Common Denominator

I have been involved with the NALC union since the early 1990’s visiting offices regularly.  I have met many carriers during that time, some are still working today that I met during my early career.

     Some carriers are professional carriers and some carriers not so professional but all of them try their best.  Some carriers are good carriers but become not so good carriers because of the common denominator.

     Some offices are good offices but become not so good offices because of the common denominator. Some offices are bad offices that become good offices because of the common denominator.

     How can an office go from one where carriers are happy to go to work to an office where no one is happy going to work and the opposite where carriers that hated to go to work now enjoy going to work?

     We can go on and on about the work environment in one office to another office, being good to bad, bad to good because of the common denominator.

     So, who do you think is the common denominator?  Management is the common denominator. Management is the only thing that changes from time to time in your office.  The carriers are the same, except for the new employees.  The only thing that changes in your office from time to time is the postmaster/OIC or the supervisor(s).  

     So how can a carrier that has had no discipline, no issues, no nothing go from a good carrier to a bad carrier.  And vice versa when a carrier who has been disciplined for issues goes from a bad carrier to a good carrier.  The carrier has not changed he still is the same person the only thing that has changed in the office is the common denominator – management.  A change in who oversees that office and the new policies that they bring with them.

     I can name a hand full of offices that where constantly under pressure due to the management team that was there at the time.  Then that postmaster/OIC or supervisor moves on to another office and we get a new postmaster/OIC or supervisor with new ideas and new thought process and the office becomes a pleasure to work in. 

     Then I go from an office that is relatively quiet not too many issues, no complaints, hardly any discipline or contractual grievances go to an office that is in turmoil what has changed – MANAGEMENT.

     So, we as professional letter carriers must weather the storm when we have bad management.  We must stay on top of them to make sure that they are doing right by the carriers.  By this I mean in office with a bad common denominator, we must ensure that we have labor management meetings, we conduct safety meetings.   We file class action grievances when we see management breaking the contract.   We notify our shop steward of any article of the National Agreement being violated by the common denominator.  We must make sure that the common denominator is abiding by the rules also.

     So, in any office the climate can change in a second when new management take over.  The common denominator is only as good or bad as you let them be.

     The common denominator can make or break your work life and effect your personal life if you let it! A bad common denominator is only worried about the numbers and to look good to upper management.  A good common denominator is worried about the numbers but also worried about you as an individual and things going on in your personal life that effect your work performance.

     I have said it many times if management was held responsible or accountable for when they do not pay you and charge you LWOP instead of sick leave or annual leave or put you out on Emergency Placement wrongfully and the union grieves these types of infractions, and you get back pay.  If management was held to the fire and had to pay out of their own pocket for violating the contract instead of the USPS paying you, how many of these types of violations would the common denominator do?  

     Again, stay strong, be safe and enjoy the summer months with your family and friends because before you know it, summer will be over!  And which type of common denominator you have now might not be the same one you have in the fall!

     I would like to “thank” all of you that worked through this pandemic for the struggles that you sacrificed to deliver the mail to your customers daily.  Your loyalty and dedication are a true character of who you are!