Meal relief mail centre / delivery

[raikkonen85]

why do people who work in mail centres get 1 hr 20 mins of breaks in an 8 hour shift where we delievery staff get just 40 mins. thats disgusting. i was in the mail centre over christmass jesus was so easy 10 millions times easier than working as a postman. seems unfair to me.

[dazzlin72]

I totally agree with you. I've raised this myself. The only conclusion i can come up with is because the mail centres have a constant stream of mail coming in that doesn't have to all be dispatched at once, whereas those working in delivery offices have a particular amount that does all have to go. It shouldn't really matter, if we are all on the same working hours, we should all be entitled to the same amount of break.
The work is more physically demanding in delivery than MCs at the end of the day and should warrant us the extra break.
Yet again though, that is what happens through local agreements rather than having a national one.

[TeeferTiger]

I think sortin in the MC is more mentally draining than doing a delivery... I know I couldn't do it!

Xmas sorting was enough for me!

[Toddy72]

why do people who work in mail centres get 1 hr 20 mins of breaks in an 8 hour shift where we delievery staff get just 40 mins. thats disgusting. i was in the mail centre over christmass jesus was so easy 10 millions times easier than working as a postman. seems unfair to me.

I work in a Mailcentre and we get 1hr of breaks in an 8 hr shift not 1hr 20mins as you mention

[andy2007]

For reasons I don't understand, it does vary from MC/RDC to MC/RDC. The basic breaks that we're all entitled to, are in the Way Forward agreement:
All full time employees working in Mail Centres on a 40 hour gross week, generally over 5 days, will have a standard entitlement to 40 minutes meal break per day (this means that up to 60 minutes per day total breaks can be provided by scheduling Relaxation Breaks by joint local agreement - see below)

Grace Breaks

When work permits a grace break of 10 minutes, over and above the standard entitlements, should be allowed on all indoor and outdoor jobs. In no circumstances should this be scheduled. Where it is not possible to provide a Grace Break before going out on first delivery the employee should be given the chance to have a cup of tea before leaving the office.

Relaxation Allowance
In the parts of Mails Centres covered by workloads measurement and planning values, the additional Grace Break may be extended to 20 minutes for full-time indoor jobs and scheduled as "Relaxation Allowance", as originally agreed in connection with RRP (10 minutes may be scheduled within indoor part-time jobs), on the basis that this represents an aggrigation of the Relaxation Allowance already built into duties and therefore does not affect the number of hours scheduled or the cost of running the office. In total this provides a maximum scheduled daily break entitlement of 60 minutes for a standard five-day indoor attendance.

This is exactly what I get. 40 Minutes for our Meal Break, and a 20 minute break as well. But I know that, that isn't the case everywhere. Although why Deliveries aren't entitled to the extra 20 minute break, I have no idea. Particularly as you're out in the hottest part of the day, and need to get out of the sun. Even if it is for only 20 minutes. Don't you agree?

[steviemac]

do mail centres have job and finish ? Delivery in lots of offices can go home before scheduled time ....and do , up and down the country ,so maybe that's why difference in breaks.

[DGP1]

do mail centres have job and finish ? Delivery in lots of offices can go home before scheduled time ....and do , up and down the country ,so maybe that's why difference in breaks.

Do MCs have to stay behind and work for free everyday because they have too much work to complete in their time or do MC staff come in up to 1 hour early each day to get finished early

[hubbahubba]

do mail centres have job and finish ? Delivery in lots of offices can go home before scheduled time ....and do , up and down the country ,so maybe that's why difference in breaks.

Do MCs have to stay behind and work for free everyday because they have too much work to complete in their time or do MC staff come in up to 1 hour early each day to get finished early

noone HAS to work for free....more fool you....

[demon]

working in the mail center is a peace of piss dont no why they get so many breaks probs cos there is nowt to do half the day

[steviemac]

do mail centres have job and finish ? Delivery in lots of offices can go home before scheduled time ....and do , up and down the country ,so maybe that's why difference in breaks.

Do MCs have to stay behind and work for free everyday because they have too much work to complete in their time or do MC staff come in up to 1 hour early each day to get finished early

no criticism intended in my post , MC work full hours and get different break schedule than DO , not a fact just a suggestion hence questions mark. Some DO also work full hours, many don't , that's RM , chill don't get all schizoid man :-)

[DGP1]

do mail centres have job and finish ? Delivery in lots of offices can go home before scheduled time ....and do , up and down the country ,so maybe that's why difference in breaks.

Do MCs have to stay behind and work for free everyday because they have too much work to complete in their time or do MC staff come in up to 1 hour early each day to get finished early

no criticism intended in my post , MC work full hours and get different break schedule than DO , not a fact just a suggestion hence questions mark. Some DO also work full hours, many don't , that's RM , chill don't get all schizoid man :-)

You're just out to get me same as those lizard people and the effing Masons

[DGP1]

do mail centres have job and finish ? Delivery in lots of offices can go home before scheduled time ....and do , up and down the country ,so maybe that's why difference in breaks.

Do MCs have to stay behind and work for free everyday because they have too much work to complete in their time or do MC staff come in up to 1 hour early each day to get finished early

noone HAS to work for free....more fool you....

I don't come in early and nor do I do anything that I'm not getting paid for but everyone else in my office does

[andy2007]

do mail centres have job and finish ? Delivery in lots of offices can go home before scheduled time ....and do , up and down the country ,so maybe that's why difference in breaks.

They're not supposed to anymore. Although I hear that some still do get job and finish. Although for how much longer, I don't know. It must be a local agreement, as the Pay & Mod agreement specifically states that everyone MUST work all their contracted hours.

[teesdale]

I work in a mail centre. Get two breaks 40 mins and 20 mins. The extra break of 20 mins is probably because we work inside all day in an air conditioned, cramped environment with no air or natural light. Most of the work is very repetative with spans of 4 hours just tipping out bags or hand cancelling stamps with a manager watching your every move like a policeman. Job and finish went last year and so the amount of work done just expanded to fill the new time in which there was to do it, no benefits in efficiency, and all attempts to show initiative and enthusiasm erased.

[andy2007]

You've got A/C?!?!? We don't. It's like a furnace in our place during the summer! We do have vents in the roof, which are supposed to open when it's hot, and close when it cools down, or rains. But they're always breaking down. so they either don't open, or stay open when it rains, leading to big puddles on the floor. It plays havok with the Scuds and FLTs! Because we end up with sections of the floor coned off, so we have to go a long way, out of our way to get around. But are expected to get the work done in the same time.