Doing the job correctly.

themoog · Post by **themoog** » 16 Jul 2011, 16:53

Everyone cuts corners. We've all done it at some stage in our time with Royal Mail. However...I'm getting a little bit fed up with our Manager telling us we all make time in the lighter Summer months (because we cut corners), yet he relies on us not doing the job according to the specifications during the busy Winter months so that more mail gets delivered. The one's who do cut corners simply cannot see that they are providing the stick with which the manager is beating them with!

Anyway, I've now totally had enough of it. I'm on 2 weeks leave, and when I go back I feel it's time for a new start and I'll be doing the job to the letter (no pun intended) and if that means failing to complete my duty within my shift then so be it. Just to be 100% sure that I'm not going to be leaving myself open to disciplinary procedures though, I'd like to be in possession of the facts...and I have a few questions...

1) at what point of my shift do I have to inform my Manager that I will not be able to complete? I've heard several different things on this issue (i.e before starting prep, after completing prep but before tying up) and would like to be sure on this issue.
2) is he allowed to ask me to filter mail out to meet the USO? Again, I've heard that he can from one person and that he can't from another, and I do not want to be accused of wilful delay of the mail.
3) do I have to take all of my 40 minute meal relief in one go, or can I split it? (i.e 20 mins in the morning and 20 mins whilst out on deliveries)

Also, is there anywhere I can get hold of some sort of specification that details how I should be carrying out my delivery properly i.e should I have all the mail in the back of the van, should I switch the van off at every call, how much time is built into my delivery span for vehicle checks and cleaning on a daily basis...things like these that I want to be 100% sure of before I go back.

I'm aware that my colleagues will be mightily pissed off if they have a day off and come back to find mail sitting in their frame...but if I'm doing the job properly and they're not then I don't think they have any cause to complain tbh, and I don't see why I should have to suffer as a result of doing it the proper way.

Cheers people!

bensonhedge · Post by **bensonhedge** » 16 Jul 2011, 17:42

i have my meal relief after my last letter.....that,d be about alf 11 then.

Pat Ostman · Post by **Pat Ostman** » 16 Jul 2011, 17:46

bensonhedge wrote:i have my meal relief after my last letter.....that,d be about alf 11 then.

lol, here we go!

easter bunny · Post by **easter bunny** » 16 Jul 2011, 18:01

Everyone looks after number 1 I'm afraid. I blame the notion of ' Job and Finish ' when SDD was implemented together with the nonsense of 'coming in early' , ' working my break ' , and the worst ' Private cars on delivery ' ..
This ' arrangement ' always suited RM but the CWU should have in my opinion to save full times jobs insisted that the above didn't exist...

Where there is time too be made , Staff will always try to make it...All staff should have been made to sign out after finishing their rounds before going home. This would have saved half the hassle of the problems of today...

AnotherLimey · Post by **AnotherLimey** » 16 Jul 2011, 18:09

bensonhedge wrote:i have my meal relief after my last letter.....that,d be about alf 11 then.

clashcityrocker · Post by **clashcityrocker** » 16 Jul 2011, 18:10

1) at what point of my shift do I have to inform my Manager that I will not be able to complete? I've heard several different things on this issue (i.e before starting prep, after completing prep but before tying up) and would like to be sure on this issue.
2) is he allowed to ask me to filter mail out to meet the USO? Again, I've heard that he can from one person and that he can't from another, and I do not want to be accused of wilful delay of the mail.
3) do I have to take all of my 40 minute meal relief in one go, or can I split it? (i.e 20 mins in the morning and 20 mins whilst out on deliveries)

1. Inform him at the earliest opportunity - once you know you will not complete. Don't tell him the minute you start work. Deciding you are going to cut off before you have even seen the amount of work to do is not clever.
2. Streaming the mail isn't allowed. It should be flagged up to a higher authority.
3. Yes you can split your break into two 20 minute breaks, assuming there are no local agreements to the contrary.

easter bunny · Post by **easter bunny** » 16 Jul 2011, 18:12

If the RM turned around and said all delivery staff would have too work 8 hrs straight through with no break and have 40 mins at the end of their duty, the whole workforce would be ready to strike...

Yet the majority of delivery staff ( Yes, the majority ) are happy enough for this to happen.....

clashcityrocker · Post by **clashcityrocker** » 16 Jul 2011, 18:14

easter bunny wrote:If the RM turned around and said all delivery staff would have too work 8 hrs straight through with no break and have 40 mins at the end of their duty, the whole workforce would be ready to strike...

Yet the majority of delivery staff ( Yes, the majority ) are happy enough for this to happen.....

And if they told them they HAD to use their own cars on delivery and it was their duty to upgrade their insurance at their own expense............
Yet they do.

Syze · Post by **Syze** » 16 Jul 2011, 18:43

Everyone in our office is shooting themselves in the foot on a Saturday. P&L is in here and people are leaving stuff but on saturday they come in early, rush round and work through their breaks and get finished early - and they wonder why their are daily fights with the DOM's? What is the big deal over Saturday's? I's just another day!

Post by **coxie** » 16 Jul 2011, 19:07

bensonhedge wrote:i have my meal relief after my last letter.....that,d be about alf 11 then.

illegal

fishtank · Post by **fishtank** » 16 Jul 2011, 19:16

coxie wrote:
bensonhedge wrote:i have my meal relief after my last letter.....that,d be about alf 11 then.
illegal

If his employer was forcing him too it could be unlawful.
If he chooses to i'm afraid it isn't.
Meal breaks are a right but like any right they can be voluntarily surrendered....it's s**t...but true.

clashcityrocker · Post by **clashcityrocker** » 16 Jul 2011, 19:22

And unfortunately skipping the meal relief goes hand in hand with the use of cars on delivery.
If I skip my meal relief I would be waiting on my drop bags. The only way I could skip my meal relief is by loading a couple of bags in the boot of a car......

If anyone was serious about enforcing the meal relief they would schedule it 45 minutes before dispatch time.

easter bunny · Post by **easter bunny** » 16 Jul 2011, 19:49

It's amazing....Everyone seems to have an excuse of why they cut corners.

Then they blame the CWU when the Working conditions in RM are threatened. Staff really need to stop acting so selfishly and look at the real picture.

2nd Deliveries were stopped when Postman overloaded their 1st meaning most were going home by 10.30 ( this included d2d when they were actually proper to the 2nd )

SDD .. Staff rushing around like whippets has seen numerous revisions thanks again to Staff who can't see the word from the trees.

What's next ?

Part Time work for everyone...

themoog · Post by **themoog** » 16 Jul 2011, 20:01

Cheers guys.

@ Easter Bunny...you're on the same page as me mate! I totally agree with everything you have said on here as it happens in my office all the time. One of our chaps is a self styled "super sorter" who regularly gets his round prepped and ready before the others...and he's so proud of that fact. Yet he'll leave stuff on a Saturday because, and I quote verbatim, "I haven't had an early finish this week yet!" Another one has just reduced his hours down to 30 yet still gets his missus (also a postwoman) to help him! The biggest round in our office is also the only part time round and the woman who delivers it struggles to complete everyday...yet doesn't book any overtime if she goes over her time! People still take their d2d's home to prep over the weekend...and there's even one chap who uses his car for part of his delivery! Seniority is used as an excuse for certain people to cherrypick the best collections without having the responsibility of locking up the office...and I'll end up being the parriah for doing the job correctly.

Madness imo...but they just can't see what they're doing.

easter bunny · Post by **easter bunny** » 16 Jul 2011, 20:52

themoog wrote:Cheers guys.

@ Easter Bunny...you're on the same page as me mate! I totally agree with everything you have said on here as it happens in my office all the time. One of our chaps is a self styled "super sorter" who regularly gets his round prepped and ready before the others...and he's so proud of that fact. Yet he'll leave stuff on a Saturday because, and I quote verbatim, "I haven't had an early finish this week yet!" Another one has just reduced his hours down to 30 yet still gets his missus (also a postwoman) to help him! The biggest round in our office is also the only part time round and the woman who delivers it struggles to complete everyday...yet doesn't book any overtime if she goes over her time! People still take their d2d's home to prep over the weekend...and there's even one chap who uses his car for part of his delivery! Seniority is used as an excuse for certain people to cherrypick the best collections without having the responsibility of locking up the office...and I'll end up being the parriah for doing the job correctly.

Madness imo...but they just can't see what they're doing.

Imagine,being in the Trenches with these guys when the whistle went and your going over the top to meet the enemy...

Thank God for IHR....

ROYALMAILCHAT

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