Letter From Concerned Postmaster to PMG Potter

Here is a letter from a concerned Postmaster:

Dear: Mr. Potter

From: Dedicated Postmaster

Subj: Financial State of the Postal Service

Recently, I learned that there were no NPA bonuses for any EAS employees in most cases. In addition, Postmasters were no longer allowed convention leave. I agree and applaud you for these actions but there are a few problems. I have learned that a few people on detail in District Positions are getting bonuses. This was achieved by bumping their score up by having the TOE budget adjusted for their office at the end of the year. No one in management in good conscience should be receiving a bonus or pay raise considering our present financial situation.

I am a working Postmaster with two clerks in my office. I would like to be able to shorten the hours of the window and perform the daily operation by myself. However, the paperwork and computer burden that I have to perform is creating and administration position. I work in the Northeast Area and we have logs, check offs, computer check offs, mail measurements, and the list goes on. If I were able to do what was mandated by Headquarters or I could eliminate both of my clerk positions and save $130,000 a year in salary and benefits. I’m amazed that every District and every Area has their own way of doing things. We should have one business model, like McDonalds.

EXFC Measurement

This is a total waste of money because we don’t honestly achieve these scores. In the Northeast, we isolate our raw letters and flats from collection boxes and then when it comes back in the morning, we again isolate the mail flowing back to us. We segregate our red trays (originating mail) and have clerks and carriers sort it before anything else. How much is it costing us to have this mail measured externally? Our company is on the verge of bankruptcy, we can’t afford to do it. UPS wouldn’t spend that kind of money.

Mystery Shopper Program

We’ve just renamed the program and it’s something else that we can’t afford. We need to sell up and help our customers make informed decisions. The Postal Service can’t afford to be spending that kind of money on the program. Realistically, we have removed our foot traffic from the retail window and customers are printing and selecting their own options.

Closing Small Post Offices

We need to look geographically and start consolidating. Yes, politically it’s a hot spot but we need to push forward. I know of one town that has six post offices and a customer base that only supports one. I know Nationally, we are consolidating branches but we need to get down to the Post Offices.

Saturday Delivery

It’s a great idea to eliminate it. The volume is dropping and never coming back. How fast and how long it takes is the question. At some point, we will have to consider even cutting delivery to three or four days.

I honestly believe that you need to work closely with the OIG and find common sense solutions to these problems.

Sincerely,

Concerned

17 thoughts on “Letter From Concerned Postmaster to PMG Potter

  1. This PM is an idiot. Is this an Level 15 office with 2 clerks. Wow, his mom must be proud. I’ve seen this type of dumbass for 27 years with the PO.

  2. Window/SSA Clerks, this is WHY you MUST input EVERY transaction into POS or hit non-rev on IRT!

    POS offices are staffed strictly by the information pulled from the WOS, which only has the information INPUT into the computer by the window/ssa clerk.

    Beside the basic pick-up button, check the other 18 options on non revenue window transactions.

    SAVE YOUR JOB !!!!!

    Are you asked directions to a location?

    THERE IS A NON-REV BUTTON FOR THAT!

    Are you asked for vacation hold cards? Passport information? Does someone want to see the CFS clerk? Speak to a Supe?

    THERE IS A NON-REV BUTTON FOR THAT!

    A while back a union rep in CO (Littleton?) that laid out in an article EXACTLY what Window/SSA need to do to SAVE YOUR JOB!!!!

    Find it, Read it, Follow it!!!

    It is time for Window/SSA clerks to STOP saying “I’ll do it later”, which rarely happens, and start doing it NOW, at the time of the transaction.

    THE JOB YOU SAVE WILL BE YOURS !!!!

  3. I`d give him what he REALY wants……A Creamie Filled Donut…and I got a nice creamie to fill him up with (sans) the carbohydrates..just the protein!

  4. Frank, the 53k that you state does not include benefits. The amount that the Postmaster cites is about correct (actually it is a little more).

    However, I am offended that this PM suggests that he could do better without his clerks and he wants to shorten his window hours more. Come on. This PM must not be in a small office and in a rural area where people still rely on face-to-face help at the local Post office. When we shut down early, close for lunch, we are losing our customers (because they will go to FedEx or UPS…who by the way, is open), and adds to the problems we face now.

    A wake up is needed, not only to this Postmaster but to the PMG and all the way down the line. If this is what we are trying to do, we are all doomed, but I honestly think that is the PMG’s plan all along.

  5. eliminate 2 jobs ? thats the problem with these pm’s…..they don’t care if they throw people out on the streets….as long as i can get my bonus…wake up moron…the 2 clerks you have working in your office is the reason YOU have any good scores in your office….these jack-asses never cease to amaze me…trust me mr pm..if u never showed up for work…you wouldn’t be missed

  6. I agree, this PM is trying to save his butt. Just fessing up before someone realizes his job is already on the block. The clerks can do this job, a PM or two from the area should do the admin work, just collect the data. If any of you have read the other postal stories, did you see where the OIG found LOTS of waste in not reporting funds, etc. check out the story. Looks like the USPS could be in the black if it were really known how much is actually going as “Not accounted for.” Like the office max accounts, etc. wow, what a system. so much waste!

  7. The Postmaster made some absurd statements. First
    off clerks make fifty three thousand dollars a year.
    That adds up to one hundred and six thousand. So
    already he has no credibility. Secondly they do
    not NEED A POSTMASTER. These Postamasters from
    small offices think they are CEO’s of major corporations. Get rid of them or make them run
    several offices. Who needs a Postmaster in every office anyway.

  8. At the very end of this letter the words common sense were used. That is the main problem with the Post Office,they do not use common sense in any decision that is made. Penny wise and dollar foolish!!

  9. Quit saying he is uneducated.He is the supervisor of two clerks….must be a hugh operation with a lot of headaches.One clerk or mailhandler at a bmc or p&dc
    moves more mail in one day than this guy sees all year.What a fucking idiot!

  10. The ideas from the person who wrote the first post seems not to care so much about other people’s jobs and is really self-centered, all about themself. When people are on top of things, don’t have to worry about themselves losing their job, then it is one thing. While people are losing their jobs all around us, this dumba@@ should shut his or her trap, better yet, give up your job!!!!!!!!!! and by the way f/u.

  11. Somehow I doubt he gave his / her name, he makes some good, valid points :
    EXFC = JOKE
    Mystery Shopper/ (old and new)= JOKE & WASTE OF $
    Bonuses and raises…If any mgt. should receive it, it would be EAS, NOT PCES…SHAME,SHAME,SHAME on DC
    Oh and the mail on my back now is still pretty freakin heavy…

  12. There were some good points from that Postmaster. Yet, everyone is saying mail volume is down. Not in all areas. In SW Missouri it’s not down. Yes, perhaps to a degree, but we still have plenty of mail to run. Many days they are calling for overtime because the volume is up. So don’t lump everyone into this catagory of low mail volume. In fact, our city carriers are not getting back to the office until after dark. Where’s the safety in that? We could use some help in this part of the country.

  13. I wonder if this “concerned”, “dedicated” PM gave the PMG gave his/her name? Probably not even a PM. If they are, I have another idea to add to the PM’s suggestions. Totally eliminate the PostMaster position. What a waste!

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