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meshycat t1_j5d2ez5 wrote

Hi! VT USPS employee here. USPS is not okay and needs more staffing in certain areas. Williston, Burlington, Hinesburg, Shelburne, Barre, and Springfield are some of the heaviest affected areas and have been for months. There are multiple other offices that are also struggling.

Over the past holiday weekend the Williston office operation was moved to a larger space to be able to house the volume of delayed packages and mail due to being about 1/3 staffed to compliment. The acting postmaster of Hinesburg is currently the only employee in his office. The Postmaster of Barre is out delivering 6-7 days a week.

The largest hurdle we have is USPS wages are no longer competitive especially considering the nature of the job. Being out in the elements, mandatory overtime, etc. On top of that add in that even if you want the job, from accepting the job offer to stepping your foot in the door you're in a 3 month limbo waiting for your background check to clear.

We understand the inconvenience and the frustration. Trust me, we're just as frustrated as you are. It is our mission and duty to provide the services our customers expect and deserve, but unfortunately in some spots at the moment it's like trying to drive up a mountain access road during the winter with summer tires.

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WingsOfFireAndCake OP t1_j5d2tnv wrote

I appreciate all the hard work y’all do! I hope it starts to get better soon for everyone so USPS can get back on its feet

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Alert-Ad687 t1_j5dhfcp wrote

That’s insane the Postmaster is out delivering mail. Wow, I wish DC had a deployable response team for you all!

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WantDastardlyBack t1_j5eephk wrote

I have family in that area who have been struggling to get mail more than once or twice a month, so it's been at least a year that this has been happening.

The weird thing to me is that if you look up Williston, there is one listing for weekend delivery work and it's very clear that there are no benefits. That to me is the biggest problem. I thought about applying to work for the USPS, but as soon as I hit no benefits it loses all appeal.

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vtsunshine83 t1_j5ewhot wrote

Getting a PO Box (if they are available) would help the office workers.

Asking to hold your mail for you to pick up would help, if you’re really serious about helping.

I order a lot from Amazon and have a PO Box. Sometimes I have to make a few trips to the car but that’s okay. It saves Fed-Ex, UPS, and the PO from having another stop and I work in town so it’s easy for me, too.

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thisoneisnotasbad t1_j5f3o55 wrote

I have started having my Amazon shit delivered to work with the permission of the mailroom. A FedEx package that gets stuck in Williston for a week makes it on time every time to a business address in my experience.

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meshycat t1_j5evh3h wrote

It's been longer than that in some areas.

The ARC position is the only position we currently have that do not get benefits as they only work Sundays and holidays.

RCA/CCA/PSE positions are immediately eligible for health insurance upon hire and after a year qualify for the Federal insurance benefits which include health, vision, and dental. If you join the union they have their own set of insurance benefits as well.

Postings go up for 7 days then come down and if no one applies it gets reposted so if someone is looking for a specific position if it's not there today it doesn't mean it won't be tomorrow.

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Personal_Change4294 t1_j5e3ecw wrote

Yea but the post office doesn't make money so why should we support it

Huge /s

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Nanotude t1_j5gwr2q wrote

We should support it for the same reason we support roads and bridges, fire departments and police departments. Those don't make money for us either. But they provide essential services so we fund them. We should view the USPS the same way. It's an essential service.

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SnooMaps1313 t1_j5eol85 wrote

They still doing the 13/1 schedule for CCAs? Years ago I was a good employee who loved my job and did it for months, I left because the schedule was 13 on, 1 off, with no health insurance, for $16/hr.

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meshycat t1_j5eus07 wrote

In places like Burlington that have been consistently understaffed it is certainly possible. They have made changes to the CCA/RCA/PSE contracts where you are immediately qualified for health insurance benefits upon hire, and after a year you qualify for the Federal health benefits which include vision and dental. If you join the union they have their own benefit plans as well.

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SuccessNo548 t1_j5er7xd wrote

I love that you used trying to drive a vehicle up a roadway with snow on it as an analogy for your difficulties — very fitting given you are part of the USPS

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MargaerySchrute t1_j6fgj55 wrote

I think the post master from Hinesburg just retired too. Could have been Shelburne though, cannot recall. I know both Hinesburg and Shelburne are hurting BAD. My friend lives there and she is lucky to get mail once a week.

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meshycat t1_j6fiqcj wrote

The acting postmaster of Hinesburg is his only employee and Shelburne is hurting as well.

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Necessary_Cat_4801 t1_j5m1iev wrote

Some in state gov't. About 1/3 staff. I'm sure everything you list (wages, etc) is true. It's also demographics. If we don't give into the hordes and build sprawl to accomodate the work From home crowd, it's hard to see how anyone will be getting mail, buying groceries, getting a haircut, seeing a doctor, etc in a short time.

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gangbangstripperelf t1_j5fm0um wrote

Here’s my unpopular opinion.

USPS needs to go private. Or at least start acting like a for profit organization.

They have a major customer service problem. They need to charge (mainly corporations) the actual cost of services. They need to up their wages - no one should be working uncompensated hours.

Focus on employee retention. All the carriers in my area are in the neighborhood of 55-60 years of age (if I guessed). All of them are among the friendliest, kindest and most genuine humans I’ve met. They’re looking at retirement- or they should be - in ten or so years. The USPS needs to be recruiting their butts off out of high schools. Pay people well. Give them incentives for performance and to grow with the company. Mentor them, promote them. Maybe be a little more expedient in the hiring and training processes.

I dunno USPS. Just be more like Costco.

Thank you for coming to my tedtalk.

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wittgensteins-boat t1_j5ftuoy wrote

Talk to your Federal Representative and Senator. USPS has limited authority to raise rates, and is by Congress mandated to make payments that businesses do not, and provide services that have no revenue.

Congress has already privatized the USPS, but saddles it with items that make it impossible to breakeven.

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TroubleInMyMind t1_j5fv4lp wrote

It just needs to not be defunded and sabotaged to the end you desire.

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werdnak84 t1_j5hfrit wrote

Well at least we know you're aware this is an unpopular opinion.

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Necessary_Cat_4801 t1_j5m1w2x wrote

Yeah cause corporate America does such a great job. Maybe USPS can be like Southwest or Ticket Master. We get what we pay for with government. Give them a shoestring budget, get bad service.

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