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More mass exodus from delivery...

Postal workers discussion forum. Discuss the day to day life in a Blue Shirt.
twoloops
Posts: 1987
Joined: 24 May 2017, 20:52
Gender: Male
Location: Sheffield

Re: More mass exodus from delivery...

Post by twoloops »

We have three posties walk this week with a combined work knowledge of 80 years :wave
TopperGas
Posts: 3282
Joined: 13 Feb 2021, 22:46
Gender: Male

Re: More mass exodus from delivery...

Post by TopperGas »

Retiring or leaving for other jobs eIther way I'd imagine management are content the wage bill has been reduced?
norris9
Posts: 2621
Joined: 27 Feb 2019, 17:32
Gender: Female

Re: More mass exodus from delivery...

Post by norris9 »

Wage gets reduced (unless CWU sort that out), but who is coming in....someone that's going to stay for 3 weeks?, then someone replaces them and stays for 6 months?, then you have to replace that person with someone else...and so on....

Every time paying for...

-New uniform.
-Driving test.
-Training.
-New = more mistakes.
-New = More overtime as slow, or bringing stuff back so paying someone else to clear the round.


Better to pay people fairly and make sure they are happy. Maintaining a knowledgeable workforce without the hassle and cost of employing new recruits seems more logical.
SMS1969
Posts: 977
Joined: 28 Jun 2021, 11:36
Gender: Male

Re: More mass exodus from delivery...

Post by SMS1969 »

cwyou wrote:
25 Oct 2025, 22:37
Thinking of packing it in after 18 years. Job market is terrible right now though. Minimum wage will increase again in April. Always fancied to try a supermarket delivery driver. May have to give it a go at some point, not least due to the fact that it is physically less demanding and as we get older we need to preserve our capability of Employment in some capacity!
You won’t like the shifts, 6.30- 2.30 one day, then 3.45pm-11.45pm the next day etc. I’ve done it and talking to the drivers now, their slots for delivering have decreased to six minutes per customer, difficult to do if you have a lot for them and they aren’t allowed to claim o/t if they’re late back.
eviljack
Posts: 22
Joined: 05 Oct 2021, 12:46
Gender: Male

Re: More mass exodus from delivery...

Post by eviljack »

menditsa wrote:
26 Oct 2025, 01:44
cwyou wrote:
25 Oct 2025, 22:37
Thinking of packing it in after 18 years. Job market is terrible right now though. Minimum wage will increase again in April. Always fancied to try a supermarket delivery driver. May have to give it a go at some point, not least due to the fact that it is physically less demanding and as we get older we need to preserve our capability of Employment in some capacity!
Tesco / Asda are the same shitshow as RM if you go speak to a few drivers.
It is physically less demanding though.
cwyou
Posts: 3
Joined: 31 Jan 2025, 01:08
Gender: Female

Re: More mass exodus from delivery...

Post by cwyou »

eviljack wrote:
26 Oct 2025, 10:54
menditsa wrote:
26 Oct 2025, 01:44
cwyou wrote:
25 Oct 2025, 22:37
Thinking of packing it in after 18 years. Job market is terrible right now though. Minimum wage will increase again in April. Always fancied to try a supermarket delivery driver. May have to give it a go at some point, not least due to the fact that it is physically less demanding and as we get older we need to preserve our capability of Employment in some capacity!
Tesco / Asda are the same shitshow as RM if you go speak to a few drivers.
It is physically less demanding though.
This
yellowbelly
Posts: 3626
Joined: 23 Jun 2015, 15:51
Gender: Male

Re: More mass exodus from delivery...

Post by yellowbelly »

eviljack wrote:
26 Oct 2025, 10:54
menditsa wrote:
26 Oct 2025, 01:44
cwyou wrote:
25 Oct 2025, 22:37
Thinking of packing it in after 18 years. Job market is terrible right now though. Minimum wage will increase again in April. Always fancied to try a supermarket delivery driver. May have to give it a go at some point, not least due to the fact that it is physically less demanding and as we get older we need to preserve our capability of Employment in some capacity!
Tesco / Asda are the same shitshow as RM if you go speak to a few drivers.
It is physically less demanding though.
Not the driver who came to us the other day, probably same age as me, it was dark, raining and he admitted he was absolutely b0ll0xed.

When I told him I was a postie ('cos he handed me their version of the PDA to sign for the delivery), he said it's mentally and physically draining, a nightmare trying to find places down dark little country lanes in the dark with no house name, no parking in the evening in towns/residentials, other drivers giving you s**t for parking inconveniently when there's no other option, people forget they've got a delivery due, can't find their keys to the door, are not prepared to take the delivery off you, want to check every single item and yes for them too - DOGS!
kazardaimenu
Posts: 1391
Joined: 13 Apr 2022, 19:11
Gender: Male

Re: More mass exodus from delivery...

Post by kazardaimenu »

Yes it sounds worse than this due to the late shift times they can end up on. If it was just a 7-3 8-4 sort of gig it might be reasonable enough.
TopperGas
Posts: 3282
Joined: 13 Feb 2021, 22:46
Gender: Male

Re: More mass exodus from delivery...

Post by TopperGas »

norris9 wrote:
26 Oct 2025, 10:52
Wage gets reduced (unless CWU sort that out), but who is coming in....someone that's going to stay for 3 weeks?, then someone replaces them and stays for 6 months?, then you have to replace that person with someone else...and so on....

Every time paying for...

-New uniform.
-Driving test.
-Training.
-New = more mistakes.
-New = More overtime as slow, or bringing stuff back so paying someone else to clear the round.


Better to pay people fairly and make sure they are happy. Maintaining a knowledgeable workforce without the hassle and cost of employing new recruits seems more logical.
That's a short term view, long term the business will be saving £1+ an hour, I've no idea why RM are so quick to hand out full uniforms to high starters until they've shown they are up to the job and won't leave within a month of starting.
Saturn1
Posts: 52
Joined: 24 Sep 2025, 16:44
Gender: Male

Re: More mass exodus from delivery...

Post by Saturn1 »

TopperGas wrote:
26 Oct 2025, 14:14
norris9 wrote:
26 Oct 2025, 10:52
Wage gets reduced (unless CWU sort that out), but who is coming in....someone that's going to stay for 3 weeks?, then someone replaces them and stays for 6 months?, then you have to replace that person with someone else...and so on....

Every time paying for...

-New uniform.
-Driving test.
-Training.
-New = more mistakes.
-New = More overtime as slow, or bringing stuff back so paying someone else to clear the round.


Better to pay people fairly and make sure they are happy. Maintaining a knowledgeable workforce without the hassle and cost of employing new recruits seems more logical.
That's a short term view, long term the business will be saving £1+ an hour, I've no idea why RM are so quick to hand out full uniforms to high starters until they've shown they are up to the job and won't leave within a month of starting.
Not forgetting a transient workforce is a lot less likely to be unionised making it easier for them to make changes, they don't join the pension for year 1, they cost less in holiday pay.
Londonsburning
Posts: 1018
Joined: 09 Oct 2024, 18:14
Gender: Male

Re: More mass exodus from delivery...

Post by Londonsburning »

norris9 wrote:
26 Oct 2025, 10:52
Wage gets reduced (unless CWU sort that out), but who is coming in....someone that's going to stay for 3 weeks?, then someone replaces them and stays for 6 months?, then you have to replace that person with someone else...and so on....

Every time paying for...

-New uniform.
-Driving test.
-Training.
-New = more mistakes.
-New = More overtime as slow, or bringing stuff back so paying someone else to clear the round.


Better to pay people fairly and make sure they are happy. Maintaining a knowledgeable workforce without the hassle and cost of employing new recruits seems more logical.
You are forgetting the cardinal rule of being RM management, every single day is ad hoc, unplanned, illogical chaos. :wave
Perseus
Posts: 959
Joined: 21 Feb 2024, 16:45
Gender: Male

Re: More mass exodus from delivery...

Post by Perseus »

New entrants are paid £13.06 in my area, in line with others.
Legacy staff are on £16.38 when you take into consideration 3 hours worth of paid breaks and shift allowance per week.
Mr Rush
Posts: 3065
Joined: 05 Aug 2011, 14:27
Gender: Male

Re: More mass exodus from delivery...

Post by Mr Rush »

norris9 wrote:
26 Oct 2025, 10:52
-Driving test.
I heard a claim anyone over 25 doesn't have to do the changeover now. New starts seem to be straight onto driving off their initial time with a WPC.
TopperGas wrote:
26 Oct 2025, 14:14
I've no idea why RM are so quick to hand out full uniforms to high starters until they've shown they are up to the job and won't leave within a month of starting.
Cause the uniform's defining quality is cheapness.
The machine stops.
ted_e_bear
Posts: 3933
Joined: 03 Sep 2012, 19:37
Gender: Male

Re: More mass exodus from delivery...

Post by ted_e_bear »

Mr Rush wrote:
26 Oct 2025, 18:01
TopperGas wrote:
26 Oct 2025, 14:14
I've no idea why RM are so quick to hand out full uniforms to high starters until they've shown they are up to the job and won't leave within a month of starting.
Cause the uniform's defining quality is cheapness.
Just looked you can get a pair of cargo pants and a polo shirt from Primark for £18 I'd guess the cost price is absolutely nowhere near that
Last edited by ted_e_bear on 26 Oct 2025, 19:58, edited 1 time in total.
Jonathan Alsatian
Posts: 98
Joined: 10 Oct 2024, 21:00
Gender: Male

Re: More mass exodus from delivery...

Post by Jonathan Alsatian »

The ASDA driver I was talking to recently said they deliver to 4 customers per hour and if those are all close together he is quite often sitting doing nothing waiting for the next hours slot to start before they can attend the next one. This is why you'll see them parked up around the corner from the next drop for ages. I asked a second driver this and he confirmed it is true. I can't comment on the other supermarkets because I haven't asked any of their drivers.

Carrying heavy trays of shopping up flights of stairs and being tracked by managers were the only negatives he mentioned.