Letter
Carrier Sounds Off on Introduction of FSS
|
| A
letter carrier in Northern Virginia who goes by the screen name FSSbrat
has posted accounts in PostalMag.com's Letter
Carriers Forum of the Postal Service's implementation of FSS (Flats
Sequencing System) into their post office. The carrier describes problems
of compatibility with established work processes and new FSS work
processes that require a daily third bundle. Following are postings by
FSSbrat: |
| "Week
One of route changes due to FSS has been completed -- most carriers worked
10 every day!!! Surprise surprise surprise........Yes the goal is 1 hour
office, 7 on street. Two weeks ago power outage shut down FSS, we got all
flats in tubs like used to, doesn't fit in the case anymore, they have
downsized all equipment, some having 1 case, 2 addresses per slot." (message
21,937 Letter Carriers Forum) |
| "As
stated in my earlier posts, full coverage circulars are
"COLLATED" into the residual mail, creating a single bundle --
suspiciously, no supervisor has been able to show any of us how to do this
new work method -- they tell us to "deal with it"; I take that
to mean do whatever I want to make it work -- I combine all my bundles,
have DPS letters in left hand and everything else in left arm -- never
have tripped, I set the bundle on my left hip (women have hips ya know)
and can see perfectly where I'm going. Plus, my bag hangs too low (I
purchased one of those elasticized straps which really helps to take the
weight off my shoulder, but adjusted as short as it goes, it's still a bit
too long); we need TRAINING to do this work method with all these bundles.
Management is stupid." (message
21,929 Letter Carriers Forum) |
| "There
was plenty of "warning" that FSS was starting, they even let us
case it all for a few days (not sure what the point of that was) and then,
hurry up and take it all to the street -- even if you sit in your LLV and
organize it all, it is rough on one's back, that involves lots of twisting
and stretching and reaching more than usual; we have plenty of PTFs (not
sure of a #) being limited to 6 hour days, 2 days off each week; also have
2-3 TEs getting same amount of hours as PTFs. FSS started back in November
2007, so it's been 7 months or so and now the ##@#@# has hit the
fan........The scary part is that this "transition" period is
resulting in numerous contract violations and shop steward feels
powerless, because NBA sits with management and they all cite
"Article 12" allows us to do whatever we want -- on ALL issues,
not just flat sorting. Will post more on the results of new route
implementation which starts Monday." (message
21,877 Letter Carriers Forum) |
| "They
divided 8 routes among the remaining 32 routes -- 8 unassigned regs will
hold down vacation routes, etc. Not sure how long that will go on -- a few
have detailed to other positions in PO. Circulars are pulled in as you
pull down route, resulting in combined residual bundle (we carry in our
left arm, FSS in bag, DPS in hand) -- inspections were a one-day
drive-with several months after FSS deployed -- previous clockring data
also used; I'm sure everyone will be working lots of OT, that is what
happened every time they adjust routes. It's a lot of wishful thinking on
somebody's part!!!" (message
21,870 Letter Carriers Forum) |
| "I'm
a carrier in Northern Virginia, home of 1st FSS deployment -- in two
words, "IT SUCKS" -- management here is citing "Article
12" to get away with whatever they want; as if that is the only
article of the contract. FSS tears up the flats, and it's as if a brand
new PTF cased your route, good mail, bad mail, forward mail, utf mail,
other route mail - it sucks. Full coverage circulars are collated in when
you pull down -- get this: FSS only sorts bulk mail, still have to case
1st class and takes about 1 hour in office -- new routes are 7 hours on
street, 1 in office -- office is going from 40 routes to 32 routes
starting Monday -- where will 8 unassigned regulars go? what about PTFs?
Are layoffs coming? Can anybody actually live on straight-time pay? Not in
Northern Virginia...." (message
21,865 Letter Carriers |
2010 National Association of Letter Carriers - Branch 451,
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