USPS workers ON LONG ISLAND getting worse and worse (Islip: how much, transfer)

[chattyneighbor]

So anybody eles finding the USPS frustrating?

I had the same folks in my local PO for a decade but they retired or moved away and now these people replacing them are horrors. One barely speaks English.

The other is ALWAYS weighing things wrong. I have a scale for my business so I weigh the stuff myself before I take it in - I don't like to buy postage online or give it the postman because well, he's a whole other thread. Every time we go through it - she says this is Whatever weight. I say no it isn't. She weighs it again, sometimes twice before she finally gets the "right" weight and then says something about the scale blah blah. Just burns me they would be charging a dollar or more extra for the wrong weight.

Now this new guy just overcharges.

I always a card with a trinket inside that the kids collect. It used to be 2 stamps and go in the mailbox. Now you can't do that because they consider anything with a slight LUMP not stamp or mailbox worthy - it is now a "package" and can't go first class.

So ok - I pay $2.45 to mail 2 ounces now because it is LUMPY but at least I get a tracking number for that. Postage is almost more than the card with the trinket actually.

So anyway, I go to mail my $2.45, 2 ounce package and the guy is telling me I have to fill out a thing for certified mailing. I'm telling him no, I don't want it certified. Just regular mail and give me the receipt with the tracking number on it.

So then he is telling me - and rudely at that - then I have to send it priority mail for $6.00 or something if I want tracking, or the certified mail because I can't get tracking with regular mail.

I told him if I could mail this regular, first class mail it would cost me 2 postage stamps and I will be happy NOT to get tracking since it will only be about 90 cents or however much the "forever" stamps are going for these days - but I can't mail it regular mail because it is a lumpy card and the Moderator cut: language removed in the post office will just send it back to me which I've learned the hard way.

And he is arguing with me and yelling at the girl next to him to back him which of course she doesn't do because he is wrong and she's been around awhile and knows me.

So finally I take it from him, give it to the girl who knows about mailing lumpy envelopes and she charges me the $2.45 I always pay.

So as I'm leaving - finally - I hear her telling the guy he could send it ground delivery with tracking since its under 13ounces.

Sorry for the vent but $2.45 for 2 ounces is already ridiculous and now these barely trained people - and this guy was hardly a spring chicken so he must have been transferred from somewhere else - are trying to practically double the charges because they don't even know or understand the post office's own rules and regulations.

[OneToGo]

Lol.....you've never experienced anything until you visit the East Islip PO. There is an angry wench at the counter who is so miserable you have to laugh at her. She rants about every customer and God forbid someone asks a simple question. She berates and bemoans even ten yr olds. They had another one who looked and spoke like Grandmama from The Addams Family but she was shipped to Bayport/Bellport.

[WithDisp]

You have no idea how much worse it is in NYC post offices.

Flat out problem, USPS does not offer locality pay.

Postal workers in East Islip are paid the same as Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Cost of living isn't even comparable.

USPS has to hire from a lower pool of workers, because they can't pay to be competitive.

[SeventhFloor]

If they suck so much, why keep using them?

[twingles]

If the PO sends your lumpy card back to you, then put the address you are sending it to as your return address. I put the address I am sending to as the return address when I pay bills by mail (admittedly rare) because if something goes wrong I don't want it coming back to me. It goes where I intended.

[nuts2uiam]

They started to fill full time jobs years and years ago with part timers as they did no have to pay the bennies. You reap what you sow.

[ave1024]

Originally Posted by chattyneighbor

So anybody eles finding the USPS frustrating?

The other is ALWAYS weighing things wrong. I have a scale for my business so I weigh the stuff myself before I take it in - I don't like to buy postage online or give it the postman because well, he's a whole other thread.

Now this new guy just overcharges.

I always a card with a trinket inside that the kids collect. It used to be 2 stamps and go in the mailbox. Now you can't do that because they consider anything with a slight LUMP not stamp or mailbox worthy - it is now a "package" and can't go first class.

So ok - I pay $2.45 to mail 2 ounces now because it is LUMPY but at least I get a tracking number for that. Postage is almost more than the card with the trinket actually.

So anyway, I go to mail my $2.45, 2 ounce package and the guy is telling me I have to fill out a thing for certified mailing. I'm telling him no, I don't want it certified. Just regular mail and give me the receipt with the tracking number on it.

So then he is telling me - and rudely at that - then I have to send it priority mail for $6.00 or something if I want tracking, or the certified mail because I can't get tracking with regular mail.

I told him if I could mail this regular, first class mail it would cost me 2 postage stamps and I will be happy NOT to get tracking since it will only be about 90 cents or however much the "forever" stamps are going for these days - but I can't mail it regular mail because it is a lumpy card and the Aholes in the post office will just send it back to me which I've learned the hard way.

And he is arguing with me and yelling at the girl next to him to back him which of course she doesn't do because he is wrong and she's been around awhile and knows me.

So finally I take it from him, give it to the girl who knows about mailing lumpy envelopes and she charges me the $2.45 I always pay.

So as I'm leaving - finally - I hear her telling the guy he could send it ground delivery with tracking since its under 13ounces.

Sorry for the vent but $2.45 for 2 ounces is already ridiculous and now these barely trained people - and this guy was hardly a spring chicken so he must have been transferred from somewhere else - are trying to practically double the charges because they don't even know or understand the post office's own rules and regulations.

Um actually you are wrong, on a few items.

#1 - anything greater than 3/4" thick is considered a "package" according to USPS rules. So sorry but two stamps won't cover your trinket.

#2 - When you say "it can't go first class", the $2.45 "package" is still considered first class. You are just paying the first class package rate. Goes up to 13oz just like regular mail. International first class goes up to 4lbs.

#3 - The only way to get tracking on first class packages is to purchase the postage online. Since you said in the very beginning you don't like to buy your postage online, sorry but you do not get tracking by using just stamps. Postal worker is right when they say you need to pay for Priority Mail to get tracking, or certify your first class STAMPED package at the post office.

[ave1024]

Originally Posted by twingles

If the PO sends your lumpy card back to you, then put the address you are sending it to as your return address. I put the address I am sending to as the return address when I pay bills by mail (admittedly rare) because if something goes wrong I don't want it coming back to me. It goes where I intended.

Then the USPS will slap his (I assume) customer with a postage due note to it. Not the best way to do business and that will surely guarantee a pissed off customer. There are no free rides.

Pay the proper postage and you won't get anything returned.

ETA: And I hate the post office with a passion. But the OP may want to get his rules straight before he starts mouthing off to the postal employees.

[sirtiger]

Originally Posted by ave1024

Um actually you are wrong, on a few items.



#3 - The only way to get tracking on first class packages is to purchase the postage online. Since you said in the very beginning you don't like to buy your postage online, sorry but you do not get tracking by using just stamps. Postal worker is right when they say you need to pay for Priority Mail to get tracking, or certify your first class STAMPED package at the post office.

this is definitely true. I am a bit confused what the OP is babbling about. I do agree most USPS employees are very surly....then again that is nothing new

[ave1024]

Originally Posted by sirtiger

this is definitely true. I am a bit confused what the OP is babbling about. I do agree most USPS employees are very surly....then again that is nothing new

OP is babbling about nonsense that isn't true. Like I said he/she may want to get their facts straight before making a complaint.

The post office workers are pretty bad though. I actually had the postmaster general for my local PO call me last month and claimed I couldn't put my online postage 2-3lb packages in the mailbox and they claimed they were "doing me a favor" by accepting it. I told him to re-read the DMM as the only weight restriction for packages in the mailbox is 13oz on STAMPED mail.... you know what the OP does.

And this is the top guy at my PO who doesn't know the rules. These guys are actually too old for their own good.