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The Behavior Needs to Change

The Behavior Needs to Change
By Tony Dallojacono
Mideast Area Vice President

First, let me wish all our members happy holidays. I would like to discuss a few issues regarding EAS employees that continue to be our biggest problems.

There is the issue of sexual harassment. We all know what it is, but it continues in our workplace. Will we ever learn from other people’s mistakes? Most of the time, the only winner in these cases is not the EAS employee who is charged, but the employee who initiated the sexual harassment charge. We need to get this out to our members.

Then we have the issue of changing employees’ clock rings because we are afraid of having a carrier out past 1800 or 1900. Why would we do this? Are we that afraid of what our bosses would say if they really knew the truth? We have managers and postmasters telling EAS employees to make sure they have no one out past 1800 or else. Or else what? They will fire you?

You can be removed for changing a clock ring without using a 1017A, but you won’t be fired for not changing it. The intimidation must stop.

Finally, we have financial obligations, such as stamp stock accountability. When you are a stamp stock custodian and are given the stamp stock, do not take anybody’s word that it is right and just sign the forms. You are liable for the stock. Yourname is on that form now; you are accountable.

If stamp stock accountability turns up short, you must pay—not the person who told you it was good. If you went to a bank to cash a check or withdraw money from an ATM, do you walk away and not count it? I count it because it is my money, just as stamp stock is your responsibility until you turn it over to the next person.

We are in very difficult times with the Postal Service. We deal with more now than we ever have before. We have customers who know exactly where their packages are. We have gotten so advanced, customers now can see the mail they will get that day and know within two hours when a parcel will be delivered. Yes, our jobs have gotten so transparent and more difficult every year, but we must continue to hang in there and do the right thing.

We will not agree with everything we are told to do. But if it is ethical and possible, we must do it. There are many times when we cannot finish all the work we have to do in an eight-hour day, but don’t assume you are entitled to T-time. Talk to your boss earlier in the day, tell them you will not be able to finish and ask if they will approve your extra time. That doesn’t mean waiting until the last two hours of the day in which to cram all your work; that is not right or ethical.

I know NAPS members are thinking they have heard this all before; they have. But if you’ve heard it before, why hasn’t the behavior changed? Does anyone have the answer to that? I sure would like to know why because we continue to have these issues—more and more every day.

Remember to be safe this holiday season. Your safety affects everyone around you—both at work and at home.

mideastareavp@gmail.com