Intentional Delay of the Mail? Wilful delay? HELP! HELP!

[Sci_Dog]

Evening troops who are part of the machine and regime, otherwise known as 'Royal Mail'.

I have a meeting very soon with my sector manager with regards to this post (Please view)

http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... =1&t=16406" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The letter I received informs me that I am being charged with
1. Intentional Delay of the Mail
2. Putting the Universal Service Obligation at Risk
3 Causing Additional Expense to the business

The letter also states that dismissal could be one possible outcome if the charges are substained.
I have been working for the business 9 years and my conduct has never been questioned until now.

Firstly can someone please explain what the difference is between 'Intentional Delay of the Mail' and 'Wilful delay'? Can either of these charges be brought against me for a slow prep rate?

Secondly can anyone also explain what is meant in plain English what 'Putting the Universal Service Obligation at Risk' means? Surely one postie could not put the WHOLE Universal Service Obligation at Risk from a slow prep rate?

The letter is very intense and to be honest has the put the fear of God into me.

Any help, advice or suggestions are all very much appreciated.

If you require further info about the case please ask.

Cheers guys and girls.

Sci_Dog

P.S. My union rep will indeed be present at my interview on Friday 03/07/09 However he is off on leave this week and I have not had a chance to have a good chat with him. Just looking for some guidance on here I suppose.

[Martin Walsh]

My advice to you would be to contact your area rep or branch secretary as soon as possible.

It would be wrong for us to comment on your case as we have not seen the relvant paperwork and have not discussed with you your version.

There are different types of delay of the mail wilful being the most serious to negilangnce and unexcused delay and even general mistakes. I have in my time seen cases where the Royal Mail use wilful delay as a catch all measure for all types of delay of the mail including slow prep rates and working normallly. The USO is in there as they have a duty to deliver to all addresses on a daily basis and can face fines where they breach it on a regular basis. This helps their case at employment tribunals.

But its impossible to give you advice without speaking to you or seeing the paperwork. However the fact in your letter that one outcome could be your dismissal means that is a possiblity. Legally they cannot dismiss unless they include that in the interview letter.

So dont delay and get in touch with your area rep or branch

Good luck

[DGP1]

As Dingo says we can't really comment on your particular situation but how slow was your prep, because the only agreed rate is 25 letters in one minute into an empty frame and even if you fail that they are supposed to offer training and conselling first then it goes to the disciplinary route.

[Sci_Dog]

As Dingo says we can't really comment on your particular situation but how slow was your prep, because the only agreed rate is 25 letters in one minute into an empty frame and even if you fail that they are supposed to offer training and conselling first then it goes to the disciplinary route.

Hi disgruntledpostie1.

My prep test time was done using facts, figures and times from a computer spreadsheet (which each duty has). This spreadsheet is supposedy able to tell you what time you should be prepped up at by working off the total office traffic. The spreadsheet on each frame tells you what percentage of mail each duty has from the whole office's traffic. It then works out it's times from that and hence how my prep test was conducted. NOBODY physically counted how many items I prepped that day. They have just went with the figures the spreadsheet on the frame provides. Which might or might not be accurate. My manager and myself now have no way of proving how many items I actually prepped that day.

Can this spreadsheet be used to conduct a prep test?

Hope this helps.

[gerardy]

The ready reconers as they are called are only a guidance tool for management, and are not 100% accurate (although management will tell you otherwise).
As far as I know the CWU only recognise the 1 minute prep test, and since no mail was counted how can your manager fail you on this.
For a meeting that could lead to possible dismissal I would contact area rep a.s.a.p.

[pickaname]

If you didnt intentionally delay the mail then youve done nothing wrong. The fact youre a floater may mean youre slower at prepping as you have to remember different walks. It may have be a heavy day too but as no mail was counted they cant say either way.
If they sack you, i would take them to an industrial tribunal and sue the assistant dom in a civil court.

[97gaz]

Sounds like he's using the Indoor workload Tool. It's simply an excel spreadsheet made up by someone with nowt better to do. It's not agreed by the union and it is totally unrealistic. Ours has the prep rate set at 12.67 items per minute but that includes getting your mail from theIPS,throwing in,redirections,kill offs,tying up,going to the locker for your specials,getting your PDA and logging in,loading the van, having a piss and signing out. Sounds to me like he's trying to scare you because it's the only man management the brainless git knows.

The IWT is rubbish and the traffic figures are based on one week last July I think. It's to be used as a planning guide not a rule. He can't use it to threaten you because he can't prove you had that ammount of mail without counting it. See your rep ASAP and tell him to send this twat off with a flea in his ear.

[BELIAL]

And a really good firm of briefs will go for maximum compensation for ;malicious/vexatious persecution; injuries to feelings and stress/anxiety as a result

[stokes11eg]

If you have went 9 years with no problems, this will stand in your favour, at any tribunal(If if comes to that)
as others say, I do not know the full facts, so cannot comment too much, but again, if you have not been picked up about your sorting prior to now,any tribunal would view the sudden concerns about your work by R/M as somewhat suspect. good luck.

[norbert]

If you have went 9 years with no problems, this will stand in your favour, at any tribunal(If if comes to that)
as others say, I do not know the full facts, so cannot comment too much, but again, if you have not been picked up about your sorting prior to now,any tribunal would view the sudden concerns about your work by R/M as somewhat suspect. good luck.

typically vague & obscure charges

[buzzard]

hi mate if your union rep any good he/she will be arguing the case right away that although royal mail doms are being instructed to use the IWT it hasnt been recognised by the cwu for individual performance standards. as others have advised you its just rough idea from a spreadsheet they can get to each of the duties in your office as to how much mail they have, it certainly isnt an exact count. how the hell can he say its a slow prep rate when he hasnt counted the mail on your delivery so therfor doesnt know if you had a busy day or a quiet day. you never know what they might try in these uncertain times but would be realy surprised if they managed to make anything stick on you with this, good luck mate.

[Sci_Dog]

Firstly can I just say a massive thanks for the wealth of information that has been provided and all the advice given. It is very much appreciated. I received my propaganda literature also known as 'Courier' today. Always happy smiling faces in it and always painting a picture of what indeed in my view is far from the real day to day operation in Royal Mail. If it wasn't for this site which shows WHAT REALLY HAPPENS when you work for Royal Mail, a lot of posties would not of been able to get the advice and help they needed. So a big thumbs up to everyone that runs the site and posts on it and keeps it the powerful information tool it is.

Anyways going off the topic a bit. Sorry.

With regards to my original post at the top of the page and all the replies that have been put forward. Would I be right to assume that using the delivery spreadsheet tool to conduct my prep test would not only be inaccurate but also illegal? I have to answer to three charges tomorrow which have come from a prep rate from a spreadsheet. As I have been informed that this spreadsheet is only a guidance tool surely it has to be illegal to put 3 charges to me from it? I could totally understand the charges if the items had been counted on the day in question by someone.

So quite simply, would or can it be illegal to put 3 charges against me because of the spreadsheet?

If so, the last 7 weeks of stress have been totally unjustified and I will then have to see what my options are next.

Sorry for ranting on troops.

Sci_Dog

[brothermagrew]

Came across this and to be honest I ain't sure if this still exists or been superceded by something else - all relates to managing UNDER PERFORMANCE and may not relate to your particular queries.

Can be viewed at: http://www.cwuglasgowdistrictamal.co.uk/mup.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[DGP1]

I don't think it's illegal for RM to use a spreadsheet tool but it's certainly not agreed procedure.

[DGP1]

brothermagrews link is very good, it looks like a good document to take questions from to ask at your meeting.

A little hint, write down all the points about the incident that you can remember and any questions you feel you need to ask so that during the meeting you can refer to them without getting flustered trying to remember those things off the top of your head.

Oh, and take you own notes too.