Hello, I'm doing research for a book I'm writing about the postal service. I am looking for stories of interesting and/or unusual postal workers. People who are unique either professionally or privately....tell me about yourself or people you know. Thanks!

Dear Suzie Q, I work with a couple of interesting guys. One is named Cliff. He lives with his Mother and hangs around in this bar that I go to once in awhile. The bar is owned by this ex-baseball player. He's quite a character. This other guy, we call Newman, he doesn't work when it rains and he eats quite a bit. Theres a lot more to say about them if you need any more info. Hope this helps.

I thought I would share this story to all the unnoticed postal workers out there. One of my co-workers, Harry Billings, was out on his route and found a small child wandering out in the rain. The story's link: http://www.wtvr.com/Global/story.asp?S=2871258&nav=KACdVj4o
I submit this to all the APWU Websites on the postalworkersonline.com link to also share this story. Our local TV station in Richmond, Virginia (WTVR Ch. 6) went into great length about the toddler on the evening news, but gave zero credit to the postal worker who found the poor kid. The website gives him credit and so do I.

Lamont Morris Richmond VA Local APWU http://www.lamont1964@hotmail.com

Harry Billings, my co-worker in Richmond, VA (read below)

Repeat after me:

"Here I sit on the Throne, giving birth to a [ insert your favorite management name here ] Clone.
Repeat daily, while on the clock, proving that we Postal Clerks REALLY DO GIVE A SH**!

I'm sick of the Post Office! They keep sending their employees to me to get paperwork filled out. If they don't like the way it's worded, they send the employees back again. They're wasting my valuable time when I'm trying to take care of patients.
They have hired new anal-retentive supervisors at the local post office. They're asking some of their employees for doctor's notes every time they miss work. Don't they know that if you have a bad cold, it might be a good idea to rest it and get better, but you don't need to go to a doctor?
So here's what happens. I have a full schedule of appointments, 15 minutes apart. Even when things run smoothly I tend to fall a little behind. Then I get a mother rushing in here with a small child running a fever of 102. And I get an elderly gentleman coming in by cab with a severe muscle spasm; he can barely turn his neck. I put aside my scheduled appointments to take care of these emergencies.
Now I'm running 45 minutes behind. And in walks Joe Clerk with a cold, and he needs a note for work! He says if he doesn't get the note they're going to mark him AWOL and suspend him. I put my other patients aside again, and examine Joe quickly. Yes, he's sneezing, he's all congested, and it would be a good idea for him to stay home and rest. But he didn't need to see me; he could have bought over the counter cold remedies at any drug store. He's wasting my time, and making the people I really need to see wait even longer. I'm losing patience, and if this keeps up, I'll be losing patients who don't like waiting over an hour when they have an appointment.
So last week when Molly Mailsorter called and said she needed a note for work, I said I don't have time to see her. So she went to the hospital emergency room. And she waited and waited and waited. They took everyone with a real emergency ahead of her. She was there for four hours before she obtained her note to keep her from being AWOL. All this time, she was sitting among a bunch of sick people, when she should have been home resting. It's insane.
I don't know what's wrong with the people who run the Post Office. Don't they know my job is to heal the sick? My job isn't filling out paperwork constantly to satisfy some postal bureaucrat.
I would like to know the name of whatever postal manager keeps sending all these employees back to me for more paperwork. I would refer that manager for a mandatory psychiatric Fitness-for-Duty exam with my colleague, Doctor Headshrinkt. Once we cure whatever mental illness that manager has, I'll be able to go back to healing the sick without the constant parade of postal workers with ridiculous requests for documentation

DR. ED QUACK III

/m105
 Suzie Q: I've got one for you. One of my co-workers who was arguably the slowest performing distribution clerk in our station had been fired twice for "zero tolerance." The first time he hired back because the postmaster who filed the charges was transferred to another station. (Apparently, witnesses are irrelevant.) The second time, this guy hired an outside lawyer who filed discrimination charges against the USPS and won. The guy received full back pay both times he was reinstated. Today, he is our 204b.
Add that to your collection, Suzie Q

I would love to have a steward like Charlie Withers in Royal Oaks, Michigan. Management has thrown their very best at him and he hangs tough and fights for his workers.
It is amazing how management will attempt to justify the current conditions. History is usually one of the best teachers. It sure appears that Mr. Withers is doing the job that those people, who elected him, expect him to do. If 200 other employees signed the petition, he is hardly a self-serving man, and it is his right to solicit assistance from his elected officials. Are there offices that have reverted back to the conditions that existed in 1991? Absolutely there are. Are all offices as bad as Royal Oaks, in 1991? Of course not. Some people don't learn their lessons well. Obviously, people were not doing their jobs in 1991, and people are not doing their jobs now. Mr. Withers is trying to do his, like it or not.

Edited by author 02-06-2005 07:45 AM
Thank you, Arbitrator Das! The postal attendance terrorists have been causing too much grief for too long. However, this award does not change anything contained in Article 10 or originally contained in ELM 510. What it does do is keep management from using FMLA to get a leg up on the craft. However, newer laws have placed restrictions on who and how much medical information management may obtain. Each district and area now have a position that is permitted to obtain protected medical information. Local management may not and are now subject to prosecution. The award only maintains the status quo.
It also should alleviate some of time taken away from poster /m110. I know you are not a real doctor, Dr. Quack III; but I'm sure there are real doctors out there that feel the same way that you do.

Adam Kitay Tampa Area Local #259 http://www.ajkitay@aol.com

On another level, the Das Award could be another valuable tool. Upper management may think about suggesting a reduction in their contribution towards the FEHBP (Federal Employees Health Benefits Program) when they get to Article 21. we better throw a copy of the Das award at them. I cannot believe that the OPM (Office of Personnel Management) has allowed USPS management to drive up the FEHBP health care costs over the years. The USPS policy on second and third medical opinions and medical documentation for absences of three days or less has hurt the entire FEHBP.
Management complains about the raising health insurance premiums (their contribution) but they have brought these escalating costs upon themselves and should be prepared to pay for that. These unnecessary office visits they have required were down right foolish and nothing more than a form of harassment to our members.
This is where the FEHBP problem occurs. These unnecessary office visits caused by USPS management were artificially increasing our incident rates. This unjustified increase in our utilization of benefits when projected out raises our "group factor". We better use this award for more than just stopping the unnecessary office visits and be prepared to defend our Health Benefits (Employer‘s contribution) under Article 21.

Sisters and Brothers,
WE ARE THE UNION, A GREAT BIG UNION! Because we are, it takes employees to run our organization. Pick up the phone, call your representatives, all their phone numbers are listed on http://www.apwu.org . These are the folks you just elected to represent you, do not doubt for a moment that how the employees of APWU are treated does not affect you. The negotiations with OPEIU affects you more than you know, who do you think keeps track of your grievances, who do you think answers the phone, who do you think makes sure your representatives know where they are supposed to be tommorow! We ask....no, DEMAND: dignity and respect! Tell your representatives to show our employees the same. No one says to give away the farm, but dog gone it, give them real negotiations.

Joe Frega Central New York Area Local http://www.joefrega@att.net

Edited by author 02-07-2005 12:42 PM
A little known story about how a former postal clerk, Jack Potter, transitioned into the job as Postmaster General.
William Henderson, who was stepping down met with Potter privately and presented him with three numbered envelopes. "Open these if you run up against a problem you don't think you can solve," he said.
Well, things went along pretty smoothly, but six months later, the grievances became overbearing and he was really catching a lot of heat. About at his wit's end, he remembered the envelopes. He went to his drawer and took out the first envelope. The message read, "Blame your predecessor."
So Jack Potter calls a press conference and tactfully laid the blame at the feet of former PMG Henderson. Satisfied with his comments, the press and the APWU -- responded positively, things began to pick up and the problem was soon behind him.
About a year later, the Postal Service was again experiencing a slight dip in popularity, combined with "'Brown' vs. 'Blue' issues. Having learned from his previous experience, Potter quickly opened the second envelope. The message read, "Transformation Plan." This he proposed, and the Postal Service was rolling along again.
After several consecutive profitable quarters, the USPS once again fell on difficult times. Potter goes to his office, closed the door and opened the third envelope.
The message said, "Prepare three envelopes....."

Edited by author 02-09-2005 11:44 AM
To Steve who posted message /m118:
Your point is well taken (however you really need to clean up your language....ouch!) State and National APWU officers are retired postal workers. If you are an active postal worker, you would have to resign or retire from your job in order to work for State or National Apwu. USPS does not offer leaves of absence so you can perform your job at State or National APWU. We are stuck having retired officers at State and National levels. These officers may not listen to the active duty USPS APWU employees. But we can make them listen. We can vote them in or out of office. It was unfortunate that the membership did not vote in large numbers for qualified candidates. We also have a dearth of good leaders. Some who do lead and give up personal time for the Union, they ought to be applauded.

Rodney Navratil http://www.rod_navra@comcast.net
Inland Empire Area Local, WA

Rodney,
You really should check your facts before you post. In the state of Colorado, ALL CPWU officers are current postal employees. The statement that you must be retired to be a state or national officer is just plain wrong.
Yes, many of the National Officers are not retired. Please read Article 24 sec. 1 of the National Agreement (pg. 130). It will tell you that persons on LWOP because they are a full part-time service, continue to build benefits and step increases. I may be in the minority on this website, but I think that the National APWU and its Officers have done a good job for us. That does not mean that you or anyone else should be stifled for expressing your opinion.

Greg Kirby Denver Metro Local http://www.harley1958@hotmail.com