Holiday message from the PMG
Donahoe thanks employees for delivering service, trust, customer satisfaction
Looking ahead, PMG Pat Donahoe says he believes 2011 will become a landmark year that moves the Postal Service in a new direction — one that will help USPS get back to profitability.
Thanking employees for their hard work in 2010, Donahoe says that with everyone — working together — next year will focus on “moving our business to the next level. He says USPS is going to have to focus on the things it can control. These include strengthening the business-to-customer channel; improving the customer experience; competing for more package business; and becoming a leaner, faster and smarter organization.
Donahoe says for now, employees should do their job the best they can over the holiday season to meet and exceed customer expectations. And he wishes all employees a wonderful, safe holiday season and a healthy new year.
The National Office has received numerous concerns from the field pertaining to directives
from USPS management as it relates to the Christmas over-time period. These directives in part
are instructing local managers to do the following:
1. Carriers cannot work over their daily evaluation (for any reason).
2. No over-time or auxiliary assistance because letter and flat volume is down.
3. If carriers work over their evaluation require them to carry DPS mail to the street.
4. Change reporting times (schedules) on a daily basis with expectation of low volume or
to give auxiliary assistance.
5. Threatening to adjust carrier routes if they work over the daily evaluation.
The National Board is alarmed by some of these directives as they are in violation of
handbooks, manuals and the contract. Therefore, we are compelled to place all rural carriers on
notification of their rights and instructions on how to handle these issues.
First and foremost we are instructing all rural carriers that they are to work safely and should
not be pressured to work in a manner that places their well-being or life at risk.
Attached with this memo you will find a Postal Service Form PS Form 1767, Report of Hazard,
Unsafe Condition or Practice, along with instructions on preparing this form and a copy of the
language from the contract Article 14 Section 1. and Section 2.A. that addresses managements
responsibility to provide a safe working condition for all employees and the employees rights.
If any rural carrier feels that they are being pressured or forced to work in a manner that places
them in an unsafe situation, just to comply with these unrealistic directives, you may request a
PS Form 1767, fill out the form and return it to your immediate supervisor, discuss the issue
with your immediate supervisor and if unresolved, immediately file a grievance and contact
your assigned assistant state steward or state steward for your area.
Article 8 Section 2. Addresses schedules and the fact that the carrier’s work day may vary
above or below the daily evaluation of the route, as mail volume fluctuates and road conditions
and weather conditions change. As we all know there are parts of the country where there is
already inclement weather that can affect the carrier’s work day. In addition, there is an
increase in large parcels that will not fit in the mail box and must be carried to the door (up to Y2
mile) off the carrier’s line of travel that effects the daily work hours. Management may take the “knee jerk” reaction and require carriers to carry DPS mail to the
street. This should only be done when carriers are consistently working over their weekly
evaluation and should be monitored all year not just as a reaction in trying to make the
numbers. This issue was clearly addressed and defined in the April 26, 1999 minutes of the
National Joint Steering Committee for the QWL/EI process. In addition, this issue was
addressed by William Galligan Vice President of Delivery and Retail for the USPS in a letter
dated November 26, 2003, and again by Phil Knolls (same position) in 2004. (See attachments).
The letter in part states, “The carrier may be required to take DPS mail directly to the street if it
is anticipated that they will be unable to meet the overall evaluation of the route for the week.
The decision to carry DPS directly to the street should be made on a case-by-case basis and mav
not minimize total actual work hours if the carrier normally cases the DPS mail and will not
perform efficiently on the street”.
Scheduling is addressed in Article 30.G. of the contract. It states in part, “Schedules should be
realistic, based upon the receipt and availability of mail and other related service conditions.
The rural carrier will receive reasonable advanced notice when the schedule is to be changed.
While management has the right to give auxiliary assistance to control over-time hours during
the Christmas Period, it is the position of the NRLCA National Board that reporting times should
not be changed on a daily or weekly basis.
For those of you having issues with starting times being changed, in some cases as late as noon,
please be advised we currently have a case pending National Arbitration on this issue JOOR-4JC09082619. Additional grievances are not required but may be filed at the local offices and
held in abeyance at step 2. While all offices are covered by the pending Arbitration case, the
purpose of any filing is to be sure and document the cases currently transpiring in case there is
a future monetary remedy.
If any rural carrier has any questions or concerns, please contact the assigned assistant or state
steward in your state.
Respectfully,
Your National Board
I bet this has nothing to do with MANAGEMENT BONUSES!!! YEA, RIGHT!!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS you MORALE KILLERS!!!!!