A question about delivery spans...

[Pokemon Postmon]

I would just like to know something about the 3.5 hour delivery span. In a recent meeting with our area rep, his position had changed on the matter and I think he may be wrong but I'm not sure which documents/agreements I should refer to so any help on this would be much appreciated.
Basically it's this...In line with RMs attempts to get us to work all our contracted hours, we were informed that after our delivery is over and we return to the office and have a break we can be made to go back out onto delivery for the remainder of our shift.
What I don't understand is what if I've already had my break before or during my '1st' delivery, am I then entitled to another or would I be expected to basically go over the current 3.5 hour agreement? Isn't the 3.5 hour span a H+S requirement?
That aside, I would be very grateful to anyone who could point out which active agreements I need to refer to in regards to this.
Thanks!

[k979aaa]

I think it is the WAY FORWARD AGREEMENT.

[Pokemon Postmon]

I think it is the WAY FORWARD AGREEMENT.

Well, a brief peruse through The Way Forward agreement has left me no better off I'm sorry to say, K979aaa! I will continue to read the other agreements in a hope of finding an answer but is this sort of thing happening in other delivery offices I was wondering?
Cheers

[rhino49]

I think you will find that the break periods you are allowed (or rather required to have) are based on the total working period of your day and health and safety advice that you should not go longer than 5 hours without a relief period regardless of what form the actual work takes. if you are still within your contracted hours for the day, the period of relief should be proportionate to the whole duty and would not be increased if you went back out on delivery or completed more indoor work unless you exceeded your contracted work period. You should always take the break periods you are entitled to for the sake of your own health.

I personally feel that there must be an illegality in taking a break at the end of a duty as it is then an early finish and not a relief period for health and safety reasons and the member of staff concerned may well have worked a period up 8 hours or more on a long day duty without more than a pee break or two. Surely performing at this rate continuously will do what Royal Mail are actually trying to do - eventually make you worthless and clapped out.

[POSTMAN]

I'm guessing you're talking about lapsing or flexing.
Regardless of that the national agreement is 3-30hrs for a delivery,some offices have negotiated longer with local agreements.
But that is down to them,so in affect,regardless of what they want you to do,3-30hrs is the max that they can make you do.

[Pokemon Postmon]

Thanks both! I guess it all boils down to this 'flexibility' element that is horribly vague. Give and take? From management!?! We give and they take as usual.
I'll explain a little more later as there are some other horrifying things going on in our office connected to this that need expanding upon.
Cheers again!

[DGP1]

horrifying things going on in our office

That could apply to nearly all office up and down the country

[brothermagrew]

Thanks both! I guess it all boils down to this 'flexibility' element that is horribly vague. Give and take? From management!?! We give and they take as usual.
I'll explain a little more later as there are some other horrifying things going on in our office connected to this that need expanding upon.
Cheers again!

As a suggestion why not write to or Email Bob Gibson's Department with your queries (he is as I understand it, in charge of the Outdoor Department). You should note that sometimes submitted queries are forwarded or copied to your local or Area IR Rep for their input. Having said that Bob being the gentleman that he is, does respond to some but not all queries.

[woofwoof]

the 3 and half hours is a guideline not a delivery span set in stone

this is in the sdd agreement


The consequence of this fresh approach is a general reduction in local targets based on the unit manager’s assessment of a 3.5 hour span and the introduction of a 5 day week. CWU note this position


b) Town Residential routes will be planned on a 3.5-hour delivery span. All routes will be planned on the basis of equalisation, and a fair and manageable workload. The planning process will have the full involvement of the CWU and employees.

[k979aaa]

the 3 and half hours is a guideline not a delivery span set in stone

this is in the sdd agreement


The consequence of this fresh approach is a general reduction in local targets based on the unit manager’s assessment of a 3.5 hour span and the introduction of a 5 day week. CWU note this position


b) Town Residential routes will be planned on a 3.5-hour delivery span. All routes will be planned on the basis of equalisation, and a fair and manageable workload. The planning process will have the full involvement of the CWU and employees.

Is this in the new way of working agreement as on here i cannot open it as it has a file system not on my pc or is there a link in the downloads for the sdd agreement.

[k979aaa]

Sorry i should have looked first but the SDD AGREEMENT IS IN THE DOWNLOAD SECTION in m/s word.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Sorry i should have looked first but the SDD AGREEMENT IS IN THE DOWNLOAD SECTION in m/s word.

OPen Office can handle all M$ Word and Office Documents and is free - it can also handle most other word processing packages that are out there.

http://download.openoffice.org/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

there are site out there that charge for this software but they are rip offs Open Office is an Open Source Software package.

[robd]

I personally think it's the easy way out for the rep to say "as long as you just do your hours,
or it's within your time"
Even Alan Leighton admitted that no-one should be penalised for working efficiently,by that
i mean every duty has been geo-routed or has been plotted to take 3 1/2hours.
If you are taking out that amount of work and can manage to complete sooner then so be it.
The lapsed element as i understand should be something that's pre-determind,as such you
should know before you leave the office.
You would be in your right's to say it is harrasment if it is only applicable to yourself.
In our office we are seeing every attempt possible to ensure walks get lapsed,
managers throwing in walks,no WTLL,and extended delivery by the back-door,by this
i mean you are allowed to go out and deliver your commitment prior to the arrival of the
mis-sorts,even though it has to be done within the 3 1/2 hour delivery span,which still
holds the water.

[sirtophat]

why get back early?

[k979aaa]

I personally think it's the easy way out for the rep to say "as long as you just do your hours,
or it's within your time"
Even Alan Leighton admitted that no-one should be penalised for working efficiently,by that
i mean every duty has been geo-routed or has been plotted to take 3 1/2hours.
If you are taking out that amount of work and can manage to complete sooner then so be it.
The lapsed element as i understand should be something that's pre-determind,as such you
should know before you leave the office.
You would be in your right's to say it is harrasment if it is only applicable to yourself.
In our office we are seeing every attempt possible to ensure walks get lapsed,
managers throwing in walks,no WTLL,and extended delivery by the back-door,by this
i mean you are allowed to go out and deliver your commitment prior to the arrival of the
mis-sorts,even though it has to be done within the 3 1/2 hour delivery span,which still
holds the water.

Why do you think they keep coming back for more is your effort in doing the job as fast and wrong as possible not appreciated by your management team and why should any manager that See's a saving turn a blind eye too your "EFFICIENCY" as far as i can see your position is indefensible and you can only undermine all the hard fought for agreements!. DO YOUR JOB PROPERLY and don't give your manager his bonus easily!.