6
Wednesday, July 19, 1978
University Daily Kansan
Postal strike issues result of long conflict
FALLS CHURCH, VA (AP)—Sometimes when Darrow Smith, a mailman for 17 years, looks behind him while delivering mail, he sees his supervisor lurking nearby.
"He's just watching, not saying anything," Smith said. "It used to be that you could just deliver mail without throwing it back over you. But those days are gone
"Sometimes every day he is there
watching me. When I don't
watch him he's seen me."
SMITH IS ONE of 584,000 unionized postal workers whose labor agreement with management expires tomorrow, and some workers are bitter enough that scattered strikes may occur. The bitterness is over various tactics, in addition to the management has used in an effort to get maximum production from employees.
Smith, for example, says that while he is most unhappy about the observations, he also has an increased work load. Smith said that when he asked for a route adjustment, he was given less walking but an increase from about 500 to 700 deliveries every day.
Since 1970, when Congress turned mail delivery over to the semi-autonomous Postal Service, workers have won wage increases totaling 83.1 percent. But the new agency also dropped or shifted workers, automated some issues in post offices. Those changes have brought increasing complaints from the employees.
J. Joseph Vacca, president of the letter carriers' union, says, "The workers are oversuprised, overharassed, over-intimidated employees who are constantly being squeezed to produce more and more for less and less."
ASKED FOR REACTION to the complaints, Postal Service spokesman Walter Duke said, "Postal workers deserve supervision. Most people in America are used to having employers look over their shoulders. I know. We supervise my work. I think we would be nervous in our responsibility if we didn't do this."
The Postal Service has used various devices to cut costs and increase productivity. It is succeeded in reducing the payroll by 85 percent, with helpers to 860,000 'escape handling more mail.
"Postal management is really dedicated to cutting costs whenever it can." William J.
Anderson, an official of the General Accounting Office told a Senate panel last week. "There is an atmosphere there that would do a lot of other federal agencies."
"BUT SOMETIMES it is a little ruthless with the workers."
Management has considered such economy moves as closing thousands of money-losing rural post offices and other government buildings, one either because of widespread opposition.
But it has transferred many workers to other offices, sometimes in different cities, to accommodate shifting mail loads. It has made employees put in what many consider excessive overtime rather than hiring extra workers.
work. In some cases, where the cost has been judged to be reasonable, mail delivery has become a viable option.
AUTOMATION ALSO HAS been unpopular, despite its greater efficiency.
The workers are feeling the effects of the most important structural change since U.S. mail service began with Benjamin Franklin as the first postmaster general.
In 1970 Congress was fed up with setting postal rates and making postal appointments. In washing its hands of postal operations, it abolished the Post Office Department and set up the new Postal New York district lines in an effort to enhance efficiency.
other goals of the 1970 law included raising postal workers' wages to the point at which they were comparable to private industry. The postal unions were given collective bargaining rights to get their support for the legislation.
ACCORDING TO POSTAL SERVICE figures, the four unions have won agreements increasing average wages from $8.75 in 1971 to $15.87 now. During that period, the Consumer Price Index went up 8.7 percent.
In the current negotiations, the unions have demanded a $1,956 wage increase for each worker who has been with the Postal Service more than two years—roughly double what the Carter administration wants—plus cost of diving! protection, last week, thousands of postal workers chanted, "No contract, no work."
Smith was not among the protesters. But when asked whether he would walk off the street, Smith replied: "No."
Staff Photo by ALAN ZLOTKY
PizzaCo.
$1.00 off.
any large pizza.
Slide shenanigans
Robbie Neft, 10, center, made a leg bridge for his friends to slide underneath in South Park.
Mother's Father's
Tigo Toga—The Fox—Ragh here in Manor's back and me to it. I揍 her at Father's side. Beer Bath! Wonder if I recognize me.
2406 Iowa
2408 Iowa
Say Tigo Baby— Remember me?
No—But the Breath is Familiar
Drinking Establishments
Federal grant given Oread group
By SANDY HERD Staff Writer
Sell It Fast With Kansan Classified
KU students who live in the Oread neighborhood will benefit from an $85,000 federal grant for crime prevention that was received by the Oread Neighborhood Association.
The grant, issued by the Law Enforcement Assistance Association, will be used to reduce crime in the neighborhood, which is between downtown and the KU campus.
years ahead. We have a number of different goals and programs, one being to rent space for facilities to store stores, televisions and other valuables when residents are gone, parceling out the land and paying for utilities.
Ron Olin, crime analyst for the Lawrence Police Department; said the Oread neighborhood had one of the highest concentrations of crime in Lawrence.
North 10th street; "our slam"
He said the grant also would be used for programs to instruct residents about protecting
that property.
"There is a very high level of burglary in an area bordered by Massachusetts, Michigan, North and 13th streets." Oli said.
"WE WILL PROVIDE information and help in installing locks and other devices on doors and windows for those who want to make their homes more secure," he said.
Although Flynn said that the association would be working with the police department, specific plans had not yet been made.
Darrel Stephens, assistant Lawrence police chief, said, "We talked at the beginning, when the application was made, about the different kinds of programs"
Stephens said that he had talked to Flynn Monday and that representatives from the police department and the association planned to meet soon.
ALTHOUGH ONLY 20 percent of the neighborhood association's members are renters, Flyl heaped them students, who are usually renters, would become involved in the
"The police department endorsed the programs, but we did not sit down and decide what specific areas the department and the association would work together or how their actions would work."
sanitary surfaces.
"I would like to have more students in the association, but I recognize that they have different lifetimes and don't consider themselves permanent residents."
proposals." We want as much involvement with all of the neighborhood residents as possible," he said. "We want to be able to work together, meet each other and watch out for each other."
problems.
Flyers are a newsletter to all residents would be issued, monthly if possible, to inform them of the facilities and services available for crime prevention.
"We'll TELL them who to contact at the police department for a security analysis of their home, where to help in installing security devices and what's available for their use."
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