| HOME
| OFFICERS
| USEFUL INFO
| NEWSLETTER
| STEWARDS
| PHOTOS
| ABOUT 725
I Don't Negotiate
By Mike Williamson
Retired San Rafael Carrier, Branch #214
Every morning the supervisor would come around and ask for our 3996s. At each case the supervisor would stop and, after an extended discussion, he would give each carrier instructions and move on. We called this "negotiating" the 3996. This happened at pretty much every case. Except mine. I don't negotiate.
When I said this to my buddies, they thought I was nuts. They assumed that I was taking some sort of hard line stance, which is a sure way to face constant troubles. (Either that or I was BSing them.) Nothing could be further from the truth. I followed a crazier path. After all, I'm a good employee - I do what I'm told, no matter how much it costs the company. So, I put my best estimate on the 3996, and just did what I was told to do.
I didn't argue
Notice that I didn't say that I did what the supervisor wanted. I did what I was told to do. I didn't argue. I cetainly didn't negotiate. The 3996 is an estimate not a contract. There was no need to negotiate. I asked for clear intructions, and did whatever I was told to do, in a safe professional manner. I avoided getting drawn into their game.
This drove the supervisors nuts. When they first experienced this, they would get in my face and try every sort of intimidation tactic. They wanted me to work through my break or lunch, but they couldn't say that. They needed me to negotiate so they could trick me into unpaid overtime.
The trick to surviving
They would show me all sorts of numbers They would compare me with other carriers. They would threaten to follow me. They would threaten to fool with the amount of overtime I was getting. They would threaten to not let me go when I had something to do after work. They tried everything. But I knew the trick to surviving. The trick is to not care about their threats, and to do your job in a safe professional manner.
First of all, if a supervisor threatens you, inform your shop steward as soon as possible. The shop steward probably can't do anything about it in the short run, but the steward will need the information if the threat is part of a pattern or if the supervisor tries to follow through on his threat later. Second make a personal note. Record the date, time,and the wording as close as you can remember it. But beyond that, you need to figure out, in advance, how you'll respond to any threat or intimidation tactic.
Inform your shop steward
If they give you extra overtime that you don't want, or if they deny you overtime when you should be getting it, inform your shop stward. If your supervisor does anything that violates your rights, inform your shop steward. And always do as instructed, in a safe professional manner.
If they tell you your T-6 (or some other carrier) can deliver the same route or section in less time, suggest that the other carrier must be truly superior, and deserves an award. (We'll just assume the other carrier is delivering in a safe professional manner.)Not enough carriers get awards.
You'll just bore them to death
If they threaten you with closer observation or with following you on the street, then let them. After all, if you are doing your job in a safe professional manner, then you'll just bore them to death.
The job takes as long as it takes
If they try to shower you with numbers that (supposedly) indicate that you can do the job in half the time, inform your supervisor (politely) that you don't understand the numbers they are presenting, but clearly the numbers don't cover everything since you've been working hard all day (under supervision), in a safe professional manner. If you have put a good estimate on your 3996, then you have given your supervisor your best professional effort. No amount of discussion or negotiation is going to change the facts. In the final analysis, the job takes as long as it takes. I used to ask, "that's my estimate - what do you want me to do?" But be fair. If the supervisor can tell you how to do the work in less time (safely and professionally), modify your estimate to incorporate his suggestion.
A hassle to "call in"
Ususally, the last tactic they'll try is to tell you to "call in." Your supervisor is aware of how much hasle this is, and hoping that you will buckle under rather than go through that hassle. Don't argue. If you do your job in a safe professional manner, then either you get paid for the hassle, or the supervisor ends up with it. Followa few simple rules:
- You are not required to use up your cell phone plan minutes for the benefit of the Postal Service.
- If you use a pay phone, you are entitled to repayment for the call. Ask your supervisor for the appropriate form.
- If you don't have sufficient change t call in, tell the supervisor uo front, so that he can provide you with some.
- Be honest with your supervisor - tell him approximately how long it will take to deviate from your route to call.
- If he doesn't have any change, call collect.
- As a last resort, if you need to call in, and can't, return to the office for instructions, unless your instructions are otherwise.
- Throughout, do your job in safe professional manner.
Regardless of the intimidation tactics your supervisor tries to use, follow instructions and do your job in a safe professional manner. Remember, your supervisor has to supervise other carriers. He has those computer reports to do. He can't spend the rest of his carrer following one person. Eventually he will figure out that the estimates on your 3996 are good ballpark figures, plan accordingly, and go do the rest of his job.
One final word of caution. Supervisors don't like this tactic. They may try to sneak up on you on the street, or catch you taking an extra break. Always, always always, deliver your route in a safe professional manner. Besides providing the service that customers expect and deserve, if you're not doing anything wrong, it's really difficult to get into trouble.
Back To Top
The Executive board is working hard to improve your website. More information, more articles, more pictures and more fun. So come back to check out the additions, typos...etc. To submit articles, pictures, etc. send them to the Webmaster. All entries are subject to content review. The timeliness of postings is not guaranteed.
Thank you!
|
It's so nice to have an outside job mailman!
