FOSTER CREEK POST OFFICE

The United States Post Office in Foster Creek, New York, is a small first-class office serving a suburban community of 11,000. Normally, the post office employs eleven people--a postmaster, an assistant postmaster, six carriers (including one parcel-post truck driver), and three clerks.

Each postal employee's job requirements are minutely subdivided and explicitly prescribed by the Post Office Manual--a large two-volume publication of the U.S. Post Office Department in Washington, D.C. There is a "suggested" rate per minute and/or day for sorting and delivering letters of which every postal employee is well aware. The work is highly prescribed, routine, and repetitive, with little basis for the development of individual initiative. Although each worker contrives a few little tricks (which he may or may not pass along to his fellow workers) for easing his own work load, there is little incentive for a postal employee to attempt to improve any part of the mail delivery system as a whole. Each worker performs pretty much as he is expected to perform (nothing more or less). Roger, the assistant postmaster, clearly verbalized this attitude, "The inspectors can't get us if we go by the book [manual]".

The irregular, unannounced visits by the district postal inspectors arouse a strange fear in all employees at the Foster Creek Post Office. Although each of the 11 employees is fairly well acquainted with the inspectors, there is something disturbing about the presence of a person whose recommendations may mean the loss of your job. The security of their position in the post office is highly valued by employees of Foster Creek, some of whom are no longer young and must provide for their families. It is customary, therefore, to see an entire post office staff snap to attention and work harder at the arrival, or possibility of arrival, of a postal inspector.

Larry, the Foster Creek postmaster, had a philosophy regarding the affairs of his office which was: "Keep the patrons and the inspectors happy." Outside of this requirement and an additional one which made it imperative that each employee punch in and off the time clock at the exact appointed time (this requirement was primarily for the ease of bookkeeping), each worker could do his job pretty much as he wished. The clerks reported at 6 a.m. to sort the day's mail into different stacks for the carriers who arrived at 7 a.m. The carriers then "cased" (further sorting according to street and number) their letters and usually were "on the road" by 9 a.m. They were required to be back in the office at 3:30 p.m., if possible, for further casing, and at 5 p.m. all the carriers went home.

In the summer months when the mail is relatively light and the weather is clear, each carrier easily finishes his route (including time allowed for a half-hour lunch break) by 1:30 p.m. It is standard procedure for the men to relax at home for two hours before reporting back in at 3:30 p.m. In the winter, on the other hand, with snow piled high in the yards, each carrier can no longer take the shorter route across the yards, and the men often finish long after 3:30 p.m. Larry is well aware of this procedure and says: "It all balances out, and in the hot summer they can use the extra hours to take it easy."

At 3:30 p.m. (or so) the day's big social event takes place at the post office. With the cry of "Flip for Cokes," all the employees except Jan, the one female clerk, match quarters to see who will be the day's loser and provide cokes for the others. This daily gaming is one of the many examples of the free and frequent sociability which exists among the ten male employees. Although the office's formal organization is detailed by postal regulations, the post office atmosphere is very relaxed and informal. Many of the men bowl together, they go to the same church, and they often attend high school graduations and funerals affecting the families of their co-workers. On payday (every Friday) each of the employees contributes $2 of his paycheck to "the fund." This fund is used for coffee and donuts, to provide sick employees with flowers and "get-well" cards, and to purchase a ham to be shared at work during Christmas time. Other important parts of each day are the regular morning and afternoon conversations. In the morning the talk invariably turns to news items in the morning's paper. In addition, the men often talk about "those politicians in Washington" and the possibility of a postal pay raise. In the afternoons the men relate any interesting experiences from the day's rounds. These experiences range from dog bites to coffee with an attractive female patron.

In general the 11 employees of the Foster Creek Post Office enjoyed their work. They comprised a close-knit team doing similar and somewhat distasteful work, but as George, a senior carrier, put it, "We get good steady pay and it's a lot easier than digging ditches."

In mid-June 1991, Larry filed a request for a carrier to replace a regular Foster Creek carrier who had died suddenly. At 7 a.m. on Monday, July 8th, Harry reported for work as a permanent replacement. Harry was a tall skinny man with thinning hair, long fingers, and wire-rimmed eyeglasses. He appeared to be in his fifties. He seemed nervous and shy, and when Larry introduced him to the Foster Creek regulars, Harry stared at the floor and said only "Hi!" Initial opinions of this new carrier were mixed. Jim, another senior carrier, probably best expressed the employees' sentiments when he said: "He's not too friendly--yet--he's probably a little nervous here--but, wow, can he case mail!"

Harry was an excellent caser. For 27 years he had been a clerk in the main post office. The attitudes and work environment in big city post offices differ markedly from those in smaller offices (as Larry was quick to point out when any of Foster Creek's employees complained). In the city post offices, where competition for the few available positions is extremely keen, a man must not only be very competent but must follow the postal regulations to the letter. As Harry said quietly to Roger upon his arrival at Foster Creek, "Things were just too pushy in the city. And besides, my wife and I wanted to move out here in the country to have a house and garden of our own to take care of."

Harry had a well-kept and attractive house and garden. It was apparent that Harry loved to take care of his lawn and garden, because he spent all day Sunday working on it. As a member of the Foster Creek Building and Loan Association, Larry knew that Harry had purchased the property with cash.

On Wednesday, Harry's third day at work, the opinions regarding Harry had become more concrete. As Jim said: "Harry's strange. He thinks he's better than all of us, coming from that city office. He never talks to us or says anything about himself. All he does is stand there and case mail, but, he really is fast at that!"

The first real problem arose on the fourth day. Harry had learned his route well enough so that he, too, was able to finish by 1:30 p.m. His ability to case and "tie out" his mail so quickly put him on the road by 8:30 in the morning--ahead of the other four carriers. On this Thursday afternoon Harry reported back to the post office at 1:15, having finished his entire route. Upon seeing this, Roger's first reaction was to say, "Go home and have some lunch, Harry. Relax at home for a little while." Harry replied, "I've had my lunch. There are letters on my case. I've got to do them now. I've got to do my job." Having said this, he began to case the several hundred letters which had piled up since the morning. He finished these quickly and then went on and cased the mail which was lying on the other four carriers' cases.

When the four regular carriers returned at 3:30 p.m., they were, to say the least, surprised. Bill, the youngest and least energetic of the carriers, thanked Harry. However, Jim and George in particular were very angry. They grumbled about having a "newcomer" interfere with his "city tricks" and "fancy casing." They were especially angry that Harry had violated the 3:30 rule. They were determined that he would not be the one who would make them lose their precious privileges, and they complained to Larry about Harry. The postmaster told Harry to case only his own mail and to take it easy when walking his route in the future.

The next day, Friday, was payday. Each worker contributed his share to "the fund." Harry refused. "I don't drink coffee," was his only answer. No one pushed the matter further, although discontent over Harry had developed among all the employees. As the next week passed by, Harry appeared to sink into an even deeper shell. He punched in at 7 a.m. and punched out at 5 p.m. In between, he neither looked at nor spoke to any of the other employees. He continued to report back into the office before 3:30, case all his own mail, and then sit on the stool in front of his case reading magazines. Larry was worried primarily about Harry's exposure to the public as he sat at his case reading, and so on Friday of Harry's second week, Harry's and Bill's cases were switched. When each of the carriers reported in on Friday afternoon, Bill was told that his case was moved so as to give him more room to handle his quickly growing route (which, in part, was true). Harry said nothing about the switch but went straight to work in his new location.

During Harry's third week at the post office, Larry began to worry even more about his behavior. Although the carrier was hidden from the public now, a postal inspector could catch Harry reading at his case very easily. On Thursday, July 18th, Larry's worst fears were realized. An inspector came to the Foster Creek Post Office. As he walked in, Harry was sitting quietly at his case, reading as usual. The inspector looked at Harry, then at Larry. Larry explained that Harry had an easier route than the other carriers. Because of this and his ability as a caser, Harry was able to finish his route more easily. Larry pointed out that he did not know what to say to the carrier, for he had finished all his required work. The inspector suggested that Larry readjust the routes to give Harry more houses to deliver and more mail to case. This was attempted but Jim, George, and Tony reacted unfavorably.

FORMAL ORGANIZATION CHART

POSTMASTER (Larry)

ASST POSTMASTER (Roger)

CLERKS.................. CARRIERS

Guy ..............................Jim

Frank ............................George

Jane.............................. Tony

......................................Bob

......................................Bill

......................................Harry

INFORMAL ORGANIZATION (GROUPS)

Jane ...........................................Harry

....................Larry & Guy

Jim & Roger.........................George, Tony, Bob, Frank & Bill

Adapted 1993 by R. C. Schwab