Postal unions will mobilize on Thursday with a national call to senators to avoid what they see as counterproductive changes to the postal service, as well as for the passage of a COVID-19 relief bill. Changes in procedures initiated by the new Postmaster General in July prompted the mobilization. The National Association of Postmen and other postal unions believe that these changes have delayed mail delivery.
To understand the changes, one needs to understand how the mail delivery process has worked. Mail is delivered to postal stations where the carrier classifies it for shipment to individual addresses. After that, the carrier leaves on its route to deliver the mail.
BaLynda Croy, vice president and director of education for the Wisconsin State Letter Carriers Association, explained the changes and said: “The first thing we are seeing, which is already being implemented, is the transportation changes, specifically when the mail at the sorting or processing center, or on the floor of the delivery station, we are already seeing these delays. Another thing they are looking to implement is the Accelerated Streets / Afternoon Classes test. This is a test that has been announced and will be implemented at six stations within our district. Basically, this means that most unsolicited mail will be left to sort at the carrier’s end of the day, rather than the beginning. Then it will be delivered tomorrow.
The total workload for the carrier does not change, but the new sequence of work causes delays. Croy also says it leads to scheduling problems.
“The scheduling of carriers that would normally work their day off, scheduling needs approval from outside our local facilities. What this means is that managers who normally ensure staffing needs need permission to do so. Routes vacant due to scheduled vacations, COVID leave, or unexpected illness and injury, and the administration does not receive those permits, ”Croy said.
This has resulted in some operators working until after 10 pm, as well as other delays.
“The routes are left undelivered. And the mail was delivered last Sunday to take out what was left last week. “
According to Croy, USPS customers are already seeing and may continue to see reduced service. She says: “The most devastating impacts we are seeing as a result of this are for customers. Customers do not receive the service they have already paid to receive. This includes those who have outgoing letters and packages in their mailboxes. If we are not delivering to your area, we are not receiving those items in the mail flow in a timely manner for them. And this is already happening as a result of some of the instructions that have been passed on. “
The union attributes some of the changes to a misguided belief that the postal service must function as a business and make a profit. The postal administration believes that the USPS should use Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma measurement systems in the current use of firms such as FedEx or Amazon. According to the USPS and Six Sigma websites, USPS has been a customer and user of lean six sigma practices.
However, Croy puts it this way: “The problem I am seeing with these measures is that the US Postal Service is not a private company, we are a public service. And even if we were a private company, when you work with Six Sigma and lean manufacturing practices, you don’t cut the core of your business, and the core of our business is customer service. “
Federal unions are prohibited from striking. The political participation of members of the federal union is strictly controlled by the Hatch Act. However, the NALC does not remain silent. They are organizing and mobilizing their members and people outside of their membership.
“What we hope will happen is to be able to sit down with management and other unions to develop an action plan that makes the necessary systematic changes while preserving the sanctity of the service we provide. I can’t emphasize enough, it’s rooted in our core, that we deliver to every door, every day, ”said Croy.
The NALC is also part of a national coalition of unions and community groups called US Mail. It is not for sale. July 23rd There will be a national call on the day of action to urge senators to approve desperately needed aid to the USPS.
Image: A photograph of USPS delivery trucks parked in a parking lot. Photo by Flickr user Ron Doke (license)
