Seems Part timers need separate union representation

[realitybites]

At our DO we have absorption all year round. I am one of a few part timers in the office. When the part timers arrive the car park and office are desolate due to the majority of full timers out doing their absorption. We, as part timers, are also expected to start at 9 and do the same amount of absorption. The absorption is being done because full timers are making time from indoor work to be able to go out and do it. My argument is the manager should be creating a level playing field and no one should be going out until the mis-sort run has been done and we all leave the office roughly at the same time. I think this is reasonable but I can't see the union rep at my office going along with it as he would suffer as well.

[fishtank]

The only issue you should be concerned with is can you absorb and still complete your duty inside your contracted hours?
Getting wound up by what others are doing will only give you ulcers.
You don't need separate union representation just a change in attitude away from worrying about what time others are finishing at.
In our office it's the complete opposite,when i come off the IPS the part-time shifts are fully prepped and fighting each other to get their absorption and i don't have a letter in my frame...do i care?....do i f**k...it means i never do absorption anyway.

[wiganpostie]

I'm a part timer, and when I get into the office at 7.30 most of the full timers have thrown in all their letters and flats and have packets above their frames already, but there's usually a sh*tload of loose that still needs sorting at the IPS frame. I think the problem is that the linos aren't on the floor as much as they should be, and some full timers are sneaking off to throw in their walks when they should be sorting. The most irritating thing is that the lino will re-appear about 7.50 and start shouting for all the part timers to get up and sort, despite the fact that the full timers are ready for bagging up

[realitybites]

I haven't done absorption for as long as I can remember. The point I'm trying to make is, my point will never be raised by the union rep as it would be affecting him in a negative way. Is this not a conflict of interests? Since part time positions have come about it has caused a divide whether we like it or not. This case in point, even though as you say we can bring back absorption as we don't have time to do it, it still smacks of inequality.

[gofi]

I have to agree with FIsh Tank don't worry about what others are doing; it does give you needless stress and the job is already stressful enough already.
But on the the other side of the coin in my office of 60 plus staff covering three postcodes there is a clear and definate divide between full and part-timers, while this has not been actively encouraged by management it certainly doesn't cause them any problems.The divide is not diminshed by attitudes such as "F**k the P/T's" being used at staff meetings and F/T's claiming that suburban walks of 232 addresses take 3.5 hours with a car and refusing to take additional lapsing from P/T's , which is then being put onto P/T's on the back of 500 + deliveries carried out on foot.
While it could be argued that the P/T's shouldn't have to take additional work, many of them have come into RM within the last five years and are aware of how difficult getting jobs outside can be and are not comfortable in refusing to carry out orders. But what is interesting is that in one of the postcodes the F/T's do work with the P/T's,share the workload equally without conflict, finish within their times (mostly) and do generally get on and are not as stressed and yet deliver to large numbers of addresses.

[clashcityrocker]

The point I'm trying to make is, my point will never be raised by the union rep as it would be affecting him in a negative way.

The job of rep is not a lifetime position. You get a vote.
There is nothing to stop a part-timer standing for ther position of IR rep or H&S rep.
Perhaps more part-timers standing for these positions would help your cause.
Every rep should be aiming for a fair and achievable workload for ALL their members.

[realitybites]

The point I'm trying to make is, my point will never be raised by the union rep as it would be affecting him in a negative way.

The job of rep is not a lifetime position. You get a vote.
There is nothing to stop a part-timer standing for ther position of IR rep or H&S rep.
Perhaps more part-timers standing for these positions would help your cause.
Every rep should be aiming for a fair and achievable workload for ALL their members.

Agreed, but with a 20:1 ratio of FT'ers to PT'ers I won't be holding my breath

[TrueBlueTerrier]

The point I'm trying to make is, my point will never be raised by the union rep as it would be affecting him in a negative way.

The job of rep is not a lifetime position. You get a vote.
There is nothing to stop a part-timer standing for ther position of IR rep or H&S rep.
Perhaps more part-timers standing for these positions would help your cause.
Every rep should be aiming for a fair and achievable workload for ALL their members.

Agreed, but with a 20:1 ratio of FT'ers to PT'ers I won't be holding my breath

If you sell yourself as a saviour for PTs I would agree it would not be worth standing. SO find out what issues are affecting your members and stand on those issues as well. What about becoming a champion for PTs at your DO, be in your face but respectable and perhaps things will change.

My office is like fishtanks I rarely do absorption despite being a FT. Yet some PTimers are doing absorption, and overtime yet are completing all this and their duties within duty time, yet they are still complaining they are being given too much. Some FTimers are doing the same as well.

I think its like most things in life its not a certain group of people that handily fit within a "Label" its individuals within the group that tar the rest, and people outside the group reinforcing the perception. Individuals make the decisions themselves, you either elect to say enough is enough if you really believe it is, or you keep accepting whatever ever is thrown at you. Only you can decide at what point the reward outweighs the cost.

[realitybites]

The point I'm trying to make is, my point will never be raised by the union rep as it would be affecting him in a negative way.

The job of rep is not a lifetime position. You get a vote.
There is nothing to stop a part-timer standing for ther position of IR rep or H&S rep.
Perhaps more part-timers standing for these positions would help your cause.
Every rep should be aiming for a fair and achievable workload for ALL their members.

Agreed, but with a 20:1 ratio of FT'ers to PT'ers I won't be holding my breath

If you sell yourself as a saviour for PTs I would agree it would not be worth standing. SO find out what issues are affecting your members and stand on those issues as well. What about becoming a champion for PTs at your DO, be in your face but respectable and perhaps things will change.

My office is like fishtanks I rarely do absorption despite being a FT. Yet some PTimers are doing absorption, and overtime yet are completing all this and their duties within duty time, yet they are still complaining they are being given too much. Some FTimers are doing the same as well.



I think its like most things in life its not a certain group of people that handily fit within a "Label" its individuals within the group that tar the rest, and people outside the group reinforcing the perception. Individuals make the decisions themselves, you either elect to say enough is enough if you really believe it is, or you keep accepting whatever ever is thrown at you. Only you can decide at what point the reward outweighs the cost.

Going back to the strikes, when everyone was battling against absorption (among other issues) I think we can all agree we were fighting as one, FT'ers and PT'ers speaking as one. Now there is unrest among all staff regardless of contract. Absorption has to be the most single handedly divisory element (divisory is a word i've made up especially for referring to RM) RM has introduced. FT'ers turning on FT'er and PT'er turning on PT'er based on who does, or completes absorption and the stigma that is attached to any element of absorption. Christmas will go down as being the pivotal point in all of this. I only wish there were more opportunities in the job market.

[POSTMAN]

Our own worst enemy,we're working with w*****s,managers must be laughing their socks off,quality stuff.

[swintonpostie]

ive only been with royal mail 3 months now so still gettin used to all the lingo an that , but what exactly is absorption ??? , is it anything like flex as we call it in our office where we all take a bit of a walk to make our hours up ?

[clashcityrocker]

ive only been with royal mail 3 months now so still gettin used to all the lingo an that , but what exactly is absorption ??? , is it anything like flex as we call it in our office where we all take a bit of a walk to make our hours up ?

Yes (though we call it lapsing)
Different words - same shite.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

ive only been with royal mail 3 months now so still gettin used to all the lingo an that , but what exactly is absorption ??? , is it anything like flex as we call it in our office where we all take a bit of a walk to make our hours up ?

Yes but for some reason you have the wrong term.

Absorption/Lapsing: Duty holder removed and duty divided between number of others.

Flexing (Flexibility): 30 minutes possible per week for unplanned occurrences such as breakdowns, major incidents etc. The 30 minutes should be given back in same week.

The only reason I have pointed this out is that if there is confusion unscrupulous managers will use it to gain unagreed unpaid overtime.

[Judgee]

The only issue you should be concerned with is can you absorb and still complete your duty inside your contracted hours?
Getting wound up by what others are doing will only give you ulcers.
You don't need separate union representation just a change in attitude away from worrying about what time others are finishing at.
In our office it's the complete opposite,when i come off the IPS the part-time shifts are fully prepped and fighting each other to get their absorption and i don't have a letter in my frame...do i care?....do i f**k...it means i never do absorption anyway.

Absolutely!

[Redyam]

We call it collapsing.

Funny how offices are using different lingo.