Xmas Is Approaching ....!?!?

[Darren Bent]

I am going to take it easy and don't do overtime in december as well I only got 12 days to do for Christmas as I got 3 days off annual leave and floater week off in december.

[Judgee]

This will be our first year of tackling Xmas after a P & L revision. Going by what the parcel drivers said from last year, tracked items are going to be a major problem. Sounds like they went through the roof last year and this year they will no doubt be even more numerous!

[thechemisyshop]

we are negotiating our christmas duties just now so we can get our disagreements in early and get it all sorted out
last year for me was excellent - told the manager on the saturday before the duties started that i was the new Assistant Unit Rep (we dont get on with each other )
come the monday morning of the xmas duties i was told i was excess to requirements and got punted to another office - they gave me free hot filled rolls every morning and i was home in time for my duty end every day -it was quite relaxing -

the boys in my office were going mad because they were swamped with packets (my duty ) and couldnt get them cleared

[POSTMAN]

Any news on the weather this year.

[RedBagMan]

I'll happily work my hours - however when they're only 24 - and I've got two kids still at home (one in college) - I'll work more than my hours to make a living wage .. yes I know the full-time/part-time thing gets boring but ... put me on 39 hours a week and I'll change sides ... "we're all in this together" according to Cameron Clegg - I'm not being divisive - just realistic ...

... but we all know that ain't gonna happen ...

(oh and I changed POSTMAN to POSTIE cus I was feeling pc on my pc )

[not me]

This is what EVERY POSTMAN,should be doing this xmas custard ....

Should that not read EVERY FULL-TIME POSTIE ?

and if every FT Postie did that.
there would be more hours in the pot and less scope/practicality for PT duties.
see that big picture?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Any news on the weather this year.

November
As has been the case for a few months now, November is expected to see cooler than average temperatures for at least some parts of the country (albeit the current expectation is for temperatures to be fairly close to the average). Rainfall too is expected to be a little way below the norm for the time of the year. The reason for this is that pressure is expected to be highest to the north of the UK - this type of 'northern blocking' can often allow a feed of cold or cool air to move toward the British Isles.

December
Winter is expected to begin with the northern blocking still in place, and this means that temperatures are forecast to be below average for much of the country. Rainfall levels are forecast to be close to, or a little below normal for the time of year.

January
As is always the case, the further into the forecast we go, the lower confidence there is so please bear this in mind as we look ahead to January..

Current expectations are that January will bring something of a change in pattern with Atlantic low pressure having more influence and bring milder temperatures with rainfall close to the the seasonal average too.

[RedBagMan]

This is what EVERY POSTMAN,should be doing this xmas custard ....

Should that not read EVERY FULL-TIME POSTIE ?

and if every FT Postie did that.
there would be more hours in the pot and less scope/practicality for PT duties.
see that big picture?

Certainly do - which makes my inclusion of the words "full-time" all the more valid

[guyscliffe]

Also little things have started to disappear,from the workplace ( being allowed to wear santa hats,in the office .... no xmas carols being played on the in office stereo .... and just the general feel good factor,that USED to be part and parcel of delivering your customers xmas post,leading upto xmas .....
And then you have the headache of going back to work,almost STRAIGHT after xmas.Wheir it appears as if you and the milkman are the only people,who have had their xmas's interupted,by having to return to work.
And lo and behold we return,to find late xmas cards and packets ( which has always been the case ) ... But to be confronted with Saga mags the size of telephone books,7 or 8 tons of readers digest letters ( :P )and a general mountain of mailsort that was being stockpiled during december,in order to give us somethin to do when we return .... :'[

[guyscliffe]

Over the years during xmas pressure,what from memory was your heaviest day?
Mine was approx six years ago,when I had to make up 9 pouches.Spent most of my day returning to my pouch drop ( A customers garden shed )collecting the next pouch ;-) ....But the bundles were really neat,and easy to hold and tie up ...Given that it was mostly xmas cards ...
Thankfully that day,the packets were light ....

[red666bear]

chaos? I don't recall that
I do recall working my hours.......

so you`ll be refunding royal mail your £100 xmas bonus.
oh no of course you won`t!!!

[TrueBlueTerrier]

chaos? I don't recall that
I do recall working my hours.......

so you`ll be refunding royal mail your £100 xmas bonus.
oh no of course you won`t!!!

Why would he need to.

AIUI The "Christmas Bonus" is an attendance allowance paid to cover the pressure period over Christmas and New Year and is designed to encourage staff not to be absent when they are needed most, its not specifically designed to encourage you to work overtime although they won't mind if you do.

[krussel]

If i was PT i would certainly do extra hours to make up a full 8hr day and why not, there's nothing wrong in that

For the last 2 years running ive found myself having to put in 11 hour days (5am-4pm) just to clear the delivery each day. My round this year is already 30 mins longer and iam not prepared to have to put in 12 hour days for RM and be totally knacked and grumpy at home for 2 weeks.

[not me]

chaos? I don't recall that
I do recall working my hours.......

so you`ll be refunding royal mail your £100 xmas bonus.
oh no of course you won`t!!!

Why? Im doing exactly as the RM hierarchy requested
working the hours I'm paid for.
None to bright in Marple it seems

[Godric]

chaos? I don't recall that
I do recall working my hours.......

that is what i will be doing, we got a letter telling us the the number of d2ds we have to deliver will be double that of last christmas, and you know what that means. taking time to make them up and trying to cram them in with bags filled with letters and packets, well not this year if they want us to deliver d2ds ... then that is the price of having to deliver them