Suitable allowances

[btdtret]

Oi veh -- "The formula came straight out of the DR’s mouth. "

--  Did that happen recently?

--  I gather you were taking notes.

--  Let me toss this out there as pure speculation.

"15" as in 15 seconds riffling time per tray seems "reasonable".

What if the "215" is what the formula is using for the number of DPS letters in a tray?

16 trays of DPS is quite a lot -- unless looking at half-trays or very thick DPS letters!   ( maybe VAL-PAC's?  Are they still around? )

I set up the "riffling" formula on a spread sheet ( EXCEL ) 

When I put in "421" ( the DPS letter standard at my old office ), that comes out to 8+ trays and eventually 2+ minutes of riffling time.  Again "reasonable".

 

[dhoward541]

Riffleing was always suppose to be actual time; but the district decided that they would use a formula for it and our union rep agreed. 

The amount of pieces of dps divided by 215 (which is what we're told is the amount of letters in a foot) times 15 seconds which is the amout of time we get a foot to riffle, 

This will give you a total amount of seconds; which you then divide by 60 (60 seconds in a minute) to get your riffle time in min and seconds. 

It's 15 seconds per foot; not per tray. 

 

[oi veh.]

Thanks, @dhoward541.

Dhoward answered for me, @btdtret 

 

[btdtret]

dhoward541 -- Thanx for the info.

--  When did your district start using the formula?

--  Is the use wide spread?

--  I'm still in touch with some carriers from the old office, so will ask if they have heard of the "riffling formula".

--  Our using 421 DPS letters per tray as a "standard" was even better!

 

[Aux01]

Be patient with me...haha

So your saying the PO already has an app to figure your riffling time, there really is no need to be timed if the total pieces are correct for your DPS tray ?

 

[btdtret]

Aux01 -- "So your saying the PO already has an app to figure your riffling time.."

--  At least in the offices of "Oi veh" and "dhowrd541".

"there really is no need to be timed if the total pieces are correct for your DPS tray ?"

--  Sure, in a "perfect" world.

--  Just make sure you have the absolute last EOR for DPS letters.   Compare the EOR number to the number of DPS trays.

--  You'll still want to do some kind of riffling just to be sure of continuity among trays as well as for mail not for your route, especially when taking DPS directly to the street.

--  Some how the "plant" manages to get the DPS run in "pristine" condition -- but only during count.  

 

[dhoward541]

We've been using this formula in our district for at least 10 years. 

 

[btdtret]

All -- My apologies to whom ever posted about Column 17 entries / Other Suitable Allowance, could not find your original OP.

--  Be sure to indicate what times listed in Column 17 on the 4239 are for.  Such as:

3M -- trip to the 3M Case / HC -- trips to the Hot Case /  SU -- stand-up / Sfty - Safety Talk / S&R -- "Search and Rescue" to located DPS tray spread out over multiple racks or on top of one another / CC -- called to answer a customer's question over the phone / PH -- if called by clerks to remove full parcel hamper and replace it with an empty one / be creative and make abbreviations easy to remember ( make a "key" for them ).

--  Something easily overlooked [ by manglement ] is the Weekly Safety Talk ( page 27 of the Mail Count Guide ) - normally 5 minutes and probably a condensed version for those not in attendance the day it was given.

--  If no Safety Talk during a week, request the "normally 5 minutes" anyways.   

--  If manglement refuses, point them to Page 27 of the Mail Count Guide -- item (7) Weekly safety talks <strong>must</strong> be conducted.  The <strong>actual time</strong> required (<strong>usually five minutes per week</strong>) <strong>must</strong> be recorded in column 17.  Ref: PO-603 Section 535.12.17.a  Step 4 Q00R-4Q-C 04101548  Washington, DC (134-135) and (9)  An additional time credit (normally 5 minutes) must be given to the route if management elects to repeat a weekly safety talk for the relief employees or a carrier who was not present. Ref: Step 4 H4R-5G-C 38788 Vancouver, WA (137-138)7 ).

--  Probably manglement will say "That's an NRLCA publication, doesn't apply to USPS supervisors."

--  That's when you pull out the PO-603 ( Rural Carrier Duties and Responsibilities ), a USPS publication!  If still unconvinced, turn to page 120:  Weekly safety talks MUST be conducted, and the actual time required ( usually 5 minutes per week ) recorded in column 17.

--  If one is in a good mood, one could add -- If you don't credit the 5 minutes for the required Safety Talk you did not hold, in addition to adding it to the reasons why I'm not signing off on the count numbers, I'll also be writing to the Postmaster General and for good measure - OSHA.  ( or words to that effect )

--  When going over the count numbers during the 3-day period, have a pizza or other food-type party so many eyes ( and ears ) can go over the numbers.   We did and would discover someone forgot to write down some timed event or some counter gave more credit for the same item.  Note any "red-lined" items -- manglement better have a good explanation why.

--  Supposedly this is the "last count as you know it", so make the most of it.

--  No telling what is in store down the road regarding how pay checks are determined.