Donahoe: All Field Non-Bargaining Postings Frozen
US Postal Service Chief operating Officer Pat Donahoe sent the following letter to the Area Vice Presidents on Monday:
SUBJECT: Field Non-Bargaining Job Postings
The July financial results were as follows: Volume was 5.4 percent under plan, revenue was 3.5 percent under plan, and expenses were 2.8 percent under plan, resulting in a net loss of $216 million. Year-to-date, volume is 3.5 percent under plan, revenue is 3.5 percent under plan, and expenses are 1.4 percent under plan, resulting in a net year-to-date loss of $1.4 billion.
The net income loss and decreasing workload require a thorough review of all administrative positions. Headquarters is working with Area representatives to determine the appropriate field administrative staffing. As a result, effective immediately, all field non-bargaining position postings are frozen. Any exceptions must be approved by the Area Vice President.
August 21st, 2008 08:00
Now that you[ve squeezed every ounce of blood out of the craft employees, wasted tons of money on new buildings and flat sorting machines when volume is declining. the only thing left is to cut the fat out of the non workers.
Lets get this party started in here.
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 21st, 2008 08:31
By freezing positions I hope they look at L’enfant plaza along with all the HQ field positions like the FSO’s and PMSC’s where the levels are ridiiculously high and the workloads are decreasing dramatically. There is a major decrease in spending and new buildings are scarce so lets get the hatchet out and get to work and start at the top before you disrupt the Districts and Plants.
August 21st, 2008 09:10
No segment of the USPS craft or management has a monopoly on non-workers. I worked in both & there as many non-workers in each group. There are also many hard workers in craft and management. Unfortunately the organization loses because of the non workers who suck the blood our every day they come to work
August 21st, 2008 10:10
They can start in HQ’s and the field, by having people work 8 hours. It wouldn’t kill salaried employees making high salaries to put in extra hours–ie: Saturdays once in a while. There’s too many taking long lunches, leaving early, and cruising the internet all day to start with. By becoming more efficient, they can reduce positions.
That’s not to say there’s not goofoffs in the craft, but for the most part they are micro-managed to death, and can’t get away with the goofoff time of EAS employees.
August 21st, 2008 12:05
Too much corruption and waste in the Postal Service. Eventually it will be privatized. And most of all, there are too many narrow minded and not too smart leadership running the ship. Hard to say this, because it is my company that is going down the drain and can’t do anything about it.
August 21st, 2008 14:50
Get rid of the Inspection Service! What a waste of money. We don’t even call them anymore we just call the city police.
August 21st, 2008 15:04
They need to eliminate all the employees who have retired and are now working back at the USPS as a contractor. Most prevelant at the Hdqtrss and field level
August 21st, 2008 16:11
The first scanners were used because we promised Amazon.com that the usps would track parcels from shipment to delivery. But the software was subpar so the usps lost that huge contract. Instead of fixing the problems management decided to purchase new scanners that tracked carriers on the route instead of including instant information about a parcels status. Of course it must be the carriers fault, according to management. So carriers now must waste time scanning inanimate objects to pacify supervisors. What a brilliant use of technology. Bottom line- Carriers and clerks do not need to be watched. We know our responsibilities and our duty to cutomers. Management has run the usps into the ground from their constant focus on discipline.
August 21st, 2008 17:13
Let’s see who the PM will appoint for the “vice-president”, in charge of the freeze initiative- Level 25?
August 21st, 2008 18:15
Can an econmist please explain the situation we’re in?
Thank you.
August 21st, 2008 20:41
For all those who think all EAS employees are losers…..just want to let you know that I am non-exempt (district AMS office) but work off the clock all I can get away with just trying to barely keep my head above water with the work. I don’t take breaks - just go to the bathroom once my eyes start swimming. When the phone rings, I try to always answer it by the 2nd ring and try to answer email requests within 30 mins. of receiving them. Each and every day I give my absolute best to the Postal Service. Am I appreciated by my management? NO! (But I am thankful for the appreciation expressed by the clerks, carriers, and Postmasters I deal with daily.) Is my office mismanaged? YES! Do I think the VOE is a joke? YES! I also think the PFP is a joke because in my office it’s based on the group effort, not the individual’s. If I’m offered a VERA……I’LL BE SOOOOOO OUT OF HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 21st, 2008 21:05
The place has been top-heavy for years. Get rid of half the managers and let craft do our work. They hire managers and then don’t let them manage. Have to do what the “higher” ups order. The higher ups are so far removed from the actual work, they don’t have a clue what is going on. Sad to see some of the stupid costly mistakes that management has made. I have enjoyed my job for 24 years..but its a sinking ship. And going down much faster lately.
August 22nd, 2008 02:43
This calls for a new vice-president!
August 22nd, 2008 09:38
Now is the time to take a serious look at 5 day delivery. Many of us in the field have talked directly with our business and residential customers and everyone understands the fuel crisis is impacting everyone, including the USPS. Mr. Potter and other senior officials need a reality check. Just because we are the only delivery system to provide service 6 days a week, has little effect on our competition with UPS, FEDEX, etc. The time has come for a paradym shift. With volumes down and fuel prices up, now is the time to go to 5 day delivery. If need be, a few CAG E offices in any given area could be open on Sautrday mornings but we don’t need every post office open 6 days. Think about the fuel $$ savings alone. Sure, Mondays would be tough but not impossible. This is a no brainer. Period.
August 22nd, 2008 16:09
Save a few million just by killing the idiotic mystery shopper program and the idiots who ruined it.
Get a clue Potter, or should you give yourself another bonus instead?
August 22nd, 2008 16:51
What only one vice president, lets promote everyone to a new position, lets create some new jobs and give them all new cars, and a company credit card. Lets just party.
August 22nd, 2008 17:41
I realize it’s easy to beat up on EAS, especially Supervisors, but if you think craft employees in large installations are working for the good of the USPS you’re quite naive. It’s unfortunate to witness the many who are out to make a (dishonest) buck and give no care to the future of the (our) organization. Sadly the Unions also quite often appear to be shortsighted and seem to think of the Postal Service as a cash cow.
August 22nd, 2008 17:47
Get rid of the 204B’s and supervisors since we are implementing all these changes. They are no-longer necessary. Just because the volume has dropped doesn’t mean we don’t have to deliver to every residence and business. The time to do it does not change.
August 22nd, 2008 18:56
“Headquarters is working with Area representatives to determine the appropriate field administrative staffing”
WHAT? Are they admitting that in the past that they had inappopriate staffing? Anyone could have told them that.
August 23rd, 2008 08:39
Buyout (money incentive) my retirement with no age penalty and I may consider it.All the positions that never touched a letter must go including those that sometime we wonders what is really his or her job.
August 25th, 2008 10:07
To the Hard working EAS(Y) non-bargaining employees, since you can’t see it I will tell you. It’s the world’s smallest violin playing my heart bleeds for you LOL! You and the folks in your position are just reaping what you have sown or helped to sow. Years of doing unto others is going to bite you in the A@# when the swinging door hits. I know I should not be happy about it, but when so many arrogant and ignorant ne’er-do-well’s finally get what they deserve it’s hard not too! Justice sweet Justice! I will give an example. Here at the office I work in there were recently saying that the PO might not make pay roll but the D@#* Plant Manager bought brand new furniture for the swing room. No money my A@#! It’s that kind crap that has put the Labor force in jeopardy! Maybe now you short sided, noxious human beings will see how inconsequential you are to the service, and stop helping the corporate executives cut our jobs and yours. Don’t you realize a private employer is not going to hire a backstabber that help to destroy a company? Welcome back! HEHEHEHEHEHEHE THUMP!
August 25th, 2008 17:56
Hmmn,
Seems the only managerial thing to do is form a committee, and maybe get a survey going about how to best brainstorm up some focus groups. Yes, some teams consisting of several managers to go from office to office and loiter, picking apart every opportunity the workers have to catch their breath. We’ll call them Function ZERO teams.
Yes let’s schedule these meetings weekly, whether needed or not to look at charts about how low the workers morale is and how if we just crack down a little more, they’ll want to do more. Send in several of my secretarys immediately, and a dozen or two people who had details (tasks) that became jobs.
No Entity Can Exist When The Head Is As Large As The Body!
September 3rd, 2008 11:33
I am a retired postmaster. When I was still working, I was astonished by the waste at the district level. We were often called to Dallas District office for a meeting which lasted less than 2 hours (some as short as 45 minutes). Several PMs had to drive 3 to 4 hours each way to get to the meetings. Those PMs got mileage and sometimes received per diem. We all had computers and could have easily done a conference on the computer at a VERY low cost. As stated in another post, the USPS is top heavy. There are far too many positions created for “pals” at the district and national levels. The USPS will spend $100,000 to figure out how to save $50,000. That’s a heck of a way to run a “business”. I retired at 55, but had intended on going to 60. Pressure to cut costs (no matter how) caused my earlier than planned retirement. Good luck to all current employees. I know what you are going through. I have 3 current postal employees in immediate family. One city carrier and two rural carriers.