The "How is your xmas week 2010" thread

[POSTMAN]

Use this thread this week,will merge it with the monster later.
Let's see what xmas 2010 bring us.

[joeboy]

I have never seen so many packets in my 35 years as I have this xmas, walks have on average 6 bags each, we can never prepare for this amount, never.

[Postman Plodd]

Just when you thought there couldnt possibly be a heavier day than the previous one...LOADS of wee packets and a good handful of xmas cards per door and the call rate was nearing the 100% mark.

[RonaldRhino]

Only got 167 delivery ponts on my walk farms,businesses etc but coupled with 30 specials,47 tracked items 11 post boxes to empty and a collection from the Post Office Saturday was a nightmare

[pickaname]

Ive had over 100 hours overtime in 3 weeks - mostly doing packets on a bike or in a van till gone 7pm

Funny thing is managers have been asking me to do more.

I think they totally under estimated the amount of packets they were gonna get. Average delivery is getting 5 sacks full to the brim and thats just the ones that get sorted.

[Wiggins79]

From Wednesday onwards last week it's been a finish as it becomes impossible to see as it is too dark. I'm absolutely outraged at complete and utter lack of respect from management regarding being out in -5 to -10 temperatures for over 5 hours at a time. They really couldn't give a toss could they? They pull all the holiday relief staff into the mail centre and leave us out to dry in subs every frickin year. What especially love is jsut when you think it can't get any worse regrds packets etc. another van turns up just as you are about to bag up with another load of sacks. We really are being treated like dog muck this year, more so than ever before. The way I feel right now, if I see a manager (which is unlikely as they have stayed well away from our office for nearly 6 months now) I will punch them in the face, and stamp on their heads once they are on the floor and god help anyone who tries to drag them off me.

[Wiggins79]

Forgot to add how much I enjoy the fact that people are STILL not in for all the cr*p they order. Despite the fact that it would seem that only RM are even working any more.

[pokos27]

i am on packet sorting and yes some walks are getting 4 to 6 bags, royal mail is still giving revenue away, bloody dsa packets.
it will only get bigger, online stuff is much cheaper.
that is one the reasons of park and loop, we can take more stuff out, yet royal mail, design the loops, too big.

[smokerjim]

Its a complete bunch of arse, we've dodged the bullet of any revisions or work changes till next year, BUT at the last minute our new DOM took over & our rep had no time to negotiate Xmas docket arrangements, so we've been stiffed with basic OT rate for all overtime ( under 10 hrs ), unless you're on a collection, in which case you get SA rate from the start time of your collection, no matter what time you actually start it.

As for packets ( which has been our Achilles heel for the last few months ), pre-Xmas, the town DO was swimming in packets & rural office was mostly clearing ( except for one group of walkers finishing on time every day and their support driver struggling to keep up with the number of tracked packets, let alone deliver much else ), during Pressure another duty helped with 1 walk's packets ( I'm on a firms duty, and finish by doing packets for 2 walk duties ) & the first bout of snow left us a week behind, but confident of clearing....and we were ( even though last week the other duty couldn't help as he was moving house ), then on Friday, I slid the van into an earth bank & cracked the rad, Saturday I finished Friday's delivery and just started the packets when the snow chucked it down & I f*cked off back to the office ( 5 mins before we got recalled ). Sunday I came in & cleared the packets I had in the van & a few more.

And now today...I figured it would be hard going ( trying to rush, without rushing so much I bent another van ) but then we all got called to a floor meeting & were told the word from the DOM was, no one was going out, van drivers go to the town office & take packets out, others stay behind and sort ( but some were sent out to clear packets in some of our groups ) and now most people will have 3 days of mail busting out of their frames, s**t loads of little packets, and a possibility of more snow on the deck tomorrow than today ( if it hasn't iced over )....oh & btw, our lineo used his initiative during last year's snow & sent people out if they wanted to & got a bollocking for his troubles, so now, he's toeing the line & if it all goes tits up ( as we know it will ) and packets fail really badly, he will use the Nuremburg defence ( I voz only obeying ze orders!)

[alloria]

At my DO, we are completely drowning in packets and mail, the revision has been a complete disaster, and the snow has not helped. There are going to be many unhappy kids this Christmas, who have not received their toys! But hey, the only thing that matters are management bonuses, right?

[smokerjim]

At my DO, we are completely drowning in packets and mail, the revision has been a complete disaster, and the snow has not helped. There are going to be many unhappy kids this Christmas, who have not received their toys! But hey, the only thing that matters are management bonuses, right?

Nope, all that matters is we have a year to budget next year's crimbo, so when your lineo comes up, and says "Fancy a bit of docket?" You ( and all your pals ) can say , "Nah, we got dumped on last year, so I can't be arsed....oh, btw, I'll be finishing on time today, and every day during pressure....and don't forget your spikies "

[Bazman]

Starting at 5am rest of this week, Started 6 today, assisting 3 duties with sorting (completely preped one, helped two others through their letter sorting) did a walk where they took the usual guy off and his cover just to do packets for 2 area's. Went rolling around the ground 4 times during the course of delivery, finished at 5pm. Left arm out of action :|

We seemed to be clearing the packet backlog, then 33 yorks of packets came in during the day Got back to the office and the backshift guy was jokingly asking people if they wanted to do OT sorting packets. He just couldn't keep a straight face while asking and no-one who was being asked could keep a straight face while listening to it :

[jessthecat]

Crazy...crazy day!! No mail could get down to us on saturday, so today we had two days worth. Started at 5am and got back to the office this evening at 5.45 pm!, and there was still more than half the office still out delivering. Our dom said this morning, for us to take our time on delivery, do as much as you can and book the overtime tomorrow morning. Oh, and added that he would not be clawing back any hours if we finish early on any days during this week!

[ass asin]

i thought you had to have 12 hours betwen shifts with regards to finishing at 530 and starting at 5

[london sub]

To sum it all up:

Worked my contracted hours, lots of snow, backlog of mail & packets, sprained ankle, and can't wait for it all to end!