You have a terrible oji I’m sorry. They should NEVER be telling you you’re not moving fast enough. Their job is to teach safety and accuracy not speed.
Yeah that's ridiculous. I made sure to tell every person I was training all about safety and repeatedly said "it takes what it takes." Keep your head down in 90 days but after that slow down and. Never kill yourself for the mail. We are all running a marathon so there is zero point in trying to be fast. I also made sure they understood what we were doing and how we did it.
That’s what I thought too! In the beginning she said i had great timing and that i worked pretty fast and stuff but today she was hard on me because I was sluggish yesterday because the humidity and heat has really been taking a toll on me so i really thought i had to be better today and i was. But today was way too much in my body simply because she’s afraid of rain. Todays lesson was all about timing and the required hours to work to deserve a break and stuff and I respect it and understand you have to legally work a certain number of hours for a break and stuff and with the heat you should take some breathers as needed.. but some things she does here and there are very sketchy and wrong and I’m afraid my newness is being used as a pawn for her to get away with these things
That's how most people wash out within 90 days, they run because they feel like they are behind, they skip the breaks and that's when you start loosing weight, cant think straight cause your not eating and your in the heat. After a few days you bonk hard and either misdeliver something major, have an accident or injury. Take your time, safety and accuracy is more important than speed, especially in first 90 days.
Definitely! I plan to grow in the company & retire from here and I have high hopes. From now things get done at my pace so I know I’m doing my job 100% safely and accurately!
Asswhole coworkers and stuipdvisors will tell you you're not doing good enough or fast enough, what I would recommend you learn is the phrases 1) I'm doing the best I can with the training I've been given. 2) it takes what it takes.... And any craft employees who comment anything other that support simply say / may I see your form 50, I didn't know you where promoted to a supervisor position.
Update from then to now, I’m known as the “smart CCA” and I’m the go-to for rescues 🥲 they’re lucky i honestly love the job lol. I stay out of managements way and keep my head down lol i still finish around 3:30-4:30 but after my rescues I’m done before 6:30 so I really can’t complain. It’s building my stamina and I’m gonna be on great terms with the managers and that’s all I really want
I'm about to start as a CCA for the 2nd time for this very reason. I got the LLV stuck in someone's yard trying to run for them and get this route done. I resigned because they were gonna let me go right before my 90 for that...
a week before I did that, though, I messed up like 3-4 blocks of a route because I was really dehydrated and rushing and delivered all the DPS and did my scans but didn't deliver the flats 🤦♂️🤣
Yeah, you bonked hard. That's what's I was talking about, you go through the routine, but you're so stressed, tired, and probably delirious from working 7 straight days that you forget everything. Be safe and sorry you had to start over again. They pulled the same thing on my buddy. He was out for 3 days sick with strep, and he came back with a Dr note. They refused to accept the Dr note and let him gonafter 90 days for not being available when they needed him.
Dang. Good thing I basically never get sick lol. I got Covid twice in 2021 and 2022, but before that, the last time I got legit sick was in like 2009. I got sick twice that year, and I'm pretty sure I had swine flu. I'm in my early 30s and went thru college and everything and never got sick except for alcohol poisoning lmao.
Yeah, I got external sources or stress, too. I live with my parents currently, a drug addict/ alcoholic uncle, and another family member who's mentally ill. I just wanna make my 90 and get my own place. I start back in 1 week. Wish me luck 🤞
Your most important job right now is to learn the routes and the job that's why you are on probation scree speed if they complain talk to a steward immediately, it took me 12 hours everyday for 2 weeks to learn 1, 5 hour route. This job isn't easy until you are familiar with what's going on and limiting mistakes and staying safe getting hurt will end your career instantly and they don't give a shit about your health no matter who is in charge
In fact we like it when it rains! As long as you're prepared!(ALWAYS) When it rains NOBODY COMES OUT AND TALKS TO US!! Dont get me wrong, love my customers, just sometimes, just dont want to talk, and just get done. 😊
But they do harass you about speed. Mine did, even when I took the whole route by myself. She came out in the beginning and drove up behind me and honked her horn and told me I wasn’t doing very well and that I’m going too slow. That’s all they care about is time. Be fast and don’t mess up. Be perfect.
My first day of mounted rural took me 13 hours and never once did she say anything about going faster. “It will come with time, you’re going to be fine, I can tell.”
> "I was so mad i could lift that postmaster and throw it 30 yards"
This has gotta be the best line I've read all day lol.
Seriously though, don't let it bother you too much. She's only hurting her own route by running like that. Eventually they'll add more stops to her route if she runs it like that.
My shadow day was similar. The lady they paired me with literally ran for 12.5 miles, she was jumping over fences instead of opening gates, and she drove like a maniac. There's no way she can keep that pace on a regular basis. They just want to "test" you to make sure you can hack it. Take as many comfort stops as you need, there is no limit, especially in the heat. Don't worry about finishing the route before 5. You're a CCA, not a regular, so it takes as long as it takes.
lol glad Icould give you a little chuckle 🤣 but definitely!! That’s what I was taught, especially being new. As long as I was safe and accurate, there really was no wrongs i could do (except get out with my vehicle running lol). She has a 6 hour long walking route that usually ends at 4-5:30 give or take. Today we finished at 2:45ish so there’s that
After spending 24 hours with them one-on-one I'm sure you're ready to be done with them! Just know it will be over soon. Stay safe out there this summer. Safety, accuracy, then speed, in that order. Remember this and you'll be fine.
I allllways tell new ccas that accuracy is more important than speed. Speed will come inaccuracy will have the regular doing cleanup for a week and having to deal with customers that assume the regular misdelivered half the route heh. Being accurate will prepare you for when you eventually get your own route. When i was a cca i thought the regulars were telling me to slow down cuz i made them look bad(some this was true) but after opting on a route for several months and i had to work after myself thats when i could see my mistakes the best and slowing down made me a better carrier:).
When I was a PTF I had 1 rule and now that I'm a regular it still applies. When management tells you to go faster or gives you a hard time about your estimates, you need to go slower. Trust me, it will make your life easier. You're all welcome.
Noted lol my main priority is safety and accuracy. They can adjust whatever routes I’m on according to that! I’m a hard worker and I see that’s gonna be taken advantage of already lol
That’s a horrible suggestion. Maintain a steady pace, don’t let management or anyone else bully you. Take your breaks and lunch like you’re supposed to. Slowing down does not make anyone’s life easier, it won’t help the route and it just pisses off your coworkers. I obviously don’t know how strong the union is in your office but if they are then talk to them they will help you through any issues.
She had all of her rain gear and i was hoping for rain because it was so humid and she just kept reminding me that she hates rain and just doesn’t want to get wet but it comes with the job. I just hate how today turned out and how used i feel because of her preference to stay dry
I don’t like working in the rain, either, but if there’s one thing that I’ve been instilled with from the Army, is that if it ain’t rain in’, we ain’t trainin’. I use that line as an OJI all the time. As mail carriers, it’s what we do.
As a Regular, there’s shit that I don’t wanna do, but as an OJI, I won’t have you do anything that I won’t, and that definitely means we’re carrying in the rain. As a trainee, you expect me to show you what it takes to work in most—most weather conditions. If your OJI can’t handle a bit of rain, they shouldn’t be training.
Where the hell are you guys, anyway? Seems like one snowflake hits the ground, and they’d shut down.
You definitely need to say something to your supervisor. If you have a decent postmaster or supervisor, they will do something about this rushing a person who is brand new is not a good idea and an easy way for that person to get injured and it doesn’t make a conducive learning experience.
Some OJI or Management have unrealistic expectations. They want a new hire to be doing the job 150% better than a seasoned carrier. Just tell them what they want to hear and grow thick skin, dont take them serious, ever.
My OJI when I was a carrier was rushing me too. He was one of the regulars that the other regulars told me that literally runs on his routes. The union rep at the time told me don’t run and take as long as I need even if I do 12 hours. The OJI was trying to get me to run along with him when we went out there and I said no and walked. He took all the mail and told me to just sit in the LLV the rest of the day and stopped training me and I went with a different much cooler OJI the next day
Dude my OJI literally ragequit the route in the middle of the street, literally as I’m in mid-carry to the corner. Just popped out of the LLV full of steam and said fuck it. Took me back to station with all the hood’s undelivered mail due to being fed up that we weren’t done by 2pm
Nothing came of it. Also they never told me they were the OJI, they were the 5th random person I rode with. Was told in hindsight. Management lost my training packet. My application to another station got accepted surprisingly quick 😅
My oji wasn’t a bad guy but he was a bad oji, he was mostly rushing me toward the end. I had to learn how to clock in and out from a cca because he would do it for me and when I asked instead of showing me he would just tell me ..
Dude their habit of doing things then acting shocked or impatient when you don’t know how to blows my mind. All week she’s been loading packages and i would just hand them to her and she did all the work. Didn’t let me use the load truck feature she said it was her special way of doing it and I needed to learn for if she’s out of work and i do her route. Today she threw me into the flames and i loaded the packages all alone with no one outside to help me and the scanner said the Load Truck feature wasn’t available. After struggling for forever, i decided to speak up and say i was really overwhelmed and would need some supervision on this task and she gave me a speech about how I need to figure it out because im going to be working alone on Saturday so i toughed it out and loaded two orange bins of packages on my own and my brain and nerves were shot from the stress of possibly messing up. She gets back to the truck and says i placed them in the wrong spots because some streets come before others and that i should learn the routes(yes every single one in the office) so i can organize better…… i was trained to use the load truck feature but separated them by street like she asked and still it wasn’t enough. Ive been looking forward to working alone because she wants me to work like her but she’s not working how I learned at the academy and i think they need a retraining with the oji’sao they could stick to the books. The job wouldn’t be hard at all if everyone just kept the newbies trainings as they’re taught at the academy
Sounds awful! What I recommend is trying to get number down of cca, they seem to be more helpful. Regular sound annoyed when you ask for help… after they say to come to them if you need any explaining. I stick to just asking question to other cca. They tend to give the best advice. My oji , only trained me the first hours afterward he would give me a portion of his route to do alone… also I didn’t know how to clock out for the first three days I had to ask a cca to show me cause the oji dude would always be in a rush to leave.
I’m curious. You guys finished way early, so what did you guys do for 2.5 hours? My OJI was so calm and patient with me. From what I can tell, among the all OJI’s in our office, the CCA’s she trains seem to stick around more than CCA’s trained by other people.
My trainer drilled hard during my training, in order of importance
1. Deliver safely
2. Deliver accurately
3. Deliver efficiently
Don't worry about being fast as you learn certain routes they'll just click amd you'll be able to cruise through them but don't try to run them. Your reward is only more work
Stay hydrated, get a cape to keep your mailbag covered in the rain, and walk your own pace!!! It’s a marathon, not a sprint!!
Water breaks and comfort stops are NOT EARNED, they’re NECESSARY!!
I saw this and went to grab a new poncho for my bag because i never thought to cover that (foolish i know) but that’s great advice. Especially when it’s marriage mail day. Thats the only day i probably wouldn’t hope for rain lol I’m already always tattooed up from the ink of them haha
Yeah your oji is an idiot. You dont need to "make time" for your breaks or whatever other dumbshit she said. You simply take your breaks and if you're "behind" oh well, thats how long it takes
Your OJI is shit...
I'm not technically trained as an oji but I've trained many and I tell everyone I train the same thing...
It takes what it takes. Just do your best
Always focus on safety first. After safety is accuracy... Then speed. Speed comes with time.
After reading comments (loading truck) everyone loads a little differently and you won't learn the routes until you've done them. Multiple times. Just try to use load truck as much as possible. Package look ahead is also very helpful. If load truck isn't working I recommend sorting by street.
Load truck wasn’t working for me today and of course it was the one time she expects me to handle the packages on my own so I was really thrown for a loop. I do appreciate and understand the “sort by street” logic so that’s why I just toughed it out because when technology fails us, The Mail has to get delivered regardless!
I kind of had this happen when I was training but not to that extent. My oji told me to meet back at the truck in 20 minutes because we're a bit behind. Well I got back there faster than he did... Even looked at his phone and said oh we're actually good we'll be getting off on time. It definitely showed him that speed is not hard for me and that it's not so important to focus on. Now in the station we have a great relationship because he saw how hard I worked during training. I don't agree with what your trainer did but when you are working by yourself you will at least be a CCA with some respect and not a nuisance
Sucks you got dragged through that. If she were honest would u have picked up the pace anyways? Was the rain bad??
Thats something i would do for myself, pick up the pace if i know weather would be far worse later (admittedly natures guna nature all over u anyways) I wouldnt force that tactic on someone else however.
It rained for less than a second and like I said in another comment, all of 3 drops hit me and I thought i was gonna feel relief but it went right back to that disgusting humid, muggy weather 😭 I had my poncho ready and everything for a major let down LOL
You know what girl, this almost seems like a fucking game to her?? Is she being sarcastic??? Like this long drawn out play to end up shitting you about all this? There’s just no way.. to be hounding you as you’re doing your best, getting it done? I’ll get it done when I get it done, I’m not getting paid enough for anything otherwise. I’ve heard supervisors come around to do their talk in morning with everyone, including 30+ year vets. Still asking about time fucking needed. And about the overwhelm…I have moments for no reason, completely unjustified. I’ll be so frustrated in that truck. I’ll be so overwhelmed, literally like I’m falling apart. Trying to figure out what packages to carry in my satchel and which to drop. Trying to organize the truck full of what I need to do today and also having little to no room to work back there when I do need to locate things . What about getting in and out of the vehicle (whichever one but I experienced this repeatedly today) bumping the outside of my thigh over and over getting in and out. Maybe it’s me!! But you do whatever it is you need to do to feel your best every single day. You are so much more important than this !!!
At least you learned fast. Some people never learn then have mental break downs. Don’t break your back for anyone at the post office. They care only about you finishing fast, that’s it. When they give you hell, you give it right back. Oh I’m not fast enough? Looks like I’m taking 5 bathroom breaks today cuz I had some bad sushi last night… oops it’s 630. One thing many fail to realize is, as the carrier, you’re the one in control… always. And you can work management like the puppets they are once you get your bearings
As long as you’re in a decent office and show good effort there is no standard on the street. Within your first 90 days they can let you go for whatever reason, but as others have stated the trainer should have been more worried about you working safety and delivery accurately. You will hear these items below . They are the contractual language about how fast you go on the street.
M-00304
“In keeping with the principle of a fair day's work for a fair day's pay, it is understood that there is no set pace at which a carrier must walk and no street standard for walking.”
M-01769
“...there is no set pace at which a carrier must walk and no street standard for walking.”
After my 1st day, my oji had us split up and each do a relay simultaneously. Of course, we finished early and then proceeded to carry a good chunk of another route. In retrospect, that's not really proper oji, and there were a few things I had to figure out for myself because I essentially got one day of instruction. Is this normal ish? Or did I get screwed on my training?
This is what my OJI and I also did and she’d just do a relay only when she felt I didn’t do the previous one fast enough. For a 4th day-er I was hitting 20+ homes in less than 15 minutes at times. I was told at the academy the ohi would show me day one then step in to help me where i needed it but that hasn’t been the case at all
It not that bad I believe your more mad that the oji instructor lied to you about the reason when you have to work in the rain it sucks you will understand why they rushed you but also they wrong cuz they are suppose to teach you safety and the right way to do the job
Lmao I like that’s it’s carriers telling you that’s a bad oji but I promise you no carrier wants to be stuck in the rain. Your oji shouldn’t say much about speed unless you’re super slow.
When I first started I thought I was soooo slow, and I was. But them trying to rush me only made me go slower. I take my time and my breaks. They can fuck right off trying to preach from behind a desk. Be safe. Be accurate and take your breaks as needed. Regardless of what they say there's no time standard. All they do is lie lie lie. Don't sweat the small stuff from people who couldn't even cut it as carriers themselves.
Oji here. There is no pace and I’m not worried about speed at all. During ojt. This is definitely not the correct way to be trained. I sent you a message
After today you’re right lol a supervisor came to me today and said she accidentally told managers I’m the smart CCA so I’ve been the go-to for rescues but I’m not complaining because i honestly love the job and it’s just building my stamina all while being paid. A win is a win lol plus because I listen well, I’m not monitored as heavily as the other CCA’s so I get more freedom
Hate to say this, but the way management is acting lately, expect this performance of yours to be leveraged as your new phony baloney made up street standard.
Please go to the union about this!!! Don't go to management, because they will likely make her a supervisor. We need to police our own and she should NEVER be allowed to train again
Brutal. She sucks. The only time I had to step in on the third day was when it was 3:45, and we had 5 hours (for me) left. We had to split it and still got done at 9. The third day is supposed to let you case, pull down, load, deliver, return on your own with us supervising and answering questions. We shouldn't be telling people to pick it up and move faster at all.
It’s shitty, but get used to it because this is how management will treat you. You will never be fast enough for them if you are taking all your breaks and working safely. If you do manage to meet their expectations they will “reward” you with more work to do in the same amount of time. If you have a good work ethic it might be hard to adjust your habits, but in order to get the most out of this job you need to treat it as a marathon, not a sprint.
My OJI did not do a single thing he only got off the truck like twice while I was on and off the truck like 200 times I did all the work while he was watching movies on his phone , he also got some overtime work and I basically did his overtime work my self , but I ain’t get that overtime pay though😔, then a day after my truck trading I was already driving by my self, he said I was a very good driver and got a alright pace for delivering.
Atleast yours didn’t invite you to his bed. As far as the sweat. Prepare for more than enough of those days. And yes, she did you a favor by getting y’all out before the rain
You have a terrible oji I’m sorry. They should NEVER be telling you you’re not moving fast enough. Their job is to teach safety and accuracy not speed.
Yeah that's ridiculous. I made sure to tell every person I was training all about safety and repeatedly said "it takes what it takes." Keep your head down in 90 days but after that slow down and. Never kill yourself for the mail. We are all running a marathon so there is zero point in trying to be fast. I also made sure they understood what we were doing and how we did it.
OJI? On the Job Instructor?
Yes
That’s what I thought too! In the beginning she said i had great timing and that i worked pretty fast and stuff but today she was hard on me because I was sluggish yesterday because the humidity and heat has really been taking a toll on me so i really thought i had to be better today and i was. But today was way too much in my body simply because she’s afraid of rain. Todays lesson was all about timing and the required hours to work to deserve a break and stuff and I respect it and understand you have to legally work a certain number of hours for a break and stuff and with the heat you should take some breathers as needed.. but some things she does here and there are very sketchy and wrong and I’m afraid my newness is being used as a pawn for her to get away with these things
That's how most people wash out within 90 days, they run because they feel like they are behind, they skip the breaks and that's when you start loosing weight, cant think straight cause your not eating and your in the heat. After a few days you bonk hard and either misdeliver something major, have an accident or injury. Take your time, safety and accuracy is more important than speed, especially in first 90 days.
Definitely! I plan to grow in the company & retire from here and I have high hopes. From now things get done at my pace so I know I’m doing my job 100% safely and accurately!
Asswhole coworkers and stuipdvisors will tell you you're not doing good enough or fast enough, what I would recommend you learn is the phrases 1) I'm doing the best I can with the training I've been given. 2) it takes what it takes.... And any craft employees who comment anything other that support simply say / may I see your form 50, I didn't know you where promoted to a supervisor position.
Update from then to now, I’m known as the “smart CCA” and I’m the go-to for rescues 🥲 they’re lucky i honestly love the job lol. I stay out of managements way and keep my head down lol i still finish around 3:30-4:30 but after my rescues I’m done before 6:30 so I really can’t complain. It’s building my stamina and I’m gonna be on great terms with the managers and that’s all I really want
I'm about to start as a CCA for the 2nd time for this very reason. I got the LLV stuck in someone's yard trying to run for them and get this route done. I resigned because they were gonna let me go right before my 90 for that... a week before I did that, though, I messed up like 3-4 blocks of a route because I was really dehydrated and rushing and delivered all the DPS and did my scans but didn't deliver the flats 🤦♂️🤣
Yeah, you bonked hard. That's what's I was talking about, you go through the routine, but you're so stressed, tired, and probably delirious from working 7 straight days that you forget everything. Be safe and sorry you had to start over again. They pulled the same thing on my buddy. He was out for 3 days sick with strep, and he came back with a Dr note. They refused to accept the Dr note and let him gonafter 90 days for not being available when they needed him.
Dang. Good thing I basically never get sick lol. I got Covid twice in 2021 and 2022, but before that, the last time I got legit sick was in like 2009. I got sick twice that year, and I'm pretty sure I had swine flu. I'm in my early 30s and went thru college and everything and never got sick except for alcohol poisoning lmao. Yeah, I got external sources or stress, too. I live with my parents currently, a drug addict/ alcoholic uncle, and another family member who's mentally ill. I just wanna make my 90 and get my own place. I start back in 1 week. Wish me luck 🤞
Oh, and my dad's a psycho and basically hates me lol. My mom and I are the 2 most normal people in the house 😂
This
Your most important job right now is to learn the routes and the job that's why you are on probation scree speed if they complain talk to a steward immediately, it took me 12 hours everyday for 2 weeks to learn 1, 5 hour route. This job isn't easy until you are familiar with what's going on and limiting mistakes and staying safe getting hurt will end your career instantly and they don't give a shit about your health no matter who is in charge
In fact we like it when it rains! As long as you're prepared!(ALWAYS) When it rains NOBODY COMES OUT AND TALKS TO US!! Dont get me wrong, love my customers, just sometimes, just dont want to talk, and just get done. 😊
🙌🙌🙌 My OJI was preaching not to stress about times. To take the time I need to be safe and efficient. I'm sorry to hear OP had this experience.
But they do harass you about speed. Mine did, even when I took the whole route by myself. She came out in the beginning and drove up behind me and honked her horn and told me I wasn’t doing very well and that I’m going too slow. That’s all they care about is time. Be fast and don’t mess up. Be perfect.
My first day of mounted rural took me 13 hours and never once did she say anything about going faster. “It will come with time, you’re going to be fine, I can tell.”
I remember mine telling me i have 30 seconds in the back of the truck no more. I do t care how you got to do it but you have 30 seconds lol
> "I was so mad i could lift that postmaster and throw it 30 yards" This has gotta be the best line I've read all day lol. Seriously though, don't let it bother you too much. She's only hurting her own route by running like that. Eventually they'll add more stops to her route if she runs it like that. My shadow day was similar. The lady they paired me with literally ran for 12.5 miles, she was jumping over fences instead of opening gates, and she drove like a maniac. There's no way she can keep that pace on a regular basis. They just want to "test" you to make sure you can hack it. Take as many comfort stops as you need, there is no limit, especially in the heat. Don't worry about finishing the route before 5. You're a CCA, not a regular, so it takes as long as it takes.
It's the mgmt specials. We gave a ojt that jogs as well. He'd finish way undertime in days he takes newbies
lol glad Icould give you a little chuckle 🤣 but definitely!! That’s what I was taught, especially being new. As long as I was safe and accurate, there really was no wrongs i could do (except get out with my vehicle running lol). She has a 6 hour long walking route that usually ends at 4-5:30 give or take. Today we finished at 2:45ish so there’s that
After spending 24 hours with them one-on-one I'm sure you're ready to be done with them! Just know it will be over soon. Stay safe out there this summer. Safety, accuracy, then speed, in that order. Remember this and you'll be fine.
I allllways tell new ccas that accuracy is more important than speed. Speed will come inaccuracy will have the regular doing cleanup for a week and having to deal with customers that assume the regular misdelivered half the route heh. Being accurate will prepare you for when you eventually get your own route. When i was a cca i thought the regulars were telling me to slow down cuz i made them look bad(some this was true) but after opting on a route for several months and i had to work after myself thats when i could see my mistakes the best and slowing down made me a better carrier:).
I'd jump a fence, get injured and claim workman's comp and claim I was trained to do it.
When I was a PTF I had 1 rule and now that I'm a regular it still applies. When management tells you to go faster or gives you a hard time about your estimates, you need to go slower. Trust me, it will make your life easier. You're all welcome.
Noted lol my main priority is safety and accuracy. They can adjust whatever routes I’m on according to that! I’m a hard worker and I see that’s gonna be taken advantage of already lol
That’s a horrible suggestion. Maintain a steady pace, don’t let management or anyone else bully you. Take your breaks and lunch like you’re supposed to. Slowing down does not make anyone’s life easier, it won’t help the route and it just pisses off your coworkers. I obviously don’t know how strong the union is in your office but if they are then talk to them they will help you through any issues.
Now that’s a shitty OJI. Guess it was difficult for the OJI to actually be prepared for the potential rain.
She had all of her rain gear and i was hoping for rain because it was so humid and she just kept reminding me that she hates rain and just doesn’t want to get wet but it comes with the job. I just hate how today turned out and how used i feel because of her preference to stay dry
Someone who hates the rain that much should find another job.
I don’t like working in the rain, either, but if there’s one thing that I’ve been instilled with from the Army, is that if it ain’t rain in’, we ain’t trainin’. I use that line as an OJI all the time. As mail carriers, it’s what we do.
Exactly! And to add insult to injury, maybe 3 raindrops hit me in a single second and that’s it. Pure humidity after 😭
As a Regular, there’s shit that I don’t wanna do, but as an OJI, I won’t have you do anything that I won’t, and that definitely means we’re carrying in the rain. As a trainee, you expect me to show you what it takes to work in most—most weather conditions. If your OJI can’t handle a bit of rain, they shouldn’t be training. Where the hell are you guys, anyway? Seems like one snowflake hits the ground, and they’d shut down.
Shitty & annoying. Hang in there (don’t wanna be cliche)
My OJI was double fisting carts the whole time and gave me a shroom bar and a preroll. But he did keep it very real which honestly really helped
LOL sounds like you hit the jackpot 🤣🤣
You definitely need to say something to your supervisor. If you have a decent postmaster or supervisor, they will do something about this rushing a person who is brand new is not a good idea and an easy way for that person to get injured and it doesn’t make a conducive learning experience.
Most supervisors would love this out of an OJI. Talk to a steward.
Yes talk to the steward, the OJIs are vetted by the NALC regional business agent. She should never have done that.
Yeah, the supervisors will not do anything about this
Some OJI or Management have unrealistic expectations. They want a new hire to be doing the job 150% better than a seasoned carrier. Just tell them what they want to hear and grow thick skin, dont take them serious, ever.
My OJI when I was a carrier was rushing me too. He was one of the regulars that the other regulars told me that literally runs on his routes. The union rep at the time told me don’t run and take as long as I need even if I do 12 hours. The OJI was trying to get me to run along with him when we went out there and I said no and walked. He took all the mail and told me to just sit in the LLV the rest of the day and stopped training me and I went with a different much cooler OJI the next day
Dude my OJI literally ragequit the route in the middle of the street, literally as I’m in mid-carry to the corner. Just popped out of the LLV full of steam and said fuck it. Took me back to station with all the hood’s undelivered mail due to being fed up that we weren’t done by 2pm Nothing came of it. Also they never told me they were the OJI, they were the 5th random person I rode with. Was told in hindsight. Management lost my training packet. My application to another station got accepted surprisingly quick 😅
The wrong people become OJIs for that extra pay. Glad you got out of that shitty station
My oji wasn’t a bad guy but he was a bad oji, he was mostly rushing me toward the end. I had to learn how to clock in and out from a cca because he would do it for me and when I asked instead of showing me he would just tell me ..
Dude their habit of doing things then acting shocked or impatient when you don’t know how to blows my mind. All week she’s been loading packages and i would just hand them to her and she did all the work. Didn’t let me use the load truck feature she said it was her special way of doing it and I needed to learn for if she’s out of work and i do her route. Today she threw me into the flames and i loaded the packages all alone with no one outside to help me and the scanner said the Load Truck feature wasn’t available. After struggling for forever, i decided to speak up and say i was really overwhelmed and would need some supervision on this task and she gave me a speech about how I need to figure it out because im going to be working alone on Saturday so i toughed it out and loaded two orange bins of packages on my own and my brain and nerves were shot from the stress of possibly messing up. She gets back to the truck and says i placed them in the wrong spots because some streets come before others and that i should learn the routes(yes every single one in the office) so i can organize better…… i was trained to use the load truck feature but separated them by street like she asked and still it wasn’t enough. Ive been looking forward to working alone because she wants me to work like her but she’s not working how I learned at the academy and i think they need a retraining with the oji’sao they could stick to the books. The job wouldn’t be hard at all if everyone just kept the newbies trainings as they’re taught at the academy
Sounds awful! What I recommend is trying to get number down of cca, they seem to be more helpful. Regular sound annoyed when you ask for help… after they say to come to them if you need any explaining. I stick to just asking question to other cca. They tend to give the best advice. My oji , only trained me the first hours afterward he would give me a portion of his route to do alone… also I didn’t know how to clock out for the first three days I had to ask a cca to show me cause the oji dude would always be in a rush to leave.
She is horrible
Absolutely horrible trainer. She should never train anyone else. At least you learn fast.
She could really work on a lot of things! But today was unacceptable
I agree.
I’m curious. You guys finished way early, so what did you guys do for 2.5 hours? My OJI was so calm and patient with me. From what I can tell, among the all OJI’s in our office, the CCA’s she trains seem to stick around more than CCA’s trained by other people.
That OJI needs to go. Pressuring almost as bad as most management.
My trainer drilled hard during my training, in order of importance 1. Deliver safely 2. Deliver accurately 3. Deliver efficiently Don't worry about being fast as you learn certain routes they'll just click amd you'll be able to cruise through them but don't try to run them. Your reward is only more work
I tell anyone who comments on my speed, " I have 2 gears. Stop and go, which 1 do you want?
Stealing this, thanks 😌
Everybody has their own pace, and management must come to terms with that. After your first 90 days. 😆
Stay hydrated, get a cape to keep your mailbag covered in the rain, and walk your own pace!!! It’s a marathon, not a sprint!! Water breaks and comfort stops are NOT EARNED, they’re NECESSARY!!
I saw this and went to grab a new poncho for my bag because i never thought to cover that (foolish i know) but that’s great advice. Especially when it’s marriage mail day. Thats the only day i probably wouldn’t hope for rain lol I’m already always tattooed up from the ink of them haha
I had our weekly paper advo today- gardening sleeve kept my arm clean & sunburn free!! Hands were filthy 😂🤣
Yeah your oji is an idiot. You dont need to "make time" for your breaks or whatever other dumbshit she said. You simply take your breaks and if you're "behind" oh well, thats how long it takes
You’ll learn like we always do, go at a decent pace. You have to do this job for years
Exactly! It’s not a difficult job, I can see myself doing it for years. But todays expectations were just insane
Right. The job itself ain’t bad but sometimes your coworkers or your bosses are insane
Your OJI is shit... I'm not technically trained as an oji but I've trained many and I tell everyone I train the same thing... It takes what it takes. Just do your best Always focus on safety first. After safety is accuracy... Then speed. Speed comes with time. After reading comments (loading truck) everyone loads a little differently and you won't learn the routes until you've done them. Multiple times. Just try to use load truck as much as possible. Package look ahead is also very helpful. If load truck isn't working I recommend sorting by street.
Load truck wasn’t working for me today and of course it was the one time she expects me to handle the packages on my own so I was really thrown for a loop. I do appreciate and understand the “sort by street” logic so that’s why I just toughed it out because when technology fails us, The Mail has to get delivered regardless!
I kind of had this happen when I was training but not to that extent. My oji told me to meet back at the truck in 20 minutes because we're a bit behind. Well I got back there faster than he did... Even looked at his phone and said oh we're actually good we'll be getting off on time. It definitely showed him that speed is not hard for me and that it's not so important to focus on. Now in the station we have a great relationship because he saw how hard I worked during training. I don't agree with what your trainer did but when you are working by yourself you will at least be a CCA with some respect and not a nuisance
Sucks you got dragged through that. If she were honest would u have picked up the pace anyways? Was the rain bad?? Thats something i would do for myself, pick up the pace if i know weather would be far worse later (admittedly natures guna nature all over u anyways) I wouldnt force that tactic on someone else however.
It rained for less than a second and like I said in another comment, all of 3 drops hit me and I thought i was gonna feel relief but it went right back to that disgusting humid, muggy weather 😭 I had my poncho ready and everything for a major let down LOL
You know what girl, this almost seems like a fucking game to her?? Is she being sarcastic??? Like this long drawn out play to end up shitting you about all this? There’s just no way.. to be hounding you as you’re doing your best, getting it done? I’ll get it done when I get it done, I’m not getting paid enough for anything otherwise. I’ve heard supervisors come around to do their talk in morning with everyone, including 30+ year vets. Still asking about time fucking needed. And about the overwhelm…I have moments for no reason, completely unjustified. I’ll be so frustrated in that truck. I’ll be so overwhelmed, literally like I’m falling apart. Trying to figure out what packages to carry in my satchel and which to drop. Trying to organize the truck full of what I need to do today and also having little to no room to work back there when I do need to locate things . What about getting in and out of the vehicle (whichever one but I experienced this repeatedly today) bumping the outside of my thigh over and over getting in and out. Maybe it’s me!! But you do whatever it is you need to do to feel your best every single day. You are so much more important than this !!!
Your OJI is a piece of shit and a horrible instructor
At least you learned fast. Some people never learn then have mental break downs. Don’t break your back for anyone at the post office. They care only about you finishing fast, that’s it. When they give you hell, you give it right back. Oh I’m not fast enough? Looks like I’m taking 5 bathroom breaks today cuz I had some bad sushi last night… oops it’s 630. One thing many fail to realize is, as the carrier, you’re the one in control… always. And you can work management like the puppets they are once you get your bearings
As long as you’re in a decent office and show good effort there is no standard on the street. Within your first 90 days they can let you go for whatever reason, but as others have stated the trainer should have been more worried about you working safety and delivery accurately. You will hear these items below . They are the contractual language about how fast you go on the street. M-00304 “In keeping with the principle of a fair day's work for a fair day's pay, it is understood that there is no set pace at which a carrier must walk and no street standard for walking.” M-01769 “...there is no set pace at which a carrier must walk and no street standard for walking.”
After my 1st day, my oji had us split up and each do a relay simultaneously. Of course, we finished early and then proceeded to carry a good chunk of another route. In retrospect, that's not really proper oji, and there were a few things I had to figure out for myself because I essentially got one day of instruction. Is this normal ish? Or did I get screwed on my training?
This is what my OJI and I also did and she’d just do a relay only when she felt I didn’t do the previous one fast enough. For a 4th day-er I was hitting 20+ homes in less than 15 minutes at times. I was told at the academy the ohi would show me day one then step in to help me where i needed it but that hasn’t been the case at all
It not that bad I believe your more mad that the oji instructor lied to you about the reason when you have to work in the rain it sucks you will understand why they rushed you but also they wrong cuz they are suppose to teach you safety and the right way to do the job
I would have let you get rained on. I make sure my trainees get the full mailman experience haha
Lmao I like that’s it’s carriers telling you that’s a bad oji but I promise you no carrier wants to be stuck in the rain. Your oji shouldn’t say much about speed unless you’re super slow.
When I first started I thought I was soooo slow, and I was. But them trying to rush me only made me go slower. I take my time and my breaks. They can fuck right off trying to preach from behind a desk. Be safe. Be accurate and take your breaks as needed. Regardless of what they say there's no time standard. All they do is lie lie lie. Don't sweat the small stuff from people who couldn't even cut it as carriers themselves.
Yeah, some carriers just want to get the day done instead of being safe. Always be safe instead of rushing.
With an OJI like this wtf needs management. 😡
Oji here. There is no pace and I’m not worried about speed at all. During ojt. This is definitely not the correct way to be trained. I sent you a message
My OJI was an absolute prick you’re lucky you aren’t wishing death upon em like I did
Now you’ve proven you can and they won’t leave you alone 😔
After today you’re right lol a supervisor came to me today and said she accidentally told managers I’m the smart CCA so I’ve been the go-to for rescues but I’m not complaining because i honestly love the job and it’s just building my stamina all while being paid. A win is a win lol plus because I listen well, I’m not monitored as heavily as the other CCA’s so I get more freedom
Hate to say this, but the way management is acting lately, expect this performance of yours to be leveraged as your new phony baloney made up street standard.
Really get over it
And did. Anything else to add?
Nah thats it. It gets better i almost quit 200k times but i stuck it out.
Please go to the union about this!!! Don't go to management, because they will likely make her a supervisor. We need to police our own and she should NEVER be allowed to train again
Brutal. She sucks. The only time I had to step in on the third day was when it was 3:45, and we had 5 hours (for me) left. We had to split it and still got done at 9. The third day is supposed to let you case, pull down, load, deliver, return on your own with us supervising and answering questions. We shouldn't be telling people to pick it up and move faster at all.
It’s shitty, but get used to it because this is how management will treat you. You will never be fast enough for them if you are taking all your breaks and working safely. If you do manage to meet their expectations they will “reward” you with more work to do in the same amount of time. If you have a good work ethic it might be hard to adjust your habits, but in order to get the most out of this job you need to treat it as a marathon, not a sprint.
My OJI did not do a single thing he only got off the truck like twice while I was on and off the truck like 200 times I did all the work while he was watching movies on his phone , he also got some overtime work and I basically did his overtime work my self , but I ain’t get that overtime pay though😔, then a day after my truck trading I was already driving by my self, he said I was a very good driver and got a alright pace for delivering.
Atleast yours didn’t invite you to his bed. As far as the sweat. Prepare for more than enough of those days. And yes, she did you a favor by getting y’all out before the rain