Ed was elected as Director of City Delivery for Branch 36 in 2022. Ed began his long postal career and Union membership 27 years ago. Ed was elected as Shop Steward in 2014 where he quickly grew in knowledge and responsibility. In 2018, Ed became a Formal A Designee for multiple stations. Ed’s knowledge and ability to handle himself under pressure made him a perfect fit for his multiple positions at Branch36. Ed was selected as a Customer Connect Coordinator in 2015, and Mutual Benefits Association spokesman in 2018. In 2020, Ed became a Carrier Academy Facilitator and in 2022 became a TIAREAP Team Member to ensure fairness during route adjustments. In the Beginning of 2022 Ed was elected as Director of City Delivery where he continues his long career of putting carriers first.

PS Form 3996 is Your Best Friend

If you believe that you are unable to complete your assignment you must request and fill out a PS Form 3996. Once you request it, management is required to provide it to you. If management refuses to give you one, ask your steward to file a grievance on your behalf.
It is the carrier’s responsibility to submit the PS Form 3996 in a timely manner, if assistance or overtime is needed. Once you submit your 3996, it is then management’s obligation to either approve or disapprove the overtime and/or assistance. Remember before you hit to the street, ask management for a copy of the 3996 that you have submitted. Normally if they assigned someone, you won’t receive a copy, but ask anyway for your own protection. Once you walk out the door, they can turn around and disapprove that request without you knowing it.
If they return it to you and your request is disapproved, it’s not a problem, just inform them that you will do your best to complete your assignment in the time allotted. There is no need to get frustrated. When you notice that you are unable to complete your assignment, send a RIMS message notifying them for the second time that you are unable to complete your assignment in the allotted time. Your RIMS message should be sent at least 1 1/2 hours before your end tour. This gives them ample opportunity to send someone to assist you.
The message should say something like, “This is route 67. I am unable to complete my assignment by 5pm. Waiting for further instruction.” From previous experience management never replies back. In this case I would rather you complete your assignment so management can’t say that you abandoned your assignment. If you’re lucky and are able to get a response (don’t go back and forth with them) simply inform them that there are only 3 options. First is for them to send assistance, second is to have you complete the assignment in the specified timeframe and the third option is to bring the mail back. Your steward can always retrieve a RIMS message if management decides to issue discipline claiming that you took unauthorized overtime. As a steward, I would prefer to fight an unauthorized overtime grievance than an abandonment of assignment grievance. I hope this message helps you in your dealings with management.

Customer Connect

I recently spoke to the BDLS (our management partner) and he claims that he wants to start station visits again. We had a meeting a few days ago and many things were discussed. He asked for the list of the Customer Connect Coordinators for each station. Most of the coordinators have retired or have transferred to different stations. We will be going from station to station asking the local stewards if they can find volunteers to assist as coordinators. We will be training these new coordinators on submitting leads, pulling and reading reports, giving biweekly service talks, and strategies on finding leads. I will also help them obtain access to Outlook. A coordinator will post weekly reports that show the status of the lead that the station has submitted.
If we are unable to find a volunteer in each station, the branch is asking stewards to help facilitate this process until we can find a volunteer. Once we replace our coordinators in each station, we will have a JAF District Meeting. The branch is trying to get this program back and running efficiently. My manage- ment partner has informed me that we are ranked #2 and that’s without putting much effort into it.
Many things have changed as far as pricing and we need to be prepared with the correct facts to gain customers and their business. This program does much for the USPS, it’s unaccounted revenue. The best part of all is that it demonstrates who helped the post office gain this new source of revenue.
We all know that the union has been negotiating our new contract, and most if not all, would like a huge raise in pay. Imagine if they were able to show the postal service that the carriers were able to generate 3 billion dollars of revenue. I am pretty sure that it would leave us in a greater position when it comes to that topic.
Let’s think about the volume of mail that we are currently receiving whether it’s first class, flats and/or parcels. There has been a decline and our job/routes depend on mail volume. Assignments are being reduced because of the decline. This program helps boost it in some form or fashion. The program pumps mail into our stream and that EDDM mail for example adds to your office and street time. If the customer sets up an account where we must go and collect x number of parcels that adds street time for our drivers and us.
I know we all are planning for the day when we can retire from this company, but we need to start planning on how we can help keep this company afloat, so that we can make it to that long-awaited wonderful day.
If you are a member and are interested in becoming a coordinator, please inform your steward. You can also inform David Velazquez or me when we visit your station. See you guys on our visits.

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