Bring on the Rumors for USPS’ “Big Annoucement” Friday
UPDATE (Friday 1/16 2:05 p.m.): The USPS has said it has “nothing to announce today“.
Rumors are flying about a “Big Announcement” from the United States Postal Service to be announced this Friday, January 16. On several blogs covering Postal Service issues, the topic is hot. Local postal workers near our offices know about the announcement and all have their own theories.
Because the Postal Service is such a large agency, the Big Announcement could be able pretty much anything (or nothing), but since there has been such an interest in what it’s going to be, we compiled a list of the leading possibilities:
Mass layoffs: The USPS could be planning to enact a Reduction in Force (RIF), the government’s term for layoffs. Usually a cost-cutting measure, the RIF will determine which employees will be laid off based on length of tenure, veteran’s standing, and employee standing and performance. Full explanation of RIF policies can be found here.
Early-out incentives: Another theory along these same lines is a program that may encourage people to retire earlier. Such an early-out offer may offer benefits like reducing or eliminating the penalty for Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) takers or tax breaks on retirement benefits.
Postmaster General to resign: John Potter has served as the United States Postmaster General and CEO of the United States Postal Service since 2001, and has been involved in a recent investigation for receiving discounts and other benefits from Countrywide Financial Corp. Countrywide, a leading subprime lender has been a major player in sparking the financial crisis and has been criticized for using low teaser rates to lure in homebuyers that could not afford the houses they were purchases. The investigation began in November, and this could be the culmination of that.
Potter was also publicly supportive of Chief Postal Inspector Alexander Lazaroff as he was being investigated for squandering USPS money on unnecessary travel and gambling last year.
Rate hikes: The USPS may be making an announcement about the shipping rates increasing. The rate hikes are schedule to take effect on January 18.
Working with Obama: Though the USPS is relatively autonomous, this announcement does come just days before the inauguration of President-Elect Barack Obama. This could be a policy address attempting to get in under the wire.
i think that they will finally admit that purchasing fss machines, and hiring te’s were a big mistake
Unions are the problem with the Postal Service? When did we get a union? How can we get one in Tampa?
Recently retired after 22 yrs I can say this was the worst company I have ever worked for. There are good & bad employees in every company, but what to do with the bad seeds that can’t be fired? Make them supervisors. I pray that Marge never trips over strapping, runs over a toe w/an APC or has a gun put to her head while delivering the mail. Then she will become one of the working wounded. As far as unions? Would you really want to work there without representation? Being communication experts, the R hand doesn’t know what the L hand is doing & the only reason the mail gets out is because of the pride of the Postal employee.
I definitely think they should shitcan all 2O4Bs,MDOS and plant managers. They should make management personally and financially responible for all grievances they cause. The fact is most upper management could not run a fry station at your local fast food joint, never mind run a major facility. I love how management invents new ways to waste taxpayers money. I really hope management gets put on a 6 day work week , works every holiday and no overtime. See how they like it!! God bless the unions.
The big announcement is that they will consolidate and merge districts. And cut manager positions between 15 and 20%. Big deal
Readers who don’t work for USPS:
Notice “Postal FACTS”
http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/postalfacts.htm
Readers who do work for USPS:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~My hypothesis on tomorrow’s hype~~~~~~~~~~~
Next Generation Mail Processing Technologies
free advertisement!!!
I got a call this evening on my SDO that all of us that work from 3:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. have just had our bids abolished and bids will be posted at a 2 p.m. time slot. We just recently were moved from 3:30 to 3:00 BTW, what leadership! Eric Chavez, you are a greedy, grossly incompetent empty suit; we hope your head is the next one on the chopping block! Also, take your neanderthal thugs with you!
ALL REC’S TO BE CLOSED BY THE END OF 2009
As a shop stewards we have to represent all S/L/L just incase some of the hard workers get screwed too. All employees are equal. Why are you standing around watching all the S/L/L and not working for your pay? Most of us are too busy to notice these so called S/L/L.
As for being a supervisor…well that job is too hard for me! Shit from the top and bottom. That job stinks.
You so called “fellow” postal employees that belittle the “truly” injured co-workers make me sick. Day in and day out i see more workbeing done by the so called “sick, lame and lazy, than some of the almighty workers that have been fortunate enough to never be injured! If and when i am let go, the old PO WILL pay!
postal supervisors couldn’t supervise an ant farm!
NEWS FLASH…….Potter forced to step down by Obama,
keeping with his theme of change, he will make bipartisan move and select SARAH PALIN as Postmaster General
but seriously Obama shouild suggest Potter go and possibly appoint the first black or female Postmaster General…How much worse could they do????
Seriously: Potter should go, he has put a bad mark on the service. Management from Plant managers,MDO,A/MDO SR.MDO are all about the money. Ever since the service was allowed to make a profiet all these top mgrs. cut hours, didn’t fill jobs when people retired or bid to another job leaving people in my district on these back braking machines by thier selves. The fact is upper mangt. needs to feel the rath of the Union!!!!!!!!!!
It’s funny how the craft workers in the USPS all have their heads in the sand like ostriches. They all want to take, take, take and never want to give. I would love for the postal service to say they are shutting the doors and see all these people try and find jobs earning even half of what they earn at the Post Office. They should wake up everyday and thank the lord for the fleecing they have been giving to the Postal Service. If not, they would be pumping gas, stocking shelves at Walmart or flipping burgers at Wendy’s and actually have to WORK (sorry for cursing) for their money.
When carriers are waiting for the clerks to put up mail;between phone calls, reading, eating and socializing between each other is there a reason not to case dps up? Whose bright idea is it to let carriers read books, talk and do nothing waiting ,when dps can be put up, and same street time.Only someone who has never carried ,with a degree think they know how to run a p.o. This place is going to hell in a hand basket. Before automation we were started at 6a.m. up by 9 and off the street by 3. You want to save money ask a carrier how.
what is the purpose of putting mail in a case? to put it in order of delivery. dps is =already= in order. wasting time to put it in a case is asinine. if we are waiting for mail then we should just start later.
It has been a long time coming, but now is the time to cut out the upper levels and reduce to three areas, NE, SE, and Western. (Unless they eliminate all of them). Districts realigned to transportation based on mail processing. There is way too much middle mgmt. Eliminate all of the unions and create one “Big” union and allow craft employees to work at any level based on seniority. If you want to carry mail – carry mail. If you want to work inside after beating the streets for years, bid into the plant. This is too easy!
mailhandlers union pres haggarty makes 208,000 from union this is as of 2006 plus postal salary union facts.com has all union salaries!!! your dues goes to them!! and they will receive a pension from union!!! WHAT ARE THEY DOING FOR YOU!!!
[...] USPS won’t call us back regarding the “Big Announcement” that is scheduled to be announced today, but they did release a press release today talking [...]
this is the real diablo; all prior posts by the handle diablo are fake. the fake diablo has taken over my life.
I have been a clerk at the PO for over 30 yrs, and i have really seen the post office changes, many not for the better. I use to be proud to say i worked for the postal service, not so much anymore. I still thank God that i am lucky enough to have a decent job, especially today when the economy sucks so bad…….buck up….get to work and do a days work for a days pay!
What is wrong with you people? I LOVE my job! I take PRIDE in my job! I WORK at my job! Are there no other clerks who take pride in their jobs and their work??? Shame on all of you!!!
A Happy Hard-Working Clerk
What ever Mail Handler President John Haggarty makes we’er better off with him than without. have u ever heard him speak @ a funtion, I bet not!!! That’s why u have all the wrong info. What do u think the P.O. is going to do be,unproductive forever. You should be glad there trying to save this sinking ship!!! the Mail Handlers Union is one of the BEST Union around. how soon we forget about that GREAT!!! COLA. OR the fact that Pres. Haggarty had the forthought to extened the contract to 5 Yrs. (Daaaa) NO LAY OFF CLAUSE!! U should be thankfull to god u have a great paying job,than thinking of what u don’t have. GROW UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE.
WELL THE DAY FOR THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT HAS COME AND ALMOST GONE AND NO WORD ON WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT LEAVE IT TO THE P.O. TO SCREW IT UP
hey willing and able, just to let you know how little I
do This past Monday it took me 7 1/2 hrs. just to sort my
mail. It’s suppose to be an 8 hour job, but being in management and an ex maintenance worker, you will have to pardon the pun, but you don’t know jack shit – go clean another toilet, you moron.
p.s. Hey willing and able I have not worked, nor have I
been asked to work overtime on my day off in over 12
months. Being a supervisor it does not surprise me that
you do not know what you are talking about. If you want to make a real difference strap on a satchel and tell me how easy it is. Have you got the balls?
no layoff clause isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on the union reps gave themselves 235 to 240 percnt raises in 2002 2003 ok where is the money for the previous 30 years there should be a surplus!!! hey local 304 all you guys do is defend serewups!!! good workers don’t need you!! avp’s take a dollar a member every month no dues last to be excessed!! these guys are just as corrupted as management!!!!
Hawki:
Your words ring true here, as well! It was best presented by Marvin “Carvin” Runyon when he became our PMG after straightening out the TVA. He wisely and truthfully looked at this organization from the ground up. Do you remember? He put on a mail bag and carried mail on the street for a week to learn how the system worked. He then worked side by side with mailhandlers, window clerks, Postmasters, MPO’s, Area managers then all the way up through the plethora of “middle mgmt., and un-needed VP’s of trivia, to the top. And, once there, sat down at the helm and astutely proclaimed: “If your hands don’t touch the mail every day, you were not needed and must get off the gravy train.”
For years I kept meticulous records of volume and labor hours for our office, only to have our Postmaster change the mix to “fit” the District Managers yearly budget. So, hours were “erased” from street delivery and “added” to boxing hrs! No bonus unless you kept within the so called budget levels. Then, District would mix the numbers of hundreds of Post Offices to match the AREA budget levels. Again, numbers were moved in order to gain a bonus! It happened all over the country every day and when the experts at Headquarters in DC received the numbers they began to “fix” the problem. But, they had bogus figures instead of reality based numbers and thus, whatever remedies they applied to the coming year were based on lies and had no chance of improving anything!
Yes, lies! We even hired the biggest liar we could find in Azeely Jaffer and paid him well to tell lies to the PUBLIC & Congress; but like most other Headquarter Crooks, he dipped too deep into the money well, got caught and convicted. The greedy bastard should be in jail for theft and sexual abuse of his staff but isn’t. THERE IS NO ACCOUNTABILITY OR MORALITY IN THE USPS.
As, once Senator, John Thompson phrased it: “The Big Blue Ox Is In The DITCH!” We have been in a corupt death spiral for decades and it is now coming home to roost. And, I hope the liars get shit upon in volumes equal to the money they ripped off over the years.
Good night Chet; Good night David; Good night John Potter and all of your lying, immoral “Good Ole Boy” dis-management buddies. For Shame! Shame on you! You have ripped off the Post Office long enough to destroy it! Just like the Bank and Wall Street theives, you will all burn in hell sooner than later.
Hey, ‘God Bless the Unions’,
The post office doesn’t get any of the taxpayer’s money.
Retired Kathy has it right! Only if you can’t make them a supervisor, just passify them, until they retire!! Don’t make them do anything they don’t want to. The Union says….if you have high standards and they don’t…then do as they do, be lazy also. I wouldn’t want to work there without representation, but when will the union have the guts, to tell these lazy people that run to the union EVERYDAY, with nothing….that this is NOT greivable, so get out there and do YOUR JOB!!! Management isn’t always wrong….but they are not allowed to do their job either. There needs to be some medium ground. I have never worked at a place where how well you work…how often you show up…how you get along with others….DOESN’T MATTER, only the date you started. That is why we have the problems we have…anywhere else..most of these people would be FIRED…with a capital F. And by the way…I have worked for the postal service 13 years, and I am NOT a supervisor, but I do have high standards, and mostly enjoy my job…just NOT the lazy people that call themselves SENIORS!!
no news good news?
Maybe the PO should waste another couple billion on new high speed equipment to sort the large volumes of mail the haven’t existed for years. Remember when had to sort by hand, cased in all of the letters, and delivered on everything on time. My God how did we ever manage. They need to take all of those sheets of paper filled with all of those fantasy numbers and put them where the sun doesn’t shine. It astounds me how new money saving policies, equipment ect and shoved onto us everyday and still the PO hemorrhages money like a stuck hemophiliac.
hey 304 have you ever heard bernie madoff speak same difference as haggarty!!! cola joke!! just take 3 percent raise every year from 1990 no cola do the math you would be making much more than you are now!!!you are in the 4th month of the new cola how much is it? close your eyes what do you see!!!
hey again 304 how about transfers every company i know keeps their time even apwu in 200 or more facilities they are at least regulars mailhandlers go to the bottom of the flexi list. i could go on and on your comment on productivity another joke!! have you looked at volume or do you even know what it is?? the post office is done it will be downsized we lost almost all parcels including fruit which was huge for us workers just throwing the stuff around not caring management just as much to blame A TOTAL TEAM EFFORT!!!
For those saying that postal workers make too much and should make less you’ve got it backwards. The non-postal working world (blue collar) doesn’t make enough and should be making more. The so-called minimum wage in most cases is BELOW the poverty line. Glass half empty or half full?
Hey JAFO,
Evr heard of “revenue forgone” or congressional mailings? That’s tax money covering the postage you moron.
If you all would stop a minute and realize how LUCKY!!! you are to have a job that pays sick leave, annual leave a good health plan ect….and not work hard at all for what you get paid and appreciate what you have!!!! alot of ppl are losing their jobs and its my opinion that you all take it for granted that you have a job…one day you won’t and then you will realize just what you had. so just stop crying and get to work!!!!!
I don’t have a job. no health plan….no etc….I just want my share of a bailout to make it thru till I can get another one. about 1/10 of a percent of the cost of this party would have done it…..
I have been with the postal service for about 15 years. I have to say I have seen many changes in that time. The biggest would be the down grade of customer service. Used to be #1. Now……I can’t even say it is in the agenda in the top ten. Pride only takes you so far. Just let me do my job. I want to come in , do my job earn a paycheck and go home without harrassment, belittling, ignorance and violence in the workplace. i have seen some bad supervisors the motto”F— UP move up!” that is the system here. Why is craft held accountable for everything including a measely missed scan and management can do as they please and get a promotion out of it. That’s really fair. I still have alot of pride in my job but some days with the example management sets it is tough.
What is the latest news about layoffs? I am a rehab clerk and even though I have 9 years in I am told that I will be a candidate for layoff. Any news will be appreciated.
There hasn’t been a whole lot of talk about dates necessarily for layoffs, but they are indeed talking about the layoffs themselves. APWU President Burrus last week:
“Approximately 3,500 APWU-represented employees are exposed to the possibility of layoffs. The remaining APWU-represented employees are protected, but other changes will affect them, including relocations and reassignments. Part-time flexible and light-duty employees will experience work-hour reductions to a level that cannot support a family. The toleration for absences from work will be diminished, so that many absences will be challenged, requiring the application of the contractual “just cause” standard.
Until mail volume returns to previous levels, postal employees should anticipate that many, many changes will be imposed. The union will apply the contractual standards to each change, but many will be beyond the contractual limitations.
The success of the Obama administration in addressing the economic malaise besetting our nation and the world is the key to the future of the Postal Service. While many voters did not apply this standard in selecting the candidate of their choice, all jobs will be affected by his success or failure. Guns, religion, abortion, sexual preference and the other wedge issues that often dominate our political discourse will fade in their importance as the very source of our lifestyle — our jobs — are challenged.
Under the best of circumstances, and no matter how successful the incoming administration is, the economic recovery will not happen quickly. So, in the short term, postal employees and all other employees who work for a living can expect disruption and inconvenience for months to come.”
I have 28 years in and would love a buy out give me 5yrs. no penalty and I’ll be gone. I do agree that we as carriers are always held accountable for everything. I to just want to clock in, put up my mail, deliver and be left alone. I have such issues with the senseless stand-up talks the PO has, who writes this stuff. They need to run this place like a service and not a K-mart! How about Potters request for 5 day delivery, but they will choose the days we wont deliver by low mail volume another brillant idea. Dont businesses work Monday-Friday, so why would we pick a day during the week not to deliver. I think it would kill them to give us Saturday off, oh my what if there is a holiday Monday we cant give them 3 days in a row off, so lets pick Tuesday or Wednesday or whatever day the mail is light, it just keeps getting better and better. The hole they are digging is getting bigger and bigger by the minute.
[...] the long awaited announcement that was supposed to come out on January 16, the United States Postal Service finally announced a major potential change to its operations [...]
[...] Bring On The Rumors for USPS’ “Big Announcement” Friday – Jan. 14, 2009 [...]
What a bunch of bitchin babies. Supervisors rule!! Without us you would all take 16 hours to do the 5 hours of work you have. We shut the door on the waste products we supervise.
I moaned, I agonized, I cried, I felt I was too young (59 1/2), & thought life would be over without the Post Office! BUT…I DID retire!! I had been eliminated from my “BID” (one I’d had since 1986) in 2007, and was put here, there, wherever, even with degenerative disc disease…they tried to put me where I could NOT work!All but ONE Boss in the Main Minneapolis PO..treated me like SHIT on their shoes, one…even yelling at me a WEEK before I was to retire…to get new restrictions from my DR.!!! I was a Postal employee for 24 years…treated like scum…BY supervisiors!!! I worked hard…noone can EVER say I didn’t work! I remembered when I was hired in 1984…I was so proud, wearing my Postal sweater!!! I’m just THANKFUL…I LIVED to get OUT!! If I had it to do over…I’d NEVER do THAT again!!