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Syracuse Post Office in Need of Holiday Help Syracuse Post office in Need of Holiday Help

Post office plans to hire more to improve delivery times

By Alazia Williams

ANCHOR: Mail carriers are working hard to make sure deliveries get to their owner on time. NCC’s Alazia Williams is in Liverpool to tell us what they are doing to make the process a bit smoother.

REPORTER: When it comes to residents who are looking for their packages to arrive on their doorsteps this holiday season, the Syracuse Post office is asking for one thing

Jim Lostumbo: Be patient, I can promise you that you have hard working, dedicated letter carriers that are going out doing the best they can.”)

REPORTER: Jim Lostumbo, President of The Syracuse chapter of the National Association of Letter Carriers says the mail may come a little later than usual. Ariel Servidio is a resident of Syracuse and she says a late package could possibly put you in a rough situation.

Ariel Servidio :When you’re waiting on a package to give someone as a gift and it’s not coming in on time that’s kind of a scary situation

REPORTER: Another resident says she prepares and knows what to expect.

Lynn Ann Tisbe: I understand this time of year I try to order earlier to accommodate”)

Alazia Williams: Mail carriers find themselves working overtime to make up for the lack of workers they have in the office. The problem is there are two times more packages to be sent out to residents during the holiday season.

REPORTER: The Syracuse chapter of the N-A-L-C currently has 200 letter carriers and are in dire need of City Carry Assistants who help with deliveries.

Jim Lostumbo: We are authorized at least to have about 54 and we’re probably 30 short right now which is not the time to be short in the heaviest time of the year

REPORTER: Lostumbo also says that even with the set backs they will continue do what they can to provide great customer service.

Jim Lostumbo: We’re gonna continue to keep on going til we get to that 54 threshold so that we can hopefully be properly staffed

REPORTER: Because of the shortage mail carriers are working 12-14 hour shifts and are out unit about 8 o’clock every night. For NCC News. Alazia Williams.

ANCHOR: The main post office branch in Syracuse will be having a hiring fair on December 13, in hopes to bring in more employees

Jim Lostumbo, President of The Syracuse chapter of the National Association of Letter Carriers says the mail may come a little later than usual and there are different reasons for the problem:

  • Understaffed
  • Weather
  • Size of Trucks
  • Holidays

    NALC sign
    The Syracuse chapter of the NALC currently has 200 letter carriers and are in need of City Carry Assistants who help with deliveries.
    © 2018 Alazia Williams

Mail carriers in Onondaga County are working 12-14 hour shifts to make up for the lack of workers they have in the office, sometimes being out on delivery past 7 in the evening. The problem is there are two times more packages to be sent out to residents during the holiday season. NALC is asking residents of Syracuse to be patient, and trust that the mail carriers are doing the best they can.

The Syracuse chapter of the NALC currently has 200 letter carriers and are in need of :

  • City Carry Assistants, starting at $17.29/hr.
  • Casual Mail Handlers, starting $18.00/hr.

The president says that even with the setbacks they will continue do what they can to provide great customer service. To help provide better service consider the following when expecting packages:

  • Do you have pets? Are they away?
  • Is your driveway or sidewalk snow plowed?

President of NALC said they are authorized at least to have about 54 and are 30 short right now which is not the time to be short in the heaviest time of the year.

The main post office branch in Syracuse will be having a hiring fair on December 13, in hopes to bring in more permanent employees.

Location of Hiring Fair: 5640 E Taft Rd, Syracuse, NY

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