Support Bay View

A perfect world

Posted by John Manke on Oct. 2, 2010

  Imagine coming to work on a Monday morning and getting ready to punch in on the clock.  Your boss comes up to you and orders you to wait until the time clock is exactly at starting time before you punch in. You go to your work station with a cup of coffee to drink. You set it down while you gather the work that you need to process during the morning. While you are getting organized, your boss measures the work that you have set on your desk to work and enters it into his hand held computer. You get thirsty after drinking your coffee, and go to get a drink of water from the water fountain. Your boss asks you why you are not at your desk performing work. The computer does not allow you to get a drink of water. He notes this into his hand held computer again. You head to the restroom to relieve yourself. Your boss stops you and clocks in your time on his computer again. If you are gone too long, he takes you into his office to yell at you. The computer does not allow time for personal relief. You then go to your supply area to get more work to process. Your boss again begins to time your actions.  You go outside to safety check your vehicle to make sure that is is all right and it starts. You then go to your supply area to get any extra large supplies that you need to deliver that day. Your boss again times your actions. You then go to get your special registry type materials and keys to do your job. When you are ready to go on the street to do your job, your boss makes sure that you record your leaving both on the office computer and his hand held computer.  While you are getting your keys, you sign for your own hand held computer to use while doing your work on the street.  You must record all of your actions on your hand held computer so that your boss can determine what and how long it took you to do your work that day after you are done with your work.

  Management of this company seems only to believe in what the computer records to determine what you do every day at work.  When your work load is light, he tells you that the computer states that you need to do more work that day without getting any more pay or time to do it. They seem to live by their computer work. These computers do not acknowledge things such as steps, bad weather, flat tires, heart attacks, bad dogs, heavy traffic or road construction. They seem to work their computers as if no human element is involved in this work. All that these bosses know how to do is explain what their computers read and how to say yes sir to their own bosses.

  You will notice that I called these people bosses and not leaders. True leaders can't advance on this job. They are not yes men. They respect their co-workers and know how to lead them and acknowledge the limitations of the job. They are at least human beings, not just pawns of management. There are a few of these leaders on the job, but they have a most difficult job working with their superiors. The workers love to work for true leaders and respect them. Under their leadership, much gets accomplished with little sick time needed by the workers.

  Now you think that this job is an imaginary one. Some day, if you have a chance, go inside of your local United States Postal Station and observe the workers. You will find that this story is real and applies to our many Postal Workers. Can you now understand why the term "Going Postal"  came about ? The stress that these workers face each and every day is now understandable.  They need more leaders and less airhead bosses who only know how to say yes sir and read a computer printout, without being able to make a decision without their computer input. Please support your local Postal Worker.