Equalization of the terms of the new contract and the old one

[Roman88]

Is there any news about equalizing the working conditions for people on the new contract and the old one?
I am now on a full-time position under the new contract terms.

I have to say, this is becoming increasingly frustrating – especially when we see such a clear imbalance of duties between drivers and walkers.

Not only do we have to take about 30–50% more parcels on our routes, but we are also often tasked with clearing backlogs of letters from other walks, while walkers only cover their own rounds. On top of that, we must check and fuel the vehicle, and often deal with vans being blocked in the garage. If there’s an oversized parcel to collect – no problem, the driver will do it.

Of course, we are not entitled to paid breaks, because apparently drivers can operate hungry and tired.

I also know that some walkers are deliberately hiding the fact that they hold a driving license, just to avoid being given more work.

Now managers are pushing us to take on door-to-door deliveries, even though there are no bonuses for it and our hourly rate is lower.

When I have too many parcels, I may be excused from letter deliveries, but now first-class letters are being added on top. It’s starting to feel beyond my capacity.

Some people may say that I knew what I was signing when I agreed to this contract. But the contract never said I would be working 30–50% more than my colleague next to me, for less pay. That doesn’t even seem to comply with UK law, unless there is a valid justification. Maybe there is one – but if so, I really don’t see it.

[Whippy]

I’m in the same boat, the two tier pay just makes no sense to me. Two people doing the exact same job earning different pay is completely and utterly wrong. I don’t understand how it’s even legal.

[TooManyLoops]

This is a troll post, surely

[Whippy]

This is a troll post, surely

Can you expand?

[TooManyLoops]

This is a troll post, surely

Can you expand?

They are not talking about equalisation of new and old contracts

They think the walking part do less work than drivers. And complaining they now have to do D2Ds? Erm, we've had to do D2Ds for years

My guess, they are a DPR driver

[Whippy]

This was communicated by the CWU?

[Roman88]

Yes, that’s exactly what I wrote about – equalizing the pay between the new and old contracts. It wouldn’t be so frustrating if at least, while we are doing more, we were not earning less.

I’ve been doing D2D from the very beginning. When I was transferred to another depot, I skipped one column, but now there is increasing pressure to deliver all of them.

I also listed the extra tasks that drivers have compared with walkers, and you didn’t address that. Walkers don’t take the large parcels – drivers do. Checking the van, fuelling, collecting oversized deliveries, finding space in the garage – all of that falls to us.

[TooManyLoops]

I also listed the extra tasks that drivers have compared with walkers, and you didn’t address that. Walkers don’t take the large parcels – drivers do. Checking the van, fuelling, collecting oversized deliveries, finding space in the garage – all of that falls to us.

This has nothing to do with the equalisation of old and new contracts. This is just you griping

[Roman88]

This was communicated by the CWU?

Thank you so much. You've cheered me up.

[Whippy]

This was communicated by the CWU?

Thank you so much. You've cheered me up.

To answer your question I haven’t heard anymore about it, come the end of September I’ll ask our union rep to follow up as it states the first pathway to be agreed September.

[pinstripe]

In my office we are so short staffed that walkers, while they may have their own duty, are regularly moved onto another. They work with a driver and between them they deliver letters and parcels on 2 oversized duties. By the time they get out on delivery they have, usually three and a half to four hours to complete five hours worth of work, which includes d2ds, customer collections, box collections, tracked packets, specials and about 14 loops of letters.

It doesn’t matter if you are a driver, walker or DPR driver, RM ensure that every single minute is filled. There are no easy roles for posties anymore.

Just a quick question, have you ever almost collapsed from exhaustion from doing a half marathon while carrying a 16kg bag on your shoulder for 4 hours in 30 degree heat? Have you ever stood on a doorstep trying to write out a docket for a parcel when you are soaked to the skin, and you can’t feel your fingers and your feet are frozen in your rain filled boots? Knowing that you’ve still got 6 bags of mail to deliver?

We’re all under the cosh.

The union are trying to have new contracts equalised, it was RM that imposed them, not your walking colleagues

[Smoothbackground]

Roman and Whippy, you’re both spot on. I’m sorry your true comments have been rubbished and poo-pooed by the usual culprits, who immediately accuse you of being a troll. As I posted on a separate thread, the unofficial rule of thumb is that a new-contract OPG is expected to do twice as much work.

Be under no illusions — the CWU acquiesced, welcomed in and waved through our new entrant contracts. They welcomed the two-tier workforce as it actually helped them solve the intractable industrial relations dispute as it meant Sunday working was no longer a highly contentious point of disagreement — which until that time had proved unresolvable (company insisted it needed Sunday working; union said it would never happen). The CWU is only now, belatedly, making noise over the issue as it knows its very survival relies on new entrants joining the union,

[Roman88]

Just a quick question, have you ever almost collapsed from exhaustion from doing a half marathon while carrying a 16kg bag on your shoulder for 4 hours in 30 degree heat? Have you ever stood on a doorstep trying to write out a docket for a parcel when you are soaked to the skin, and you can’t feel your fingers and your feet are frozen in your rain filled boots? Knowing that you’ve still got 6 bags of mail to deliver?

We’re all under the cosh.

I’m not saying this about all walkers. Some do ride with drivers, and some are of an older age – which I completely understand.

Have I experienced the same work? Of course – I do exactly what walkers do. I park in one spot and make my rounds. I don’t drive the van up to the fourth floor with letters and parcels. In fact, when I have large parcels with me, I often need to go into the same building twice, because I simply can’t carry everything at once.

As a driver, I take overtime every day, which means I usually cover two or three rounds daily. I’m fine with that. But what frustrates me most are the inequalities in pay and duties – especially the bonuses for D2D, and the lack of paid breaks for drivers.

[pinstripe]

As a driver, I take overtime every day, which means I usually cover two or three rounds daily. I’m fine with that. But what frustrates me most are the inequalities in pay and duties – especially the bonuses for D2D, and the lack of paid breaks for drivers.

Your overtime is paid at time and a quarter, superior to those on legacy contracts, no-one gets paid for d2ds, legacy workers get a delivery supplement which replaced payment for d2ds and has always been contentious. Paid meal breaks are the first step in the equalisation process and from what I’ve read on here, should be coming in, in the near future. The lower pay rate was imposed by RM, it was opposed by the CWU who have been fighting against it .

With regards to one of your earlier points about oversized parcel collections, just where are walking postmen meant to put it?

[Hitcher]

I’ve been doing D2D from the very beginning. When I was transferred to another depot, I skipped one column, but now there is increasing pressure to deliver all of them.

D2D's are part of normal prep work and are not separately paid.

I also listed the extra tasks that drivers have compared with walkers, and you didn’t address that. Walkers don’t take the large parcels – drivers do. Checking the van, fuelling, collecting oversized deliveries, finding space in the garage – all of that falls to us.

Drivers loops should in theory be shorter than the walkers so they have time to do the larger packets while the walker is still delivering mail.

Neither of these have anything to do with old and new contracts.