Van sharing?? Rights n wrongs

[Big Daz]

Fortunatley using ones own car has never took of at my D.O as all the bike rounds are within cycling distance of the D.O and we got some extra boxes put ina few years ago along with single drop boes replaced with double. I had both my single boxes replaced with doubles

[Terry Butcher]

Terry Butcher said:It's human nature to look after number one

No it ain't.
And you don't have to look any further than your avatar sunshine.
Did the real Terry Butcher play on with his head swathed in bandages because he was looking after no.1 or did he do it for the benefit of the team?
Do we stand on the picket line together because we are looking after no.1?
"It is human nature to look after no.1" is the default position of selfish people. It pisses me off somewhat.
I'm not selfish. I don't look after no.1. Am I not human?

Selfish is a strong word. Looking after yourself is NOT selfish. Looking after yourself in excess and to the detriment of others, however, IS. "I don't look after no.1." You DO look after number one. If you didn't you would be donating your entire salary to charity and sleeping on the street. Please allow me to assume you don't do that. Why do people work? To support thier family and THEMSELVES. Absolutely nobody lives/lived a life of COMPLETE self-sacrifice with the possible exception of Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi and Jesus Christ. Again, allow me to assume that you are not one of these people?

I like to be in control of my own "destiny" (for lack of a better word), not completely reliant on a fragile alliance amongst posties, each with his/her own agenda, to guide me in the right direction. I'm sorry, I'm not that trusting. It's a vice in my character, although some may call it a virtue.

I'd like to say I'm in no way trying to stir the pot here, nor am i looking for enemies. We are essentially all in the same boat. I will, however, give as good as i get and defend myself from certain people who seemingly hold a lot of sway on Royal Mail Chat. I'm not intimidated by reputations or post number counts. I'm just sick of people who do certain aspects of the job outside of the rules (granted) being criminalised, insulted and scapegoated as the sole contributers to Royal Mail's downfall.

[clashcityrocker]

[vigilante]

B&H is reaching a whole new level in offices going through revisions.
And I fear the union are clueless & powerless to stop it.

I do think you are right mate and more and more will become centred on individual performance as a bullying tactic!

[dvbuk55]

Some people have been moved on the say so of their partner because they do not move at the same speed as them...........the rep has put a stop to this and quite rightly so..............some of those moved have lengthy service, more so than the "aggreived" partners and have served RM in the manner they have for many years.........I think also some have asked to be moved because of the uneven work rate.

[gman]

I really don't understand some people's fervent insistence on doing everything completely "by the book". My attitude is that i don't get paid enough to commit so much of my time and effort to Royal Mail. I will use a pouch on my back on some of my smaller loops on a light day, a trolley for a bundle and two packets is overkill, no matter how you look at it. Why waste the time and effort pissing about with a trolley on such an occassion? The Walks after "Park and Loop" are too big regardless, if you are going to cut off/take overtime anyway why make life more difficult for yourself just for the sake of it? It's like cutting your nose off to spite your face. A point commonly emphasised on this forum is that we are all entitled to work to our time and no more, so do just that. Don't worry about what other people are/aren't doing. And for the record, I've found that there is very MINIMAL difference in time between using a pouch on the back and using a trolley, in fact, the trolley is probably quicker on heavy days. Anyone boasting about saving more than 15 minutes by using just a pouch is lying.

I reckon that this topic highlights a complete lack of flexibility on behalf of Royal Mail in how the postman today is allowed to do his job. Pouches over the back should be a viable option should the situation dictate it ie light days, small loops etc etc. Everyone is different, some may prefer a pouch on most occasions and some may swear by the trolley on all occasions, Royal Mail should afford the postman the opportunity to choose which one suits him best (within reason). I fail to see how eliminating a popular and viable delivery method (pouch on back) completely can be considered "modernising".

I get on with it, and that phrase isn't interchangeable with "rushing around". By it i mean i prep and deliver by the methods that make the most sense to ME. If that makes me "scum" in your eyes - so be it. I really couldn't care less. I'm not trying to save time or cut corners, I'm trying to make the job a little bit easier for myself. Going by the anger/stress/dispair of the people on this forum some might do well to try the same.

are you in the know about health and safety on this one???

i assume not and i will tell you why, unless you are going to a block of flats, where a trolley cannot be used, with a very small amount of mail, only then may you carry your pouch bag..... if you are caught in breach of h+s by not using your trolley and carrying a bag anywhere else on your delivery you will be at a serious h+s breach and will get taken down the conduct code, ultimately leading to dismissal if you do not tow the line.....
also with the new loop system you have far to much work to complete in your time so it does not benefit you leaving your trolley behindin the van.... its time to change nervo attitudes and start doing your job the way you are payed to do it.... plus this will create more jobs for unfortunate people on the benefit queue

[skull]

Trolleys are our allies . How many hours of work would be created nationally if everyone used their trolleys ? , I would say tens of thousands , much to Royal Mails dissapointment and miscalculation. Then there's the healthier way of working which is another winner . We posties have the ball at our feet with this one and it would be madness to let it just pass us by .

Once we get rid of the old dinosaurs who still insist on carrying bags the old way of working will be laughed at or looked at in total shock , like the days when employers sent kids up chimneys or when engineers had snow ball fights with asbestos . It's going to take a long time because I don't beleive RM management have the conviction to press home any part of the 2010 agreement where they won't benefit . With the help of the union and posties common sence I'm hoping In 10 or 20 years we will be pointing out to new starters , photos of posties carrying massive bags and they will think what the f*ck , you used to do that .

Regarding delivery methods , our office as been a free for all since revision was introduced but this week the office managers have been stressing that everyone should be using the trolleys . Is it what they believe or is it just blah blah blah because it's in the brief ? . More posties more managers so you think it would be something they believe .

[sloggy]

Is the van sharing actually working anywhere? 2/3 of our office has now got it, the last 3rd starts Monday, and so far its been a complete disaster, on average only one of the two rounds is being completed as they've made them so big! Driving around the two rounds (I was told I'm the driver, no choice in the matter) with large packets, tracked and special deliveries takes well over an hour taking into account having to write P739's out! Its got to the stage most pairs are doing the rounds on alternate days, so customers are getting post every other day. This is without doing our ASAP, the back log building up is horrendous. Managers are now telling the first 3rd that went "live" they don't have to use their trolleys if they don't want to, so people are just leaving their trolleys behind and carrying bags the whole way round! Also the new walk sequencing machines have broken down twice this week already so we're having to sort "coded bundles as per usual! Thank goodness its my day off today, away from the madness. (This is at Guildford office by the way)

[POSTMAN]

Is the van sharing actually working anywhere? 2/3 of our office has now got it, the last 3rd starts Monday, and so far its been a complete disaster, on average only one of the two rounds is being completed as they've made them so big! Driving around the two rounds (I was told I'm the driver, no choice in the matter) with large packets, tracked and special deliveries takes well over an hour taking into account having to write P739's out! Its got to the stage most pairs are doing the rounds on alternate days, so customers are getting post every other day. This is without doing our ASAP, the back log building up is horrendous. Managers are now telling the first 3rd that went "live" they don't have to use their trolleys if they don't want to, so people are just leaving their trolleys behind and carrying bags the whole way round! Also the new walk sequencing machines have broken down twice this week already so we're having to sort "coded bundles as per usual! Thank goodness its my day off today, away from the madness. (This is at Guildford office by the way)

See this thread,i put yout post in it as well...
http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 18&t=34189" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
PS:DON'T use bags use the trolleys!

[gman]

Is the van sharing actually working anywhere? 2/3 of our office has now got it, the last 3rd starts Monday, and so far its been a complete disaster, on average only one of the two rounds is being completed as they've made them so big! Driving around the two rounds (I was told I'm the driver, no choice in the matter) with large packets, tracked and special deliveries takes well over an hour taking into account having to write P739's out! Its got to the stage most pairs are doing the rounds on alternate days, so customers are getting post every other day. This is without doing our ASAP, the back log building up is horrendous. Managers are now telling the first 3rd that went "live" they don't have to use their trolleys if they don't want to, so people are just leaving their trolleys behind and carrying bags the whole way round! Also the new walk sequencing machines have broken down twice this week already so we're having to sort "coded bundles as per usual! Thank goodness its my day off today, away from the madness. (This is at Guildford office by the way)

our whole office goes in every day praying for the machines to break....

on a serious note tho, the trolleys must b used or you can get brought down conduct code. FACT, with you being out to your time who wouldnt want to use a trolley which at least saves a bit of leg fatigue

[sloggy]

sorry POSTMAN, didn't see your comment until after posting on other page.

Yep, my van share colleague and I both use our trolleys the whole way around, but lots aren't, which is bloody silly in my book, so much better for the back. We're still waiting for any training on how to use them though, lol

[skull]

gone wrote . on a serious note tho, the trolleys must b used or you can get brought down conduct code. FACT, with you being out to your time who wouldnt want to use a trolley which at least saves a bit of leg fatigue[/quote]



Is there any offices where managers insist posties use the trolleys ? . I mean insist not " you should or I would like " , if there is I want a transfer . At our office it's at the stage where the intelligent posties are having to justify using a trolley to the not so intelligent posties who won't , surely this should be the other way round . One guys statement this week " I worked with so-n-so yesterday , so-n-so uses a trolley because so-n-so suffers from a bad back , it slowed me right down .

I may be wrong but the only time managers will go down the conduct code route for not using a trolley is when someone as been on the sick with a bad back . Only then will they throw it in someones face .

God I'm getting cynical .