Protecting Your Assignment
Many articles are written, and many stand up talks are given by the union on how to protect your assignment. Do any of you read or listen to what the union has to say?
When I make office visits to stations, I do not think that you are paying attention to what the union has to say or write. I know it is easy for the union to say but hard for you the carrier to do. But some of these things the union is asking you to do should be done for the protection of your assignment and yourself. I feel like a broken record but whenever I am in a station, I never see carriers doing their vehicle inspections.
VEHICLE INSPECTION: To conduct a vehicle inspection, you need two carriers to thoroughly inspect your vehicle and his or her vehicle. This vehicle inspection is the letter carrier’s responsibility not managements. Management is not going to tell you or make an announcement to do your vehicle inspection, they know if you don’t do it, they are getting that time back in the office, because that time will be spent sorting mail and making them look good for their numbers. And we all know this job turned into a numbers game with management. So why would you give them this time back? Isn’t your safety worth between 5 to 10 minutes of postal service time to check your vehicle? Why would you jeopardize your safety for management to look good? All you need is a coworker to do this vehicle safety check – you check your vehicle they check their vehicle. With your coworker, you must check all the lights, mirrors etc. on the vehicle. So, find yourself a coworker to do this with, management won ‘t assist you in this, but they won’t stop you either! There are 27 steps to conduct an expanded vehicle safety check. This check list has been programmed to take the driver in a logical sequence around the RHD vehicle with a minimum of lost motion. For LHD vehicles work from right side to rear to left side.
OFFICE BREAK: if your local has an office break – TAKE IT! That is your time office breaks are usually between 10 and 15 minutes depending on your local agreement. Why would you work through that?
PERSONAL TIME: You get a minimum of 5 minutes; this time credit covers any personal needs that you may have while in the office such as restroom needs, personal phone call, going to your locker, having a smoke, etc.
STAND UP TALKS: When I am in offices and either I or management is giving a stand-up talk, I see carriers not paying attention and casing their mail. What is the rush? Put the mail down, turn around and listen to what is being said at the talk. Management is allotting you time for this. If you case mail during this time it is like working off the clock!
3rd BUNDLES: If your 3rd bundle has the code ECRWSH, you are allowed to case that mail. If your 3rd bundle has the code of ECRWSS you take that out as a 3rd bundle. With that said too many times in too many offices I see carriers taking the 3rd bundle out without even cutting the straps. You get time to cut the straps and you get time to count out the 3rd bundle into relays. Take this time to do this it will make it easier for you on the street and you will get office time in the office to conduct this task. Again, do it or lose it!
WASH UP: Some offices have wash up time bult into their local. If you are one of the offices that has wash up time, use it or lose it! If your office does not have wash up time, you may use your personal time for your wash up time.
WORKING OFF THE CLOCK: This is going on in too many offices throughout the Long Island District. Do not work off the clock, it will only come back to haunt you. Working off the clock means performing any work that you would do on the clock. This includes and not limited to getting your DPS or FSS mail, cleaning your case, cleaning your mail bag, cleaning your vehicle, casing mail, answering any questions from management, forwarding mail, 3M case, parcels, going to your hamper, putting SPR’s in order. If you are off the clock stay off the workroom floor!
WORKLOAD STATUS REPORT: All these things that I mentioned above will reflect on your Workload Status Report. Remember the standard still has not changed on casing mail, it still is 18 letters or 8 flats a minute and you will receive time credit of 1 minute for each 70 pieces of mail strapped out. When I look at these reports many times, I see that carriers are not taking the proper time to do their office functions. Too many times I see that the projected time that management gives you to do your office work is not being taken and your actual time is less than the projected time that management is allowing you. This might be because you are working off the clock, not counting out your 3rd bundle, not doing your vehicle inspection, not taking your office break, etc.
With the Technology Integrated Alternate Route Evaluation and Adjustment Process (TIAREAP) it is especially important that we are professional letter carriers and do what we are supposed to do to protect our assignment.
Wishing you a healthy safe summer! And please, protect your assignment!
