Some Questions From A New Starter

[Acca Dacca]

Starting on Tuesday at my local DO ( got Induction at the Mail Centre on Monday ) on a 25 hour contract ( which it seems is the contract that many older heads with more hours are getting told they will have no other option but to accept ).

I've been reading this forum these past few weeks with interest and been trying to make heads or tails of the situations that are going on that have lead to animosity ( between colleagues, managers and Royal Mail as an organisation ) and striking. As you can imagine its seems quite daunting for a 19 year old in what will essentially be his first job.

What is also alarming is many posts about the newbie getting messed around, people not being paid overtime, the whole lapsing and cut off thing etc and tbh I'm not a jobsworth and dont intend to be in an ideal world you go in do the job to the hours you get paid for and go home but it looks like it wont be as simple as that.

So can anyone give me a wee idea what to expect and what to accept, by that I mean so I am not getting taken for a ride to speak. As it's a permanent contract subject to 6 month trial obviously i'd be wary of making too much of a fuss etc

So whats the first week and following months like?

Cheers

[mclovin]

You'll be arsed around for the 6 months trial, if you can stick it out, and it WILL be tough, then you're laughing. If you need help, ask, some posties can be right gits and will only look after themselves but most will help you out. Most offices have a coach who will see you through, go to him before the manager. Be wary of ANYTHING management tell you. Expect to get lost on more than one occasion but never panic, you cant wander too far off course.

[pickaname]

Look for another job during your trial.

Things dont look promising in the long term. If your only 19 i would consider an alternative career path.

[tailfly12]

Totally agree pickaname Royal Mail are finished and run by clowns with chips on there shoulders.

[johnnyp]

Starting on Tuesday at my local DO ( got Induction at the Mail Centre on Monday ) on a 25 hour contract ( which it seems is the contract that many older heads with more hours are getting told they will have no other option but to accept ).

I've been reading this forum these past few weeks with interest and been trying to make heads or tails of the situations that are going on that have lead to animosity ( between colleagues, managers and Royal Mail as an organisation ) and striking. As you can imagine its seems quite daunting for a 19 year old in what will essentially be his first job.

What is also alarming is many posts about the newbie getting messed around, people not being paid overtime, the whole lapsing and cut off thing etc and tbh I'm not a jobsworth and dont intend to be in an ideal world you go in do the job to the hours you get paid for and go home but it looks like it wont be as simple as that.

So can anyone give me a wee idea what to expect and what to accept, by that I mean so I am not getting taken for a ride to speak. As it's a permanent contract subject to 6 month trial obviously i'd be wary of making too much of a fuss etc

So whats the first week and following months like?

Cheers

Have a look through this mate,it should answer most if not all your questions

http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 36&t=17472" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 36&t=13909" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Oh and welcome to RMC

[Ernie Shoe]

Good luck mate,
Go in with confidence - don't rush around, don't cower to long term posties (some, only some think their better than you cos they've been in the job a while) don't get stressed about what time you finish. Claim every penny of overtime your entitled to.
Generally if your seen as a soft touch you'll get walked over - so don't let that happen.
Enjoy the job. If you don't worry about anything then you can enjoy the job.
You seem to me like you've got a pretty good attitude anyway.
If something happens and you think it's wrong etc - come on here and someone on here will put you right.
YOU CAN ENJOY THIS JOB!

Ernie!

[robd]

I have to agree with whats been said so far,there is absolutely no enjoyment in the job
at the moment,we are treated with disdain from 'management' who are no more qualified
than you or i.
Because recently there's been such a high turnover of staff,you'll find many senior postmen
will simply ignore you,it's purely because,firstly there so disenchanted with the job,and
secondly they don't expect you to stick it.
Some time ago,i posted that this was one of the easier jobs that i had ever done,however
much has changed and i have to say it's probably now the most demanding,you have to be
at your best everyday,in terms of fitness,to complete a 3 1/2 -4 hour delivery.
Although i'm full-time myself,you have my sympathy,because whatever Royal mail promise
you,there is very little chance of overtime,to make up the money and even less chance of being
made full-time.
Any good postie would have told you to stick at it for the first few months because it gets
easier/better,but not much too look forward to at the moment,a jobs a job though,but keep
looking elsewhere.
good-luck

[rhino49]

So far the comments in answer to your question have been pretty negative and reflect the unfortunate experiences of a proportion - but not all - of our colleagues.

I started as a 25 hour part timer, or associate grade as we were called then, nearly 15 years ago and after a few weeks in the job wondered what the hell I had got myself into. I struggled, like you will, to keep up with more experienced staff and to understand the terms they used, but I asked questions and for the most part got helpful answers. I have had good, bad, incompetent and downright unpleasant bosses, but they come and go and I am still here and now have bosses that are by most standards not always perfect but are decent people to work with. Our office works hard, constantly has cuts to duties, goes on strike occasionally and has a great deal of humour in dealing with adversity and has been blessed with good union reps and coaches who support the staff.

The job and the company are not a total write off, we are simply going through the changes that these times demand - join your union and support it, ask questions and know what is expected of you - don't take short cuts that risk disciplinary measures and if you ever settle down on one duty - get to know your customers and work for them - they are what makes it a good job.

The job now bears little relation to when I started and if you are still with RM in 15 years time when I am long retired you will look back and say the same about your early days - but you will have managed the changes and whilst entitled to moan like the previous posts, I hope you will also have learnt to deal with reality and enjoy what is good about it.

Governments, Managing Directors, managers and colleagues come and go but we will always need posties and you will only get out of the job what you put into it.

[citypostie]

So far the comments in answer to your question have been pretty negative and reflect the unfortunate experiences of a proportion - but not all - of our colleagues.

I started as a 25 hour part timer, or associate grade as we were called then, nearly 15 years ago and after a few weeks in the job wondered what the hell I had got myself into. I struggled, like you will, to keep up with more experienced staff and to understand the terms they used, but I asked questions and for the most part got helpful answers. I have had good, bad, incompetent and downright unpleasant bosses, but they come and go and I am still here and now have bosses that are by most standards not always perfect but are decent people to work with. Our office works hard, constantly has cuts to duties, goes on strike occasionally and has a great deal of humour in dealing with adversity and has been blessed with good union reps and coaches who support the staff.

The job and the company are not a total write off, we are simply going through the changes that these times demand - join your union and support it, ask questions and know what is expected of you - don't take short cuts that risk disciplinary measures and if you ever settle down on one duty - get to know your customers and work for them - they are what makes it a good job.

The job now bears little relation to when I started and if you are still with RM in 15 years time when I am long retired you will look back and say the same about your early days - but you will have managed the changes and whilst entitled to moan like the previous posts, I hope you will also have learnt to deal with reality and enjoy what is good about it.

Governments, Managing Directors, managers and colleagues come and go but we will always need posties and you will only get out of the job what you put into it.

I couldn't have put it better myself, that is that could have been wrote by me about my time at RM including the the ammount of time spent in the job. Even though recently I've had some hassle which is still ongoing(Conduct case) I still think overall the job is alright if you can get through the first few months but I'd say that isn't as bad as when I started because most if not all of the new starters at our place get help to make sure they aren't left in the office prepping their round long after everyone else has gone - compare to when I started and for the first few weeks while I got to grips with the job I was still prepping when some were getting back finished for the day! All the blokes said stick it out because i'd soon be up to speed and getting out on time and they were right it gets easier pretty quickly. And sometimes it does do your head in working for RM but you have to ask if it was really as bad as it gets portrayed why are there so many people who have worked for so long in the job? As for where the job is heading, well you just go with it and try as hard as possible to hang onto the decent parts of the job that are left - which could mean striking etc. so join the union asap becuase if it comes to a strike no doubt you will have managers on at you to work but if you're in the CWU and it's what you want to do they can't say a thing to you, unlike my first boss who knew I wasn't in the union after starting when my first round of strikes hit and tried every trick in the book to get me to work - unlucky for him I'm a bit of a lazy git so was more bothered about having a few days off!

[shadow]

You'll be arsed around for the 6 months trial, if you can stick it out, and it WILL be tough, then you're laughing. If you need help, ask, some posties can be right gits and will only look after themselves but most will help you out. Most offices have a coach who will see you through, go to him before the manager. Be wary of ANYTHING management tell you. Expect to get lost on more than one occasion but never panic, you cant wander too far off course.

You'll be arsed around for 6 months if you are lucky.Alot get arsed around for a lot longer.

[mclovin]

Worst case scenario is you're bloody awful at the job, constantly moaning about how tough even the easiest duty is, misdelivering mail, failing redirections, booking over even on the easiest day because youre so slow......then you can put in to be a DO manager.

[DGP1]

Worst case scenario is you're bloody awful at the job, constantly moaning about how tough even the easiest duty is, misdelivering mail, failing redirections, booking over even on the easiest day because youre so slow......then you can put in to be a DO manager.

[DGP1]

This is probably both the best and the worst job I've ever had The best thing is being out on delivery, away from your managers (mostly unless they're doing their spying thing), getting plenty of fresh air and exercise but the worst thing is the really poor way we're treated at the moment by management, with their unrealistic targets and bullying to achieve them.


I forgot the rain, the snow, the wind (both inside and outside the office ), the dogs and the crazy moaning customers but for each of those there are the opposite, nice friendly people, friendly lovable dogs nice delivering weather. You'll understand all this if you manage to stay for more than a couple of weeks which is the tipping point for most people (hands up all those who wanting to just give it up after a week or two).

[k979aaa]

This is probably both the best and the worst job I've ever had The best thing is being out on delivery, away from your managers (mostly unless they're doing their spying thing), getting plenty of fresh air and exercise but the worst thing is the really poor way we're treated at the moment by management, with their unrealistic targets and bullying to achieve them.


I forgot the rain, the snow, the wind (both inside and outside the office ), the dogs and the crazy moaning customers but for each of those there are the opposite, nice friendly people, friendly lovable dogs nice delivering weather. You'll understand all this if you manage to stay for more than a couple of weeks which is the tipping point for most people (hands up all those who wanting to just give it up after a week or two).

I should think most would leave now if it were not for the dire state of the economy!. Which is why royalmail unleashed operation tiger at this very time!.

[rhino49]

This is probably both the best and the worst job I've ever had The best thing is being out on delivery, away from your managers (mostly unless they're doing their spying thing), getting plenty of fresh air and exercise but the worst thing is the really poor way we're treated at the moment by management, with their unrealistic targets and bullying to achieve them.


I forgot the rain, the snow, the wind (both inside and outside the office ), the dogs and the crazy moaning customers but for each of those there are the opposite, nice friendly people, friendly lovable dogs nice delivering weather. You'll understand all this if you manage to stay for more than a couple of weeks which is the tipping point for most people (hands up all those who wanting to just give it up after a week or two).

Now THAT is what I call a balanced view - Dis is quite right, you will have highs and lows and the good days make you believe that you have the best job in the world, whilst the bad days drive you daft. Don't give up too easily, at one time, just after we went to SDD we were losing eight out of ten newbies within a month, but any that have survived have become excellent posties.