19/11/15 Mount Pleasant Bulletin

[anna]

NO TO ANY JOB CUTS!
There's no way we agree with this: as part of the January re-sign we hear bosses want to cut at least 3 (distribution) drivers' jobs from each shift! One excuse is that N1 work is transferred back. Well, there's plenty enough work for us to share among ourselves without one job cut. And if it means we drive a bit less, or double up on some journeys with a “mate in the cab” - this wouldn't only make the job safer, but 100% better!

SANTA'S HELPERS
Yes, the Xmas rush is already here. It's been busy most of the year, but the past few weeks have been bad. So how long will managers keep precious helping hands away from HMP? We can do with more workers now, and in fact permanently, not just in December and not just for a few weeks! Didn't an RM Xmas ad say: “this is a period to be festive, not stresstive”? We couldn't agree more!!

ROYAL MONEY
In fact, we hear that in other sorting centres, Xmas casuals already started – viz., Jubilee, Croydon, and Romford. But of course, RM's not ready to “spend” the money for casuals in central London yet... it's more costly and apparently can wait, as far as HMP is concerned. Well, if the needed extra hands can wait, sorting can wait as well...

DRIVING US NUTS!
In our last WTS, naptime was disturbed by managers explaining how this year they'll be hiring extra drivers to help move the extra mail/packets! And when the rush is over? We know how MP never has enough drivers – so what's this game of taking on “casual drivers” and then sacking permanent ones a month or two later?

MESSY XMAS
Of course, the extra load of mail can't possibly be sorted here. So RM has the great idea to divert part of it to the places where casuals have already been recruited... but only after the mail has already arrived here, instead of sending it straight there! Yup – it's the usual RM method: never be simple when you can be complicated!

CONTINUOUS DREAMING
So today, a 3rd WCM audit will inspect HMP: it's the only time we ever see managers smiling and being polite - tho' there are some who can't even pretend to be nice. But when there's “gold” within their grasp everything becomes possible! And now that RM has taken over the WC work-group (Kaizen!), maybe gold will be reached next year... or the year after... Maybe before we retire?

NEW BLOOD
So we had our rep elections last week, with pictures on the board (cheers!) to know who we were voting for... and we were glad to see young faces! Especially since some stood because they're fed up with how things have been going over the past years. And since that goes for most of us, maybe we can collectively improve the works!

VICIOUS CIRCLE!
The lone rogue Romec Elephant is still stomping over the grass - causing sickness and stress and overwork-related injury among us... So what's his answer? He puts some of who've suffered injuries on light duties, but then doesn't make up for this by recruiting enough workers to do the full duties! So even more of us become prone to stress and injury!

OTT WITH OT
What about this vote on how SA is distributed: by seniority or aggregate? If RM wasn't paying low wages, while keeping the majority among us P-T, the question wouldn't need asking in the first place! Is it no longer a priority for union leaders to fight for properly paid permanent full-time jobs? It is for us! Relying on bonuses and OT awarded according to bosses' whims is and always has been, a bad idea.

WE DON’T NEED HiVi TO SEE THEIR FLAWS
After a workmate was run over in Jubilee's parking lot (is he OK?), we're again told to wear HiVis and keep to zebra crossings... as if the pressure bosses place on us and their chaotic 'managing' wasn't the main cause of H&S risk around platforms, etc! We know what's needed: ignore the managers who ask us to rush everywhere. Slow is safe.

SAVE OUR SOULS (&ARMS) FROM BIG PACKETS
In the bull-ring, our elbows are already feeling the strain with packets... but now that RM's got new “costumers” - like online clothing ASOS - we're asked to sort bigger and bigger packets. We thought our mates at ParcelForce were better equipped to do this?! We certainly aren’t...

IN SOLIDARITY WITH OUR MATES
We saw that postal workers in Bridgewater's DO went on strike on the 11th against RM's refusal to reinstate workmate Andrew Mootoo. Tho' he'd been diagnosed with multiple scelerosis, he still could work, but RM refused to have him back, cut his pay and he had to live on miserly benefits! Bridgewater showed that neither the law nor “no strike deals”, will stop workers from fighting for what is right!

WHERE ARE ALL THE DOORKEEPERS?
Is the closure of the EC pedestrian gate till 06:15 due to cuts in doorkeepers' jobs? We know RM long-since took on subcontractors to mind some doors - but we should never have allowed it! Anyway, it's NOT OK to keep gates locked when we're arriving for work! Recruit more keepers and open up!!

[SpacePhoenix]

SANTA'S HELPERS
Yes, the Xmas rush is already here. It's been busy most of the year, but the past few weeks have been bad. So how long will managers keep precious helping hands away from HMP? We can do with more workers now, and in fact permanently, not just in December and not just for a few weeks! Didn't an RM Xmas ad say: “this is a period to be festive, not stresstive”? We couldn't agree more!!

Probably every MC round the country could do with more staff all year round

ROYAL MONEY
In fact, we hear that in other sorting centres, Xmas casuals already started – viz., Jubilee, Croydon, and Romford. But of course, RM's not ready to “spend” the money for casuals in central London yet... it's more costly and apparently can wait, as far as HMP is concerned. Well, if the needed extra hands can wait, sorting can wait as well...

Smaller MCs will have to have brought the casuals in early as if they didn't things would grind to a halt as they run out of space

MESSY XMAS
Of course, the extra load of mail can't possibly be sorted here. So RM has the great idea to divert part of it to the places where casuals have already been recruited... but only after the mail has already arrived here, instead of sending it straight there! Yup – it's the usual RM method: never be simple when you can be complicated!

Probably PF not having the capacity
Pointless diverting work, as the office the work gets diverted to then has to divert some of their work to another office, follow the chain and you'll probably find that the original office has had just as much work diverted to it from another office

SAVE OUR SOULS (&ARMS) FROM BIG PACKETS
In the bull-ring, our elbows are already feeling the strain with packets... but now that RM's got new “costumers” - like online clothing ASOS - we're asked to sort bigger and bigger packets. We thought our mates at ParcelForce were better equipped to do this?! We certainly aren’t...

[rainbowwarrior72]

Re Jubilee MC accident last year the guy who was the yard marshall is still off most probably not ever come back due to the head injuries he sustained. Since the accident we've had the Hounslow H&S and the management have been working with them re making the yard safer re more markings in the yard, Green runway, speed gun, speed matrix signs that shows ur speed and we are driving to the yard speeds. All visiting drivers are made aware of the rules.

[SpacePhoenix]

Re Jubilee MC accident last year the guy who was the yard marshall is still off most probably not ever come back due to the head injuries he sustained. Since the accident we've had the Hounslow H&S and the management have been working with them re making the yard safer re more markings in the yard, Green runway, speed gun, speed matrix signs that shows ur speed and we are driving to the yard speeds. All visiting drivers are made aware of the rules.

You must have a big yard at Jubilee, afaik we've never had a yard marshal on any shift

[baldrick]

You must have a big yard at Jubilee, afaik we've never had a yard marshal on any shift

Not necessarily a big yard, more likely a congested unloading area. Mount Pleasant has a big parking area and a few unloading areas but when I was there we only had a yard marshal on the late shift on the unloading platform for vans coming in with collections between 1600-2000 afaik.