20/06/2018 Mount Pleasant Bulletin

[jimallen]

Hi there, here's the bulletin of the 20th of June. You can find attached the entire bulletin, comments welcome!

MODERNISING? NOT QUITE…
As usual, when RM tries to modernise or refurbish HMP,
it's a total shambles. But while we're trying to find our
feet working around these 2 new conveyor belts for
POCL and PPI, managers are already boasting about
how much time they want to save! Yes, by trying to
push us to work faster! Of course, these conveyor belts
could make our lives easier and that’s what we need -
easier lives! However, if processing is speeded-up,
unsorted packets will just pile up at the end of the
conveyor belt – simple!

KEEP CALM – AND GET BORED
Yes, these conveyor belts are like new toys for
managers. They’re now dreaming of by-passing Primary
and cutting tipping-to-sorting down to 15 minutes! When
are they going to get bored with all of this? Because we
already are!

27 DEGREES CELSIUS?
And by the way, it does get pretty intense with all this
toing and froing on the machines, when temperatures
are hitting the roof and managers keep breathing (hot
air) down our necks! We don’t give a monkey’s if there's
no official maximum temperature limit at work. Even if
there was, we'd know OUR maximum limit, without a
thermometer! And we've reached it! All out!

THEATRE STAGED FOR OF-CON
Oh dear, everything had to be neat, tidy and spotless a
couple of weeks ago, when Ofcom sent a suits-and-ties
delegation to check on HMP. Were they trying to find
out why delivery targets were missed? Whatever it was,
managers were trying their best to put on a show - in
fact, a very "original" performance!

"BUSINESS AS USUAL" MEANS WHAT?
We were a bit puzzled by the union's letter to Deliveries
talking about a "disruption (building works) recognition
package"... Does it mean they won't make an
agreement on duty losses through any "business as
usual" revisions, because of the building works? And if
so, does it also mean the reverse: that they give RM
their blessing to cut duties when it's actually "business
as usual" with no building works? We really do hope
not! Maybe they can clarify?

LESS SPACE DOESN'T RESULT IN LESS WORK!
Of course, with all this building work going on we’ve all
been crammed into spaces that seem to be shrinking by
the day! And yes, managers think that they can take this
opportunity of cutting and revising duties. But, no, as we
all agree, they can't!

THE "ROUTINE" CUTTING OF DUTIES
And by the way, this applies to most of us. Managers
have been using every possible excuse to pile more
duties onto our backs! Since the last wave of EVRs,
how many of us have ended up doing the job of 2, 3 or 4
"disappeared" workmates?

PAY RISE OVERDUE
Has anyone seen a pay rise heading in Cleaners'
direction? Before he went on holiday and left us in
temporary peace, the Elephant trumpeted that we "will
get one because we always get one" (not true!), but we
can't wait - we need it now!

MISSING OR STOLEN?
Notices have appeared on the PFS (ex-Romec) stores
saying "please return our new uniforms"! Yes,
apparently somebody's been shopping in the PFS store!
Their taste in clothes is a little questionable though!

ALMOST BRICKED IN
As if working in PSA wasn't already like a prison - we
almost got immolated when the construction workers
blocked the area in - and there was no way out! Now
the exit is reconfigured - but we could really do with a
totally new workspace... somewhere else!

TAKING THE MICHAEL
We see that the CWU HQ guys say the shorter working
week ("SWW!") depends on the "LAT product" (later
attendance time!) ramp-up in October... and we all have
to fit in with this? But just how are we even going to
notice a 12 minutes cut at the beginning of the day or
even a 30 minute cut? As for deliveries starting at 11am
(and later!), we already have 2nd "waves"! So does CWU
HQ agree the return of 2nd daily delivery with no finish
time, fewer legs and DOM-dogs biting us before we've
even gone out?

DAMN GREEDY
Apparently RM bosses are so pleased with Moya
Greede's services that they asked the Queen to make
her a “Dame”... On top of the gold handshake of a total
£2.6m. Privatise the Queen’s head and you’ll get
millions and a knighthood, that’s how it works!

RICHY BACKWARD'S LETTER
Actually she's not going yet - she's to stay and help new
boss Backwards settle in. He wrote a letter saying he
looks forward to working with us to "build together a
successful company." Working together? Since when
do chief executives “work”?