Postbox letter counting black box

Deadly · Post by **Deadly** » 04 Jul 2016, 21:07

I found one of these today fastened to the inside top of a box I was emptying. I'm guessing we can't be trusted now to accurately report letter numbers when asked as in the past so these are used instead. More boxes moved over to delivery in the future is my guess. Anyone else seen one?

UnhappyGremlin · Post by **UnhappyGremlin** » 04 Jul 2016, 23:05

They're not accurate either.

They only count each time mail passes the sensor, not how many items.
You can post 50 letters, but it would be counted as one.

I raised this with a planner who told me they count an average of 3 per posting.
Don't know if it's true.

I'd also question how that average was come to, and if it is agreed.

And yes, it is because we're not trusted.
And yes, more boxes to deliveries will be the result.

I have been told the next round will start in no more than 18 months.
Can't see it being that far away myself.

NewPostieUK · Post by **NewPostieUK** » 05 Jul 2016, 00:42

You count the letters you collect from post boxes? Never heard of this. Sounds very time consuming.

Deadly · Post by **Deadly** » 05 Jul 2016, 10:10

You just estimate, 0-50, 50-100 etc or sometimes a quarter, half or three quarters etc of a box. It rarely happens but the point is that we have now been replaced by an electronic machine

pilchard · Post by **pilchard** » 05 Jul 2016, 12:31

I would suggest you get your Rep on to this if you read the following

Collections Update
Due to correspondence received in the Department recently regarding the issue of Collection Revisions under the guise of a programme called Improving Collection Efficiency (ICE) which was giving cause for concern we have now raised the matter with Royal Mail at national level. It was made absolutely clear to Royal Mail that what is being reported by Collections Managers/Planners to some of our local and area representatives has not been agreed with the CWU at national level and was in fact completely untrue. This involved a number of units which had been scoped/put forward for follow up revisions in the financial year 2016/17 and included the use of the Postbox Mail Monitoring Device (PMMD) in a way which was also not agreed. In fact it was not in line with the National Agreed TOR. After a very frank exchange, Royal Mail have accepted that the proposed sites were not agreed with the CWU at national level and that the CWU will now have the right to have input into the proposed units and that the PMMD would also only deployed in line with the national TOR and after discussions with the CWU locally to determine which Post boxes it would be used for.

So basically the planners are making it up as they go along.

Post by **eastie** » 05 Jul 2016, 14:29

the boxes we empty on our rounds get bundled up and put in a sack for collection never ever been asked to count them

Shaders · Post by **Shaders** » 05 Jul 2016, 20:53

I empty two boxes, and then post it all into a third box

You really could make a new Carry on film out of this company

nickbsmooth · Post by **nickbsmooth** » 06 Jul 2016, 20:33

What another waste of time counting letters,dont the sorting machines count the volumes that go through them?

wannabeek · Post by **wannabeek** » 06 Jul 2016, 20:51

Yeah, but if they get one box only gets 12 letters a week they can probably quietly remove it without anybody making a fuss. Spend loads and maybe save a little - that's the RM way!