41 Comments on Postmaster General Urges Leaders of Employees Organizations To Work With USPS

shop stew on Mon, 22nd Sep 2008 4:14 pm


are they kidding me??First get rid of 50% of his management that do nothing but stick it to us constantly.Then stop privatizing all the revenue to outside contractors(scabs) and let the craft employees wiling to do the work do it!! Also gety rid of managements PFP obviously their performance STINKS!

Barracuda on Mon, 22nd Sep 2008 4:46 pm


Too little, too late!
He should have been asking for co-operation years ago! Instead of shafting the craft employees–he should have been asking us what we could all do to work together and bring in more revenue and vastly improve costumer service.

First, get the mail to the stations EARLY and get the carriers out to the street EARLY!!
The customers love getting their mail EARLY!!
Get rid of PFP BONUS money–it’s undeserved and unearned!!
These are simple solutions, but Postal Management can’t seem to think up anything simple. They are brain dead from staring at computer screens!!
This is a sinking ship!!

carolinacutie on Mon, 22nd Sep 2008 6:07 pm


another bailout. for the usps? Bush will not allow it. DC congress, etc strongly desire privatization of USPS. look for it before bush leaves office, esp if obama wins. APWU will be gone first; then rural carriers next; then remaining craft employees. butt kissers will be retained as supervisors and management to oversee contracts to firms who hire non career workers at low wages and little or no benefits

LC WILLIAMS on Mon, 22nd Sep 2008 6:48 pm


4 days 10 hours, a 5 day work week and plus give an incentive for the VERA!!! Lets go big if it doesn’t work adjustments can always be made.

Norma Rae on Mon, 22nd Sep 2008 7:01 pm


The USPS would not have to worry so much about the state of the finances if they would hold their Supervisors and Managers accountable. Accountable is the key word. They are the cause of millions of dollars being paid out in grievance settlements because upperlevel managers (MDO’s, Plant Managers, and Labor Relations both at the District and Area Levels) make rash decisions regarding discipline and staffing changes that result in the Union members being paid and after the grievance is settled, Management turns around and does the same thing over again, resulting in more money, more money, more money being paid to our members. I say keep it up USPS. You are batting 1000! But lets keep it real… If this were happening in the private sector, all those Supervisors and Managers that are liabilities to the company, WOULD BE FIRED!!!! So if the USPS wants to stop PORK BARREL SPENDING… Start at the top, hold these SOB’s accountable. Don’t let the craft employees suffer for the USPS inability to account for its actions.

Capt. of Titanic on Mon, 22nd Sep 2008 7:08 pm


A$$hole Potter should fire himself. Did he discuss with the unions how during a fiscal crisis, he is hiring a new Vice President of some BULLSH^t every other f%^king day?

Norma Rae on Mon, 22nd Sep 2008 7:14 pm


Aye Aye Cap’n! Every freaking day on the blue page someone is getting some made up title-promotion that you know isn’t just in name, there is some cash to follow with that. USPS is good for making up jobs for management but when it comes to the worker bees, our Union members, those injured on duty and ill due to no fault of their own, they can’t find any work. I say Potter needs to resign like anyone in the private sector would do when their company is in financial peril, but in his case, his parachute should be made of lead, and let it drop him down to the gates of hell, because that is where he has lead the USPS, and he can take his SDO and MDO Imps with him.

Hello,Newman! on Tue, 23rd Sep 2008 4:11 am


As a result of the February mailcount, the Rural Carrier craft has given back MILLIONS of dollars to the Postal Service. We have sacrificed enough. It is not our fault that volume is dropping. The USPS raised prices and wonder where the volume went? Are you kidding me??? If you want to increase volume, LOWER prices!! Then watch the mailboxes fill up and the coffers overflow. ECONOMICS 101.

Anonymous on Tue, 23rd Sep 2008 4:20 am


They can start by trimming some of the fat off of the top. Remember all of those bonuses etc. Get rid of some of the top brass to make a real effort to save our Postal Service. Try showing a example dont just ask the workers unions to cooperate take the initiative!!!!

Anonymous on Tue, 23rd Sep 2008 5:23 am


Just like the pathetic EO offer. No incentives what-so-ever! If the PO pettitioned OPM to get rid of the 2% a year to leave early, Potter would see a stampede of employees running out the door. In these economic times, this EO offer will only get a few bites…

Georgia Peach on Tue, 23rd Sep 2008 6:16 am


You have GOT to be kidding!!! Craft employees NEVER get pay for performance bonuses even though most employees earn them. Instead, mgmt gets money that they’re not worth. And you want us to “WORK WITH YOU”! Outstanding. We are sacrificed at every turn- management who have personal agendas, some clown wanting a promotion into a job they wouldn’t be qualified in the real world ever, always decide that their objective can be realized if craft jobs are eliminated then just force the remainder to do the same work. When the plan doesn’t work AGAIN, they seem confused. Accountability would stop all this. If you cannot perform, YOU’RE OUTTA HERE!!! If you violate the contract, YOU’RE OUTTA HERE!. You get paid – so perform or leave!

Gator217 on Tue, 23rd Sep 2008 6:38 am


Work together….Maybe if management would ask for and consider input from the crafts on how to improve the system instead of having inept management make blanket decisions, we would be in a better position today. In our plant we have seen some of the dumbest moves made in the last 6 months. We are waiting for them to bring back the horses. Meanwhile, we have had mail on the floor that is up to 2 1/2 weeks old. Craft employees have more pride in the USPS and concern for the the customers we serve than management ever had.

Anonymous on Tue, 23rd Sep 2008 8:09 am


PFP is not bonuses. It is the only pay raise that supervisors and management receives. They do not get a cost of living adjustment or a negotiated automatic raise periodically. We need to go back to our union bosses and ask them to give the real picture. Why was the union(s) not trying to eliminate contracting out jobs ten to twenty years ago when it would have been easy to stop? They wait until it is an accomplished feat to start really trying to do something about it. After all these years of negotiating and input into postal service policies and procedures, would not a rational mind believe that the union has had ample opportunities to improve our situation? Instead they elect to file small time grievances over who is due OT pay that satisfies the average worker so that we will continue to pay union dues, but neglects to address the issues that have really put this organization in peril. Too little, too late. And, the firing of people for not doing their job is a two way street. Look at all the people who have lost their jobs only to be rehired by an arbitrator when in the private sector, there is no way they would have been allowed to return. We are all in this mess together and we’d better figure out someway to save it before the ship goes down. Since wages and benefits drive 80% of the USPS cost, we need to take a serious look at whether or not we want a job. How many of us can find a job in the private sector at the present wages we earn not even to mention the benefits? I don’t think there are very many of us that could or else if we hate our jobs so much, we would be out finding those jobs. If blame must be placed, it resides with all of us. The best thing is to stop blaming and start trying to determine how to make things better.

anonymous on Tue, 23rd Sep 2008 11:16 am


13. Anonymous Says: That is the most well thought out and accurate post I have seen on this site in a week.

bull on Tue, 23rd Sep 2008 2:43 pm


Another complainer about wages being a big part of USPS costs.Well guess what.USPS is a service oriented organization.What the hell do you think should make up the brunt of its expenses?How about putting the blame where it really belongs for a change.Big,fat undeserved discounts for junk mailers that should in fact be paying a sur- charge for the crap that they dump on the Postal Service,are in fact the biggest drain on revenue.Let these hogs pay their fair share for a change and watch the revenue problems disappear.As is happening all over the private sector USPS is being looted by profiteering oportunists with politicians in their hip pockets.USPS has become little more than a bootlicking front man for all the slimy little schemes that these con men can devise.It would a be interesting to see the whole thing collapse just to see what they would do next.Instead of trying to cajole walk in customers at the window into buying services they don’t need,collect the revenue that we are already due from the underpaying fakars.

mike on Tue, 23rd Sep 2008 5:45 pm


Wow! I sense a lot of worry and also a lot of anger. I have 20 years in and have been in almost every craft. I don’t believe calling our customers names or our coworkers names it going to solve this problem. What I do think is that the people concerned enough to write on this website might want to begin a real dialogue with each other that is less emotional and is filled with ideas. There are some good ideas here but they are filled with hate and disgust. If I felt this way I would get another job. If we are lucky enough that someone of real power were to read some of this then we should be careful about our language and our blame. As soon as someone with real power reads some of these hate filled emails then whatever good ideas are contained in them will not be valued by the reader. I belive we should talk about solutions. We are all in this together and the P.O. is going through, I belive its biggest crisis in at least the 20 years I have been here. I will be back with my ideas in about a week. Thanks Mike

Postal Guy on Tue, 23rd Sep 2008 6:03 pm


I have been with the postal 4 years, after spending 22 years in the US Air Force. This has to be the most unprofessional, incompetent organization I’ve ever been associated with. Why is it so hard to treat people with dignity and respect? It all starts with Potter and the policies being pushed from the Vice Presidents to District Managers who don’t give a shit outside of their bonuses. And those sorry ass Area/Managers who don’t have the balls to question or offer solutions. It’s just do it because I say so..what communication skills. The District here in S.A. is micro-managing to the point that our Area Manager/Manager are taking kickoffs to the street. Hell, the station manager has to submit the weekly schedule to the Area for approval. Disfunctional is an understatement. The culture of this corrupt good ol boy system needs to STOP…starting with Potter and those money grubbing Board of Governors…while we are cleaning house throw in Bush/Cheney for good measure…just a few thoughts.

Anonymous on Tue, 23rd Sep 2008 7:30 pm


We could get rid of our revenue shortage by getting rid of our leader’s bonuses (that would be PFP for short). According to the POOMS, there are no bonuses…but what do you call PFP???? It’s just a bonus for cutting the people that really do the work in the field and they take the credit!! Talk about bullcrap! We’re the ones doing the work and they’re raking in the cash!! Figure all the PFP bonus’, cut them and the Postal Service would have a ncie profit!!!!

Anonymous on Tue, 23rd Sep 2008 8:51 pm


It is no wonder people go “postal” inthe USPS. Management is the most incompetent people they could find. They are literally the most stupid people. The saying is you screw up you move up. trust me I work with the most stupid ones.

Anonymous on Tue, 23rd Sep 2008 10:29 pm


Solution, offer an incentive for employees to take the VER. Eliminate all craft higher level assignemnts and have the Supervisors supervise their areas of responsibility with the people they have available. Eliminate 204b supervisor positions. Since there is little mail volume, eliminate all OT and Holidays. Make the employees both Craft and Management do their jobs. Hold everyone accountable. Eliminate second last chances when an employee gets fired.
Cut all Headquarters, Area and District management jobs by 50 to 75% and eliminate the employee, just don’t reassign them. ELiminate the No Layoff clause in the contracts. This would be a good way to begin to save the Postal Service.

MoreBloatedManagament on Wed, 24th Sep 2008 1:05 am


The Post Office will not change as long as there are no qualifications for going into “management”.

psen496880 on Wed, 24th Sep 2008 4:57 am


Postal Managemers can not perform their required task due to their requirement to be truancy officers for those who fail to come to work, and social case workers for those employees who fail to realize the difference between working at a job and the need to socialize at work. It is the day to day failure of all employees (managers, supervisors, and workers alike) that fail to concentrate on the simply task of delivering the mail, in lieu of what others have or have not. It is easy to bash a supervisor or manager from an employee perspective but the overall end is still a bashing of the company we all work for. The need for unity in all facets of the USPS is greater now than ever. Regardless of the job within the USPS we hold, it appears some have lost their pride, and respect for a customer service that we have provided since the days when Ben Franklin was our very first Postmaster General. I cringe to think what the founders of the USPS would be thinking right now if they could see what they have created has now become. Our focus always is and should always be the ones who are paying our salary. THE CUSTOMER!

The Naked Truth on Wed, 24th Sep 2008 4:51 pm


Go away. Potter is to much. Loose the 1 Supervisor to every 5 employee ratio. Drop your executive staff by 80%. Treat your employees with respect, honor your contracts with EVERYONE. Stop the panic management, sky is falling BS., and then may be the Union’s will help bail you out.

Oh, wait a minute, if you did that there wouldn’t be a crisis would there. Mr. Potter.

Mr. Potter speaks with forked tongue……

Hey Management, guess what happens to your jobs when they finally sub-contract all of our work out? You guessed it, we’ll all be stocking shelves at Wal-Mart together.

Postal Workers Wake Up! Write your Congressmen, stop the subcontracting and employee abuses now.

MoreBloatedManagament on Thu, 25th Sep 2008 2:35 am


Hey psen, you say postal “managers” can’t “manage” properly because of lousy workers. Socializing instead of working. In my 27 years at the PO, guess what? EVERY Stupidassvisor that I have known in craft was exactly that. A lazy moron that just wanted to stand around bullsh&tting. That’s why they go into “management”. Give me a f&^king break.

John on Thu, 25th Sep 2008 9:27 am


Hey, I’m all for the Unions working with management to solve our problems. But let’s not use the “George Bush, my way or the highway” plan. If management is serious they will consider any ideas that will save money (i.e. case the DPS, use evaluated routes, stop the micro-managing, etc) not be pigheaded and expect the Unions to give in to all of their “cost cutting methods”.

cleansweep on Thu, 25th Sep 2008 5:20 pm


Potter sounds like Bush… scare tactics

I'm outta here on Fri, 26th Sep 2008 3:37 am


Just let me out. . .now

Why does it take six months to process the VER’s?

Let’s go. . .I’m sure some displaced carrier in Galveston would love to take my postition. . .let’s make it happen. . tomorrow!

notagoalgetter on Fri, 26th Sep 2008 5:07 am


Lack of mail ? We have so much mail we don’t have anywhere to put it. It is backing up out the door and the retard supervisors don’t know what to do. They are blaming it on each other and the other crafts, ha,ha. I love it when they plan things out.

notagoalgetter on Fri, 26th Sep 2008 5:10 am


I notice all Potter’s promotions are women too, ha,ha. Ok and you can be VP of….my under the desk detail, and you can be VP of….

small office clerk on Sun, 28th Sep 2008 2:41 pm


When USPS can pay for a new OIC in an office that should be a finance station and waste money and then have to pay for grievances because they tell the new OIC to violate contract arbritration rulings by telling the former 22 year window clerk now wants to be management and a working OIC in violation of the DAS award, what can you expect of us? Management blantantly on purpose violates agreements and arbritration awards even when pointed out to them that management signed them.

Smirk W. Chimp on Sun, 28th Sep 2008 10:48 pm


This a%%hole is a f#$ling liar. Another report said except for a retirement payment required by congress the po broke even. You can’t believe anything these a$$holes say. Potter, shove all seventy-nine of your vice presidents up your a%%.

the end is near! on Tue, 30th Sep 2008 6:22 pm


the end is near folks! mismangement at all levels have finally given the final blow to the dying dinasaur. so fellow postal workers its time to start looking for a new career because the end is finally here! adios amigos!

postal on Wed, 1st Oct 2008 7:15 pm


Mgrs In-part Charge employees unscheduled leave as not regular in attendance and word it as such that they didnt follow procedure. Employee Labor Manual clearly states that the Unexpected Illness or Injury is an exception to the advance approval requirement for unexpected illness or injuries. There are procedures to clearly find out if abuse is taking place but Mgt redifines there part and circumvents the process to harass employees for 3-5 days in qtr missed, and then claim service suffers when the Staff issues caused by Mgt . Understaffed 4-6 routes which they dont fill to make the inflated numbers. The burden is on the carriers double; NO WONDER THEY GET SICK, UNDERSTAFFED AND OVERWORKED……MAKE THE NUMBERS JIVE OR ELSE. Help Mgt RIGHT.

wilbur517 on Mon, 17th Nov 2008 7:50 pm


Every time craft is asked to help the usps out the mgmt. ends up stabbing us in the back. BOHICA Bend Over Here It Comes Again. Thanks for your help now f#@* off. It’s too bad ’cause craft knows where it’s at. Never mind The B.S. get rid of the useless managers that serve no useful purpose. Like some clown from Ct. calling up to Maine because some times weren’t correct according to some useless program like dois. Or the same clown calling from Ct. because someone doing an assist in a blizzard missed an MSP scan. Help them do what f— us?

bamagirl54 on Sat, 22nd Nov 2008 8:52 pm


Management does NOT get any overtime. My husband is in management, works 6-7 days per week,12-14 hours per day, no breaks, and a 15 minute lunch break during which time he’s constantly being interrputed by the walkie-talkie. When he works on days 6 and 7, it acutally COSTS him to work because of using gas for his car. Not to mention time away from family.

PendletonCarrier on Tue, 25th Nov 2008 1:18 am


Times are a changin’ folks. Hopefully, the unions will recognize that we have given enough!

steve johnson on Wed, 3rd Dec 2008 6:04 pm


My Postmaster in Elizabeth City,NC lied that she had a bachelor and naster’s degree to get this position and no one from OPM, USPS or USPS OIG gives a dam. She paid $1500 for a piece of paper from Hamilton University gooogle that and laugh with me. She could screw some craft memeber a lie is what she knows, what a shame. Her butt needs to e terminated according to OPM rules that’s what’s suppose to happen, but they won’t do it.

EEEVEL on Mon, 12th Jan 2009 2:34 pm


Why is it that management needs an incentive bonus to do the job they were hired to do and get paid a bonus for soing worse than a dog on a chain! Take away all those incentive bonuses, fire at least 2 thirds of the top half, and lower the postage rates—simple logic MORONS, we don’t need your dumb lazy asses around our necks.

Donn Durham on Thu, 15th Jan 2009 4:53 pm


It’s just maddening how the PO won’t take any of the NALC’s offers and consider them (during the last contract negotiation) and now wants our help to a problem THEY friggin’ created. HEY RETARDS!!! figure out what the hell you wanna do already.

Anonymous on Fri, 16th Jan 2009 4:43 pm


Privatize the Postal Service & throw out all the union people…that’s the ONLY thing that will save the Post Office

WILBUR517 on Fri, 30th Jan 2009 6:44 am


i said it once i’ll say it again BOHICA. Bend Over Here It Comes Again. ” workers,Help us get back on our feet, please.Then when we have what we want, we will get back to FU*&ing you hard.
BOHICA