Be careful what you wish for ....
underpants (1000+ posts)
Sat Jan-31-09 11:18 AM
Original message
Just talked to my letter carrier- she is PRAYING they cut back to 5 days
Edited on Sat Jan-31-09 11:20 AM by underpants
nice short conversation
I was not too impressed with what she told me (not a member) of their union.
She works a "T6" schedule which means that she works 6 days a week and gets a full weekend off every 6 weeks.
Apparently the post master mentioned something about not delivering on Tuesdays. My letter carrier thought that had to be bait for people to say "Tuesday? hell no SATURDAY!!" which she wants. Her husband, retired Postal, said that if they did cut out Tuesday and there was a Monday holiday that would mean no mail to businesses from Saturday until Wednesday. Even without a holiday the Tuesday thing would mean delivery on Saturday, Sunday off, delivery on Monday, Tuesday off--doesn't make much sense. The business crowd won't like that either.
Anyway she would LOVE a 5 day delivery week. Fed employees get 4 weeks of vacation a year-after 15 years they get 5 weeks but they can only take 3 and they have to have the union negotiate (union rules) to sell back the other week or two that they were never going to get anyway.
Not bashing on unions-just telling you what she told me. She gave my daughter a lollipop when she saw us out for a walk last weekend.
And so begins the journey.
notesdev (975 posts)
Sat Jan-31-09 11:24 AM
Response to Original message
3. My neighbor postal worker
and I had a discussion about this last night... he seemed to think that the net result would be a greater use of Express Mail for delivery on the day that gets cut from the schedule, as happens now with Sundays.
He also had an interesting tidbit to relate as to the huge increase in the number of people using Express Mail, to pay mortgages and credit card bills at the last minute.
I have noticed my CC company has shortened the time I have to pay. This DUmmie is starting to hit on something but I don't think it realizes it.
MadHound (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-31-09 11:24 AM
Response to Original message
4. What a bizarre schedule,
I wonder if that is typically the case. Everywhere I've lived in the Midwest, there's a full time carrier Monday-Friday, then a part time weekend carrier. I think that the weekend carrier sometimes subs for the full time person and/or does work at the distribution center or such.
If they're going to cut, Saturday does make the most sense. However I find it rather disgusting that they feel the need to cut service, especially in light of how much the PO has raised mail rates in the past decade or so. Just goes to show you how inefficient this privatized monstrosity is.
Rather than cutting service, why not try cutting out some of the deadwood at the top of the PO management. There are way to many of these people who perform very little work in exchange for one hell of a lot of money.
Yes, yes .... make the cut for Saturday. Then you will have 2 days and sometimes 3 of no mail ..... wonder how that could affect the DUmmies?
Puglover (1000+ posts)
Sat Jan-31-09 11:26 AM
Response to Original message
7. My partner is a carrier and we
Edited on Sat Jan-31-09 11:29 AM by Puglover
are both praying for the 5 day delivery week and praying it will be Sat. If they pick Tues. scheduling the carriers will be even more nightmarish then it already is. He is sick to death of not having two consecutive days off.
As far as Sat is concerned I would think they could only deliver express mail etc. if something HAD to be delivered.
More votes for Saturday ......
havocmom (1000+ posts)
Sat Jan-31-09 11:31 AM
Response to Original message
12. Monday holiday + no mail on Tuesday = BIG $$ for lenders
Lots of late payment fees (and they are going up from what I read) will apply when check get stuck in the mail for extra days.
My new method for evaluating real motives for just about anything: Who stands to profit?
Uh oh .... one of them is hitting on half the problem!!
lies and propaganda (1000+ posts)
Sat Jan-31-09 11:36 AM
Response to Original message
14. so I am.
as an internet business owner its incredibly nice to be able to have a day off. From shipping and packaging, anyway.
As much time i spend in the Post, I can tell you that all of my carriers do as well.
This one is just for fun. Wanna bet the internet 'business owner' sells shit on Ebay?!
Jamastiene (1000+ posts)
Sat Jan-31-09 11:46 AM
Response to Original message
22. That Tuesday thing has me stumped as well.
I just cannot figure out why they want to make it a Tuesday and break up the week like that. It makes not sense to me.
Another Saturday vote .....
Gman (1000+ posts)
Sat Jan-31-09 11:54 AM
Response to Original message
23. So a scab is looking out for herself
I'm sure she doesn't complain one bit about the vacation she gets because of the union. And selling back vacation weeks? That's a great perk. Many union contracts say you work 52 weeks, you get paid 52 weeks and you can't sell anything back. That's a good perk.
Being a scab, she should be required to take unpaid vacation, be ineligible for health care coverage, etc.
Then this DUmmie wants to put the screws to a working person?? WTH?
Out of all the posts none of the DUmmies have mentioned the other half of this problem. Yeah, one of them figured out they could possibly be late (r) on their payments than usual thereby realizing late payment penalties. What none of them have figured out yet, which is surprising knowing the posters there, is that their GOVERNMENT CHECKS could be coming in late!
The shit will hit the fan when the government checks show up late. They won't be as concerned when the cc payment is late because, well, let's face it, almost all of them pay late. It will simply be another excuse but it will STILL be late.
Can you imagine what the DUmpmonkies will be like if they can't get their meds on time?!
KC
