The Economic Downturn..

[RVR II]

A bit of good news to report..
The idiot boss has been gone since Thursday and it's truly amazing how well things run at the post office when he's not there
And the clerk job that was vacated by a coworker back in the end of March was posted on April 4 for any current career clerks to transfer into but as of yesterday, no one bid on it so it is now listed as 'No Successful Bidder' so the next step (if I understand the process) should be for the position to be offered to me and to accept it. Just waiting on the formalities now but it could definitely happen by or before my 50th birthday on June 17 so that would actually be a nice birthday present

[RVR II]

So apparently the job has to go through another step where it's posted on a eReassign page for 3 weeks where career employees can bid on it but according to my supervisor the chances are low that someone would bid on it based on the hours because they are flexible and not set hours. So I have to wait a bit longer to get the job 
And I had my usual run in with my idiot boss. . I'm passing out coupon adds to the carrier stations and he comes up to me wondering why I gave a copy of my leave authorization for a dentist appointment tomorrow to the manager at the other post office and I said because when I am working over there he is my boss and I'm keeping him informed about my schedule. He doesn't understand why I did that and I said I'm covering my bases which seemed to  confuse him more and just walked off.. I just shook my head and went back to work thinking  that's all you got to do is find something petty to nit pick about instead of dealing with a rural carrier that had an accident over  the weekend
What a miserable POS this guy is

[RVR II]

In a shocking turn of events, my boss at the post office actually gave me several compliments yesterday for the work I've been doing. I was literally speechless
Not sure what prompted the complete 180 in his attitude but for once it was actually nice to hear something positive coming out of his mouth instead of the constant spewing of negativity I've heard from him since starting there
Maybe it has something to do with my future promotion to career, or maybe he's taking some medication for his anger issues but what ever it is, it was actually a pleasant work day

[RVR II]

Found out a couple days ago that a senior clerk's position is being eliminated at the end of the month which could affect my chances of going 'career' in a couple months..
Since the one clerk has transferred out, the higher-ups are now trying to force this senior clerk into that position instead of allowing me to automatically get the position.
The local union rep has already filed a grievance to block this move but it could be tied up for a while in arbitration which means it could delay me from moving to a full career position..
I'll be keeping informed on the progress in the hopes it doesn't delay me too long as time is just not on my side due to my age 

[RVR II]

So that job is not being merged with the job I'm up for after all and is up on the e-reassign page of the USPS job listings so after May 21 I should be able to slide into that job soon afterwards.

Now my goofy boss is suddenly reliant on me to handle jobs at Both post offices because he's apparently created some sort of 'rebellion' with the PSE clerks at the main post office in downtown.. I had to fill in for a girl yesterday to get the mail out as she called in sick. Other clerks have apparently also called in sick the last couple of days and now I'm told I will have to open the main post office at 3:30am Monday to sort packages because he thinks they will be short handed come Monday..
I don't know for sure yet but he may have caused a couple of city carriers to quit/retire so that's creating an even more stressful situation in that department.
It still amazing to me that this guy was put into this position knowing little to nothing about running a post office and nobody higher up has done nothing to resolve the problem.. Maybe something is building up behind the scenes but if so it's not moving fast enough and people are leaving as a result of this

[RVR II]

So this past week there's been a 'change' in managers..
The dipshit manager (I'm gonna start referring to him as 'Dilbert') has been transferred to the main post office downtown and the office manger from the main post office has been transferred to my post office. Nobody is sure why but there's speculation that higher ups have received numerous complaints (grievances filed with the postal unions) that it's gotten their attention and felt a change was necessary. I'm pretty sure there's some sort of investigation going on and they're conducting an experiment to see what's happening. The main post office downtown already hates him after only one week and the local union rep has filed more than one grievance against 'Dilbert' already this past week
This sounds like it could be for the long term so it'll be interesting to see how this all plays out.

[RVR II]

So manager 'Dilbert' sent me a text that my schedule changed 1 hour before I was to report to my regular post office across town and that I was to report to the main post office downtown where he's currently stationed.. So I go in at my scheduled time and meet up with the other PSE clerk beneath me in seniority and she's going over how they setup for evening dispatch when 'Dilbert' comes over chewing us both out because we're talking to each other despite it being about work related stuff that she needs to be off the clock because she'll go into overtime after 1:30pm so she leaves..
A couple hours later he calls me into his office. He tells me "You got your wish!" and I'm not clear as to what he's talking about and he continues, "Your going career. It's official." I'm ecstatic of course as it only took me 9 months to make career level when it normally takes years to make it to 'career' level (All employees are hired as 'non-career' employees and can only move to 'career' status when another career coworker vacates their position at the local post office and no other career employee applies for it from another post office). Then he tries to crush my excitement by bitching at me that I talk too much to coworkers and I should concentrate on doing my job more which I immediately drowned out as this is his view of me and no one elses because everybody knows I'm a work horse and I get the job done whether I'm talking to coworkers or not
He wouldn't tell me when it would become official as he claims to not know it but when something like this becomes official, there's always an official beginning date so I'll find out eventually so All I have to say is FUCK YEAH!!!
 

[RVR II]

Found out yesterday from the union rep that works at the downtown post office that manager dilbert was apparently try to derail my promotion to career status saying it wasn't posted properly on the internal job site but he got my back saying it was and it cannot be reposted once it dropped on May 17.
It's good I've made some connections and allies in the 9 months I've been working at the post office

[RVR II]

Was planning on going home maybe 9:30 or 10am but after arriving at my assigned post office after 7am the supervisor got a call from the supervisor from the Lancaster county post office 30 minutes drive to the south east of my locale begging for PSE help sorting parcels and PO box mail..
Got down there and that place was a mess! They only have 2 PSEs and all their senior Clerks either moved to another state or retired this year so they're critically under staffed. The newest PSE has only been there 2 weeks and she was quietly stressing out but hanging in there. The other PSE has been there 3 years and still hasn't gone career due to HR not doing their job but with no other career PSE Clerks ahead of him, once he does go career, he should get back pay for that time.
It's really strange going to another post office, watching their operation and seeing the place so disheveled and in disarray. Even the newest PSE wants to transfer to my post office once she makes career
Finished the day at 11:30am after starting at 4am.. I'm tired

EDIT: Just got a text from manager Dilbert while typing this.. I will be working Amazon Sunday now when I was supposed to be off and I'll also be working Memorial Day in a role yet to be determined. At least I'll get paid time & 1/2. Wonderful

[RVR II]

Been in training this past week in Indian Trail, NC post office from 8am-4:30pm. It's about a 40-45 minute drive from my home. I left at 6am because the Charlotte traffic getting there starts building and by 7am it's friggin ri-damn-diculous. I took a back way home each day just to avoid the rush hour traffic there and that took 1 hour exactly to get home so if there was an accident then it's bumper to bumper traffic on the interstate with no ETA home.
The last day of training manager Dilbert wanted me to call him while I'm still in class just to tell me my weekend schedule.. He wanted me to work a 12 hour split shift Saturday, Amazon Sunday AND work 4am for a few hours before taking my exam Monday from 8am-12pm Monday morning Luckily the morning supervisor stepped in and had a talk with him because she agreed that was crazy so my schedule changed to Saturday only Found out that the girl I trained is not doing all that great.. She's gotten slower at the job and seems to purposely take her time doing assigned tasks. The post office I was assigned to wants be back working with them but manager Dilbert apparently wants me to continue working at the main post office downtown with him. He knows I get things done in a timely manner which supposedly makes him 'look good'
Welp gotta study for this big exam Monday so wish me luck

[RVR II]

I passed my exam
I am 'Eligible' as they call it to work the counter at all 3 of my local post offices which I could care less to do dealing with customers all day but it insures my pay raise

[RVR II]

And more good news this morning!
I officially go 'career' with the USPS on June 22
Just over 9 months from starting my career there and I will now be considered a permanent employee. It includes an nice $4+ dollar per hour raise, full benefits, military buy-back program (where I sell my 4 years of the Navy to the USPS that counts toward my retirement after 20 years: 16yrs with USPS + my 4yrs from the Navy), Thrift Savings plan similar to a 401k, and set 40 hour work week with 2 days off per week (no more Amazon Sundays) and a floating weekday off
Only bad news is I'll have to work Monday June 17 on my 50th birthday when I really wanted to be off but I need to complete my 40 hours of hands-on window training working the counter and the girl that is authorized to do my training will return from vacation on June 17 and I'll have to work at the counter till Friday June 21 but that's a small price to pay for the promotion I'm getting in return