Looking to apply - advice please re Bank/Public Holidays, Rota's etc

[FLO11thom]

Hello all, I am considering applying for a Post Person with driving position at 30 hours per week, Mon- Sun working over 5 days. I have a few questions and would be very grateful for a response, as it will help make my mind up:

How does the rota work? Would the 2 days off be together?
Assuming it is 6 hours per day, how many hours is sorting and how many hours posting?
Do you get a break?
Do new starters get the more unpopular routes?
Do you have to work Xmas Day/Boxing Day/New Year's Day etc?
Can you take holidays when you want?
Can you wear your own trousers?

[twoloops]

I think age is a big issue here, if your still a youngster, get some education, within 2/3 weeks you will hate it & wonder if life is worth living anymore, 30s & 40s & not much going for you, single/divorced, your kids have disowned you, no mates or social life, you’ll probably fit right in, over 50 just crack on, switch off, do your time, the amount of walking & stress & dog bites will make getting old not a problem.

[Constance]

Two Loops speaks the truth. It doesn't matter if you are not afraid of hard work. The miles the pace the weather will always get you. You won't get two days off together and you're own time will be ruined by the utter exhaustion of the work. And yes for a good 2 years management will have you doing the worst work. RM treat delivery staff with absolute contempt. If anything goes wrong it will be your fault for choosing to follow one of two utterly different rules. There is no thanks for your labour and no dignity at work. And the other shocker is you need to book your holiday at least year in advance. Every. Day's. Leave. Oh and the shoes are shite. ..like giving a navvie a spoon to dig a trench. Your work mates will be lovely though. Funny switched on and all different.

[fb1969]

I have seen some jobs recently advertised as a 10 hour shift on a Sunday, so that would affect the hours you do the rest of the week. Also a lot of adverts state that you will be working at a different office on the Sunday, that may involve a longer commute for you. You may get the two days together or you may not, more likely not.

There is a entitlement to a 30 minute break, but for new starters since November 2022 it may well be unpaid.

New starters should (should) get a fixed route for their first six months, but that won't always happen and you will end up on random routes that has no one else to cover them. A lot of Delivery Offices are under staffed with unrealistic workloads. The overtime rate of 1.25 x hourly pay will only kick in when you have done more than 40 hours in a week, the first 10 hours will be at the normal rate.

At the moment there is no requirement to work on a Bank Holiday in a Delivery Office, how long that remains is another matter. Christmas and Boxing Day should be fairly safe.

You cannot take holidays in the 4 weeks leading up to Christmas. You have to book all leave for the coming financial year by the previous October - so by the end of October 2023 your leave for April 2024 to March 2025 must be booked. It may be possible to get the odd random day off, but not a complete week.

You should wear the uniform provided, how long it lasts and what you do when it wears out is anyone's guess.


I got out over a year ago, the company was heading downhill then and it has only accelerated its decline since. Have a look in the "news" forum for the countrywide reports of non-delivery of letters, RM will trot out the same excuses every time - for sickness they are still blaming covid and ignoring the fact it is a very physical job, for vacancies (or resourcing issues as they call it) they are not saying that they stopped recruiting for long periods.

[richietns]

Hello all, I am considering applying for a Post Person with driving position at 30 hours per week, Mon- Sun working over 5 days. I have a few questions and would be very grateful for a response, as it will help make my mind up:

How does the rota work? Would the 2 days off be together?
Assuming it is 6 hours per day, how many hours is sorting and how many hours posting?
Do you get a break?
Do new starters get the more unpopular routes?
Do you have to work Xmas Day/Boxing Day/New Year's Day etc?
Can you take holidays when you want?
Can you wear your own trousers?

You could have two days off together but no one on here could tell you that only your manager could.
I doubt you would be sorting straight away .
Yes if hours permit.
Yes you will be at the bottom of the pile.
No they are b/holidays we get them off.
Holidays are requested about a year in advance and your not guaranteed your week you wanted although people do swap.
No a uniform is provided but it is laxy daisy tbh.

[Foxel]

Hello all, I am considering applying for a Post Person with driving position at 30 hours per week, Mon- Sun working over 5 days. I have a few questions and would be very grateful for a response, as it will help make my mind up:
....

How does the rota work? Would the 2 days off be together?

I haven't had a rota for months, I have to constantly chase or guess where or what I'm doing. I've not had a Saturday off in over a year. Did used to get Mondays off a lot though.

Assuming it is 6 hours per day, how many hours is sorting and how many hours posting?

You'll be lucky if it is 6 hours. As a new starter, the chances are you'll be bouncing around all over the place. You'll be put on up to 8 hours rounds and pressured to complete. Indoor time can vary. Today mine was about 2:30h, somedays I'm sent straight out with parcels.

Do you get a break?

Yes and no. The people you'll be working with (for the most part) get paid breaks, you will not (new contract). I find about 1 in 50 actually take them. The rest just want to get back.

Do new starters get the more unpopular routes?

RM has its own special brand of discrimination based on service, as a new starter you will get all the crap. While the more experienced members have their cushy comfortable round. Don't expect your own route or even set of routes unless you fall really lucky.

Do you have to work Xmas Day/Boxing Day/New Year's Day etc?

Currently No/No/No but check the wording in your contract, they can bring it in.

Can you take holidays when you want?

No, taking holidays is a nightmare at the minute, I've got 2 weeks I can't get fitted in anywhere. Again, as a new starter, you are bottom of the food chain.

Can you wear your own trousers?

You'll probably have to. If you are lucky enough to get a uniform, it won't last until you are allowed another.

Hope that helps.

[aiden01]

Hello all, I am considering applying for a Post Person with driving position at 30 hours per week, Mon- Sun working over 5 days. I have a few questions and would be very grateful for a response, as it will help make my mind up:
....

How does the rota work? Would the 2 days off be together?

I haven't had a rota for months, I have to constantly chase or guess where or what I'm doing. I've not had a Saturday off in over a year. Did used to get Mondays off a lot though.

Assuming it is 6 hours per day, how many hours is sorting and how many hours posting?

You'll be lucky if it is 6 hours. As a new starter, the chances are you'll be bouncing around all over the place. You'll be put on up to 8 hours rounds and pressured to complete. Indoor time can vary. Today mine was about 2:30h, somedays I'm sent straight out with parcels.

Do you get a break?

Yes and no. The people you'll be working with (for the most part) get paid breaks, you will not (new contract). I find about 1 in 50 actually take them. The rest just want to get back.

Do new starters get the more unpopular routes?

RM has its own special brand of discrimination based on service, as a new starter you will get all the crap. While the more experienced members have their cushy comfortable round. Don't expect your own route or even set of routes unless you fall really lucky.

Do you have to work Xmas Day/Boxing Day/New Year's Day etc?

Currently No/No/No but check the wording in your contract, they can bring it in.

Can you take holidays when you want?

No, taking holidays is a nightmare at the minute, I've got 2 weeks I can't get fitted in anywhere. Again, as a new starter, you are bottom of the food chain.

Can you wear your own trousers?

You'll probably have to. If you are lucky enough to get a uniform, it won't last until you are allowed another.

Hope that helps.

Lol would put anyone off

[Basildon Bond]

This is all very office specific - different offices will do things slightly different...

How does the rota work? Would the 2 days off be together?

>>> Generally days off are all over the place as the manager balances cover for the week. You may end up with two days off together occassionally but it will not be a planned idea that you'll know about in advance. You may be asked to work one (or even both) of your days off to cover other absences - make sure the overtime is recorded so you get paid.

Assuming it is 6 hours per day, how many hours is sorting and how many hours posting?

>>> "Sorting" is not something a new person would be very good at as you would need to know what addresses are on what walks/duties. However, you may be asked to "throw off" or "prep" (prepare) a walk at a particular frame. You'll have about an hour or so indoor to do that before heading out.

Do you get a break?

>>> Depends who you work with. You may get a break or you may get a five minute rest/chat/vape/smoke/drink + a snack stop/"doesn't that cloud look like a massive..." moments. Don't count on there being a toilet on your walk.

Do new starters get the more unpopular routes?

>>> No. You'll just be asked to fill in for whatever they need.

Can you take holidays when you want?

>>> No. Initially it will all be booked up by others and you'll get offered the weeks that are still free. Very random. Over the years you'll have to plan months or a year ahead to get a specific week(s) off if you need them.

Can you wear your own trousers?

>>> Potentially. Depends on the manager/office. If they generally are grey or black it shouldn't be a problem. Consider wearing shorts - take the plunge.

Best of luck.

[Foxel]

Lol would put anyone off

If it doesn't then he's a keeper. Managers dream

[Constance]

So, what have you decided to do?

[guardianangel]

Unless you are destitute or about to lose your house i'd give Royal Mail a miss,the work is exhausting,the managers would fit right in in a nazi war camp,as a newbie on the new contract you will be abused from day 1 and for some sadist reason that dont put you off dont bother joining the union save your money they will not help you as they are the ones who have agreed to the s**t conditions.

[Constance]

Anyone who is reading this and thinking of joining is probably thinking 'god it can't be that bad,postie's don't look that miserable'- let me tell you that they ARE telling you the absolute truth on here, but when a postie is out and about , the vast majority try and put on a front to spare the nice public from their genuine work problems and their suffering.