26/11/25 Mount Pleasant Bulletin

[jimallen]

Hi, find below the Mount Pleasant bulletin of 26 November. Comments welcomed!

THE LUXURY OF A WEEKEND OFF?
After the unsocial weekend "forseen" overtime was
allocated, managers came up with another system
offering Xmas overtime, Monday to Friday... Is that
because so few of us were ready to come on weekends
to help them out? That's right, we weren't going to
offer them our "weekend energy" - we'd rather spend it
with family and friends!

NIGHTMARE BEFORE XMAS...
The chronic shortage of hands that's been so obvious
for years, is becoming yet more blatant. In Processing,
even with the Xmas casuals here, the work is already
through the roof, what with Black Friday and the lead-up
to Xmas. It's an impossible situation - and it's of
management's own doing. So let them fuss. We
certainly won't...

NIGHTMARE BEFORE XMAS… THE SEQUEL
We hear from other DOs around the country that DUMs
have suddenly seen the light: they've been taking on
more workers. It seems they finally realised that
otherwise the pile of undelivered items wouldn't just hit
the roof, but start tumbling out the windows.

DUM DILEMMA!
Then of course, these new workmates need to get used
to their delivery routes... And DUMs are now trying to
put pressure on them to learn extra-fast! When in fact,
they can only learn at their own pace. Welcome to the
DUMs' self-inflicted Merry Xmas Chaos.

SENT UP THE CREEK WITH NO PADDLE
In fact, there used to be a folder by the frames which
contained notes and details of each route, and even
where dangerous dogs were spotted, etc. Now, new
starters get hardly any guidance - DUMs give them a
van/trolley/bag and a PDA (a.k.a Pretty Dreadful
Assistant) and off they're meant to go! Us older hands
recommend ignoring the PDA's navigation system;
you're better off with "Waze"… Of course you'd be even
better off with a human assistant. And so would we all.

MASSAGE CHAIRS WOULD DO
During our breaks on Distribution nights, drivers would
like to have a short nap - which was possible when there
were comfy chairs in the (so-called!) "wellbeing" room.
But those chairs are gone and replaced by very
uncomfortable plastic ones and a two-seater sofa. This
room needs urgent refurnishing: several large soft
divans are needed!

NO TIME TO WASTE
Most of last week, the buses coming up Rosebery Ave
were on diversion, so many of us had to walk all the
way up to Angel to catch our transport! And when this
happens, we obviously have to leave at least 15 minutes
earlier (or more) to compensate for the extra time it
takes us. So there'd better be no complaints from up
above...

BIN THE SCANNING
And by the way, the bus diversion meant that many of
us were late. HR knows this, so any warnings for
lateness from them will not be accepted.

"BEST" OF A BAD BUNCH
Citizens Advice carried out a consumer survey which
ranked all the parcel delivery companies in order of
efficiency… and RM came out "top". However, with a
score of 3¼ stars out of 5, it's more like winning by
default: it just shows just how bad everyone is... And
no clues for guessing why!

THE FOOT IS MIGHTIER THAN THE PEN
The union leaders' latest letter to branches (and video
on WhatsApp) asks us to "write to our MP" to
"collectively expose what has been happening in Royal
Mail" about the "quality of service failures, the failed
USO pilots, the need to equalise new entrants terms
and conditions and more". Yup. When we all know that
the only way we can stop the "Excess Profit" Group from
attacking our Ts&Cs/the USO, is not by using our pens
collectively, but by collectively using our feet!

THEIR DISJOINTED THINKING
And by the way, weren't Ward and Wishy-Walshy telling
us just yesterday that the New Boss would be better
than the Old Boss? And that USO changes were needed
and should be welcomed?! It seems that it isn't only
their noses that are "out of joint"!

[yellowbelly]

NO TIME TO WASTE
Most of last week, the buses coming up Rosebery Ave
were on diversion, so many of us had to walk all the
way up to Angel to catch our transport! And when this
happens, we obviously have to leave at least 15 minutes
earlier (or more) to compensate for the extra time it
takes us. So there'd better be no complaints from up
above...

Or else you'll what? Take some personal responsibility FFS. When I know there's going to be roadworks on the way into work, I set off earlier.
Don't leave earlier. At least you're getting your steps in.

[Tman]

As ever, the person who wrote this nonsense is laughably naive.

When he/she complains ad infinitum about being treated like naughty children by the managers at the Mount, don't they ever think that might be because they're acting like naughty children?

[baldrick]

Or because 'managers' act like playground bullies?