Contracts & Conflicts Pg. 1

Delivering information when you need it most. Volume 2 - Summer 1999

PAGE 1
PAGE 2
Editorial Staff,
Plus Cartoons
PAGE 3
The Case Of The "Slow" Letter Carrier, ...continued
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The Case Of The "Slow" Letter Carrier, ...continued
PAGE 5
The Case Of The "Slow" Letter Carrier, ...continued
PAGE 6
The Case Of The "Slow" Letter Carrier, ...conclusion
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DMET
PAGE 8
Expansion of Street Time
PAGE 9
Scanner
Q & A
Archives
Print Edition

The Case Of The "Slow"
Letter Carrier

From the NALC Activist,
Winter, 1998, Sue Dawson, editor,
Vol. 13, No. 1 (pages 9, 10, 11)

Is there such a thing as the "ideal" letter carrier? Certainly postal managers wish such a being existed -- a perfect performer who always worked at the same pace -- which is to say, as fast as possible. However, NALC stewards know that letter carriers are individuals and have the right, as protected by the National Agreement, to work their routes at a speed that reflects their individual best effort.
For example, Postal Service management is constantly attempting to impose a standard for casing mail, telling letter carriers that they should be casing at a certain speed whatever the circumstances. However, NALC representatives know that managers are prohibited from disciplining carriers for failure to reach some arbitrary casing standard. Rather, the appropriate time for casing mail is set by each carrier working at the speed at which they are most efficient.
Another bone of contention between management and carriers is the speed at which a carrier delivers a route. In a recent regional-level arbitration (C-17434), the Postal Service attempted to argue that letter carriers should be disciplined for driving too slowly, presenting the argument that there was, in fact, a standard for the appropriate speed on mounted routes. In his ruling, the arbitrator upheld the principle that, just as with casing the mail, there is no standard for speed in delivering the mail. Carriers work at their own speed, to the best of their ability.

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Delivering information when you need it most.	Volume 2 - Summer 1999

PAGE 1 PAGE 2 Editorial Staff, Plus Cartoons PAGE 3 The Case Of The "Slow" Letter Carrier, ...continued PAGE 4 The Case Of The "Slow" Letter Carrier, ...continued PAGE 5 The Case Of The "Slow" Letter Carrier, ...continued PAGE 6 The Case Of The "Slow" Letter Carrier, ...conclusion PAGE 7 DMET PAGE 8 Expansion of Street Time PAGE 9 Scanner Q & A Archives Print Edition		The Case Of The "Slow" Letter Carrier From the NALC Activist, Winter, 1998, Sue Dawson, editor, Vol. 13, No. 1 (pages 9, 10, 11)
		Is there such a thing as the "ideal" letter carrier? Certainly postal managers wish such a being existed -- a perfect performer who always worked at the same pace -- which is to say, as fast as possible. However, NALC stewards know that letter carriers are individuals and have the right, as protected by the National Agreement, to work their routes at a speed that reflects their individual best effort. For example, Postal Service management is constantly attempting to impose a standard for casing mail, telling letter carriers that they should be casing at a certain speed whatever the circumstances. However, NALC representatives know that managers are prohibited from disciplining carriers for failure to reach some arbitrary casing standard. Rather, the appropriate time for casing mail is set by each carrier working at the speed at which they are most efficient. Another bone of contention between management and carriers is the speed at which a carrier delivers a route. In a recent regional-level arbitration (C-17434), the Postal Service attempted to argue that letter carriers should be disciplined for driving too slowly, presenting the argument that there was, in fact, a standard for the appropriate speed on mounted routes. In his ruling, the arbitrator upheld the principle that, just as with casing the mail, there is no standard for speed in delivering the mail. Carriers work at their own speed, to the best of their ability. ... continued on Page 3