Alan... one idea I have been pushing for with other carriers and on the discussion board is aimed at eliminating the "home court advantage" that the USPS has always held over us during a mail count period.
Personally I do not trust the USPS when it comes to getting a "normal mail flow" during a count period.
Simply put, as long as the USPS knows when a count will be conducted, they will employ steps aimed at influencing it negatively for carriers.
Whether they offer "sweetheart deals" to bulk mailers to AVOID getting their mailings delivered during a count, whether they "store" mail in storage rooms or move it around in semi's (as they were caught doing in Kalamzoo years ago) or whether they take smaller steps...such an answering phone calls from customers during a count to avoid having a carrier timed to take such as a call, the USPS will always come up with new and creative ways to try to lessen our pay.
Arbitrator Wells included in his decision that the two sides should come up with new "ways" to conduct a count, but wasn't specific, and no changes have been made since then... 7 years ago.
I strongly believe the NRLCA should go before an arbitrator (we're NOT going to agree on a new contract) and suggest "random count days" to be set by the arbitrator and unknown by BOTH parties until the day itself.
For example if you wanted a 12-day two week count, he would randomly select 2 Mondays, 2 Tuesdays, 2 Wednesday's, 2 Thursdays, 2 Fridays and 2 Saturdays between the months of September and February. This could start THIS year (but wouldn't of course) and evaluations would still be conducted at the same time as they are.
I believe we could use the ACTUAL totals of items carriers receive that are tracked every day... accountables, dps letters, delivery confirmations, etc and reduce an actual "count" to items such as parcels, flats and timing functions. But baring that I feel the ONLY way we will EVER receive a "fair shake" when it comes to mail volume during a count is if the count days were random...and NOT known ahead of time by the USPS.
Would you, as President, favor a random count as outlined?
Would you favor using ACTUAL data and then "averaging" it as opposed to just getting paid for things like MYPO that you get during the USPS hand picked counting period?
Thanks.
