A Note to the New Guys

Welcome

Welcome, brothers and sisters.  I’d just like to impart a few things I wish I’d have known when I joined this workforce.  While this is primarily directed at our newest members, give it a read.  There might be something in here for you as well, oldtimer.

New To A Union Shop?

The second bullet point might be the most important, but this is the one I wish someone had pulled me aside on day-one and covered with me.  We’ve all wound up here after following different paths in our work histories.  While always being staunchly pro-union, I’d never actually been represented by one until I came here.  Let me say, the dynamic is entirely different than what I’d experienced before.  In manufacturing and bulk manufacturing (my background), it was not uncommon for the worker on the floor to bond with a supervisor, work with the supervisor.  If I ever had a problem?  Get the supervisor. 

Lots of these relationships seemed paternal or fraternal.  We’d work together to troubleshoot problems, achieve goals, etc.  That is not the case here.  While it is your duty to report problems to the supervisor, management may not always have your best interest at heart.  They are not your protector (the Union is) and for so many of us, that lesson is most often learned after the first betrayal.  You can expect dishonesty, you can expect mining of information from what appear to be casual conversations, you can expect to be inconvenienced for what appears to be no reason at all.  You can get along with management,—in fact, you need to get along with them—but they are not your friends nor allies.  In short, I’d say you’ll need to come to terms with a new working dynamic where we’re not, “all on the same team,” but rather two different, sometimes opposing, teams trying to achieve the same goal: delivering the mail.

90-Day Probationary Period

Okay, this is of the utmost importance and we’ll just get the bad news out of the way toward the beginning.  During your probationary period, you’re going to need to lay low and just make them (management) happy.  In short, there’s really nothing to be done for you during this time.  It’s your audition with management.  You’re trying to make the 53-man roster for football fans.  If you can grind through those ninety days, you’ll be astonished (at least I was) by the night-and-day shift in the level of respect you’ll be treated with, compared to your probationary period.  Unfortunately, “Grin and bear it,” is the only applicable advice for this trying period.  Silver Lining: Make it through and you’ll get your first uniform allowance.  It’ll only be two more years before you can afford a full all-weather gear outfit.  You’ll get that joke later …

     Education

Education is absolutely key.  However, you are not alone and do not have to single-handedly master the multiple phone book-sized manuals you are inundated with as a new hire.  The more you can learn, the better, but the Union is your agent.  Your stewards and officers work for you.  Seek those people out.  Management will allow you to see them (although perhaps not immediately).  Trust me, I know after being forced to work a cool twelve hours, the last thing you want to do is try to go home and memorize legal-speak from all of our written guidelines.  Again, you’re not alone.  You’ve got us.

     Following Instructions

Suppose you are that rare specimen who did learn all the manuals and you’re given an erroneous instruction by management.  You know you’re right and they’re wrong.  Well, aside from perhaps (respectfully, always respectfully) questioning the instruction, you are compelled to follow instructions as a city letter carrier.  Unless a direct order puts your safety in jeopardy, the proper process to address this bad instruction is to ask to see your union steward but, in the meantime, follow the instruction.  We’ll grieve it later.  And when I mention respect, know that it’s a two-way street.  While you must address them with respect, they too, must address you with respect.  Bullying, accusatory speech, raised voices, etc.  These are all valid reasons to ask for Union representation. 

Standards

Again, during your 90-day probation, do what you have to.  After that, know that we only have one standardized time measure we are held to.  That is “18 and 8,” as you’ll hear it referred to.  It’s our one and only office standard.  A carrier is expected to case eighteen letters per minute or eight flats per minute, either or.  Aside from that, all your duties take as much time as they take.  Even this “standard,” isn’t an end-all, be-all.  As long as you’re consistently working at your case, management is not going to be able to get anything to stick on you.  Even if you’re not making “18 and 8.” 

Times won’t be dictated to you by tools management uses to project how long you may take on your route.  These tools are used for management to make projections but do not hold you to any binding commitments to meet such projections.  It takes as much time as it takes and, outside of your 90 days, you will not be bullied unless you allow it to happen.

Surely, there are other things that would be helpful to cover with you, but these are what occurred to me over the course of an afternoon.  Those early months are tough.  We all know it.  We’ve been through it and we’re here for you.