Are We Heading for Another Postal Crisis?

In 2019, I wrote an article about “Consolidated Casing” being a Postal Crisis!

It was implemented in the Patchogue and Great Neck Post Offices. It basically created some carriers who cased mail all day and others who were on the street all day. Casers and Streeters. Fortunately, this process went the way of the DODO bird and no longer exists on Long Island.

It is now September 2022, and the NALC and the USPS have entered into a “NEW” joint route evaluation process. This “NEW” process called TIAREAP (Technology Integrated Alternate Route Evaluation and Adjustment Process). This agreement was codified by the signing of Memorandums (M-01982 and M-01983).

This “NEW” agreement was first mentioned in the June 2022, Postal Record letter carrier monthly magazine by Executive Vice President (VP) Brian Renfroe. The beginnings of this agreement were the results of the then ratification of the 2019 National Agreement.

According to Executive VP Renfroe, this “NEW” agreement will be using “technology”.

This “NEW” technology can locate the delivery of parcels, accountables and scan information.

It also includes GPS data. In addition to these facts, Joint Teams of veterans of route adjustment processes were assigned to “explore” this technology. As a result, the NALC/USPS came up with a program called Digital Street Review (DSR).

Executive Vice President Renfroe in his article claimed that “tests” were done in a few locations. The “feedback” was supposedly “positive” concerning the evaluations and adjustments as well as the affected letter carriers. Can this be true? Is it really that simple?

The “heart” of this agreement, in my opinion, claims that the “TEAMS” had more information than ever before about each route. The evaluation and adjustment were based on what the letter carrier actually did and his or her input on the route. It is claimed that there are “no projections” involved. The TEAM supposedly uses the information they have and the carrier’s input to make all decisions about each route.

This process also claims the “NEW” tools will allow TEAMS to eliminate any data errors or other issues that may affect the actual average time for the route evaluation period. The final selling point for this process is that it was alleged that with increased information, and carrier input, as well as, clean data, route evaluations would be straight forward.

Another factor that is claimed to improve the process is that letter carriers would no longer need to be “walked” with route examiners who would complete a form 3999. The Digital Street Review (DSR) could use a representative day (not sure what that is) and generate a PS Form 3999 without actually walking the letter carrier assigned to the route. According to NALC, Executive VP Renfroe, this “NEW” process was very popular with both carriers and managers in the test sites.

Presently, in Branch 6000 we will be “starting” this “NEW” process in the Albertson Post Office. I believe that there are supposed to be 9 other offices that will be evaluated before December. Some of these post offices which are part of USPS, NY District 2 are in Jamaica (Branch 562) and Flushing (Branch 294) Branches. A complete list of offices has not been provided to me of who and when “evaluations” will begin.

Like any “NEW” program there will be some “growing” pains. Some concerns that could impact this process are that the NALC and USPS members of the “TEAMS” are housed in different postal location (at least 3 facilities at the time of this article). In the past, all prior route evaluation TEAMS were “housed” in the same facility. Separating the “TEAM” is like telling 5 basketball players you will not train together but practice in 5 different locations. The only time they will “play” together is when they have a game! How can this structure be called a TEAM? Why is it so difficult to find one location and put all of the TEAM members together?

Another major concern in my opinion is what “data” will be used. In the past two (2) years, there have been many “Delivery” anomalies created with start times, parcel delivery and casing duties as well as “timeclock” and designated hours for office and street times. This was all a result of COVID. Did COVID go away?

Finally, the local NALC parties including myself and other Branch representatives have not been kept fully informed of who are the Management “players.” Presently, no one in the LI District has notified me or your other Officers who is a management TEAM MEMBER AND WHAT FACILITY (POST OFFICE) ARE THEY WORKING AT! There is also, in my opinion, very “poor” communication between the NALC at the Regional level. Communications that go to the NALC DEAT and REATs are not always shared. This needs to be corrected immediately.

I am also not sure who at are National Level has the final say: Is it Executive Vice President Brian Renfroe, who signed the agreement. Chris Jackson, our National Director of City Delivery or someone else. These issues need to be resolved before we embrace this process!

Thomas Paine wrote in 1776, “These are the Times that Try Men’s Souls.

Yours for the Union