Are we being tracked now?

JeremyFisher · Post by **JeremyFisher** » 04 May 2016, 16:36

I recently was asked to use the new PDAs and the first thing I notice is the GPS locator is active, now I'm not overly worried about them knowing where I am as I stick to the duty but I have a feeling this is just the start, with this information they could track average speed etc. and I'm just wondering how long until we get into Amazon territory and people start being scrutinised over their walking speed.

daveyeff · Post by **daveyeff** » 04 May 2016, 18:09

there is no set standard for outdoor performance. your speed is your speed. to many variants on outdoor.

Post by **eastie** » 04 May 2016, 19:01

If they check your walk speed , will they also check the running speed of the runners ?

They will only be worried about your walk speed if you start at your proper start time and go over.
If you are even slower at walking but come in an hour early and finish on time they won't be

Post by **eastie** » 04 May 2016, 19:10

Saw today that we had a yellow card in one of our collection boxes to give to our manager as they are doing spot checks on collections .
Apparantly they have caught people on collections elsewhere who have photographed the barcodes in the boxes and scanned them and left the collection

deltaforce · Post by **deltaforce** » 04 May 2016, 19:54

Apparently the GPS on the new pda is more accurate than before , so make sure you scan on the door step and at the box prior to collection.

daveyeff · Post by **daveyeff** » 04 May 2016, 20:10

eastie wrote:Saw today that we had a yellow card in one of our collection boxes to give to our manager as they are doing spot checks on collections .
Apparantly they have caught people on collections elsewhere who have photographed the barcodes in the boxes and scanned them and left the collection

those are collection testers. nothing new. they've always done it for collections. checking that the box is getting emptied when it should.

Chelseablue · Post by **Chelseablue** » 04 May 2016, 20:52

If you finish past your time and try to put in ot its like , how dare you, yet if you finish early all week your left alone . Privatisation dosent meant slavery .

postmandick · Post by **postmandick** » 04 May 2016, 22:22

The 'old' PDA's have a system called 'Back view' which a manager can track any individual PDA .... but the simple act of activating 'back view' leaves finger prints on the system...

and the manager who authorized this search could lose there jobs if caught using it for disciplinary matters

Yes managers can track you but CWU and RM agree not to do it (or rather there is not an agreement)

if you photograph your box barcodes and scan your collection whilst in the cafe remember your red box collection also records your GPS position

when you scan red box's your PDA sends the information back onto the system which any manager can check ...... and any house trained monkey can work out where you are on your round and what time you should be finishing

Also by leaving the Tracked item it confirms that you have delivered that parcel ...... protecting you

but a tin foil hat helps

Pompey Boy · Post by **Pompey Boy** » 04 May 2016, 22:59

The official line is that the yellow cards are to check quality of service, but we all know that they are there to catch people out.

Postie45 · Post by **Postie45** » 05 May 2016, 06:13

Pompey Boy wrote:The official line is that the yellow cards are to check quality of service, but we all know that they are there to catch people out.

well i guess, but if the collections arent being done at the correct time it is a quality of service issue. I have no sympathy for people being "caught out" for this.

Pidleypoo · Post by **Pidleypoo** » 05 May 2016, 17:03

Postie45 wrote:
Pompey Boy wrote:The official line is that the yellow cards are to check quality of service, but we all know that they are there to catch people out.
well i guess, but if the collections arent being done at the correct time it is a quality of service issue. I have no sympathy for people being "caught out" for this.

The people who do this kind of thing are the ones who have really messed the job up. If we all did our jobs properly from the start and followed every h&s procedure and delivery methods we would not be in the situation we are most days.blane management all you want but idiotic things like "taking a picture of the collection barcode" is just crazy. And like all the other ways people cut corners and we just do it to ourselves

postslippete · Post by **postslippete** » 05 May 2016, 18:12

Of all the advances in modern technology - lasers, artificial intelligence, driverless cars, cyber attacks.....

This is one piece of technology that might just kill us in the not too distant future. I've witnessed one manager using the brick PDAs we have now as a time management tool - using it to record a member of staff finishing times as a tool for getting someone to take out his own lapsing. With no success I might add, because we have agreements and a relatively strong (and i use the term loosely) union.

One can only imagine how Royal Mail would love to use a tracker on everyone so that they can measure staff walking speeds and overall performance and perhaps use this data to accurately assess and plan amended delivery routes. I got nothing to hide but that is the direction that we are heading

steve1873 · Post by **steve1873** » 05 May 2016, 18:21

postmandick wrote:The 'old' PDA's have a system called 'Back view' which a manager can track any individual PDA .... but the simple act of activating 'back view' leaves finger prints on the system...

and the manager who authorized this search could lose there jobs if caught using it for disciplinary matters

Yes managers can track you but CWU and RM agree not to do it (or rather there is not an agreement)

if you photograph your box barcodes and scan your collection whilst in the cafe remember your red box collection also records your GPS position

when you scan red box's your PDA sends the information back onto the system which any manager can check ...... and any house trained monkey can work out where you are on your round and what time you should be finishing

Also by leaving the Tracked item it confirms that you have delivered that parcel ...... protecting you

but a tin foil hat helps

Do you mean blackbay?

postmandick · Post by **postmandick** » 06 May 2016, 10:48

Blackbay is the software with our old blue brick PDA's

Back view is the hidden bit of our current and future PDA's that can be monitored 'live'

there is NO agreement about being tracked with either our PDA's or a hidden GPS device ..... unless the IB branch suspect you of doing something naughty

But just do your job ....use your trolley and take a break you are being paid to take a break ......put your seat belts on every time you move the van ..... yes its a pain but that's what our employer wants.... yes it takes longer but so what
if you takeall your break at the end of your shift and have an accident you will be found to be more responsible because you are tired .

Remember folks if you worked in a widget factory would you start work earlier for no money ..... would you be allowed to go home early because you have finished.....

don't kill your job by making silly shortcuts

Gorgonzola · Post by **Gorgonzola** » 07 May 2016, 00:19

I don't go off my route but with spec del recorders tracked parcel force and bloody little Chinese packets which do require signatures half the time your using your pad 70 times a day where the hell have we got time to do our job right it's just impossible you can't bring mail back you re bullied great got a mortgage and kids might as well throw in the towel now with this job just can't do it any more