chrisj wrote:i think someof the respondents are mixing up PT contracts with 'casuals'.
Casuals are paid only for the hours worked unlike a contractual staff that gets paid the day's wage regardless of how much work is there.
However, the OP was talking about people employed under a 22 or 25 hour contract but effectively work something like a 30 hour contract from day 1 or on a regular basis.
All the 24 hours folks in my office are now effectively working 30hours. Most (if not all) are happy, of course but they lose out on the pro-rate stuff (not at lot) and possibly on holiday entitlements... Which is not fair on one hand but then they are getting more hours which is what must people want in these tough economic times.
RM is being crafty and flexible: they are of course still under the impression that mail volumes are down; and that when we get more automated, they can simply reduce their hours back to the contract of 22 or 25 hours.
People are not mugs! If you are on 3 months rolling contract or short term contract and refuse to be flexible then when your contract is up for renewal you find it not renewed...
I don't think this is a discussion about either part-time staff or casuals, at least not exclusively. This thread is a discussion about MUGS - for those of you who don't know what a MUG is, here's a helping hand:
- a MUG comes in before his start time, works for FREE, and is happy because s/he doesn't cause conflict
- a MUG uses his/her own car, for FREE, and is happy because s/he finishes early - even though in real terms they're working longer hours
- a MUG runs around, cuts corners, because a MUG knows his duty cannot be done in time but doesn't want this to be known because s/he privately blames themself; being unable to complete a duty seems to be a cause of great pride with MUGS
- a MUG is dragged in by Royal Mail, thrown around, and spat out the moment they become useless. This is why RM loves a particular kind of MUG; they worry about their contract, they worry about not rocking the boat so they can keep their job, but they don't realise that eventually, whether you're a MUG or not, you're going to be out of that door because you're disposable. That's why you're on a
temporary limited hours contract, so that they can use you as their bitch, play with you a little, and not have to care about you in the slightest.
MUGS don't realise what's going on around them. MUGS presumably have no sense of peripheral vision. MUGS are some of the worst for running down this company and doing people out of jobs, but they also slowly do themselves out of a job because they're so frakking stupid and/or selfish.
It's time to learn, MUGS. Royal Mail is not your friend, it's your employer. It will never do you a favour so don't do it one.
If you are are wondering why all these PT staff put up with such bad conditions maybe you should be paying more attention to the amount that leave nowdays! Even in the middle of a recession the amount of people that have walked out at my DO is pretty shocking for any company. Not at all surprising though!
When you question it you're told "You shouldn't have done that OT...No-one told you to...You're not getting paid!!"
Keep a diary and fill in the hours you've worked and what duties you covered.
