I've "gone postal" for the last time

[Momgonepostal]

As of last night, I am no longer employed by the US Postal Service. I knew the lay-off was coming, due to our site closure, but am bummed nonetheless, because that job has been part of my life for years. I doubt my kids can even remember a time when I did not work at the REC.

I've enjoyed my time there because the hours are good for my schedule, I liked the people, and the best part...I got to listen to recorded books while I did my job. I originally went to work there because we needed a little extra money, though later, there were times when my REC income was our only income, so I am very grateful to have had this job.

For the time being, the plan is to catch up on some of the things I've neglected at home, and hopefully de-clutter a bit, by selling some stuff we don't need on eBay. I'm also looking forward to seeing my family a bit more.

In other family employment news, by husband just passed the single subject English CSET, so that's a huge load off our family's minds. He won't have to spend his every waking hour studying. So, while my news is sad, his is fantastic, so hopefully, the net effect will be a good one for our family.

Now I'm going to have to change my DU user name as well as my email address. I don't want to be reminded of a lost job everytime I see my name and address!

[KitchenWitch]

1. Sorry about the loss of your job!

But on to bigger and better things!

[Momgonepostal]

2. Yeah, I'm trying to have a good attitude about it

I'm hoping there are bigger and better things in my future. :hi:

[Connonym]

3. I was a prisoner, I mean postal worker for nearly 10 years

I've been out of there for almost 10 (gosh this last 10 sure went faster than the 10 there!) and I miss the books on tape the most too. Seriously though, I'm sorry you lost your job. I know that's a scary thing. I hope you can enjoy your extra time with your family without too much stress.

[Momgonepostal]

4. Thank you! What did you do for the post office?

I've taken and passed the 473 test, but there are so many of us looking, I may never get called.

[Connonym]

5. I was a CFS clerk

It's amazing how fast the eight (or 12!) hours goes if you have a good book on tape to listen to. We had the unabridged version of Stephen King's Insomnia and I swear it was over 40 hours long. I really do miss that part of the job.

I ended up leaving because I was having problems with fumes in my unit exacerbating my asthma and the powers that be wouldn't let me be reassigned because then they'd have to admit that there was actually a problem. I'm still a little bitter about that. I was actually hospitalized for 3 days from one of the asthma attacks and they still thought it was all a big joke.

Were you a regular career employee? I didn't think they ever actually laid anyone off.

[Momgonepostal]

6. No, I was a TE

The careers were all placed at various area and not quite in the area offices, some as clerks, some as carriers. I believe that all of the PTF's were placed as well, but I know of at least one whose placement was contingent on her passing the 473 and when she didn't, they let her go. One of my PTF friends was placed in San Jose on the night shift...her commute is over an hour and a half, I think. After hearing that, I don't feel so bad about just being a plain ole disposable TE. To give you an idea of how slowly things moved there, I had been there almost 6 years and was STILL a TE.

I loved the books! I never listened to Insomnia, but one of the longest I did listen to was King's Hearts in Atlantis. Middlesex was really long, too, and I agree, those sure help the time fly by!

[Connonym]

11. I did, in a moment of panic, retest last fall in the thought that maybe I should try for rehire

They've changed it SO much from the version I took way back when. Now with all the psychological eval BS that's on there. I barely passed and it's my sister,who still works at the PO, tells me that she has heard from her coworkers that they're looking for a particular psychological profile with the new testing and that a lot of career employees who are taking the different tests are finding it difficult to pass.

[Momgonepostal]

12. I got an 81 was feeling like a loser...

until I started talking to more people, and heard how low everyone else's score was. The highest I heard from our group was an 87. You're right, the psychological stuff was weird and tedious...it was like they asked the same thing over and over again in just slightly different ways.

[PittPoliSci]

23. i've never even tried.

i'm probably going to start looking more though when i get my degree in december. there was a nice job in dever that had to do with the government. maybe i'd be good at that?

[redqueen]

7. Aw, well my condolences on losing a job you enjoyed...

but here's to better things ahead. :toast:

[Momgonepostal]

8. Thank you! That's the spirit! nt

[DarkTirade]

9. Got laid off right before the holiday season?

That's odd. You'd think that's when they'd need people the most. I know how crazy things get at my job during the holidays, and we don't usually have to deal with cards and letters, just packages.

[Momgonepostal]

13. We've always had a busy Christmas season, but...

each one I've been there has been less busy than the one before. The mechanization is getting better, and there are now more machines that can do people's jobs, and faster.

They are consolidating our facilities, so our work will still get done, just somewhere else.

[Haole Girl]

10. Sorry to hear you lost your job

It's great that you are able to have such a positive attitude! :hug:

And, congrats on your husband's good news!! :-)

Any idea what your new user name will be?

[Momgonepostal]

14. Thank you! Still mulling over ideas for names nt.

[PittPoliSci]

15. From one postal work to another...

I'm very sorry. I work at the Pittsburgh REC, and know full well the stress of waiting to see who's going to get closed next.

Best of luck with everything you do.

[Momgonepostal]

16. Wow, I bet you do!

The weird thing is, we felt pretty safe because our numbers were fairly good. Selma, CA, OTOH, had consistently one of the highest cost per thousand in the country, so we figured they'd go before we would. Not so!

Good luck to you, too!

[PittPoliSci]

19. thanks

when i heard about beaumont i was pretty shocked too.

[PittPoliSci]

20. dupe

[Skittles]

21. could you tell me why they are closing

thanks

[PittPoliSci]

22. techonology.

as time goes on, the machines that read the mail are able to do so more accurately, thus making the Data Conversion Operator's job less and less necessary. when the pittsburgh Remote encoding center originally opened in the 1990's, only about 60% of mail could be read by machines. today, about 95% can be read by machines, thus making our jobs more obsolete as time and technology roll forward.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

17. Oh... No.

I feel for you.

I have a very good friend who worked for the postal service.. female too. She had a very tough time - She was a mail carrier.

My husband is a federal employee.

PM me if you want to chat.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

18. Ouch. That is a tough break. Good attitude. and Good luck --

OTOH :toast: for your husband