Revisions,wont they just level out after time?

[POSTMAN]

Just a thought,usually any revision is screwed at the off till things even themselves out,judging by what is being posted on here are a lot of you saying it's just not going to work no matter how long it goes on for?

[Guevarista]

Surely, there has always been a 'bedding in' period following any revision, however...

SDD left our DO with a kind of 'walk apartheid', whereby so-called part-time walks were demonstrably longer than the majority of full-time walks. The situation was never addressed in any formal way. Those part-timers (and I was one at the time) who were willing to dig their feet in and argue their case did, eventually, end up with something approaching a 3.5hr walk, though I booked o/t when I had to - no arguments from the DOM.Those who didn't were left to suffer 4 - 4.5hr deliveries, the approbation of their floaters/anyone who had to cover their walks, and the derision of some of the 'old lags', who, through seniority had picked the plum 2.5hr max walks or van duties. At that point we had an annual turnover of 30% of part-timers, and the management did a 3 wise monkeys job... Still, we put up with it.

The first georoute revision didn't so much redress the balance, so much as shuffle the pack: We all had access to the planner, and once again, those who were willing to argue the toss regarding issues such as terrain/distance/accessibility/traffic/call-rate etc, ended up with reasonable walks. The 'old lags' kept their heads down and mouths shut, most of them retaining walks that were well under 3.5, due to the fact that georoute was, (and still is) based on a rather simplistic 'flat earth grid' view of mail delivery, however... As some of the part-timers had shown some gumption, a number of the more compliant full-timers, who had adjacent walks, ended up with 4hr plus walks... Still, we put up with it.

MTSF. 'Natural wastage' (which largely consisted of strict and severe application of the stage procedure, and spurious disciplinary sackings), led to duty absorption. Much of this was on the firms, and despite a few rumblings, no one kicked up much of a fuss. I found myself on f/t hours (how did that happen?), but had to absorb 1/5 of another walk, miles away from my own (!). I suffered two AOD's and ended up on a stage 3 and getting sacked... Union shot em to pieces at the appeal. Who says we don't need the CWU! Most of us working up to and beyond our hours. Had to argue the toss when we went over... Still, a lot of them put up with it.

2010 and Beyond. We were promised involvement, in the form of: 1. regular team (CWU, f/t delivery, f/t firms, p/t, DDA) meetings with the management - never happened; 2. Individual consultations with the planner - never happened. 3. Regular updates about the revision process during WTLL sessions - never happened. Apparently, the lack of consultation was due to us being too busy during the Summer lapse period!
Result is. The published revision is a disaster! Even the 'old lags' are up in arms. You can see the details elsewhere: http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 42&t=31234" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Still, WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUT UP WITH IT THIS TIME!

[taurus88]

They don't even themselves out, ever. That's why there are 2.5 and 4 hour walks in the same office, right next to each other.

[seanocelt]

Things/revision/changes always take time then "bed in",YOUR RIGHT Postman..... maybe this is the exception. Either way "Guevarista"..................WHARRA POST !! WAHEY.........STRAIGHT FROM THE HIP!

[POSTMAN]

Cheers Guevarista.

Any other thoughts anyone?

[fishtank]

If the problems are indoor they usually work themselves out because indoor issues are obvious to everyone and guys can be protected from harassment....on the whole management will move on indoor issues to make sure you're out on time.
If the problems are outdoors...they don't.

[music4essex]

We had a geo route revision 4yrs ago, at the time I was part time , the wlks were meant to be 3.5 mine regulaly went 4.5
after 1 year constantly saying the walk is to long and claiming o/t which then put me in trouble with tax credits they took off half hour, which brings me down to 4hrs delivery, with 427 calls, but I still had to prep for the last 3 yrs of the part they took off,

Even though i have constantly moaned about it no one wil do anything about it,
2 yrs back i went F/T.

In the so called new duties they have put 1.45hrs of work back on the duty, which i flagged up in the meeting won't work and was told by dom I can use my car but I have always used a RM cycle, so I cannot see
adding 1.45 to a 4hr duty and 200 more calls is going to fit into 4.10 but hey what do I know .

All the manager seems to do is take bits off here and there but does not look at anything logically, this time round I will not do one minute of O/T it will be cut off all the way

Essex mum

[OnAFlyer]

Cheers Guevarista.

Any other thoughts anyone?

Our office starts CDV walks in January.

We've been working with the planner to sort the walks, and are currently checking the loops and correcting any errors so that the walks all run properly (for the first time ever!) We are being given time out of sorting our let off collapsing to do this.

The walks are 4-4.5hrs and comfortably achievable to everyone but the foot draggers who would swear blind a 1hr walk is 2hrs.

The problem is going to be indoors, the MC and WSM's just don't get the mail through to us quick enough. With these new duties the walks + break + travelling time/van checks comes to around 5hrs 30. That leaves us 2hrs 18mins MAX from starting to getting out.

Today some of our walks got their last batch of sequencing at 6am, the rest got it between 9 and 9.30, meaning by the time we got out we'd been indoors over 4 hrs. That just can't happen when the new duties start, or at least managers can't afford it to happen because half the walks will be coming back.

IF they get the indoor element sorted then I really can't see why it won't work. I'd rather have less indoor and more outdoor work anyway, and that's the whole point of this revision.

It does p*ss me off though that a lot of staff have absolutely no interest in looking at walks or sorting them out. There are advantages to being involved though - I've been asked by quite a few people what walks are looking ok, I tell them the ones that I don't want.

[DirtyHarry]

We must always remember that a Royal Mail revision is just another cost-cutting exercise.

Common sense tells me that, if there's a continuing trend towards decreasing the number of walks in any one office, along with a continuing decrease in manpower, and no decernible drop in mail volume, the whole operation will become unworkable.

I've been told, that in my office, we are looking at eight less walks, and as many people losing their jobs as well.

I finished at 14.45pm today. I was a mere 5 or 10 minutes away from cutting off.

My hate for the CWU grows and grows, I look down on them with as much disdain as I do Royal Mail's crass senior management.

After cuts, cuts, cuts, savings, savings, savings, a revision had to come along to bring everything to a head. Is this the one?
I don't know, but if it isn't, the next revision almost certainly will.
And THERE WILL BE A NEXT ONE, mark my words.

[fishtank]

And THERE WILL BE A NEXT ONE, mark my words.

Of course there will Harry...the union has signed us up to a "Journey".
And as we all know that is simply management speak for a continuous savings programme.

[dvbuk55]

And THERE WILL BE A NEXT ONE, mark my words.

Of course there will Harry...the union has signed us up to a "Journey".
And as we all know that is simply management speak for a continuous savings programme.

Well ft, I can honestly say I am not as keen on the "journey" as I am of the "wriggle room".

[stokes11eg]

Sadly, this time the 'revision' is so screwed, it cannot be made to work---at least in our office. We go 'live 'shortly. An area that was recently covered by 7 walks, plus packet man, has been reduced to two men, one van covering all the residential, businesses, and ALL packets and signed fors! Never in a million years can it be made to work, even with wings on! Complete and utter disaster. The 'rep' needs to hang his head in shame, for signing this off.

[dvbuk55]

Sadly, this time the 'revision' is so screwed, it cannot be made to work---at least in our office. We go 'live 'shortly. An area that was recently covered by 7 walks, plus packet man, has been reduced to two men, one van covering all the residential, businesses, and ALL packets and signed fors! Never in a million years can it be made to work, even with wings on! Complete and utter disaster. The 'rep' needs to hang his head in shame, for signing this off.

I don't really know why there is such a big fuss about the revisions - if they work, fine and if they don't well you only work a 5, 6 or 8 hour day. Ours went in on Monday, there are one or two glitches, some major some minor but all will be addressed and rectified over time - it may take a month, it may take two but they will be made to work. I have never yet experienced a revision that worked first time and was equal, that I am afraid is the nature of the beast.
A few people have been reluctant to embrace the revision and are crying for a rehash now but the Rep has told them to wait a month until it has bedded in and quite rightly so. Everything is new and unfamiliar and some are less comfortable than others, especially those who have had an easy billet for a few years and have suddenly found themselves working harder than before. One of the problems has been the fact that duties had not be advertised for years and people had been recruited and placed on them; they in turn thought that they would be on them ad infinitum, not so of course and as they had not experienced a repick and being really low on the list......................that's life. Twenty odd years ago we used to have a repick every couple of years and got used to the merry go round.

[OnAFlyer]

Sadly, this time the 'revision' is so screwed, it cannot be made to work---at least in our office. We go 'live 'shortly. An area that was recently covered by 7 walks, plus packet man, has been reduced to two men, one van covering all the residential, businesses, and ALL packets and signed fors! Never in a million years can it be made to work, even with wings on! Complete and utter disaster. The 'rep' needs to hang his head in shame, for signing this off.

I don't really know why there is such a big fuss about the revisions - if they work, fine and if they don't well you only work a 5, 6 or 8 hour day. Ours went in on Monday, there are one or two glitches, some major some minor but all will be addressed and rectified over time - it may take a month, it may take two but they will be made to work. I have never yet experienced a revision that worked first time and was equal, that I am afraid is the nature of the beast.
A few people have been reluctant to embrace the revision and are crying for a rehash now but the Rep has told them to wait a month until it has bedded in and quite rightly so. Everything is new and unfamiliar and some are less comfortable than others, especially those who have had an easy billet for a few years and have suddenly found themselves working harder than before. One of the problems has been the fact that duties had not be advertised for years and people had been recruited and placed on them; they in turn thought that they would be on them ad infinitum, not so of course and as they had not experienced a repick and being really low on the list......................that's life. Twenty odd years ago we used to have a repick every couple of years and got used to the merry go round.

Good post. Yes we're going to be working longer Saturdays, but an 8hr.15 day Mon-Fri will now be a 7hr 48 day, and a 7 hr Sat increased to 7.48 - it's not even an extra hour, and during the week we have less hours to work.

It doesn't matter if your walk is 4,5,6 or 10 hours long, if you're working at a decent pace and can't get it done then just work your hours. Nothing more nothing less.

And as for someone above saying there will be no more revisions, we've already been told the next savings are to be made in April.

[stokes11eg]

:shock--Problem is, I cannot stop worrying about the customers on the receivng end of tis so called deal of the century! Although Iwill not work past my time, the vast majority of mail will not be delivered on a daily basis! The revision needs revised!