Last week we submitted our proposal to Ofcom as part of its review of the Universal Service and it has sparked a wide range of questions and comments.
In this special extended session on the future Universal Service, Director of Corporate Affairs, Jenny Hall is joined by Chief Legal Officer, Matthew Newman, Chief Operating Officer, Alistair Cochrane and Operations Transformation Director, Jamie Stephenson to address some of your key questions.
35 seconds: What’s happened and what it means
3 minute 26: Walking route vs van deliveries
5 minute 19: Sunday working
6 minute 18: What this means for jobs
7 minute 56: Shift rotation on Saturdays
8 minute 44: Rural routes
10 minute 32: What this means for parcels
14 minutes: Savings
15 minute 15: Products
16 minute 38: Door to Door
17 minute 46: Who our customers are
19 minute 12: What’s next
Click here (https://www.myroyalmail.com/universalservice) to go our dedicated USO page to find answers to more questions and the latest updates. You can also use the feedback form on that same page to tell us what you think.
I Wrote-During Covid-Which is still relevant now
It's good to get these types of threads, the ridiculous my manager said bollox, so we can reassure ourselves that while the world is falling apart, Royal Mail managers are still being the low-life C***S they have always been. My BFF Clash The daily grind of having to argue your case with an intellectual pigmy of a line manager is physically and emotionally draining.
Where's the consultation over the Union about all of this? Not once have they mentioned them and afaik the Union only really wanted any USO reform to involve the Saturdays off. And It's all very well RM and OfCom being in cahoots with these proposals but they still need the go ahead from the government to deliver the USO on alternate days. Or am I missing something here?
On the face of it, shareholder value is the dumbest idea in the world.
Where's the consultation over the Union about all of this? Not once have they mentioned them and afaik the Union only really wanted any USO reform to involve the Saturdays off. And It's all very well RM and OfCom being in cahoots with these proposals but they still need the go ahead from the government to deliver the USO on alternate days. Or am I missing something here?
Yes you are missing something, Royal Mail do not need government approval or a change in legislation as they are still delivering over 6 days.
Yes you are missing something, Royal Mail do not need government approval or a change in legislation as they are still delivering over 6 days.
OK so they intend to deliver 2nd class letters every other day. The issue is that we are not hitting the Quality of Service targets now even though we are delivering mail 6 days a week.
What needs to change to make this happen so that the business makes more money? They've talked about revisions and smaller walks. Could be a good starting point I guess....
On the face of it, shareholder value is the dumbest idea in the world.
So if you're a walking postie you won't automatically be on a Monday to Friday basis. What will non-drivers be doing on Saturdays if they only want drivers to be delivering parcels and 1st class mail then? Killing off the dead mail? Putting D2Ds in for next week? Cleaning the floors?
On the face of it, shareholder value is the dumbest idea in the world.
So if you're a walking postie you won't automatically be on a Monday to Friday basis. What will non-drivers be doing on Saturdays if they only want drivers to be delivering parcels and 1st class mail then? Killing off the dead mail? Putting D2Ds in for next week? Cleaning the floors?
Driver does all the parcels and non driver does all the bags?
How about going back to basics and delivering all the letters six day a week,.Getting DSA posts back we made money in the 80s before parcel force, what do they do ? We deliver heavy stuff and they deliver stuff that can go through letter boxes WHY?
So if you're a walking postie you won't automatically be on a Monday to Friday basis. What will non-drivers be doing on Saturdays if they only want drivers to be delivering parcels and 1st class mail then? Killing off the dead mail? Putting D2Ds in for next week? Cleaning the floors?
Driver does all the parcels and non driver does all the bags?
Bags of what though? Only first class will go out on the Saturday which will amount to very little mail. It’s clear that non drivers won’t be needed to work the Saturdays but RM and the union won’t say that bit out loud. Drivers already get stitched up and this plan will make it even worse for us.
Having said that it looks like even those who drive will probably get around 50% of Saturdays off which is a damn sight better than what we have currently so I guess sign me up.
So if you're a walking postie you won't automatically be on a Monday to Friday basis. What will non-drivers be doing on Saturdays if they only want drivers to be delivering parcels and 1st class mail then? Killing off the dead mail? Putting D2Ds in for next week? Cleaning the floors?
Driver does all the parcels and non driver does all the bags?
Bags of what though? Only first class will go out on the Saturday which will amount to very little mail. It’s clear that non drivers won’t be needed to work the Saturdays but RM and the union won’t say that bit out loud. Drivers already get stitched up and this plan will make it even worse for us.
Having said that it looks like even those who drive will probably get around 50% of Saturdays off which is a damn sight better than what we have currently so I guess sign me up.
Why wouldn’t non drivers be sent out in a van share on Saturday ?one does the letters while other drives parcels or do parcels together ?
So if you're a walking postie you won't automatically be on a Monday to Friday basis. What will non-drivers be doing on Saturdays if they only want drivers to be delivering parcels and 1st class mail then? Killing off the dead mail? Putting D2Ds in for next week? Cleaning the floors?
Driver does all the parcels and non driver does all the bags?
Bags of what though? Only first class will go out on the Saturday which will amount to very little mail. It’s clear that non drivers won’t be needed to work the Saturdays but RM and the union won’t say that bit out loud. Drivers already get stitched up and this plan will make it even worse for us.
Having said that it looks like even those who drive will probably get around 50% of Saturdays off which is a damn sight better than what we have currently so I guess sign me up.
Why wouldn’t non drivers be sent out in a van share on Saturday ?one does the letters while other drives parcels or do parcels together ?
The whole point in this planned change to the USO is to reduce the amount of duties going out on any given day to cut costs and Royal Mail have already stated the Saturday will be single van delivery’s doing just 1st class letters and parcels. There’s not going to be enough mail on the Saturday to justify two people going out on a van share. Think royal mails proposal has one person covering 1st class mail and parcels for three deliveries. Whether that’s achievable in reality is anyone’s guess.
How about going back to basics and delivering all the letters six day a week,.Getting DSA posts back we made money in the 80s before parcel force, what do they do ? We deliver heavy stuff and they deliver stuff that can go through letter boxes WHY?
I doubt that we'll ever get the DSA back. Most of the old Mailsort was things like utility bills which have moved online a lot.
So if you're a walking postie you won't automatically be on a Monday to Friday basis. What will non-drivers be doing on Saturdays if they only want drivers to be delivering parcels and 1st class mail then? Killing off the dead mail? Putting D2Ds in for next week? Cleaning the floors?
Driver does all the parcels and non driver does all the bags?
Bags of what though? Only first class will go out on the Saturday which will amount to very little mail. It’s clear that non drivers won’t be needed to work the Saturdays but RM and the union won’t say that bit out loud. Drivers already get stitched up and this plan will make it even worse for us.
Having said that it looks like even those who drive will probably get around 50% of Saturdays off which is a damn sight better than what we have currently so I guess sign me up.
Why wouldn’t non drivers be sent out in a van share on Saturday ?one does the letters while other drives parcels or do parcels together ?
According to that cartoon chart, on the delivery of 1st class + parcels days one postie does the 1c mail plus parcels for 3 duties so for that to be cost effective 2 in a van would have to do 6 duties, well that's how I see it.
