You're confused. Overtime working is always stated to be a "reasonable expectation" and that clause was present even way back in GPO times.
However, an employee may have to attend to a disabled relative, pick up a kid from from school, attend a medical appointment or a million other things at a certain time at the end of their shift there's not a thing the employer can do to stop them leaving on the dot.
Correct. And you are much closer to the truth than anyone else on here!!
Overtime cannot be forced unless your contract explicitly requires it and even if your contract says "reasonable overtime" (like mine does and it is very weak legally) - employees can still refuse it for personal reasons such as childcare, caring responsibilities, appointments and even fatigue.
RM certainly can't enforce anyone to "stay out and finish the job no matter what" and the only thing that RM have agreed with the CWU is the 30 minutes flex. However, that has to be agreed between both parties so you could finish later on a weekday in return for finishing earlier on a weekend. But the crucial point is that YOU agree to do it. They can't force you.
On the face of it, shareholder value is the dumbest idea in the world.
If the agreement is to introduce compulsory overtime and it's voted in, then your contract will change accordingly. Just like it did in when your contracted hours reduced in the past and for many other things too.
Possible. However, it won't be unlimited overtime and it certainly wouldn't be easy to enforce because they cannot legally ignore people's reasonable personal circumstances. So any compulsory overtime would still have limits.
On the face of it, shareholder value is the dumbest idea in the world.
Exactly. You can’t be forced to work extra. Therefore the changes coming in the next few weeks will make no difference to what time I finish. I’ll still be back at the same time I am now. I’m just looking forward to a big 3% pay rise
Exactly. You can’t be forced to work extra. Therefore the changes coming in the next few weeks will make no difference to what time I finish. I’ll still be back at the same time I am now. I’m just looking forward to a big 3% pay rise
Have your finish times changed at all over the past few years? Or are you privy to something in this new agreement that keeps your current time the same?
Exactly. You can’t be forced to work extra. Therefore the changes coming in the next few weeks will make no difference to what time I finish. I’ll still be back at the same time I am now. I’m just looking forward to a big 3% pay rise
Have your finish times changed at all over the past few years? Or are you privy to something in this new agreement that keeps your current time the same?
I think he just means he'll be finishing on time regardless
Exactly. You can’t be forced to work extra. Therefore the changes coming in the next few weeks will make no difference to what time I finish. I’ll still be back at the same time I am now. I’m just looking forward to a big 3% pay rise
Have your finish times changed at all over the past few years? Or are you privy to something in this new agreement that keeps your current time the same?
It’s a delivery service. You’re in the wrong job if finishing at 4pm annoys you. Be thankful it’s not 9/10pm like other couriers, yet
Exactly. You can’t be forced to work extra. Therefore the changes coming in the next few weeks will make no difference to what time I finish. I’ll still be back at the same time I am now. I’m just looking forward to a big 3% pay rise
Have your finish times changed at all over the past few years? Or are you privy to something in this new agreement that keeps your current time the same?
It’s a delivery service. You’re in the wrong job if finishing at 4pm annoys you. Be thankful it’s not 9/10pm like other couriers, yet
I don't know why you have to keep telling people you won't work a minute over your finish time. Good for you, genuinely. (But no one really cares).
"Be thankful it's not worse". Sheeesh, do you want everyone to be happy with every change at work, because others have it worse? If you are happy with a 5/6/7pm finish because others have a 9pm then good luck with it.
Hopefully the changes to be announced don't take us all significantly closer to the terms and conditions of other couriers, for all our sakes.
Exactly. You can’t be forced to work extra. Therefore the changes coming in the next few weeks will make no difference to what time I finish. I’ll still be back at the same time I am now. I’m just looking forward to a big 3% pay rise
Have your finish times changed at all over the past few years? Or are you privy to something in this new agreement that keeps your current time the same?
It’s a delivery service. You’re in the wrong job if finishing at 4pm annoys you. Be thankful it’s not 9/10pm like other couriers, yet
I don't know why you have to keep telling people you won't work a minute over your finish time. Good for you, genuinely. (But no one really cares).
"Be thankful it's not worse". Sheeesh, do you want everyone to be happy with every change at work, because others have it worse? If you are happy with a 5/6/7pm finish because others have a 9pm then good luck with it.
Hopefully the changes to be announced don't take us all significantly closer to the terms and conditions of other couriers, for all our sakes.
Because the person above has spent the last few replies telling me I will be forced to work overtime. Absolute nonsense.
I said I’m happy with 4pm finish, I never mentioned 7pm, which I wouldn’t be.
Honestly, I don’t see why people complain about the job. In my opinion it’s set up to benefit posties now. We can literally do what we can do within our time, bring back whatever mail we can’t get done and nobody says a word. As long as premium products/collections are completed, we can fail as much mail as we need to. We can even go out and not post a single non-1st class letter if parcel volumes are high. I think it’s great and there’s absolutely no pressure anymore like there was during days we had to clear frames. Why would anyone want this back again? It’s not possible anymore anyway. I couldn’t give a toss if letters sit in frames to next year. Not our problem. Sorry, but anyone that gets upset and stressed out needs to catch themselves on. The only people putting pressure on you are yourselves. Start on your time and finish on your time and nobody can say a word. Stop coming in early like a clown and you will be better off. The only thing I want is more money per hour.
When the new way comes in this summer it will be deemed almost doable and not making some sort of effort then they can put postie's on performance monitoring. May not happen in your office if you don't have bullying managers but it will happen to the unfortunate ones that work in this environment.
'You are obliged to work the hours set out in your contract.'......That is it.
'You only have to work overtime if your contract says so.'......Mine doesn't
You CANNOT be forced to work more than your hours.
They could say 'you're working an hour less this Monday and an extra hour on Saturday'.....But they have to give a week's notice and that would seem like working overtime. They can't make you work 1 minute over. It's not the army, it's not the police, it's not the NHS, it's a private company.
Do your time and go home.
Employment law says very different. It is a reasonable expectation for employers to expect employees to work overtime. Case law exists.
The quote 'You only have to work overtime if your contract says so' is on a governmental website. So 'Employment law says very different' is what I said.
All of the talk about compulsory overtime, when we work for a company who switches it on and off when they fancy it.
The business ran on goodwill for years, they destroyed it
All of the talk about compulsory overtime, when we work for a company who switches it on and off when they fancy it.
The business ran on goodwill for years, they destroyed it
People coming in early and working for free destroyed that. Why would they pay overtime when there’s a large number of the workforce still coming in before their time and staying out after their time, all for no pay. Madness
and you will be better off. The only thing I want is more money per hour. 
