Omaha daily bee., 1917-07-12
MAIL CARRIERS
IN OMAHA LOSE
E|GHT.H0URDAY
Postmaster Tanning Orders
All Deliveries Must Be Com
pleted, Despite Federal
Law Against Overtime.

These facts developed yesterday
following orders issued by Post
master Tanning that all mail deliv-
cries in Omaha must be completed
by carriers regardless of the time
clock:
No mail shall be returned to post
Office by carriers.
Deliveries must be completed
even though eight hours OF legal
working day are, over.
Carriers will receive overtime at
regular scale. ..... D.
Postmaster issues orders in d.
rect violation Of federal statutes in
order to give Omaha prompt mail
service.
Fourteen carriers and clerks have
resigned to enter military service.
Postmaster's unprecedented move
caused by inadequate help.
In direct violation of federal statutes
which provide for a penalty for gov
ernment civil service employees who
work longer than eight hours day,
Postmaster Tanning Tuesday issued
an order that all Omaha mail car
riers shall deliver every letter and
piece of mail on their routes each
day regardless of the number of hours
that may be required to complete the
task.
Heretofore mail carriers have
worked eight hours a day, regardless
of whether complete delivery had
been made. If the carrier had more
mail to distribute, whether it was
one package or 100, he returned to
the postoffice and the additional mail
was not delivered until he resumed
his route the following day. This
practice was in accordance with an
old federal law which provides pen
atty for postal employees who work
beyond the stipulated eight hours.
Thus delivery in. many instances
was delayed fifteen to twenty hours,
even in normal times.
Answers Many Complaints.
The postmaster's decision to work
the carriers overtime Was the result
of constant complaint from hundreds
of citizens. Complaints and protests
became so frequent and the situation
SO acute the postmaster took matters
into his own hands.
Il know the law only allows gov
eminent employees to work eight hours
a day but we have such shortage OF
carriers here that unless we work
overtime we cannot get the mail out
on time" he said.
Postmaster flaming admitted that
he really didn't know what to do about
the matter.
Between Two Fires.
IF | don't get the mail delivered
the business men complain and if |
work the carriers more than eight
hours the government probably will
raise rumpus.
I'm doing this on my own respons-
ibility. and I'm going TO get the mail
out the best way can: Carriers
will receive overtime at the regular
scale"
Postmaster Tanning said fourteen
carriers and clerks recently had re-
signed to enter the different branches
of military service.
"We nave used up the names on
the civil service list and cannot hire
men to take their place until after the
civil service examination.
The fourteen men we lost were
among the best we had and it will
take twenty-five new persons to do
their work until the noyices are brok-
en- in.' ...
Postmaster Tanning admitted that
the Omaha Office has been dragging
along for long time with inadequate
help. Carriers who were scheduled
to make FIVE deliveries day have
been making only four. and those
whose schedules called for four were
making only three on many days.