About this episode

This episode discusses management traps for letter carriers and how to protect their rights and workload.

In this powerful episode of Hot House with Richie Ray , we break down some of the biggest traps management uses against letter carriers on the workroom floor. We expose thetruth about DOIS and why it is nothing more than a management estimate not a contractual standard, notdiscipline, and not the final word on your workload. We explain why the PS Form 3996 is one of the most important protections a carrier has and why management cannot deny it simply because “DOIS says so.” Using the former Branch 99 Auxiliary Assistance Policy ,we walk carriers step-by-step on how to properly request overtime or auxiliary help, what to say when management pushes back, and how to protect yourself when they refuse to make a decision. We explain the danger of bad DOIS practices how they create false route data, overburden routes, pressure unsafe work habits, and destroy future route adjustments. We also dive into Deems Desirable what it really means, how management abuses it, when it crosses the line intoharassment or retaliation, and how stewards should attack it through the grievance procedure. Then we tackle Holiday Scheduling , the pecking order, management manipulation, bypassing volunteers…

People in this episode

Host: Richie Ray

Topics covered

• management practices
• letter carriers
• workroom floor
• DOIS
• overtime requests
• grievance procedures
• holiday scheduling

Keywords

• DOIS
• PS Form 3996
• overtime
• grievance
• management abuse
• holiday scheduling
• letter carriers
• workroom floor

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Branch 99

Products: DOIS, PS Form 3996

More episodes of Hot House with Richie Ray

• Episode 122: Brother Don Hess Duty, Sacrifice, and the Battle That Never Ended · July 18, 2026 · 2h 28m
• Episode 121: The Therapy Session Hector Narvaez From TE to Targeted, From Carrier to Fighter · July 11, 2026 · 2h 27m
• Episode 120: no show Hector The Staten Island Crew Round Table: The State of the Letter Carrier in 2026 · July 4, 2026 · 1h 51m
• Episode 118: The Hard Questions | William Boone in the Hot House- Part Two · June 22, 2026 · 1h 25m
• Episode 117: Who Is William Boone? | The Man Behind the Movement – Part One · June 20, 2026 · 1h 10m

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Hot House with Richie Ray podcast page.