REPORT ON THE SITUATION AT PCA
by Audrey Davis daviswatkins@hotmail.com
March 7, 2007

DURING THE FEBRUARY 2, 2007 meeting at Dan Bernal's office Winifred Groux;
San Francisco District Manager for the U. S. Postal Service stated the
problem at the Pacific Carrier Annex (PCA) as "a turn over in supervisors
that failed to keep up the goals of the Peace Team."  The Peace Team was a
group of union and management people that worked with personnel at PCA for
about two years to correct the problems with communication, trust and
dignity and respect.

The craft employees present at that meeting disagreed with District Manager
Groux's characterization of the problems at our worksite and stated that the
conditions did not improve after the Peace Team intervention, they got worse
and it would be a mistake to blame the three new supervisors for the five or
six years of abuse.  The station manager is a full participant to the
treatment of employees at that facility.  Upper management is aware of the
conditions at least through recommendations of the Peace Team (to remove
Station Manager Denton), the Voice of the Employee surveys and an
investigation conducted by manager Steve Santos in August of 2006.

District Manager Groux stated that after she found out about the letter
"petition" signed by 87 PCA employees which was sent to Speaker Pelosi, she
initiated a "Postal Inspection Service intervention."  That was not an
intervention in the dictionary sense but was basically an investigation of
the work environment.

District Manager Groux stated at that meeting on 2/2/07 that she would
address the employees at PCA because, "they need to hear that we agree that
the treatment of employees there has not been appropriate."

That did not happen.  Instead, Station Manager Denton who is responsible for
condoning the inappropriate behavior as well as participating in the actual
harassment and abusive treatment of employees was put in charge of
"debriefing" PCA letter carriers.

The following is a summary of what Station Manager Denton said to us.

This meeting is about the petition sent to Nancy Pelosi's office about
harassment.  There was a meeting two weeks ago at Nancy Pelosi's office with
the district manager, the postmaster and the union all there.  It was
determined that PCA has a problem with a lack of communication and dignity
and respect.

There are going to be different classes to educate the supervisors and
manager about changing the way we do things.  Station Manager Denton said in
a very stern voice, "the yelling on the work room floor has to stop."  She
paused and looked very hard and serious at each craft employee in the room
and then said, "The harassment, as it's called, has to stop on both sides."

Carriers are not doing their jobs the proper way and when the supervisors
try to correct them the carriers are saying things like, "I know my job,
I've been here for twenty years," and then the supervisors are not reacting
properly.  This has to stop!

This was not an acknowledgement that employees have been mistreated, as
promised by District Manager Groux, it was just one more opportunity for the
station manager to accuse letter carriers of not doing their jobs.

Furthermore, Ms. Denton's statement is a gross mischaracterization of the
problems at PCA!  The truth is that management's incentive pay (bonuses)
depends on increasing productivity (and other goals) and the local
management is using harassment and intimidation to do it.  The place is run
like a sweatshop!  Communication; forget it!  Trust; long gone!  Dignity and
respect; doesn't exist!

The Joint Statement on Violence and Behavior in the Workplace states;

We all grieve for the Royal Oak victims, and we sympathize with their
families, as we have grieved and sympathized all too often before in similar
horrifying circumstances. But grief and sympathy are not enough. Neither are
ritualistic expressions of grave concern or the initiation of
investigations, studies, or research projects.  (my emphasis)

It goes on to say;

We openly acknowledge that in some places or units there is an unacceptable
level of stress in the workplace; that there is no excuse for and will be no
tolerance of violence or any threats of violence by anyone at any level of
the Postal Service; and that there is no excuse for and will be no tolerance
of harassment, intimidation, threats, or bullying by anyone. (my emphasis)

We also affirm that every employee at every level of the Postal Service
should be treated at all times with dignity, respect and fairness. The need
for the USPS to serve the public efficiently and productively, and the need
for all employees to be committed to giving a fair day's work for a fair
day's pay, does not justify actions that are abusive or intolerant. "Making
the numbers" is not an excuse for the abuse of anyone. Those whose
unacceptable behavior continues will be removed from their positions. (my
emphasis)

The Joint Statement on Violence and Behavior in the Workplace address
exactly what is going on at PCA and at other stations in San Francisco.
o    Ritualistic expressions of grave concern
o    The initiation of investigations
o    Harassment, intimidation, threats, and bullying
o    "Making the numbers" is their excuse for abusing employees at PCA

The atmosphere at PCA is worse than ever.  Threats, intimidation, bullying
and harassment are routine.  There is no real communication, just orders and
instructions. Station Manager Denton continues her practice of micromanaging
with an emphasis on control.  We are treated like we are a bunch of two year
olds out on parole and it is very frustrating to say the least.