Postmen 'pressured to go faster'

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 11 Dec 2008, 06:30

Just caught this on BBC breakfast will put a link up if I can find one. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7776425.stm (with video)

BBC kept mentioning that the CWU was expecting us to walk at 4 miles an hour - wrong its Royal Mail.
They also got a reply from the Royal Mail saying that walking speed is 2.1 miles per hour.

From a walking man's perspective it seemed a fair and balanced report of what we face day on day out.

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Royal Mail managers are "bullying" workers into walking faster on their rounds, it's been claimed.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) says that a new system, Pegasus, is being used requiring delivery staff to walk at four miles an hour.

Postal workers have told BBC Radio 5 Live that the pace set is "unachievable", and that some staff have been sacked for being too slow.

Royal Mail denies bullying and says staff should walk at 2.1 miles an hour.

A spokesman said the company does not tolerate bullying and would not ask its staff to do anything they are not capable of performing.

Postal workers say the problem centres around a Royal Mail computer system called "Pegasus Europe Geo-route", which calculates the optimum post load that can be delivered by staff.

But they complain that the pace set is impossible to achieve.

The BBC was contacted by a listener who works as a postman for Royal Mail.

'Not achievable'

He asked that his name be withheld to avoid any possibility of identification.

The postman said: "The job is supposed to be done at a rate of four miles an hour.

"That is taking into account calling at doors for packets, recorded deliveries, registered letters.

To test out the postman's claims, BBC reporter Gavin Lee joined the postal worker on a round, which took four hours.

Gavin said afterwards: "The postman clearly felt under pressure to be as quick as possible.

"It was pouring with rain and we were both wearing thick winter clothing.

"I could barely keep up with him.

"After three and a half hours a manager phoned the postman several times to see if he'd finished yet.

"There were several long driveways, and instead of walking to the doors, he ran.

"Every time he had to fill in any paperwork for a non-delivery he became agitated about wasting time."

Once the round was finished, the postal worker calculated what speed he had been moving at.

'Threatened'

Measurements confirmed that he had moved at an average speed of 2.24 miles an hour - just over half the speed staff claim that managers demand.

The postman said: "That was working at the quickest pace I could do the job."

Our reporter said that the round he walked was a "light" one, but on some days can take up to five hours to complete.

If he comes back late or with unfinished post, the postman claimed he was bullied by his managers.

He says he is now being threatened with the sack because of the time he is taking.

He said: "You ring up and you tell the manager that you're really struggling, and he just asks: 'What's your problem?'

"It is psychological bullying."

The BBC spoke to more than 20 delivery staff who say they are being forced to work over their hours on a regular basis because the time allocated to complete their rounds is not sufficient.

Bob Gibson of the CWU, blamed the change in policy on Royal Mail, and said they were "going too far to make efficiency savings"

The union says two staff were recently sacked in Evesham for failing to complete their rounds on time.

It says it is being "inundated" with complaints from workers across the country about the speed they are being told to walk.

Denial

Royal Mail said it required its delivery workers to walk at 2.1 miles an hour, rather that the four miles an hour the union claims.

A spokesman said: "Pegasus is a highly effective computer aid to plan the most efficient way of delivering our customers' mail as quickly as possible.

"We have used it successfully in many hundreds of delivery offices nationwide since 1996.

"Royal Mail would never ask or require postmen and women to do anything they are not capable of performing.

"It is simply nonsense to suggest that we require anyone to deliver the mail at an average walking speed of more than four miles an hour.

"Royal Mail does not tolerate any form of harassment or bullying in any part of our business and we will take all necessary action to deal with any case that arises."

Post by **baldrick** » 11 Dec 2008, 07:42

It's also on Radio 4 Today programme. A BBC reporter went out with a postie on delivery.
He said that the postie averaged about 2 mph and was going nonstop at a fair pace, unable to stop
more than a couple of seconds at each address. He still got two phone calls from his manager
asking him where he was, and went 30 minutes over his time. The reporter reckoned that 4 mph
would be jogging speed.
It's on http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/ne ... 776839.stm

Post by **baldrick** » 11 Dec 2008, 08:46

Bob Gibson, CWU National Outdoor Officer, is on Radio 4 Today programme now.
He's saying that the CWU have asked RM to jointly assess what is a reasonable
and sustainable speed.

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 11 Dec 2008, 11:56

Royal Mail Statement
11/12/2008

A Royal Mail spokesman said: "Royal Mail carefully plans every postman and postwoman’s walk so that no-one is asked to cover a greater distance or deliver more mail than they are capable of doing and it’s complete nonsense and completely untrue to suggest otherwise. The speed at which we ask our postmen and women to walk is around two miles per hour and the systems we use to help us plan the most effective delivery walks are used in many other countries and have been successfully used nationwide in the UK since 1996."

Ends

Issued by Royal Mail:
148 Old Street
London
EC1V 9HQ
www.royalmail.com

Post by **trythat** » 11 Dec 2008, 13:39

We're starting part of our office with georoute in Jan, and both the Area rep, and assistant area rep, say we have no choice but to try it. Also people are being told if they complain that they won't be able to complete the new duties, that what they are saying is 'premeditated willful delay of mail' and our DOM is pretty good on the whole.

As we only have 3 walk settings, there is'nt much to choose amongst them, and talking to the guy doing georoute, the settings are a bodge anyway, there aren't proper settings for hilly areas, which is what most of area is. If georoute was so good, why have so many georouted office's having major backups.

I could go on and on and on and ON ....... but I'm on rota and don't want to be to depressed :)

dogfood · Post by **dogfood** » 11 Dec 2008, 14:29

Yes of course its 'premeditated willful delay of mail' but predetermined by RM.

I will predict that I will not climb Mt Everest in a day. So that makes it premeditated failure.

Every last word that comes from RM is friggin laughable if it wasn't so serious.

Stormproof · Post by **Stormproof** » 11 Dec 2008, 15:45

Jeremy Vine - Radio 2 http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00fvgcb
There are also some intresting comments on the BBC's Have your say http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread. ... 1211164313

bexhil palace · Post by **bexhil palace** » 11 Dec 2008, 16:55

Iv'e just about had enough of these contemptable lying idiots.
If i hadn't done so many years for this god forsaken rabble, i would bugger off tommorow.
Practically every word they utter is a lie,but the worst thing is the utter contempt they have
for their staff and customers.
I live in hope that one day they will get what they deserve. :mfo :cfo :lfo

sevenandseven · Post by **sevenandseven** » 11 Dec 2008, 18:06

He still got two phone calls from his manager
asking him where he was, and went 30 minutes over his time.

Is it now part of the job description that a walking postman has to carry a telephone, have it switched on and give his manager his phone number?

ruralpostie · Post by **ruralpostie** » 11 Dec 2008, 18:31

Have u ever thought we are getting just like America was in the 80's and 90's, has anyone ever heard the term "going postal", this is basically where postman literally "go off their head" with the amount of work related stress and pressure, not helped by a smaller workforce and job insecurity!!!...Hmmm doesn't this sound very familar...

http://crime.about.com/od/issues/a/aa040717.htm
This is the future guys and gals..Its bleak!.. and this further enforces the message that we should "do the job properly", work to our time and take our breaks..Unfortunately bullying managers don't help matters...But isn't that what us reps are for...To stick up for the weaker and vulnerable amonst us!!

Royal Mail have reached NEW lows and at a time when I thought they could sink no lower..

In a nutshell Pegasus is NOT do-able at any of the 3 speeds stipulated by RM, but if we dont accept it they will just force it upon us...Can't win so just do the job properly, forget job and finish and Feck em!!!

chromium05 · Post by **chromium05** » 12 Dec 2008, 13:05

k66yla wrote:Jeremy Vine - Radio 2 http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00fvgcb
There are also some intresting comments on the BBC's Have your say http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread. ... 1211164313

The "Have your say" seems to indicate a massive support for the posties over the management.

However, I can't help but think back to the strikes of last year and the overwhelming comments on HYS about the posties being lazy, money grabbing leeches who should get "proper jobs" and that RM should be privatized. At the time, we were trying to tell the public that all this was coming, the later start and finish times, uncompleted rounds etc. They wouldn't listen then.

Now they want to sympathise with the posties?

Too little Too late unfortunately.

opgpat · Post by **opgpat** » 12 Dec 2008, 13:22

TrueBlueTerrier wrote:Royal Mail Statement
11/12/2008

A Royal Mail spokesman said: "...no-one is asked to cover a greater distance or deliver more mail than they are capable of doing..."

Ends

Issued by Royal Mail:
148 Old Street
London
EC1V 9HQ
http://www.royalmail.com

Would it be worth quoting this to my LM next time they tell me if I cut off I'll get done for wilful delay?

ROYALMAILCHAT