Spying by Guvnors

[Pompey Boy]

Bad enough at POMC these days, but rumour has it that one guvnor is using GPS info from PDAs to track his drivers with no reason. Also because one driver didn't scan a code at a customer same guvnor rang up (outside of his working hours) the customer to check if the driver had arrived and collected the mail. Seems the driver in question is as good and honest as they come so his customer told him what had happened. Don't know if he has complained about this bullying and harassement.

Always thought if RM thought a driver was bent then they used the IB. Can a guvnor do checks like this? Ontop of everything else these things have disgusted people and the atmosphere is now v bad.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Bad enough at POMC these days, but rumour has it that one guvnor is using GPS info from PDAs to track his drivers with no reason. Also because one driver didn't scan a code at a customer same guvnor rang up (outside of his working hours) the customer to check if the driver had arrived and collected the mail. Seems the driver in question is as good and honest as they come so his customer told him what had happened. Don't know if he has complained about this bullying and harassement.

Always thought if RM thought a driver was bent then they used the IB. Can a guvnor do checks like this? Ontop of everything else these things have disgusted people and the atmosphere is now v bad.

It's not what they are doing its the intention behind it that's probably the main question, and of course whether those actions are reasonable.

Are they allowed to use tracking software to try to catch people so they can discipline them. No. But then they can use the output for training or improvement http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... ry#p683603" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Is it reasonable for a Manager to contact a customer to make sure they are happy with the service they are getting - Yes, its good commercial practice and lets hope they do this on a regular basis with all the companies that generate profit for RM, it helps generate brand loyalty etc. But can they contact the same customer and grill them about an individual driver to try to catch them out over something - without good reasonable cause - NFC.

The problem for us is that although we recognise the style of management within RM at the moment as autocratic and controlling, when it's presented to others in any other legal or non working environment, the actions themselves are reasonable, and the intention is always presented as such as well.

[Lounge Lizard]

Surely a guvnor using GPS info from PDAs to track his drivers is only a problem for drivers that go off route without good reason or take excessive breaks.

[Pompey Boy]

Surely a guvnor using GPS info from PDAs to track his drivers is only a problem for drivers that go off route without good reason or take excessive breaks.

Are you a driver?

[Lounge Lizard]

Surely a guvnor using GPS info from PDAs to track his drivers is only a problem for drivers that go off route without good reason or take excessive breaks.

Are you a driver?

Yes.

[Pompey Boy]

Great to have a holiday - terrible to be bacK

My point to you Lounge Lizard is that an ops gunvor should have more than enough to do than tracking his drivers for no reason. He should know his staff and if he suspects something go to the IB.

As you say some mush doing his job well should have no problems but it's well over the top the amount of spying we have now - good old test letters, GPS on PDAs, tracers for vans on the way, the IB following drivers (and managers), the moaning public, timing in and out of the depot and collection guvnors phoning customers about "quality of service" - another check

Where do it end and tell me mush what other job is spyed on as much as us?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Where do it end and tell me mush what other job is spyed on as much as us?

Call Centre staff who are timed by how quick they answer a call, how quick they deal with the call, how long they take to wrap up the call, how long it takes to answer the next call. Then of course there is the fact the "All calls are recorded for training purposes", and when you take a toilet break you have to ask for permission and the length of your stay is questioned. That was my last job, and its the same for other CWU represented call staff as well.

[Pompey Boy]

TBT,

Point taken, but then I don't think call centre staff are vetted and sign a form of the official secrets act.

[spiderj]

Some are

[Lounge Lizard]

Great to have a holiday - terrible to be bacK

My point to you Lounge Lizard is that an ops gunvor should have more than enough to do than tracking his drivers for no reason. He should know his staff and if he suspects something go to the IB.

As you say some mush doing his job well should have no problems but it's well over the top the amount of spying we have now - good old test letters, GPS on PDAs, tracers for vans on the way, the IB following drivers (and managers), the moaning public, timing in and out of the depot and collection guvnors phoning customers about "quality of service" - another check

Where do it end and tell me mush what other job is spyed on as much as us?

PB,
I'm not concerned how "an ops guvnor" spends his day so long as it doesn't extend to unfair treatment of staff.
Short of being self employed any "mush" can expect managers to manage, and that includes checking how we do the job we're paid for, and that's most likely to be a problem with those spinning out a light round to avoid getting back early, stopping off for 'breakfast' with Miss Jones or not doing the job properly in some other respect.
I would welcome a manger accompanying me one day just to show that, other than the occasional light day, my round can't be completed on time short of speeding and/or doorstepping.

[Pompey Boy]

LL,

I am worried if a guvnor paid to look after operations is sitting at his desk pushing a mouse around - didn't happen in the old days, when they were out in the mailyard managing It's not just us who should do our job properly - them too and who checks on them?

I agree that bad posties should be dealt with, but a good guvnor should know his staff and know who to trust.

Problem with POMC is that alot of guvnors , including the MC guvnor, are ex-drivers and perhps judge us by what they used to do.

By the way "Mush" in pompey isn't a bad term - "This word derived from a Romany word, commonly used to replace the word "mate". Despite the negative connotations this word has attracted in more recent times, this is historically a general term used in the Portsmouth dialect". so no offence meant LL.

PS Rumours going round today that test letters are been used in TSOs

[Lounge Lizard]

LL,

I am worried if a guvnor paid to look after operations is sitting at his desk pushing a mouse around - didn't happen in the old days, when they were out in the mailyard managing It's not just us who should do our job properly - them too and who checks on them?

I agree that bad posties should be dealt with, but a good guvnor should know his staff and know who to trust.

Problem with POMC is that alot of guvnors , including the MC guvnor, are ex-drivers and perhps judge us by what they used to do.

By the way "Mush" in pompey isn't a bad term - "This word derived from a Romany word, commonly used to replace the word "mate". Despite the negative connotations this word has attracted in more recent times, this is historically a general term used in the Portsmouth dialect". so no offence meant LL.

PS Rumours going round today that test letters are been used in TSOs

PB,
I don't worry about what "a guvnor" does so long as it doesn't involve treating me, or my colleagues, unreasonably or unfairly.
I've never heard "mush" during my visits to Portsmouth, but maybe I was using the wrong pubs ! and many other local dialect words probably have a friendlier usage than an outsider might realise.