Two Issues the USPS Fails to Address

Two Issues the USPS Fails to Address
By Dioenis D. Perez
Long Island, NY, Branch 202 Vice President and Postmaster of Syosset

Without addressing the following two, basic principles, we continue to be the proverbial dog chasing its tail and going around in circles. Another hot, stress-filled, understaffed, pandemic summer has arrived. While USPS Headquarters has had ample time to fix these basic issues, they unfortunately struck out.

The first is CCA retention. Enough of the babying theory in order to retain a noncareer employee. USPS Headquarters needs to realize that, in certain high cost-of-living areas, it cannot retain these noncareer employees—even at $18.01 an hour—for various reasons. The cost of living in these population-dense areas is astronomically off the charts. Nobody wants to drive an hour-plus to and from work on a daily basis.

The USPS is paying big dollars in penalty overtime because of the lack of CCAs and PSEs. It’s a retention staffing issue—the current cost of doing business. The agency would rather pay overtime than hire a career employee and pay benefits. The USPS believes that, in the long run, it saves money. Regardless if that’s true, this practice doesn’t support customer service, which is why we all are here in the first place.

Solutions to the CCA PSE issues:

  • Make them career employees—PTFs.
  • Provide a better regional area rate of pay that entices them to stay.
  • Provide full health coverage after their probation ends.
  • Have a commitment document to stay for one year signed if they pass probation.
  • The probation period only should start on the first day of office and street training—not while in HR orientation or the carrier academy.
  • Provide more uniform money and quality uniforms; eliminate the 120-day waiting period.

The second issue:

End the vicious practice of the SWCs zone of tolerance to eliminate EAS employees in offices. With the lack of retention of noncareer employees, offices never again will be at their complement staffing levels. The USPS knows this.

The EAS workload has expanded enormously; more EAS employees are needed now—not fewer. This is evident to all of us. The USPS doesn’t understand why too few EAS employees want to step up to the next level. Well, that’s because:

  • They don’t want to go through a RIF down the road.
  • The enormous workload responsibilities are not worth the pay.
  • They don’t want to work six and seven days a week or 10-hour days.
  • When they reach the top of their pay grade, they’re nearly retired.
  • There is a need to bring back relief supervisors.
  • NPA doesn’t pay enough.

Have a safe and healthy summer!