September 04, 2010
PMG Jack Potter today urged employees to start the new fiscal year by building on last year’s record levels of delivery, productivity and customer service.
“Through your hard work, the Postal Service reached new record levels in every service category that we measure,” Potter said in a video to employees. “You delivered when it came to cost. And we’ve reached record levels of productivity.”
This year, Potter said employees must continue building momentum. “We can’t ease up, even for a minute,” said the PMG. “We have to do more than ever to meet the changing demands of our customers.”
Potter said fiscal year 2010 was “the most difficult year the Postal Service ever faced.” He discussed last week’s decision by the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) denying a request for an exigent price increase and the continuing financial challenges USPS must address this fiscal year. He noted the proposed price increase was only one provision of an overall plan that USPS will continue to pursue in the coming months.
The PMG promised the Postal Service will continue to work with Congress, the PRC and other stakeholders to change laws that hamper its ability to successfully deal with a changing business environment. He said USPS will continue to move toward a 5-day delivery schedule, seek approval to close non-performing retail outlets and push for relief on the $5.5 billion annual payment the Postal Service is required to pay to the Retiree Health Benefits Fund.
Employees also will play a major role in helping USPS through another difficult year. Potter said every employee can help make sure the Postal Service earns the confidence, trust and — most important — the business of its customers. “Our biggest challenge is revenue,” he said. “Each and every one of us has an obligation to make sure we’re doing everything we can to grow the business.”
Potter warned employees not to reach any conclusions about recent reports recommending closures and layoffs. “We’re going to meet payroll,” he said. “We’re going to live up to our contracts and pay our people.” However, he added it will be important for the Postal Service to negotiate provisions in new labor contracts that “provide us the tools that we need to successfully manage the business.”
In thanking employees for maintaining consistent high levels of customer service and the confidence of the public, Potter urged every employee to do whatever it takes to grow revenue, cut costs and continue to offer good service to close the financial gap. “I know if we work together as a team, we’ll get it done,” he said.
Let’s start consolidating and cutting jobs at the top. There are over 2500 employees that work in the 20260 zip code (Headquarters) and none of them are mail processors, mail handlers, carriers, or window clerks. Why are we consolidating and closing facilities that are actually doing the work and serving the public. Maybe if someone cleaned house in Washington and eliminated all the bonuses (including Potter’s $135,000) the USPS would be in much better shape.
Potter lets consolidate the districts. You know there are several high paid district managers and/or there staffs that should be given there pink slip. If you had any guts you would cut at the top. Show real leadership.
HOW ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ALL EMPLOYEES!!! DOIS FOR MANAGERS,MAINTENANCE,CLERKS AND MAIL HANDLERS!!!! Management has made ZERO cuts in STAFFING and Redistricting keeps EAS positions open for more dead wood!!!! Cuts from the top down NOW!!!! Carriers have done more than enough and are the only craft held accountable!!!! LOW’s for STUPID S@#^ THIS CAUSES LOSS OF REVENUE and TIME
Sure is a lot of talk by the PMG about providing good customer service. Let me tell you, customer service was much better from the “human point of view” a decade ago when old-fashioned window clerks could converse with their customers without the “robotron speech” now required for every transaction with a customer. Today’s customers are so fed up by being treated as if they were just another barcode or scanpoint to be scanned when the task was completed. Carriers are now given a letter of warning by their supervisor for going out of their way to serve a customer returning from vacation, because they took a minute or two extra that isnt specified in some management manual on how a carrier should perform his duty. We never had such problems back in the 90’s or early 2000’s……we had much happier customers, employees came to work everyday with a positive attitude, unlike today when the dreaded managers are criticizing everything you do in the office and on the street……with the exception of the times when a carrier skips his breaks and most of his lunch to make a return time that will spare him or her another letter of warning for unsatisfactory performance. C’mon PMG Potter…..get out of DC and see what your management corps has done to destroy the atmosphere of the Postal Service……….put on a mask and go undercover in an office where on a daily basis employees are being cussed at, intimidated, harrassed and more. If you don’t believe this is occuring, then you live in a bubble and are surrounded by YES MEN AND WOMEN who only tell you what they want you to hear. (It will make you happy and they will go home happy too.)
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We were just told the Oxnard, Ca. PD &F is under Art 12 feasability study. So is City of Industry, North Bay, Salinas and Stockton. THANKS PMG! I can’t wait to start a new career 100 miles from my home. Your micromanaging is bringing down the USPS.
You want confidence and trust? Why not give the employees the same respect?
What a crock of !@#$. Why not tell all employees thanks for putting up with all the BS from management.
Now that’s talking out of both sides of his mouth! Potter wants to punish the employees for being so productive. Mr Potter should start by making sure that he and his cronies in DC are the first to start making sacrifices.
Lead by example. Have Management work hard and efficient, and have executives “provide us the tools that we need to successfully manage the business.” by cutting all of your pay by 30%.
True leadership starts at the top.
Also…. why should our customers have to suffer by paying higher costs.. less delivery days…. and longer lines in our lobies while the upper managment is over staffed and quite possibly over paid for what some of them actualy do? Yes.. I’m an employee… but that doesn’t mean I don’t see the whole picture. Most of us are working our butts off in an under staffed office watching our hard work laughed off in congress because all they see is the obvious waste going on… mostly at the supervisor and up levels.
Thanks for the direct talk… but I thi k you know that its wrong for our health benifits cost to rise while our top executives are getting a free health care ride. I don’t care what you say about their raises being tied only to their performance. Ill bet they hardly break a sweat at their job while all of us deal with crap like no A/C in some our workroom floors in the name of saving a few bucks to get the mail out at a lower cost.