I applied for a temp to permanent position as a Mail Handler Assistant in 2022. I was told it would be temp to permanent in the interview, in Orientation I was told I would at least be hired for 365 days(I have witnesses from that orientation). I started at the tail end of November, a bit before Christmas they told all their new hires that they're laying all of the new hires off by at the end of the month. They state they'll call some of us back between then, and a year. I am encouraged to apply for different postal positions and am told that it will not affect my ability to come back to that position when/if they call. On the last day, they tell me they'll call me back for 100% sure, within 6 months.
So I took a City Carrier Assistant position. Started it early February with my officail hire date being Jan 23rd. 11hr average, 6 days a week, massively physical job. Some people worked more days, one worked 14 days in a row with no day off despite living in Illinois where Odrissa is a law that they somehow have immunity to following. They try to make me do the same, I say no, pointing to ODRISSA and kissing a myriad of reasons why that's insane. They don't push it after that but have now set tension between management and myself.
One day in February, out in the cold for 10hrs on a 12hr shift. Get back into the office, told to go out again despite needing to be at work the next day in less than 12hrs. Say no, verbal spat breaks out, union gets involved, told they shouldn't ask me to do so but they can,and that I have no rights. Say I could get fired if I say no. Told them if they fire me for needing rest that I would make a media stink about it. Tell them I need 12hrs between shifts, that's not negotiable.
Some time goes by, I get a 30 day review. States communication could be improved, because of the spat with management, Accuracy is good, Safety is good, no complaints lodged against me, but times could be faster. They tell me that's okay, I'm doing alright and will get faster with time. As far as I'm aware, I'm doing a good job. I catch a viral bug less than a week after, told by trainer at the academy that it's better to come in and be sent home than to call off in my first 90 days.
So I take medicine, come in, am trying unsuccessfully to suppress coughing and let management know I'm sick. Get sent out anyway. End up not being able to breathe and can't stop coughing so I had to head back. Husband comes and picks me up, I have to use an inhaler for the first time ever just to breathe. Am out the rest of that day, 03/13/2023, and come back Saturday morning, 03/18/2023. I do the whole shift, 8:30am and arrived back just before 8pm. Manager makes a comment about me having just got back, assigns me more work. I state no, as I have to be back at 8:00am the next day(Sunday is package day so we arrive half an hour earlier). Told I'm refusing to deliver mail.
I tell them I am allowed to turn down unreasonable request and that my health is more important. Others see this and at least one other followed suit as they are being told to do the same thing. On the following Monday, 03/20/2023, I take 12hrs, starting from clocking in/casing/loading the vehicle, to returning to the office, to get a route done. Second time ever on that route, first time couldn't do half of it because they couldn't find the keys for the route. And my God are there a lot of unlabeled keys for that route. Package volume was super heavy for that day, all mail carriers ran significantly late that day. Nothing is said to me about it.
03/22/2023, I arrive at work, having a good day. A kind, older City Carrier even helps me case my route, gives me lots of useful tips, tells me best way to get it done. Day goes super smooth because of that and I arrive back by 5pm. Get pulled to the side by a supervisor. Get told I'm being let go. I ask the reason, get told it's because I took too long on Monday and that I should be faster at that route because I've done it three times before(checked after and that was only my second time). Told that because I had the 30 day review and signed it that they could let me go. I was never asked why the route took me so long, I was given no words in my defense, I had no reason to believe my performance was not acceptable.
I ask to talk to a Union Representative first. States I'm not officially fired yet, told to call the next day and ask. So I call the next day on a recorded line, because I don't trust them at this point, the person answering says no to the being recorded so I immediately hang up. I decide to come into work anyway, and just ask in person where there are witnesses, because I don't trust them not to lie to me. I get told to leave the building, ask, “Am I fired?” I don't get an answer and am told to leave the building. I ask to speak to a Union Representative again.
Get a different rep this time. The guy agrees with me, states management is bad, something I've heard a lot from coworkers by this point. States he'll talk to the big boss that day and that they may just move me to a different location. I'm cool with that. I leave peacefully.
I've received no updates since. I suspect the real reason I am fired is because I didn't give into their unreasonable demands and because firing me means they don't have to offer me the nonexistent Mail Handler Assistant Job that they promised me.
Edit: To be clear, I have tried to contact lawyers about this but no one wants to touch a case against the post office due to the negotiated contract with the government and the union.