ruralinfo.net/wp-content/sp-resources/forum-smileys/sf-frown.gif" />

faceindawind · Aug 24, 2017

They are not free. As long as one has been recording them correctly with proper letter designation codes you will be paid. If you have not been recording them on time sheet.. No back payment.

Email I saw was info was to be uploaded into pay by SEPT 2nd

humper1va · Aug 24, 2017

before this settlement I had 1 or 2 spms a day, since the settlement 10-15, who can really believe this is a coincidence? bull

faceindawind · Aug 24, 2017

6 prompts per day was the limit under the previous arrangement. Have not seen wording change with new deal.

I am basing this on the 6 3x5 cards we are issued for the week to tote and record upon while delivering in order to record when we get back to office on the time sheet. Each card lists a recording of 6 prompts for any given day.

Shafted · Aug 24, 2017

I assume the card for the "6" prompts is because they plan of giving us a lot more that won't be accounted for. I have had more that that in then,sat three weeks. Surprising , ? No. I refuse tomdonthem until they are when I'm at box before lid closes and I drive off. Not playin the bullshit PO games

D.B.Cooper · Aug 25, 2017

LOL... yeah, 6 is probably the limit for how many they'll pay you for in a day... so if you're doing 10-15 a day... that means 4 - 9 of them are probably for 'free'... USPS seems to like 'free' stuff, when it comes to getting rurals to do things for free... anybody else ever notice this??? <img title="Surprised" alt="Surprised" src="https://www.ruralmailtalk.ruralinfo.net/wp-content/sp-resources/forum-smileys/sf-surprised.gif" />

faceindawind · Aug 25, 2017

My bad about 6 it should have been 5 as a limit per day. It's up to 30 per week under the old time standards. Have not seen any wording changes as to how many per week now.

From the Knowledgebase.......The NRLCA had further discussions with the USPS today regarding SPM and the continued changes that have occurred. As of February 16, 2016 the number of pieces that can be scanned on one work order was programmed at 15 pieces with a buffer of 4 (maximum 19 pieces) per work order. Carriers may receive zero, one, or more sampling request per day. An individual carrier route may receive a maximum of 5 delivery sampling requests per day, 30 delivery sampling requests per week, and 300 delivery sampling requests per quarter. On March 7, 2016 a stand up talk went out to the field that requires carriers to scan available flats first, then scan available letters. There is a scan ceiling to prevent scanning a far greater number of mail pieces than requested (maximum 19 pieces).

Ihatesnow · Aug 25, 2017

I also refuse to scan anything if it's after I close the lid. I started off with a good attitude working here. Each year it gets worse and worse. I'm only on year 3

Deer Smearer · Aug 25, 2017

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote"><strong>Ihatesnow said </strong>
I also refuse to scan anything if it's after I close the lid. I started off with a good attitude working here. Each year it gets worse and worse. I'm only on year 3 </blockquote>
That is not having a bad attitude. The SPM instructions stated that once you put a piece of mail in the box the location is already passed. You don't have to wait until you close the lid.

The alert has to go off before you touch the 1st piece of mail going in the box. (Fingering the mail prior to arrival doesn't count).

Also items requiring a delivery confirmation scan should be done prior to SPM scans. So an SPM alert at a stop with a scan should be an alert or "A" and a delivery or "D"

D.B.Cooper · Aug 25, 2017

My new routine is to just keep on keeping on when I hear the thing starting to go off... by the time it finally spits out what address it wants, I'm usually at the next box...

I think it's BS that they expect us to sit around (for FREE) as that slow @$$, word-garbled thing takes FOREVER (certainly more than 35 seconds) to finally spit out the address it wants... they can just kiss my "ALREADY PASSED", as far as I'm concerned... <img title="Laugh" alt="Laugh" src="https://www.ruralmailtalk.ruralinfo.net/wp-content/sp-resources/forum-smileys/sf-laugh.gif" />

klutz · Aug 25, 2017

One of those guys which the spm's are supposed to eliminate showed up at our office to check on the dps... He was here at 6:30. Our DPS showed up at 8:00.

Nuff said....

humper1va · Aug 25, 2017

never heard about the 6 prompts a day, my route is mostly ndcbus with streets that are intertwined, I have alerts going off because I'm passing a street that I don't deliver for another hour. trying to remember all these premature prompts is ridiculous. same as when you have to deviate to make an express mail, and the prompts go off. sometimes they will prompt again, sometimes not. on the ones that don't remind me again, I just mark them all as already passed.

shyflyrebelguy · Aug 25, 2017

I printed out the Lou from the union and gave it to the supervisor. It's the first he's heard of it. I'm the only one at my office that has been recording them on my 4240. I'll cross my fingers. Maybe I'll get paid for them before the year is over...

faceindawind · Aug 25, 2017

Can't believe this thread is a thorn and dragged on so long.

An office not part of the IE in area has undergone route plotting. REG sits with some guru while coverage runs route. The claim is once this is done all prompts for next location are dead on except for the accountable or other scan item at the location. So a glitch still exits to be figured out later. Don't know if all routes will undergo this route plotting but I am planning on it.

To those getting more than the 5 per day as written in last wording I could find ignore them. You will get some heat as I have but state show me the written word and you should be safe because I have been because all I hear from management is it's part of your job. Let them deal with the ignored or ESC listed requests after 5 for the day.

Yes it's a PITA but bottom line is it's a required task for the moment. Why? I haven't got a clue. They pretty much know what comes into office except MMM'S right now for office and route volume for all crafts. All they're doing is finite tweeking to justify hours paid for. To that I say you make up new rules in mid contract, but is all the mail for my/all routes out the door and delivered? If so be happy and leave us alone.

Sure I will play the game, but don't change the rules mid game when you realize you are losing. The SPM will go the way of "Load Leveling" as an example.

D.B.Cooper · Aug 25, 2017

I've sort of wondered what the real purpose of these SPMs really are...

I've heard it's to do with replacing ODIS testing... but that seems a little flaky to me... we get a lot more of these than we ever had of ODIS tests... <img title="Confused" alt="Confused" src="https://www.ruralmailtalk.ruralinfo.net/wp-content/sp-resources/forum-smileys/sf-confused.gif" />

Then I've heard people hint at maybe they're using them to do route mapping, which sort of makes sense, at least to me...

Same old story tho... we're like mushrooms... kept in the dark and fed $#!+.... <img title="Frown" alt="Frown" src="https://www.ruralmailtalk.ruralinfo.net/wp-content/sp-resources/forum-smileys/sf-frown.gif" />

D.B.Cooper · Sep 4, 2017

I looked at my pay stub online today... and it looked like they added the back pay for the SPM's...

Wasn't much... but maybe since they're now paying them, maybe they'll slow down with the PITA things... that's what happened before when they started paying for them...