Well, we've had our new routes since Saturday, and boy is it a mess. As I wrote in prior blog entries, management basically just swapped territories on routes, so now mail is everywhere with distribution mail going to the wrong routes. But no one wants to help because the station manager and the limited duty 204 B are such arses. Carriers could, if they wanted to help, take the mail that no longer belongs to their route to the new route. But that would be helping the harassers and intimidators. Many carriers are just putting many feet of mail to the hot case. They're also not helping because the big, bad station manager had a meeting with us "thieving carriers" and said she is proud of her adjustments and that the adjustments were done right. I've been through many route adjustments, and this is the worst one I have ever seen as far as address quality. Many carriers state that their address labels are all messed up, with chunks of addresses here and there that don't belong. For example, one route has the walk sequence all mixed up on one block. But the carrier, who has been told the adjustments were done right, is not saying a word and is carrying it just like on the case.

Now I know some of this sounds like workplace disobedience. But if you've ever had a station manager tell your unit that the carriers are thieves, and then to harass and intimidate them at every turn, when many are actually working very hard (though a few aren't), then you'll understand.

Speaking of harassing, today the limited duty 204B was handing out 3996s (overtime requests) to the carriers. When she got to Route Two she automatically told the carrier he didn't rate any overtime... before giving him a 3996. Well, this carrier is 63 years old and today was Dallas Morning News day. DMN are like Advos, but thicker. And this carrier has about 900 of them to deliver. His route is in the ghetto. Usually his route is real light, but on full coverage days, it's a mother. At 4:00 PM today I was checking in my accountables and this carrier called the supervisor to request additional time. I overheard the supervisor's side of the conversation. "YOU NEED TWO MORE HOURS?! Well, we'll see you in the morning with the union steward." Anyway, it was funny and sad at the same time.