working to your time

[cookie boy]

Could someone please explain properly the correct procedure of working to your time, as there is a lot of people in my office have been threatened with flexability and willful delay and told they will be taken down the conduct code if they bring mail back. Because people do not want to work over their time they are being bullied and harrassed with this and then being forced to work unpaid overtime up to 7 hours per week. And when bosses ask why we are over our time, we tell them that we can't fit in all the work allocated in the time frame ie: van shares - we are doing 2 walks, firms, bulk, specials and tracked items. And when we go to claim overtime it is a constant argument as the bosses ask 'what have you been doing all morning!' I know that men in our office are to scared to claim overtime because of this, because they feel intimidated by the line manager, so they end up working well over their time and not claiming overtime. i myself have claimed overtime weekly and every thursday my wages are short of overtime claimed. Could someone please explain what the correct procedure is as we get told different stories by different bosses when we query it.

[Pat Ostman]

This is a cast iron case why you need some sort of decent union rep in your office. This has 'illegal working practices' written all over it. I might even go straight to the area rep or branch sec.

Correct procedure for working to your time.

Ok, so you get into the office, do your sorting and IPS if it's in your contract and because of the amount of mail you do not think you will finish on your contracted time (and you do not want overtime). All you need to do is as your earliest opportunity inform your line manager that you wish to work your contracted hours. Ask the line manager how you wish to proceed (NEVER SUGGEST). If they say you should be able to complete (which they normally say), I would thank him for his opinion but it does not agree with your knowledge of the walk. Ask to be walk tested if he is so cock sure it can be done, again if you are not taking the piss then the walk test will fail and it will be proven that the job cannot be done on time. Walk tests scare the s**t out of management!

He can then tell you to streamline the mail, take out part of the walk or take out ALL of the walk but bring back what you cannot complete after your time expires. Regardless of what you line manager tells you, wilful delay is NOT working at a reasonable pace but bringing back endorsed mail to the DO at the END of your contracted hours. As long as you have notified a manager AND notify a manager when you return there is sweet f**k all they can do about it.

If he kicks off inform him that forced overtime is an illegal working practice and you wish to fill out a BH1 form. I would also inform him of the overtime you have done that has been stolen from you and YOUR good will is gone. No O/T payment, No OT, simple!

[Pat Ostman]

And withholding wages is theft, a criminal offence. Start documenting all overtime not paid, every penny if you need to take it further. The union should pounce on this tardy behaviour.

[cookie boy]

Cheers for that. Sick and tired of asking to be walk tested, they told us they don't do it anymore. They are too scared of what they will find!! They just tell you that you're not prepping fast enough! They have excuses for EVERYTHING!!!!

[Pat Ostman]

Cheers for that. Sick and tired of asking to be walk tested, they told us they don't do it anymore. They are too scared of what they will find!! They just tell you that you're not prepping fast enough! They have excuses for EVERYTHING!!!!

You have every right to demand a walk test if they are using this to withhold wages, a tribunal would laugh them out of court on an unproven work load planned by a computer.

[goinpostal]

A rep in a local office did a survey of all those who had worked unpaid overtime and why. It found that the majority had, and that the number one reason was that they didn't want to get hassled or worse by the manager.

In terms of cutting off:

Do it at least an hour before going out so they can't say you have left it too late.

If they give you real hassle say that they are welcome to meet you at the end of your walk and that way they can not only check you have worked to time but take any extra mail off you.

It is illegal to make you work over your contracted hours - or at least that's what i tell them when they start getting shirty!

They might try the 30 minutes flexibility stuff - tell them that can't be applied to an individual worker but only the office as a whole and of course only in exceptional circumstances.

They might try flexxing argument (you wont work or haven't worked to time this week) and say you have finished on time and dont foresee finishing early.

Key: stick to your guns but dont lose your cool, get your rep and if necessary area rep involved. Plan it ahead if possible. Talk to your workmates about it, hold an offsite meeting, elect a rep, put disagrements through - and of course if lots of people decide f*ck it weve had enough were wroking to time, well that happens, its individuals more aware of their rights taking a personal decision, not industrial action.

[Mercian]

Cheers for that. Sick and tired of asking to be walk tested, they told us they don't do it anymore. They are too scared of what they will find!! They just tell you that you're not prepping fast enough! They have excuses for EVERYTHING!!!!

Put it in writing and log it as a grievance or concern with HR by phone 0845 6060603. Despite all their faults RM do have some good systems in place so it is up to us employees to use them. My view is always "work the system"

If you are continually going over your time and the managers will not go for walk testing then write to them with all your concerns. Copy your CWU rep in to the letter and send a copy to HR in Sheffield. Call the HR help desk again and log your concerns and any replies from managers.

If your manger then comes back in writing (or verbally) that you are prepping too slowly ask in writing for that to be checked too. Keep updating any complaints made to HR on the phone lines.

[steven100]

Bullying and harassment will increase in xmas, I could see quite a few unofficial strikes occurring all over the country.

[steviemac]

Cheers for that. Sick and tired of asking to be walk tested, they told us they don't do it anymore. They are too scared of what they will find!! They just tell you that you're not prepping fast enough! They have excuses for EVERYTHING!!!!

prep rate 16 items a minute according to my DOM so check with area rep and time yourself, if you exceed rate then no probs .

[Rennie]

Another tactic they don't like us using is to do the walk test yourself! How, you may ask!
Well I use a garmin 201/305 model GPS wrist operated unit. Get your CWU branch to buy one (less than 100) or ask a runner in your office as they all use them to assess speed, average speed, gradient, stationary time, distance and so on! Even heart rate!!!
Press go at the start of delivery and forget it until the end. Download it using the software and you end up with a comprehensive analysis of your delivery measured exactly to the nearest metre!! It will give an average speed and an exact distance/time. It will also map your route to prove without question what constitutes a true reflection of your delivery. pegasus/georoute is flawed because it doesn't measure stationary time (739's, gates, security of mail etc) RM hate this system because it is too accurtate! Surely that is the point!!
I am trying to get this system accepted at national level but nobody seems to be interested! Even the CWU don't reply to me!! It puts you in command of the situation and the figures cannot lie so RM have to take notice. Its just a shame the CWU don't make more of this technology as it all win win for us!!
Hope this has been helpful!

[Wiggins79]

Cheers for that. Sick and tired of asking to be walk tested, they told us they don't do it anymore. They are too scared of what they will find!! They just tell you that you're not prepping fast enough! They have excuses for EVERYTHING!!!!

prep rate 16 items a minute according to my DOM so check with area rep and time yourself, if you exceed rate then no probs .

What about sorting or throwing in per minute? What's the official rate on that now? How the hell it can be enforceable when it isn't stated in your contract that you are expected to an exact amount of work in an exact amount of time is beyond me though. Not that it won't stop them from trying it on.

[bedfordrl]

Working to your time ,Hah, what a soul destroying task that was.

As the local rep I tried to set an example by working to my time and would come into the office on time to find others had been there for at least half an hour and had thrown their mech in .

When we had finished the inward sorting they then had a little to throw in and then bundled up, and then if we were splitting duties ,as we are permanently now,they were let out early and left me still throwing my mech in.

Then i would take my forty minute break ,on my own, and then start my delivery with the split first.

I would see the local staff heading home when i was half way through my delivery .


The one time I cut off i rang in and asked if I could claim overtime to finish and was denied so was a bit peeved to find another member of staff waiting to finish my delivery on overtime!!!

I do not go in early but rarely bother with my break .

The laugh will be on the others soon as after totally ignoring me about not coming in early etc they now find that the Dom has been noting the time they are going home and wants to add two broken up rounds to all their frames,Permanently, as they seem to have plenty of time.

But i will have to defend them as the rounds are untimed and we have had no Pegasus yet.

[Pat Ostman]

I dont think you have to represent them at all, you can pass them to area rep and state your reasons.

[walkingnightmare]

Day in Day out this is what we put up with in our office.
Today they took on a new tact, absorb and flex, we told our dumb ass manager that the agreement was that we were only expected to absorb where time existed within out duty time, he said this was not the case and that other offices were already doing this. I asked him to put this in writing and sign it which he obviously refused to do. I was then told to absorb and if necessary leave parcels from my own delivery. I'm afraid that the lack of proper fair and honest management means that we are in for very hard times ahead.
What makes me even more angry than the bonus grabbing, lying managers are the half wits that turn up a full hour before their duty time and then proceed to race round their deliveries, they were all there moaning about having to absorb.....Why, they give them time every week.

O.K it's been a bad day......What we really need to do is support each other, if you see someone taking crap then go and give them back up or at least witness any threats.

[coxie]

work your time, start on time and finish on time, they cannot do nothing about it whatever they might threaten you with. All people need to do is be brave enough to stand up to them, you finish work when your pay finishes and if they wont pay you no more then its simple you dont do no more. Dont be intimidated, aslong as you know you are not taking liberties and it is too much work for you to do then cut off and do it with pride. They might set up a fake meeting in the office to make you feel like you have done something wrong, but nothing will ever be sent off its all a tactic to get you to work for free.