Executive action

[london sub]

Our office has fallen in to executive action from RM as from next week. This means all staff have to take there full meal break before heading out the door. Even if its a quiet day and everyone finshes at 09:00 we are not allowed to set foot out of the door till 10:15. The dom could even tell us to cover a duty if someone falls sick (which is fair enough as you don't get paid for nothing). If they want us to work to rule i hope our office works to these rules i.e weigh bags, finish on time not after, daily inspection on vehicle, not rushing on the walk just to get the job finished on time.

Now as we all finish at 14:15, but our last drop off point is at 14:00 can i REFUSE to take a Special Delivery™ if i can't get there before the guaranteed 1pm slot? All the new 3.5hr walks are planned by geo route, and to be perfectly honest about half a dozen of the walks look unrealistic for whom it may be to be finished on time . Of course its not my job to sort out the dutys, so it won't be my problem when everything goes belly up on monday.

The union are sending everyone a ballot paper to vote for a strike as RM have done the naughty by going ahead with this exec action without the unions consent. The office has a split right now whether to go for a strike or not. Its difficult times ahead and unless we get a yes vote from the majority of the staff then we can show them that they can't introduce anything they want to the staff and take it.

[Puppetmaster]

Exactly the same happened in our office last year,as for specials,I dont think you can refuse to take them out ,and no problem with specials,If you think you will cut off,do the specials before,providing you can walk to them ,dont matter where or how many,they are prioity,
Means you will get even less of these new walks done but hey!

Also dont expect to leave the office till late as the new walks will take longer to prep,I WAS ON ONE WALK ONE DAY A MONSTER,took me till 1.30 pm to prep and that was with help.
Then I WAS EXPECTED TO DELIVER IT.

if you all stick together you should get things sorted ,worket in our office.

[not me]

its not about refusing
its about making the DOM aware you wont make 1pm by following the walk route
so ask them what to do
leave them for a van
do them before starting foot deliveries
cut your duty to make 1pm etc
put the onus on them

[Lounge Lizard]

I'm not sure but I would think you can't refuse to take a Special Delivery but it's not your problem if it's impossible for you to deliver them all by 1pm. Sometimes the number and addresses of Special Deliveries where I work, especially the 9am ones, make it impossible to deliver them all on time and there's been no comeback on those necessarily delivering them late.

[robd]

I didn't think any footman still took specials out,we haven't for ages since the drivers
all have PDA's.

[rhino49]

I didn't think any footman still took specials out,we haven't for ages since the drivers
all have PDA's.

Foot deliveries don't take specials in our office to avoid failures and pouching off problems - if they go on the van they are virtually guaranteed delivery or return in time to process

[london sub]

I never deliver specials late as you have to have them in your bag with you for security i always deliver early even if it means going to the far end of the walk. I just bag up that way around and if i have them all over the place thats ok too as i just do em as i go by for the start that i have decided on that day and either book docket or cut off.

You say that you go to the far end of your walk which means changing your duty to suit the customer getting that all important special...now don't get me wrong but i thought when you sort the frame its runs from top left to bottom right and thats the way you pull out the mail, which in principle should mean thats the way the walk should be done accordingly.

Its a bit stir crazy if you have to readjust the walk...but if that be the case then it will probably mean cutting off.

[tiredwalker]

I never deliver specials late as you have to have them in your bag with you for security i always deliver early even if it means going to the far end of the walk. I just bag up that way around and if i have them all over the place thats ok too as i just do em as i go by for the start that i have decided on that day and either book docket or cut off.

You say that you go to the far end of your walk which means changing your duty to suit the customer getting that all important special...now don't get me wrong but i thought when you sort the frame its runs from top left to bottom right and thats the way you pull out the mail, which in principle should mean thats the way the walk should be done accordingly.

Its a bit stir crazy if you have to readjust the walk...but if that be the case then it will probably mean cutting off.

All our walks do there own specials only 9am or large ones are taken by van only duties. If we say we can't make it in time we are basically told yes you will do it first when you get a lift out or change round route accordingly. In principle it works ok but in practice is a bummer. It neither here or there for me as I have a van due to doing parcels as well but it can add upto an hour on duty when I have 6 or 7 specials spread over the round.

I've never delivered a special late until this Friday gone and even then I was only 9 minutes late. I tried my hardest but circumstances meant I just could not get to it in time. Informed my lino on return but they were less than bothered.

[mclovin]

In our office if we think we're not going to make it to the delivery point where the Special is going to by 1pm, we tell the PHG and he gives it to the driver, no arguments, its done. If the driver has to lapse packets then so be it, as has happened this week, yesterday there were large packets all over the place due to drivers having worked to their time and leaving them.

Means the gaffer had to put a few shifts in for today (Sunday) to clear the backlog.

[johnnyp]

In our office if we think we're not going to make it to the delivery point where the Special is going to by 1pm, we tell the PHG and he gives it to the driver, no arguments, its done. If the driver has to lapse packets then so be it, as has happened this week, yesterday there were large packets all over the place due to drivers having worked to their time and leaving them.

Means the gaffer had to put a few shifts in for today (Sunday) to clear the backlog.

I like it This is the way it should be done
Our reg is all on the vans at our place

[POSTMAN]

How are the walkers specials signed for? You can't have PDA's so are you still using the paper signing thing then?

[DGP1]

How are the walkers specials signed for? You can't have PDA's so are you still using the paper signing thing then?

I've been on a bike all week and we are still using paper signing cards for recordeds and specials.

[opgpat]

In relation to this we are being told that we must phone the DO before 2pm to inform that specials have been delivered and to report any that have been form-left. We are also being told now that if u fail to do this on 3 occasions this will be a disciplinary matter. Are they allowed to do that then? What sort of discipline can they meet out?

[axeman]

Do they supply you with a phone if not i tough shi* on them i'd not use mine or go looking for one it cannot be a disciplinary matter if they do not give you the tools to do the job

[opgpat]

No phone lol but they will call you! I'd rather not give them my number tbh. Or u can go to a phonebox too