PARK & LOOP

[k979aaa]

There is a list up at work about the changeover to park and loop, two to a van on all but a few of the rural deliveries and with a loss of 7 bulk duties. What I would like to know is has anyone else been trialling this or has any other office transferred to this system and has it worked? We ran a trial for two weeks with two deliveries in a single van and that seems to have culminated in this.

Our del office has been trialling one duty like you mentioned. 2 people one van. they have around 4-4 1/2 hr walks each but through a system of 'leap frogging' basically do the whole lot as one walk. They have to do all packets and priorities for there specified area too. They're both F/T (which is the attraction from a union point of veiw - ideas to maitain F/T staff) they have no IPS or other indoor work to do but they're prep. One goes out for 1 1/2 hrs early to do pkts and priorities while the other attempts to prep both. The 2 people we have are real grafters and have said that they can get it done, however they admit to having to power walk for the whole stretch...hmmmm. There are genuine concerns that they may have had too much workload put upon them. And with my Area rep only finding out today that we have infact been trialling it there could be further issues as he said that golf trolleys are part of the system with H&S implications!

POWER WALK if the council find's out royalmail are trialing this they will shove a broom up their arse's as well.

[dvbuk55]

There is a list up at work about the changeover to park and loop, two to a van on all but a few of the rural deliveries and with a loss of 7 bulk duties. What I would like to know is has anyone else been trialling this or has any other office transferred to this system and has it worked? We ran a trial for two weeks with two deliveries in a single van and that seems to have culminated in this.

Our del office has been trialling one duty like you mentioned. 2 people one van. they have around 4-4 1/2 hr walks each but through a system of 'leap frogging' basically do the whole lot as one walk. They have to do all packets and priorities for there specified area too. They're both F/T (which is the attraction from a union point of veiw - ideas to maitain F/T staff) they have no IPS or other indoor work to do but they're prep. One goes out for 1 1/2 hrs early to do pkts and priorities while the other attempts to prep both. The 2 people we have are real grafters and have said that they can get it done, however they admit to having to power walk for the whole stretch...hmmmm. There are genuine concerns that they may have had too much workload put upon them. And with my Area rep only finding out today that we have infact been trialling it there could be further issues as he said that golf trolleys are part of the system with H&S implications!

Well we have about 18 duties paired up at the moment and it isn't going that well - ours do IPS, prep both walks and packets and specials, most are streaming or booking OT and the packets are building up. God knows how they are going to cope at Xmas.

[k979aaa]

Who does the firm's and collection's and oversized item's and 9 am special's.

[dvbuk55]

Who does the firm's and collection's and oversized item's and 9 am special's.

9 am specials go out with the bulk duties that are left and special visits. Collections have been added to the park and loop where possible, as have the specials for the two walks and all packets for the two duties both large and small and if there is an adjacent duty which isn't park and loop those oversized items are taken by the park and loop closest to that duty. There are a few problems right enough, not least of all because the planning was ongoing AFTER they'd introduced the duties. The sickness level has increased and the pressure overtime has gone through the roof.

[k979aaa]

Who does the firm's and collection's and oversized item's and 9 am special's.

9 am specials go out with the bulk duties that are left and special visits. Collections have been added to the park and loop where possible, as have the specials for the two walks and all packets for the two duties both large and small and if there is an adjacent duty which isn't park and loop those oversized items are taken by the park and loop closest to that duty. There are a few problems right enough, not least of all because the planning was ongoing AFTER they'd introduced the duties. The sickness level has increased and the pressure overtime has gone through the roof.

I expect their is a massive reduction in driveing duty's ie a 4 into 1 ratio and that i can imagine the increased stress level's and fatigue level's as well. The most important thing is safety is it safe to work for five hour's without a break or to drive tired after running like a mule with a cattle prod stuck up it's ass!. I THINK NOT I WONDER WHAT THE HSE HAS TO SAY ON THIS WORKING PRACTICE!.

[dvbuk55]

Who does the firm's and collection's and oversized item's and 9 am special's.

9 am specials go out with the bulk duties that are left and special visits. Collections have been added to the park and loop where possible, as have the specials for the two walks and all packets for the two duties both large and small and if there is an adjacent duty which isn't park and loop those oversized items are taken by the park and loop closest to that duty. There are a few problems right enough, not least of all because the planning was ongoing AFTER they'd introduced the duties. The sickness level has increased and the pressure overtime has gone through the roof.

I expect their is a massive reduction in driveing duty's ie a 4 into 1 ratio and that i can imagine the increased stress level's and fatigue level's as well. The most important thing is safety is it safe to work for five hour's without a break or to drive tired after running like a mule with a cattle prod stuck up it's ass!. I THINK NOT I WONDER WHAT THE HSE HAS TO SAY ON THIS WORKING PRACTICE!.

As you must be aware there is supposed to be a check made for suitability however the union are of the opinion that this is an improvement to our working conditions because it takes weight off the shoulder and park and loop, HCTs and electric HCTs are supposed to be the answer. Any delivery within a mile of the DO is supposed to have a HCT, these aren't yet in evidence we only have nine, one of which has been loaned out.
.

[k979aaa]

Who does the firm's and collection's and oversized item's and 9 am special's.

9 am specials go out with the bulk duties that are left and special visits. Collections have been added to the park and loop where possible, as have the specials for the two walks and all packets for the two duties both large and small and if there is an adjacent duty which isn't park and loop those oversized items are taken by the park and loop closest to that duty. There are a few problems right enough, not least of all because the planning was ongoing AFTER they'd introduced the duties. The sickness level has increased and the pressure overtime has gone through the roof.

I expect their is a massive reduction in driveing duty's ie a 4 into 1 ratio and that i can imagine the increased stress level's and fatigue level's as well. The most important thing is safety is it safe to work for five hour's without a break or to drive tired after running like a mule with a cattle prod stuck up it's ass!. I THINK NOT I WONDER WHAT THE HSE HAS TO SAY ON THIS WORKING PRACTICE!.

As you must be aware there is supposed to be a check made for suitability however the union are of the opinion that this is an improvement to our working conditions because it takes weight off the shoulder and park and loop, HCTs and electric HCTs are supposed to be the answer. Any delivery within a mile of the DO is supposed to have a HCT, these aren't yet in evidence we only have nine, one of which has been loaned out.
.

And also exceedes the three and a half hours delivery working span and also encroaches upon driveing regulation's you must have a break after five hour's and that you should also take a rest after driveing for two hour's and not drive TIRED!. It is also illegal too do this and also of the employer to construct duty's around these illegal practice's!. THE HSE AND THE TOP OF THE UNION SHOULD BEINFORMED OF THIS AND ACTION TAKEN NOW.!

[dvbuk55]

The current thinking behind this is that it supercedes the 3.5 hour delivery because it is not continuous delivery (?) yes I didn't quite understand that either, but the whole of the combined duty is not supposed to take longer than 4.5 hrs, each that is, plus of course the journey out and back. There is less IPS for the two officers but that is swallowed up by the preparation of the packets for delivery. Nobody has adequately explained how all the extra work is supposed to be absorbed but it has been disagreed at this level sent up the line and like all things RM these days it doesn't matter a toss what the union say it has been "consulted" and therefore it is what it is.

OT and sickness has increased proportionately and some people have been displaced from their chosen duty to incorporate the park and loop theme and so there will be a repick after ten weeks, and there aren't many queueing for P&L I can tell you.

[Martin Walsh]

There have been two national trails on this agreed by the postal exectve in plymouth and durham. No other area should be agreeing to the two man in a van weight solution until these trails have been envaluated. As everyone has quite rightly said it is to extend the delivery spec the trial in Durham is based on 4.15 .

The fact is that indoor workload is reducing even without walk sequencing as most mail centres are now hitting the target of 85% automation levels of machinerable mail. The debate is if there is not enough hourage in a day to fill your normal 8 hours or on a four day week 10 hours for four day weeks and this is before ILSMs and walk sequencing is deployed then we have two alternatives one is stick to the 3.5 hour current delviery spec and choose to perform other work within your current daily attendance such as preping other walks or we look at extending the delivery spec providing there is the right health and safety equipment in place.

I believe we are at the same point now as when we were having the debate about mantaining the 0930 last letter when we had two deliveries back in the 90s. Back then too many offices didt hold the line and didt stream the mail and ended up with mass amount of part timers as they delievered 90 % of mail on the first delivery and hardly anything on the second delivery.

No office should be agreeing to extend from the current span unless they have the authority of the Headquaters. We know this is not the case on the ground too many have agreed to move the delivery spec already. Bob Gibson has asked all divisionals reps to put in a report titled State of the nation. This report asks for where each Branch is on the spec and the amount of part timers and whats happened on phase 3. Lets hope we get honest answers as we have not always had honesty on these issues in the past.

The union is in danager of getting bounced into a delivery spec by offices around the country agreeing moving the delivery spec without a national agreement. Have we not learned our lesson on pegasus etc.

Finally anyone who believes doing the job properly will save us is having a lauagh. Royal Mail`s indoor workload tool measures the following IPS should take time against actual , prep time should take time against actual , delivery time planned against actual more so if you have used peagsus and the cost per unit. It provides a league table not only across your area but across the country and this is on actual time not on people coming in before time. The one thing which does make a difference is the use of cars.

Its time for branch`s to show leadership and hold the line and create the enviorment to get a better deal on deliveries. Use the Ir framework if needed but dont extend your spec until we have a national agreement.

[dvbuk55]

You speak with some authority there Dingo. However the reality is much different, ours is by no means a small office, nor is it militant, there is a large number of part timers, the unit rep sent the idea up for disagreement, BUT the hire vehicles arrived before any discussion had taken place, the area rep has presumably taken advice from HQ, either way we have an ongoing situation which will be rolled out even further after Xmas.

It doesn't really matter what the trials results are, we trialled it for a fortnight with two duties, only to have the system foisted on us without agreement and those two duties weren't even paired together on the real thing. There isn't any meaningful discussion these days, it is pretty much do as we say regardless of the outcome and the sensibility of the ideas. 7 duties have been removed BUT the staff haven't, the vehicles are costing £100 per week each, there are 9 of them, overtime has increased, sickness has increased and the intention was to make a saving. Now however you look at it there is obviously a total lack of understanding on someone's part. Oh and our bonus share scheme payout - 0£.

[Picket]

I posted earlier in topic saying that our office had been trialling these new duty patterns. Today i contacted my Area H&S rep to find out if he knew what was happening and he wasn't pleased at all! He said outside of the 2 trial areas no other trials should be going ahead as there need to be parameters worked out before its rolled out throughout the country. i left it in his capable hands but maybe we'll have to revert back to how it was before! I'll update if any futher developments.

ps thumbs up to you guys who run this site - very much needed - cheers!!