Language on this Forum

[fishtank]

There is a procedure at Royal Mail where you can break off from your walk not necassary car on delivery but anytime to collect your children as long as yoyu return and complete your walk, this must be agreed with your D.O.M.

You may have an informal agreement with your D.O.M. but it is just that......informal.
Do you have anything in writing?
If anything happens to the mail while you are away from your delivery your D.O.M. will swear you must have heard him wrong.

[pinstripe]

If anything happens to the mail while you are away from your delivery your D.O.M. will swear you must have heard him wrong.

When you say swear, I assume you mean "dash, blast and oh budgerigar! "

[Jenny Manchester]

There is a procedure at Royal Mail where you can break off from your walk not necassary car on delivery but anytime to collect your children as long as yoyu return and complete your walk, this must be agreed with your D.O.M.

You may have an informal agreement with your D.O.M. but it is just that......informal.
Do you have anything in writing?
If anything happens to the mail while you are away from your delivery your D.O.M. will swear you must have heard him wrong.

Can I just make something clear, I Jenny do not do delivery in a car, I was just trying say some people in my office have to break off through family arrangements, two female colleagues of mine got caught pregnant since they started with Royal Mail, some silly comments as don't take the job if you have kids are irrelevant.
Some people that work for Royal Mail has not got two pennies to rub together on a Saturday Morning let alone run a car, and its these people that are bitter about posties on car on delivery, simply because they cannot afford to run a car. I use a bike.
But the people on here that shouts about car on delivery are more than likely the people that come in a hour early to prep their walks.
So at the end of the day if you want to come in early or use your car on delivery more fool you. Work your hours, take your breaks. do RM no favours.
Jenny.

[Lounge Lizard]

"two female colleagues of mine got caught pregnant since they started with Royal Mail" - DOM, colleague or customer ?

[ashadd]

"two female colleagues of mine got caught pregnant since they started with Royal Mail" - DOM, colleague or customer ?

Ones not " TILLY" Is it....?

[stokes11eg]

I have found a lot of people are using very foul mouth language on this forum, is this really necessary, its especially aimed at car users. I personally think if people want to use their cars let them, they know the circumstances, we don’t need tell them or educate them or use abusive language from people that can only just ride a bike with staplelisers on it to eff and jeff at car users.
What people do forget is that some car users might have to break off their walk to take a child to school etc. please think before you hit the send key folks

I was told when I was employed by royal mail that I would be working in a 'male-dominated' environment. This was given to me with a lot of shrugging and eyebrow twitching; basically if you can't stand the heat etc etc. I've always considered this forum the same.

and what utter ... baubles to say 'some car users' might have to break off from their walk. jeez louise. ('you' here is used as me making an example, not personal) would you just walk out of work if you were sat at a till in the supermarket or on reception because you had to collect your kid? You know what your working hours are BEFORE you start a job. and anything after your working day you either book or cut off. don't think just because you're unsupervised you can do what you like. I hate this 'kid' excuse it doesn't wash with me.

... I keep thinking I should get knocked up to have an easy life

Stupid Person saying >> would you just walk out of work if you were sat at a till in the supermarket or on reception because you had to collect your kid? You know what your working hours are BEFORE you start a job.
There is a procedure at Royal Mail where you can break off from your walk not necassary car on delivery but anytime to collect your children as long as yoyu return and complete your walk, this must be agreed with your D.O.M.. Typical stupid single males with no children making silly comments...

Problem with R/M is you only have a theoretical finishing time! Let's be quite honest about this, even given the options of cutting off etc--it is nearly impossible to finish on time, with other jobs this is not the case.

[muckyboots]

Problem with R/M is you only have a theoretical finishing time! Let's be quite honest about this, even given the options of cutting off etc--it is nearly impossible to finish on time, with other jobs this is not the case.

I suppose you mean by 'theoretical' that the job is never actually done by 2pm.

To be honest - when I started I was pretty crap really, even on what is known as 'good' walks being out til past 3 -4pm. but I was learning the ropes, alone, so that's justified. now after two odd years if I am on a decent walk I can get finished by 2pm on average. I take my meal relief, I go out at the right time, on a van, have a bit of banter with the driver. I don't rush, or drag my feet, I wait at doors when I have a packet, I stop to have a drink etc. When I make appointments I make absolutely sure I will be finished by then - so I usually say about 3pm or later. Yes of course there are days when I go over on a 'good' walk. but there's no point in putting pressure on yourself to be somewhere - picking up the kids for example - when strictly speaking you finish at a certain time and shouldn't have to rush off [in your car] anywhere. RM pay you to be their employee whatever your contracted hours are. so do them. as I said before, just because you are unsupervised doesn't mean you can do what you like. it is people who do this, taking the MICK, who have pushed management into screwing us all over now.

if you are not on a decent walk and consistently go over, well - deal with it as you see fit. cut off, book overtime. don't rush around trying to do the job, finish earlier than you should, then whinge you don't have the time to get somewhere. management will push more work onto you if you can 'prove' that you can do the job in less time than average - for example USING YOUR CAR. are you getting it yet?

and in other jobs if you have work you cannot complete that day you leave it in the in-tray and go home. same time every day. then you come back in and pick up where you left off. in RM you have a certain amount of work to do, and a certain amount of time to do it in. management however seem to think that we have more than enough time and can put more work on us. but the reason that they think we have more than enough time is because people are (a) coming in early (b) going out early (c) using their cars (d) finishing early

if everyone did their job properly management would be forced to take the excess work off posties and make more duties thus creating more jobs. then everyone could finish at 2pm. da-dah! *sigh* but I am young and idealistic ...

[stokes11eg]

Well. glad you've got a good walk. The point I was trying to make is that in this job, you often have unforseen
difficulties crop up on your walk, that eats in to your time,and could cause you to go over. Now, I personally do not mind working a few minutes over my time if I have to, but there are many people who, because of family commitments cannot.
R/M Have followed T.N.T into the employment of part time housewives scenario--I remember this being discussed at work some time back. These folks have to be back in time for the kids.But sadly, we all know that for new starts at least,finishing on time is nearly impossible. Let's be honest, if someone tells you you work from 7-2 that's what you arrange everything around. if Management made it clear from the start the variable nature of the job, at least people would know.

[SWIM]

it's a bit unfair saying she knew her hours before she started the job.
when I started it was 5-1
now it's 6-2.
shortly to change again..

[andy2007]

We normally don't interfere, unless the language gets excessive, or the posts include blatent personal attacks. However, if anyone sees a post which they think is inappropriate in any way (language, attitude of poster, includes personal attacks, etc..) then just click the "Report" button, and we'll sort it out as quickly as possible.

The reason that we rely on people using the "Report" button, rather than taking action whenever such language is used. Is that it's just the way that many people talk, when discussing the same things on their breaks. But if it begins to cause anyone offence, then we will deal with it ASAP.

I'm sure the best thing would be for you to provide us with a list of the naughty words that we shouldn't be using on here.

There are a couple of words, which are automatically edited when you click "Submit". But as for the rest. Not everyone is offended by the same words. For example, referring to someone's post as obtuse, can (and in fact DID) cause a lot of offence to some people. But doesn't cause any offence to others. Let's face it: We all say and do stupid things from time to time. But that doesn't mean that we ARE stupid. It's just one of those things.

Another example could be someone saying something along the lines of "I'm so f***ing p****d off with this situation!". For many of us, that's just the way we talk about these things in person. So it's no problem. But for others, it's offensive and unacceptable language.

That's why we let so much bad language slide, unless it's reported. If it's not causing offence, and it's not excessive (the tone of the post, rather than the actual words), then it's fine. It's also why reports don't always result in warnings or worse. Everyone's different. But we want to make RMC as accessible as possible to everyone.

One of the criticisms of PMC, was that they were too quick to "interfere" when people got a bit too passionate about things, and started using bad language, etc.. Although to be fair. There were a lot of people who preferred their attitude to ours.

[dvbuk55]

Me first but don't tell dvb, he'll just get jealous

I didn't realise you swung both ways.

Both ways? Believe me ccr he doesn't "swing" at all - the most he manages is a twitch

[DGP1]

Me first but don't tell dvb, he'll just get jealous

I didn't realise you swung both ways.

Both ways? Believe me ccr he doesn't "swing" at all - the most he manages is a twitch

You'll let all my secrets out

[dvbuk55]

Me first but don't tell dvb, he'll just get jealous

I didn't realise you swung both ways.

Both ways? Believe me ccr he doesn't "swing" at all - the most he manages is a twitch

You'll let all my secrets out

Little secrets!

[muckyboots]

Well. glad you've got a good walk.

actually i'm a floating reserve. so I do all walks in the office, no exception, good or bad. some weeks I am booking hours, some weeks nothing. and there's no need to be sarky. nobody's infallible.

The point I was trying to make is that in this job, you often have unforseen
difficulties crop up on your walk, that eats in to your time,and could cause you to go over. Now, I personally do not mind working a few minutes over my time if I have to, but there are many people who, because of family commitments cannot.

ok. why don't these people cut off? why does this mean a car must be used? (because this is what this is really about) why, if a duty holder consistently goes over, nothing is done about it? I don't understand the attitude that if a walk cannot be done in the time allowed (and yes I take your point about finishing on time for new starters being nigh on impossible) then don't take your breaks and use your private car to get the job done in time. this is MADNESS!! if something is not working it should be addressed and resolved. this is what the union is for!

R/M Have followed T.N.T into the employment of part time housewives scenario--I remember this being discussed at work some time back. These folks have to be back in time for the kids.But sadly, we all know that for new starts at least,finishing on time is nearly impossible. Let's be honest, if someone tells you you work from 7-2 that's what you arrange everything around.

if Management made it clear from the start the variable nature of the job, at least people would know.

fair point.

[stokes11eg]

Well. glad you've got a good walk.

actually i'm a floating reserve. so I do all walks in the office, no exception, good or bad. some weeks I am booking hours, some weeks nothing. and there's no need to be sarky. nobody's infallible.

The point I was trying to make is that in this job, you often have unforseen
difficulties crop up on your walk, that eats in to your time,and could cause you to go over. Now, I personally do not mind working a few minutes over my time if I have to, but there are many people who, because of family commitments cannot.

ok. why don't these people cut off? why does this mean a car must be used? (because this is what this is really about) why, if a duty holder consistently goes over, nothing is done about it? I don't understand the attitude that if a walk cannot be done in the time allowed (and yes I take your point about finishing on time for new starters being nigh on impossible) then don't take your breaks and use your private car to get the job done in time. this is MADNESS!! if something is not working it should be addressed and resolved. this is what the union is for!

R/M Have followed T.N.T into the employment of part time housewives scenario--I remember this being discussed at work some time back. These folks have to be back in time for the kids.But sadly, we all know that for new starts at least,finishing on time is nearly impossible. Let's be honest, if someone tells you you work from 7-2 that's what you arrange everything around.

if Management made it clear from the start the variable nature of the job, at least people would know.

fair point.

I wasn't being sarky, just stating that you are lucky to have a good walk! now to answer some of your questions. 'These people' as you call them, cannot always cut off, and be finished bang on time every day, for a variety of reasons, ranging from fear of losing a job you've first started, to fear of DOM's reactions if they do cut off.Now to the thorny issue of cars being used--I do not know how long you've been in the job (I'm 16 years now, and do not use my car by the way) year after year, there is vitriol directed towards car users that is way beyond what is acceptable.When,after the revision comes in, and all cars are banned from being used, let me tell you, you will not see this Utopia that has everone having do-able walks---finishing on time etc(how long have unions been banging on about this, and it has NEVER been achieved--even when there has been a total ban on the use of cars--when at one time everyone was made to take their breaks, in relays) did it work? No.Because in this job, unlike others it CAN'T---I can tell you what happens when these measures are introduced---longer waiting times for everone getting out. because of lack of transport (forget the CDV's at present)complete frustration all round! again, I have been in this job a long time, and seen it all. If the Unions and royal Mail between then have still not managed to get the 'job' right after all this time, they never will. Maybe, just maybe. in three years time, when they have ironed out all of the problems associated with this two in a van job share, ( no parking places in most offices for the things in the first place--)it might 'come all right' but I doubt it. And, I am being a little 'sarky' now--have a little compassion for your fellow workmates --you may not agree with them using their car-but no need to call them 'these people'