Forced to deliver mail on way home today

[riddler2k]

I usally take my break, but when I need to I will miss it (for my own reasons ,never a problem usually), I told my manager I had not taken my break and he told me he has to presume I have taken it already (which I hadnt), this is a new Dom as our last one was fired, so never had to talk to one very often. If we had a CWU rep I would have asked for advice but ours has been suspended for months (for a false allegation) and is only just returning to our office after being proved innocent of any wrong doing.

[fishtank]

I told my manager I had not taken my break and he told me he has to presume I have taken it already (which I hadnt),

This is the problem with both starting early and not taking your break.
How can you prove after the fact whether you have or haven't?
You aren't made to so why should a manager give a crap if you have or haven't.
He sees you at 1.30 you don't finish until 2 so...you're an easy target.
Let's be honest,cards on the table..he couldn't have made you use your own bike...you know that...but you didn't want to take a van and then go back to the office because it was quicker just to do it on the way home..

[riddler2k]

I dont start early ever, I had already handed my van keys into the key locker before I was told to just take a bundle of mail on your way home, as I was told others has also done it and others were doing the rest ,the job had been split up into roads. So dont try and read between the lines im telling it as it was.

[ElvisGaddafi]

I dont start early ever, I had already handed my van keys into the key locker before I was told to just take a bundle of mail on your way home, as I was told others has also done it and others were doing the rest ,the job had been split up into roads. So dont try and read between the lines im telling it as it was.

I don't want to be rude mate but everything you say shows why your manager thought he could get away this s**t.

[fishtank]

I dont start early ever, I had already handed my van keys into the key locker before I was told to just take a bundle of mail on your way home, as I was told others has also done it and others were doing the rest ,the job had been split up into roads. So dont try and read between the lines im telling it as it was.

If that's how it was why didn't you just go and get your keys back out,jump in the van and deliver the bundle....if you had time.
It's not like you're a newbie,i'm sure you've heard bullshit from management before and told them where to stick it.
...and i didn't say you started early i said that management don't give a s**t whether you start early or don't take your break....i was just making a point.

[POSTMAN]

im telling it as it was.

Yep,you got mugged,lesson learnt?

[Fluke]

I had worked my break so made time ,this is never usually a problem until today, I was told to deliver it on my way home ,as I dont take a van home I had to use my bike.

LOL. Sorry mate, but you got exactly what you deserved The only thing your DOM did wrong was to allow you to do it with the incorrect kit. You'll get no sympathy, all you are doing is giving RM an excuse to dump more work on you. As others have said take your break and work your hours.

[foodforthought]

if u still had time left in your hours i'm sure they can make you, take your break

[gb93]

I have been a Postman for 16 years and have never been told to deliver mail on the way home before, thanks for your responses.

Did your Dom actually say 'you must deliver this mail on your way home'
Or did he ask (instruct) you to deliver the mail as you had time left in your paid working hours.
And did he say you must use your own bike & not the RM van.

[wandle]

You say the DOM is fairly new to your office ?

Look at it from his point of view.

How does he know for sure that you didn't take your break ? Answer: he doesn't.
If he takes your word for it, he risks being made a mug of by someone who took a break and then claimed not to, in effect getting the break twice. He can't take that chance, so if you work through your break, you're the fool because he's not going to believe you didn't take it like you should have done. Thus, he has the right to expect you to work right up to your finish time.

TAKE YOUR BREAK IN FUTURE

[coxie]

Yeah sorry Riddler, you worked your break, we can't defend you on that one mate. If you make time they will usually allow you to go home but if they need work covered then they will jump all over you. If you cut corners to make time then you set yourself to be targeted and when it happens you have nobody to blame but yourself. Job and Knock officially no longer exists within RM

[Godric]

if u still had time left in your hours i'm sure they can make you, take your break

in our office no one takes their break

[arnold cheshire]

you should have gone in a van and brought the van back to the DO then gone home at your finishing time

[brothermagrew]

Surely the lesson is do not come back in early before your actual finishing time. With regards to health and safety presuming that you were not returning to your delivery office as you were clearly making your way home, and that you were instructed by your DOM to take a bundle of mail out on your way home. Then you must have at some point signed out of the delivery office. Your DOM would be on dodgy ground if you became involved in an accident.

[riddler2k]

if u still had time left in your hours i'm sure they can make you, take your break

in our office no one takes their break

Thanks Godric , not all offices are the same. I hoped to get some intelligent replies so have been picking through , I was asking a question on health and safety really as
I know about returning within duty time ,and am quite happy to work until 2pm although we are currently on longs and shorts so its 2:20pm.