From The National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC):
Moran speaks at letter carriers convention (KMAN-AM)
Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) spoke at the recent Kansas State Association of Letter Carriers convention. The speech was covered by Manhattan, KS radio station KMAN-AM, and the senator also reported on his visit in his newsletter.
In lieu of Moran’s upcoming meeting with the new postmaster general for Kansas on Tuesday, Moran said he wanted to hear from mail carriers to find out what they want to see.
Moran stated he has two suggestions for the new general. The first was to listen to the postal worker people, as he said “she should listen to the people who know what they’re doing”. Secondly, Moran added, “you cannot cut your way to success with the postal service”. He followed this statement up by saying, “I remain a strong proponent of six day service”, which received a long round of applause.
Click here to check out the story by KMAN-AM
Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS)
Letter Carriers State Convention
On Saturday, I attended and spoke at the Kansas State Association of Letter Carriers Annual Convention. It was a great opportunity to speak at the convention once again. When I travel across Kansas, one of the most common questions I hear from rural constituents is, “What can I do to save my Post Office?” The Post Office is often as much a staple of a community as a school or a grocery store. The USPS is under financial pressure due to mandated prefunding payments into the USPS employee retirement system. As a result, USPS is seeking ways to cut costs that could lead to Post Office closures, slowing the timeliness of delivery, or decreasing frequency of delivery. I will continue to work in Congress to push for commonsense improvements to the USPS that enable it to maintain healthy finances while providing high quality service to people across our state and country. It was an honor to have the National Association of Letter Carriers Executive Vice President Tim O’Malley in attendance as well. Thank you to President-Emeritus Rod Holub for inviting me to participate and for his years of service to the Kansas State Association of Letter Carriers.
I was a letter carrier, supervisor distribution operations and supervisor customer service. I’ve seen little change with the management structure since the 80’s. Supervisors are not truthful sometimes because, they have been ordered by their PM, who has been ordered by their POOM, who has been ordered by the DM to press an issue. Mail is incorrectly counted, attendance issues not addressed, and coustomer service issues not handled correctly. What I have experienced from management at the beginning of my career was, an endless amount of favoritism, discrimination against race and sex and untruthfulness. When I became a titled supervisor, the same issues were still present with the addition of discrimition against white employees. Letter Carriers, could you imagine walking into work, punching in, checking your vehicle (for real no smoke breaks), having a real Plan 5, going to your case all mail has been counted correctly. By the time the supervisor comes around you’re just about ready to leave, they give you a pivot that you really can handle that day, you go out to the field do your job, return to the office, you’re thanked for doing a good job, and you leave. Clerks that are reading this, it is not your fault in some issues for the late mail. I too agree that the USPS may have made a mistake by offering the early out in 2013. You can not expect a PSE to come in and know a scheme in a week. If anyone needs an early out it should be to the carriers. When you carry mail for 25+ years, your body will break down. I’m sorry I got side tracked. Back to the original issue, I would like to see more positive communication between delivery supervisors and carriers. I would like to see employees get called into the “office” to be praised and not always be disciplined. I would like to see better communication with the Unions and management. The supervisors never have time to supervise, the Offices need a secretary to process some of the paperwork so the supervisors can do their job. Attendance issues need to be revised, I don’t think an employee who only comes to work 3 days of week (no issues just doesn’t want to work) be removed from the USPS within that year. Not 3 years later because finally the union understands. Supervisors, don’t turn your head to the bad performer and get the good worker to do more work, take issue with the bad performer. You will be respected more. Last issue honesty among all.
We are a level 21 office in Mo. in 1999 we had 21 clerks & currently down to 6 clerks! Not all of the 6 clerks start early enough to process the mail before the carriers arrive as it is. If MNGT. do allow carriers to start earlier, the carriers need to respect the other “Union” & not be crossing crafts! the po 601 is very clear in that carriers are not to report for duty prior to 80% of the mail at their cases. “spreading” mail is the clerk’s function not a carrier function.
To “very concerned” I know where you’re coming from, it’s a viscious circle. I know many PMs that say CCAs can put DPS up or pass around flats. There were times after the big clerk out in 2013 that the mail was not going to get around to the carriers in time for them to make their leaving time. Yes I would work the mail. I went to the senior clerk told her to keep track of my time and the time would be split between the 2 clerks at OT rate. This did not happen very often but it did. The Postal Service needs more processing clerks. PSEs aren’t the best at first due to lack of knowledge with a scheme. When is the last time your clerks pitched out UBBM?
just go ask a city letter carrier that has a 100% walking route, they will tell you the skinny. all carriers city, rural, mounted routes just ask them!
I honestly believe the USPS is downsizing so they could make money for associates and by connection, some for themselves selling off Postal properties for a profit. No one really listens to the workroom floor employee. Even though many have various degrees, experiences, ambitions.
Why would they start now??? Upper Postal (mis)management is doing a knock out job now! Who comes up with these articles anyway? Certainly NOT a POSTAL WORKER!!
How about earlier start times. Seems to me if you start early , the public would get their mail early. Getting your mail at 7:00 at night is pretty stupid. Just like station managers who hate their employees enough not to order toilet paper for the station.
Wishful thinking……..they detail the junior employee to a 204 B position which know little or nothing, but is doing for the increase in pay. They don’t have a clue and usually are not respected by the senior employees that find it all laughable.
Senator please stop the closing of Plant Facilities that sort mail. Do not slow down the mail service to all of our customers and businesses!
Signed:
ALL Postal Employees
Everywhere, USA
There you have it and that is the last you will hear of it! I do not care if it’s a Congressman or a Senator or Obama or the Pope. Management has no intention of listening to anyone one of us. That is laughable but nice try Senator.
I will try anyway…we are in the delivery business and we now deliver seven days a week. You have already hired way (WAY) too many CCA’s. It is perfectly clear that Mgt. violated the contract, as they always do and it is perfectly clear that hiring them has not solved the O.T. problem that Mgt. said it would.
Ms. Brennan you cannot take a current six day delivery schedule and make it five or you will throw ALL the carriers into O.T. everyday of the week. Count it up as it will cost you an average of 1.5 hours per carrier per day times ALL the carriers in The U.S.
Thank you Senator for trying…all of us Carriers have been saying it for a very long time.