(Image - Snow covered front lawn shortcut)
The Buffalo News has an article today about a postal worked being reprimanded for not taking shortcuts across snow covered lawns. I never realized there was a policy to take the most direct route between houses. I always recall my grandparents complaining about the postal carriers walking on their lawn.
From the news article:
A postal carrier in Depew has been threatened with suspension because he failed to walk across snow-covered lawns while delivering mail one day last month, his union said. The carrier, whom the union did not name, was issued a “warning letter” Tuesday, telling him he could be suspended from duty if he continues using sidewalks rather than walking across lawns. Many local carriers have had disputes this winter with supervisors who insist they walk across lawns, even on days when snowdrifts are deep, according to officials of the National Association of Letter Carriers.
I have noticed lately that my mail carrier has been arriving a lot later (4-5pm) than before (11am-12pm). I was guessing double shifting due to a vacation or something similar but it has been going on for a while. I wonder if general cutbacks, etc are going on increasing overall delivery loads for each carrier?
McLennan said postal carriers walk across lawns to save time when weather permits, but he said “it makes no sense” in heavy snowfall. “Our carriers are not against the idea of crossing the lawns in good weather,” McLennan said. The Postal Service, which lost $2.8 billion last year, has been searching for ways to increase efficiency.
4 comments:
This is what I've heard about the postal service, specifically in Lockport, from a Lockport carrier... Awhile back (late last year), they decided to shake things up and redistribute all the routes by seniority. I believe there were some cutbacks and people were let go (I'm not positive about this though, my memory is failing me). There were even some routes that were not covered by a specific person, but handed out on a daily basis to a different carrier. Our previous carrier was friendly and came between 12-2pm. Our current carrier sometimes does not come until 4 or later, and one day she didn't even come at all, citing that there wasn't a clear walk path (we live in an apt. complex), which is totally untrue because I had my 2 year old out for a walk that same day and we had no issues. I was not happy about that because it was Christmas time and we were expecting some important packages. I think she was just being lazy.
Thank you for the comment and information.
I miss the person we used to have. It's nice to have continuity. It seems as if any postal carrier would do any day of the week but one notices a lot of small perks to having the same one. And one really notices it when they are gone.
I had a carrier recently walk up the first flight of stairs, across the flat section of concrete, and they decide that the sidwalk was not shoveled. Again, the walked up the first section, which is in the middle of my sloped front yard, with no protection or railing on either side. When they got to the stairs that are adjecent to 1 wall, with a railing on the other side, they decided that it was too snowy. Bull.
Also, when I was a paper carrier (imagine that, kids delivering papers at all hours of the day, it's a wonder that they were not all molested and/or killed) I always felt it was rude to walk over someone's yard. Not to mention, if you did it in the winter, that was a great way to get caught on electrical cords (which I believe happened last christmas to either a postal carrier or a meter reader).
I appreciate trying to make things more efficient but ordering employees to trespass on someone's property is flat out wrong. This is not new. It has been going on for years.
Did you know that most Post Offices have an enclosed balcony with one way glass and a locked outside entrance in order to spy on the employees working on the floor? Postal Inspectors can enter and exit at will without the knowledge of the employees to observe them at work.
I certainly want supervisors to be on top of things and address any violations of policy or good work habits, but these tactics go far beyond a good working relationship among-st employees with their bosses in my opinion.
I am not now nor have I ever been a Postal worker but I always took great pride in doing a good job and being trusted by my bosses. Being trusted by my employer is to me the best motivator for being a good employee. If I screw up, then by all means deal with me as necessary.
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