How are you going to cope with family arrangements?

[dvbuk55]

I tend to agree... people CHOOSE to have kids then start bleating on about the expense and inconvenience and expect to get preferential treatment over people who dont have kids.

People choose to have sex - we don't always choose to have kids

Who's not been very careful then AND a naughty boy - remember the old advert based on Walls Ice Cream - BUY ME AND STOP ONE.

You're for the naughty room ccr.

[dvbuk55]

How do all the other mums and dads who don't work for royal mail do. They get on with it.

I tend to agree... people CHOOSE to have kids then start bleating on about the expense and inconvenience and expect to get preferential treatment over people who dont have kids.

When I started, I worked from 05.15-10.15, Monday to Saturday. Now I work 06.30-12.30 (05.35-11.45 on Saturday) 5 days over 6. The proposed changes of a 15.00 finish, means I won't start till 09.00, only an hour and a quarter before I used to finish!
The reason I started working for RM was the hours, not the wages. The ease of making family arrangements without "bleating on about the expense and inconvenience and expect to get preferential treatment over people who dont have kids". That is why so many of us have a problem with the continual (detrimental) changes to the hours we work.
So you'll forgive me if I continue to complain about it. RM move the goal posts, not us.

So get another job more suited to your needs - RM are running a business not a creche service.

[mazza111]

I have to admit, I started with RM because the hours suited. As a single parent and no family in the area, there is no one else to collect the kids from school. Wasn't through choice, I realised too late I married an a$$hole. But what would I be better doing, working or sitting on social like my kids' father? I certainly know who gets more respect from the kids :)


I am not asking for special treatment, but should an emergency arise with my DS then he will come first! End of! No matter what some managers try to do or say!

As for the point of looking for another job, believe me, I am. Unfortunately there isn't a lot out there. The point of the matter is, RM are changing the hours whether it suits people or not. Luckily I have an understanding manager, pity others can't be the same.

[somerset]

So get another job more suited to your needs - RM are running a business not a creche service.[/quote]

Very well put . You revolve around the work, not the work revolves around you ! If you choose to have children whilst being a postie . Sort out your own child minding before you have one ? You don,t go for a job interview and say " OH i have to knock off for an hour at 9 to take young un to playschool . Is that okay ? "
In my day ( back in the 70,s ) we never had any of this two weeks Partenity leave lark ! Wife had the kid and i was back at work next day ! Grandparents and friends helped out.

[dvbuk55]

So get another job more suited to your needs - RM are running a business not a creche service.

Very well put . You revolve around the work, not the work revolves around you ! If you choose to have children whilst being a postie . Sort out your own child minding before you have one ? You don,t go for a job interview and say " OH i have to knock off for an hour at 9 to take young un to playschool . Is that okay ? "
In my day ( back in the 70,s ) we never had any of this two weeks Partenity leave lark ! Wife had the kid and i was back at work next day ! Grandparents and friends helped out.[/quote]

I often wonder how I managed with 3 children over the years, paternity leave consisted of 2 weeks annual leave, and then we only got 4 weeks, admittedly you took them as soon as the wife went into labour and so the employer had to be flexible time wise, though they had many months notice. If there is a move to have FF policies for children, there are other reasons for the necessity to take time from work, wife/husband ill more so when they are getting on, aged parent requiring hospital visits - the list is endless. Consequently why not say there will be a maximum of 10 days available for PERSONAL reasons for EVERYBODY? Surely it is discrimanatory to cater to one group without a balance for all?

[REDLETTER]

It's like "The Grumpy Old Men" on here!

Maybe Royal Mail should run a creche!

There are many large companies/organisations that do provide such facilities

But they probably CARE about their staff!

[fishtank]

Let's get a few things straight here.
Family Friendly,a term i hate because this business is anything but...for me consists of working exactly the same hours as i have since i started with Royal Mail...nothing more,no special duty,no extra time off..just the same hours i have always done.

[postghost]

One thing that I feel should be pointed out here....

Some guys will undoubtedly cut off from delivery at some point to make appropriate arrangements for their kids (pick ups / drop offs etc) Some guys may do it in the middle of their shift using their break time.

Now come on!! Do you honestly see Royal Management NOT having a problem with that??

The hypocrisy from some of you is quite laughable.

The endless arguments, debates, facts, rumours, lies from our own company at OUR expense. Yet some of you proclaim: tough, Royal Mail is a business, get another job if having kids doesn't suit you etc etc

The divide and conquer strategy grows more and more day by day.
They have won. You have lost.

[postghost]

Maybe Royal Mail should run a creche!

Brilliant idea!!
They could have the kids prep d2d's and do lapsing

[DirtyHarry]

How do all the other mums and dads who don't work for royal mail do. They get on with it.

Yeah, but they don't work for Royal Mail who, in their ceaseless efforts to get a square peg into a round hole, keep pissing about with people's start/finish times, and the service to the general public continues to go to hell in a handcart.
When I signed up, it was the early starts/early finishes that appealed to me most.
Starting later/finishing later, is something I neither looked for, or asked for, and has all the appeal that a poster of Mark Higson's gonads greeting me every morning would.

[DirtyHarry]

Maybe Royal Mail should run a creche!

Brilliant idea!!
They could have the kids prep d2d's and do lapsing

Wouldn't put it past them.

[dvbuk55]

Maybe Royal Mail should run a creche!

Brilliant idea!!
They could have the kids prep d2d's and do lapsing

Only after they have washed the vans and swept the yard - and if you have a chimney..................................

[pinstripe]

How do all the other mums and dads who don't work for royal mail do. They get on with it.

I tend to agree... people CHOOSE to have kids then start bleating on about the expense and inconvenience and expect to get preferential treatment over people who dont have kids.

When I started, I worked from 05.15-10.15, Monday to Saturday. Now I work 06.30-12.30 (05.35-11.45 on Saturday) 5 days over 6. The proposed changes of a 15.00 finish, means I won't start till 09.00, only an hour and a quarter before I used to finish!
The reason I started working for RM was the hours, not the wages. The ease of making family arrangements without "bleating on about the expense and inconvenience and expect to get preferential treatment over people who dont have kids". That is why so many of us have a problem with the continual (detrimental) changes to the hours we work.
So you'll forgive me if I continue to complain about it. RM move the goal posts, not us.

So get another job more suited to your needs - RM are running a business not a creche service.

My point was that my start and finish times have changed completely since I first started with RM. This job with my ORIGINAL start time suited my needs, why should I need to get another one, because RM make me start later and later. It's not improving either the service we are supposed to deliver, or our terms and conditions. I hope your comment was tongue in cheek, otherwise I'm disappointed with you.

[Pat Ostman]

One thing that I feel should be pointed out here....



The hypocrisy from some of you is quite laughable.


They have won. You have lost.

Exactly. And DVB, you surprise me...

All I want to do is work the hours I was CONTRACTED to do. 9-2. They are the ones moving the goal posts all the time yet I should leave and get another job that suits me?

How about RM stop being f***ing arseholes each day?

No?

[dvbuk55]

One thing that I feel should be pointed out here....



The hypocrisy from some of you is quite laughable.


They have won. You have lost.

Exactly. And DVB, you surprise me...

All I want to do is work the hours I was CONTRACTED to do. 9-2. They are the ones moving the goal posts all the time yet I should leave and get another job that suits me?

How about RM stop being f***ing arseholes each day?

No?

I don't know if either of you have noticed, but there is a new understanding under the 2010 Transformation, you are expected to work whatever hours the business wants you to work as long as they are agreed hours - and as far as I recall the contracts state the number of hours you will work not the times you work them and can be subject to change - so they want to change them.

I used to start work at 0330, I now start at 0500, now the duty times changed, so should I turn up at 0330 - apart from the fact that the gates would be locked, no one else there and no work to do. The work has changed and so must you, the alternative is seek other more suitable employment, pick a duty that suits your needs, create the duty you need BUT it needs to fulfil the business criteria not yours.