Full time contract - never gonna happen?

Postman Matt · Post by **Postman Matt** » 17 Mar 2016, 17:37

That has been my plan all along. Naively or not, my plan was to get in the building via agency, then do what's needed to be done to learn quickly, impress and get the DOM/managers to like me, in the hope it would lead to an RM contract offer to get off agency. The naive part may well have been that they'd give/offer an RM contract, and more so the PT/FT aspect

koolishy67 · Post by **koolishy67** » 18 Mar 2016, 09:13

FORGET FULL TIME NOW IN ROYAL MAIL MAX YOU CAN GET 25 HOURS CONTRACT.

claretandblue · Post by **claretandblue** » 18 Mar 2016, 15:04

No chance of full time, our most senior part timers with 10 years plus service got made up to 35 hours but get paid for 39 when they are working.

Darren Bent · Post by **Darren Bent** » 19 Mar 2016, 09:55

Reason Royal Mail give out 25 hours contract so they can save money on

Annual Leave pay, floating week off pay (if you work 6 days a week), sick pay (after 1 year of work), pro rata bonuses, and smaller delivery supplement payment. it all add up to office savings. But there are plenty of overtime. Best hope is to apply for full time walk everyone hate/reserve duty when the vacancy come up on notice board and hope no one apply for it. It is not connivence for workers.

Post by **White Van** » 19 Mar 2016, 11:33

Postman Matt wrote:Ok, so I know I'm still very new - I've only been at my DO since Monday, and am agency (Manpower), of which I'm told it's only a 12 week placement, but if I'm required after that I will go onto the regular rate of pay (first 12 weeks are £8 an hour - not good! But then I'm told if I'm kept on it's £13 an hour - much more do able)

My question is, I know it's somewhat of a lottery to go agency to perm, but are full time (i.e., 36hrs+ a week) contracts gone now? If not, is there reasonable chance I might get one after 3/6/12 months, or is there zero chance? I'm being told by the longer serving postie's there that at best I might get a 25hr contract, although I would still be required to do 40/48hrs a week, but that at any time I could be reverted to contract and only be "required", and thus paid, for 25hrs only.

That to me is a big gamble - putting in the initial 12 weeks at near minimum wage, then potentially a year only to find I'm not given a perm contract, and if I do only getting a part time one. Risky, and I generally require something a bit more concrete than that!

Good luck. I've been directly employed as a Saturday worker on a revolving three month contract for the last year and have been working five days a week as O/T (along with two other colleagues) and we have just been moved up to forty hours on another revolving three month. At least we are able to accrue holiday pay now but it will probably be another year before anything solid happens. As for agency, I've taken over the route that an agency driver had for two years, they ditched him overnight.

Donnygav93 · Post by **Donnygav93** » 19 Mar 2016, 20:18

I wish you luck with your possible conversion

It may be some comfort to tell you that I started with a agency November 15 and was set on in January (although I was offered a contract at a different office to the one I worked at as agency)

My contract is for 24hrs per week but I've had no problem getting more hours

Hope it happens for you

GT85 · Post by **GT85** » 20 Mar 2016, 07:59

Lots of p/t made up to f/t in our office thanks to a good rep and a new Dom that could see the problems and agreed to fix them.

postslippete · Post by **postslippete** » 20 Mar 2016, 08:50

I am surprised Royal Mail still use employment agencies. Especially as it costs them upwards to £16 an hour - that is having to pay the agency and the guy who works for the agency. Our depot only ever seems to use in operational emergencies!

But I guess, if you are getting regular work outdoors everyday then I would suspect that there is a real strong possibility that Royal Mail will take you on.

One or two of our guys got their hours made up to full-time. But its the exception, not the norm.

zzzidane · Post by **zzzidane** » 21 Mar 2016, 17:36

GT. How recently were these P/T staff made up to F/T & Which area is your office in please?? just a rough area will do if you dont want to give 2 much away! TIA

nickbsmooth · Post by **nickbsmooth** » 21 Mar 2016, 19:27

At my office 6 full timers have left since the RM pledged to protect FT jobs. As of yet only 1 person was made up,now the office wants to cut another 100hrs aweek.
We have more PT contracts than FT contracts now.

JeremyFisher · Post by **JeremyFisher** » 28 Mar 2016, 21:30

It'll never happen, whenever someone leaves the business they are replaced with lower contract employees.