Newbie - enjoying it, even on a one hour contract!

barnabee · Post by **barnabee** » 08 Oct 2008, 21:59

Change of career during mid life crisis and love being out and about delivering. Started a couple of months ago and have only just found this forum - it's really informative and more down to earth/honest than the 'glossy Courier magazine' that arrived through the door last week.

Have had loads of support from my colleagues at work but find some of the working practices in Royal Mail a bit strange. No doubt I'll find a few more!

The one hour contract is terrible but it was a foot in the door. Have got 8 hours work this week - the bank manager will be pleased. I hate it when the phone doesn't ring (indicating there is no work for me that day). It's like being in America in the Great Depression.

Still - there are people far worse off than me on the walks I've been covering. Hello to everyone and nice to meet you all.

Post by **POSTMAN** » 08 Oct 2008, 22:03

one hour contract

Welcome mate,we heard about these 1hr contracts,weren't sure if it was true,can you give us some info on how it works.

I'll move this to Blue Shirts as well.

barnabee · Post by **barnabee** » 08 Oct 2008, 22:30

Hi POSTMAN, thank you - the one hour contract is the minimum work I am contracted to do. My very first weekly pay statement was for one hours work - a total of £6.31 after stoppages.

Of course I am asked to do extra hours to cover for people on leave,sick etc. The main disadvantage is everything is pro rata so I don't qualify for any paid Annual leave, get no sickness pay, no bank holiday pay and at present cannot join the pension scheme (I think that may be to do with other matters though). The hours I work varies from week to week, sometimes it's good, sometimes not so good. Hopefully there will be lots of hours available in the run up to Xmas.

I don't know how long I will be kept on a one hour contract for but I am on trial for a 6 month period. I love the job, the novelty still hasn't worn off. However I would like a little more stability for my family and be able to plan things a little better rather than waiting for the phone to ring each morning.

The guys at work have been great with some of them offering me their door to doors so I can get a bit more money.

I'm not moaning by the way - a job is a job at the moment and I am proud to be postie.

BELIAL · Post by **BELIAL** » 08 Oct 2008, 23:18

If you are lucky ,night soil men might return

k979aaa · Post by **k979aaa** » 09 Oct 2008, 18:59

Well what can one say ONE HOUR CONTRACT next it will be please sir can i have some more!. And i thought the CWU were jokeing when they said dickensien working conditions!. bah humbug i guess there are bob cratchit's everywhere to whom a job is worth more than the bob or two thay are paid!. :cfo & :lfo

Post by **Lounge Lizard** » 09 Oct 2008, 20:03

I knew someone who started with a one hour contract and before long had one for about 30 hours.
I started on 30.5 hours thinking there was no chance of full time but got 40 hours after just six months by applying for a walk nobody else wanted.
Be patient and things should work out okay.

Darren Bent · Post by **Darren Bent** » 10 Oct 2008, 00:48

or apply for full time reserve job as it is lot easier to get this than a walk of your own.

pickaname · Post by **pickaname** » 10 Oct 2008, 14:51

barnabee wrote:Hi POSTMAN, thank you - the one hour contract is the minimum work I am contracted to do. My very first weekly pay statement was for one hours work - a total of £6.31 after stoppages.

Of course I am asked to do extra hours to cover for people on leave,sick etc. The main disadvantage is everything is pro rata so I don't qualify for any paid Annual leave, get no sickness pay, no bank holiday pay and at present cannot join the pension scheme (I think that may be to do with other matters though). The hours I work varies from week to week, sometimes it's good, sometimes not so good. Hopefully there will be lots of hours available in the run up to Xmas.

I don't know how long I will be kept on a one hour contract for but I am on trial for a 6 month period. I love the job, the novelty still hasn't worn off. However I would like a little more stability for my family and be able to plan things a little better rather than waiting for the phone to ring each morning.

The guys at work have been great with some of them offering me their door to doors so I can get a bit more money.

I'm not moaning by the way - a job is a job at the moment and I am proud to be postie.

Hmmm...sounds like youre being used m8. I thought this type of practice was outlawed? Its the same as people waiting outside the building and being picked at random. Only at Royal Mail.

mailsort6 · Post by **mailsort6** » 12 Oct 2008, 18:30

I think that one hour contracts are disgusting a man/woman needs to decent living wage. It is about time that legalisation was introduced stating that employers have to employ people for more than 5 hours. One hour contracts to me is a way of explioting workers by getting around not paying them the national minimum wage.

Post by **dvbuk55** » 12 Oct 2008, 18:53

I heard tell of B&Q with 0 hours contracts you went to work if called - wonder what a 1 hour contract looks like - Something like - you are entitled to nothing, we will give you 1 hours pay a week and you will work as many hours as we want. How on earth have the union allowed this practice to sneak in - I mean there should be a minimum of 25 hour contracts and all vacancies should be advertised for the hours presently agreed BUT as we all know full time duties are being lapsed and part time contracts being offered to new entrants, just another rip off by RM being ignored by the CWU.

Is it any wonder that subscriptions are falling.

Tman · Post by **Tman** » 12 Oct 2008, 19:58

mailsort6 wrote:I think that one hour contracts are disgusting a man/woman needs to decent living wage. It is about time that legalisation was introduced stating that employers have to employ people for more than 5 hours. One hour contracts to me is a way of explioting workers by getting around not paying them the national minimum wage.

Forty hours pay for a "one hour contract" is probably near enough the same pay as forty hours for a regular full time employee. The big problem comes if the one-hour contract employee goes sick or is made redundant.

BELIAL · Post by **BELIAL** » 12 Oct 2008, 20:10

Tman wrote:
mailsort6 wrote:I think that one hour contracts are disgusting a man/woman needs to decent living wage. It is about time that legalisation was introduced stating that employers have to employ people for more than 5 hours. One hour contracts to me is a way of explioting workers by getting around not paying them the national minimum wage.
Forty hours pay for a "one hour contract" is probably near enough the same pay as forty hours for a regular full time employee. The big problem comes if the one-hour contract employee goes sick or is made redundant.

Any idea what their holiday pay or pension entitlement is ,I'm guessing Pro Rata 1hr ,but maybe I'm just a jaded cynic. I will be pleased to be disabused

Post by **baldrick** » 12 Oct 2008, 21:17

barnabee wrote:Hi POSTMAN, thank you - the one hour contract is the minimum work I am contracted to do. My very first weekly pay statement was for one hours work - a total of £6.31 after stoppages.

Of course I am asked to do extra hours to cover for people on leave,sick etc. The main disadvantage is everything is pro rata so I don't qualify for any paid Annual leave, get no sickness pay, no bank holiday pay and at present cannot join the pension scheme (I think that may be to do with other matters though).

barnabee has answered your question regarding pension, holiday, and sickness pay in his second post above.

BELIAL · Post by **BELIAL** » 12 Oct 2008, 22:21

That'll learn me to read the whole thread. So £6 .50 for the first hour then the next 35 hrs below minimum wage. Might as well be breaking ships on the coast of Bangalore for no money and lots of asbestos and strontium. Welcome to the underclass, you are a number but payment is at the managers discretion

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 13 Oct 2008, 14:35

Tman wrote:
mailsort6 wrote:I think that one hour contracts are disgusting a man/woman needs to decent living wage. It is about time that legalisation was introduced stating that employers have to employ people for more than 5 hours. One hour contracts to me is a way of explioting workers by getting around not paying them the national minimum wage.
Forty hours pay for a "one hour contract" is probably near enough the same pay as forty hours for a regular full time employee. The big problem comes if the one-hour contract employee goes sick or is made redundant.

or wants to go on holiday.